When I was in my Senior Year of college, I was interning at a digital marketing agency. As I’ve shared before, it was a dream job for me at the time. But, I hit a bit of a snag – I had become a follower of Jesus and it soon became clear to me that there would be challenges concerning my new faith in the workplace.

In June, I hit the biggest challenge: one morning we received a Slack message that during lunch time that day, we’d be taking an all-team photo to post on social media recognizing Pride Month. Although I was a new believer, I was convinced that the Scriptures remain clear and Historic Christianity remains clear that biblical marriage is between a biological man and a biological woman. But, what was I to do? I never even thought about this dilemma before and the photo was at lunch time. So I did what I thought was best: I tried to just ignore the all-team photo by staying at my desk.

Unfortunately, a co-worker came over to remind me about the photo. I wish I could tell you that I said “I’m sorry, my friend – my faith in Jesus doesn’t align with celebrating Pride Month.” Instead, I just stood and took the photo. Even though it all happened so fast, deep down, I was afraid of what people would say to me and I was afraid of losing that dream job. And that was a mistake.

But, here’s the thing: I don’t think I’m alone in this. When we’re afraid of things, we either hide like I did, give in to the peer pressure, or lash out in anger. Fear is often the Lord (instead of Jesus) of our lives and it drives our decisions.

This passage gives us the remedy to this tension and the remedy is this: The Risen Christ is Lord, fear is not. (SLIDE)

Let’s dig that into that a bit more by going through this passage together.

You can repay evil with blessing because Jesus blessed you when you were his enemy.   (SLIDE)

Peter opens this passage up with a summary of what we are called to be as the family of God. That’s why he says: “All of you” – like-mindedness, sympathetic, loving each other, compassion, and humility is what it means to be a part of a church. You may think that’s obvious but if it was, Peter wouldn’t have said so. This is key for us – why? We’re in a season of change and rebuilding. During these times, unity, sympathy, love for each other, compassion, and humility are at great risk of becoming options. May these values define our church culture.

But in verse 9, you hear: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.” Okay, that’s tough but then Peter goes a step further: he writes – “repay evil with blessing.” Peter isn’t saying anything new here either – he’s repeating his rabbi’s words from Luke 6:28 where Jesus said: “bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.”

Why in the world would we do that? Peter tells us that God has called (one of his purposes) us to repay evil with blessing so that we may inherit a blessing. So, this means that repaying evil with blessing isn’t a far-out command for the super Christians out there – it’s an expectation of what it means to follow Christ. After all, is this not what Jesus did for us? To drive this point home, Peter quotes from an interesting Psalm.

Why? Psalm 34 is a Psalm by David that he wrote after he’d been so afraid of a king that he pretended to be insane. And in Psalm 34, David says he is there to teach others the fear of the Lord which is ironic given that David himself feared the king more than he feared God.

Psalm 34:16 tell us: God is against those who do evil. And my friends, you do not want to go up against God. That would be like the Kansas City Chiefs going against the Hanover Little Hawks. And what’s interesting here is that Peter leaves out the next part of Psalm 34 which says that God will blot out the names of evil people from the earth. Why would Peter leave that out? He is trying to remind us that it should be our hope that evil people will not be cursed like that. Instead, they will be won over to the faith through our words and deeds.

So, you may be thinking to yourself: that sounds really hard, Anthony! And you’re right, it is. But, I’d ask you to consider this fact: this is the way of Jesus. Did Christ repay evil with evil or insult with insult? No, he died for his enemies which includes people like you and me. As his followers who have been redeemed by grace, this is what he calls us into as we follow him. Jesus isn’t inviting us into uncharted territory – he’s already blazed the trail before us.

Back around 155 AD, there was a Christian bishop in Smyrna named Polycarp. Polycarp was actually a disciple of John, Jesus’ beloved disciple. And Polycarp knew 1 Peter well – he even quoted it in a letter he sent to the church at Philippi. During Polycarp’s life, a localized persecution against Christians began in Smyrna and Polycarp was targeted by the Romans. They found Polycarp and walked into something they didn’t expect. The bishop welcomed them in and prepared a table with food and drink for the soldiers. Polycarp only asked that they let him pray for one hour before they arrested him and guess what? They let him pray for two hours. Polycarp repaid evil with blessing and can you imagine what was going through the Roman soldiers minds when that happened? I wonder if any of them came to faith in Christ because of this? The soldiers took him to the proconsul of Smyrna who asked him to renounce the faith and here’s what Polycarp said: (SLIDE)

“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I then blaspheme my King who saved me?” Before he died, I imagine Polycarp remembering what Jesus said to the church at Smyrna through his old friend John in Revelation 2:10 which says: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.^”

Polycarp was faithful and our brother will receive the victor’s crown.

