The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 353: Sharing the Gospel (2023)

Episode Date: December 19, 2023

Fr. Mike shares how verse 1 Peter 3:15 about being ready to give a reason for the faith that is within us has been one of the most influential Bible verses for him. As we start reading 1 Thessalonians today, Fr. Mike also highlights how Paul is encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians and stresses the importance of not only sharing the gospel but also sharing our very selves. Today's readings are 1 Peter 3-5, 1 Thessalonians 1-3, and Proverbs 30:15-16. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation. Discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today, it is day 353, once again a palindrome day. I don't know why I have to point that out every time, but we're reading the second half of 1 Peter 3, 4, and 5. We're also starting St. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians chapters 1, 2, and 3. So six chapters today, including Proverbs chapter 30,

verses 15 and 16. As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast for these last couple weeks and receive daily episodes and daily updates, and you won't have to go hunting and pecking for each episode every single day, you know, because today is day 353, and we're reading 1 Peter chapter 3, 4, and 5, 1 Thessalonians chapters 1, 2, and 3, as well as Proverbs chapter 30, verses 15 and 16.

The first letter of Peter, chapter 3, wives and husbands. Likewise, you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives when they see irreverent and chaste behavior. Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of robes, but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you. Likewise, you husbands,

live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for doing right. Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy,

love of the brethren, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not return evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless. For to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing. For he that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. Let him turn away from evil and do right. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil. Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? But even if you do suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord.

Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and reverence, and keep your conscience clear, so that when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah

during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. Chapter 4. Good Stewards of God's Grace. Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought. For whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions, but by the will of God. Let the time that is past suffice for doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness,

passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry. They are surprised that you do not now join them in the same wild debauchery, and they abuse you. But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God. The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all, hold unfailing to your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a giftudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God, whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies, in order that in everything,

God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker. Yet, if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let

him glorify God. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God, and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear? Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will do right, and entrust their souls to a faithful creator. Chapter 5. Tending the Flock of Christ. So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed, tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint, but willingly, not for shameful gain,

but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd is manifested, you will obtain the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you that are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith,

knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Final greeting and benediction. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God.

Stand fast in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in Christ. The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. Chapter 1. Salutation. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians and God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. The Thessalonians' God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.

The Thessalonians Faith and Example We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren, beloved by God, that he has chosen you. For our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Chapter 2. Paul's ministry in Thessalonica. For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness.

Nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember our labor and toil, brethren. We worked night and day that we might not burden any of you while we preached to you

the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you you believers. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus, which are in Judea.

For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displeased God and oppose all men by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last. Paul's desire to visit the Thessalonians again. But since we were deprived of you, brethren, for a short time, in person, not in heart,

we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you, I, Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. Chapter 3. Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the gospel of Christ, to establish you in your faith and to exhort you, that no one be moved by these afflictions. You yourselves know that this is to be our lot, for when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and as you know.

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent that I might know your faith for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor would be in vain. Timothy's good report. But now that Timothy has come to us from you and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly

and long to see us as we long to see you. For this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction, we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we feel for your sake before our God, praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now, may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men as we do to you, so that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

The book of Proverbs chapter 30 verses 15 and 16. The leech has two daughters. Give, give, they cry. Three things are never satisfied. Four never say enough. Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire which never says enough. Father in heaven, we give you praise. We thank you so much. Thank you for Peter once again today. Thank you for Paul. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that has reached out to us

and continues to speak to us through your word that you have given to us for so many years. Lord God, we ask you to please continue to shape our hearts, continue to change our hearts, make them more like you, help us to imitate Jesus Christ, whose spirit you have given to us, to give us wisdom, to give us strength, to give us courage. And in this moment right now, Lord, to give us hope, especially in the midst of suffering for doing what's right. Also, Lord God, we know that many of us not only suffer for doing what's right also, Lord God. We know that many of us not only suffer for doing what's right, we also, many of us suffer

