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Now let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig.
So there was a pastor who was building something in his backyard. He was building a wooden trellis. And there's a trellis for a flowering vine to crawl up.
So he's out there with his hammer and nails, and he noticed there's a neighbor boy watching. Um In his yard. He had come in to watch him build this trellis, and he didn't know why he was there. He was uninvited, but he figured, you know, he would keep working, and the little boy would go away eventually.
Well, the more he kept working, the boy just kept staring at him and wouldn't go away. Finally, the preacher put his hammer down and he said, So, uh, Are you just trying to get some tips on gardening? And the little boy said, Nope. I'm waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer. What does a preacher say when he hits his thumb with a hammer?
It's a good question.
Now that brings up a point, and that is the world is always watching us. The mic is always on. The camera is always rolling. People are trying to find out what we're really all about.
Sometimes when I go to public places around here, I can feel the eyes on me. People would recognize and go, oh, that's that preacher guy. And I know, I can see it because I see him looking, and they'll whisper to each other.
So what the deal is, is that Okay, I know we can preach. But how does he practice? at a restaurant In public. And that's Peter's whole theme. Peter's saying, You are being watched in your response to the government.
You are being watched in your response to your boss. You are being watched in your response to your husband and your wife.
So, because you are being watched, Be tenderhearted, loving, be compassionate, be non-retaliatory, all those attributes we talked about last week. Because usually, normally, That's acceptable. Those are traits and attributes that even the world will accept. But what about when they don't? What about when your holiness meets their hostility?
Your goodness meets their grievances. What happens when you do good and you're sweet and kind? But they marginalize you. or even slander you. What do you do then?
What do you do when God haters decide that just because you believe in God? You should experience some pain because of it. Then what do you do? Back in 1999, you may remember the story. of a man by the name of Graham.
That was his first name. His last name was Staines, Graham Stains, and his two boys. an 11-year-old and a six-year-old. were killed in India by militant Hindus, they were burned to death. The story is that they were ministering at a camp, and Graham Stains was teaching at this camp out in the jungle.
In the middle of the night, around midnight, actually, these militant Hindus came into the camp and disrupted things and set on fire the jeep where Graham Staines was staying with his two children, spending the night for the next morning. They were burned to death. When when the fire cooled The body, the charred body of Graham Stains was shown with his. Arms clutching his two boys. Reason?
Why did that happen? One simple reason. They were Christians. That's all. They were there, they were doing good, they were loving the people, they were pouring their lives into them, but they were Christians.
And they suffered because of it.
So In our text, our chapter, 1 Peter chapter 3, beginning in verse 13. Peter offers two possibilities. Number one, you do good. And you're not hassled. You do good and they leave you alone, unharmed.
Second possibility, you do good and you are harmed. Let's look at it, verse 13. And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But Even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake. You are blessed.
And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. And always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience.
that when they defame you as evildoers, Those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better. If it is the will of God, To suffer for doing good. than for doing evil. Five verses.
Four truths, four things you can expect when holiness. meets hostility. And here's the first. Normally, goodness is profitable. Normally, usually, typically, Doing good.
is a good thing and it's profitable. It'll work out for you. That's his thought in verse 13, but you know, with every text there's a context.
So I just need you to see how thoughts connect. Do you mind? Just look back at verse 10. Look what he says. For he who would love life and see good days I would raise my hand on that one.
I want that. If he wants that, then let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good. You want to see good, do good. And then in verse 13, the question: And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
Now, that is a rhetorical question, meaning the question is asked, there's an implied answer that everybody knows.
So let me restate it for you. Here's Peter writing to his audience and saying: if you live the way I just described, If you are loving and humble and you are non-retaliatory and you are tender-hearted, you are all those things. Who's going to bother you? Who's going to bother you if you live like that? Implied answer?
Nobody. You're going to get by unscathed. Normally, you will never suffer if you're a person who does good to other people and you are after benefiting others around you. Even the greatest opponents of the gospel are not going to hinder. People helping other people.
They're going to leave you alone. That's what the question means. Who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
Now, let me insert something here because it brings up something I think is a crucial point to be noted. The history of Christianity. is in part at least The history of societies around the world being benefited. By the goodness done in them by Christian believers who live in them. Example.
The whole concept of the value of life, the whole concept of human rights is a biblical. Concept. Those are values that emerged from those with a Christian worldview because we believe all men and women were created in the image of God. Women's rights, where did it come from? Not Gloria Steinem.
Not the women's liberation movement or the different fronts or breakoffs. It came from. The Bible. Because when Paul and Peter and Jesus spoke, 2,000 years ago, the culture around them did not respect women at all. In fact, in some cases, I have seen letters.
