“Politely Assertive Christianity”

I Peter 3:13-32

Years ago the late actor Patrick Swayze starred in a rather forgettable movie called “Roadhouse.” His character was a bouncer, one of those guys, who among other things, escorts overly rowdy customers out the door. In this case he is the newly hired head bouncer at a roadhouse where customer behaviors have gotten totally out of hand.

As he met with his fellow bouncers he had one word of advice: “Be nice. When customers are out of control politely ask them to change their behavior. If that doesn’t work, then politely ask them to leave. If that doesn’t work, then politely escort them out. Whatever their behavior toward you might be your response is to be nice.”

In a way different context this advice was similar to that which Peter gave to Christians who were being persecuted: “Be nice. Don’t give anyone a valid reason to attack or degrade you. If they do attack or degrade you, keep being nice. If they challenge you to defend your faith, do so with boldness and honesty; do not apologize for being a Christian; do not compromise your faith. Share it assertively, and all the while, be nice. Or as today’s text puts it, ‘Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence’.”

Defend your faith with gentleness and reverence, with utmost courtesy. Do so with polite assertiveness. Be nice – not timid, not embarrassed, not apologetic – but with a niceness that is obviously backed up by spiritual and emotional strength. Don’t allow their fear-based hostility toward you lead you into giving a fear-based defense of your faith.

Reading from verse thirteen, this time from The Message: “If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath.”

The Apostle Paul wrote some similar words to the Christians in Rome: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them… Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… never avenge yourselves… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” That was Paul’s way of saying, “Be nice – not weak, not passive – nice.”

At the beginning of verse eighteen Peter writes, “For Christ also suffered…” This is the point at which I’ll stop dealing with the passage. The rest of the verses require a sermon unto themselves. Whatever, those folks addressed by Peter weren’t going through anything that their Lord had not already experienced. He – also – suffered. Was he weak? No. Was he passive? No. Was he apologetic? No. Neither his message nor his lifestyle was ever compromised. He never backed down. He also never hit back. Our Lord Jesus is our ultimate model for living the Christian life.

The Christian life is not to be lived passively or apologetically. It is to be lived assertively, but politely so. It is not to be lived aggressively. We are never to share or defend our faith with arrogance, hostility, or even defensiveness. We do not attack people in the name of Jesus. We do not hurt or belittle people in the name of Jesus. We do not demand that people respect us or else. The Gospel is a message to be shared not a weapon that we wield.

We live and share our faith honestly and sincerely even in the face of hostility. We are not to be intimidated by those who oppose the Gospel. We should never back down from the truth. We are to be assertive about our faith, but as Peter has instructed us through God’s Word, “with gentleness and reverence.”

What’s that look like for Twenty-First Century American Christianity? What’s that look like for Christians who are not being persecuted? We prayerfully and faithfully stand over against abortion and pornography, using every legal means available. We do not bomb abortion clinics or shoot medical professionals who perform abortions. We don’t commit murder and mayhem in the name of life. And we don’t burn down dirty book stores.

We honestly let people know our beliefs and feelings about homosexual behaviors. We do not physically attack those who practice them. Nor do we demand that they be treated as second-class citizens. We do not self-righteously pry into the private lives of others. We do not engage in nasty name calling. And we most definitely don’t picket the funerals of our fallen military men and women with signs that say, “God hates fags.”

Finally, and this is where some of you may disagree, we do not demand preferential treatment of those who make, enforce, and interpret the laws of our land. And when we don’t receive such treatment we are not to get all bent out of shape about it. Nor dare we in any way equate such things with the persecution many of our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering.

If our culture is adamant about not keeping Christ in Christmas, there’s nothing stopping us from keeping Christ and Christmas in our hearts and homes or wishing those we meet a Merry Christmas. If, for whatever reason, we’re not allowed to post the Ten Commandments in public places, there’s nothing stopping us from keeping them in our lives. And by the way, I really think the Beatitudes should get equal billing. And when those around are hostile toward or belittling of the Gospel, there’s nothing stopping us from saying, “This is what I believe and why I believe it.” And if they don’t want to listen, well then it’s not our job to make them. Or judge them. That’s God’s prerogative.

Our task, better yet our calling, is to follow Jesus, living as much as is humanly possible the way he lived: never apologizing for our faith and never fearing those who oppose it. Our task, again better yet our calling, is to be nice in the face of such opposition. Not weak. Nice. Politely assertive. Responding to those who would belittle us for our faith in ways that are honest, but at the same time gentle, reverent, and courteous.

“Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it gentleness and reverence.” Amen.