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Hope Beyond Bitterness_ When Life “Just Ain’t Fair” · INSIGHT FOR LIVING: Biblical Wisdom For Everyday Living

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Speaker 1: There is something within each one of us that longs
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Speaker 1: for life to be fair, isn't there? For the good
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Speaker 1: guys to win, to receive their rewards, and at the
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Speaker 1: same time for the bad guys to be soundly defeated.
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Speaker 1: We all want that. We love it when the stories
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Speaker 1: work out like that, and everybody lives happily ever after. However,
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Speaker 1: we don't live in a dream world. where magic and
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Speaker 1: superpowers overwhelm the forces of evil and mete out perfect justice,
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Speaker 1: do we? Real life doesn't always turn out the way
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Speaker 1: it should, least of all the way we want it to.
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Speaker 1: Our response to unfairness, as in all other issues, will
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Speaker 1: be based on the particular vantage point from which we
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Speaker 1: look at life, our own personal perspective. Basically, we have
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Speaker 1: two viewpoints to choose from, the human viewpoint and, you
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Speaker 1: guessed it, the divine viewpoint. Turn with me to 1
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Speaker 1: Peter chapter 3. I want to read for you verses
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Speaker 1: 13 through 17 and see what we can learn about
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Speaker 1: the divine viewpoint from Peter's words. He wrote them to
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Speaker 1: the persecuted first-century Christians. We'll see where Peter encouraged these
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Speaker 1: persecuted Christians to to choose the divine perspective, even in
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Speaker 1: the midst of their persecution. So, 1 Peter 3, I'll
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Speaker 1: begin reading with verse 13. Who is there to harm
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Speaker 1: you if you prove zealous for what is good? But
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Speaker 1: even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness,
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Speaker 1: you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and
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Speaker 1: do not be troubled. But sanctify Christ as Lord in
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Speaker 1: your hearts. always being ready to make a defense to
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Speaker 1: everyone who asks you to give an account for the
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Speaker 1: hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.
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Speaker 1: And keep a good conscience, so that in the thing
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Speaker 1: in which you are slandered, those who revile your good
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Speaker 1: behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it
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Speaker 1: is better, if God should will it so, that you
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Speaker 1: suffer for doing what is right, rather than for doing
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Speaker 1: what is wrong. I would like to speak for a
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Speaker 1: while about a subject that has touched all of us
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Speaker 1: in one way or another and for some it is
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Speaker 1: still going on in your life. I have reference to
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Speaker 1: times when life is not fair and we find ourselves
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Speaker 1: unable to get even or get back and we must
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Speaker 1: live with the consequences of what is occurring. I would
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Speaker 1: like for you to join me for a few moments
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Speaker 1: of prayer as I begin. Will you bow? And for
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Speaker 1: a moment, will you, with your eyes closed, blocking out
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Speaker 1: all visual interruptions, will you focus on that person or
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Speaker 1: that event that perhaps is still haunting your life? That
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Speaker 1: series of circumstances that has taken your joy and has
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Speaker 1: preoccupied your time for too long. Father, there is something
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Speaker 1: in all of us that longs for things to be fair.
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Speaker 1: There is this equitable sense within us that requires for
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Speaker 1: our own peace that there be justice. that truth be
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Speaker 1: rewarded and honored and that lies be dealt with and
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Speaker 1: that consequences be suffered as a result of dishonesty. But,
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Speaker 1: O Lord, you know how it is in this life.
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Speaker 1: Not all things do work out, at least as we
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Speaker 1: perceive them, fairly. And in such a way that we
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Speaker 1: feel a sense of relief, For some, this has occurred
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Speaker 1: in the family to a child, even an adult child,
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Speaker 1: whose mate has walked away. And we feel within such
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Speaker 1: anger and such frustration in not being able to bring
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Speaker 1: that mate back. The family has been torn apart. For others,
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Speaker 1: it is one's mate. Where though a good life has
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Speaker 1: been lived, disease has come and has stolen the light
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Speaker 1: from their eyes. For others, it has been an unfair
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Speaker 1: situation at work or at school. And we cannot seem
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Speaker 1: to make it right. Life just doesn't seem to be
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Speaker 1: fair for some. I pray that you will use these
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Speaker 1: few moments we spend together in your precious word to
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Speaker 1: give us a sense of relief and release. Thank you
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Speaker 1: in advance for addressing each one of us in our
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Speaker 1: own particular world and remind us again of the power
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Speaker 1: of the cross. And may its shadow cast itself across
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Speaker 1: our lives and may your spirit win us and woo
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Speaker 1: us to righteousness in our response. For Jesus' sake. Amen.
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Speaker 1: Life is difficult. I was reminded of those three words
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Speaker 1: when I came across a 20th century testimony by Malcolm Muggeridge.
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Speaker 1: On page 72 of that book, he makes this statement.