So, how do we get that sort of courage? Let’s keep moving through.

You can fear the Lord more than man because Jesus is alive. (SLIDE)

Verse 13 opens up with a rhetorical question: who is going to harm you if you’re eager to do good? Peter is trying to get us to be extremely practical here: people who are eager to do good are less likely to be harmed or persecuted. Not always but generally speaking. In those cases, we head to verse 14 that “even if you should suffer for what is right, we are blessed.” This means suffering or persecution is a real possibility for Peter’s readers but not the entire story of their life.

Peter goes on to quote from Isaiah 8:12-13 and does something fascinating He quotes Isaiah 8:12 which says “Do not fear their threats, do not be frightened.” Isaiah then goes onto say honor or revere the LORD/Yahweh as Lord. Peter copies and pastes from Isaiah. So, Peter puts Jesus in the place of Yahweh himself. Despite what the Da Vinci Code says or TikTok Influencers say, the church has always believed in God as the Trinity. In the Eyes of Peter and the Early Church, Jesus is the one God of Israel, the same God as the Father – just a distinct person, one being.  

That passage from Isaiah comes at a time when King Ahaz of Judah was deeply afraid. He was so afraid of being conquered that he forged an alliance with the godless empire of Assyria which is a grievous sin. So Isaiah’s prophecy is exhorting them to not fear men or their clever conspiracies.

And instead, we are to fear the Lord and place our trust in his power, his goodness, and his faithfulness. This message is true for us and it was true for Peter’s life too.

Think with me to the story of Peter. In Acts 4, Peter and John are in front of the High priest and the elders and teachers of the Law – they’re being questioned by what authority they are healing and preaching. Keep in mind: these are the men who conspired and succeeded in having Jesus killed. And just weeks ago, Peter himself denied even knowing Jesus in the High Priest’s courtyard. Now, he’s in front of the High Priest himself. Will Peter deny Jesus again?

No, Acts 4 details how Peter courageously answers the high priest’s question for the hope that Peter had. Peter tells the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Peter tells them they can’t stop sharing it because they have seen the risen Christ with their very own eyes and desire to obey him, not the religious elite. The religious elite were marveled that these men had been with Jesus and were astonished by their courage.

That is Peter revering or honoring Christ as Lord, giving his reason for hope, and doing it with gentleness and respect. Peter believed that the Risen Christ was Lord and that fear is not.

My friends, Peter’s heart was completely transformed by God’s love that was revealed through Christ. When his heart was transformed, he had to share the reason for his hope as well. Peter knew what Jesus did for him and he knew his power so he didn’t fear the religious elite, he feared Christ. You don’t have to summon up infinite willpower here, Peter wants you to look at Jesus, see his ultimate victory, and because of that, fear him. That’s where this passage goes next:

You can revere Christ as Lord because he has conquered evil, rescued us, and is coming back. (SLIDE)

What does verse 18 say? “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.” Behold, that’s our Savior. That’s our King. That’s the Christ who Peter loves and who you and I love.

He suffered for sin by being rejected by his people, by being the Passover Lamb, and by being crucified for all to see. He did not hurl insults back nor did he retaliate – he was righteous and was put to death by unrighteous men. If we were in their shoes, we would have done the same thing. On the Cross, Jesus died in the flesh which represents the old ways of the world: suffering, human limitations, and death. But, he was raised to new life which ushers in his Kingdom to this world: new life, self-giving love that dies for enemies, and vindication/proof that the resurrection get the final say – not death. My friends, if you have trusted Christ, this new life is yours as well.

What’s more is going on into some of the weirder passages of 1 Peter: what does he mean “he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits”? a lot of debate about this strange passage with multiple views but I’m just going to focus on one because it goes along with the larger point for today.

Back in Genesis 6, Moses makes some odd statements about the “Sons of God” who are rebellious angels. These rebellious angels end up intermarrying with humans and having children called the “Nephilim.” Long story short: the flood happens, wiping away human and Nephilim alike but Noah and his family. But, what about those rebellious angels? Peter’s other epistles tells us. 2 Peter 2:4 says that “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment.” So on his way to the Throne at the Father’s right hand, Jesus shows those imprisoned angels that their rebellion has been in vain. They have lost, they have chosen the wrong side, and Christ is King – no matter what.

