When the Going Gets tough Love Gets Going
1 Peter 1:22-2:2
(Key Center, Verse 1:22)
How Do You Love
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
Exegesis: You obeyed the truth and are now in the kingdom of God. You were purified so that you can love. Perhaps the best translation of this verse then could be, "Now that you have purified your souls be means of obeying the truth, purposing to have genuine brotherly and sisterly Christian love, do exactly that: Love one another from the heart genuinely-- and do it fervently and constantly. Don’t let your heart fail due to the stormy circumstances of life, but let you love endure till the end."
Illustration:
The process of being purified-----------then there is a reaching a state of being purified-------------existing results is purified! Now that you have been purified . . .
"Love” Motto: It not about me it about the other person.
"Deeply” Kick Boxing: When I was a kick boxer we did 100 crunches, 100 pushups and 200 jumping jacks, after that we warmed up. Somewhere along the pushup, I began to strain to the point that I felled like giving up. Everyone has gotten to that point when they wanted to give up. Well the in the Greek the deeply means to strains to keep going even when you feel like quitting you push or keep going one more time.
Application: (Read and reflect the key Center, Verse 1:22). Are you purified? Are you into the kingdom of God? Do you love other deeply from the heart? To the utmost degree out of pure and sincere motives from the heart; to earnestly concentrate; to strain, exert fervently, to purposely (especially in this verse) intent or zealously, vigorously and earnestly by reach out with exertion, yet without failing, with one’s whole strength.
Transition: The (Read key Center, Verse 1:22, out loud)!
The Reason That You Love
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God, 24 For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.
Exegesis: Peter is saying that it was not by people or committees or anything else that we were born again but only through the living Word of God. We have been born again to love! We have passed from darkness to light. "Whatever we do in obedience to the Word of God will last forever! But whatever we do in the energy of the flesh will look beautiful for a time, but will then die."
Illustration: Running to personalities instead of the Word of God for your source of help and answers. An engine with out oil is like a Christian without love. A loveless believer will never win the world of heathens. Playdo and adding to it. We add the Word of God to our lives as well as love. This is the mark of Christianity not the outward show of gifts or the demonstration of how much we know or don’t know, its love. "Be baptized into the Spirit with the initial physical evidence of Love!"
Application: (Read and reflect the key Center, Verse 1:22). Where are you going for your strength, is it a personality or is it God’s Word. Peter was getting their eyes off there circumstances and placing them on Christ and His Word!
Transition: The (Read key Center, Verse 1:22, out loud)!
The Results When You Love
21 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Exegesis: Malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander all have to do with how we relate to one another and how we interact with one another. Growing up in Salvation is the mark of love. The mark of maturity is the mark of love. Spiritual milk is referring to the Word of God mentioned above. Eph. 4 (Read).
Illustration: Stripping off our dirty clothes and putting on new ones. Putting on the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4).
Application: (Read and reflect the key Center, Verse 1:22). Are you living a Spirit filled life of love or do you still need to grow up in your salvation. Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good and you have purified yourself by obeying the truth and you have been transformed from darkness to light, love other deeply which will result in a mature faith in Christ.
Transition: The (Read key Center, Verse 1:22, out loud)!
Conclusion
Appeal: The