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Speaker 1: And I want to read it slowly because... It is
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Speaker 1: what my talk is all about. And I quote Malcolm Muggeridge,
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Speaker 1: contrary to what might be expected, I look back on
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Speaker 1: experiences that at the time seemed especially desolate, especially desolating
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Speaker 1: and painful, with particular satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with
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Speaker 1: complete truthfulness that that everything I have learned in my
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Speaker 1: 75 years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced
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Speaker 1: and enlightened my experience, has been through affliction and not
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Speaker 1: through happiness. In other words, if it ever were to
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Speaker 1: be possible to eliminate affliction from our earthly existence by
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Speaker 1: means of some drug, or other medical mumbo-jumbo. The result
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Speaker 1: would not be to make life delectable, but to make
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Speaker 1: it too banal and trivial to be endurable. This, of course,
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Speaker 1: is what the cross signifies, and it is the cross
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Speaker 1: more than anything else that has called me inexorably to Christ.
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Speaker 1: I want to repeat a statement that he makes in
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Speaker 1: that particular paragraph. Everything I have learned in my 75
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Speaker 1: years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and
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Speaker 1: enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness,
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Speaker 1: whether pursued or attained. Now it is one thing to
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Speaker 1: hear those words from a man like Malcolm Muggeridge or
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Speaker 1: to read those words in a great book that might
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Speaker 1: move you to tears even. And it's another thing to
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Speaker 1: embrace them in a personal way. Because I know that
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Speaker 1: there isn't a person hearing my voice right now who
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Speaker 1: doesn't have a reason to become bitter. Because of treatment
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Speaker 1: you have received from someone, or because of an experience
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Speaker 1: that you were not able to bring justice out of,
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Speaker 1: or just because of life itself. You find yourself in
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Speaker 1: an affliction that will not make itself right. And life
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Speaker 1: seems to you to be terribly unfair. Seems to me
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Speaker 1: that there are two perspectives on that particular inevitable reality
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Speaker 1: that we can choose. One is the strictly human perspective.
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Speaker 1: Since life isn't fair, I'm going to get my share.
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Speaker 1: I am going to spend my energy getting back or
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Speaker 1: setting it straight. or making it right. I am not
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Speaker 1: going to take it any longer. That's the human perspective.
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Speaker 1: and our world is full of literature and counselors who
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Speaker 1: will help you carry that out and if that is
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Speaker 1: your only perspective you may get even but you won't
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Speaker 1: get peace you won't get satisfaction You may find a
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Speaker 1: way to channel your anger, but you will not find
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Speaker 1: a way to glorify God, if that is your only perspective.
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Speaker 1: Now there is another perspective, and it is the divine perspective,
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Speaker 1: which is addressed in the third chapter of 1 Peter,
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Speaker 1: which we are working our way through these days. And
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Speaker 1: I find the perspective very well stated in the single context.
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Speaker 1: Twelfth verse of this third chapter. For the eyes of
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Speaker 1: the Lord are upon the righteous. And his ears attend
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Speaker 1: to their prayers. To their prayer. But the face of
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Speaker 1: the Lord is against those who do evil. Now you
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Speaker 1: can count on that. Not only is it written by
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Speaker 1: Peter himself. He quotes it from one of the Psalms.
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Speaker 1: Psalm number thirty four. Look at the verse. Remember the principle.
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Speaker 1: The principle is God misses nothing. His eyes are upon
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Speaker 1: your life as a righteous child of his. His ears
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Speaker 1: attend to your prayer. And don't ever think that he
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Speaker 1: has missed the evil. He not only sees, he never forgets.
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Speaker 1: He may be long-suffering, but he doesn't compromise his justice.
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Speaker 1: His eye is on the righteous, and his face is
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Speaker 1: against the evil. Now, you might think, why in the
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Speaker 1: world has he let it go on so long? I
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Speaker 1: like the way one person put it, because God doesn't
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Speaker 1: close his books at the end of every month. Sometime,
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Speaker 1: it takes a lifetime, and sometime... It will even occur
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Speaker 1: beyond your death. But in the end, God will be just.
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Speaker 1: In the end, it will all work together for good.
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Speaker 1: If we don't believe that and if we don't focus
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Speaker 1: on that, we become the loser. And we spend our
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Speaker 1: years in cynicism and bitterness and become, in our aging years,
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Speaker 1: angry old men and women. Now the verses that are
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Speaker 1: following this 12th verse, actually just a few of them,
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Speaker 1: verses 13 through 17, I find some helpful principles and
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Speaker 1: guidelines to follow. And please understand this is not a
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Speaker 1: cure-all for every area of life. Certainly this does not
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Speaker 1: have reference to national defense. This is speaking of personal matters.
