Sermon on JANUARY 31 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture:  1 Peter 3:8-12

What does it mean to bless and be blessed? Peter shows us, using Psalm 34 written by David when on the run from Saul. In a hostile world, submission, suffering and blessing go together.

If you want to bless the culture:

1. STRIVE FOR HARMONY, NOT UNIFORMITY!

‘…live in harmony with each other’

To be part of the church is to strive for something bigger than any one of us. Harmony is hard work! (Eph. 4:13)  

2. AIM FOR SYMPATHY, NOT SELF-AWARENESS! 

‘…be sympathetic‘

Even Moses, the meekest man could not be a high-priest. Aaron had felt the lash of the whip, the heat of the oven and the fatigue of over-work. Jesus is our sympathetic high-priest (Heb. 4:15)

‘It is not what we tell people about Christ which makes them want to know him, which draws them with their
heart-hungers, their sorrows and their failures to him. It is only what we manifest of Christ in our own life that is really
witnessing for him’. (James Smith)

3. WORK ON LOVE, EVEN IN HARD PLACES! 

‘…love as brothers, be compassionate’

Peter saw the flesh-and-blood affection that Jesus had for his disciples (John 13:34). When we love in the hard places, our motions can result in emotions!

4. WALK WITH THE BROKEN, DON’T SIT WITH THE GREAT! 

‘…love as brothers, be compassionate’

Had Paul and Silas thought more of themselves that the gospel and the Philippian jailor, he would not have been saved (Acts 16)

‘These are the ones I look on with favor; those who are humble and contrite of spirit – and who tremble at my word.’ (Is. 66:2)

5. BLESS LIKE JESUS, FOR GOD’S SAKE!

‘Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing’ (v9)

David’s determination to obey God and bless Saul ended with all his enemies won over – or defeated.
Just as God delivered David at the right time, so He will deliver all those who choose bless their enemies for Jesus’ sake.
Who is sufficient for these things? In a world that wants to return evil with evil, we are called to meet evil with active good. Jesus is not only our model. He alone empowers us not to give as good as we get – and to make Jesus attractive.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. When was Psalm 34 (which Peter quotes) written? Read 1 Samuel 24: 1-20. Why would this encourage suffering and persecuted Christians?
2. What does ‘be like-minded’ mean in the context of the church? What does it not mean? How can we contribute to harmony in the church?
3. What examples do we have in the Scripture of sympathy when someone was suffering? What is the opposite? Is it possible to have agape love without phileo (affectionate) love? Why or why not? Where did Peter himself learn about Jesus’ affectionate love? Why is it vital to grow in this love?
4. When we deal with those outside of the faith, what attitudes should we carry in our hearts? Think about those whom you are finding difficult to love let alone bless. Pray for them. What will you actively do to bless them?

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