Love to Tell the Story

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER OF PETER

 LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

1 Peter 3:13-22

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."   15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.   17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand — with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

NIV

Having tormented ourselves with a question we do not know the absolute answer regarding where and who and why did Peter include the information about Jesus preaching to those in prison. Again, Peter used the Greek word for prison, a guarded place. He was very familiar with prisons, having been in them and having an angel visit and free them. He did not use the word for Hades, or Sheol or hell. However, we still have to deal with the first part of this exhortation of not being afraid. The point Peter is making here is that we cannot live in fear of what might happen to us because we live in a world filled with anger, and hatred toward God. It is possible that we could suffer in some way because we live rightly, that is we do not hold to the same value system as the world. We do not agree nor engage in the pattern of living or their ideologies or philosophies. We might be considered odd, or weird because we will not join in their way of thinking or partner with their endeavors. So be it, if that is the case, if they persecute us in some manner. Sure, we might not be nailed to a cross, or tied to a stake, or beaten and chased out of town, or our house burned to the ground. We may even be tolerated, but not befriended, not thought of as part of their group, that we are different, someone to be kept a distance from, to be kept at arm’s length, so to speak. If so, we are blessed. We are to, and have, set our heart on Christ as Lord. We are always ready to give an answer, to tell our story of how Jesus came into our lives and what a difference he made in us and all that he did in our life. We are always ready to tell our story that from day one we have been blessed by miracle after miracle. We are always ready to tell His story, of coming to earth to die on the cross to free us from the penalty of sin, and thus they can also be freed from that penalty through faith in Jesus. We are admonished to tell our story and his story with all humility and gentleness, respecting them as people who are also God’s creation. We are to have mutual respect for all people, no matter their lifestyle, their life choices, or their beliefs. We understand that if it were not for the grace of God, we would be as there are. When we see someone steeped in sin, we can say, there but for the grace of God, go I. So, without judgment, without thinking more of ourselves then we should, without condemnation, but with respect, we are ready to tell our story, which is due to His story. Oh, what a story we have to tell. I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story ‘twill be my theme in glory, to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love, to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.