From a Greek soldier written to his wife 2,000 years ago, who said: if you have a little boy, keep it. If it's a girl, throw it away. A girl was owned by her father. Until she was passed off to her husband. Then she became the property of her husband.
In that culture came the Bible that said there's neither male nor female, we are all one in Christ. That's a Christian worldview. Compassion for the sick. Compassion for the poor. They come from Christians, the first hospitals.
Were erected by Christians. The Red Cross was originally a Christian organization. The Salvation Army, a Christian organization. Cultures where missionaries infiltrate. It has been shown over and over again that literacy goes up.
They're more educated, they're more advanced, they're more compassionate. The force behind eradicating slavery in England years ago was by a Christian statesman. Child labor laws were enacted by Christian men and women. And then even in our own country, In the early 1800s, When a French statesman by the name of Alexis de Tocqueville came to America, one thing that startled him is how many volunteers were helping people around them, and these were volunteers. From organizations, associations that had been founded and were currently being run by Christians.
He saw the impact in culture. By Christianity.
So, who's going to bother you if you live that way? Normally, typically, usually? Nobody. I think it's pretty safe to predict that probably. Most of you, if not all of you, will never be killed in this country in your lifetime because you believe in Jesus.
That's probably not going to happen. You're probably not going to get beat up. Because you just simply say I love Jesus. Probably not going to happen. And if you are a good person and you follow these things that Peter outlined.
We described last week. That's just a good way to live. I mean it's going to keep you out of jail? It's going to bring peace with your neighbors. Not going to get hassled because you are seeking good, you are doing good.
So, who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? That's the first. expectation normally Goodness is profitable. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig Weekend Edition. Every day, friends like you help bring clear verse-by-verse Bible teaching to people searching for truth in a world that often feels confused, divided, and uncertain.
And this month, we want to thank you with a powerful resource designed for times like these. When you give, you'll receive City in Shambles, Pastor Skiff's complete 18-message study through Nehemiah on CD plus digital download. In these messages, you'll discover how God works in seasons of spiritual and cultural collapse, how prayer and obedience become the starting point for renewal, and how ordinary believers can respond with faith instead of fear. We'll send this resource as our thanks when you give $50 or more to support Connect with Skiff Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskiff.com/slash offer.
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So join me. Let's learn our Bibles and grow in the Word of God.
Now let's return to today's teaching. But there's a second. that follows quickly on the heels of that is eventually persecution is inevitable. Eventually Persecution. Is inevitable.
Verse 14. But And the old King James says, but and. Even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, You are blessed. And then quoting Isaiah chapter 8: And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.
etc.
So here's the deal. Goodness is good. Righteousness is right. But being good and righteous will not make you immune from trouble. Eventually, because you are the light of the world and you shine your light into a dark world.
There's going to be some problems. Jesus put it this way: men loved their darkness. rather than light because their deeds were evil. And Paul made to Timothy a very, very important promise. He said, All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall what?
What will they suffer? Persecution. All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Eventually, persecution is inevitable.
So here's the deal. The world will tolerate you. But not for long. Eventually, at some point, at some level, the world will persecute you. Why is that?
Well, I've used this illustration a number of times, but it's like. If people are in a dark room and their pupils are dilated, they're accustomed to the darkness, and you open the blinds and let the sunlight in, or you turn on a bright overhead. They're not happy to see you. They just want you gone from their presence. Turn off that light.
It hurts them. And so it is with the gospel.
So it is with those who do good. Did you know the Bible says Jesus went about doing good? Just think about that statement. Jesus Christ went about doing good, he healed sick people. That's good.
He raised dead people. That's Good. Their families were really happy. Those are good things. but eventually the hostile world around him What'd they do to him?
They killed him. They wanted to extinguish the light.
So here's the principle. Persecution. Is the result? of obedience. Or, I'll put it in a more memorable way.
Great persecution is the result. of the great Commission. You preach the gospel? Not everybody's going to like it. Because everybody doesn't like it, there's going to be persecution at some level.
Because you see, somewhere down the line, you're going to be telling the world why you're so sweet and why you're so compassionate and why you're so loving and why you volunteer for things and help the sick, and they're going to ask you why. And when they say, hey, why do you do that? You're not going to stand there and go. I don't know. You're going to say I do that because I love Jesus Christ.
Who is my Savior? and died to set you free. When they hear that message. The fireworks begin. When they hear that message.
