The Power to Be a Witness

Witnessing is Easy!

  1. ...When you are rightly Prepared. (Acts 4:13)


  2. ...When God’s Work is clearly Seen. (Acts 4:14)


  3. ...When you love God more than you Fear Man. (Acts 4:15-19)


  4. ...When you Remember what Jesus has done for You. (Acts 4:20-22)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

  • 00:00-00:03

    Open up your Bibles with me, please, to Acts chapter 4.

    00:04-00:06

    Acts chapter 4.

    00:06-00:09

    We're going to be picking up in verse 13.

    00:11-00:24

    And it was about three years ago or so, Taylor Brown was interning with us, and it was-- some of you guys were here, and you remember that-- and it was his first big opportunity to preach.

    00:25-00:30

    And Taylor Brown's grandfather came, And his name is Charlie Brown.

    00:30-00:34

    He was Charlie Brown before Charlie Brown was a thing, actually.

    00:35-00:42

    But on that particular morning, we had some extra guests and visitors coming to hear Taylor give one of his first big sermons.

    00:44-00:52

    And it was a morning that Cade was just sort of yammering at Aaron, just talk, talk, talk about this, that, and the other.

    00:52-00:54

    And Aaron was trying to talk to people.

    00:54-00:56

    And finally, Aaron had turned to Cade.

    00:57-01:14

    and she said, "Why don't you just go say good morning to someone?" So Cade immediately turned and walked right over to Taylor Brown's grandfather, walked right up to him and looked him in the eye and said, "Good morning. Oh wow, you are very old.

    01:15-01:37

    That's why Cade is no longer on the assimilation team." Well the truth is, well the truth is I have dozens of stories like that about Cade. But we're trying to teach him and we're trying to show him how he can grow in his relations with one another. And that's what we've been doing these past three weeks.

    01:38-02:41

    We've been talking about for us growing as witnesses for Jesus Christ. What do we do when we have opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ? Just as a review, we're talking about this all year. Jesus said in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses." Jesus said that his Holy Spirit was going to come and dwell all believers so that we might be witnesses for him. And two weeks ago Peter showed us how to witness. We talked about making it clear. Your witnessing should be about God. We should be and you need to use God's Word and no matter what, never compromise.

    02:41-02:45

    And that's where we left off last week in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12.

    02:46-03:11

    Peter capped off his message to the religious leaders, you know, the people who are in the church, who were calling him to the carpet for preaching Jesus, Peter said, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." There are really two big myths when it comes to witnessing.

    03:12-03:19

    And the first one we addressed last week, but for the people that say, "Well, you know, Witnessing is just not really my thing.

    03:20-03:22

    That's just not, that's not really my thing.

    03:22-03:26

    If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, witnessing is your thing.

    03:26-03:29

    That's why you have his power, so that you might be a witness.

    03:30-03:35

    But there's another big myth when it comes to witnessing, and the myth is this.

    03:36-03:37

    Witnessing's hard.

    03:38-03:39

    You know, witnessing's hard.

    03:39-03:45

    I just don't know what to say, and what if they ask me questions and I don't know the answer?

    03:47-03:51

    Well, it's a myth, because witnessing actually isn't hard.

    03:52-03:59

    The truth is, when you're walking with Jesus Christ, witnessing is a very natural thing.

    03:59-04:01

    That's what we're going to see in our text today.

    04:02-04:05

    If you have your outline, witnessing is easy.

    04:06-04:07

    Witnessing is easy.

    04:09-04:13

    We are going to have to explain how that is, so we're going to let the Word of God show us.

    04:13-04:15

    First of all, look at verse 13.

    04:16-04:44

    "Witnessing is easy when you are rightly prepared." When you are rightly prepared, verse 13 says, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus." So witnessing is easy, first of all, when you're rightly prepared.

    04:46-05:00

    So here you have Peter and John, and this miracle is performed, and they're speaking with great authority, and they were people that didn't have any formal religious training, but they had incredible Bible knowledge.

    05:01-05:05

    This would have been déjà vu to these religious leaders.

    05:06-05:10

    Like, "Wait a minute, didn't we just deal with this?

    05:10-05:19

    Wasn't Jesus just this blue-collar guy that spoke with authority and knew the Word of God?" Well, the déjà vu really hit home.

    05:19-05:33

    Remember, two months prior, you can read about it in Matthew chapter 21, when Jesus was questioned about his authority, he said, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." He was speaking of himself.

    05:34-05:39

    Then Peter and John, when they were called out for preaching Jesus, Peter preached the same verse.

    05:47-06:01

    So these guys were, your Bible says, they were bold and they were astonishing, but yet they were uneducated and they were common.

    06:03-06:04

    How can all these things be?

    06:06-06:09

    Well, the key phrase, look at the end of verse 13, this is the key phrase.

    06:10-06:11

    They had been with Jesus.

    06:13-06:23

    It says they had been with Jesus, and that means a lot more than they were hanging out with Jesus, because isn't it true that when you spend time with Jesus, He changes you?

    06:23-06:24

    Have you noticed that?

    06:25-06:29

    When you spend time with Jesus Christ, He changes you.

    06:31-06:33

    You know, church, I went to Bible college.

    06:34-06:36

    I went to the Harvest Bible Chapel Training Center.

    06:36-06:38

    and others certainly value in education.

    06:40-06:54

    I have read a stack of books about how to witness and natural evangelism and inside the mind of the unchurched and you know how to share the gospel naturally.

    06:54-06:59

    And certainly there's value in reading all of these things.

    07:00-07:02

    But you got to mark this down.

    07:02-07:10

    Nothing, nothing prepares you to be a witness more than just being with Jesus Christ yourself.

    07:11-07:19

    That's what's going to prepare you in prayer, in worship, in his word, meditating on it.

    07:19-07:20

    It fires you up.

    07:21-07:25

    Nothing's going to prepare you for being a witness more than being with Jesus Christ yourself.

    07:26-07:30

    You know, it's sort of like, you know how it is when you watch Rocky?

    07:30-07:34

    We've all seen, how many of you have seen one of the like 12 Rocky movies?

    07:34-07:35

    You've seen Rocky, right?

    07:36-07:48

    Now if you're like me, when you're done watching Rocky, don't you feel like, "I'm going to be a boxer." Don't you feel like you could walk outside and whoop anybody?

    07:48-07:50

    How many people feel like that after you watch Rocky?

    07:50-07:51

    Don't lie, come on.

    07:52-07:52

    Totally.

    07:53-08:00

    You watch Rocky and you walk outside and you're just like, "Bring it!" I would get my tail kicked.

    08:01-08:03

    But you feel so fired up!

    08:05-08:16

    You see like one of those Fast and the Furious movies, and you get back in your Dodge Neon, and you're tearing out of the parking lot, and you're like, "That's not me!

    08:17-08:21

    I'm such a crazy, insane, good driver!" Anybody else?

    08:22-08:25

    How many people got a ticket pulling out from seeing that movie?

    08:27-09:01

    drivers right Amanda but you watch that movie and you sort of feel like I can so do that that is so me and um that's sort of the feeling you get when you go to a worship service or a baptism service you're leaving you're leaving church here haven't you ever felt like when you when you left church don't you just feel so fired up to witness like we're going to lunch and I'm telling that waitress about Jesus and you're just you're so excited about the gospel and about Jesus and about what he's done and you're just fired up.

    09:03-09:03

    Why is that?

    09:04-09:06

    It's because corporately we were just with him.

    09:07-09:12

    You know, we spend time in worship and we spend time praying together and we spend time in his word.

    09:12-09:16

    We spend time in his presence and it fires us up.

    09:18-09:29

    And that should be happening privately in your life as well, because nothing is going to rightly prepare you to witness better than spending time with Jesus.

    09:30-09:35

    I was talking to Mark Gort this week, he's one of our elders, and he was telling me he was studying 1 Corinthians.

    09:36-09:41

    And in 1 Corinthians 4.10, it says that we are fools for Christ.

    09:41-09:45

    And something that Mark was sharing with me that I just, I got a kick out of it.

    09:45-09:51

    He said the Greek word for fool is moros, which is where we get the word, anyone?

    09:53-09:53

    Moron.

    09:54-09:59

    In other words, we are common uneducated morons for Christ.

    10:01-10:02

    And you're like, speak for yourself.

    10:03-10:06

    And I'm like, I am speaking for myself, but I'm speaking for you too.

    10:06-10:07

    Look, you know what?

    10:07-10:11

    At the end of the day, the Bible just says we're morons for Jesus.

    10:13-10:36

    Or to say it more eloquently, another friend of mine says, "I'm just a nobody telling everybody about somebody that can change anybody." And when it comes to witnessing, Church, it's not about how many witnessing books you've read or how many Bible college degrees you have or how many Billy Graham training seminars you've attended and I have all my certificates framed and on the wall.

    10:37-10:41

    Hey, those things are great, but nothing prepares you to witness.

    10:43-10:51

    Like spending time with Jesus Christ yourself, that's what these men, these religious leaders recognize about Peter and John, like these guys have been with Jesus.

    10:53-10:56

    So witnessing is easy, easy when you're rightly prepared.

    10:56-11:00

    Secondly, witnessing is easy when God's work is clearly seen.

    11:01-11:02

    Look at verse 14.

    11:04-11:13

    Verse 14 says, "But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition." So do you have this scene?

    11:14-11:15

    Do you have the scene?

    11:16-11:36

    Here's all these religious leaders, and they're wearing their fancy-schmancy robes, and they got these two grungy fishermen, but also with them is this man who everybody knew was lame and was begging for years, standing there totally healed.

    11:38-11:47

    And their response in taking this whole scene in is, "I got nothing. I got nothing." What can you say?

    11:48-11:52

    What can you say when God is clearly at work? What can you say about that?

    11:53-11:57

    What can you possibly say in opposition when God is so clearly at work?

    11:58-12:07

    It's easy to be bold in our faith when God is at work, because it's hard to argue with real results.

    12:08-12:18

    You can imagine somebody coming into this cafeteria this morning and walking up saying, "You know, Jeff, you need to stop telling people that God is alive and that God is at work.

    12:18-12:24

    You need to stop telling people that." My response would be, "Look at what's happening.

    12:25-12:32

    Look at what's happening around the room." We haven't had anybody that was healed from being lame.

    12:32-12:34

    We don't have anybody like that in the church yet.

    12:35-12:40

    But we have an even greater miracle that took place in this church.

    12:40-12:42

    That's a testimony of changed lives.

    12:43-12:45

    Yeah, a guy that was lame, not walking, that's pretty cool.

    12:46-12:56

    I'll tell you what's even cooler, somebody that was dead in their sins and alienated from God, born again, alive in Christ, totally transformed, that's an even greater miracle.

    12:57-13:36

    and we have lots of testimonies about that you see people that can give testimony of sin being forgiven public professions of faith in baptism uh... hurts that have been healed needs it had been met it fires up your faith when you see god move i imagine it did for peter and john you know for these guys to be like you gotta stop with the jesus talk And here's the healed man standing right beside him and Peter and John are just like, we can't do that because God is very clearly at work and I can't shut up about that.

    13:38-13:44

    So our mission, like Peter and John, our mission is not just saying the message.

    13:45-13:59

    You know, I think sometimes when we think of witnessing and evangelism, we think it's It's just about getting this right message, this right presentation packaged, and we just give that out to people.

    13:59-14:01

    And it's more than that.

    14:03-14:09

    Discipleship is getting involved with people and seeing the effects of the message.

    14:11-14:19

    Like Peter and John, God gives us power to witness, and then we see God's power at work into lives of those we witness to.

    14:21-14:25

    And we realize that this isn't some detached conceptual message.

    14:26-14:30

    This is a message that transforms lives and that fires us up even more.

    14:33-14:35

    Greatest example of that is Jesus.

    14:36-14:42

    You know, for Jesus ministry, he didn't just run around telling everybody, hey, by the way, I'm God in the flesh.

    14:42-14:51

    FYI Let me tell you some things about the kingdom of heaven FYI, what do you see in Jesus ministry countless?

    14:52-15:08

    people being healed of blindness and deafness and leprosy and raising people from the dead and Feeding multitudes at least on two different occasions Jesus fed thousands of people. Why did he do all of those things?

    15:09-16:15

    Because you couldn't deny Jesus message when he was saying he came to love and to serve He backed it up So the God's work was clearly seen It's very hard to make a claim when you can't back it up But when you see God at work like these religious leaders saw God was very clearly at work Can't deny the message So witnessing is easy church first of all when you're rightly prepared secondly when God's work is clearly seen thirdly It's easy to witness when you love God more than you fear man When you love God more than you fear man Jumped down to 15, but when they had commanded them to leave the council they conferred with one another Okay, so these religious leaders are like, okay, we need to call a recess And they sort of whisked Peter and John away and said we need to huddle up What are we going to do?

    16:16-17:14

    Verse 13 talks about Peter and John's boldness when we talk about boldness. I mentioned this last week It's not boldness isn't being obnoxious or jerky You know, it's not bold to go to your neighbor's house and pound on their door and say hey, you're going to hell pagan You better repent that's not bold. That's that's obnoxious Boldness is simply this when God gives me opportunity to speak up. I'm going to open my mouth and I'm going to speak up Boldness doesn't mean you're not nervous It's okay to be nervous Pastor Jeff are you still nervous? I had somebody asked me that recently you nervous when you preach You've been doing it almost 20 years now. Are you nervous when you preach and the answer is every single time It's okay to be nervous boldness is despite my fears, despite my nervousness, I'm gonna speak up and I'm going to say, hey, let me tell you who Jesus Christ is and what he's about.

    17:14-17:15

    That's boldness.

    17:16-17:20

    So they call this recess, verse 15, what are we gonna do?

    17:22-17:24

    Verse 16, saying, "What shall we do with these men?

    17:26-17:37

    For that a notable sign has been performed through them as evidence to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it." See, that was the problem.

    17:38-17:41

    The problem was how evident the miracle was.

    17:41-17:43

    They're like, "We got a problem.

    17:44-17:55

    These guys are running around preaching Jesus, which is a big enough problem enough, but we can't easily refute their message because everybody knew about this man.

    17:56-18:01

    So what are we gonna do about this?" Look at verse 17 and 18.

    18:01-18:01

    Here's their plan.

    18:01-18:02

    You ready for this?

    18:02-18:03

    Here's their plan.

    18:05-18:13

    But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.

    18:15-18:25

    So they called them, they called Peter and John back, they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

    18:27-18:28

    Like here's the plan.

    18:29-18:38

    We can't deny the miracle, so we're going to tell them They're forbidden to tell people about Jesus Christ.

    18:38-18:39

    It's kind of ironic.

    18:39-18:42

    In our day, we have to coax people to witness.

    18:42-18:43

    We have to encourage people.

    18:44-18:45

    Come on, speak up for Jesus.

    18:45-18:46

    Don't be afraid to witness.

    18:46-18:48

    That's a problem in our day.

    18:48-18:50

    In their day, they couldn't get these guys to shut up.

    18:52-18:53

    See, that was their plan.

    18:53-18:55

    Just, okay, here's the deal, guys.

    18:56-18:58

    We had a meeting and here's our ruling.

    18:59-19:00

    Stop talking about Jesus.

    19:01-19:02

    That's the ruling, okay?

    19:03-19:03

    That's the plan.

    19:04-19:06

    I love Peter's answer. Look at verse 19.

    19:09-19:29

    But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you, rather than to God, you must judge." Peter's basically saying, "Okay, you say don't speak.

    19:35-19:41

    So, which one do you think God wants me to do?" There again, Peter put the ball back in their court.

    19:41-19:43

    He's like, "Guys, you see our dilemma.

    19:44-19:47

    You put a gag order on us, but God told us to proclaim the gospel.

    19:47-19:54

    So, which one do you think would be more honoring to God here?" Putting them back on defense.

    19:56-19:57

    And somebody at this point is like, "Wait a second.

    19:59-20:09

    If these religious leaders were also like the ruling body in Israel, like we talked about last week, shouldn't we always submit to the government?

    20:11-20:13

    Doesn't the Bible say we should submit to the government?

    20:14-20:15

    Yes, the Bible absolutely does say that.

    20:15-20:17

    Romans 13, Paul talks about it.

    20:18-20:27

    Peter himself right here, 1 Peter 2 and verse 13 says that we should submit to the government.

    20:27-20:30

    So the answer is, should we submit to the government? Yes, we should.

    20:31-20:35

    We should absolutely submit to the government, unless...

    20:36-20:43

    unless the government orders us to do something that violates the Word of God.

    20:44-21:09

    For example, if the government, if the United States government today said, "From now on, it's illegal to tell people that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation." I'd do what I've been doing for the last 20 years, because God has commanded this message to be preached.

    21:11-21:20

    So in that case, I would have to respectfully decline the command of the government, if something like that was forbidden.

    21:21-21:31

    If the government commands you to do something that God forbids, or the government forbids something that God doesn't forbid, God commands, in that case, you appeal to the higher authority.

    21:31-21:33

    That's what Peter was doing here.

    21:34-21:35

    Appealing to the higher authority.

    21:36-21:46

    Like, look, I know you're telling me to shut up, but somebody over you, somebody over you said that I'm supposed to speak up.

    21:48-21:50

    So you tell me which is proper.

    21:53-22:01

    So in that case you appeal to the higher authority and also in that case you have to decide which is stronger in your life, your love for God or your fear of man.

    22:03-22:19

    On one hand you have the God who loves you and purchased your salvation and indwells you and has all power and works all things for the counsel of his good versus willfully ignorant and wicked people who might persecute you because they don't like your beliefs.

    22:21-22:22

    Which one are you going to go with there?

    22:25-22:27

    Why is it such a hard decision?

    22:27-22:30

    Well, because we see the people.

    22:32-22:34

    That's why naturally we fear them.

    22:35-22:36

    We don't see God.

    22:38-22:39

    That's where faith comes in.

    22:41-22:52

    In times like this, when somebody in authority tells you to stop preaching the gospel, it's It's only by faith in God that you can continue to preach the gospel.

    22:54-22:55

    So which is stronger in you?

    22:56-22:58

    Is it love or is it fear?

    22:59-23:01

    In our flesh it's just fear.

    23:03-23:12

    I'd like to remind you 1 Timothy 1.7 says that God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.

    23:11-23:39

    control yeah it can be scary but that's why God already supplied the power ahead of time you will receive power you'll be my witnesses and when we're doing it in God's power not our own that makes witnessing pretty easy and finally for today witnessing is easy when you remember what Jesus has done for you.

    23:41-23:44

    Witnessing is easy when you remember what Jesus has done for you.

    23:45-23:51

    Look at these last few verses. Peter says, "For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

    23:53-24:04

    And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people for all were praising God for what had happened.

    24:06-24:16

    for the man on whom the sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old I looked at that last verse this week and I'm like what's that all about?

    24:18-24:24

    The man on whom the sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old Yeah, it's tough being a sports fan isn't it?

    24:25-24:43

    because when an athlete hits like thirty-five they talk about him like he's Methuselah you know, you heard that with the Super Bowl like Peyton Manning, they're like "Well, you know, he doesn't have much left in the tank because he is 39." I don't like hearing that.

    24:45-24:46

    So where was I?

    24:46-24:51

    Oh yeah, it's easy to witness when you remember what Jesus has done for you.

    24:52-24:55

    Verse 20 is actually a double negative in the Greek.

    24:56-25:03

    Literally, Peter says, "I cannot not speak." You're saying don't speak?

    25:04-25:11

    I cannot not speak. It is literally impossible for me to keep my mouth shut about Jesus.

    25:12-25:15

    And I would just like to remind you as we're coming down the homestretch here, do you remember?

    25:18-25:28

    Do you remember how you were when Jesus found you? Do you remember how you were? Do you remember discovering the grace, the love, the forgiveness?

    25:30-26:04

    Do you remember when Jesus made all things new in your life? Do you remember when your life suddenly had meaning because you realized that God who created you loves you and has a purpose for your life? Do you remember that? It happened to me. The immoral, foul, hungover, lost guy learned about the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ. My life hasn't been the same. I've been keeping journals since I was 16. Not like every day, but just trying to highlight events.

    26:04-26:07

    And every so often, I just kind of go in and just break down what's happening.

    26:08-26:10

    Like I said, I've been doing that since I was 16.

    26:10-26:11

    And I.

    26:12-26:14

    I came to Christ when I was 20.

    26:15-26:41

    And I'm so thankful now that I started those journals before I came to Christ, because you can go back and read them and you can like see the page where it happened. And I go back and look at them, I don't even recognize guy that wrote this stuff before I came to Christ. I'm like, "Who wrote this?" It was me. It's in my handwriting. And the times that I wonder, you know, "What's God doing?

    26:41-27:00

    Is God at work? Has God really called me?" And I go back and look at that, and I can take you to the page back in 1995 when everything changed. And the things that I've seen God do since then. I have pages and pages and pages of answered prayer.

