Loving The Brethren-4 Series

LOVING THE BRETHREN-IV—1Peter 1:22—2:12

Attention:

Senior Puzzle

A little silver-haired lady calls her neighbor & says, "Please come over here & help me. I have a wonderful jigsaw puzzle, & I can't figure out how to get started."

Her neighbor asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The little silver haired lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a handsome rooster."

Her neighbor decides to go over & help with the puzzle.

She lets her in & shows her where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

She studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her & says,

"First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

Shee takes her hand & says, "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, & then," she said with a deep sigh ............"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

Our love for others, especially our brothers & sisters in Christ, says much about our reliance upon God in Christ.

So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that

Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(:1-2)...

We’ve examined...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(:3-12)

And discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor—(:13-21)

Today we will continue applying the above truths toward LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).

Peter exhorted the aliens to love their brothers & sisters in Christ as they were also loved by God.

Christians are to love as they are loved by God.

How are Christians to live out God’s love?

13 encounters thru which Christians are to live-out God’s love.

We have found that

God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...

1. CLEANSING(:22a)“Purified”

2. OBEDIENCE(:22b)“Obeying”

3. SINCERITY(:22c)“Sincere”

4. INTENTION & DEPTH(:22d)“Fervently with a pure heart”

5. REBIRTH(:23a)

6. GROWTH POTENTIAL(:23b)

7. THE INVINCIBLE WORD(24-25a)

Purity—Begins with obedience

Obedience—begins with the truth(word & voice)

Sincerity—begins with purity

Fervency—Begins with sincerity

8—God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...

The INESCAPABLE/Available WORD(:25b)

Explanation:(:25b) Doctrine/Truth

:25—“But the word of the LORD endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Though this is a quote from the OT(:24-25a—Isa. 40:6-8), the “word” or message to us is the same! It is the same “word” which has been “preached” to the church of Christ Jesus today! This “word” is the “word from YaHWeH.” It is the same good news that God’s people have heard & been witnesses to & of.

to euaggelisyen—Literally—‘Which good news was preached/announced.’

The verse immediately following in Isa. 40 states:

Isa. 40:9—“O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!””

God’s word is the same word which was “preached to” God’s people, who are pilgrims, foreigners, & strangers to this world in which we live(1Pet. 1:1; Heb. 11:13).

Because God’s “word” is abiding/remains, we are called thru its everlasting work & power, we are compelled...To love the brethren sincerely & fervently(:22).

“By the Gospel”—Added—Not present in TR, Byz, or Maj.T—It is an attempt to elucidate euaggelizw—‘to preach good news/glad tidings.

“Preached/Announced”—euaggelizw—Aorist Passive Participle—To bring good news, to announce glad tidings. The verbal form of the noun translated [in old English]’Gospel.’

From—eu—To be well off, prosper or acting well—&—aggelov—a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. Lit.— ‘Message of well being from God.’

Argumentation:

Deut. 30:11-14—““For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us & make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us & make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “But the word is very near you, in your mouth & in your heart, that you may observe it.”

Rom. 10:6-9—“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”(that is, to bring Christ down from above) or,” ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth & in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus & believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Eccl. 3:14—“I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”