The sparks will fly and the anger will be developed. Jesus said these words in John 15: if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you, and they hated me without a cause. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
So even when Christians are kind and wonderful and helpful and magnanimous, they still represent the gospel that is narrow. and exclusive. Because our gospel says that only those who trust in Jesus Christ will enjoy heaven forever, and those who reject Jesus Christ will be forever lost. You think that's a popular message? No way.
I got an email from someone. I'm smiling when I say that. who claim to be A Christian. And said these words to me. I don't understand why every religion thinks they have God's special attention.
It appears to me that Christians are no better than Muslims. I pondered over that little email. And I thought, well, you know, I gotta say, I. I agree with them. Christians aren't any better than anyone else.
But we are better off than everyone else. And we have a better message than anyone else because our message says: no matter who you are, no matter what you've done, no matter where you live. You can be set free from your sin and you can spend forever in heaven with God guaranteed. There's no better message than that.
So, listen, here's the deal. And I say this sincerely: if there were 485 different ways to get to God, I would stand up here and preach all 485 ways. But the book that I read and that you read and you say you believe in says there's one way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me.
And when you say that, And that is so narrow and so exclusive. This is going to happen. But notice, you gotta notice this. There's a qualifying phrase. Notice it doesn't say, but even if you should suffer.
Didn't say that. It says, if you should suffer for what? Righteousness' sake. Oh, that's a whole different category now. If you suffer for righteousness' sake, or as it says in verse 17, suffer for doing good.
You see, Jesus never said, Blessed are the persecuted. He said, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. It's no great blessing to get beat up. It's no great blessing for people to yell at you. You know, walk home after being hassle and go, what a great day.
Everybody yelled at me, and I got beat up. You're just a weirdo if you think that way. It's like the cannibal who is staring at the missionary. It made that missionary really queasy and uneasy. And he said to the cannibal, Why are you looking so intently at me?
And the cannibal grinned and said, I'm the food inspector. There's no blessing in being eaten. It all depends what you're being eaten for. Is it for righteousness' sake? Because you see.
You can invite Persecution on yourself. by being an obnoxious person. I was going out of Pope Joy Hall one night. It's the performing arts center here, and I was going out after a play, and the whole crowd was going out. There was some guy standing on a wall.
I think he had a Bible in his hands, raised up. He was yelling at us. Yelling angrily, his furrowed brow and And he was telling us the good news. You're all going to hell. I'm thinking, so what's the bad news?
And I was watching people as they were watching him. I was looking at the looks on their faces. Nobody had the look on their face like, hmm, this is interesting and compelling. Tell me more. They were like, get away from the bad man quickly, quickly, quickly.
It was a complete turnoff to them. Jesus said, Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I don't know why some Christians think they need to be as wise as doves. And harmless as a snake. I believe the Lord is looking for sharpshooters, not grenade launchers.
Somebody who's going to be very careful and aim very specifically when they speak to unbelievers truth. Rather than just throwing it out there and seeing what happens. But even if you do, you do good. And you share truth. And you might suffer for righteousness' sake.
Notice it says you are Blessed means honored. God is honoring you to be in a position where you're experiencing. What Jesus experienced. You're honored, you're blessed. Then he quotes Isaiah 8, which says, And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.
Let me just give you a quick little background on that. In Isaiah chapter 8, King Ahaz of Judah felt threatened because the king of the north. In Israel, Had a coalition with the king of Syria, and they both threatened to come down and pounce on him. And he's getting all bent out of shape and nervous. And so Isaiah the prophet comes to him and says, Don't worry about it.
Don't be alarmed. Don't be frightened. The Lord's going to take care of this. Don't be troubled by. They're threats.
So, Peter's lifting that up and applying that here. You are blessed if that happens. It might not happen, it probably won't happen. If it does happen, you're blessed. Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Before we go, remember, your generosity helps share God's Word with people around the world, offering biblical truth and hope in a time when many feel discouraged or overwhelmed. And this month we'd love to thank you for your gift of fifty dollars or more by sending you City in Shambles, Pastor Skiff's complete 18-message study through Nehemiah on C D plus Digital Download. These messages will encourage you to respond to brokenness with prayer, repentance, and courageous faith, and remind you that God still rebuilds what's been torn down. Give today at connectwithskiff.com slash offer or call 800-922. 1888.
We'll see you next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect the Skip Heitzig Weekend Edition. Make a connection now. The food. Of the crossing. But you have so we bury Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
Ready to go deeper in your faith and discover your calling? The School of Ministry at Calvary Church in Albuquerque is designed to equip you with practical Bible teaching, hands-on ministry training, and real-world experience. Whether you're called to lead, serve, or grow, this is your next step. Classes are forming now. Visit calvarysom.org to learn more and apply today.
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