Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-11

In 1989 musician Billy Joel was at a turning point in his career.  The successes of songs like Piano Man were well behind him.   In 1989 he turned 40, which in Rock and Roll years is well over the hill.   He was in the studio working on recording Storm Front, which would be his first album in over three years.  While there one day he struck up a conversation with a much younger recording artist.  This person had just turned 21 and they were complaining about coming of age in the 1980s.   He saw his current times as one of upheaval and uncertainty and he lamented about how much easier young people had it thirty years ago.  Billy Joel was a fan of history as well as having more life experience, did not agree with this assessment.   This conversation led him to write the lyrics for what would become the biggest hit off his Storm Front album.   In “We Didn’t Start the Fire” Billy Joel goes through 117 events or people between 1949 and 1989 to illustrate a simple fact.   It does not matter what era one comes of age in, “We didn’t start the fire, it’s been burning since the world’s been turning.”

               Of course, today for a lot of people 1989, when the song was released, feels like simpler times.  This is why almost half of young adults between 18-29 say they would rather live in the past than in the present.   No doubt all the unprecedented times that we have endured for the past several years could easily add a verse or two to “We didn’t start the fire.”   While I do not want to minimize the problems, difficulties, and issues that plague our modern world.  The fact that Bill Joel’s song is thirty-seven years old really shows that its always something.   This morning’s scripture from Peter is written for those days when those somethings feel a little extra heavy.   When it feels like the world is on fire, this morning’s scripture encourages us to stand firm and tells us how we do it. 

               In 1 Peter 5:12, it is stated the letter was written to encourage the recipients.  They needed encouragement because the groups of believers who were certainly going through something.  Unfortunately, we cannot say with 100% certainty what that something was.   .  1 Peter 1:6 acknowledges the believers are currently suffering grief in all kinds of trials.  As we read last week in 1 Peter 3:14, the believers were encouraged with “do not fear their threats, do not be frightened.”   Then in chapter 4, verse 12, Peter wrote, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you.” 

               Whatever these churches were enduring did not rise to the level of making the greater historical record, this was not some event like the general persecution of Christians that would come later.  It is likely that what these Christians faced was less formal and it was more experienced on a local level.  They could have been targeted by biased authorities, it could have been cultural pressure like shunning, or it could have been a loss of business or employment.   While we do not know exactly what the issues were, clearly it was always something. 

This morning’s scripture is Peter’s final encouragement to these believers.  Even though we are separated by oceans and centuries from these believers, for us it is also always something.  The encouragement and direction that Peter wrote in this morning’s scripture can still be incredibly relevant for us today.  To stand strong, to be firm and steadfast, Peter points out three things that the believers he wrote, and we, can do. 

               The first direction Peter gives is to “humble yourself, therefore under God’s mighty hand.”    Even though the bible tends to lift up being humble as a virtue, we tend to have a negative association with the word.  After all, the word humiliation comes from the same root.   We tend to shortcut being humble as downplaying ourselves, but I do not think that is the best definition of humility.   I think C.S. Lewis defined it best.  He defined being humble as “not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”  

               Being humble means that we strive not to always center ourselves.  Whenever there is something, instead of focusing on “how does this impact me?” the humble response is to center our focus elsewhere.  In this morning’s scripture, Peter specifically suggests to center our focus on God.  This is not surprising because it echoes what Jesus himself taught, we said the greatest commandment is to Love the Lord your God with all your heat and with all your soul and with all your mind.   

               To center on focus on something other than ourselves, does not mean that we make ourselves a martyr and ignore our basic physical, emotional, spiritual needs. What we are going through still matters, and how we feel about it is still valid.   When we center on something other than ourselves though, when we center on God, then our worries and problems do not often loom as large in our minds.  Helen Lemmel captured this idea in a song she wrote in 1922: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the tings of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

               When we de-center ourselves, and center our Savior, then the second direction Peter gave becomes easier.  He wrote, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares about you.”   Based on the content of 1 Peter, the people the letter was originally addressed to had valid reasons to be anxious, and because it’s always something we do too.   A 2025 study found that almost half of US adults report having clinical levels of anxiety, and almost half report they felt more anxious than they did the previous year.   Which I get, because there is a lot to be anxious about right now.  