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Speaker 1: This is not ignoring your right as a citizen to
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Speaker 1: be protected by the provision of our government and by
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Speaker 1: the police force, etc. I'm not referring to that realm.
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Speaker 1: I'm talking about the personal realms of life where you
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Speaker 1: do not need some kind of protection or some kind
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Speaker 1: of defense, but you simply cannot bring things to terms
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Speaker 1: with in relationships, or in life in general. It is
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Speaker 1: in those areas where no one can be your defense,
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Speaker 1: no one can be your help, only the Lord, which
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Speaker 1: is why he mentions the prayer, his attending to our prayers.
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Speaker 1: Now let me give you the general statement in verse 13,
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Speaker 1: which really is stated for us. Who is there to
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Speaker 1: harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
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Speaker 1: This is a general principle, and it generally is true.
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Speaker 1: And what is it? Those who live honest lives will
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Speaker 1: usually not suffer harm. I use the word usually for
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Speaker 1: the sake of realism. Those who live clean, honest, pure
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Speaker 1: lives will suffer less harm. Let's put it that way.
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Speaker 1: You pay your debts. You live financially responsible. Chances are
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Speaker 1: good you will not get into financial trouble. You obey
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Speaker 1: the rules of good health. You get sufficient exercise, watch
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Speaker 1: your diet, sufficient sleep, relaxation. Chances are good you will
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Speaker 1: live a healthier life than those who break those rules.
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Speaker 1: Here's another. You drive within the speed limit. You obey
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Speaker 1: the rules of safety. You will usually not get a ticket. Usually.
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Speaker 1: You help others in need. You give yourself to those...
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Speaker 1: you will find when you have needs, there will be
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Speaker 1: someone there to give to you. It's that kind of principle. Again,
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Speaker 1: it's a general principle. However, life just ain't fair. And
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Speaker 1: there are times when that general principle is changed. And you,
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Speaker 1: though righteous, zealous for good, pure, believing in prayer and
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Speaker 1: walking with God, Even though all of those things are true,
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Speaker 1: you can still find that life turns on you. There
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Speaker 1: are occasional inequities, and that is what verses 14 through
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Speaker 1: 17 are all about. But these are the rare occasions.
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Speaker 1: See the words, but even if you should, verse 14.
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Speaker 1: Let me give you a little brief Greek lesson, okay?
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Speaker 1: Every time the word if appears in the New Testament,
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Speaker 1: it can be one of four things. It can mean
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Speaker 1: one of four things. We call these first class conditions,
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Speaker 1: second class conditions, third class conditions, and fourth class conditions.
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Speaker 1: Let me explain. A first class if in the Greek
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Speaker 1: text assumes the statement to be true. Satan said to
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Speaker 1: the Lord Jesus on a couple of occasions, if you
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Speaker 1: are the son of God, Matthew 4, verses 3 and 6.
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Speaker 1: If you are the Son of God, that's first class.
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Speaker 1: It's assumed as true. Even Satan knows he's the Son
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Speaker 1: of God. We could use the word sense to describe
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Speaker 1: the same thing. That is not what is used here.
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Speaker 1: It's very common use. There's a second class condition, if
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Speaker 1: and it is assumed as not true. Paul writes in
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Speaker 1: Galatians 1.10, If I were still trying to please men,
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Speaker 1: I could not be a bondservant of Christ. That's a
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Speaker 1: second class condition. I'm not still striving to please men.
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Speaker 1: That is a rare occasion, but it does occur. I
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Speaker 1: can't say too rare, but it is not as common
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Speaker 1: as the first. The third class is extremely common. It's
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Speaker 1: like our use of the word if. Maybe it's true
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Speaker 1: and maybe it's not. For example, verse 13 has a
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Speaker 1: third class condition. And who is there to harm you
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Speaker 1: if you prove zealous for what is good? Maybe you will.
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Speaker 1: Maybe you won't. Very common. You have a choice. Verse
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Speaker 1: 14 has a rare fourth class condition. Which means it's unlikely.
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Speaker 1: Or even some have said it means I wish it
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Speaker 1: were not true. But it is on occasion. Verse 14.
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Speaker 1: But even if rare though it may be. unlikely though
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Speaker 1: it may be, even if you should suffer for the
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Speaker 1: sake of righteousness. You see, it's the exception rather than
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Speaker 1: the rule. Then certain things are going to occur. And
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Speaker 1: here's where I'd like to have you take out a pencil,
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Speaker 1: find a piece of paper to write some thoughts down,
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Speaker 1: and I want to give you, from God's word, five
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Speaker 1: responses to certain situations in life that aren't fair. And
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Speaker 1: how you can handle them the next time they occur.
