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What's Your Reason for Hope? // Time of Grace - YouTube
Channel: Time of Grace Ministry
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When you're a Christian,
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and you live not with this
world or of this world,
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but when you live for God,
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when you value what God values,
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you absolutely are going to stick out.
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People are going to notice.
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And sometimes what they notice
is rather negative about you.
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And so how do you live
that faith in a bold way?
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You're going to stick out
when you do not join in
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with the office gossip about Jessica.
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And the dumb thing that she did again.
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You're going to stick out,
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when you don't join in with mocking Randy,
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for the train wreck of an outfit
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that he wore to school again.
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You're going to stick out,
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when you do not join the
guys at the gentleman's club,
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because that's not
where true gentleman go.
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You're going to stick out.
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And a lot of times it's going to be this,
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the negative aspect of
them looking at you.
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So how do you live that faith?
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Your bold faith in this world
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that's against us as Christians?
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Who value what God values?
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All right, there's a phrase
I want to teach you.
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And this phrase is going
to be really helpful
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in living intentionally your faith.
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When someone wants you to
participate in something
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you don't want to do,
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because you know that
it doesn't honor God,
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say this,
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"Hey, I'm just not
comfortable with that.
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That's all you've got to say.
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"I'm not comfortable with that."
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And when you say that in
a non-confrontational way,
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you're saying, "What
you're doing is wrong.
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"I don't want to do it."
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But you're not being aggressive.
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But yet you're still being intentional.
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And standing on the truth of God's word.
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And so you say, "Hey,
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"I'm just not comfortable with that."
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Now, people are going to notice.
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And more than likely they're
going to ask you,
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"Why?"
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Now, when they ask why,
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there could be a couple different ways.
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It could be an aggressive why, like "Why?"
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What's wrong with you
that you wouldn't do this?
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They might ask you why and say
in a kind of a confused way.
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Like why? I'm shocked that you
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wouldn't want to be part of this.
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It doesn't matter why they say the why.
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It doesn't matter how they say their why.
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You actually kind of
want them to say, "Why?"
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Because now you've started
a dialogue and discussion.
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Because if you just attack them right away
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and say what you're doing is wrong,
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they're not going to listen,
a fight's going to happen.
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God wants us to engage in
communication with others,
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to tell them about Christ.
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And to be intentional with that.
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Peter talked about that.
Peter, who was a disciple.
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A disciple who lived with Jesus
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and walked with Jesus almost every day
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for about three years.
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And he gives us this encouragement,
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on how to live that faith life
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and how to have an answer
when someone asks you "Why?"
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He said this in 1 Peter 3,
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Always be prepared
to give an answer
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to everyone who asks you
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to give the reason for
the hope that you have.
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But do this with gentleness and respect.
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Did you notice Peter doesn't say here,
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be ready to pick a fight.
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Although there's times
when we have to do that,
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I mean, Jesus did that at times.
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Remember he overturns the table changers
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for the money in the temple.
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Jesus would go after the Pharisees,
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but that's when they
were really unrepentant.
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Jesus often tried to work
a conversation, a dialogue.
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And so Peter wants the same for us.
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To be prepared
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to give the reason
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for the hope that you have.
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And what is that hope?
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That hope is Christ.
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Because Jesus changes everything
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and gives you hope.
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His death on the cross
for your forgiveness
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changes absolutely everything.
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Christ destroying grave
and its grip on your soul.
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It changes everything.
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Jesus preparing a
place for you in heaven
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so that he will come back
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to take you,
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to be with him in glory.
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That changes absolutely everything.
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And that gives you boldness
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to live in this life and say, "I'm just,
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"I'm not comfortable with that."
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Hoping they say why.
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So that you could tell them more.
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You tell them about the reason
of the hope that you have.
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You could tell them with
gentleness and respect.
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So be ready.
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Be ready for people to ask you "Why?"
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And to be ready
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to give them Jesus.
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