Putting a focus on God and casting our anxieties God’s way has the potential to lessen how big and overwhelming they feel.  Because we can remember that God is bigger than that worries and troubles us.   We can remember that even though it is always something, it does not matter what that something is because God is still God, Jesus is still a savior who defeated death and sin, and there will still be a day when Jesus comes back, God wipes way every tear and there will be no more crying or suffering ever again. 

While casting our anxieties upon God can be helpful, that does not minimize having feelings of anxiety in the first place.   We do have to be cautious not to overemphasize things and treat feelings like anxiety as something that will go away if someone just prayed harder or had a stronger faith.  Because you can still trust in Jesus and go to therapy.  You can take your medicine in the morning and still cast your anxieties towards God.  Faith and outside help are not mutually exclusive and to suggest otherwise is absurd and harmful.  Seeking help is not an admission of spiritual weakness.  Casting our anxieties on God and focusing on the eternal care God has for us, can be helpful in dealing with the overwhelming somethings of life, but it does not need to be, and perhaps shouldn’t be, the only method we look towards to deal with the troubles of any given day. 

               This leads to the next direction that Peter gives in verses 8-9: “Be alter and of sober mind.  Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”  This is an area where we do have to be careful not to get too lost in the weeds.  I do not deny that there are spiritual forces of evil in this world, but I am also confident that every setback and inconvenience in our lives is the work of the devil.  It does not matter if the cause is supernatural or not, the fact of the matter is that is always something, and no matter what the cause Peter’s advice here is worth taking to heart. 

               The phrase be “alert and of sober mind” specifically is a reference to drunkenness, but in general it is also a warning not to let ourselves get too distracted.   Whenever our focus is more on what we can do to avoid our worries or how we can ignore the problems of the world, then we are not being alert and sober minded.   When we are focused on hiding or running from problems, then it allows sin to take root in our lives in some unexpected ways.   

               Often, we think of sin as the wrong that we do, but there are other ways that we can fall short of the glory of God and not live the way God would have us live.   There is a theological concept of sins of omission.  This is when we do not do the good that we know we should do.  Our communion liturgy recognizes how prone we are to this kind of sin, because the prayer we confess together states “we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray.”  When we are busy trying to distract ourselves from the problems of the world, then we completely fail to see the good God would have us to do.    In a similar fashion there is a theological concept known as systemic sin.  These are sinful attitudes and actions that are held up by cultural forces or even institutional structures like laws.  One of the easiest examples to point to of a systemic sin is racism.  When we are not alert and sober to the needs of the world around us, then we can end up participating in these sinful systems.   Our actions or our inactions can then cause harm to others.   Perhaps this is what it means the devil is looking for someone to devour.  By not being alert and of sober mind we get dragged into accepting what is wrong as normal, we get used to not doing the good God would have us to do. 

               Instead of seeking to avoid our worries and the problems of the world, Peter’s advice is to stand firm in the faith.  Because this morning’s scripture is just one big thought, this connects back to Peter’s other directions.  We stand firm in the faith, when we de-center ourselves and focus on Jesus.   We stand firm with our minds and our secured in the knowledge that Jesus is the foundation upon which we are planted.   I think that Baptist Minister Edward Mote put it best.  Mote was born in London in the 19th century to tavern owners.  He grew up with know concept of religion or even God.  As an apprentice cabinet maker though, the master craftsman he was under insisted he attend church with him.  There, very much like the first believers that Peter wrote this morning’s scripture to, Mote learned of a new way of life, he experienced grace, and forgiveness of sins.  It was while working in the workshop one morning, while reflecting on how following Jesus changed his life that verses to a song started to form in his mind.   While the whole song is a personal favorite, I think the third verse really speaks to this morning’s scripture.  Mote wrote, “His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood.  When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”     
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               I think Billy Joel was right, “we didn’t start the fire, it’s been burning since the world’s been turning”, but I think Edward Mote hit on an even more profound truth.  It’s always something, but throughout it all Jesus Christ is the solid rock upon which we stand.   When Jesus is our center, when he is the foundation that we are built from, then it is possible to de-center ourselves, cast our anxieties on him, and stand firm in the faith.   I know the world is an anxious place right now, and (again) I do not want to minimize how that might make you feel, but I hope we all may better put our focus on the God who cares for us instead of all that makes us anxious.  At the same time though, may we be alert and sober so that we stand strong, firm, and steadfast.  Even though it’s always something, may we truly be able to say my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.  

