1 Peter 3:8-12.

Key verse 3-9.

Title: Do good instead of evil.

Praise the Lord to everyone. You are all welcome today. I thank to all of those who come to God. Trust me God will bless you all.

Today we are going to talk that when we start moving forward in Christian life, then many times we treat people well. Because the Bible teaches us to do good to people. That's why we try to be a good Christian and start doing good to people. But in return, we have to suffer. Because not everyone reads the Bible. Those people consider those who do good as fools or take advantage of them when they need them. And then ignore them and move on. There must be many of you people who treated people well but people do not treat you as you deserve. People must have used you or took advantage of you many times. They are people who are around you or your close relatives or your friends.

But I believe that you do good to people because that's what the Bible teaches us. We do good not because we want people may get attracted to us,

 but we do good because we have learned this from the Bible and secondly that people may believe in God through our actions or we get such a chance that we can tell people about Jesus. 

But the question is, what do you think then, or what do you want to do then? When people give you evil for good?

Perhaps you must have been angry at that time, and would have felt that you simply do not do any good anymore. But today's verses show that do good instead of evil, which is pleasing to God. And you have also been called for such work. The purpose of writing this book is that Christians should do good work. They became not like the world but like Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is the best example. He never did evil for evil, but always gave place to good. We all know that Jesus was praying for people even on the cross. There are many examples in the Bible to whom people did evil, but they always did good. such as David, Stephen and Joseph. All these examples are because we should always do what is pleasing to God in our life.

1. Do you know that when David's reputation began to rise in Israel, Saul wanted David to die (1 Samuel 19). But David who loved God never killed Saul. Although David had opportunities to kill Saul, David always did good to Saul (1 Samuel 24:16-17).

2. Acts chapter 7 tells that when Stephen was speaking the words among the people, the people turned against him and killed him by pelting stones. But he still prays for those people. May God forgive these people.

3. Do you know about Joseph that his own brothers sold him (Genesis 37). Then he was taken to Egypt but never rebelled against his brothers, but when there was a famine in all the countries. Then Joseph helped them (Genesis 45:3-5).

These three were able to do good instead of evil because they loved and pleased God.

From the very beginning all those who loved God did good instead of evil. And this is what today's words teaches us. What do you guys think would have happened if David had killed Saul or what would have happened if Stephen had abandoned the gospel to avoid being stoned?? Or what would have happened if Joseph had taken revenge on his brothers after becoming the Prime Minister of Egypt? I understand that if these people had done evil instead of evil, then there would be a lack of blessings in the life of these people.

Jesus taught many times to forgive, love, and do good. Not only for your friends or relatives, but also for strangers and even your enemies and persecutors (Matthew 5:44).

Jesus has given us the spirit to love, to forgive, and to do good, but we try to hold the spirit many times. We act according to the policies of the world and not according to this Spirit that we have received through Jesus. We behave according to people's actions. Do you know that once Jesus wanted to go through Samaria but the people there did not allow Jesus to come to Samaria. On this the disciples asked Jesus that should we command, that fire should come down from the sky and consume them. You know what Jesus said?? Jesus said to those disciples that do you not know which spirit is in you, I have come not to destroy but to give life.

As a Christian, it is our job to do good to people. And this is also our true service. Because by doing this we show the faith that we place in Jesus. (Luke 6:27-28) It says that we are to love our enemies and do good to our enemies.

(1 Peter 2:21-23). It tells us that we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In this way we can pass the gospel of Jesus (1 Christian love) to the people we have received. And can also unite them (2 Christian lives for whom).

1- "Christian love" is not just giving our words to people. Like we do most of the time. Love should be not only in words but also in our actions, just like Jesus did, he showed his love not only in words but through his actions. Our nature should be like this too.

2 - "The encouragement to live Christian Life" when we treat people with good instead of evil. So somewhere we are going to influence their thinking. Due to which there is a possibility of change in their life. Because of such deeds, we can also be soul saviours for the kingdom of God.

      We all need to be a good Christian. And we cannot represent the Christian life without good works and without loving people. This is a difficult task, but it is also necessary. Try your whole life to do good deeds with people.

      Amen.