    27:01-28:10

    You know, I can tell you stories about, you know, when I thought Cade was going to die from the horse kick and Aaron was praying over him and not one broken bone. It was a miracle. Even recently, concerned about Aaron's health and the miraculous comeback she made from that. I could tell you stories of when we had the bank account was down to like seven cents and literally not two nickels to rub together and God came through with miraculous provision and I look back on my life and see so many times that the Lord has shown up in so many different ways and all I can say is the same thing that Peter says here. I cannot not speak about Jesus Christ. I can't deny what he's done in my life, so I can't shut up. No matter what that's going to cost me, I can't shut up, because I've had a front row seat of seeing him do some amazing things. And you know what?

    28:11-28:21

    So have you. That's one of the things I love when somebody becomes a member of the church and they sit down with one of our elders and myself, and they share their testimony with us.

    28:21-28:23

    I love hearing testimonies.

    28:23-28:37

    I love hearing testimonies, and I love seeing the joy in the people's faces when they say how they came to Christ and how they were in such a miserable place and how Jesus Christ changed and transformed and saved them.

    28:37-28:40

    I could listen to testimonies all day.

    28:40-28:42

    The power of God at work.

    28:43-28:44

    So don't forget.

    28:46-28:51

    You'll never forget who you were before Christ changed you.

    28:53-29:04

    So when the person comes along, whether it's now or whether it's down the road, when the person comes along and says, "Hey, hey, you've got to stop being so fired up about Jesus." You say, "I can't help it.

    29:05-29:06

    I can't help it.

    29:07-29:10

    I can't deny the effect that he's had on my life.

    29:11-29:14

    I have written documentation of the effect that he's had on my life.

    29:14-29:43

    I can't I can't deny I heard one person describe sharing the gospel sharing witnessing talking about it being natural they talked about witnessing this way they said you know evangelism is really just one beggar telling another beggar where he can find some bread and if you put yourself in that scenario imagine if you're a beggar and you found this place that says hey we have as much bread as we can give out.

    29:43-29:45

    Anybody who's hungry can come and get it.

    29:45-29:50

    Wouldn't you go and tell your beggar friends, "Hey, I found the answer to our problem.

    29:50-29:54

    I found a place where we can get fed." And that's the gospel.

    29:55-30:00

    That's when God takes us rotten, rebellious sinners and transforms us.

    30:01-30:05

    And then we go out and find other rotten, rebellious sinners and we're like, "Hey, we found the answer.

    30:06-30:13

    We found Jesus Christ and he can save you and he can change you." Witnessing is easy.

    30:15-30:31

    When you are a witness, when you're like Peter and John, when you've seen and heard and experienced the Lord in your own life, when you've seen His hand at work in others, you can say, you know, witnessing isn't something that I do.

    30:34-30:36

    Being a witness is actually what I am.

    30:36-30:46

    And when I'm being true to what I am, then I find that witnessing is easy.

    30:47-30:47

    Let's pray.

    30:49-30:59

    Father in heaven, we thank you so much for the example that you've set forth in your Word from Peter, that you've preserved for us, that we can go back and read these accounts.

    30:59-31:12

    such great encouragement, Father, to see that I think so many times we think that we have to be Bible college graduates or we have to have some kind of certification.

    31:13-32:25

    We don't see that in your Word. We see regular blue-collar fishermen that you used to turn the world upside down simply because they had been with Jesus, simply because they had stories of the way that Jesus Christ had changed them. They had seen too much and they have heard too much and they had they had witnessed too much about Jesus to even want to shut up about him. They'd seen too much. They couldn't stop speaking about Jesus. And Father I pray that for this church. I pray that we wouldn't be so consumed with these other things that we lose sight of God at work in our lives how you saved us how you changed us and how you continue to do that every day how you continue to transform us and grow us and mature us in our walks father I pray I pray father that we would cultivate that time with you in your word and in prayer and in private worship.

    32:30-32:46

    So that Father as we are nurturing this real relationship that we have with you, we're going to walk out of our doors and realize that witnessing is actually a very easy thing because it's the overflow of what you're already doing.

    32:48-32:51

    So Father, I pray for all of us, for myself and my brothers and sisters here.

    32:52-32:53

    Grow us.

    32:55-32:59

    Grow us as witnesses for Jesus Christ.

    33:00-33:02

    It's in His name that we pray.

    33:03-33:03

    Amen.

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 4:13-22

  1. How did the religious leaders know Peter and John had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)? How will people know YOU have?
     

  2. Why do some people, like these religious leaders in this passage, refuse to accept Jesus even though they can’t deny the evidence of Who He is? Hint: See John 3:19.
     

  3. Share some things that you have seen Jesus do in your life, or the lives of those around you, that you cannot deny (as Peter said in Acts 4:20).


Breakout Questions:

  1. Pray for each person in the group, by name, to be a better witness. Take turns praying, pray for the person on your left, he prays for the person on his left, etc...

The Power to Witness to Haters

Haters are going to Hate...

...and they’ll Call You Out. (Acts 4:1-7)


How to Witness to Haters:

  1. Put them on Defense! (Acts 4:8-10)

  2. Use God’s Word! (Acts 4:11)

  3. Don’t Compromise the Message! (Acts 4:12)

John 14:6 - ...no one comes the Father except through me.

1 Timothy 2:5 - For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

  • 00:00-00:04

    Open up your Bibles to the book of Acts and chapter 4.

    00:05-00:12

    Acts chapter 4, we've been walking through the book of Acts this year, and really the book of Acts is about one thing.

    00:12-00:16

    It's a long book in your Bible, but it's really just about one thing.

    00:17-00:20

    It's about what Jesus said in Acts chapter 1, verse 8.

    00:20-00:31

    Jesus told his disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

    00:31-00:33

    That's what the book of Acts is about.

    00:33-00:35

    Jesus said power is coming so that you may be My witnesses.

    00:37-00:39

    And immediately, the power came.

    00:39-00:40

    God's Holy Spirit came.

    00:41-00:49

    And the rest of the book of Acts is about God's people and the power of the Holy Spirit being witnesses for Jesus Christ.

    00:49-00:51

    And that carries on today.

    00:52-00:57

    So if you are - listen to this - because if you don't get this, the rest of the sermon's not going to mean much to you.

    00:58-01:10

    But if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ - a true follower, not "I'm a churchgoer." Well, I'm not Buddhist or whatever, so I guess I'm a Christian.

    01:10-01:26

    If you are a true follower, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, the question is not "am I a witness?" The question is "what kind of witness am I?" Okay?

    01:26-01:35

    So, if you're sitting here today, you're like, "Well, I'm a Christian, but I'm not really a witness for Christ." That's impossible, according to the Bible.

    01:36-01:43

    That'd be like you sitting here saying, "Well, yeah, I'm a human being, but I'm not really a mammal." You are!

    01:44-01:46

    It's the very nature of what you are.

    01:46-01:53

    Jesus said the Holy Spirit has come so that we may be witnesses for Him.

    01:53-01:56

    So if you're a born-again believer, You are a witness.

    01:57-01:59

    What kind of witness are you?

    02:00-02:05

    Remember in Acts 3, we saw that Peter and John healed this lame beggar at the temple.

    02:05-02:11

    And in v. 10, everyone recognized this healed man and was amazed.

    02:13-02:16

    And last week, we saw that Peter showed us how to witness.

    02:17-02:19

    We saw how Peter made it really clear.

    02:21-02:22

    The Gospel's about God.

    02:24-02:27

    He talked about our guilt and God's grace.

    02:27-02:30

    And he showed us that a response is required.

    02:32-02:33

    Well, church, you're going to get a response.

    02:35-02:40

    And sometimes, much like Peter and John, the response that you get is going to be persecution.

    02:42-02:44

    I believe this is on your outline.

    02:46-02:50

    "Haters are going to hate." Is that on your outline?

    02:51-02:54

    That is actually the proper syntax for it.

    02:54-03:09

    You may more commonly know this phrase as "haters gonna hate." And in my undying efforts to stay relevant and fresh to the young people of the church, I take time to learn the vernacular.

    03:11-03:15

    "Haters gonna hate." How many people are familiar with the phrase "haters gonna hate"?

    03:15-03:16

    How many people have heard that?

    03:17-03:20

    How many people have never heard that phrase before just now?

    03:20-03:22

    Wow! Wow!

    03:22-03:24

    You've never heard "hater's gonna hate"?

    03:25-03:25

    Wow!

    03:26-03:27

    Alright, hands up again to people that have.

    03:29-03:29

    Okay.

    03:31-03:31

    Wow.

    03:32-03:35

    Well, I don't know where I first heard the term.

    03:36-03:38

    But it's just sort of become part of pop culture.

    03:39-03:53

    You know, when somebody shows disdain for something that you may be interested in, the phrase is, "Well, you know, he's a hater, and haters are going to hate, or haters gonna hate.

    03:53-04:05

    And again, in my devotion to you to stay fresh and relevant with the slang of the youth, I, alright, I googled this to see where it came from.

    04:07-04:10

    Do you know where this phrase was popularized?

    04:11-04:12

    If you know, shout it out.

    04:13-04:15

    Taylor Swift, right?

    04:15-04:17

    Taylor Swift, and what's the name of the song?

    04:17-04:18

    Who knows the name of the song?

    04:19-04:20

    What's the name of the song, Livvy?

    04:21-04:22

    "Shake It Off," that's right.

    04:23-04:24

    At least that's what Google said.

    04:25-04:28

    So Livvy and Google are on the same page there.

    04:28-04:43

    "Shake It Off." Well, maybe, Livvy, you didn't know this, but do you know Taylor Swift was sued in October by Jessie Graham, an R&B singer who claims that she stole that phrase from him?

    04:44-04:51

    Well, I don't know who said it first, But, it's true that haters are going to hate.

    04:53-05:01

    And you know, I wish everyone that we shared the gospel with was eager to hear it, or at least curious to hear it.

    05:02-05:16

    And I know when I was first called into the ministry, I thought, well, this is great, because Jesus is awesome, and Jesus loves people, and I love people, and people are going to love me telling them about Jesus.

    05:18-05:21

    And I found that that is not always the case.

    05:22-05:37

    I found that there are people - not only do they not want to hear it, but they're going to hate you because you want to share it.

    05:39-05:42

    You see, when we talk about witnessing, there's really two kinds of witnessing.

    05:43-05:46

    You witness to people that are interested, like we've seen so far in Acts, right?

    05:47-05:48

    Pentecost, Acts 3, you know the crowd.

    05:50-05:58

    And there's people who are going to challenge you because they hate the gospel, they hate the church, they hate Jesus, and they hate Jesus' followers.

    05:59-06:00

    And there is nothing new under the sun.

    06:01-06:06

    In fact, Acts chapter 4 records the first opposition to the church.

    06:08-06:16

    And as we go through Acts chapters 4 through 28, There's something like only three chapters in the rest of the book of Acts where there's not persecution mentioned.

    06:17-06:20

    So, buckle up.

    06:22-06:23

    Haters are going to hate.

    06:25-06:29

    Secondly, haters are going to hate and they'll call you out.

    06:30-06:32

    Church, you need to be ready for this. Some of you have been there.

    06:33-06:35

    If you haven't, you will be.

    06:37-06:38

    They're going to call you out.

    06:39-06:48

    You don't have to go look for people who hate the gospel, because we're going to see from the text, they're going to find you.

    06:49-06:52

    Okay, so let's kind of set the stage here with the text.

    06:52-06:53

    Look at Acts chapter 4, look at verse 1.

    06:53-06:57

    It says, "And as they were speaking to the people," that's Peter and John, right?

    06:57-07:09

    "And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them." The captain of the temple.

    07:09-07:12

    You know, the temple, they had like their own police force.

    07:12-07:14

    Their own security guard.

    07:14-07:17

    And this was the captain of that guard.

    07:18-07:20

    And the Sadducees.

    07:21-07:22

    Who were the Sadducees?

    07:22-07:27

    Well, the Sadducees were the dominant religious and political force in Israel.

    07:28-07:33

    You know, they were Jewish religious leaders who were also wealthy landowners.

    07:33-07:34

    And this was their deal.

    07:35-07:38

    They wanted to keep peace with Rome no matter what.

    07:41-07:47

    Because if Rome sensed any kind of a threat with the Jews, they could have come and taken these people's wealth and taken their land.

    07:48-07:51

    So the Sadducees were like, "Everything's okay here.

    07:51-08:01

    We kind of got our thing under Roman occupation, but let's not cause any problems." So they made peace with Rome under their occupation.

    08:03-08:04

    To protect themselves.

    08:04-08:10

    The Sadducees didn't believe in angels, they didn't believe in resurrection, they didn't believe that there was any kind of a spirit world.

    08:10-08:17

    In fact, they claimed that they really only believed the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, the books of Moses.

    08:18-08:22

    But when we walked through the Gospel of Mark, we saw that they didn't even really believe that.

    08:23-08:27

    In other words, these guys were the religious liberals of the day.

    08:29-08:31

    But they were also in the position of power.

    08:31-09:08

    Okay, so verse 2 says, "Greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." Annoyed - this word also can be translated "pained." The Sadducees were like, "These guys are a pain in my neck because you're teaching something that we don't believe." These Sadducees were so fired up that these uneducated people were preaching what the religious leaders would have thought was a false doctrine, which is resurrection.

    09:11-09:12

    Here's another problem.

    09:13-09:21

    This teaching centered around a person - Jesus Christ - who they just executed two months ago at this point.

    09:22-09:24

    So you can imagine how fired up they were.

    09:24-09:27

    We thought we were done with the Jesus of Nazareth business.

    09:28-09:35

    finally put to rest, and yeah, there's some people saying He rose from the dead, but His ministry's done.

    09:35-09:41

    Now all of a sudden, crowds are gathering, and who's the name centered around the controversy?

    09:41-09:42

    Jesus again?

    09:44-09:45

    Come on!

    09:47-09:56

    Side note, one of the biggest reasons given for the hate on Christians - people say this - Christians are intolerant.

    09:57-09:58

    Christians are intolerant.

    09:58-10:02

    And I look at this passage and I say, well, who's being intolerant?

    10:03-10:09

    You notice, it's true in the text, but it's also true in the news, and it's going to be true in your neighborhood if it's not already.

    10:11-10:15

    There is no such thing as live and let live when it comes to Christians, right?

    10:16-10:18

    I have friends that believe differently than I do.

    10:19-10:20

    And that's okay.

    10:20-10:22

    I witness to them when I can.

    10:22-10:30

    I'm not forcing my beliefs on anyone any more than these apostles were.

    10:30-10:34

    They had a crowd gathered because there was a miracle and they were telling them about Jesus.

    10:34-10:37

    They weren't forcing anybody to do anything.

    10:38-10:40

    But you see, when it comes to Christians, there is no live and let live.

    10:40-10:42

    Like, I don't really believe that, but whatever.

    10:42-10:47

    When it comes to Christians, you guys need to shut your mouths with the Jesus talk.

    10:48-10:49

    Stop with the Bible stuff, ok?

    10:49-10:50

    We don't want to hear it.

    10:51-10:52

    I'm tolerant.

    10:54-10:55

    And the page - it's in the news.

    10:55-10:58

    It's happening in your neighborhood if it's not already.

    10:59-11:00

    It's coming.

    11:01-11:01

    Look at verse 3.

    11:03-11:12

    It says, "And they arrested them and put them into custody until the next day, for it was already evening." Technically, they weren't allowed to have trials at night.

    11:13-11:16

    Like, wait a minute, didn't Jesus' trial happen at night?

    11:16-11:16

    Yeah.

    11:17-11:18

    That was wrong.

    11:18-11:19

    What they did.

    11:19-11:29

    an exception for Jesus. So technically they weren't allowed to have trials at night, so since it was evening they took the two biggest leaders in the church, right?

    11:29-11:38

    Peter and John, and they incarcerated them. Good news, nothing stops the gospel.

    11:38-11:48

    Verse 4 says, "But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of men came to about 5,000.

    11:50-11:57

    My best understanding when you look at the original language, when it says the number came to about 5,000, that it's adding to Pentecost.

    11:58-12:02

    Saying 5,000 total at this point, according to the language.

    12:02-12:03

    But you understand the point.

    12:04-12:05

    The point isn't counting beans here.

    12:05-12:14

    The point is, the church is exploding, and even when you arrest the pastors, the church is still exploding because God is at work.

    12:16-12:18

    More people being saved.

    12:19-12:22

    About 2,000 more people from Pentecost saved.

    12:23-12:24

    Look at v. 5.

    12:24-12:38

    It says, "On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes - the religious leaders also called the Sanhedrin - we'll talk about them in a second - is gathered together in Jerusalem." Time for the trial.

    12:38-12:39

    And look who's involved in v. 6.

    12:40-12:41

    This is interesting.

    12:42-13:08

    "Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family." So if you're familiar with your Bibles, and you look at this list of names, you could say, "Well, from an earthly perspective, things aren't looking very good for Peter and John." Annas, at this time, was the most powerful man in Israel.

    13:09-13:12

    Now, when this was being written, he wasn't technically the high priest.

    13:13-13:16

    His son Caiaphas was technically the high priest.

    13:17-13:19

    But it was sort of like, you know how we do with the presidents?

    13:20-13:23

    You know, once you're president, you keep the president name, right?

    13:23-13:25

    Like President Bush and President Clinton.

    13:25-13:29

    Out of respect for them having held that office, they're still referred to as the president.

    13:30-13:31

    That's how it was with the high priest.

    13:32-13:35

    So he was still referred to, Annas, as the high priest.

    13:35-13:39

    but another thing was this, Annas, he was controlling things behind the scenes.

    13:42-13:49

    His son might have been the one holding the office, but Annas was the one working behind the scenes.

    13:49-13:53

    In fact, John 18, Annas was a key figure in Jesus' trials.

    13:56-13:57

    So do you have the scene?

    13:59-14:08

    Here two months earlier, Annas and company thought that they had dealt with Jesus A few months later, Annison Company is still dealing with Jesus.

    14:10-14:11

    Look at v. 7.

    14:13-14:20

    "When they had set them in the midst..." They would form a semicircle and put them in the midst of them.

    14:20-14:32

    "When they had set them in the midst, they inquired, 'By what power or by what name did you do this?'" See the question?

    14:34-14:39

    What power or what name did you do this?

    14:39-14:41

    It really comes down to an authority issue.

    14:42-14:43

    It's an authority issue.

    14:44-14:47

    What gives you the right to do what you did?

    14:49-14:50

    What authority do you have?

    14:51-14:56

    You see, we talked about the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin and Annas and Caiaphas.

    14:57-15:00

    Today, we're just going to put them all in a category, and the category is haters.

    15:01-15:03

    Haters, obviously.

    15:04-15:06

    So these haters put them on the spot.

    15:06-15:08

    And this is serious business.

    15:09-15:13

    This Sanhedrin was basically Israel's Supreme Court.

    15:14-15:27

    And imagine, the Supreme Court of haters has these two evangelists on trial, and you think, well, maybe Peter and John are going to do a little damage control at this point.

    15:30-15:32

    It's going to happen to you at some point.

    15:33-15:36

    If you're a faithful witness for Jesus Christ, it's going to happen.

    15:36-15:37

    Somebody's going to call you out.

    15:38-15:42

    Somebody's going to say, "Were you telling people about Jesus?

    15:43-15:44

    Were you telling people about the Bible?

    15:44-15:46

    What gives you the right to do that?

    15:46-15:50

    Who do you think you are?" It's going to happen.

    15:50-15:53

    When you witness, you are going to attract haters.

    15:53-15:56

    When you witness, you are going to attract haters.

    15:58-16:07

    "Pastor Jeff, have you ever attracted haters?" "Everybody loves me." You know something I've learned is I am everybody's cup of tea.

    16:08-16:09

    That is so not true.

    16:10-16:13

    I was just jotting down some examples.

    16:13-16:18

    If you want to hear the whole story, buy me lunch, and I'll tell you all of these.

    16:19-16:21

    Actually, you might have to buy me lunch and supper if you want to hear all of them.

    16:22-16:24

    But if you want to hear them, buy me lunch.

    16:24-16:26

    I'll be happy to go to lunch with you.

    16:27-16:28

    I'll tell you the full version.

    16:30-16:32

    I'm going to give you a couple examples from my own life.

    16:34-16:44

    As a result to a letter to the editor that I sent to the newspaper some years back, I had a woman calling my house, demanding to meet with me.

    16:45-17:06

    And I said, "Why do you want to meet with me?" She says, "Because of what you teach, you are a dangerous man." tracked me down in my office and the letter was because some goofy doctor was saying you can't be a Christian and you can't be a scientist at the same time.

    17:06-18:14

    I sent a letter to the editor I'm like here's all the major branches of science that were founded by Christians and the list is like as long as your arm of sciences that were founded by Christians. I'm like so let's let's knock off the silly notion that Christians can't be scientists. In fact it looks like Christians invented science. And so this lady came after me for that. And it wasn't to share a muffin. I'll tell you the rest of the story if you buy me lunch. My wife and I were put on trial, literally trial, in the courtroom because we were accused of baptizing foster children that were under our care. We did not. We did not baptize them. We were accused. I was called to a meeting at the prison because I was accused of anti-catholic teaching in our Bible study. I was called out. "What is this that you're teaching?" I had some friends at church camp that I got involved secondhand, but I had friends at church camp that were called out because they were teaching Jesus. You remember this?