Scripture:  1 Peter 3:13-19

​               In the early 1980’s McDonald’s had claimed the spot as the top fast-food chain in America.  To challenge this dominance, A&W went all in on a new strategy.  One of McDonald’s most popular items was the quarter pounder, so A&W launched a 1/3-pound burger for the same price.  Despite huge marketing push and despite being a bigger burger for a better value, The A&W 1/3rd pounder absolutely flopped.   When the company did research into why this happened, they discovered that for the average consumer a 1/4th a pound felt bigger than a 1/3rd a bound because four is bigger than three.  The product failure was due to consumer feeling, even though that feeling had no basis in factual reality.  

               The A&W 1/3rd pounder failure is a case study in social science about how feeling can have a bigger impact than fact.   Sometimes the way we feel actually runs counter to the reality of the situation and this can influence our personal decisions but also larger cultural movements and even official policy.   In the realm of faith an example of an area where feeling does not keep up with fact is the idea that in the United States persecution of Christians is increasing.   This has been a persistent thought for more than a decade now.  A 2016 Barna study found that among those who identify as evangelical 60% stated they believed it was somewhat accurate or very accurate that they were being persecuted in society.   A 2021 Lifeway research study found 59% of all those surveyed who identified as Christians believed they faced increased persecution and a 2023 Pew Research survey found that 60% of evangelical Christians believed they faced increased discrimination.  

               Yet, the reality does not match that feeling.  By any objective measurement or standard American Christians are not persecuted.  There is full freedom of religion, churches still receive privileges like tax exempt status, and there is not systematic violence or discrimination against Christians.  There are several places in the world where persecution does actively happen today, but we are fortunate not to live in one of those places. Despite there not being real persecution, feeling like there might has been persistent for years.   This is because while there is not persecution there has been a loss of cultural relevance and cultural privilege for Christians in the United States. 

 For instance, Sunday used to be a protected day.  Because it was the Lord’s Day, all businesses closed, and the day was reserved for church.  Today, Sunday is another day, and in fact it is usually the best day to hold youth sporting events.  In a lot of ways, Christian used to be the default setting in American culture, and that is not the case anymore.  Commentators have pointed out that the United States is steadily moving to a post-Christian culture, and if trends continue then by 2070 a minority of Americans, 46% will identify as Christian. A loss of cultural standing, privilege, and trust does not equate to persecution, but the surveys have consistently shown that for a lot of people it feels that way.  
These feelings come about because the Christian faith does not quite fit with the culture around us the way many of us remember.  Given those feelings and given that our culture is an ongoing shift to being post-Christian, this morning’s scripture can be a helpful guide.  The audience Peter was writing to also found their faith out of sorts with their culture, and his advice to them is still incredibly relevant to us today.   In this morning’s scripture Peter guides us in how we can respond to whatever comes next. 

Trying to get a good feel of ancient culture is never an easy task, but there are some solid historical context clues that Christianity was not terribly popular in the culture at the time Peter wrote this morning’s scripture.  First, we have the accounts in Acts where Paul met significant resistance.   On more than occasion Paul was driven out of town or had to be snuck out of town to avoid violence because there was some much resistance to the message of grace that challenged the conventional religious systems of the day.   Second, 1 Peter is often thought to have been written during the 60s AD, which is during the reign of the Emperor Nero.   Nero is often remembered as setting off the first official Roman persecution of Christians.   This is because when Rome burned in AD 64 he needed a scapegoat, and   he picked Christians to be the target.   The fact that Nero felt Christians would make an easy scapegoat hints at their general unpopularity in the culture at large. 

This morning’s scripture also gives us a context clue, because in it Peter acknowledges that this first generation of Christians that he was writing to have a fear of being harmed for their beliefs.   Seeing as how persecution under Nero was just around the corner, their fears were not entirely unfounded.   Even though these believers did not know exactly what would be coming in their future, in this morning’s scripture Peter told them how to be ready for what comes next.  Today, we live in a shifting culture where the Christian faith is becoming less relevant in larger cultural conversations, and the culture is moving to a Christian minority standpoint.  The same advice that Peter gave in this morning’s scripture is still what prepares us for what comes next.  

