Peter’s 3 Precious Things

PETER’S 3 PRECIOUS THINGS

1 and 2 Pet.

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: The perfect solution

1. Benny is getting more and more worried about his wife Sharon's aggressive behavior towards him. So today he decides to see Doctor Levy. "How can I help you, Benny?" asks Doctor Levy. "What's your problem?"

2. "I've not come about me, doctor," replies Benny. "It's mine Sharon I've come to talk about. I just don't know how to handle her anymore. Every time I'm with her, Sharon seems to quickly lose her temper for no reason at all - and it's beginning to scare me."

3. "Don't worry Benny," says doctor Levy. "You'll be pleased to hear that curing such behavior is now no longer difficult."

"Whenever you think Sharon is beginning to loose her temper, just drink some water. But don't swallow it - just swish it around in your mouth. And keep swishing it around until Sharon calms down or else leaves the room."

4. "Thank you doctor," says Benny. "I will try it as soon as I get back home." Ten days later, Benny books another appointment to see doctor Levy. "So how is Sharon's temper problem?" asks doctor Levy.

5. "Your cure really works, doctor," replies Benny. "I've been swishing water around my mouth every time Sharon starts to get aggressive, and she's now almost normal. I can't thank you enough, doctor. But do tell me, how can a plain glass of water work so well?"

6. "I must be honest with you Benny," replies doctor Levy, "the water itself does absolutely nothing. It's you keeping your mouth shut that is the solution"

B. DEFINITION AND THESIS

1. Tonight we want to notice three precious things, that are found in the books of 1 and 2 Peter.

2. What does “precious” mean? Synonyms are “Valuable, costly, rare, prized, splendid, glorious, weighty, and influential.”

3. The word precious, as used in the Scriptures, means all of these things. Tonight I want to evaluate Peter’s three precious things and show how they’re precious to us too!

4. The title is “Three Precious Things.”

I. PRECIOUS JESUS

A. A PRECIOUS STONE

1. 4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:4-7.

2. He is the origination of the whole system of salvation, the first stone laid in its building. There was only one Cornerstone. Jesus is rare.

3. In all of Heaven there was only one Jesus Christ, who was able to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of His chosen people. There was not another man or angel in all Heaven, who was in the least wise qualified to be our redeemer.

4. He’s also the stone upon which all other stones lean, like an anchor, which stabilizes the whole structure. We can trust in Him; He will not fail us or move.

B. HIS BLOOD IS PRECIOUS

1. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” 1 Peter 1:18-19.

2. Before redemption, we had a worthless life. All who brag about they left to serve God are mistaken; the Bible says it was all empty and worthless.

3. We were redeemed with His blood. There was nothing of this present universe that could have helped us; only Jesus’ blood had any chance of saving us, and it was more than enough.

4. It’s safe to say that one drop of the sinless blood of Jesus is worth far more than all the wealth of the universe, and yet it took every drop of His precious blood to make the a human race clean and fit for Heaven.

4. The key to His blood’s effectiveness in redeeming us was that He was without sin. Only a sinless sacrifice could have been valuable to redeem us.

5. How about us? Do we count Jesus to be the greatest prize of all, even greater than the rarest of earthly treasures? May God help us to see He is precious!

II. PRECIOUS FAITH

A. FAITH WORTH MORE THAN GOLD