    18:15-18:58

    They were like, "What are you going to do to get saved?" And these friends were like, "Well, you got to receive Jesus Christ." And, "Well, you didn't preach baptism the way that we want you to teach baptism and church people calling us out because of the message circling around Jesus. I was chewed out by a missionary one time over lunch. I was chewed out by a missionary for not agreeing with him that Islam is a wonderful religion of peace. He was just going on and on about all Islam is so wonderful and Muslims are so... Muslims are just you know wonderful peaceful and I said, "Yeah, if you're a Muslim." Doesn't work out so well if you're a Christian or a Jew though.

    18:59-19:01

    You might want to check your facts on that.

    19:04-19:05

    And that lunch didn't end well.

    19:07-19:08

    I think he even left me with the check.

    19:10-19:11

    But it didn't go well.

    19:13-19:14

    My point is this.

    19:15-19:30

    When you witness someone is going to come after you, Somebody at some point is going to say, "What gives you the right?" And the question that we're going to answer today from God's Word - not my answer - we're going to see it straight from God's Word.

    19:31-19:33

    What do we do when we're challenged by haters?

    19:35-19:36

    So understand the difference in witnessing.

    19:36-19:45

    We're not talking about, "I'm curious to hear what you believe." We're talking about, "Who do you think you are?" So what do we do when we're challenged by haters?

    19:45-19:48

    Number one, put them on defense.

    19:50-19:54

    them on defense. Look at verses 8 through 10. Okay, so Peter's about to speak.

    19:56-20:02

    And Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit. That's like the key to all of this, all right?

    20:04-20:11

    I find it so ironic. They're like, "By what power do you do this?" Next verse. "Filled with the Holy Spirit." You want power?

    20:12-20:50

    How about the power of God? Wow. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, it said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, "if we are being examined today "concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, "by what means this man has been healed, "let it be known to all of you "and to all the people of Israel "that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, "whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, By Him, this man is standing before you well." Wow.

    20:52-20:58

    Peter and John are put on trial, but did you see how quickly the Sanhedrin - the haters - were put on trial?

    20:59-21:03

    Peter went right to the attack, right to the offense.

    21:04-21:08

    Peter was basically saying, "Is it wrong to heal a lame person?" Is that what the trial is about?

    21:09-21:10

    It's wrong to heal a lame person?

    21:10-21:11

    I'm sorry, I missed that part.

    21:13-21:16

    We're on trial for doing something good for a crippled man.

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    If you're really interested, you need to know.

    21:20-21:21

    Jesus.

    21:22-21:23

    You killed Him.

    21:23-21:25

    God raised Him from the dead.

    21:25-21:26

    And Jesus healed this man.

    21:28-21:35

    Something we see Peter doing in taking the offense is something that you need to discipline yourself to do and learn how to do.

    21:35-21:36

    And it comes through witnessing.

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    I said it last week.

    21:37-21:38

    We have a prison ministry.

    21:39-21:39

    You want to learn how to witness?

    21:39-21:40

    Sign up for prison ministry.

    21:42-21:49

    I promise you, in a few months, you'll be the best witness you've ever been getting in there, witnessing the people.

    21:51-21:52

    But you need to steer the conversation.

    21:54-22:01

    So often, we think we just need to let people pepper us with the accusations and put us on the defense.

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    You steer the conversation.

    22:04-22:05

    Do you know who's the master of doing this?

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    Do you know who the best person of all time of steering the conversation about Jesus.

    22:12-22:17

    I love the Gospels - just how Jesus did this all the time.

    22:18-22:21

    Matthew 21, for example, Jesus was asked about His authority.

    22:23-22:25

    By what authority are you doing these things?

    22:25-22:28

    And Jesus said, alright, let me ask you a question.

    22:28-22:30

    You answer my question, I'll answer your question.

    22:30-22:33

    John's baptism - was it from heaven or was it from man?

    22:34-22:41

    were like, Matthew 22, Jesus was challenged, is it lawful to pay taxes?

    22:42-22:45

    And Jesus says, who's on the coin?

    22:46-22:50

    See how he put on the defense, but went on the offense.

    22:52-23:00

    Luke 10 25, Jesus was asked, you know, about the commandments and Jesus said, obviously love God, heart, soul, mind, and strength, love your neighbor as yourself.

    23:01-23:07

    And then the Bible says that trying to justify himself, the one lawyer, the expert in the law said, well, who's my neighbor?

    23:09-23:10

    And putting Jesus on the defense.

    23:11-23:11

    Who's my neighbor?

    23:12-23:13

    Jesus said, let me tell you a story.

    23:14-23:15

    And he tells him the story of the Good Samaritan.

    23:16-23:22

    And Jesus closes that story by saying, now, let me ask you, which of these men was a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?

    23:23-23:25

    He turned the tables completely on them.

    23:26-23:29

    And when you're witnessing the haters, church, you put them on the defense.

    23:31-23:34

    And the way that you do that is by asking them questions.

    23:36-23:37

    That's essentially what Peter was doing here.

    23:37-23:39

    Like, "Oh, is it wrong to heal lame people?

    23:40-23:43

    "Is that what's going on?" Ask questions.

    23:44-23:48

    Like, "Well, Pastor Jeff, "I'm not really sure what questions to ask." I'm gonna give you three questions to ask.

    23:48-23:55

    When you're being challenged, when you're being attacked, I'm gonna give you three questions that work beautifully every time.

    23:56-23:58

    Jot these down, three good questions to ask.

    23:59-24:01

    You ask them when you're being attacked.

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    You don't ask these in a jerky way, or it doesn't work, because now you're just being a jerk.

    24:06-24:08

    You ask them respectfully.

    24:08-24:09

    Peter was very respectful to them.

    24:09-24:13

    I know I got a little smart-alecky in recounting it, but Peter wasn't smart-alecky.

    24:13-24:14

    He was respectful.

    24:14-24:18

    And when you ask the questions, be respectful.

    24:19-24:20

    And ask these three questions.

    24:20-24:22

    The first question is, what do you believe?

    24:23-24:26

    You know, you're asking me about my beliefs.

    24:26-24:28

    Here's the first question. What do you believe?

    24:30-24:39

    "What do I believe about what?" "What do you believe about what happens when you die?" I'm curious what you think. What happens when we die?

    24:41-24:49

    And let them talk. What do you believe about Jesus? Do you think He was God in the flesh or do you think He was just some guy? What do you believe?

    24:49-24:53

    Get people to share what they believe. Just ask them.

    24:53-24:54

    Don't try to correct them.

    24:56-24:57

    Don't interrupt them.

    24:57-25:10

    Just ask them, "Let me hear what you believe." And then after they share with you what they believe, the second question is, "Well, why do you believe that?" "Why do you believe that?

    25:10-25:11

    Is that something you were always taught?

    25:11-25:13

    Is that something your grandma told you?

    25:13-25:15

    Were you raised in a church that taught that?

    25:15-26:45

    Is that your opinion?" Just ask people, "Where did you come up with that?" do you believe? And again, respectfully, and why do you believe that? Okay, and here's the third question. This is really important. You need to write this down and memorize it. If what you believe were wrong, would you want to know? Now listen, I promise you, if you ask somebody that question, what they're going to say is what I believe is not wrong. This is a yes or no question. They only have two choices yes or no if what you believe were wrong would you want to know yes or no I have been challenged by so many people when I ask these questions they end up looking very foolish and I'm not trying to make them look foolish it's not my goal I don't want to make anybody look or feel stupid they bring it on themselves like I had an atheist friend one time challenging me on some stuff. I'm like, "Well, his name was Tom." I said, "Tom, what do you think happens when you die?" He goes, "Well, I think it's whatever you want to believe in. Like, if you believe God's a pink elephant, when you die you'll be with a pink elephant." I said, "Do you really believe that, Tom?" And when I said that to him, it was like you could have knocked him over with a feather. He was like... It didn't sound stupid until he verbalized it. So what do you believe? Why would you want to know?

    26:47-26:47

    See, here's the thing.

    26:49-26:50

    What you believe were wrong, what do you want to know?

    26:50-26:55

    If they say no, then there's really no point in further talking, right?

    26:55-26:56

    Okay.

    26:57-27:00

    But if yes, and you say, "Well, you know what?

    27:01-27:04

    I'd like to share some things with you about what the Word of God says," if you're interested.

    27:06-27:09

    So, what do you do with haters?

    27:09-27:10

    First of all, look at Peter.

    27:10-27:11

    Put them on the defense.

    27:12-27:13

    He went right after it.

    27:14-27:24

    right after it and you go right after it, not obnoxious, not arrogant, not cocky, but the biblical word, we're going to talk about this next week, the biblical word is boldness.

    27:25-27:36

    Boldness doesn't mean abrasive, boldness just means this, I'm not afraid to speak up. I'll speak up humbly, I'll speak up lovingly, but I'm not afraid to speak up and that's what That's what Peter did here.

    27:37-27:38

    Not disrespectful, but very bold.

    27:39-27:42

    Secondly, use God's Word.

    27:44-27:45

    Use God's Word.

    27:46-27:58

    Peter's like, since we're on trial for doing something good for a crippled man, if you're really interested, you need to know Jesus - you killed Him, God raised Him, Jesus healed this man, I'm not finished!

    27:59-28:00

    Look at verse 11.

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    He says, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you - the builders.

    28:10-28:13

    Which has become a cornerstone.

    28:14-28:15

    What's the cornerstone?

    28:15-28:19

    Well, this is actually a quote from Psalm 118 v. 22.

    28:21-28:22

    What's the cornerstone?

    28:22-28:31

    When they wanted to build a building in these days, they didn't call the concrete company and say I need you to come with your trucks and pour a slab.

    28:33-28:34

    They didn't do it that way.

    28:34-28:38

    They would have a bunch of stones that they would build.

    28:38-28:43

    But the most important stone of all of them was the cornerstone.

    28:44-28:47

    The cornerstone was the first stone that was laid.

    28:47-28:51

    And it had to be the right size, and it had to be the right shape, and it had to be the right angle.

    28:52-29:02

    And the cornerstone was placed so that as the rest of the stones were built around it, the building would get its alignment from the cornerstone.

    29:04-29:10

    And Peter here is saying, listen, Jesus is the cornerstone.

    29:12-29:17

    Meaning everything in God's Kingdom is built from Jesus Christ.

    29:18-29:23

    Everything in God's Kingdom is aligned to Jesus Christ.

    29:24-29:34

    He is the most important part Kingdom." In other words, Peter was quoting this verse to say you rejected Him.

    29:35-29:41

    You rejected the cornerstone that God gave Him the highest exaltation possible.

    29:43-29:46

    You know something that really makes this verse cool in this context?

    29:47-29:48

    Jot this down.

    29:49-29:56

    Matthew 21.42 Jesus' authority was challenged.

    29:58-30:02

    When Jesus' authority was challenged, does anybody want to guess what verse He used?

    30:03-30:18

    Psalm 118.22 Jesus said, "The stone that you've rejected has become the cornerstone." Now fast forward here just a couple of months, and Peter on trial for Jesus.

    30:18-30:24

    Do you think Peter was having a flashback moment of when Jesus was dealing with haters?

    30:25-30:30

    Do you think Peter had this flashback moment Oh, I remember the verse that Jesus used.

    30:31-30:32

    Rejecting the cornerstone.

    30:32-30:34

    And that's exactly what you're doing.

    30:35-30:37

    Very significant verse.

    30:38-30:44

    So my point is this, church, if Jesus and Peter used the Word of God, do I think that I don't need to?

    30:45-30:57

    Every word that came out of Jesus' mouth was the Word of God, but He still found it important in quoting Scripture and showing the power and the authority that the Word of God has.

    30:59-31:02

    So when you're dealing with haters, use God's Word.

    31:03-31:04

    Why? Well, there's really two reasons.

    31:04-31:05

    One, God's Word has the power.

    31:05-31:07

    We'll talk about that in a second.

    31:07-31:11

    But another reason you want to use God's Word is it helps keep you objective.

    31:12-31:13

    Not jerky or abrasive.

    31:14-31:22

    It helps keep you objective because when you get into these kind of arguments with haters - discussions, debates, whatever word you want to use - it's easy to attack the person.

    31:24-31:25

    It's easy to attack the person.

    31:26-31:38

    They say, "Well, you're an idiot for believing that the Bible's true." And you're like, "Well, you're a godless pagan moron for not believing the Bible." Great, now we're just name-calling.

    31:39-31:42

    You see, taking people to the Word of God - let's get objective here.

    31:42-31:43

    Let's just deal with facts, right?

    31:44-31:45

    Let's just deal with facts.

    31:45-31:47

    This isn't about me or my personality.

    31:47-31:50

    It's not even really about you or your personality.

    31:50-31:52

    This is about the Word of God.

    31:53-32:48

    political ads how many people just love political ads show it raise your hands come on get them up high if you love political ads I got one maybe don't you just love those political ads you know the ones that I love sarcasm you know the ones that I love are the ones that just come out and they're like my the person that is running against me is the most horrible evil wicked person of all time and you know he kicks puppies on his day off and he steals from the elderly but you should vote for me paid for by the committee for me whatever and Aaron and I've said this so many times over the years why don't the candidates just get on and say here's here's what I believe in here's my platform here's why you should vote for me because I'm going to XYZ but the closer you get to election you see very little of that but you see a whole lot of don't put don't "I'm going to vote for this piece of trash." True or false?

    32:49-32:51

    "I don't like them.

    32:52-32:58

    They're grating on my spirit." But that's what people do.

    32:59-33:04

    So when you're dealing with haters and sharing the Gospel, don't make it your opinion versus my opinion.

    33:05-33:08

    You need to make it this is your opinion versus the Word of God.

    33:09-33:11

    Your opinion versus the Word of God.

    33:11-33:14

    Okay, this is what you're saying, I'm going to show you what the Bible says about that.

    33:16-33:18

    Because honestly, at the end of the day, my opinion means very little.

    33:19-33:21

    My opinion doesn't mean anything.

    33:22-33:27

    When you take me to lunch to hear my stories, I'll give you my opinion on anything you want, but I'm telling you it's not worth anything.

    33:28-33:30

    It's just not. It's just my opinion.

    33:30-33:35

    But, God's Word has power.

    33:37-33:39

    You know what kind of power God's Word has?

    33:39-33:47

    Isaiah 55:11 God says that His Word, when it's sent forth, it always accomplishes the purpose for which He sent it.

    33:48-33:54

    There is nothing else in existence that works 100% perfectly every time.

    33:54-33:56

    And God says this does.

    33:57-34:02

    My Word always accomplishes the purposes for which I sent it out.

    34:03-34:04

    That's why a pastor friend of mine has said this.

    34:04-34:06

    I don't know if it's original with him, but I love the expression.

    34:07-34:10

    He says the Word of God - the Word of God is like a lion.

    34:11-34:13

    You don't need to defend a lion.

    34:14-34:17

    You let the lion out of the cage, and the lion's going to defend himself.

    34:19-34:23

    And when you're dealing with haters, you let the lion out.

    34:24-34:25

    You don't need to defend God's Word.

    34:25-34:28

    You let God's Word out, God will defend Himself.

    34:28-34:30

    He doesn't need you to do that.

    34:31-34:34

    What He's called you to do is to proclaim it.

    34:36-34:37

    So use God's Word.

    34:38-35:10

    Real quick story, the effectiveness of this. One time in prison ministry, this was still at the old prison, it was still like a dungeon, but the one night we actually, this particular it wasn't we, it was just me, and the guys were coming in and there were about probably 20 guys this night in a like an 8x20 room. These two enormous gentlemen came in. They didn't look like they were there for a picnic, They looked like they were there for a fight.

    35:11-35:14

    And I started sharing the gospel.

    35:14-35:15

    And one man raised his hand.

    35:17-35:32

    He said, "The Bible doesn't say that Jesus is actually God." And he didn't say it like, "Pastor Jeff, I'm kind of interested in what you think about the divinity of Christ." It was slap in the face, throw the gauntlet down kind of thing.

    35:32-36:06

    He's like, "The Bible doesn't say that." So I just smiled and I said, "Well, let's see what the Bible does say." We walked through John chapter one, we walked through John chapter eight, we walked through John chapter 10, we walked through Colossians one, I think we even ended up in Revelation one, and back to Hebrews one, where God the Father calls God the Son God, and through this impromptu Bible study, I said, "So what does it look like "the Bible says to you about Jesus?" You know, they didn't say a word the rest of the night, and they never came back.

    36:07-36:10

    Because you see, their issue was with God's Word, not me.

    36:10-36:13

    I didn't invent this idea that Jesus is God.

    36:15-36:16

    That's the truth of God's Word.

    36:17-36:18

    So I'm like, look guys, here's what it says.

    36:19-36:19

    You see that?

    36:20-36:23

    Your issue's with God, not with me.

    36:24-36:24

    So use God's Word.

    36:24-36:30

    And then finally, finally, don't compromise the message.

    36:32-36:34

    Don't compromise the message.

    36:34-36:35

    Look at verse 12.

    36:35-36:38

    This should be highlighted in every Bible here.

    36:39-36:40

    There is salvation.

    36:40-36:41

    Look at v. 12.

    36:42-37:01

    "There is salvation..." "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." In our day of political correctness, everybody is offended by everything.

    37:03-37:15

    I shared with you before, that really hit the beyond the you know point of no return when everybody was all offended by the Dukes of Hazzard. Wow there's just no going back now.

    37:16-37:37

    With everybody being offended by everything you know at this point as we're reading the sermon we get to verse 12 and we're like you know what Peter maybe you should maybe you should pump the brakes a little here. I mean you came off a little strong with the cornerstone remark. Maybe you should pump the brakes a little here and Peter's like, "Nah, full gas," and just like right into verse 12.

    37:39-38:01

    Remember the original argument, the original accusation, "By what name do you do this?" Verse 12, Peter's like, "You want a name? I'll give you a name. Jesus Christ. There is no other name that will save." Even saying that now, there might be some people in the auditorium that are like, "Oh, I don't know if I I like hearing that.

    38:01-38:03

    Or I don't know if I really believe that.

    38:03-38:05

    Understand, church, this is what the Bible says.

    38:07-38:09

    Salvation is in no one else.

    38:10-38:12

    John 14:6 - do we have these verses?

    38:13-38:22

    John 14:6 Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me." Was Jesus telling the truth or was He not telling the truth?

    38:24-38:31

    1 Timothy 2:5 It says, "For there is one God as one mediator between God and man - that man Jesus Christ.

    38:33-38:36

    John 3:36 says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

    38:37-38:39

    Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life.

    38:40-38:44

    But the wrath of God abides upon him." The Bible is clear.

    38:45-38:46

    Peter makes it clear here.

    38:47-38:48

    There's salvation in no one else.

    38:49-39:06

    There is no other name under heaven even among men by which we must be saved." We're getting ready to move, and we've had to do a lot of repairs in the house - just some of them little things, but we found we had a couple of kind of major things.

    39:07-39:14

    Like we had a plumbing issue where a pipe wasn't going to the right drain and it had to be rerouted.

    39:14-39:16

    And I'm like, well, that's a little beyond me.

    39:16-39:18

    I needed a plumber.

    39:20-39:26

    When I needed help to fix this plumbing situation, I didn't just grab the phone book and-- I'm sorry.

    39:27-39:28

    In my quest to be relevant, I forgot.

    39:28-39:30

    How many people here know what a phone book is?

    39:32-39:35

    OK, when I was a kid, we had these white and yellow books.

    39:35-39:37

    And they threw like three of them on your curb.

    39:40-39:47

    And when I needed a plumber, I didn't just like open up the phone book and go to the white pages and be like, you know, Herbert Smith.

    39:48-39:48

    I'm just going to call him up.

    39:49-39:50

    Hey, can you come and fix my plumbing?

    39:50-39:51

    Like, who is this?

    39:52-39:54

    I didn't just call on anybody to fix the plumbing.

    39:55-39:57

    I needed the name of a plumber.

    39:58-40:03

    And when I was given the name of a plumber, I called that guy to come and help me fix the plumbing problem.

    40:03-40:04

    We had a little electrical problem.

    40:04-40:07

    One of the thermostats, the current wasn't going to it.

    40:08-40:09

    I don't mess with electricity.

    40:11-40:14

    But I didn't just grab the phone book and just start randomly picking people.

    40:15-40:17

    Hey, can you come and risk your life to fix my thermostat?

    40:19-40:28

    I had an electric problem, so I needed the name of an electrician that could come and fix the electric problem.

    40:30-40:32

    Not just any name was going to do, right?

    40:34-40:34

    Here's the thing.

    40:36-40:38

    You and I, we need a Savior.

    40:39-40:41

    Because we have a problem with sin.

    40:42-40:45

    We are guilty and it's destroying us by nature.

    40:46-40:49

    We need a Savior.

    40:51-40:56

    You need someone who paid the penalty for your sins that you committed against God.

    40:57-41:05

    And you need someone who can restore to you the eternal life that was forfeited when Adam and Eve brought sin into the world.

