An Answer to Everyone

1 Peter 3.13-17
An Answer to Everyone

What am I to do when people give me a hard time for my Christian faith?

Peter’s basic principle: In your hearts revere Christ as Lord [3.15]

1. Look to CHRIST

2. Christ as LORD

3. REVERE Christ as Lord

4. In your HEARTS

   How do I do this?

A. DO WHAT IS GOOD [13]

1. Goodness commanded [3.10-12]

2. Goodness defined [2.11-3.12]

3. Goodness possible [3.16; 5.10]

B. DON’T BE DISCOURAGED [14-15a]

1. Blessed [Matt 5.11]

2. No fear

C. ALWAYS BE READY TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE [15b-17]

1. Our hope

2. Our hope is reasonable

3. People will question our hope

a. Friendly questions

b. Hostile questions

4. We need to be prepared to give an answer

5. We need to answer in the right way

a. our manner of speech [15b]

b. our manner of life [16]

6. We need to leave the results with God

a. For the wicked: shame [16]

b. For us: faith in God’s sovereignty [17]

John Olson