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Speaker 1: And I'm asking you to write them down because this
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Speaker 1: is not my advice. This is God's advice. If I
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Speaker 1: were to give you advice, I would tell you to
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Speaker 1: kick him in the teeth. I would tell you to
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Speaker 1: get even because that is my nature. But that's not
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Speaker 1: good advice. That's human counsel. So I want to know
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Speaker 1: what God has to say about how to respond when
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Speaker 1: you have done what is right, but wrong is being
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Speaker 1: done to you in return. Okay, five pieces of advice.
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Speaker 1: And they are in five different areas. So let's put
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Speaker 1: for the first one. As far as the injustice itself
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Speaker 1: is concerned, that's the beginning of verse 14. As far
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Speaker 1: as the injustice itself is concerned, be happy. Consider yourself
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Speaker 1: blessed by God. Go ahead, even though you don't want
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Speaker 1: to write it down, write it down. Because that is
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Speaker 1: the very first statement Peter writes. Even if you should
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Speaker 1: suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. It
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Speaker 1: is the word for blessed over and over. For being happy.
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Speaker 1: You are unique. blessed by God. Sounds surprising, doesn't it?
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Speaker 1: If you like referring to other verses, write down James
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Speaker 1: 1 verse 2. And it's a paraphrase in Phillips which reads,
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Speaker 1: When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives,
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Speaker 1: my brothers... Don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them
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Speaker 1: as friends. A question comes, how can I feel blessed
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Speaker 1: by God if I'm getting unfair treatment? That's a good question.
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Speaker 1: First of all, because you have been called to go
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Speaker 1: through this. It's a reminder that God's hand is still
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Speaker 1: on your life. You say, I'm not sure I've been
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Speaker 1: called to do this. Look at verse 21 of chapter 2.
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Speaker 1: You have been called for this purpose since Christ also
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Speaker 1: suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow in
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Speaker 1: his steps. Called to what purpose? You've got to look
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Speaker 1: back at verse 20, chapter 2. What credit is there
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Speaker 1: if when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure
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Speaker 1: it with patience? It's no big thing if you pull
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Speaker 1: over after running a red light and patiently sign the
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Speaker 1: ticket the cop writes you. That's no great shakes. You
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Speaker 1: don't have a lot to be proud of. You just
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Speaker 1: patiently ride it because you've got it coming. It's when
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Speaker 1: he pulls you over and reprimands you and begins to
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Speaker 1: write you a ticket and you don't deserve it. And
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Speaker 1: you take that patiently. You say, that's not only a blessing,
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Speaker 1: that is a miracle. And you're right. You're right. You're right.
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Speaker 1: Everybody in this world can take it patiently when you
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Speaker 1: get rewarded for doing what is right. And even many
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Speaker 1: people can take it patiently when you get punished for
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Speaker 1: doing wrong. But the believer in Christ is the only
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Speaker 1: one equipped to handle it patiently when you suffer wrong,
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Speaker 1: even though you've done right. That is what makes you
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Speaker 1: stand out. That's your uniqueness. And yes, there are occasions
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Speaker 1: in life when you will be called for that very purpose.
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Speaker 1: You will be singled out just like the prophets. Verse 9,
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Speaker 1: chapter 3 is saying the same thing. Not returning evil
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Speaker 1: for evil, insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.
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Speaker 1: For you were called for the very purpose that you
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Speaker 1: might inherit a blessing. How else can I be happy? Well,
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Speaker 1: I think because someday I'll be rewarded. for those events.
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Speaker 1: There is a reward for enduring trials that were not deserved.
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Speaker 1: You just sit for a moment and listen as I
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Speaker 1: read from Matthew chapter 5 verse 10. That's Matthew 5
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Speaker 1: verse 10. Blessed are those who have been persecuted and
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Speaker 1: Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake
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Speaker 1: of righteousness. Blessed are you when men revile you and
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Speaker 1: persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you
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Speaker 1: falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad. Your
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Speaker 1: reward in heaven is great. For so they persecuted the
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Speaker 1: prophets who were before you. How can I focus with
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Speaker 1: pleasure on the moment I can remember this event will
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Speaker 1: be rewarded? Okay, that's the first. Consider yourself uniquely blessed
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Speaker 1: of God. Second, as far as the persecutor himself is concerned,
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Speaker 1: look at the second response. Even if you should suffer
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Speaker 1: for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do
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Speaker 1: not fear their intimidation and do not be troubled. Second response,
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Speaker 1: do not panic, do not worry. Do not panic, do
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Speaker 1: not worry. I find both of those things occurring when
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Speaker 1: I operate in the flesh, having done what is right
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Speaker 1: and having suffered for it. First, look at the word fear.
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Speaker 1: It is the word phobos. We get our word phobia
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Speaker 1: from it. It's a reference to being seized with terror
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Speaker 1: and running, taking flight, running away from the pressure. He says,
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Speaker 1: don't do that. No reason to run. The next word
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Speaker 1: is intimidation. I should say troubled. Do not fear their intimidation.