    41:05-41:09

    You need a Savior, and Muhammad cannot do that.

    41:10-41:28

    Joseph Smith and Charles Taze Russell and Mary Baker Eddy and the Buddha - none of those people are able to save you Because there's only ever been One who died and rose from the dead so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life.

    41:28-41:33

    And that One - the only One that's ever done that - is Jesus Christ.

    41:34-41:45

    So that's why Peter here in Acts 4:12, and that's why you and I, church, need to get to that mindset in our lives where we say I am not going to compromise on the message.

    41:46-41:50

    Because I'm more concerned about offending God and I am about offending people.

    41:52-42:12

    And you know, the same Peter that's speaking here, the same Peter later wrote a couple of letters that are actually in your Bible, and one of them, 1 Peter 3:15, Peter said we should always be prepared to make a defense for anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you, in us.

    42:14-42:18

    The question, church, as we close, as our worship team comes up, Are you prepared?

    42:20-42:21

    Are you prepared?

    42:22-42:24

    The days are coming, church.

    42:25-42:39

    The days are coming, church, that you're either going to have to pretend you don't know Jesus like Peter did during Jesus' trial, or you're going to boldly stand on the truth of Jesus like Peter did in Acts 4.

    42:41-42:42

    Are you ready for that?

    42:44-42:50

    Church, you know, maybe Maybe like Peter, maybe you blew it before.

    42:51-42:57

    Maybe like Peter, you had an opportunity to share the Gospel and you blew it.

    42:58-43:02

    You had an opportunity to stand for Christ and you blew it.

    43:04-43:06

    Like Peter did when Jesus was on trial.

    43:07-43:12

    But also like Peter, you're going to get another chance to do it right.

    43:13-43:16

    As we bow our heads in prayer prayer team comes forward.

    43:17-43:30

    We're going to pray that we allow God's Spirit to give us power to witness, to be bold witnesses even when we have to deal with haters.

    43:31-43:32

    Let's pray.

    43:32-43:36

    Father in Heaven, we thank You for the truth of Your Word.

    43:38-43:42

    And it is Your Word that gives us the authority to make the statements that we make.

    43:43-43:47

    don't make up the message, but Father, You've called us to broadcast it.

    43:47-43:48

    You've called us to be witnesses.

    43:50-43:52

    And Father, we know what motivates You is love.

    43:54-44:02

    We know, Father, that we can't stand and say, "believe anything you want," because that's going to send people to hell.

    44:04-44:06

    It is Your heart that people are saved.

    44:07-44:12

    It is Your heart that they know the name the only One who can save them.

    44:14-44:15

    And that name is Jesus Christ.

    44:16-44:17

    God in the flesh.

    44:19-44:20

    Crucified for our sins.

    44:20-44:22

    Resurrected for our life.

    44:24-44:38

    But Father, I'm sure there are some people in this room right now who maybe feel the pressure of people challenging them on their faith or what they're teaching.

    44:39-44:39

    to witness.

    44:42-44:44

    Father, there are people here that that's coming real soon.

    44:45-44:46

    I don't know how.

    44:47-44:51

    I've seen it show up a lot in my own life in a lot of really weird ways.

    44:53-44:57

    I pray, Father, for all of us that You would equip us.

    44:57-45:00

    And yes, we should be equipped by studying Your Word.

    45:00-45:04

    And yes, we should be equipped by taking opportunities to witness.

    45:04-45:11

    But the number one way that we are going to be equipped and prepared by living in the power of your Holy Spirit.

    45:13-45:15

    Because that is where we get the ability to be witnesses.

    45:18-45:20

    Father, we don't want to shrink back.

    45:21-45:23

    We want to go forth not in arrogance.

    45:25-45:26

    We want to go forth in humility.

    45:28-45:37

    But with a godly boldness and confidence that says we are witnesses, even in the face of those who would hate.

    45:38-45:40

    Give us opportunities, Father.

    45:41-45:44

    Let us honor You when those opportunities come.

    45:45-45:47

    We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 4:1-12

  1. Why do you think there is animosity towards the Gospel? Why are people who attack Christians unwilling to “live and let live”?
     

  2. In verse 8, the Holy Spirit gave Peter POWER to WITNESS. Does the Holy Spirit still do this today? How? What does that look like?
     

  3. Explain why Jesus is the only way to salvation.
     

  4. Can you share a story of a time a “hater” attacked your beliefs? How did you respond?

Breakout Questions:

  1. Pray for those persecuted for the Gospel across the world!

The Power to Witness

Review:


How to Witness: 3 Things You Need to Make Clear!

  1. Make It Clear: This is About God. (Acts 3:11-12)

  2. Make it Clear: We Are Guilty but God is Gracious. (Acts 3:13-18)

  3. Make It Clear: A Response is Required. (Acts 3:19-26)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

  • 00:01-00:05

    Open up your Bibles with me please to Acts 3.

    00:07-00:08

    Acts 3.

    00:09-00:12

    This is a quick review where we left off in the book of Acts.

    00:13-00:19

    Remember we saw that Jesus promised the disciples - this is our theme for the year.

    00:19-00:22

    Everything in the book of Acts comes from Acts 1.8.

    00:23-00:37

    Jesus promised His disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." Jesus said He was going to ascend into heaven, and He did, and after He ascended, the Holy Spirit was going to come and indwell God's people.

    00:39-00:41

    Jesus said you will receive power.

    00:41-00:46

    And I question Jesus, why are we going to receive power?

    00:47-00:51

    Well, Jesus said the reason that we receive His power is so that we may be His witnesses.

    00:52-00:58

    He said you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.

    00:59-01:00

    I've shared with you before.

    01:00-01:02

    That's how ministry is set up at Harvest Bible Chapel.

    01:02-01:06

    Judea - your immediate backyard.

    01:07-01:12

    You should be inviting friends and family and neighbors to come and worship with you here at Harvest Bible Chapel.

    01:13-01:15

    Judea and Samaria - that's what our small group does.

    01:15-01:17

    That's getting out into the community.

    01:17-01:22

    At Ends of the World, we are involved in mission work where we send people to Romania.

    01:22-01:24

    I was in Thailand in November.

    01:24-01:25

    That's the end of the world.

    01:25-01:26

    The mission is the same.

    01:29-01:31

    The glorious news is the power is still the same.

    01:32-01:36

    The power of God's Holy Spirit living within us.

    01:36-01:39

    So, Jesus ascends to heaven and the Holy Spirit comes.

    01:39-01:46

    And on Pentecost, Peter preached Christ and 3,000 people got saved.

    01:46-01:49

    And then we saw the power of unity in the early church.

    01:49-01:54

    And when we got to Acts 3, last time, do you remember?

    01:54-01:59

    Peter and John, walking into the temple, He healed a lame beggar.

    02:00-02:04

    And everyone recognized this man and they were amazed.

    02:05-02:06

    It drew quite a crowd.

    02:06-02:08

    And then Peter got up to preach.

    02:10-02:31

    Before we look at the text, just kind of setting the stage here, you know, just like in Pentecost when the Lord was having the apostles speak in other languages and that drew a crowd, here we get to Acts 3 And the healing of this lame man draws another crowd.

    02:31-02:36

    You know, there are times that God just does things to get people's attention.

    02:38-02:41

    The question is what do you do when you have that opportunity?

    02:43-02:45

    You know what I'm talking about, right?

    02:46-02:49

    You know, I think of the Stroops last year.

    02:50-02:53

    Little Milo being in the hospital and the way God was at work in their lives.

    02:55-02:59

    And that gave them opportunity to talk about the Lord with people.

    03:00-03:03

    And there are things that God's going to bring into your life.

    03:05-03:09

    Many of you know last week - this time last week, my wife was in ICU.

    03:10-03:13

    She was in a life-threatening situation with some diabetic complications.

    03:14-03:17

    And this week, she feels better than ever.

    03:17-03:19

    And that's the power of prayer.

    03:21-03:27

    But that gives me an opportunity Tell people, this is the power of God.

    03:28-03:31

    Let me tell you the difference that Jesus Christ can make in your life.

    03:33-03:42

    So when God gives you opportunity, whatever He's doing in your life, when He gives you opportunity, what do you do when you get that opportunity?

    03:44-03:46

    You know, it comes at work sometimes, right?

    03:46-03:58

    Maybe you're having a conversation and somebody brings up God or the Bible or church, and you feel like, you know, I really probably maybe should say something right now since the subject is on the table.

    03:58-03:59

    What do you do?

    04:00-04:02

    What do you do when that family member is in crisis?

    04:03-04:05

    And it's so obvious to you as a follower of Christ.

    04:05-04:07

    I know exactly what this person needs.

    04:08-04:11

    This person needs to give their life to Jesus Christ.

    04:11-04:16

    This person needs to - how do I roll that out to a family member?

    04:16-04:19

    What do you do when you have and the authority to witness.

    04:21-04:23

    That's what we're going to be talking about this morning.

    04:24-04:33

    Again, Acts 1:8 God gave us power of the Holy Spirit so that we would be witnesses for Him.

    04:34-04:36

    In Harvest Bible Chapel, we sit on four pillars.

    04:37-04:40

    The first pillar is proclaiming the authority of God's Word without apology.

    04:41-04:42

    We believe God wrote a book.

    04:42-04:48

    That's why every week when somebody stands up here We preach it comes from the Word of God.

    04:49-04:53

    Our second pillar is lifting high the name of Jesus in worship.

    04:54-04:56

    And we certainly did that this morning.

    04:57-04:58

    Spirit and truth.

    04:59-05:01

    Our third pillar is believing firmly in the power of prayer.

    05:02-05:05

    I've seen that in a very graphic way this past week in our own home.

    05:06-05:11

    But you know, we have this fourth pillar that for a lot of us, it's very uncomfortable.

    05:12-05:15

    And the fourth pillar is sharing in the views of Jesus with boldness.

    05:17-05:18

    Witnessing scares a lot of us.

    05:19-05:21

    We're afraid of rejection.

    05:21-05:22

    We're afraid of hostility.

    05:22-05:25

    We're afraid that people might think we're weirdos.

    05:26-05:28

    We're afraid of questions that we might get.

    05:29-05:32

    I'd like to remind you that Jesus' last command is my first priority.

    05:34-05:46

    The last thing Jesus told the disciples before He ascended was, "You're going to be My witnesses." as a pastor, understand that my job is to help equip you for the work of the ministry.

    05:47-05:50

    So we're going to do something a little bit different with the text today.

    05:51-06:06

    As we look at this sermon that Peter gives in Acts 3, we're not just going to be looking at what Peter shared, but what I want you to do today is I want you to look at how Peter shared the Gospel.

    06:08-06:15

    Studying this passage this week, This is the most comprehensive Gospel sermon that someone could imagine.

    06:16-06:24

    Because Peter covers all of the major themes, all of the important things that you've got to talk about when you're sharing the Gospel with someone.

    06:25-06:26

    And I want us to look at those ingredients.

    06:27-06:37

    And as we look at these ingredients and as we trust in the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave, we are going to grow as more effective witnesses for Jesus Christ.

    06:38-06:43

    In your outline, I tried to sort of simplify it.

    06:43-06:44

    We have a big chunk of text here.

    06:45-06:50

    So in your outline, how to witness three things you need to make clear.

    06:52-06:59

    Number one is this, when you're witnessing to somebody, we're going to take a lesson off of Peter here.

    06:59-07:03

    Number one, make it clear this is about God.

    07:05-07:06

    This is about God.

    07:06-07:07

    in verses 11 and 12.

    07:09-07:13

    It says, "He - that's the beggar that was just healed - well, he clung to Peter and John.

    07:13-07:19

    All the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.

    07:19-07:26

    And when Peter saw it, he addressed the people." So we're going to look at how Peter preached.

    07:26-07:27

    Everybody with me?

    07:27-07:28

    Look at the first thing he says.

    07:29-07:34

    "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this?

    07:34-07:44

    "Why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety we have made Him walk?" Let's stop there.

    07:44-07:52

    The first thing Peter did right out of the gate and the thing I would commend to you right out of the gate when you're witnessing - make it clear this is about God.

    07:53-08:02

    Peter said, "Why are you looking at us?" And if we're honest, we can sort of understand why the crowd seemed fixated on them.

    08:02-08:04

    I mean, let's be honest.

    08:04-08:05

    You can understand that, right?

    08:06-08:07

    Here's a lame guy.

    08:07-08:08

    He's been there forever.

    08:08-08:09

    Everybody knows this guy.

    08:09-08:16

    And all of a sudden, Peter and John stroll through and they're like, "In the name of Jesus, get up!" And the guy's now walking around.

    08:16-08:21

    Of course, people are going to look to them like, these guys are like superheroes.

    08:21-08:23

    How did you do that?

    08:24-08:26

    Peter very quickly says, "No, no, no, no, no.

    08:27-08:28

    Don't look at us.

    08:28-08:39

    We have power to do that." In church, it's really easy - you're looking at this point right now, this is about God, I can't believe we're talking about this in church, isn't this obvious?

    08:40-08:45

    It's really easy sometimes when we're witnessing to think that it's about us.

    08:48-08:50

    For positive reasons and for negative reasons.

    08:51-08:52

    Let me explain.

    08:54-08:57

    Sometimes we think it's about us for good reasons.

    08:58-09:01

    my personality, my creativity, my popularity.

    09:04-09:05

    It's a weekly struggle for me.

    09:07-09:10

    And I pray this so often you have no idea.

    09:11-09:14

    I say, God, I don't want to put on a show.

    09:14-09:15

    I don't want to draw people to myself.

    09:15-09:19

    I want to passionately explain Your Word.

    09:21-09:32

    I'm constantly praying that, God, I don't want people leaving here and saying, "Jeff is a good speaker." I don't want that because there's a part of me that wants that.

    09:33-09:34

    But I don't want that.

    09:35-09:37

    Because it's not about me, it's about God.

    09:40-09:41

    It's real easy to say look what I did.

    09:42-09:48

    I had somebody tell me one time they were out street preaching and witnessing and handing out tracts, which I think is incredible.

    09:49-09:52

    But what I didn't like was their evaluation of the results.

    09:53-09:57

    and said, "I saved 17 people last night." And I said, "Oh, you did?

    09:59-10:03

    I did not know you were the Savior." But we start to think it's about us.

    10:05-10:09

    For the good, but another danger is we start to think it's about us maybe for the bad.

    10:10-10:14

    That we try to witness and then we walk away and we're like, "I'm the worst witness ever!

    10:15-10:17

    I don't know enough!

    10:17-10:18

    What if I blew it?

    10:18-10:20

    Should have said more?

    10:20-10:34

    Should have said less?" You know, they ask some questions You know the answer to, all in favor of a word of encouragement, the pressure isn't on us to save anyone.

    10:36-10:38

    None of us can save anyone.

    10:38-10:43

    Jesus didn't promise that we would receive power to save, did He?

    10:44-10:46

    What did He say? We would receive power to what?

    10:47-10:48

    Go ahead and say it.

    10:49-10:49

    Witness!

    10:50-10:54

    He said we'd receive power to witness, What power to save?

    10:55-10:57

    That's his department exclusively.

    11:00-11:04

    Because the tool is not the thing.

    11:04-11:06

    Nobody gives credit to the guitar.

    11:07-11:13

    I don't see people after worship coming up going, "You did such a good job today.

    11:13-11:18

    That was really good what you did today." Nobody gives credit to that thing.

    11:19-11:21

    The credit goes to the one that's using it.

    11:23-11:27

    Nobody gives credit to the paintbrush or to the hammer.

    11:29-11:30

    It goes to the one using it.

    11:30-11:33

    And for us, we're just tools in God's hand.

    11:35-11:35

    So what do we do?

    11:36-11:37

    How do we make this about God?

    11:38-11:46

    Well, we're going to get to this here in just a couple of minutes, but especially in the latter part of this passage, Peter quotes Scripture.

    11:48-11:54

    Church, the Holy Spirit's power is going to manifest through the proclaiming of the Word of God.

    11:56-11:57

    Not your thoughts or opinions.

    11:59-12:02

    The Holy Spirit works with the Word of God.

    12:04-12:07

    We're going to see Peter model that so effectively.

    12:08-12:18

    So church, when you're witnessing to make it about God, first of all, no glory for myself, but also, make sure you're sharing to share the Bible with people.

    12:20-12:24

    God's Word is what God's Holy Spirit uses to get God's results.

    12:26-12:28

    I want to give you a couple of practical tips.

    12:29-12:30

    Jot these down.

    12:32-12:36

    Number one, you should know what you want to share with people when you have the opportunity.

    12:38-12:42

    You should have some Scriptures in mind to share with people when you have the opportunity.

    12:45-12:51

    In my opinion, the easiest - Romans 3.23, Romans 6.23.

    12:53-12:58

    Romans 3.23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." I talk to people about that.

    12:58-12:59

    Have you ever done anything wrong?

    13:01-13:03

    Have you ever known the right thing to do and you did something different?

    13:03-13:04

    Have you ever sinned?

    13:06-13:07

    Okay, we have a problem.

    13:07-13:13

    But Romans 6.23 says, "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life Jesus Christ our Lord.

    13:15-13:17

    That's sharing the Word of God.

    13:17-13:26

    Whether you use those or some verses from the Gospels or whatever, you should have a couple of verses in mind that you want to share with people when you have the opportunity.

    13:28-13:42

    The second thing that I want to commend to you that I didn't really understand for years, but when you're sharing, you need to share as much as they want, as much as you want.

    13:44-13:57

    There have been so many times that I've had people in my office, I'm like, I'm going to share the Gospel with this guy, and I'm sitting there for an hour going through the Bible, and this one guy in particular, I just remember he sat there with his arms folded.

    13:57-13:59

    Literally, this was the look he had in his face.

    14:01-14:04

    He wasn't even trying to mask it like I'm pretending to be interested.

    14:08-14:15

    I look back on that and realize I was sharing long after he was done listening.

    14:18-14:21

    Share as much as they want, not as much as you want.

    14:22-14:23

    Because some people aren't ready.

    14:27-14:32

    That's why sometimes when I go to share the Gospel with people, I ask them, would you like to know what the Bible says?

    14:32-14:33

    Would you like to know?

    14:37-14:40

    You find that the circumstances of life ripen people to the Gospel.

    14:40-14:44

    Maybe somebody that you're trying to witness to now isn't ready, but maybe they'll be ready tomorrow.

    14:46-14:55

    Maybe the next time they see you, they've had a financial collapse, or they've had an illness come into their family, and they weren't too interested in the things of God then, but they sure are now.

    15:00-15:01

    So make it about God.

    15:01-15:03

    Make it about God's Word.

    15:05-15:11

    Another glorious thing about making it about God's Word is when they reject the Gospel, if they reject the Gospel, they're not rejecting you.

    15:12-15:13

    They're rejecting God.

    15:17-15:22

    You know, you could say, "Well, I think you need to come to church." And they're like, "Well, I don't want to come to your church." No, you just have a battle of opinions.

    15:23-15:29

    Instead if you say, "You know, the Bible says that all sin and falsehood are the glory of God." They say, "Well, I don't believe that." Well, now they're at issues with God, not with you, right?

    15:31-15:32

    Share the Word of God.

    15:34-15:35

    Number one, make it clear.

    15:35-15:36

    This is about God.

    15:36-15:38

    It's not about you or me or HBCU.

    15:38-15:39

    It's about God.

    15:41-15:44

    Secondly, make it clear.

    15:45-15:49

    We are guilty, but God is gracious.

    15:52-15:55

    We're going to look at verses 13-16 here first of all.

    15:56-15:58

    Look what Peter launches into.

    16:00-16:04

    Might I suggest to you something quite different than some of the people you see on television.

    16:08-16:10

    Peter getting into the meat of his sermon here.

    16:10-16:28

    He says the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when He had decided to release Him.

    16:31-16:36

    as you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.

    16:36-16:41

    And you killed the Author of life whom God raised from the dead.

    16:41-16:43

    To this we are witnesses.

    16:45-16:51

    And His name, by faith in His name, has made this man strong whom you see." That's the lame guy that got healed.

    16:52-16:54

    "Has made this man strong whom you see and know.

    16:55-17:06

    And the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all." Peter comes right out of the gate.

    17:08-17:13

    He's like, "Alright guys, by the way, you're guilty." Remember Jesus?

    17:14-17:19

    And Pilate was like, "I find no fault in this man." Like what, six times or something?

    17:19-17:21

    Pilate's like, "I just want to let him go.

    17:23-17:25

    I don't see anything wrong with him.

    17:25-17:28

    He's an innocent man." And Peter's like, "Yeah, you remember that?

    17:29-17:29

    That's what you did?

    17:30-17:31

    Standing in the crowd.

    17:31-17:33

    Kill Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

    17:33-17:34

    You remember that.

    17:38-17:39

    He says you killed the Author of life.

    17:43-17:56

    Peter says, "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance also as your rulers, but what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled.

    17:59-18:04

    So then Peter turns around and says, this was God's plan.

    18:06-18:11

    You killed Him, but this was God's plan.

