Sermon 5/17/20

SERMON: “An Answer”

May 17, 2020

1 Peter 3:15-21 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirit 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Luther’s Small Catechism, 1991 edition, asks in question 191, “Are you sure you have eternal life?” The answer from the catechism is, “Even as I now believe in Christ my Savior, I also know that I have been chosen to eternal life out of pure grace in Christ without any merit of my own and that no one can pluck me out of His hand.” I ask the same question during confirmation questioning of our eighth graders, but I don’t expect the answer from the catechism. I want an ex cordis answer, meaning out of the heart. I ask the question of every student because I want every one of them to know the reason for the hope that they have in Christ.

I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit will put someone in your way or have you in a situation where you have the opportunity to share the reason for the hope that you have. A great example is Philip and the Ethiopian man in Acts 8:26 and following. The Holy Spirit sent Philip to stand by the man’s chariot and he overheard the man reading the Suffering Servant passage of Isaiah chapter 52 and 53. The Ethiopian asked, “Who is he talking about, himself or someone else?” Verse 35 says, “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Look at our first lesson from Acts 17. St. Paul is in Athens at the Areopagus commending the people for being very religious. He points to an altar to the “Unknown God.” He seizes the opportunity to tell them about the One True God. He told them about the resurrection.

Why is it then, if we have the great news of the resurrection, that we hesitate to share the Gospel message? Moses said he shouldn’t go to Pharaoh because he had faltering lips. Timothy thought his youth would hinder his ability to share the Gospel. Excuses abound when it comes to witnessing the faith. Some are: I’m scared, I can’t answer their questions, I might offend them, I might say the wrong thing, and I don’t know what to say. If we are prepared, then many of those fears will disappear.

We start our preparation with revering Christ as Lord. The explanation of the first commandment is that we fear, love and trust in God above all things. This fear isn’t terror, worry or being afraid of Almighty God. This fear is to admire, to value, to show consideration for, to follow or to have reverence for someone and that someone is our Lord Jesus Christ.

The motivation is the same as what moved God to save us, love. We love because He first loved us. When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them. He loved the great sinners. We are to look at the unbeliever with the same love and compassion. We are to see the possibility of another soul needing salvation. They are out there and in your life. Everyone not in a relationship with Jesus needs the hope we have, but some are not as receptive as others. People who have experienced the death of a loved one, an illness, relationship problems, stress from work, or financial problems may be needing hope in their lives.

Always keep in mind when sharing the hope that you have, that it is His story. We may have the privilege of sharing the words, but it is God’s story of what He has done in Christ Jesus our Lord. Introduce the person to God. St. Paul, in the first lesson, shows the Athenians the God who created the heavens and the earth. St. Peter tells his hearers about the suffering Christ. Take your choice of how you want to present God: as the Holy Trinity, the Almighty Father, the Redeeming Son or the Holy Spirit. They all want an unbeliever to come to faith.

St. Peter reminds us that in our desire to share our faith, we should do so with gentleness and respect. We do not force ourselves on anyone. We share when we have an opportunity. We are not to look down on someone else or think we are superior. We all start out as sinners.

Let me explain God’s Modus Operandi. God’s particular way of redeeming sinners is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. St. Paul tells the Athenians that they can be God’s Offspring. The proof St. Paul gives is that God raised Jesus from the dead. St. Peter presents the suffering Son in verse eighteen, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” The pivot point is always around the death and resurrection of Jesus.

How does Christ’s innocent suffering, death on the cross, and the glorious resurrection benefit us? We are given all this as a gift. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense or simply by grace. Jesus’ life without sin was the sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for all sins. He suffered the death we deserved, to be separated from God by death. Instead of death, the Father gives us life.

What are the benefits? The primary gift is the forgiveness of our sins. Every transgression against the will of God in thought, word, and deed is now removed. St. Peter links this to Noah and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. The Risen Christ gives us eternal life by grace and is received by faith. We trust not in ourselves but in the merits of Jesus Christ.

Here is just one sample. Make it your own. What aspect of God’s grace means the most to you? What portion of God’s love has changed your life? What blessings have brought comfort to you in your life? Add a Bible verse that is close to your heart.

I am sure that I have eternal life because I am a child of God. God rescued me and made me His own in Holy Baptism. God forgives all my sins through my Savior Jesus who died on the cross and rose again on Easter. Because Jesus lives, I also will live eternally.

Always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have in Christ Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to put someone in your life that needs to hear the Gospel. Look for an opportunity to share. Write out your statement of faith and practice it. Pray that the Holy Spirit will assist you and that the Word of God will find a heart to dwell in. Just Share the Hope!