Oct. 26, 2025

Pastor Dave's sermon begins at 20:35 min into the video. The music "Just a Closer Walk with Thee", "Lord I Lift Your Name On High",  "Here I Am To Worship",  "How Great Thou Art",  "How Great Is Our God", "Children Blessing", and "The Blessing" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

Pastor Dave opened with 1 Peter 3:8-12, introducing a two-week series on being called to blessing. The central theme: As Christ followers passing through this world, we're appointed to be a blessing to others through five key Christian virtues, even when mistreated. He explained that Peter wrote to believers as "sojourners and pilgrims" whose real home is eternity, making these instructions vital for how we live temporarily in this world.

Five Christian Virtues for Blessing Others

Pastor Dave emphasized that verse 8 begins with "Finally, all of you"—not just some, but every believer. He humorously acknowledged our tendency to hear sermons on behalf of others: "How many times have you thought, 'Boy, I hope my husband or wife hears that'?" But today's message was for each person individually. He outlined five characteristics that should mark our lives:

1. Be of One Mind (Live in Harmony): Pastor Dave stressed unity among believers, noting how division creeps into our world and sometimes into God's people. He referenced Jesus' prayer in John 17, Paul's body analogy in 1 Corinthians 12, and other passages calling for unity. "If we could just remember that, Jesus is enough," he said, explaining how losing focus on Christ breeds division. Living in harmony looks like cooperation despite diversity, mutual support, being easily entreated, and humility—"a lot like what we experience every single week here" at Faith Community.

2. Have Compassion (Sympathy): This means entering into others' experiences, whether joy or sorrow. As Romans teaches, "rejoice with those who rejoice and sorrow with those who sorrow." Pastor Dave shared how ministry allows him to celebrate life's greatest moments and walk through darkest times with people. "Both of those things are blessings," he reflected, emphasizing how compassion makes us other-focused rather than self-focused.

3. Love as Brothers (Brotherly Love): Using the Greek word phileo, Pastor Dave explained this as family love—the kind where "them's our people" even when they're different or difficult. He joked about family members: "I may call them a nut, but don't you dare call them a nut, right?" This loyalty and belonging should characterize believers because "you're my people because you're a Jesus person."

4. Be Tender-Hearted (Compassionate): Being moved to action by others' needs, like Jesus who was "moved with compassion." Pastor Dave warned that constant chaos and pride can make us callous, leading to judgmental attitudes like "they should make better decisions." True tender-heartedness feels for people even when they've caused their own problems.

5. Be Courteous (Humble-Minded): Simply put others before yourself with a humble attitude.

The Blessing of Obedience and Responding to Evil

Pastor Dave explained that "the seed of the blessing is in obedience." Living harmoniously brings fellowship; being compassionate invites compassion back. When we fall short—and he admitted, "Sometimes I don't do any of those five very well"—he offered five responses borrowed from John Piper: repent, reach out to Jesus, request His help, relish God's word, and resolve to practice.

The challenging conclusion came from verse 9: don't return evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead. "Man, that goes against everything in our humanness, doesn't it?" Pastor Dave acknowledged how we lose sleep planning retaliation, but releasing others through blessing and forgiveness brings peace. He closed by asking two reflection questions: What is God saying to me today, and how am I going to respond? "Remember, we're not thinking for our neighbor... we're hearing for ourselves."