Get Ready!
“Get Ready” 1 Peter 3:13-16 by Ben Fronczek
Years ago a farmer owned land
along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired help.
Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They
dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc
on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed
applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.
Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. ”Are you a good farmhand?” the farmer asked him. ”Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man. Although puzzled by this
answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked
well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt
satisfied with the man’s work. Then one night the wind howled
loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a
lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Everything needs to be tied down before they blow away!” The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.” Enraged by the response, the
farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside
to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of
the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the
barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The
shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The
farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his
bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
MORAL: When you’re prepared spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?
In our text today, Peter
continues to encourage and instruct Christians. As he knew from his own
experience everybody is not going to welcome you with open arms just
because you are a Christian. As a matter of fact many may do their best
to undermine if not destroy you and your reputation. In light of these storms that may come your way, Peter gives us some good advice. Let me read it to you.
“13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.”
(And here is his advice)
“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.”
Being prepared is crucial for
so many aspects of life. Creatures great and small grow, collect and
store food in preparation for winter. Our Government as well as all
governments all around the world spent billions of dollars preparing for
potentials terrorist attacks, wars, natural disasters, and so much
more. Soldiers, police officers, rescue teams, doctors prepared and
practice for worst case scenarios. There are so many things that we
should and need to prepare for that one could not list them all.
But here in our text Peter
doesn’t want to see us get caught unprepared regarding spiritual matters
so he tell us to always be ready and prepared to give an answer or
defense to anyone who asks us to give a reason for the hope that we have
as a Christian.
The question I have for you today is, ‘Are you prepared to do this?’
If someone were to get right
up in your face and ask today and say, ‘Just tell me why you believe in
all this Christianity stuff’, what would you say?
Peter is telling us you better be prepared. So how do we prepare?
A. First of
all I believe we need to know our stuff; actually understand what we
profess. We really need to know and understand some of the core teaching
of the Christian faith. We need to really know what we believe and why.
(How would you feel about being treated by a paramedic who hadn’t
practice or didn’t know what he was doing?”)
And so how do we do this?
- We not only need to read our
Bibles, we also need to study it so that we understand what it is
talking about. It don’t believe that that Bible is meant to be read like
a novel, rather I believe it is to be digested like an instruction
manual. The information in this book is important and crucial and it is
worthy of our time and effort to study. I am convinced that some people
read their Bibles, but unfortunately many don’t have a clue what many
portions of it are talking about. This is where good Bible Study habits
can help.
- When I pick apart a text I
like to look at what different commentators have to say about it. If I
don’t understand certain words I look them up. I even look at the
original Greek or Hebrew words and what they meant. All this is easy now
with the use of a computer. It’s all on the internet. It’s ok to jot
notes in your Bible as a reminder.
- Going to a good Bible Study
also helps. Sometimes even listening to good radio lessons help. If you
don’t understand something don’t just let it go, dig for some answers,
ask for help if you need to.
- Read magazines or books or
watch the latest programs on Christian evidences or whatever subject you
may want to study to give you an edge.
If you buy a new camera, cell
phone, or any other kind of gadget and you what to get full use out if
it what do you do. You read and memorize the instruction book. And if
you still don’t understand it you seek out someone who does and have
them explain it to you.
- We should be as diligent
when it comes to understanding our own Christian faith. Don’t assume
anything. Learn it, study it, ask questions, and be sure in your own
mind. These are some ways we can prepare.
So now that we know what we
believe and understand why we believe what advise does Peter give as to
how we answer those who may ask:
1) First he tells us to do it with gentleness.
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:1
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
I don’t know about you but it
really irritates me when someone comes across as a boastful know-it-
all, even if they are right. But there is something soothing in a person
voice when they speak from a humble, caring heart filled with wisdom.
In Ecc. 5:3 Solomon also said,
“3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.”
Yes, if we are not careful we can say too much. Even if we have a good answerer we can say it with the wrong attitude.
2) The 2nd thing Peter said was to answer with respect.
In
other words, don’t look down at the person asking you a question about
your faith. He or she may be mocking you and Christianity, but they may also be looking for answers as well.
Here again is another place we should be applying the ‘Golden Rule,’ doing unto others they way we would want them to do to us.
There is nothing more degrading than someone making you feel dumb
because you asked a question. As Christians we should not be-little
anyone. Letting a person know that their question is important by giving
an honest, gentle, and serious answer show respect. One question can
lead to more. Some of the greatest Christians were one time enemies of
the faith.
3) And the last recommendation Peter gives here is that we should answer in a way that allow us to keep a clear conscious.
Clear from what? I believe we should answer in a way that keeps us being guilty of being mean, nasty or a know it all.
Also, we don’t have to feel
guilty before God when we state the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth about our Christianity in times of personal peril.
So why answer in this manner? I believe it is so we can win more to Christ. There is an old saying that says, “You catch more bees with honey that with vinegar.” What
does that mean? You are going to attract more or win more over by
being good and sweet like honey than you will by being a sour pickle
puss. And likewise being knowledgeable, clear, confident, and having a
good attitude will attract more curious seekers to Christ and the Church
than a grouchy old arrogant Christian.
If you remember from our last
lesson Peter reminded us that we are aliens, ambassadors representing
our Lord Jesus here on earth. And we can’t do a very good job at doing
this if don’t know our stuff, if we are not prepared, and if we don’t
have the right attitude.
There is another reason we have to know our stuff, another reason why we need to prepare our self.
Jumping ahead to 5:8 Peter says this,
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In much the same way that the Apostle Paul warns us in Ephesians 6, where he says,
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground”
Peter and Paul are warning us
that we need to prepare for battle! If we are not prepared, if you
really don’t know why you believe, you are going to be weak, and
unprepared when you need that knowledge the most. You won’t be able to
give a good answer when some asks or challenges you. You may not be a
good influence when you have a chance to be. And when Satan or his dark
forces come to attack you will have no armor to put on.
Knowledge is power. Faith is a
shield. Knowing how to use God’s word properly is like knowing how to
use a sword properly. Knowledge of God’s word is a life changing force.
Like in the story where the
farmer hired that little man who was able to sleep because he had
secured the farm against the storm. We, as believers in Christ, need to
secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in
the Word of God.
Challenge: Read, Study, know your stuff and be on guard…
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
