The Believer’s Hope

This week we are exploring what it means to follow Jesus, especially through struggles, as the world observes us. Take a moment and begin with this simple prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace. Help me be humble, kind, and teachable in every encounter with Your children. Continue to show me how to love in my words as well as in my actions. Transform my thinking to reflect a deep, contagious faith so I may lead others to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1 Peter 3:8-9, 13-16 (NLT)

8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Think about what faith in God means to you. What comes to mind when you think of “contagious faith”?

As Christians, we are called to love in our words and actions. Future hope might seem far away for some, but if we are humble, teachable, and kind, we will be able to engage a broken world and point our brothers and sisters to Jesus. Living and loving like Jesus now seals our blessings and rewards in eternity. Meeting the needs of others is the calling on our lives. There are no formulas or steps to follow, but honoring Christ even through suffering makes us faithful witnesses to God’s word and to this way of life.

It has been said, “Misery loves company.” This is an example of unity of the mind. However, with gentleness, truth, and respect, we can effectively engage this broken world. Our faith can become the faith of others. Rather than misery, unity in mind can grow into a wall of faith shields. When we share hope in all circumstances, we point others to Jesus.

When we love Him deeply, our behaviors reflect this. Suffering shouldn’t keep us from sharing our hope. Peter doesn’t tell us what to say, but he tells us how to behave. Our message of hope, accompanied by a beautiful life of goodness, exemplifies genuine faith. We are to think and act like Jesus did.

Think of something you love, treasure, or revere. How would you describe this to others?

We often share pictures and commentary on social media. We explain things in detail and describe our motives behind them as we direct how we want others to perceive us. If we focus on our loving Father as well as the hearts of our brothers and sisters, we demonstrate our radical love for Jesus. We cannot simply leave it up to Sunday gatherings and expect people to show up. We must evangelize through our lifestyles:

• Practical Goodness – Living a life of honor.
• Christ-Centered Reverence – Do not be troubled by the responses of the world. Trust and fear the Lord.
• Daily Readiness – Always be ready to respond to any kind of person in any circumstance.

Ask God to show you ways in which you may need to live against culture’s grain. Ask Him to show you areas where you need to surrender and submit.

As we close today, I challenge you to take steps toward becoming passionate doers of God’s word.