Then Peter compares all of this to Noah’s day. God waited patiently while the world mocked, and in the end only eight people were brought safely through the water. Peter says baptism is like that, and notice what he says baptism is and isn’t. It isn’t a bath: “not the removal of dirt from the body.” It’s “the pledge of a clear conscience toward God,” and it saves “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The water doesn’t save you. The risen Christ does. Baptism is the symbol of your salvation.

So if you’ve been baptized, that’s what you celebrated. In front of everyone, you went under the water and came up saying: Jesus is Lord, and I’m with him. And if you trust Christ and haven’t been baptized, that’s your next step, and I’d love to talk with you about it.

This passage ends with Jesus taking his place at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities, and powers (both good and evil) in submission to him. So, what’s the takeaway? Peter wants us to see this glorious truth of Jesus life, death, and resurrection:

Christ has defeated evil, he’s rescued his people from sin and death, and he is the King of the Universe who is making all things new.

So, my friend, do you believe that you have sinned willingly and that you have lived life according to your flesh? But, do you believe that Jesus suffered and died in your place out of love and that Jesus’s offer of forgiveness leads to a life in the spirit? Do you believe that when Christ returns he will give you a new body like his?

If you do, my friends, we can revere Christ as Lord. Going back to Polycarp, how could he not give into fear when the Roman Authorities arrived? How could he keep the faith even when his life was threatened? He believed the glorious truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. He didn’t fear what others would do to him because he knew even death itself could not keep him from his Saviour – that’s what the resurrection proves. Death is dead Christ is alive.  Do you know what he said when the Proconsul threatened him with death by fire? Polycarp responded (SLIDE): “You threaten fire that burns for an hour and is soon quenched; for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment.” That is a man who believed in the resurrection and the certainty of God’s judgement.

Because of that, you can repay evil with blessing and know that God sees those actions. Even if that person still commits evil against you, God sees your heart and he sees that person’s heart. If you feel scared to share the gospel with a neighbor, family member, and friend, remember Jesus’ total victory. Even if they respond negatively, Jesus is still on the throne and your actions will be proven right eventually. When we feel afraid to be prepared to give an answer for our hope in Jesus, we are not treating Christ as Lord – we are treating other people as Lord. And that’s precisely what Jesus came to rescue us from – our sin, yes but to also free us from the need for other people to validate us. Jesus has already validated you, live like it.

So, what are some really practical steps you can take today to remember that the Risen Christ is Lord and that fear is not?

Repay Evil with Blessing (SLIDE)

I want you to think of that family member, co-worker, or ‘friend’ who has said unkind words to you, who has left you out of something intentionally, or who has ignored you on-purpose. I want you to pray for them – pray that God would bless them. I want you to speak well of them when they’re not around, refuse to give into gossip. If it’s safe for you to do so, treat them to a coffee, send them an encouraging text, or offer them forgiveness even and especially if they don’t deserve it.

You don’t do this because I’m saying this. You do this because this was what our savior did: he did not repay evil with evil. He repaid evil with spiritual blessing of salvation and redemption for all who would believe.

Rehearse why you have hope in Christ (SLIDE)

Verse 15 tells us to “Always be prepared.” Are you prepared to share why you have hope in Christ? If someone asked you, how would you respond? Rather than winging it, I’d invite you to write it out and practice it. Think through these questions (take a photo):

1.      What has Jesus done for me that gives me hope?

2.    When did faith in Jesus become my own? What has carried me through life?

3.    What am I hoping in that the world cannot give me?

This will stir up feelings of gratitude but also give you confidence that you do know why you have hope too.

If I could repeat the Pride Month photo situation, here’s what I would’ve done instead. I’d send an email saying: “I’m going to sit this photo out. It’s a conviction I have about my faith, not anything about you all. I’d be happy to grab lunch so we can discuss it more.” Could I have been fired? Maybe but I still would have done it with gentleness and respect and my conscience would have been clear and I’d have opened a door to talk about Jesus.

So, my friends, as we close today. Remember (SLIDE):

1.      You can repay evil with blessing because Jesus blessed you when you were his enemy.  

2.    You can fear the Lord more than man because Jesus is alive.

3.    You can revere Christ as Lord because he has conquered evil, rescued us, and is coming back.

So, remember the Risen Christ is Lord, fear is not. Let us pray.