    18:14-18:25

    So when you're sharing the Gospel, you have to make really crystal clear that we are guilty, God is gracious.

    18:27-18:29

    The message is both, and we have to share both.

    18:30-18:35

    Some people sort of lean towards the "you are guilty" side.

    18:37-18:45

    And some people lean towards preaching a message that is just God is gracious.

    18:46-18:47

    You know, preachers like that, right?

    18:49-18:49

    You are guilty.

    18:52-18:57

    standing on a self-righteous platform preaching down to people, "You are dirt!

    18:57-18:58

    You are a hopeless sinner!

    18:59-19:00

    You should be ashamed of yourself!

    19:01-19:01

    Look at you!

    19:03-19:05

    God's judgment is coming on you!

    19:05-19:13

    Prepare yourself!" It's just all guilt, just all beating up, just all making people ashamed.

    19:15-19:16

    No grace.

    19:17-19:29

    When we were kids at the Methodist church that we went to growing up, There was this one part of a church service that I dreaded every single week as a kid.

    19:30-19:35

    And it was the part where they called all the kids in the church to come up front.

    19:36-19:40

    And then the preacher's wife would give a little message to the kids.

    19:40-19:41

    Do you remember that, Derek?

    19:41-19:42

    I hated that.

    19:42-19:49

    I remember every week just like sweating in the pew like, "Oh, I hope they don't do that this week." I hated that part of the service.

    19:51-19:58

    For one, I just hate the thought of standing in front of the church or being in front of the church.

    19:58-19:59

    That really makes me queasy.

    20:00-20:27

    But the other thing is that the preacher's wife - you know, we're like six, seven-year-old little kids, and the preacher's wife - we'd sit down and we'd have our dress shirts half tucked in, and we're sitting down ready for our children's sermon, and she'd be like, "You're going to hell, you little sinners!" That was like her sermon.

    20:27-20:32

    And I remember just like, don't make me go up there!

    20:34-20:37

    But some preachers, that's what they communicate.

    20:38-20:41

    But then there are some that go to the other side of the spectrum.

    20:45-20:47

    And it's just grace.

    20:50-20:54

    To say, you know, God has a wonderful plan for your life.

    20:55-20:57

    And just ask Jesus into your heart.

    20:58-21:01

    And you too can have God's best in every day as a Friday.

    21:03-21:04

    Or something like that.

    21:05-21:06

    But there's no mention.

    21:07-21:08

    There's no mention of sin.

    21:08-21:10

    There's no call to turn.

    21:10-21:13

    There's no mention of transformation by the power of the Spirit.

    21:13-21:15

    There's no mention of real life change.

    21:16-21:19

    But do you notice in this passage, do you notice Peter brought both?

    21:20-21:21

    Peter brought both in the same verse.

    21:21-21:27

    He's like, "You killed the author of life!" But this was God's plan because He loves you and wants to save you.

    21:28-21:29

    He gives both.

    21:31-21:34

    He gives both the hurt and the healing.

    21:35-21:36

    But I want you to notice something.

    21:37-21:39

    Look at v. 17 again.

    21:39-21:41

    This is so important when you're sharing the Gospel with people.

    21:42-21:43

    Do you see what Peter interjects here?

    21:44-21:58

    He says, "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers." There's a sense in which Peter here came alongside the people that he was preaching to.

    21:58-22:03

    He wasn't preaching down on them, but he's sort of sharing beside them.

    22:04-22:07

    And this comes from genuine compassion for the person.

    22:09-22:11

    You see, Peter didn't look at these people as a project.

    22:12-22:14

    And you shouldn't look at your co-worker as a project.

    22:14-22:16

    Well, I'm going to get this guy out of church.

    22:16-22:17

    That's my goal for 2016.

    22:17-22:18

    I'm going to get this guy out of church.

    22:19-22:20

    He ain't your project.

    22:21-22:22

    Peter had genuine compassion.

    22:22-22:24

    That's how he was able to come alongside them.

    22:25-22:30

    And there's a sense in which he's sympathizing with them.

    22:32-22:36

    Say, look, you acted in ignorance.

    22:37-22:37

    You did.

    22:38-22:44

    It's sort of like Jesus - 2334, when Jesus was being crucified.

    22:44-22:45

    You remember what He prayed?

    22:45-22:47

    "Father, forgive them." Why?

    22:49-22:57

    "For they do not know what they're doing." And Peter's sort of echoing that sentiment from Jesus to say, "Look, yes, you're wrong.

    22:59-23:01

    And I know you acted in ignorance.

    23:03-23:16

    And when you sympathize with people, you're coming alongside them." That's something I like to do to share the Gospel with people is include myself in this to say look, that was me.

    23:17-23:18

    Yes, you're a sinner.

    23:19-23:22

    Yes, you're alienated from God, but look, that was me too.

    23:23-23:24

    I need this message.

    23:25-23:28

    Look, I'm not just standing here telling you that you need a Savior.

    23:28-23:30

    I'm saying that we need a Savior.

    23:31-23:32

    I'm the same as you.

    23:33-23:35

    Born a sinner. Lost. Rebellious.

    23:35-23:36

    I need Christ.

    23:36-23:38

    You need Christ just as much as I need Christ.

    23:40-23:41

    We're in the same boat.

    23:42-23:43

    We're both guilty of sin.

    23:43-23:45

    We both deserve God's judgment.

    23:45-23:54

    But the good news is God loves us and He made a way so that our sins can be completely forgiven so that we can be born again so that we can be children of God.

    23:56-24:01

    People aren't interested in the Savior until they know they need saved.

    24:02-24:06

    People don't know they need forgiveness so they know they've offended a holy God.

    24:07-24:12

    People are going to see the good news of the Gospel as good news if they don't understand the bad news.

    24:13-24:16

    That's why Peter walked them through this to say, yeah, you know what?

    24:16-24:18

    You guys did a horrible thing.

    24:18-24:19

    And you are guilty.

    24:21-24:22

    But God had a plan.

    24:23-24:25

    So make it clear, we are guilty, but God is gracious.

    24:27-24:30

    And lastly, number three, write this down.

    24:31-24:33

    and make it clear a response is required.

    24:35-24:37

    A response is required.

    24:39-24:50

    I don't know what your translation says, but into verse 18, "God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that His Christ would suffer.

    24:52-25:01

    He thus fulfilled." My Bible doesn't say, "Then Peter walked away and said, Well, FYI, have a nice day.

    25:03-25:06

    You notice, he keeps going.

    25:07-25:15

    Because what he's showing them, what I'm going to show you, people need to understand when you witness to them, is a response is required.

    25:15-25:17

    They have to do something with the message.

    25:19-25:21

    Jesus died for your sins.

    25:22-25:26

    Just thought you'd like to know Your response is required.

    25:28-25:34

    Sometimes people think that they're Christian by default because it's just unclear to them that they need to make a decision.

    25:35-25:39

    There's times that you're maybe sharing with somebody that's not even hostile towards Jesus.

    25:39-25:43

    They might even be agreeing with your message, but they haven't embraced it.

    25:45-25:50

    And when you're sharing the Gospel, you need to call on a response, a decision.

    25:50-25:52

    What are you going to do with this message?

    25:54-26:02

    if you have a terminal illness and the doctor prescribes pills that will cure it, you can get on the Internet and read up on them.

    26:02-26:03

    You can study.

    26:03-26:06

    I agree that these things are going to cure my illness.

    26:07-26:12

    And you can set them on the shelf, but they're not going to do you any good unless you act upon the knowledge.

    26:13-26:14

    So we don't want to stop short.

    26:15-26:16

    Look at what Peter does.

    26:17-26:17

    (incomplete thought)

    26:18-26:20

    So what should we do as a result of all this, Peter?

    26:21-26:32

    In verse 19, he says, "Repent." "Repent therefore and turn again that your sins may be blotted out." He says repent. Turn back.

    26:32-26:33

    We're going to see again in verse 26.

    26:33-26:35

    Turn from wickedness.

    26:37-26:40

    Which is always step one in coming to God.

    26:41-26:47

    Repentance literally means a change of mind or a change of purpose which results in a change of action.

    26:50-26:51

    Turning to the Gospel means you share repentance.

    26:54-26:55

    And repentance is just simply this.

    26:55-27:00

    By nature, I'm walking in my sin and I'm walking away from God.

    27:01-27:04

    Repentance means I change my mind about that.

    27:04-27:08

    To say I'm enjoying this sin and I'm turning my back on God.

    27:08-27:10

    Repentance means I turn around.

    27:10-27:14

    I turn my back on my sin and I walk toward with God.

    27:16-27:16

    That's repentance.

    27:20-27:20

    from sin.

    27:21-27:24

    Like what in the world would motivate somebody to turn this ship around?

    27:26-27:30

    Like Peter, he gives two motivations you need to share with people.

    27:30-27:31

    Look at verse 19.

    27:31-27:35

    The first one, he says, that your sins may be blotted out.

    27:37-27:39

    Your sins may be blotted out.

    27:40-27:48

    The times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, that He may send to Christ, appointed for you, Jesus!

    27:50-27:50

    Stop there.

    27:52-27:54

    First benefit in repentance is this - there's benefits for you.

    27:55-27:56

    First motivation, rather.

    27:57-27:59

    First motivation for repentance is there are benefits for you.

    28:01-28:02

    Like what benefits?

    28:02-28:07

    Well, Peter says receiving Christ means that your sins are blotted out.

    28:09-28:11

    God no longer holds your sin against you.

    28:11-28:13

    You're not guilty. There's no shame.

    28:14-28:15

    Your record is erased.

    28:18-28:20

    God will never hold your sins against you.

    28:20-28:21

    They're blotted out. They're gone.

    28:23-28:27

    That's an immediate benefit, but notice Peter also gave a long-term benefit.

    28:28-28:30

    He said times of refreshing would come.

    28:30-28:33

    He's looking to the end of the age, but he's ultimately looking at Heaven.

    28:35-28:40

    You know, turning to Christ, there's benefits now, but there's also benefits long-term, stepping into eternity.

    28:42-28:43

    He gives a second benefit.

    28:44-28:45

    Look at verse 21 again.

    28:45-28:59

    He says, "Whom Heaven must receive, until the time for restoration of all things, about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago." Something else that Peter is pointing out to the crowd is simply this - time is running out.

    29:01-29:02

    Time is running out.

    29:02-29:04

    You realize history has a finish line.

    29:06-29:10

    And we would also say that your life on earth has a finish line.

    29:12-29:14

    and you don't have forever to make a decision.

    29:16-29:17

    There's urgency in the Gospel.

    29:18-29:20

    What if this was your last day on earth?

    29:21-29:24

    Do you really want to step into eternity not knowing where you'll end up?

    29:24-29:26

    The good news is you can know exactly where you're going to end up.

    29:27-29:29

    Because God's made a promise through Jesus Christ.

    29:32-29:33

    Today's the day.

    29:34-29:35

    Today's the day. Time's running out.

    29:36-29:36

    That's the urgency.

    29:37-30:02

    I've shared with you before one time I was sharing a Gospel with a guy "So, you mean to tell me that I can live my whole life the way that I want, and if I receive Jesus on my deathbed, then I'll go to heaven? Is that true?" And I said, "Well, that's technically true, yeah, I guess." And he said, "Well, I'll just do that." And I said, "No, you won't." He said, "What do you mean, 'No, I won't'?" I said, "You're not going to do that.

    30:04-30:06

    How can you say that?" I said, "Well, I can say that for two reasons.

    30:08-30:11

    is, how do you know you're going to have a deathbed?

    30:13-30:31

    You know, this idea that someday I'm going to be lived to be 99 years old, and I'm going to be in bed, resting comfortably, and my family's going to be around, and then the minister's going to come, and that's the day I'll receive Jesus, and then five minutes after I pray the prayer, I'll step right into heaven.

    30:32-30:33

    How do you know you're going to have a deathbed?

    30:36-30:39

    heart attack, stroke, car accidents.

    30:41-30:44

    There are so many ways that your life can be over in an instant.

    30:46-30:51

    So banking on this deathbed idea, that's more rare than you think it is.

    30:52-30:57

    I said, but there's another reason that you're not going to give your life to Christ in your deathbed, and that's simply this.

    30:58-31:04

    For you to do that would require that you've spent this moment of your life forward constantly saying no to God.

    31:04-31:06

    And the Bible says that when you do that, to harden your heart.

    31:07-31:15

    Do you mean to tell me you're going to spend decades hardening your heart to God, and then all of a sudden at the last second your heart is warm and tender and open for the love of Jesus Christ?

    31:16-31:20

    Your heart is going to be so calloused at that point, you're not going to want to hear the name of Jesus.

    31:21-31:24

    Don't give me this deathbed story, okay?

    31:27-31:28

    Today's the day of salvation.

    31:28-31:29

    There's urgency.

    31:30-31:30

    There's urgency.

    31:32-31:38

    And you need to show people from the Bible - That Jesus is someone you have to deal with eventually.

    31:40-31:41

    And you have some options.

    31:43-31:46

    The Bible says that Jesus is a lamb, and the Bible says that Jesus is a lion.

    31:49-31:50

    Which one would you rather deal with?

    31:52-31:54

    He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

    31:56-31:58

    But when He comes back, He's the Lion of Judah.

    31:59-32:02

    And it's not to sacrifice Himself for His people.

    32:02-32:04

    He's already done that the second time He comes back.

    32:05-32:08

    and take care of all the people that have rejected their Creator.

    32:10-32:12

    I want you to see that's exactly what Peter does.

    32:14-32:21

    He shows the people through Scripture that Jesus is someone that they have to deal with.

    32:21-32:23

    Pick up in v. 22.

    32:23-32:30

    He says, "Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.

    32:30-33:05

    You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you, and it shall be that every soul "And all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel and those who came after him also proclaim these days, 'You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham,'" more Scripture, Genesis 22, 18, "'and in your offspring shall all the families of Israel be destroyed.'" of the earth be blessed.

    33:07-33:11

    God's promise to Abraham to bless the world, that promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

    33:13-33:21

    God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.

    33:23-33:29

    Using scripture, Peter showed them, Jesus is someone that you have to deal with eventually.

    33:31-33:32

    The church, don't be discouraged.

    33:34-33:36

    when your opportunity comes to witness.

    33:36-33:39

    Remember that salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

    33:39-33:44

    He gives you power to be His witnesses, but the work of salvation is His.

    33:44-33:48

    And it always helps me to sort of keep this mindset when I'm witnessing to people.

    33:48-33:52

    You know, believe me, I wish that every day was Pentecost.

    33:53-33:57

    That anybody I shared the Gospel with immediately ran to get their baptism clothes on.

    33:58-33:59

    That's not always the case.

    33:59-34:05

    But can you keep the mindset of wherever this person is with the Lord, Can I help them get one step closer?

    34:07-34:08

    If you really want to grow as a witness.

    34:09-34:18

    If you're really radical about wanting to grow as a witness, the best way to do it is by witnessing.

    34:19-34:20

    It's like prayer, right?

    34:21-34:22

    You want to grow as a prayer?

    34:22-34:24

    You know the best way to learn how to pray?

    34:24-34:25

    By praying.

    34:26-34:28

    The best way to learn how to be a witness?

    34:29-34:29

    By witnessing.

    34:30-34:33

    I've shared with you before, I love the prison ministry.

    34:34-34:39

    You go in for two hours and you're just sharing the Gospel with these people who are hungry to hear it.

    34:39-34:46

    I'll tell you what, I wasn't so great at it by day one, but I'll tell you what, by like the 300th time I did it, I got a little better at it.

    34:48-34:51

    We're always looking for more people to get involved in that ministry, right Mark?

    34:53-34:54

    You'll grow as a witness.

    34:54-34:56

    So above all things, you want to be clear.

    34:57-34:58

    You want to be clear with the message.

    34:58-34:59

    It's about God.

    35:00-35:04

    You want to be clear that you're a sinner, but God is gracious.

    35:06-35:10

    You want to be clear that you have to respond to this message.

    35:11-35:19

    Maybe there's somebody here that you have somebody that you've been wanting to share with, but you just haven't been sure what to say or how to say it.

    35:20-35:23

    We want to invite you to come down front with our prayer team.

    35:23-35:25

    We want you to pray for that person that you want to witness too.

    35:26-35:36

    But while you're praying, You also need to be praying for yourself that you would get that opportunity and that you would seize that opportunity.

    35:39-35:45

    We have power from God's Holy Spirit to be Christ's witnesses.

    35:47-35:51

    Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your Word.

    35:52-36:00

    Father, I thank You for this incredible sermon that we have recorded in Your Word Peter shows us how to share the Gospel.

    36:01-36:07

    He showed us how to keep it God-centered and how to talk about sin and grace at the same time.

    36:08-36:10

    And how to call people to a response.

    36:12-36:16

    He showed us how to sympathize with people and come alongside them.

    36:16-36:21

    Not just beating people up, but showing how to be healed.

    36:23-36:40

    Father, I pray for this church We know that it's not like we can just open the doors of Marshall Middle School and people that need to know you are just going to somehow mysteriously meander in to give us the opportunity to witness here.

    36:41-36:53

    We know that your witnesses are sitting in these seats right now where you send us to work, who we live beside, who our family members are.

    36:54-36:56

    You are the missionaries to those people.

    36:58-37:00

    And so often, Father, we shrink back in fear.

    37:02-37:04

    But You have not given us a spirit of fear.

    37:05-37:11

    You have given us a Spirit - Your Spirit - that empowers us to be witnesses.

    37:13-37:15

    So I pray, Father, for a godly confidence.

    37:17-37:24

    I pray, Father, for more doors to open that we can talk about Your Son in His glorious Gospel.

    37:27-37:28

    Give us opportunity, Father.

    37:29-37:30

    Let us seize these opportunities.

    37:31-37:37

    But through it all, Father, we're trusting You to do what only You can do, and that's Your Holy Spirit changing people's hearts.

    37:40-37:45

    And we are just thankful for the privilege that You would use us at all.

    37:48-37:52

    Let Your glory be on display as Your Gospel goes forth, we pray in Jesus' name.

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 3:11-26

  1. What is hardest for you about witnessing? What is one area where you could do better?
     

  2. How does the POWER of the Holy Spirit show up when you are WITNESSES?
     

  3. Peter gave a balanced message, talking about man’s guilt and God’s grace. Which side do you seem to want to emphasize more when you get to talk about the Gospel?
     

  4. Imagine you are witnessing to someone. How would you reply to these statements?

  • I think I will get serious about God later.

  • How can you know you are really saved?

  • It doesn’t really matter what you believe. Everyone is going to heaven if they are sincere.

Breakout Questions:

  1. Pray for each of you to become better witnesses. 

Living in a One-Sided Marriage (Men's Edition)

Honoring God in Your Marriage (When Your Wife is Not):

  1. Get to KNOW her. (1 Peter 3:7a)


  2. TREASURE her. (1 Peter 3:7b)


  3. ENJOY life with her. (1 Peter 3:7c)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

  • 00:00-00:06

    Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Peter 3.

    00:06-00:23

    This month we've been going through a sermon series called "Tighten the Knot." And when you get married, they call that "tying the knot." And if you've been married for more than seven minutes, you realize that you always have to go back - husbands and wives - and tighten that knot up again.

    00:25-00:31

    The title of today's message is "Tighten the Knot - Part 4 - It's been a one-sided marriage.

    00:31-00:33

    This is the men's edition.

    00:35-00:39

    And I heard this story of this husband and wife who went shopping.

    00:39-00:40

    They went to the mall.

    00:41-00:43

    And they both had their cell phones in hand.

    00:43-00:47

    And the wife had said, "I'm going to go shopping.

    00:47-01:32

    Why don't you go and do your thing for a while and I'll call you when I'm done." And the husband said, "Okay, that sounds good." After some time, the wife had called the husband And she said, "Where are you?" And the husband had said to the wife, "Do you remember many years ago that little jewelry store in the mall where you fell in love with this ring?" She said, "Yeah." He said, "Do you remember you loved this ring so much, but we really didn't have any money?" She goes, "Yeah." He said, "Do you remember that I told you Someday, I was going to save up the money and I was going to go back to that little jewelry store and I was going to buy you that ring.

    01:33-01:43

    And the wife said, "Yeah!" And the husband said, "Well, I'm at the little coffee shop next to that jewelry store." And men are clueless.

    01:45-01:45

    Can I get an amen?

    01:47-01:49

    This is a place to be honest.

    01:49-01:50

    This is a place to be honest.

    01:50-01:51

    So I'm going to try that again.

    01:52-01:53

    Men are clueless.

    01:55-01:56

    Okay, now I want the men to say it too.

    01:57-01:59

    Men are clueless.

    02:00-02:03

    Okay, listen guys, we are.

    02:05-02:06

    We just are.

    02:08-02:09

    Let's close in prayer.

    02:11-02:12

    (laughing)

    02:13-02:17

    This month we've been talking about God's plan for marriage.

    02:17-02:29

    We spent some time talking about the very foundation for marriage is really in one verse, it's Genesis 2:24, when God created Eve for Adam and God's commentary on that.