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Speaker 1: Do not be troubled. This is the word to be agitated, uneasy.
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Speaker 1: Remember John 14, let not your hearts be Troubled, it's
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Speaker 1: the same word as used here. It's the word for
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Speaker 1: inner agitation. There can be a calmness of spirit. You
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Speaker 1: ever look at Mad Comics? Come on now, some of
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Speaker 1: you are giving me that, who, me? There's a little
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Speaker 1: guy in Mad Comics, it's Alfred E. Newman, and he's
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Speaker 1: all the way through the comics. He's got this Simple
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Speaker 1: little look and this simple little smile. Usually there's somewhere
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Speaker 1: around his face that says, who, me worry? It's kind
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Speaker 1: of like, I'm not going to sweat that. And I
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Speaker 1: thought the other day, not a bad idea. Who, me worry?
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Speaker 1: The energy and the effort that is expended worrying when
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Speaker 1: it will not solve a thing. And he says, don't
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Speaker 1: do it. Don't fear their intimidation. Don't you worry. You've
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Speaker 1: got God on your side. As far as the injustice
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Speaker 1: is concerned, consider yourself uniquely blessed. As far as the
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Speaker 1: persecutor himself is concerned, don't panic and don't worry. Now,
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Speaker 1: as far as the Lord is concerned, verse 15, acknowledge
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Speaker 1: him as Lord even over this event. Sanctify Christ as
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Speaker 1: Lord in your We often take this verse and immediately
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Speaker 1: apply it to some public defense of the faith. And yes,
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Speaker 1: it can be applied there, but it's in a context
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Speaker 1: of wrong having come as a result of our doing
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Speaker 1: what is right. And it says, acknowledge Christ as Lord.
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Speaker 1: Sanctify means to set apart. Let me tell you how
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Speaker 1: I do it. I do it in a prayer. In
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Speaker 1: words something like this. Something has happened to me that
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Speaker 1: I didn't deserve. I didn't have it coming. I had
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Speaker 1: not done wrong, but wrong was being done against me.
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Speaker 1: I will say, Lord, you're with me right now. You
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Speaker 1: are here and you have your reason for what is happening.
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Speaker 1: You will not take advantage of me. You will not
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Speaker 1: let this go any further than you're pleased. You're much
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Speaker 1: too kind to be cruel. You're much too good to
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Speaker 1: be unjust. Take charge. Use my integrity to defend me.
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Speaker 1: Give me the grace to stay calm. Control my emotions.
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Speaker 1: Be the Lord over my present situation. That kind of prayer.
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Speaker 1: If I prayed that sort of prayer through the year once,
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Speaker 1: I must have prayed it dozens of times. Lord, there
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Speaker 1: is no way I can set the record straight, it seems.
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Speaker 1: And it's getting tougher and tougher. And I find myself
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Speaker 1: cast at your disposal. Take over, Lord. You be the sovereign.
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Speaker 1: You be the master over this moment. I can't change
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Speaker 1: this person or I can't alter this event. You be
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Speaker 1: the Lord over it. I got a phone call back
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Speaker 1: when our older daughter was in high school and she
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Speaker 1: was on the cheerleading squad and was on the top
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Speaker 1: of the pyramid they had built and and she was
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Speaker 1: to do a flip off the pyramid and was to
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Speaker 1: land on her feet. That was the game plan. But
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Speaker 1: she landed on the back of her head, and she
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Speaker 1: couldn't move, and I got a phone call. And between
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Speaker 1: the church office, where I was when I got the call,
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Speaker 1: and the school campus, where I was within a matter
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Speaker 1: of maybe 12, 15 minutes, I was offering that kind
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Speaker 1: of prayer. When I got there, they had her in
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Speaker 1: one of these one of these stretchers that wraps you,
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Speaker 1: holds you, keeps you from moving. And she said to me, Daddy,
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Speaker 1: I can't move my fingers. And I can't feel very well.
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Speaker 1: It's kind of tingling. I was, I confess to you
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Speaker 1: at that moment, seized with fear. And I leaned down
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Speaker 1: over Carissa very slowly and I whispered in her ear, sweetheart,
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Speaker 1: I will be with you through all of this, but
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Speaker 1: more importantly, he is Lord. Jesus is Lord over this
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Speaker 1: whole event. I was totally helpless. I was medically inept
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Speaker 1: and inadequate. I had no control over healing her life
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Speaker 1: and her body. She was at the mercy. of God.
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Speaker 1: And I remember the deliberateness in which I set apart
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Speaker 1: Christ as Lord in my heart and I attempted to
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Speaker 1: do it for her since she was in this helpless estate.