because of the consequences of our own actions that we've chosen wrong in our day. We've chosen wrong at some points in our lives and now we're experiencing the burden of that choice. We're experiencing the reality of that choice and we ask you, Lord God, come and meet us in our need. Come and meet us in our weakness. Come and meet us in our brokenness. Without you, we can do nothing. Whether this is

our own making or whether this was a trouble that has come upon us, even in the midst of virtue. Regardless, Lord, we ask you to be with us because we need you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit amen so I had that prayer because you know Saint Peter in first Peter chapter three he says talk about suffering for doing what's right and he says it basically there's some words that he has that are um you know if you're suffering for doing what's wrong that's you know that's that's fine whatever but he says ah you want to suffer for doing what's right that's actually a good thing and I find myself saying well sometimes I suffer for doing what's right also that's actually a good thing. And I find myself saying, well, sometimes I suffer for doing what's right. Also, I find myself suffering the consequences of my own choices too often.

I said that thing I shouldn't have said. I didn't do the thing I should have done. You know what I'm saying? And so I just need the Lord's grace to meet me in all situations and in all times. One of the things that is so important and powerful for me personally in 1 Peter 3, so important and powerful for me personally in first peter chapter 3 beginning with verse 15 this is a a verse that defined and charted the course of much of my life i mean truly peter says always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is within you yet do it with gentleness and reverence and keep your conscience clear there is something about that that just so always be ready to give a reason for the faith that's within you. I mean, different translations word it slightly differently. Here in the RSV, Second Catholic

Edition says, always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you. I've heard years ago, it was always ready to give a reason for the hope or reason for the faith that's within you. When I was in high school, this line just struck me so powerfully. In fact, it's the reason why when I went to college, I studied theology. I said, that's what I want to do. I want to be able to study scripture. I want to be able to study God's word. I want to be able to study philosophy.

I want to know. I want to be able to give a reason for why I believe what I believe. It was, as I said, it was the guiding principle, the guiding scripture for so much of my life. And I'm so grateful to the Lord that he has allowed me to proclaim that word today. And I'm so grateful to the Lord that he's allowed us all to hear that word today. Always be ready, always be ready to give a reason for the faith that's within you. But also I like how Peter says it. He says, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.

Yet do it with gentleness and reverence, not with a sledgehammer, not with any power tools, not with just this kind of club that you want to beat people over the head with, but do it with gentleness and reverence and keep your conscience clear so that when you're abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. That's so important. Now, next is in the same chapter three, just a couple lines down, Peter talks about the days of Noah, right? And how God saved the people of Noah, eight people in all, through water. In verse 21, he says, baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you. And this is one of the places where we get the doctrine that baptism does

something. Baptism actually saves us. It's not simply a sign of a preexisting condition. It actually does something. In fact, all the sacraments, we believe, all the sacraments do something. And here is Peter making it absolutely clear that baptism saves you. That isn't just a kind of a sign of your salvation, but it actually does save you. Just like living in an ark in the middle of a flood isn't a sign of your salvation. It's actually what's saving you. So that's kind of a kind of slightly important little piece there,

both explaining the faith and be able to defend it in gentleness and reverence, as well as the fact that baptism saves us now. Peter is incredibly, incredibly eager to remind Christians that we have to, absolutely have to be on guard. He talks about in chapter four, verse seven, he says, the end of all things is at hand. Therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all, hold unfailing your love for one another. Since love covers a multitude of sins, practice hospitality, ungrudgingly to one another as each has received a gift, employ it for one another as good stewards of God's very grace. And then he goes on to talk about the different gifts you can have, whether they're speaking or having strength to serve or

whatever it is, that do everything so that God may be glorified. But he does talk about how we have to be prepared. And he does make it absolutely clear that our battle is not with flesh and blood, just like St. Paul had said. He says, ah, this is so important. Chapter five, verse six, humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that in due time, he may exalt you. Verse seven, cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Another translation is, cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you. I like that one too, because, you know, care and care. Verse eight, be sober, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, resist him firm in your faith. This is so incredibly

