Always Being Ready
1 Peter 3:15: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
It is one of the most-used passages when talking about evangelism.
It is a great three point sermon:
Know your hope. Jesus died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised from the dead. If we believe in him, we too will be raised from the dead to live for eternity.
Why it matters. We should all know and be able to explain why this is personal. Share why Jesus matters to you personally. It matters.
Be ready. Have your testimony/witness/story ready to share. Or know your verses. Stress that the way we live will lead people to ask us about our hope.
While these are certainly appropriate, I think this verse should actually be a five-point sermon.
The first point (before the three above) should certainly be about honoring Christ in our hearts. You cannot lead people somewhere you are not. If Jesus does not have your heart, it will be difficult to share a hope that may not be a reality in your life. The key to having more evangelistic members of your church is to have more members who are committed to Jesus.
And the final point: do it all with gentleness and respect. This is a great reminder. Because we love Jesus, we should treat people as he did. Helping people to see Jesus, learn about Jesus, and follow Jesus is often a difficult process. It needs a gentle hand. After all, we cannot force people to become disciples. Patience and gentleness. Respect. I do not have to agree with what they now believe in order to be respectful. Be polite and respectful. Be patient and gentle.
I love the core of this passage and use it often in lessons on making followers. But that first and last point sure make a good introduction and conclusion.
