Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The first letter of the apostle Peter is addressed to Gentiles who had turned to Christ and who were living in Asia Minor. Reading this letter it becomes evident that living in a Gentile society life was very hard for these Christians, especially because of their faith. They were ridiculed and mocked at. Society had become quite hostile towards those people who had adopted a new faith.

Peter mentions two categories of people in particular, who had become very vulnerable. Slaves who had become Christians endured much more hardship from their unbelieving masters. Moreover the married life of wives, who had turned to Christ and whose husbands were still heathens, had almost become unbearable.

You can well imagine, Br. & Sr., that all this had damped down the initial happiness of faith in Jesus Christ. The reality of being a Christian was much different than what they perhaps thought it would be.

Well, it is in this situation that the apostle Peter writes them a letter. A letter of encouragement, in which the apostle points these Christians to God’s grace and to Jesus Christ, through whose resurrection from the dead their life had received new hope, chapter 1 of this letter. But continuing this letter Peter says, now you must also live from this hope.

See, Br. & Sr., when living in a hostile environment, the temptation is always there to take the line of least resistance. If you keep your mouth shut, or for example, when unbelieving people are around you don’t pray for your lunch, then they will not make fun of you either. Then at least life becomes a bit more bearable, doesn’t it?

Well, apparently this had happened also among some of the Christians in Asia Minor. But then the apostle Peter, as a true shepherd of the flock, realizes that he has to address this issue. For a church, which remains silent in society, becomes an unfaithful church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A very timely subject, Br. & Sr., also for us, isn’t it? Yes, how do we live in a society which also today in various areas is hostile towards the church? Do we still radiate the light in which by God’s grace we may live? Are we bright shining stars, or do we rather compromise, trying to seek the easy way out, so that people do not trouble us? Do we live from the riches we have received in Christ and are we also eager to share these riches with others or for convenience sake do we rather keep silence.

In our text the apostle Peter warns not to keep silence but instead to be a living witness of Him through whom we too have been borne anew to a living hope. Thus from the fullness of the heart the mouth should speak.

In this second sermon on the project God’s House – Open House I preach you the gospel under the following heading,

I At first reading the first part of our text is perhaps somewhat difficult to understand. What does the apostle Peter mean when he urges his readers to sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, or as it reads more accurately, to sanctify Christ as Lord in their hearts?

We are familiar with the expression ‘being sanctified by Christ or by His Spirit,’ which refers to the renewal of our life through Christ’s Spirit by which we bring forth fruits of thankfulness. Being sanctified refers to a new life through the Spirit.

Yet our text does not speak about Christ sanctifying us, but instead it urges us to sanctify Christ. How are we to understand this? As always also here applies the rule: to understand a certain part of Scripture first we are to read it in its context.

Well, in the verses preceding our text Peter had quoted Psalm 34, vss. 10-12, "…" Quoting these words, Peter wants to underline from Scripture that we should never repay evil with evil. The punishment for evil we should leave to God. So instead of taking matters in our own hands, we should commit our cause to the Lord. Also when we suffer injustice, or when we are ridiculed or mocked at for Christ’s sake. Don’t become angry. Refrain your tongue from evil, instead seek peace and pursue it.

You could say with these words Peter had finished answering the question how those Christians in Asia Minor had to react to that hostile environment they were leaving in. Yet this quotation from Psalm 34 did not solve all questions. For you can try to do good, but if you then still meet with evil, where then is this peace of which this Psalm speaks so wonderfully. In other words, in practice it doesn’t seem to work this way.

That’s why in vs. 13 Peter puts the question, "Who is he who will harm you?" Many commentaries interpret these words saying that Peter speaks here about spiritual harm, in line with Jesus’ word, "Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul." Yet this interpretation does no justice to the context. For this is not what is meant in Psalm 34, when it says there, "The face of the Lord is against those who do evil," which has nothing to do with spiritual harm. So the question still is, what then does Peter mean?

The point he wants to make is this, instead of getting upset about the injustice we may suffer at times we should become followers of what is good, or as it can also be translated of Him who is good, i.e., the Lord Jesus. Remember what Christ Himself said it in the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." For righteousness sake – this word righteousness refers to living in the right relationship to God and the neighbor. Well, that’s how Christians should live, even when this has as consequence that people mock at you, ridicule you. Remember that Christ still says, "Blessed are you!" When you keep that in mind, what do you worry? After all, you should not first of all fear those who threaten you, but first and foremost you should fear God, sanctify Him in your hearts.

Peter quotes here the prophet Isaiah, to be precise Isa. 8,12 & 13, "…" With these words Isaiah is addressing King Ahaz, who at that time was seriously threatened by an alliance of Pekah, king of Israel, with Rezin, king of Syria. They threatened to invade Judah, if Ahaz would not help them against Assyria, a new world power that imperiled the region in those days. If Assyria would spread its wings nothing would be left of Judah either.