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Speaker 1: She's fine today. She pulled through it and there was
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Speaker 1: no There was no lasting damage. There was a fracture,
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Speaker 1: but it thankfully wasn't in that terrible spot that results
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Speaker 1: in paralysis. Stephen sanctified Christ as Lord when Acts chapter 7,
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Speaker 1: the end of the chapter, 54 to 60, there were
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Speaker 1: these who were beginning to take up stones to stone Stephen.
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Speaker 1: Verse 54, Acts 7, when they heard this, they were
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Speaker 1: cut to the quick and began gnashing their teeth at him.
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Speaker 1: I don't believe I know what that means. Maybe just
30:37
Speaker 1: gritting their teeth at him. It's further than profanity. It
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Speaker 1: is a vile hatred, a rage that's out of control.
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Speaker 1: They're going to kill him and they know it. It's
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Speaker 1: that kind of gnashing teeth. Look at his response. Being
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Speaker 1: full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven.
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Speaker 1: Look at the response. And he saw the glory of
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Speaker 1: God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
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Speaker 1: I've heard more than a few in a dying moment
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Speaker 1: see an image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Stephen did.
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Speaker 1: And people standing by can't see that image. But the
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Speaker 1: dying can see. And he sees the reflection of the Savior.
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Speaker 1: And he said, behold, these men are standing with stones
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Speaker 1: to kill him. And he says to them, behold, I
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Speaker 1: see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing
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Speaker 1: at the right hand of God. And they cried out
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Speaker 1: with a loud voice and they covered their ears and
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Speaker 1: they rushed upon him with one impulse. And when they
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Speaker 1: had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him.
31:49
Speaker 1: Next to crucifixion, I can't imagine a worse kind of death.
31:54
Speaker 1: They began to stone him and witnesses laid aside their
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Speaker 1: robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
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Speaker 1: They went on stoning Stephen. And he called upon the Lord. See,
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Speaker 1: he's setting apart Christ as Lord in this moment. He says,
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Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And falling on his knees,
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Speaker 1: he cried out with a loud voice. Look at this forgiveness. Lord,
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Speaker 1: do not hold this sin against him. And having said this,
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Speaker 1: he fell asleep. I'll tell you, the man could have
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Speaker 1: died in bitterness and cynicism. He could have died with
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Speaker 1: cursing on his lips, and he dies with a prayer
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Speaker 1: on his lips, a prayer asking forgiveness for those who
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Speaker 1: had mistreated him. He didn't deserve the death. Don't believe
32:41
Speaker 1: today's literature. Stop listening to the counsel that says you
32:47
Speaker 1: must always get back, that that's how you find satisfaction.
32:52
Speaker 1: It doesn't bring satisfaction. It doesn't. Not lasting, not peaceful satisfaction. Now,
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Speaker 1: you with me so far? Consider yourself uniquely blessed. Refuse
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Speaker 1: to run in panic and sit and worry. Acknowledge Christ
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Speaker 1: as Lord. Here's the fourth. As far as others are concerned,
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Speaker 1: the fourth response, be ready to give a witness. Look
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Speaker 1: at the end of verse 15. Always being ready to
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Speaker 1: make a defense to everyone who asks you to give
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Speaker 1: an account for the hope that is in you, yet
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Speaker 1: with gladness, or I should say with gentleness and reverence.
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Speaker 1: I'm intrigued by this. Be ready to give a witness
33:43
Speaker 1: and please observe. They will ask you. Some of us
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Speaker 1: are so anxious to give a witness that we push
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Speaker 1: it in even when it doesn't fit or the timing
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Speaker 1: isn't right. Believe me. Believe me, if you are being
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Speaker 1: mistreated and you are handling for the glory of God,
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Speaker 1: like we've been describing it, they will want to know
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Speaker 1: how you do it. They'll ask you, how do you
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Speaker 1: do it? How do you handle this mistreatment? How do
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Speaker 1: you live with it? Why is it you haven't lost
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Speaker 1: your joy? What is it that has kept you on
34:16
Speaker 1: your feet? Why haven't you just, you know, turned tail
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Speaker 1: and run? Or why haven't you fought back? Be ready
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Speaker 1: to make a defense. See the word Make a defense.
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Speaker 1: It's the word apologia. We get our word apology from it.
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Speaker 1: Making a statement, a verbal statement of defense. And to
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Speaker 1: give an account is the word logos. We get the
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Speaker 1: term in scripture for the word is logos. To be
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Speaker 1: ready with a word. To give a reason. Notice there
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Speaker 1: must be willingness and readiness. Be ready to give a witness.
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Speaker 1: There is nothing like being observed in a time of
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Speaker 1: mistreatment to be a perfect platform for a witness. Your
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Speaker 1: neighbors will want to know, how do you do it?
35:09
Speaker 1: Your friend at work will want to know, how do
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Speaker 1: you pull that off? In fact, there's an old English
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Speaker 1: gazing stock, an old English term that is so translated
35:22
Speaker 1: in the King James, in Hebrews 10, for our being...
