Sunday, April 27, 2008 - I Peter 3:13-22

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the past two weeks, I have spoken about the unjust suffering and persecution that God’s people are sometimes called upon to endure in this life. This morning, we hear Peter give encouragement to withstand any persecution or ridicule on account of our faith. He says, “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.” Then he quotes the prophet Isaiah, “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled.”

And he says, but in your hearts, regard Christ the Lord as holy – that is, set apart Christ as Lord. To set apart or be set apart for a purpose is really the primary understanding of “holiness.” You are holy in that you have been set apart by God in Baptism.

And having been called to faith in God’s Holy Son, we are compelled to make the conscious commitment to place Christ first in our lives. To recognize Him as “Lord” means to recognize that he rules over us, has authority over us, and His desires and will are vastly more important than our desires and will.

He is our King, and we are to recognize that we do not govern ourselves. If His Word contradicts our opinion, then it is our opinion must be changed. That is a difficult task for us in our world today. The world tells us every opinion matters and every opinion is valid. God’s Word and our faith tells us that only one opinion matters and only one opinion is valid.

However, having Christ set apart in our hearts involves much more than simply doctrinal issues. Being able to recite the Creeds, recite the Catechism, and to know the joy of salvation we have being justified in the death and resurrection of Christ – those are all wonderful and essential parts of our life of faith.

Knowing the truth of God is a gift. As we heard last week, Jesus says, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Having a firm faith and knowledge of Christ is the wonderful blessing. Knowing the Way to salvation is essential. But as I said, there is more to it than simply having all of the right answers to the doctrinal questions.

We certainly are to have a firm faith, and we certainly need to have good doctrine. But the value of that faith and the value of that doctrine is found not only in the joy of our salvation, but it is also seen in how we are able to share that joy and that gift with others. There is an old saying in the church that you cannot have good doctrine without having good practice of that doctrine. Having sound doctrine is important so that we can, as St. Peter says, always be prepared to give an answer or make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that you have.

Just in the past two weeks, I have heard of two separate instances where members of St. Paul congregation have born witness of and have defended what they believe against individuals who express a different opinion about God. In our Sunday morning Bible class, for the past few weeks we have been dealing with Jesus’ Passion from Matthew’s Gospel, and this morning we dealt with Peter denying Jesus three times.

What we have recently discussed in Bible class is that it is among your friends and around your neighbors that we often find ourselves more reluctant to express our faith – especially when we know they hold a different opinion.

Speaking boldly within the church and among fellow believers is a good thing. We confess our faith each Sunday morning for good reason. But Peter, as he learned first-hand on the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested, knows that there is a great need to always be prepared to defend your faith and confess your faith in Christ – to give “a reason for the hope that is in you.”

And it is that hope – that blessed hope of life in Christ which brings us to our knees in thankfulness for what we have – having been set apart by God Himself. It is that hope which we have expressed throughout this Easter Season. It is that hope which causes us to cry out “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” And it is that hope which emboldens us to carry that message of salvation outside of these walls and give and answer or make a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for that hope. Amen.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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