    02:29-02:34

    He said, "For this purpose, a man shall leave his father and mother and shall hold fast to his wife.

    02:34-02:40

    And the two shall become one flesh." And we said that that was the most important verse in the entire Bible about marriage.

    02:41-02:43

    Like, how can you make a statement like that?

    02:43-02:47

    Well, do you remember in Matthew 19, Mark 10, Jesus was asked about marriage.

    02:48-02:50

    Specifically, he was asked about divorce.

    02:50-02:51

    Like, what's the plan?

    02:51-02:57

    And Jesus was like, "Genesis 2.24, that's the plan." It was and it is and it always will be.

    02:58-03:12

    And when Paul was writing to the Corinthians and the Ephesians, and he was talking about marriage, Paul says, "You know what marriage is about?" He said, "Marriage is about Genesis 2.24." He quotes it, both passages.

    03:13-03:14

    That's God's plan, it hasn't changed.

    03:15-03:17

    We were called to leave, cleave and weave.

    03:19-03:23

    And we talked about the picture that God designed in marriage from Ephesians 5.

    03:24-03:26

    You've got to get this picture.

    03:28-03:34

    If you can understand the relationship between Jesus Christ and His church, that's the picture that is to be played out in your marriage.

    03:34-03:36

    The wives represent the church.

    03:37-03:40

    The submissive helper of Jesus Christ.

    03:40-03:41

    The husbands represent Christ.

    03:41-03:45

    The servant leader over His church.

    03:46-03:50

    Last week, we picked up in 1 Peter, when he gives a word to wives.

    03:51-03:54

    He said if your husband isn't obeying the Word, what do you do about that?

    03:54-04:01

    And it's really found not in badgering him or preaching at him or guilt trip, it's about your conduct.

    04:01-04:02

    It's about your character.

    04:04-04:05

    It's about your trust in God.

    04:08-04:09

    Now we turn to the men.

    04:12-04:12

    Men.

    04:12-04:14

    This theme continues through 1 Peter.

    04:16-04:19

    balls in your court this week, how can you tighten the knot?

    04:21-04:28

    Even if your wife is unsaved, even if your wife isn't walking with the Lord, how can you tighten the knot in your marriage?

    04:29-04:30

    We're going to look at just one verse today.

    04:32-05:04

    Look at verse 7, where Peter writes, "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding "Showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." Like, wait a minute, why do the wives get six verses and the husbands get just one verse?

    05:05-05:06

    I have a couple of theories on that.

    05:07-05:09

    One is, I think it's a matter of attention span.

    05:10-05:14

    I think women can endure paying attention for six verses.

    05:15-05:21

    And I think under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter knew that men, one verse is about all we can handle at a time.

    05:23-05:26

    I'll start over. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3.

    05:28-05:29

    What was I talking about?

    05:30-05:32

    Oh, okay. Men get one verse.

    05:33-05:35

    Here's really the reason why.

    05:36-05:45

    In this culture, just like in some cultures today, not America, but in some cultures today, if a wife becomes a Christian, a lot of times she can feel very isolated.

    05:46-05:51

    If her husband is already tied into some other religion or some other way of life, the wife can feel very isolated.

    05:53-06:02

    But in this culture and in some cultures today, if the husband, if the head of the house becomes a Christian, the whole house comes to Christ.

    06:02-06:04

    That was sort of true in Peter's day.

    06:05-06:08

    As many of you know, I went to Thailand back in November.

    06:09-06:10

    That's how that culture is.

    06:11-06:16

    I met some very faithful Christian women whose rest of the family didn't know the Lord.

    06:16-06:24

    But it seems like if I met a Christian man, a Christian husband, a Christian father, it seemed like his whole family went to church.

    06:25-06:25

    They were Christians.

    06:26-06:26

    Let's get baptized.

    06:27-06:30

    When he came to Christ, he's like, "Come on, get the kids.

    06:30-06:33

    We're going to get baptized." I think that's what's happening here.

    06:34-06:35

    And the attention span thing.

    06:36-06:41

    But one verse, and I want to challenge the men today.

    06:43-06:55

    Men, you are designed in your role as husband to take the lead and to set the tone in your marriage.

    06:56-07:05

    Husbands, if you want to rock in marriage, If you want to tighten the knots, do not wait for your wife to step it up.

    07:07-07:08

    You step it up.

    07:09-07:13

    I think that's part of the weakness we have as men.

    07:13-07:16

    When my wife steps it up, then I'll start showing more interest.

    07:16-07:20

    If my wife does X, Y, Z, then I'll start doing A, B, C or whatever.

    07:21-07:27

    Men, God didn't assign her the role of setting the tone for your marriage.

    07:28-07:29

    That's you guys.

    07:31-07:31

    You step it up.

    07:33-07:34

    You take the initiative.

    07:34-07:36

    You set the tone for your home.

    07:37-07:38

    That's not her job, that's your job.

    07:40-07:42

    There are too many men that are just not doing their job.

    07:43-07:50

    Where God's made it so clear, and just content to sit back and put more burden on our wives.

    07:52-07:53

    So I want you to take some notes today in your outline.

    07:54-07:57

    Honoring God in your marriage when your wife is not.

    07:59-08:02

    Same theme, but principles for all of us for sure.

    08:04-08:06

    Honoring God in your marriage when your wife is not, write this down.

    08:06-08:09

    First of all, number one, get to know her.

    08:10-08:11

    Get to know her.

    08:13-08:14

    Look at verse seven again.

    08:15-08:20

    It says, "Likewise." Likewise what?

    08:20-08:22

    Well, there is a theme throughout 1 Peter.

    08:22-08:29

    He talked about we submit to the government as Christians, we submit to our bosses as Christians.

    08:29-08:43

    In chapter 3 verse 1 he says, "Likewise, wives, you submit." Verse 7, "Likewise, husbands, you submit." Same theme.

    08:45-08:50

    Just like with the government and your boss, wife with an unsaved husband, it's the same theme.

    08:51-09:25

    about how do you stand as a Christian living amongst non-christians so what does he say to do first of all he says live with your wives in an understanding way the word for understanding literally means knowing deeply through experience that's important through experience so you can know something and you can know something through experience and it's way different here's what I mean by that When I was thinking about that this week, I thought about childbirth.

    09:27-09:32

    You know, when I was in high school, I had to watch a video about childbirth.

    09:32-09:34

    How many other people had to do that at high school?

    09:34-09:35

    Do you remember that day?

    09:36-09:40

    It was like, you know, the health science day, like, we're gonna watch a video about childbirth?

    09:40-09:42

    I'm like, I am so not ready for this.

    09:42-09:44

    But we had to watch a video about childbirth.

    09:44-09:48

    Well, after that video, like, I know something about childbirth now.

    09:50-09:53

    But fast forward a few years and my wife had two boys.

    09:54-09:57

    And I was right there with her when both boys were born.

    09:58-10:03

    And after that experience, you can say that I knew something else about childbirth.

    10:04-10:09

    I will never know about childbirth the way that my wife knows about childbirth.

    10:09-10:14

    The way that ladies here who have had children, the way that you know about childbirth, you know it through experience.

    10:15-10:20

    You didn't just watch a video or read it in a book or be with somebody that had a child.

    10:20-10:21

    You know it through experience.

    10:22-10:24

    That's the word that Peter's using here.

    10:26-10:36

    He's saying you need to know your wife deeply, emotionally, and intimately.

    10:38-10:39

    You're like, does it mean that?

    10:39-10:40

    Yes, it means that too.

    10:42-10:46

    That's why the Bible talks about people knowing their wives.

    10:47-10:48

    Intimacy.

    10:50-10:53

    And there's some husbands here, because husbands are men I should say.

    10:54-10:55

    Men are clueless.

    10:55-10:58

    There's some men here right now that go, "Pastor Jeff, I already did that.

    10:59-11:03

    I already got to know my wife." Well, that's the thing.

    11:04-11:07

    You see, this is something that never stops happening.

    11:08-11:12

    The verb tense is actually continual.

    11:12-11:26

    So if you were reading this literally from the Greek in the verb tense written, he is saying, "Husbands, keep on living with your wives in an understanding way." This is something that I did that yesterday, guess what?

    11:26-11:27

    You're doing it today.

    11:27-11:28

    What happens if I have tomorrow?

    11:29-11:29

    Guess what you're doing?

    11:30-11:31

    You're going to know your wife.

    11:34-11:37

    Continually, keep on living in an understanding way.

    11:38-13:14

    If I went to your house and you were having a bonfire, and at six o'clock you put this bonfire together with the wood and the fuel and you got the fire going and I came back to you at nine o'clock and I said hey you might want to throw a couple of logs on your fire it seems like it's going down you wouldn't be foolish enough to say well Pastor Jeff I spent so much time at five o'clock getting it ready to light it at six o'clock aren't we done now you're gonna keep that thing gone you're gonna keep throwing the logs on you're gonna keep tending to it and that's what Peter's saying men you need to go after your wives that way. Keep going after her. Keep pursuing her. Keep seeking to know her and to understand her. Your job is to continually pursue knowledge, being sensitive to her feelings and her needs, her desires. So men, when it comes to your wife, one way you can evaluate yourself, what level of education do you have about your wife you know in our date night this Saturday we're going to be playing the newlywed game and I've asked three couples who bravely are stepping up to the plate we're gonna find out how much these men know about their wives hopefully I'm not repreaching this whole sermon series after the date night but what is your level of education when it comes to your wives men you have an elementary level of education? Like, I know she's a girl. Do you know anything else?

    13:15-13:20

    Do you have a high school education? I know she's a girl and she smells good.

    13:23-13:25

    What about a college level education?

    13:27-13:35

    She is a woman and she does smell good, but she's such a unique character.

    13:38-13:41

    You have a graduate school level of education.

    13:43-13:46

    I wonder what she's thinking about, I wonder how she feels about that.

    13:47-13:52

    I need to understand, the point here is, here's the level we're going for, man.

    13:53-13:57

    You need a Ph.D. in your wife.

    13:58-13:59

    You need a Ph.D.

    14:00-14:02

    That's the level of education that you're going after.

    14:03-14:09

    Just like with regular education, it takes time and it takes discipline, and it happens over a period of time.

    14:09-14:11

    That's how it is with knowing your wife.

    14:12-14:15

    It's not going to happen over one conversation at lunch today.

    14:16-14:17

    It takes time.

    14:18-14:19

    It takes discipline.

    14:21-14:22

    You need to know your wife.

    14:23-14:24

    Because men are clueless.

    14:24-14:30

    There's somebody here today still saying, "I told you, Pastor Jeff, I already did get to know her.

    14:30-14:38

    Back when I did get to know her, I think I did get to know her pretty good." Do you think she's changed at all since she's met you?

    14:40-14:43

    Do you think that your wife has changed at all since you got married?

    14:45-14:47

    You know, church, we're all changing, aren't we?

    14:48-14:55

    Through life experiences, through the highs, through the lows, learning, learning things the hard way, making mistakes.

    14:56-14:58

    We're all changing and learning and growing.

    14:59-15:03

    Guys, are you the same guy that you were when you got married?

    15:03-15:04

    Are you the same guy today?

    15:07-15:08

    That you were back when you got married?

    15:10-15:11

    Your wife isn't the same woman.

    15:13-15:16

    That's why you need to continually get to know her.

    15:17-15:18

    to understand her.

    15:21-15:23

    Here's a test for you, men.

    15:25-15:32

    Right now, if you can jot these things down without your wife looking over at your paper, I say go for it.

    15:33-15:34

    Here's a test for you.

    15:35-15:39

    What is something in your wife's life that she is joyful about right now?

    15:40-15:41

    Right now.

    15:42-15:45

    She liked when we went to the beach back in 2012.

    15:45-15:47

    Now I'm talking about right now, today.

    15:48-15:50

    What is something in her life that she is joyful about?

    15:51-15:54

    What is something in your wife's life that she is fearful about right now?

    15:55-16:00

    There's something that maybe she's stressing about a little bit, what is that?

    16:00-16:01

    Do you know what it is?

    16:04-16:07

    What is something in your wife's life right now that she's looking forward to?

    16:08-16:09

    What's she excited about?

    16:11-16:16

    What is a hurt that your wife is trying to get over right now?

    16:18-16:24

    What is discouraging to her in this season of her life?

    16:26-16:28

    What is it that makes your wife feel loved?

    16:30-16:33

    You know what some people call that, the love language, right?

    16:33-16:37

    There's gifts and words of affection and physical touch and whatever.

    16:37-16:37

    I don't know them all.

    16:38-16:40

    But what's your wife's love language?

    16:41-16:43

    The big question is what kind of a man does she need you to be?

    16:44-16:45

    Do you know?

    16:46-16:48

    Do you know the kind of man that your wife needs you to be?

    16:50-16:59

    Because men are clueless, there's somebody sitting here right now that's going, "That was a pretty tough test. How would I know this stuff?" It's called being attentive.

    17:01-17:06

    Your wife, men, your wife is dying to share that information with you.

    17:08-17:13

    So what you need to do is you need to put down the phone You need to turn off the TV or the Xbox.

    17:14-17:18

    You need to tear yourself away from the computer or get out of the garage.

    17:18-17:23

    And you need to sit down at mealtime and just talk.

    17:23-17:27

    Man, you need to be laying in bed with your wife and just talking.

    17:29-17:33

    Turn off the radio in the car and talk to her.

    17:36-17:39

    See, Peter says this is to be a continual pursuit.

    17:41-17:44

    Not just during the month of January when we're going through this Tighten the Knot series.

    17:45-17:51

    Revisit this on Valentine's Day because of obligation or checking back in July.

    17:51-17:56

    This is constantly, constantly seeking to know her and to understand her.

    17:58-18:03

    If you haven't been, man, I encourage you today to lose the pride.

    18:04-18:15

    Sit down with your wife and say something like this, I haven't been attentive and I want to do better and I need you to help me with that.

    18:17-18:25

    I've had that conversation with my wife at a time that I wasn't being attentive and I just had to sit down and bare my shoulder.

    18:25-18:36

    Like look, I know that I haven't been what you need me to be and let's talk about some ways that I can improve that. I'm going to swallow your pride and have that conversation.

    18:39-18:56

    First of all, Peter says you need to get to know her continually. Secondly, number two, treasure her. Look at the second part of verse 7. It says, "Showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel.

    19:00-19:04

    To honor literally means to treat something or someone like it has high value.

    19:05-19:12

    Right now the ladies are like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's this weaker vessel stuff?" Well the word vessel just means body.

    19:12-19:14

    That's how it's used in 1 Thessalonians 4.

    19:17-19:19

    But this isn't a slam.

    19:20-19:24

    There can be some chauvinistic guys looking at this verse and be like, "You're weak, woman.

    19:24-19:25

    You are weak.

    19:27-19:29

    And I would say you are clueless.

    19:31-19:32

    Because you missed the point.

    19:33-19:34

    What is the point?

    19:37-19:38

    The point is this.

    19:39-19:40

    Do you remember when we were kids?

    19:40-19:41

    Do you remember the China Cabinet?

    19:42-19:43

    I was thinking about that this week.

    19:43-19:45

    Mom and Dad's China Cabinet.

    19:45-19:48

    I can only remember - I'm not saying this was accurate.

    19:48-19:53

    I'm just saying I can only remember us using the China like twice as kids.

    19:53-19:59

    much more than that? There was like two times I remember us using that china.

    20:00-20:44

    That china was in its own little bookshelf thing with the glass front and it had like its own light and I think it had security systems and stuff installed. And I'm so much of a pragmatist, I never really understood that. I'm like, why don't we just use those plates? Like why are those plates is thinking special. That's the fine China. And Peter's point here is men, you need to treat your wife like fine China, like the weaker vessel, as opposed to what? As opposed to Tupperware. You know what we do with Tupperware? I'll tell you what we do with Tupperware in my house. Who left the Tupperware on the floor?

    20:44-20:54

    Pick up the Tupperware, stomp, kick. Did anybody feed the dog? Hang on, I'll fill I fill up the Tupperware with food, and the dog eats out of it, and he licks it, and I put it back in the cupboard.

    20:54-20:58

    And that's what we do with the Tupperware.

    21:00-21:01

    That's Peter's point.

    21:01-21:03

    He says, man, you don't treat your wife like Tupperware.

    21:05-21:07

    You need to be treating her like the fine china.

    21:10-21:11

    Protecting and loving.

    21:13-21:17

    You see, I mentioned earlier, There is a submission on our part, men.

    21:19-21:23

    We talk so much about wives submit to your husbands, wives submit to your husbands, and the Bible says that.

    21:23-21:30

    But here guys, every man in the auditorium should have this highlighted in your Bible.

    21:30-21:34

    Because husbands, you need to submit to your wives.

    21:35-21:36

    Like how does that work?

    21:36-21:37

    It works like this.

    21:37-21:39

    Wives submit to their husbands' authority.

    21:40-21:43

    Husbands should submit themselves to their wives' needs.

    21:44-21:44

    You'll see the difference.

    21:45-21:48

    Man, you need to submit yourself to your wife's needs.

    21:49-21:51

    Even if she's not a believer.

    21:52-21:53

    Even if she has been difficult.

    21:56-21:59

    Even if you haven't been getting along the last few months.

    22:00-22:03

    I'm going to teach you a saying that I repeat often in my own life.

    22:05-22:05

    Because I need it.

    22:06-22:09

    And that statement is this - you can use it.

    22:11-22:16

    My conduct is not based on how My conduct is based on the Word of God.

    22:18-22:21

    We're so used to this idea that I'm going to treat you the way you treat me.

    22:22-22:24

    And that is so unbiblical.

    22:25-22:27

    My conduct is not based on how other people treat me.

    22:28-22:30

    My conduct is based on the Word of God.

    22:30-22:32

    So yeah, maybe you and your wife haven't been getting along.

    22:33-22:36

    Man, that has nothing to do with your conduct towards her.

    22:36-22:48

    Even if you haven't been talking, She is still the fine china and still deserves, according to God's Word, for you to be treating her like a treasure.

    22:50-22:53

    My conduct is not determined by how other people treat me.

    22:54-22:57

    My conduct is determined by the Word of God. What does the Word say?

    22:58-22:59

    The Word says to honor your wife.

    23:00-23:01

    Honor your wife.

    23:02-23:05

    Treat her as valuable. Treat her like the fine china.

    23:06-23:09

    In other words, love your wives like Christ loved the church.

    23:09-23:10

    Think about that.

    23:11-23:14

    I know we talked about that a couple weeks ago, but I'm going to circle back for a second.

    23:14-23:16

    I want you to think about the way Christ loves the church.

    23:17-23:20

    And church, are we always lovable?

    23:22-23:23

    Are we always lovable?

    23:24-23:28

    Do you think Jesus looks down on the church and we just look like this basket of puppies all the time?

    23:30-23:31

    I don't think so.

    23:33-23:33

    Are we always faithful?

    23:34-23:36

    Are we always deserving?

    23:38-23:45

    But Jesus demonstrated His love for us, the church, His bride, by dying.

    23:46-23:51

    Jesus' love took Him all the way to death even when we didn't deserve it.

    23:52-23:55

    And husbands, you need to be willing to die for your wife.

    23:57-23:59

    Literally and metaphorically.

    24:00-24:04

    every single day, laying down your life for her.

    24:04-24:07

    Laying down your rights, husbands.

    24:07-24:09

    Laying down your preferences.

    24:09-24:11

    Laying down your ego.

    24:11-24:12

    Laying down your pride.

    24:13-24:16

    Serving your wife the way Christ serves the church.

    24:18-24:20

    As He did and as He always does.

    24:22-24:32

    In that vein, men, My wife is not "the old lady." We will correct you if we hear that.

    24:33-24:34

    And I have corrected people on that.

    24:34-24:36

    My old lady said this.

    24:36-24:37

    I'm sorry, who are you talking about?

    24:39-24:40

    Who is that?

    24:40-24:41

    My wife. Okay.

    24:42-24:47

    Say my wife, or say her name, but I don't want to hear "the old lady." Okay? I will correct you for that.

    24:48-24:49

    Because that's not honoring.

    24:50-24:52

    She's not the old lady. She's not a nag.

    24:52-24:53

    She's not the ball and chain.

    24:54-24:55

    She is a treasure.

    24:55-25:00

    She is the most precious and important part of your life here on the earth, and you need to treat her like that.

    25:02-25:04

    So you see, you need to get to know your wife.

    25:06-25:06

    Why?

    25:07-25:10

    Well, what if I'm on Jeopardy and my wife is one of the categories?

    25:10-25:12

    That's not why you get to know your wife.

    25:14-25:15

    You see, Peter's point is pretty obvious.

    25:15-25:18

    You get to know your wife so you know how best to serve her needs, right?

    25:18-25:20

    I know her so I know how to honor her.

    25:22-25:28

    asking yourself, okay, based on where my wife is right now, is there something I need to start doing?

    25:30-25:31

    Is there something I need to stop doing?

    25:33-25:39

    Or, radical concept men, you need to ask yourself, does she need me to just listen to her?

    25:40-25:46

    You know, as men, we love our superhero movies, and we try to find ourselves in the role of superhero.