In this morning’s scripture, Peter writes that we are revere Christ as Lord, and we also should “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”   There are a couple things that I really like about Peter’s direction here.  First, he puts forth the best thing we can do in a potentially hostile culture is to always be willing to talk about our faith.  If we truly revere Christ as Lord, if we believe he is the most important thing in the world to us, why would we be quiet about him?   I do not like how, for decades faith has been considered one of the forbidden topics that is not supposed to ever be talked about, and it is supposed to only be a private affair.  In general, we talk about what we care about, what we are passionate about, and what we think is important.   Peter wrote to an audience that faced a greater possibility of harm for what they believed than we do, and he told them not to be afraid to talk about what they believe.   We should also be willing to do the same. 

Second, I really appreciate how Peter encouraged the believers to talk about their faith.   He did not write “always be prepared to give a three-point argument, citing credible sources, for what you believe.”   He did not write that we need to be prepared to win an argument or have the right witty one-liners to shut down all objections.  Sometimes to talk about our faith we feel like we must have all the answers before we say anything, but that is not what the scripture states.  We do not have to have all the answers; we have to have hope.   As followers of Christ, we should have hope.  This question this scripture really puts before us is what is your reason for hope? 

You may have never considered the question of why Jesus gives you hope.   Yet according to this morning’s scripture, that is question we need to be most prepared to answer when it comes to sharing our faith.   If you consider yourself a Christian, if you revere Christ as Lord in your hearts, then there should be a reason why you find hope in Christ.   While the reason that resonates with us, might be a little different from someone else we all should be able to point to how following Christ fills us with hope.  The good news is that there is no shortage of ways we can find hope in Christ. 
 
Perhaps, you find hope in the forgiveness of grace.   There is hope that your past does not define your future, and that God is a God of second chances.   Perhaps you find hope in the radical inclusion of God’s love.  There is hope in the assurance that you are uniquely hand crafted by the same God that creates universes.  That you are not broken, that you are not junk, and that you are loved as you are and that God proved this love through his son Jesus Christ.   Perhaps you find hope in the transformative power of Christ.   There is hope in knowing that even though there is darkness in the world, the light of Christ has come, the darkness can not over come it, and through the power of Christ we can also shine that light and make a real difference for tomorrow.    Perhaps you find hope in an eternal Christ that was and is and is to come.  There is hope in knowing that the body of Christ existed long before any of us and it will endure long after any of us, but we each have are part in it.  There is hope in knowing that there is a seat reserved for us in eternity.  Following Jesus means that we should have a reason for hope.  We should know what our reason for hope is, and we should be able to express the hope we find in Christ.  

Verse 15 does contain a final instruction about sharing our hope.  It says we are to do it with “gentleness and respect.”  When it comes to dialogue in our current culture there is not a lot of gentleness and respect.   Too often conversations about important topics like faith are treated less like conversations and more like debates.  Instead of a honest dialogue, too many people just wait for their turn to speak, or more often stop pretending to listen and talk over the other person.  Too often topics like faith are treated like contests to be won.   Perhaps this is why the words that non-Christians most associate with Christians are words like judgmental and hateful.   Instead of treating faith conversations like debates, this morning’s scripture gives us a better starting point: gentleness and respect.  

               We should have a baseline level of respect for all people, because every single person that we have ever seen, that we have interacted with, that we have talked to is beloved by God and has sacred worth.   Every single person is a precious creation of God, and so we should treat every person respectfully because we should respect the God who made them.  Not only should we treat people with respect, but we should also treat them with gentleness.  We should do this because Jesus told us to.   In the gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus teaching these words: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” 

               When it comes to having conversations with people, especially conversations where there may be room for differing opinions or disagreements, gentleness is how we would want to be treated.  We do not want to be yelled at, talked down, dismissed outright, or insulted.   Yet when it comes to topics of faith this is how those conversations have gone for far too many people.   We should treat people with respect because God cares about them, and we show that we also care by treating people with gentleness.  There is an old adage that has a lot of truth to it.   People do not care what we have to say until they know that we care.   Perhaps the best way that we push back against a culture shifting away from Christianity is not to yell louder, but it is to show we care and then when people are ready to listen, we show them hope and not judgement. 
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               Like the audience that Peter wrote this morning’s scripture to, we also live in a culture that has a rocky relationship with Christianity.    Peter’s advice on how to deal with what comes next is just as relevant today.   May you know the hope that you have and.   may you be prepared to share your hope.   May the hope we have in Christ work in our lives to increase our love for other people so that we treat them with gentleness and respect.   May we share our hope with others and with our community so that what comes next is we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.