All this put King Ahaz in a very difficult position. What to do? If he would ask the help of Assyria it would take away the threat of those two other kings with their armies. But at the same time Ahaz would then be at the mercy of Assyria. Yet on the other hand helping Syria and Israel against Assyria, would perhaps mean that Assyria got the better of all three of them. So what to do? King Ahaz doesn’t know. He finds it difficult to make a choice.

Well, it is in that situation that the prophet Isaiah comes to him with those words quoted also by the apostle Peter. Isaiah says, "Stop being afraid of this power and that power. Let all these threats not trouble you. Instead, "the LORD of host, Him you shall hallow. Let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread." In more concrete language Isaiah is saying here, "You should not forget, Ahaz, that the threat of the most holy God, when you have Him against you, is much more serious than any earthly threat. Therefore make sure that the way you live is pleasing God, serve Him. If you do so you will also find in this God a mighty help so that you no longer have to fear that alliance of Israel and Syria which is threatening you."

"The LORD of host, Him you shall hallow." In very plain language Isaiah is saying here, "Be wise, Ahaz, and start keeping friends with the most powerful Friend you can ever have. To find help in the midst of all the troubles you are in at the moment don’t start to negotiate with the world, but put your trust in God, make sure that you have Him on your side. If you refuse to do so, for a while you might be able to get rid of the troubles you are in at present, but meanwhile you have to reckon with the threat of the most holy God and that is far worse.

Well, beloved, it is these words with the apostle Peter quotes in our text. The only things is that instead of writing ‘sanctify the Lord’ he writes, ‘sanctify Christ as Lord.’ As such this is not surprising since in the NT we know God in no other way than in and through Christ.

The question now is, what is Peter’s aim in quoting these words of the prophet Isaiah? For an answer let us go back to the situation of the addressees of this letter. Living their christian life they met with a lot of enmity in society. Because of the hope that was in them they were ridiculed, mocked at, even considered as evildoers. Under circumstances like these it is easy to give in, to compromise. Yet in our text Peter now is saying, realize that in doing so you bring your life even in greater danger. For you are grieving Christ, who gave His life for you, and who because of what you do may turn into your adversary. And that’s surely something to dread.

Therefore instead sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. This means, no matter how much enmity you experience in this world, realize that you are worse off when Christ turns against you. Therefore your greatest concern should be to live a life pleasing to Him.

True, then you will still face the enmity of the world. But in Christ you then have a mighty help, the most powerful help you could ever wish for, since to Him has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. He has the whole world in His almighty hands.

There is still one thing, which I have not mentioned thus far, namely that Peter adds something to the text quoted from Isaiah. For he does not simply say ‘sanctify Christ as Lord’ but he says ‘sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.’ Peter thus wants to emphasize that this sanctifying Christ as Lord must be a matter of the heart. For only then it will also determine our whole life, only when it indeed comes from the heart. Moreover when it is a matter of the heart, then from the fullness of the heart also the mouth will speak. Yes, then we are also ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us.

If I may summarize the first point of the sermon, then we come to the following conclusion. Starting to compromise, taking matters of faith just a little bit easier because you don’t want to be the odd one out at the work or at school, so better keep silence. No praying for your meal, listen to the same music, join in with the same dirty talk – says Peter, all this affects your relationship with Christ. If you start living this way you fall short of obeying Him who is your Lord, who has bought you with the price of His precious blood and who in doing so has become the owner of your life. Well, He now also wants you to acknowledge Him as Lord of your life, not only on Sunday, but also throughout week. Also when you work with unbelieving work- or school mates, who perhaps may have a go at you because of your faith.

First of all show them by your way of life that you sincerely love Christ whom you confess of your Saviour. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Don’t feel ashamed to show in your way of life that you indeed love Him. That comes first. And if you do so, if you indeed live that way, it becomes much easier to also speak of Christ when people ask you about your lifestyle. Then you become ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. This brings me to my second thought.

II To give a defense – what does the apostle Peter mean with these words. The idea is surely not that we should always be preaching to others. The point Peter wants to make is, if someone asks you to render account of the hope that is in you – in more practical terms, if someone asks you about your faith, don’t be ashamed to speak about it. Tell them about that wonderful hope which gives life such a tremendous perspective, the hope that is in you.

What does the apostle Peter mean with this word ‘hope.’ Perhaps you know the saying, "One lives by hope," a saying to which at times also worldly people hold on, yet often in a very superficial way. However from a scriptural point of view hope is characteristic of a christian life. Hope is the anchor of our soul, which keeps the ship of our life in its place. The hope by which we as Christians may live determines our whole existence. In faith hope means that you expect everything from God’s promises, that you may live under an open heaven and that you long for that inheritance of which the apostle Peter speaks in the beginning of this letter.