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Speaker 1: observed by individuals. We are made a gazing stock. Listen
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Speaker 1: to verse 32 of chapter 10 of Hebrews. Remember the
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Speaker 1: former days when after being enlightened, you endured a great
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Speaker 1: conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle.
35:43
Speaker 1: That's the word rendered gazing stock in another rendering. Made
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Speaker 1: a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, partly by becoming
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Speaker 1: sharers with those who were so treated. And rather than fighting,
35:59
Speaker 1: you showed sympathy to the prisoners. You accepted joyfully the
36:02
Speaker 1: seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves
36:06
Speaker 1: a better position and an abiding one. That's foreign counsel
36:09
Speaker 1: in our day. And Christians, we have bought into it.
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Speaker 1: We have bought into it. Be ready to make a defense,
36:22
Speaker 1: to give an answer, to state a witness. To anyone
36:25
Speaker 1: who asks, you talk about a moment to talk about Christ.
36:29
Speaker 1: It's when you have suffered unjustly. And you're doing it
36:33
Speaker 1: with patience. Now is your moment to tell them how
36:35
Speaker 1: it happened. They will listen. You have earned the right
36:39
Speaker 1: to be heard. Because they know there's a difference in
36:44
Speaker 1: how you're responding to it from how they would. Now
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Speaker 1: there's one more. As far as you yourself are concerned,
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Speaker 1: keep a good conscience. That's verse 60. It comes right
36:56
Speaker 1: out of the text. Keep a good conscience. Here Peter
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Speaker 1: digs below the surface and gets into inner character. He
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Speaker 1: underscores the value of maintaining integrity. Keep a good conscience
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Speaker 1: so that in the thing in which you are slandered,
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Speaker 1: those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be
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Speaker 1: put to shame. There is nothing more powerful than a
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Speaker 1: life of integrity. Nothing. Nothing can stand the test like
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Speaker 1: solid character. You can handle the blast like a steer
37:42
Speaker 1: in a blizzard. The ice can form on your horns
37:48
Speaker 1: and you keep standing against the wind and the howling
37:51
Speaker 1: a raging blizzard because Christ is at work in your spirit.
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Speaker 1: He says, keep it up. Keep a good conscience. It's
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Speaker 1: the good conscience that causes people to watch and to listen.
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Speaker 1: There is no more eloquent and effective defense than a
38:13
Speaker 1: life lived consistently in integrity. Now, the underlying principle. Look
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Speaker 1: at verse 17. Peter brings it all to a conclusion.
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Speaker 1: It is better if God should will it so that
38:35
Speaker 1: you suffer for doing what is right than for doing
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Speaker 1: what is wrong. The principle simply stated is unjust suffering
38:48
Speaker 1: is always better than deserved punishment. It is better if
38:56
Speaker 1: God should will it so, and I can't explain times
39:00
Speaker 1: it will happen or how often or even why, but
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Speaker 1: he will on occasion will it so that you suffer
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Speaker 1: for doing what is right. Let me close with a
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Speaker 1: great proverb. I want you to look at it. I've
39:17
Speaker 1: read several other references. Let me have you turn with
39:19
Speaker 1: me to Proverbs 16, 7. Proverbs 16, 7. If you haven't
39:39
Speaker 1: circled this verse or written it in the margin of
39:41
Speaker 1: perhaps a passage like the one we just got through,
39:44
Speaker 1: it's a good time to do it. It's one of
39:46
Speaker 1: those verses I memorized years ago and have called it
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Speaker 1: to mind on many occasions. When a man's ways are
39:53
Speaker 1: pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to
39:57
Speaker 1: be at peace with him. See the word enemies? Ayav.
40:06
Speaker 1: Ayav is the Hebrew word. It means to be hostile.
40:10
Speaker 1: It has reference to a personal foe. It's true. It's
40:14
Speaker 1: an enemy. Even his enemies will be at peace with him.
40:21
Speaker 1: Remember the name Job? It is the name Eov. Eov.
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Speaker 1: And they're related. In fact, you may be surprised to
40:29
Speaker 1: know that the name itself means object of enmity. Lockyer
40:36
Speaker 1: in his All the Men of the Bible renders Job's
40:38
Speaker 1: name he that weeps. No man is more vivid illustration
40:44
Speaker 1: of one who suffered wrong from the enemy, the adversary himself.
40:50
Speaker 1: No man is a better example of that than Job.
40:53
Speaker 1: His name itself means object of enmity. He became an
40:59
Speaker 1: object lesson of unfair treatment. After describing in his brief
41:06
Speaker 1: biography his righteousness, he turned away from evil, he took
41:10
Speaker 1: care of his family, he walked with God, he was
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Speaker 1: known for his integrity, then it seemed as though all
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Speaker 1: hell broke loose in his life. And he was leveled,
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Speaker 1: even lost his health. You know what, today, he is
41:27
Speaker 1: one of the most admired men in all of time.