    25:46-25:50

    When our wife has a need, our immediate response is, okay, how can I fix it?

    25:51-25:52

    How can I fix it?

    25:52-25:57

    And many times your wife just wants sympathy.

    25:58-26:00

    She just wants you to care.

    26:03-26:04

    Like, well, how would I know?

    26:06-26:07

    Gently ask her.

    26:08-26:22

    You know, when your wife is sharing things with you and you feel that welling up inside you that I need to fix this, just stop and say, "Honey, is there something that you want me to do?

    26:23-26:27

    Or do you just want to talk about it?" Watch the tone of voice there, guys, okay?

    26:28-26:31

    "You just want to talk about this?" Loving, loving.

    26:33-26:35

    Here's another good statement, another good question, rather.

    26:36-26:39

    Ask your wife this, "What's the best way that I can help you?

    26:39-26:48

    What's the best way that I can help you?" And she might say, "You know, I just want you to listen." And you're like, "Okay, I'm listening." What's the best way that I can help you?

    26:49-26:58

    So men, get to know your wives, and treasure her, and finally, enjoy life with her.

    27:00-27:02

    Enjoy life with her.

    27:04-27:08

    These next couple of statements might seem a little awkward.

    27:08-27:10

    I want to explain what Peter's saying.

    27:12-27:23

    He says, "There heirs with you of the grace of life." What's he talking about here?

    27:23-27:27

    When he talks about the grace of life, he's not referring to salvation.

    27:28-27:33

    That completely goes against the whole context of Peter's teaching.

    27:34-27:36

    He says submit to the ungodly government.

    27:37-27:38

    You can submit to an ungodly boss.

    27:38-27:41

    Wives, submit to your husbands that don't obey the Word.

    27:41-28:11

    line of thinking, husbands, if your wives don't know the Lord. So that goes against the whole context of what Peter's talking about. The word grace literally just means gift. And what Peter's saying is, "Since they are heirs with you of the gift of life." What gift? What gift is he talking about? He's talking about marriage. In other words, God's.

    28:13-28:17

    What Peter's saying is one of the great gifts of life is marriage.

    28:17-28:22

    And husbands, you are to be sharing this gift with your wife.

    28:24-28:29

    Even if she's unsaved, she is an heir of the gift of marriage.

    28:31-28:32

    That's what he's saying.

    28:33-28:34

    God's given this incredible gift.

    28:36-28:50

    And even unsaved people get married can enjoy the gift of marriage. And what Peter's warning against here is this idea well I'm saved and my wife is not so we can't really tighten the knot.

    28:53-29:37

    He's saying enjoy the gift of marriage together. Treat your wife like a fellow heir, not a second-class citizen. Men, don't fall into the mindset I've heard I've heard men say this, not here, I've heard men say this, you know my job is to work, to bring home the money, my wife's job is to take care of the home. When men say that what they're really saying is I have an excuse for not getting involved in home. I have an excuse for not getting involved in my kids lives. I have an excuse for not wanting to talk to my wife when I get home. I've been working all day, I've been bringing the money home and I just want to get my man cave and and hang out and it's time to grow up.

    29:39-29:40

    That is not God's intention for your marriage.

    29:40-29:42

    There's nothing wrong with having a man cave.

    29:44-29:48

    But if that's your escape, so you're not spending time with your wife, then there is something wrong.

    29:50-29:56

    And if I find out that's happening in your home, I will convince your wife to call a contractor and turn that into a powder room.

    29:58-30:02

    Get off this silly notion that, well, I do my part and she does her part.

    30:03-30:03

    No, no, no.

    30:06-30:07

    That's Peter's point here.

    30:07-30:08

    You're co-heirs.

    30:09-30:11

    You're friends. You're partners.

    30:11-30:13

    Actually, the Bible says you're one.

    30:14-30:15

    Two have become one.

    30:16-30:18

    So what's this separation thing all about?

    30:18-30:19

    That's not biblical.

    30:19-30:22

    When you're married, it's not about me.

    30:22-30:24

    Marriage is about us.

    30:26-30:27

    It's about us.

    30:29-30:30

    Genesis 2:24, right?

    30:32-31:02

    shall become one." And this last phrase is interesting. He says, "So that your prayers may not be hindered." What's he talking about? Prayers hindered? Is Peter saying that if I have a rocky marriage, that means that God isn't listening to my prayer? Does that mean that God is up in heaven holding back blessing because my marriage isn't optimal. He's not saying that at all.

    31:04-31:56

    Mark taught us last summer from Ephesians, we have every spiritual blessing in Christ. We already have it. It's been given to us. And access to God in prayer is never based on my performance. It's based on the blood of Jesus Christ. Show me anywhere in the New Testament that says something can get in the way of me praying to God. Jesus opened the door. Jesus paid for that. Not based on my performance, it's based on Jesus' blood. So what's he talking about? Well, back in verse 3, he was giving instructions for wives wanting to win their husbands, because if If you're married to an unsaved person, the number one thing on your heart and your mind is for that person to come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, right?

    31:56-32:00

    If you're a wife of an unsaved husband, you want that man to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

    32:02-32:06

    And if you're a man with an unsaved wife, you want her to come to know Christ.

    32:08-32:09

    So what are you praying about?

    32:11-32:12

    What are you praying about?

    32:12-32:30

    praying for the salvation of your wife. That's Peter's point here. He says, "Live this way with your wives so that your prayers may not be hindered." You understand the context now? Live this way with your wives so that your prayers are not hindered. If there's any hindering in our prayers, God isn't the problem. I am.

    32:32-32:39

    And we can hinder our own prayers. We can get in the way of the very thing that that we're asking God for.

    32:41-32:43

    God, please let my wife come to know You.

    32:43-32:57

    God, please let my wife come to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, yet You act like a complete knucklehead at home, and You don't treat her like a treasure, and You're disrespectful to your wife, and You talk down to your wife.

    32:59-33:01

    You're getting in the way of your own prayers.

    33:01-33:01

    Do you see that?

    33:03-33:05

    That's what He's warning us against here.

    33:07-33:08

    Don't let your prayers be hindered.

    33:10-33:12

    Live with your wife this way so that they're not.

    33:14-33:19

    She's not interested if you don't love her the way that God calls you to love her.

    33:20-33:26

    She sees you as trying to be church boy on Sunday, but not Christ-like the rest of the week.

    33:26-33:27

    It's not going to work.

    33:29-33:40

    The way that you're going to win your wife, the way that she's going to Come unto Christ as Peter said to the wives in verse 3.

    33:43-33:47

    You need to be the husband that Christ has called you to be.

    33:48-33:49

    That's what's going to tighten the knot.

    33:52-33:55

    That might even eventually save a soul.

    33:56-34:01

    But men, if you want to rock in marriage, it's on you.

    34:03-34:04

    to step up.

    34:06-34:09

    Peter tells us exactly what that looks like.

    34:10-34:15

    And you need to never stop getting to know your wife.

    34:17-34:22

    You need to treasure her and submit yourself to her needs.

    34:23-34:28

    And you need to make your married life together a joy.

    34:30-34:42

    This is the end of our series, but this certainly at the end of our desire to go after this great gift that God has given us in marriage.

    34:44-34:45

    Let's pray.

    34:45-34:52

    Father in Heaven, we thank You so much for this gift of life that You've given us.

    34:54-34:56

    Father, right now specifically, I want to pray for the men.

    34:58-34:59

    Myself especially.

    35:01-35:02

    Father, You know it's so easy for me.

    35:05-35:13

    I think it's easy for a lot of guys like me to just sort of retreat within and shrink back instead of stepping up.

    35:15-35:19

    To having a love that is passive or a love that is, I guess, implied.

    35:20-35:24

    Because I work and I try to provide.

    35:24-35:27

    Father, You haven't called us to an implied love for our wives.

    35:28-35:34

    You've called us to a passionate, active, on-display love for our wives.

    35:36-35:39

    Father, I'm sure there's some men in this room that need to repent.

    35:40-35:42

    They've been treating their wives like Tupperware.

    35:44-35:56

    Instead of treasuring them like the valuable fine china, the most precious gift that you've given us, we so easily take them for granted.

    35:57-35:59

    I pray today, Father, is a day of repentance.

    36:00-36:02

    I pray today, Father, is a day of forgiveness.

    36:04-36:09

    And I pray today, Father, is a day where the knot gets tightened.

    36:11-36:13

    Only You can do this, Father.

    36:14-36:26

    So I pray Your Holy Spirit stir in every heart so that we would passionately go after the number one mission field that each one of us have.

    36:27-36:30

    right in our own homes, right with our own spouses.

    36:32-36:36

    Father, again, as we've said a few times through this series, we can't do this in our own power.

    36:38-36:45

    So I pray, Father, that this is not a day of I'm just going to try to do things to make her happy.

    36:48-36:50

    And that sort of goes away by Tuesday or Wednesday.

    36:53-36:56

    Pray that today's a day of real transformation.

    36:56-36:58

    and real change.

    37:00-37:01

    Glorify your name, Father.

    37:01-37:07

    Let people see what the relationship between the church and Jesus Christ looks like.

    37:07-37:10

    Let people see that in our marriages.

    37:12-37:14

    That your name is lifted up.

    37:16-37:17

    You are glorified.

    37:18-37:19

    We pray in Jesus' name.

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Peter 3:7 (Men: Multiple times!!!)

  1. Name some practical ways men can learn more about their wives and how to meet their needs. Ladies, please chime in. We need the help.
     

  2. What does Peter mean to to honor your wife as the “weaker vessel”? How should that affect the way you think about your wife?
     

  3. How can our conduct towards our wives hinder our prayers for our wives?

Breakout Questions:
Pray for the marriages (and the singles in the group) to:

  • grow in oneness

  • understand our God-given roles

  • show grace

Living in a One-Sided Marriage (Women's Edition)

Honoring God in Your Marriage (When Your Husband is Not):

  1. Your CONDUCT must be more important than your words. (1 Peter 3:1-2)


  2. Your CHARACTER must be more beautiful than your clothes. (1 Peter 3:3-4)


  3. Your FAITH must be bigger than your FEARS. (1 Peter 3:5-6)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

  • 00:00-00:01

    Turn your Bibles with me, please.

    00:01-00:04

    We're going to be in 1 Peter 3.

    00:06-00:08

    1 Peter 3.

    00:10-00:20

    And while you were turning to 1 Peter 3, I heard this story of a pastor who had this couple coming to him for marriage counseling.

    00:20-00:22

    They'd been married for a few years and they were having problems.

    00:22-00:24

    And this wasn't me, ok?

    00:24-00:26

    This was just a story that I had heard.

    00:26-00:40

    This couple was coming to the pastor, And as he sat in the office with them, he could see as he was sharing what God's Word says about marriage, the wife was sitting on the edge of her seat and she was really listening and she was jotting things down.

    00:41-00:46

    But the whole time he was speaking, the husband was slouched back in his chair with his arms folded.

    00:47-00:51

    And even though this wasn't me, I can totally relate to this.

    00:52-00:54

    I've seen it dozens of times.

    00:54-00:57

    The husband just sitting there not looking at the pastor.

    00:59-01:07

    The pastor continued to share, but in the back of his mind, he just kept thinking, I've got to snap this husband out of this apathy.

    01:07-01:08

    He just doesn't care.

    01:08-01:11

    Obviously, she cares, and he doesn't care.

    01:12-01:16

    And what can I do to shake him up?

    01:16-01:18

    What can I do to get his attention?

    01:18-01:21

    And suddenly the pastor just had this insane thought.

    01:23-01:26

    He said, what the hay, I'm going to go for it.

    01:26-01:31

    So the pastor, right in the middle of talking, And he just stood up and he walked around the desk.

    01:32-01:36

    And he leaned down to the wife and he grabbed her hand and he had her stand up.

    01:37-01:44

    And he put his arms around this young wife, putting his hand on the back of her head and one hand around her waist.

    01:44-01:49

    He dipped her and he gave her a kiss.

    01:49-01:51

    A serious kiss.

    01:52-01:58

    And he picked her back up and put her in the seat She was just, where in the world did that come from?

    01:59-02:36

    The pastor turned to the husband and he said, "That's what she needs at least twice a week!" And the husband said, "I can have her here Tuesdays and Thursdays if that works out for your schedule." And the title of our message today, "Tightening the Knot, Part 3, Living in a One-Sided Marriage." When we started this series, taking a break from Acts, which we've been walking through this year, when we started this series in January, our first message, we saw God's plan.

    02:36-02:37

    What is God's plan for marriage?

    02:38-02:41

    Genesis 2, 24, one verse is the plan.

    02:41-02:51

    For this purpose, a man shall leave his father and mother and shall hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.

    02:51-02:54

    That is the most important verse in the entire Bible about marriage.

    02:54-02:55

    That's God's plan.

    02:55-02:56

    It was God's plan from the beginning.

    02:57-02:58

    How do we know it's so important?

    02:58-03:01

    Matthew chapter 19, Mark chapter 10, Jesus was asked about marriage.

    03:01-03:02

    And do you know what Jesus said?

    03:03-03:05

    Jesus said Genesis 2.24, that's the plan.

    03:06-03:13

    The Apostle Paul, when he was writing to the church in Ephesus, when he was writing to the church in Corinth, and he was giving instructions about marriage, Paul's like, "Here's the plan.

    03:14-03:16

    Genesis 2.24, that's the plan.

    03:16-03:23

    It hasn't changed." We talked about how you're to leave and you're to cleave and you're to weave.

    03:24-03:25

    That's the plan.

    03:25-03:26

    You leave your parents, new authority.

    03:27-03:34

    You hold fast to your wife and your lives together are like these threads being woven in this beautiful tapestry.

    03:35-03:36

    That's God's plan.

    03:36-03:39

    It hasn't changed and it won't change.

    03:40-03:45

    Then last week we saw from Ephesians chapter 5, God's picture for marriage.

    03:46-03:56

    God has this picture, and if you can get the picture, you can understand how marriage is supposed to work and how your marriage is supposed to glorify God.

    03:57-03:58

    And the picture is this.

    03:59-04:04

    The wife in the marriage should see herself as the church sees herself to Jesus Christ.

    04:06-04:07

    How does the church see herself to Jesus?

    04:07-04:11

    As the church, we are submissive helpers to Jesus.

    04:12-04:16

    And the wife should see herself as the submissive helper to her husband.

    04:17-04:20

    And in this dynamic, the husband is to see himself as Christ.

    04:21-04:25

    Meaning, Jesus Christ is the servant leader.

    04:26-04:32

    And the husband is to be not just leader of the home, but the servant leader of the home.

    04:33-04:36

    Taking after the example that Jesus Christ set.

    04:36-04:38

    Nothing done out of selfishness.

    04:38-04:41

    Everything done for the benefit of his bride.

    04:41-04:42

    You need to get that.

    04:43-04:48

    Everything you do should be for the benefit of your bride, for the benefit of your family.

    04:49-04:50

    That's why God put you in authority.

    04:50-04:55

    Not so you're the boss, but so that you can protect them and benefit them.

    04:55-05:00

    That's why you're in charge, husbands, is to take care of those God's entrusted to you.

    05:01-05:02

    Okay?

    05:02-05:03

    That's the picture.

    05:04-05:49

    And when we talk about the picture, there's going to be a lady or two, or more than likely more. It's going to say, "Well, you know, Pastor Jeff, that's all well and good, but what if my husband isn't doing his part?" Can we really, you know, you're talking about tightening the knot. When you get married, you tie the knot. Now you're saying, you know, you've got to go back and tighten the knot. Well, here's a question. Can we really tighten the knot if I'm the only one working at it? Well, look at 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 1, It says, "Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word." Stop there.

    05:49-05:50

    Look at that phrase.

    05:51-05:58

    "Wives, even if some of your husbands..." If some of you have husbands that do not obey the word, what does that mean?

    06:00-06:03

    Well, that means they're unsaved.

    06:04-06:15

    They don't know the Lord, or it means maybe they're extremely immature in the faith and haven't grown into understanding what it means to follow Christ.

    06:16-06:19

    Well, Peter doesn't tell us the why behind it.

    06:20-06:21

    He just simply tells us the what.

    06:22-06:25

    We don't need to figure out why it's happening.

    06:25-06:26

    It's an objective thing.

    06:26-06:28

    Is your husband obeying the word?

    06:28-06:45

    And he says, "Wives, if your husband is not obeying the word, he gives very clear instructions." So if you're in this position and you're saying, "You know, Pastor Jeff, what am I supposed to do when my husband isn't doing what he's supposed to do?

    06:46-06:52

    You know, Pastor Jeff, my husband and I, we're both in the same canoe, but only one of us is paddling, and it ain't him.

    06:54-06:59

    Pastor Jeff, I'm trying in this marriage and my husband could not care less.

    07:01-07:09

    If that's your situation, I want you to jot some things down here on your outline, honoring God in your marriage when your husband is not.

    07:11-07:20

    First thing that Peter instructs under inspiration of the Holy Spirit is this, "Your conduct must be more important than your words." So look at verses 1 and 2.

    07:20-07:36

    Again, likewise, why is be subject to your own husband so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be one without a word by the conduct of their wives when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

    07:37-07:38

    Stop there.

    07:38-07:40

    Your conduct must be more important than your words.

    07:41-07:43

    He says, why is be subject?

    07:43-07:45

    We talked about that last week in the Greek.

    07:45-07:46

    That's who Patasso.

    07:46-07:47

    It's a compound word.

    07:49-07:55

    It literally means coming under the authority of those God has put in your life.

    07:57-08:04

    Submission is tied into humility, and neither one of those concepts should seem strange to a Christian.

    08:05-08:09

    Submission is humbly coming under and trusting the authority that God put in your life.

    08:10-08:15

    And if you read 1 Peter, it's a theme throughout his whole book, really.

    08:16-08:21

    In chapter 2 verse 13, he says that we are under the authority of the government.

    08:21-08:22

    We submit to the government.

    08:23-08:27

    In chapter 2 verse 18, he said we should submit to our boss.

    08:28-08:38

    Chapter 3 verse 1, he says, "Wives, you should submit to your husbands." Verse 7, he says, "Likewise, husbands." Likewise what?

    08:39-08:41

    There is a sense in which husbands submit to their wives.

    08:41-08:42

    We're going to talk about that next week.

    08:42-08:43

    Spoiler alert.

    08:45-08:48

    So submission should be something that we're very used to.

    08:49-08:52

    Submission's more than just a two-way street in marriage.

    08:52-08:54

    For the Christian, submission defines who we are.

    08:55-09:00

    We're not entitled people that lord it over others.

    09:01-09:06

    As Christians, we are humble people who live lives of service and submission.

    09:08-09:10

    So wives, your husband doesn't obey the word.

    09:13-09:15

    Peter doesn't say anything about leaving him.

    09:16-09:19

    In fact, Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 15.

    09:20-09:28

    He said, "Let him leave if he wants." But it doesn't say, "If your husband doesn't obey the Word, you must leave him." It doesn't say that.

    09:29-09:41

    Nor does it say, "If your husband doesn't obey the Word, wives, preach at him, nag him, threaten him, bribe him, lecture him." What does your Bible say to do?

    09:42-09:46

    What does it say? Likewise, wives. What does your Bible say?

    09:47-09:49

    I know we don't want to say this out loud, do we?

    09:50-09:53

    I'm just the megaphone. I don't make up the message. I just broadcast it.

    09:53-09:56

    What does verse 1 say? Likewise, wives, what?

    09:57-10:00

    Come on, don't you have your Bibles open? Likewise, wives.

    10:01-10:02

    Does your Bible say that?

    10:04-10:05

    That's what mine says.

    10:06-10:07

    Be subject.

    10:08-10:10

    Be subject to your husbands.

    10:11-10:26

    I have to say this church, I have been so guilty of this early in my ministry and I've grown in the Lord and grown in my understanding of the ways of the Lord and I'm still growing every day.

    10:27-10:40

    But I need to tell you this, church, we make the mistake, we fall into the danger of putting Biblical standards on unsaved people.

    10:42-10:49

    Sometimes, church, we expect non-Christians to act like Christians.

    10:52-10:57

    And this happens in marriages when one is a believer and the other is not.

    10:59-11:30

    can expect an unsaved husband to act like a Christian. But your husband cannot be like Christ if he isn't born again. If the life of Jesus Christ isn't in your husband, your husband is not going to be Christ-like. And it doesn't matter how you try to train him or shine him up or discipline him, he's not going to be Christ-like if the life of Christ is not in him if he's not saved.

    11:31-11:37

    And I've been so guilty of this, you know, trying to make unsaved people act like Christians, like, why is it this working?

    11:39-11:42

    It's like trying to tell somebody to pound in nails and they don't have a hammer.

    11:43-11:45

    They don't have the resource to get the job done.

    11:46-11:47

    You can't do it.

    11:49-11:56

    So what does Peter say concerning the way to try to win your husband to Jesus Christ?

    11:56-11:58

    Look at verses one and two again.

    12:00-12:12

    In the verse 1, he says, "They may be won without a word by the - what's your Bible say? - conduct of their wives when they see you respectful and pure." What's the next word?