Well, so the apostle Peter says in our text, if someone asks you about that hope, use the opportunity to speak about it in defense of the christian faith. Show that the hope by which you live is the only anchor that gives real security in life. In doing so you sanctify Christ as your Lord. Then from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

Often one doesn’t have to look for opportunities to give such an account of faith. Often there are plenty of such opportunities. For example, at work when on Monday morning you do not arrive in that real Monday morning mood but instead start the new week joyfully. Your work mate may ask you why you are so joyful. Well, doesn’t this give a golden opportunity to speak about the church and the Sunday, the sermon by which you were encouraged? This is at least better than to join all the talk about the sport, which seems to be the usual thing to talk about on Monday.

From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. This indeed raises the question, where is our heart full of? When we join the usual Monday talk about the sport, we show that we are not any different than the world.

Indeed the opportunities are often many. For example when people asks us about the size of our family, so many children. Again a golden opportunity to speak about the things you live for. Not in the first place for a new car, a better home, a nice holiday and therefore not too many children. But then we may testify how great a task it is to raise children for the Lord. How great it is to care for them, instead of bringing them to daycare or kindy in order to fulfill your emancipated roll in society.

As young people don’t feel ashamed to speak with mates at work or at school, for example about why your attitude to the other sex is different than theirs.

Give a testimony, be ready, so we read in our text, be equipped like a soldier in the army. Of course this does not go by itself. We are only able to do so, when in our personal life we live close to God’s Word, study the Scriptures and so also know what to say, when people ask us.

I know, especially when you are young, the temptation is great to keep silence. That’s much easier. Or even worse to compromise a little bit, so that you are not regarded as the odd one out. If you speak up it might well be that people laugh at you. In certain instances you might even risk a chance for promotion, for example when you refuse to work on Sunday.

But then Peter says, don’t forget that in all this the honor of Christ is at stake. He is your Lord and therefore he wants to be sanctified by you. This means Christ should always be number one in your life.

Again, then it will not always be easy to speak up. That’s why Peter adds in the concluding part of vs. 15 that we ought to do so with meekness, like the Lord Jesus Himself was gentle and lowly in heart.

Meek, humble – this means where it concerns the cause of the Lord, then you don’t feel straight away offended, but you are willing to accept that with non-believers there often is a lot of misunderstanding, which at times can cause them to be harsh in their language. Yet the bottom line is that they don’t understand and therefore despite their harsh language we should seize the opportunity to speak, instead of feeling offended by it. Don’t become embittered, don’t take things personally, but keep in mind that the cause you are defending is not your cause, but the cause of your Lord Jesus Christ. His honor is at stake!

Speak of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Fear – this word does not mean that we should be afraid of people. On the contrary, that’s what the apostle Peter is just fighting here. We should not be afraid of people, of what they might say.

No this word fear refers to the fear of the LORD, of which we so often read, in particular in the OT. The fear of the LORD – this expression refers to respect for and trust in the LORD. When that attitude indeed determines our life, that it is our heartfelt desire in everything to live for the Lord, we are no longer scared to face up to people and to speak of the hope that is in us. Then we are no longer scared to do so, since we trust in God that He will help us, will give us also the words needed to speak. After all, we don’t have to do this in own strength. Through His Spirit God will help us. Well, then we should also trust God.

Finally Peter says that we should be ready to speak of the hope that is in us, having a good conscience. With these words Peter wants to highlight that when speaking with others our conscience should not be able to accuse us, saying, "Look first at your own life; you speak very pious, but look what you do yourself." Of course, we all fall short in living up to the standard of the gospel. Nevertheless we have to be sincere. Walk and talk have to be in harmony with each other.

When speaking with others about our faith, they must also be able to see in our personal life that we mean what we say. For instance, if at work you speak with a mate about his language that he should not blaspheme the name of the Lord, but an hour later you laugh together with him about a dirty joke he is telling you, then your testimony does not hold much water, does it? We are to be sincere!

And note well, the world sees very sharp, whether it indeed comes from the heart, or whether it is no more than a lesson we have learned, but which we have not really made our own.

In our text we read, "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you …"

Beloved, how often do we dishonor our Lord by keeping silence, where we should have spoken? So often we fall short in giving testimony. So often, taking the easy way out we try to skip around the difficulties we might face. But then Peter says, think of the Lord and His glory.

Yes, when you really do love Him, from the fullness of the heart your mouth will speak. Then it becomes rather difficult to keep silence about that hope that lives in you. Then you want to share these riches also with others.

Beloved, let us then indeed do so, sanctifying Christ as Lord, by always being ready to speak of that hope, whenever people ask us about it. Do so remembering the word Christ once spoke,

"Whoever confesses Me before men, Him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, Him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

Amen.

Last modified: December 01, 2002