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Speaker 1: We refer to him as the man of patience, the
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Speaker 1: patience of Job. A man who was the object of enmity.
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Speaker 1: He won our hearts because of his response to an
41:43
Speaker 1: unjust situation. I would not wish the life of Job
41:51
Speaker 1: on anyone. But I'm not God. I've never been too
41:58
Speaker 1: good at directing anyone else's life. I have a hard
42:01
Speaker 1: enough time keeping my own on target. But I have
42:05
Speaker 1: observed in my few years in ministry that God does
42:09
Speaker 1: pick out a few, and they are fourth-class condition. If
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Speaker 1: he should will it so, and it will be rare,
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Speaker 1: but it will occur in some cases, you will be
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Speaker 1: that Job. You will be the one. I think you
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Speaker 1: waste your time trying to figure out why. I think
42:31
Speaker 1: it's a waste. I think you're wise to accept it.
42:37
Speaker 1: Bruce Waltke meant so much to me during my student
42:40
Speaker 1: days and since those days as a teacher and as
42:44
Speaker 1: a mentor and a Semitic professor, brilliant man, but a
42:48
Speaker 1: heart for God. And he said to me when I
42:52
Speaker 1: was going through a very difficult time in my senior
42:54
Speaker 1: year in seminary, I wanted to know some of the
42:58
Speaker 1: answers to the why's. He says, you know what I think, Chuck?
43:01
Speaker 1: He says, I've come to the place where I I
43:04
Speaker 1: believe only on very rare occasions does God tell us why.
43:10
Speaker 1: So I've stopped asking. That was wonderful counsel. Kind of
43:17
Speaker 1: put it to bed for me. I don't have to
43:21
Speaker 1: be the answer man for events in life that don't
43:27
Speaker 1: make good logical human sense. I take them from him
43:32
Speaker 1: and I And I live with him as best I can.
43:35
Speaker 1: And that's my counsel for you. We begin our time
43:40
Speaker 1: with prayer. Let's end it with a time of prayer.
43:43
Speaker 1: You'd be kind enough to go back to the same
43:45
Speaker 1: throne where you were earlier. Again, your eyes are closed
43:52
Speaker 1: and you can focus back on that same thing you
43:55
Speaker 1: started with when we began this message. Listen to the
44:08
Speaker 1: counsel of Peter. Just listen. Consider yourself uniquely blessed by God.
44:20
Speaker 1: Do not run in panic or sit in worry. Acknowledge
44:25
Speaker 1: Christ as Lord, even over this event. Be ready to
44:33
Speaker 1: give a witness. Keep a good conscience. You cannot acknowledge
44:43
Speaker 1: Christ as Lord if you haven't Christ as Savior. So
44:48
Speaker 1: maybe that's first. Maybe that's your visit to the cross.
44:51
Speaker 1: Maybe that's what starts it. The essential journey in life
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Speaker 1: that must be made is the journey to the Savior.
45:00
Speaker 1: Only through his power and strength can you handle what
45:04
Speaker 1: life throws at you. Otherwise, you will operate from the
45:09
Speaker 1: flesh and you will make a failure. of your life.
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Speaker 1: Our Father, as we acknowledge your Son as Lord, it
45:23
Speaker 1: is with a bit of a sigh, because we do
45:27
Speaker 1: not deny the pain and the difficulty of the earthly trials,
45:33
Speaker 1: and for some it is almost unbearable. But being sovereign
45:40
Speaker 1: and being the one with full capacity to handle our needs.
45:46
Speaker 1: This is not beyond your strength to take the burden
45:54
Speaker 1: and to give us a perspective that we need. Quiet
45:58
Speaker 1: our spirits. Give us a sense of relief in the
46:02
Speaker 1: inevitable fact that life is difficult and there will be
46:06
Speaker 1: those days when it will not be fair. Enable us
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Speaker 1: in whatever season of the year to see beyond the present,
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Speaker 1: to focus even on the invisible, and to recognize that
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Speaker 1: you are always there. Thank you for the joy of
46:27
Speaker 1: this day. Thank you for the pleasure of relationships, and especially, Father,
46:35
Speaker 1: thank you for the truth of your word that lives
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Speaker 1: and abides forever. Forever. And best of all, it works.
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Speaker 1: It works. In Jesus' name, we thank you. Amen.
46:53
Speaker 2: The preceding message, Hope Beyond Bitterness, When Life Just Ain't Fair,
46:59
Speaker 2: was copyrighted in 1988, 1990, 1996, 2006, and 2011. And
47:00
Speaker 2: the sound recording was copyrighted in 2011 All rights are
47:13
Speaker 2: reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is
47:17
Speaker 2: strictly prohibited.