important for every one of us to acknowledge, to understand and to engage and to accept is that, yes, our battle, once again, not with principalities and powers, but with the evil one, or sorry, our battle is with principalities and powers, with the evil one. And we have to be sober. We have to be alert. We have to resist him firm in our faith. But also, knowing you're not alone. St. Peter says, knowing that the same experience

of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the whole world. And that suffering is not to an empty end. It's to a very powerful end. Verse 10, and after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you to him, be dominion forever and ever. So good. Wow. That's the conclusion of St. Peter's first letter. Tomorrow, we're going to be able to hear a second letter.

And I'm just, I'm so grateful because it's, we're actually going to hear the entire second letter tomorrow. It's just three chapters, one through three. Today, we're also introduced to the Thessalonians and Paul. And one thing to know about the Thessalonians, Paul loves them. I mean, just you're talking about someone's favorites. Okay. I think the Thessalonians might be Paul's favorites. He's just talking about, I love you. I love you.

You're great. You encourage me. In fact, with all the struggles he had with the Corinthians, I mean, gosh, think about that or the Galatians or even the Ephesians, the Thessalonians, he is just, I can't wait to see you. You're my favorites. Why? Because you received God's word.

You're saying yes to it. Now, I know so many of us, we might be God's favorites because we need his love more than anyone else does. We might be God's favorites because he pours his love on us because we need it more. But in this case, St. Paul, he is just so encouraged. He is so encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians that it just, you can't walk away from this reading without kind of a smile on your face. One of the pieces that marks St. Paul's letter here that we just heard is he says, you know, you know that when we came among you, we were not only willing to share with you the gospel of God, but also our very selves. This is chapter two, verse eight. He says,

so being affectionately desirous of you, we are ready to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our very selves. And that is, you know, we have missionaries on our campus. They're focused missionaries. It stands for Fellowship of Catholic University Students. And that is how they live. It is incredible. They not only run Bible studies, they don't just do like discipleship. They don't just put on events. They truly get into the lives of our college students and they just, yeah, they share themselves. They don't just share the gospel. They share their very lives and share their very selves.

And this is the way in which every single missionary has to live. And the fact that if you're a baptized Christian, that means you're a missionary. You're a missionary disciple. And we are called to follow Jesus and then to bring as many people to him as we possibly can, which means that the way we do that is the way that St. Paul describes how he was among the Thessalonians, to not just share the gospel of God,

not just share the teaching, but also to share our very lives. One of the things I've said and I will say again and again is I believe that the gospel in our culture, that Christ in our culture, the gospel will not be advanced from a stage or from necessarily a podcast or from anyone on any kind of screen or any kind of internet platform, but the gospel will be truly advanced through families and through friendships. I just,

I'm so convinced of this. The gospel will advance, yeah, in some other ways, because these tools are awesome. Like this podcast, I'm so grateful to be part of this community. But truly, the way in which this is spread is through families and through friendships. That's why so many of you, I know, when you listen to this podcast, you then talk about it with your family or you talk about it with your friends. And it's like, I just think right now on day 353, all of the ways, all the friendships over the last 353 days that have been strengthened, all the family members who I just, again, I hear about this again and again, that they say, yeah,

I text my brother about the Bible reading for today, or I text this group of friends I have about the reading for this week. And I just think that is remarkable. That's incredible. That is the way the gospel will advance. Not just sharing the gospel of God, but also sharing our very selves. And I'm so proud of so many of you. I just get to stand here and I get to read the word of God. But you get to share it with the people in your lives

and you do share it. And you get to share your lives with them too. And you do share that. And that's incredible. And I'm so grateful and I'm so proud of incredible. And I'm so grateful. And I'm so proud of you. And I'm so proud to belong to this community of people and this Bible in the air. And please, please know this. Please believe me. I am praying for you. And please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.