• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

"Called to this"

Text: 1 Peter 3:9

LIVING UP TO OUR CALLING

Thank God for the salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Through the Spirit of God, we are enabled to live for the Lord distinctively and differently from the world.

“Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling,
but on the contrary blessing, knowing that
you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
1 Peter 3:9

1. “Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling”

a) “Evil”

i) Some may plan to do evil against us.

ii) But we must never return evil.

b) “Reviling”

i) Some may speak evil things against us (cursing).

ii) But we must never revile in return.

2. “But on the contrary blessing”

a) People of the world “hit back”.

b) People of the Lord choose “blessing”.

3. “Knowing that you were called to this”

a) The word “knowing” is in the NKJV text.

b) It is a good reminder of what we have learned and known.

c) “Called to this”

i) This harks back to what the Lord Jesus taught (Matthew 5:43-48).

ii) We bless those who curse us (Matthew 5:44).

d) The challenge is to seek to fulfil this high calling.

e) This is, of course, not easy at all!

4. “That you may inherit a blessing”

a) The blessings of the Lord are already rich and wonderful.

b) Inheritance in this context speaks of:

i) Being given a special blessing from the Lord.

ii) As a special “reward” for practising what it means to be children of God (Matthew 5:46).