"Be Prepared to Make a Defense"

 

I Peter 3:13-22

 

     On Thursday as I was coming back from lunch I heard a bird flapping its wings in the tree just outside of the office area.  When I looked it appeared the bird was struggling and upon closer examination I could see that it had a string wrapped around its legs that was coming from its nest.  With Susan Watson's help I was able to knock the string loose from the nest.  But the robin was unable to fly and he dropped into the bushes.  He was helpless as the string was still wrapped around his legs.  We got a pair of scissors and we were finally able to cut the string and free the bird so that he could fly away.

 

      I thing the members of the Confirmation Class are a lot like that robin.  They are out there dangling, trying to figure out who they are.  They are testing the waters, tiptoeing away from the nest, and often get all tangled up and they need someone to help them become free so that they can begin to ascend upward. 

 

      I Peter was written to people who were new in the Christian faith.  They had been stuck until they heard about the salvation that comes from God in Jesus Christ and now they were beginning to learn about what it means to be free in Christ.  I think Peter has some good things to say to young people who are completing their confirmation experience, which means it should be good advice for people who have been Christians for a long time as well.

 

       First, be zealous for what is right.  In other words, be eager to do good.  He is not saying be timid.  Be active in doing good.  If you do good and suffer for it, be prepared to defend your faith.  If someone asks you at school why you are a Christian, be prepared to share what you believe with them.  Be a witness to Jesus Christ.  But do not brow beat them.  Do it with gentleness and reverence. 

 

      One of the things this means is that we cannot live on the surface.  We have to search the depths of our souls to determine what we believe.  And somehow we are called upon to interpret those beliefs to a culture that wants to live on the surface. 

 

      I've never been a good swimmer.  I always like keeping my head above water.  I feel like it is safer there.  But last summer we went snorkeling for the first time and I had the opportunity to see some beautiful sights under water that I would have never seen if I had not been willing to look below the surface.

 

      I think life is a bit like that. It is easy to stay on the surface, to not search the depths.  But when we do search the depths we discover things that add meaning to our lives and help us see life in new ways.  I think Peter is trying to convey to his readers that if they are to grow in faith, if they are going to be able to articulate their faith, they need to look below the surface.  If they are to going to be strong enough to suffer for doing right, they have to have a strong faith, which means they have to know what they believe.

 

       Peter was convinced that if Christians act that way, it will persuade others to become part of the faith.  That is our vocation, our purpose.  Our hope is that through our words and actions people will come to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, that they will recognize that life is not just a journey, it is a journey in faith.