1 Peter 3 vs 8-12

Right now, across the world, there are 44,000 radio stations broadcasting. There are 33,000 over the air tv stations broadcasting. In this room alone there are elements of signal coming from this microphone to the booth in the back of this room and in your pocket is a box interacting with all sorts of signal coming in from the outside… AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Cricket, etc.

The only way we know those things or can utilize and benefit from those things is that we have special equipment. Without an AM/FM radio, the fact that there are thousands of things going on around us and multiplied thousands across the world, we would have no awareness to that at all. Without the special equipment of your cellular phone you would have no awareness and no benefit whatsoever to the fact that AT&T, Verizon and Tmo were even in this room.

What is revealed in the Bible and truly through those that have discovered, is that this is much like the realm of the Spirit. Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 4:18 saying, “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” In fact, you find this sort of thing throughout scripture with the phrase, “He who has an ear let him hear…” Well, everyone has ears… sooooo we aren’t talking about the physical…

Where this becomes really important is in that each one of us are joy seekers. Happiness searchers. Satisfaction and peace and contentness junkies. It’s how we are hard wired, really. And it’s what we want for ourselves, those we love, and our kiddos. We want them and us to live long, happy, good lives filled with joy…

The world, and our flesh offers solutions. Pursue this man/woman and when you get him/her, you’ll be happy…he’ll make you happy. Or you’ll see a tv ad or see in a magazine an advertisement that seeks to send you the message that the reason you’re not happy is that you don’t have her body, or his body and if you just try this pill, this diet, this procedure, you’ll look more like them and then…that will make you happy. On and on the sales pitch goes…

But get the girl, get the guy, buy the car, get the home, lose the weight, get the job…and after not too long at all…every one of us is back at the same place, not happy. So, we go back to the cycle and rap of advertisements…and get the next man, the next girl, the next home, the next thing… It’s great for business, but bad for joy… Why? Because the answer isn’t in what is seen, in the physical. The things that really matter are elsewhere and without special equipment, man so many aren’t even aware.

There is a hidden realm and it’s spoken of throughout the Bible and Peter is touching on it even in his letter talking about being honorably supportive and wives being graceful and loving towards their husbands and husbands being understanding and honoring and graceful to their wives and we see it right there. Give me a man and a woman that will put themselves aside and do that for eachother and I’ll show you a happy home. But give me two people that have 10 houses, the best and finest of things, Golden Globe Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards…all the things that this world says will make you happy and I’ll show you Johnny Depp and Amber Heard!

What is really the key to long, happy, good lives…it takes special equipment to even know its there…this hidden realm. And what’s even more complicated is that within this hidden realm, there is conflict (which I’d like to take some time and talk a bit more about next week). But just a teaser, Peter speaks about “spirits in prison,” in verse 19…

And so enough to say that there is an entire unseen realm that essentially and in every way, runs and rules this seen realm. And without special equipment, eyes to see and ears to hear, many aren’t even aware of it existing…but it’s the key to what everyone is searching for.

Proverbs 3:13, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom…” Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” Proverbs 8:13, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil…” And so happiness is found, what we are all really truly searching for, not in the getting for self but in the rejection of evil… (which is spiritual), which means the denial of the flesh and the walking in righteousness… You cannot buy that in a store on this planet…that is entirely spiritual…but check this out…

Proverbs 3 continues, Proverbs 3:13-18, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, (we all want to have a good life which implies and good long life…its what we are seeking), In her lefthand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.”

These things we read in 1 Peter 3 are counter to our self-filled way of thinking and navigating… They set self aside… but these things are the rules and laws of the realm unseen… And you will never be happy no matter what unless you figure this out… special equipment is needed or you will remain unaware… You need to be saved, have the Holy Spirit within your heart of hearts… He is the antenna for the things of the spirit if you will… and through humility and personal desire to see, hear and know, you tune in…