    12:14-12:14

    Conduct.

    12:17-12:34

    Twice, Peter says, "Wives, you're not going to badger your husband into the kingdom." Twice he says, "It's your conduct." In other words, ladies, it's more important who you are than what you say.

    12:37-12:39

    Like, well, what kind of conduct?

    12:39-12:41

    Well, he tells us what kind of conduct.

    12:41-12:46

    First of all, verse 2, he says, "When they see you're respectful." Respectful, what does that mean?

    12:46-12:54

    It means you don't badmouth your husband either away from him or in his presence.

    12:54-12:56

    You don't badmouth your husband.

    12:57-12:59

    You're not belittling towards your husband.

    13:00-13:05

    You don't treat your husband like a child even if he's acting like one.

    13:07-13:08

    It's not your job to treat him like one.

    13:11-13:20

    We saw that last week, Ephesians 5, 33, Paul says, "Let the wives see to it that they respect their husbands." Your husbands need to know that you respect them.

    13:20-13:22

    That's what Peter's talking about here.

    13:22-13:25

    Your conduct towards them must be respectful.

    13:27-13:35

    Years ago, my wife watched this horrific television program called John and Kate Plus 8.

    13:35-13:39

    How many people have seen that show or at least know what I'm talking about?

    13:39-13:40

    John and Kate Plus 8?

    13:41-13:42

    Do you remember that show?

    13:42-13:43

    John and Kate Plus 8.

    13:44-13:46

    And my wife was intrigued by it.

    13:46-13:50

    And I remember the one day, I was just kind of passing through the living room, and she had the show on TV.

    13:50-13:52

    And it's a reality show gag.

    13:52-13:56

    And what do you really think about that?

    13:56-14:00

    But in these reality shows, they sort of show their everyday lives.

    14:00-14:03

    And then they cut to this interview that the camera's just kind of zoomed in on them.

    14:03-14:05

    And they're kind of looking off to the side and talking.

    14:05-14:21

    And it was one of those sort of cut scenes where, if you haven't seen the show, John and Kate Plus 8 about this married couple and their names are John and Kate. Okay, just make sure you're still with me. And they had all these kids. You know how many kids they had?

    14:22-15:12

    They had eight kids. Okay, sorry I wasn't sure when you when you didn't speak up about the subject I wasn't sure my microphone was working. So okay, John and Kate had eight kids and well in this cutscene, like I said, this passenger my wife had it on she's watching it and as I'm passing through this Kate was just destroying her husband verbally yeah I can't remember the exact quote but it was just stuff like he's so incompetent and he's so foolish and the stupid things that he does and he just doesn't get it he's a knucklehead and he's a moron and she was just she was just destroying him verbally And I remember stopping and I said to Erin, I'm like, I can't believe, first of all, that she's talking about her husband that way.

    15:12-15:16

    Second of all, that she's talking about her husband that way while he's sitting right beside her.

    15:16-15:20

    Third of all, she's talking about her husband that way on a television program.

    15:22-15:28

    Like call me prophetic, but I at the time said, that marriage isn't going anywhere.

    15:31-16:28

    what happened. If you follow that stuff, and I hope that you spend your time doing other things, but if you follow that stuff, they had a horrible breakup. Horrible. It was all over the news a few years ago. Horrible breakup, and there's a new show, it's like, I don't even know what it's called now, it's like Kate Plus 8 or whatever, Erin was watching a bit of it a couple weeks ago, and she has a show herself now with the kid, but he is long gone. And I don't know all the details. They didn't come to me for marriage counseling or anything of that nature. I don't know what happened. But I can tell you this, I knew that that wasn't going anywhere good the way that she spoke about her husband. It wasn't respectful. And maybe he was the world's biggest moron. Maybe he was. It is not her place to treat him like that. Biblically, according to what your Bible says, her job was to be subject to him and to be what in her conduct?

    16:29-16:29

    Respectful.

    16:30-16:31

    What else does your Bible say?

    16:31-16:35

    Not only respectful, but what's the next one?

    16:36-16:37

    Pure, right?

    16:37-16:37

    Pure.

    16:40-16:49

    Wives, if your husband doesn't obey the word, your conduct is to be pure, meaning not flirtatious with others.

    16:52-17:00

    My husband isn't so attentive right now, and I deserve some harmless little fun, so it's okay to entertain that kind of thing with my co-worker.

    17:02-17:12

    If you think the struggle is real now, let your husband see you acting in a flirtatious manner with another man, and it's going to go real south real quick.

    17:15-17:21

    The husband needs to know, your husband needs to know that you're all his, and he is all all yours.

    17:23-17:39

    Respectful and pure ladies, every little jab, every little insult, every little shameful thing you say or do, every flirtatious action that he witnesses.

    17:40-17:45

    What you're doing in your marriage is you're building a wall brick by brick.

    17:46-18:00

    Every little jab, every little impure conduct, by brick and then you're plastering the wall and every little insult and every shameful thing. Now you're reinforcing the wall. It's not going anywhere good.

    18:03-19:07

    That Peter says your conduct must be more important than your words and there might be something in us that says that sounds very opposite. I would like to remind you that so much in the Bible is opposite to our natural way of thinking. So much in the Bible is opposite your way of thinking. The Bible says, for example, if you want to be exalted, what should you do? The Bible says humble yourself. That's opposite. The Bible says, do you want to live? Then you need to die to yourself. If you want to find life, you have to lose your life. And you want to be restored? The Bible says first you have to be broken. So wives, opposite theme in mind. Do you want to win your The greatest weapon, ladies, the greatest weapon that you have to win your husband to Christ, the greatest weapon in your arsenal by far is submitting to Him.

    19:09-19:15

    That sounds so opposite, which leads me to believe, yeah, that's exactly how God works, isn't it?

    19:16-19:19

    contrary to our natural sinful thinking.

    19:20-19:27

    Your greatest weapon is submission and that submission shows up according to this passage in your conduct. Respectful and pure.

    19:28-19:32

    Respectful and pure conduct. So your conduct must be more important than your words.

    19:32-19:36

    Secondly, your character must be more beautiful than your clothes.

    19:37-19:44

    Look at verses 3 and 4. It says, "Do not let your adorning Be external.

    19:45-19:54

    Some translations say merely external, but do not let your adorning be external, the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry or the clothing you wear.

    19:55-20:10

    Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

    20:11-20:16

    I was talking to a Harvest Fellowship pastor this past week and one of those, "Hey, what are you preaching on?

    20:16-20:18

    What are you preaching on?" I told him, "This is what I'm preaching on.

    20:18-20:36

    We are talking about the passage." I said to him, "You know, some churches teach, some churches teach, not this one, but some churches teach that because of this passage, it is sinful for a woman to wear makeup." This pastor friend of mine said, "Well, you know what, Jeff?

    20:37-20:39

    I think it's sinful for some women not to wear makeup.

    20:41-20:42

    I did not say that.

    20:43-20:46

    Nor am I giving you the name of the pastor who did.

    20:46-20:54

    Let's just say he's far, far away, far enough that I can share that story without the torches and pitchforks showing up at his house.

    20:57-21:00

    But he's not saying neglect your appearance.

    21:00-21:01

    He's not saying that.

    21:08-21:26

    "Ladies, don't lose yourself into going after all this external stuff that you lose focus on the internal stuff." What an appropriate word for our culture, because we live in a day where there is such an incredibly strong preoccupation with the outside.

    21:26-21:27

    True or false?

    21:28-21:30

    Aren't we obsessed with the outside?

    21:32-21:33

    Aren't we obsessed with the inside?

    21:33-21:45

    All of our skin creams and weight loss programs and reduced wrinkles and hair extension and cosmetics and luscious lashes and shake weights and ab rollers and blemish cream.

    21:45-21:54

    And you can't turn on a TV without a commercial or several infomercials about making yourself more pretty.

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    Our culture is obsessed with that stuff.

    21:59-22:03

    Ladies, I'm trying to be very sensitive how I say this, but this isn't God's word.

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    You know, it's easy when your husband isn't saved and you're not happy in the relationship, it's easy to default to indulging in all of the pretty stuff.

    22:17-22:17

    Why?

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    I don't know.

    22:22-22:32

    For some women, for some women, for some women, everybody say some women, I really believe it's because they just won't notice.

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    And the attention that they should be getting from their husbands, they're willing to get that attention from anybody else.

    22:41-22:44

    So we'll gussy ourselves up and make ourselves look good.

    22:45-22:51

    And any attention or comments I get from co-workers or neighbors, my husband's not noticing.

    22:51-22:53

    It's real easy to fall into that trap.

    22:56-23:01

    See, this stuff, it means nothing without the inside.

    23:02-23:04

    Erin and I were talking about this just this past week.

    23:05-23:07

    Beautiful women are beautiful on the inside.

    23:09-23:14

    Verse 4, this inward beauty, look at the word that your Bible uses.

    23:15-23:23

    "Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the" Look at this word, "imperishable beauty." It's imperishable.

    23:24-23:26

    The inward beauty is imperishable.

    23:26-23:30

    That means when you're beautiful on the inside, that never gets ugly.

    23:32-23:37

    As opposed to the outside, that as we get old, we get ugly.

    23:39-23:42

    I have pictures of myself from when I was in first grade.

    23:43-23:44

    I was a beautiful child.

    23:46-23:47

    Angelic.

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    I think cherub might be the word that you would use if you saw my first grade picture.

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    I was a beautiful child.

    23:56-24:01

    And there are days, I kid you not, there are days now I look in the mirror and I'm like, what happened to you?

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    You used to be so good looking, what happened?

    24:07-24:10

    What happened is we're getting older.

    24:12-24:21

    And even though we're wearing out and getting ugly on the outside, the Bible says a gentle and quiet spirit.

    24:22-24:24

    That's beauty that never fades.

    24:26-24:29

    You're like, well, who thinks that's attractive?

    24:32-24:32

    God.

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    Did you see that?

    24:35-24:36

    God does.

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    in God's sight, which in God's sight is very precious. God thinks it's beautiful and your husband will too. So again it's that opposite thing happening. Your husband's not saved, you want to get brash, you want to get loud. But the Bible says no, don't do that ladies. Get gentle.

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    So your character must be more beautiful than your clothes.

    25:08-25:17

    And finally for today, don't tune out, because this is all coming to a crescendo right here.

    25:18-25:20

    Your faith must be bigger than your fears.

    25:21-25:23

    Your faith must be bigger than your fears.

    25:25-25:51

    Peter says in verse 5, "For this," all that we've been talking about, "For this is how the holy women," he's talking about our Old Testament examples, you'll see that very clearly in a second, "for this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.

    25:52-26:02

    And you, ladies, you women who have unsaved husbands, you are her children if you do good And look at this.

    26:02-26:05

    Do not fear anything that is frightening.

    26:08-26:14

    Your faith must be bigger than your fears, fears, fears, what fears, what fears are you talking about?

    26:16-26:17

    I'm not John MacArthur.

    26:19-26:22

    But it says in verse six, do not fear anything.

    26:23-26:24

    So what fears?

    26:25-26:27

    Any fears, any fears?

    26:29-26:30

    What's he talking about?

    26:30-26:31

    Here's what he's talking about.

    26:34-26:35

    Doing the right thing is always hard.

    26:37-26:38

    It's easy.

    26:39-26:41

    Take shortcuts, do it your way.

    26:43-26:46

    Doing the right thing is always hard, it's.

    26:47-26:49

    It's hard to live with a non-Christian husband.

    26:51-26:56

    It's hard, women, it's hard to come to Christ when you don't get any support at home.

    26:58-27:04

    You're wanting involved in church and in ministry and advancing Christ's kingdom.

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    Your husband wants none of that.

    27:08-27:09

    That's hard.

    27:11-27:13

    But there's another aspect in which this is very hard.

    27:15-27:20

    It's hard to submit to your husband in a world that will criticize you for doing that.

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    It is hard to submit to your husband in a world that will criticize you for doing that.

    27:30-27:39

    Proverbs 29, 25 says, "The fear of man brings a snare." You know, when the Bible talks about fear of man, it doesn't mean that we're scared of people.

    27:39-27:41

    That's not what fear of man means.

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    Fear of man means you're more concerned with what people think than you're concerned with what God thinks.

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    That's fear of man.

    27:49-28:02

    That's, I'm willing to compromise what the Bible says because I want people to think more highly of me, or I don't want people to think negatively of me, and you're willing to make those compromises.

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    Fear of men, you care more about what people think than what God thinks.

    28:09-28:15

    That's why Peter, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says, "Do not fear anything." Do not fear anything.

    28:17-28:21

    It is true that everyone, everyone you know, everyone you've ever met is a counselor.

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    And it is amazing how you can have someone in your life who doesn't know the Lord and their own relationships are completely out of order and they're going to interject themselves into your life and tell you what to do in your marriage.

    28:36-29:10

    They're on like marriage number eight or living with a guy that they're not married to or just sleeping around or all of the above and they're miserable and they're a wreck and they're going to come to you and say, "Submit to your husband." That's stupid. People are going to harshly criticize you if you decide that you're going to trust God's Word by being submissive. People are going to criticize that. I promise you. Try it, ladies. Try it.

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    Go to work this week. Go to work tomorrow.

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    And say, "You know what I'm going to do in my marriage?

    29:16-29:18

    I really want to spice these up in my marriage. You know what I'm going to do?

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    I'm going to work harder on submitting to my husband's authority." They're going to laugh you out of wherever you work.

    29:26-29:28

    They're going to criticize you.

    29:28-29:30

    They're going to be talking behind your back.

    29:31-29:31

    What an idiot.

    29:33-29:37

    "I'm going to submit to my husband. I'm going to submit to my husband." That's stupid.

    29:38-29:39

    That's what they're gonna say.

    29:40-29:41

    Are they right?

    29:43-29:43

    Here's an idea.

    29:44-29:46

    I'm just gonna throw this out here.

    29:46-29:51

    Instead of advice from train wrecks, let's look at godly examples.

    29:51-29:52

    Can you think of one?

    29:52-29:54

    How about Peter gives us one here.

    29:54-29:54

    Sarah.

    29:56-29:57

    I'm not going to go into the whole story.

    29:57-29:58

    You can read this.

    29:59-30:01

    Start like Genesis 11, 12, and just keep going.

    30:02-30:03

    Sarah.

    30:04-30:07

    Sarah's husband Abraham wasn't always Mr. Perfect.

    30:08-30:10

    Actually his life is crazy.

    30:12-30:18

    Abraham left his home to go to, God says, "I'll show you when you get there." Crazy.

    30:19-30:24

    Okay, so he's 100 and Sarah's 90 and God's like, "You're going to have a baby." Crazy.

    30:24-30:26

    Then there's the whole thing with Hagar and Ishmael.

    30:26-30:41

    We're like, "Well, we're not going to have a kid, so Abraham, why don't you get Hagar are pregnant and she'll have a baby because Sarah was barren and you're too old and can't have kids and so they had Ishmael and God's like, "No, that's not the plan." You can make a whole reality show just out of that incident.

    30:44-30:48

    Abraham and Sarah finally have the baby that God promised them.

    30:49-30:50

    Remember Isaac?

    30:50-31:32

    They finally had the baby and they're old, but they have this baby and the baby gets a few years old, God shows up to Abraham. He goes, "You remember that son that I gave you? Remember that son that I promised you? Do you remember that son that I told you I was going to fulfill my promises to you through him?" And Abraham's like, "Yeah." God's like, "I want you to offer him as a sacrifice to me. I want you to kill him." How do you think that conversation went down at home? Abraham says, "Hey, Sarah, the Lord spoke to me today." "Oh, what did he say?" "Yeah, he said to kill our son." "What?

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    He said to do what?" Well, the Bible doesn't say that.

    31:37-31:38

    Sarah argued with him.

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    Or the Bible doesn't say that.

    31:41-31:46

    Sarah was holding onto Abraham's ankle as he's walking up the mountain to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.

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    The Bible doesn't say that.

    31:52-32:52

    "Kill our only son?" wife worries when I walk the kids to our playground and hear Abraham is called to kill Isaac. The story has a glorious ending and I'm not going to spoil it for you if you haven't read it but you really should. That's not the point. The point is Sarah as a wife how in the world did she endure being married to a guy like Abraham? How that, Peter tells us, verse 5, this is how the holy women who hoped in God. She hoped in God. She trusted God by submitting to her husband. That was the way in which her trust in the Lord was manifested.

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    So I verse six, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.

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    Wives, I'm not saying that you should go home and call your husband's Lord.

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    But you have to see that the way.

    33:06-33:09

    Sarah's trust manifested her, the way her hope in God manifested.

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    Was by submitting the authority of her husband, submitting to his leadership.

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    There's a good example.

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    I promise you, I promise you, in 10, 20, 50, 100 years, nobody's going to be writing stories about your train wreck co-worker that gave you the stupid advice that you shouldn't submit to your husband.

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    Nobody's going to be writing about that.

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    But do you realize thousands of years later, people are still talking about Sarah?

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    We're still talking about her today.

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    Why?

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    Because the Lord commended her for her faith, even when it was hard.

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    Here's an example for you ladies, if you're looking for Godly example.

    33:54-34:01

    Once again church, you are going to be caught between advice from the world and the word of God.

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    You're going to be caught between what your co-workers say, what your grandmama tells you, what you've always heard, what the talk show host says.

    34:10-34:14

    You're going to be caught between that and what the Bible says.

    34:15-34:17

    So which one are you going to choose?

    34:18-35:04

    You see, the world says, wives of unsaved husbands, the world says, "You deserve better." God says, "Be faithful to the one that you already chose." The world says, "You don't want to waste the rest of your life with him." God says, "Obedience to me is never a waste." The world says, "He's never going to change." God says, "I can change him, and I'm going to use you to make that happen." So is your husband unsaved?

    35:04-35:06

    You want to win your husband?

    35:08-35:41

    you're not alone in that because God wants to win your husband infinitely more than you do and the number one agent that he has in place that he wants to use to win that man to Christ, ladies, that's you. Are you willing to work with God in the way that he works To win your husband, if you are, Peter says your conduct must be more important than your words.

    35:42-35:45

    Peter says your character must be more beautiful than your clothes.

    35:47-35:52

    Peter says your faith must be bigger than your fears.

    35:53-35:55

    I know this is a hard passage.

    35:56-35:57

    It's a very difficult teaching.

    35:59-36:02

    our prayer team is going to come forward, our elders are going to be up front.

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    Please understand when we invite you up to pray, it doesn't just have to be for you.

    36:11-36:14

    We talked about this in our small group as we've been praying for our own marriages.

    36:15-36:23

    Everybody in our small group knows people that have some type of struggle in marriage, extended relationships.

    36:23-36:28

    I have people in my own life that I talked with our small group. I like, Hey, we need to pray for these people.

    36:28-36:31

    Their marriage is being destroyed.

    36:33-36:37

    So maybe you need to come up and pray for somebody else, or maybe you do need to pray for yourself.

    36:37-36:38

    Nobody's gonna judge you here.

    36:38-36:46

    Nobody knows why you're coming up to pray, but you have to understand that this is a safe place to pray, whether it's for you or someone else.

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    You need to cry out to the Lord.

    36:50-36:51

    This is hard stuff.

    36:52-36:54

    God kind of specializes in that.

    36:55-36:59

    Father in heaven, with you all things are possible.

    37:00-37:13

    And Father, I confess to you that in my flesh, I can read a passage like this and say, "Wow, that is controversial." And that certainly goes against everything that everybody else is telling us.

    37:13-37:15

    Everybody else is saying, "Get rid of the bomb.

    37:16-38:03

    He's not worth it." you are saying you have a plan that seems contrary to what we think but it works because it's the plan that you're involved in. So Father I pray specifically for wives today because I'm sure Father there are some in this room that have a husband and it's far from Christ which means they are certainly far from Christ like. I pray father that you would renew in them a desire to tighten the knot in their own marriage. And as you renew that desire father I pray that their hearts would be inclined to this portion of your word that addresses this very thing. That yes the knot can be tightened in their marriage.

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    If, like Sarah, they put their hope in you.

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    We thank you God, that with you all things are possible.

    38:18-38:20

    We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 Peter 3:1-6

  1. How is a husband won over by his wife “without a word”? Explain what this means. If the wife isn’t to “preach”, how will the husband hear the Word of God?
     

  2. What are ways some women tend to focus on the external appearance? What kinds of “internal beauty marks” does Peter say to work on (1 Peter 3:4)? What are practical ways to work on those?
     

  3. Pretend a (saved) coworker with an unsaved husband comes to you asking for advice on how to handle her pagan hubby. He is not interested in church or anything spiritual, which is important to her. He shows her no Christlike love like he is supposed to, so she is thinking about a divorce. “Why would God want me stuck in a marriage like this?” she says. What would you tell her to do, in light of this passage?

Breakout Questions:

  1. Same theme, all month. This time: Pray for your spouse, specifically. Their walk with Christ. Their health. Their emotional well-being.
     

  2. Not married? Pray for your future spouse. Don’t plan on getting married? Pray for a marriage you know of that needs the knot tightened.