1 Peter Chapter 3 Verses 8 – 9
•This is sort of the key to the first seven verses and also the remaining verses of this chapter. The best part if you will. The crème filling of the Oreo! How can I be a good wife and navigate with care how the Lord would have me to be (verses 1-6), and how can I be a good husband and navigate with care how the Lord would have me to be (verse 7), simple…. Peter says be compassionate, loving, tenderhearted, courteous and be graceful…
•Easier said than done, right? But here’s the key, these things aren’t actions, they’re birthed, maintained and really carried out within the mind. That’s where it’s got to be first before its ever part of your behaviors or actions. You can never expect to be compassionate or tenderhearted toward someone and especially your spouse unless you have sat in your own thoughts, in your own thinking, and thought, “That’s what I’m going to do…” and reasoned and figured out through your special equipment that that’s the path that is going to lead you to blessing!
•Now, most all of us here today have no problem with being of one mind as long as that’s MY mind! But that will never work. Ever. Because look, its my mind and you don’t want to see this mess anyway and I don’t want you in here, ha! Biblically, the one mind we are to seek and to be of is the mind of Christ as Paul said of the church in 1 Corinthians 2:16, “We have the mind of Christ.”
•How? What does that mean? The Biblical implication and the words of Peter are that I really need help and on my own I’m not going to be a good wife, or husband, I won’t truly be compassionate, loving, tenderhearted, courteous…and in that, I’m going to make things go from bad to worse, returning evil for evil and insult for insult… and my life is going to be a mess at best and tragedy at worst. So what am I to do in order to grow forward into the mind of Christ? Simple simple simple…learn the Word of God through the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. This is our needed special equipment to receive the joy available to us and all around us at all times….!
•In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh and His name is Jesus Christ! And so, as the Word of God gets into the very fiber of who you are, how you view the world, your understanding and your knowledge and your habits, activities and behaviors then man that is indeed the very mind of Christ doing conversion and transformation within you. Paul said it best in Romans 12:2, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND!”
•So, I want to be all of these things. All of these virtuous, strong, courageous, wonderful things, not only for my spouse but for the Lord, for others and for myself…and I want my life to be a blessing beyond my own faculties but rather inherited from God Himself!!!
•So, here’s the key…seek out and discover the mind of Christ and connect with Him! That is my primary calling in life and the truth and the way to inherit from God, upon the promise of His Word, a blessed marriage, ministry, relationship, career, fill in the blank…LIFE!
1 Peter Chapter 3 Verses 10 – 12
•Quoting from Psalm 34, Peter makes it quite clear what our calling is… Man, you’re different! You’re not like everyone else. You deliver differently what can be expected of a typical person and it is FAR better. To put it into simple terms, your calling as a Christian is to be a blessing to others. A blessing! Are you? Are you a blessing? Do you know? Have you ever asked someone else, “Hey, am I a blessing to you?” Ask your saltiest friend…ha! And then receive what they say!
•You know, side comment, I can never help someone and truly this person cannot be helped at all…the person that always make excuses or gives some sort of deflecting defense when being corrected. You tell someone where they’ve got some sort of challenge or shortfall and in response they tell you everything they are doing or deny it all together… What you have there is someone swimming in the Pacific Ocean of their own pride…because that’s how big it is!
•If someone gives you feedback, or introduces to you a weakness that you don’t think you have but they think you do, shut up and listen to them. Let me help you, the moment you answer back, you’re ensuring that you will hear it again from them anyway. Receive it, process it, digest it, think about it, trust their view of you over your own… Goodness where is humility gone!?
•Ok, back to the text. This is our primary calling, believers. To be a blessing unto creation! I mean come on, do we follow Jesus or not!? And yes, we are to bless with our hands, wallets and talents, yes…but remember, even the world without Jesus does that…I love me some Bieber! HA! But Peter says the difference as we take in and trust in and transform within the mind of Christ, the difference with you, with me, with us is that we bless with our love, grace, mercy and patience!
•Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you and do good to those who spitefully use you…” Try to do that without the mind of Christ! HA! Good luck…but this is our calling and what makes the world wonder in awe at something so powerfully different than the road rage mentality of the world! And really…what makes you and I happy…this is the unseen rule of God’s creation!
•And check out your amazing reward! Verse 12…the reward for seeking, discovering, accepting and actioning in your own life the mind of Christ, the reward is unity, close close relationship with Jesus Himself!!
1 Peter Chapter 3 Verses 13 – 17
•Peter says, “It is better…” Do you know that? Have you figured that out yet? Or are you still falling for the trap of the material advertisement? Find goodness, find joy, find happiness…its in Him!