Living The Experience
Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3
Introduction
1. Illustration: "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." - Brennan Manning
2. So how do we fix this problem?
3. Peter gives us three suggestions...
a. Living Like We Mean It
b. Living To Crave
c. Living The Experience
4. Let's all stand as we read together 1 Peter 2:1-3
Transition: Peter's first suggestion is start...
I. Living Like We Mean It (1).
A. Get Rid Of
1. Remember that Peter's purpose here in this letter is to show us how to live right side up in an upside down world.
2. In this chapter he gets right to the heart of the matter. He starts out with, "So get rid of all evil behavior."
a. The word "so," probably better understood as "therefore," refers back to the end of the previous chapter where it talked about "loving each other deeply."
b. What Peter is getting at here is that we need to lay aside all those things that prevent us from loving each other in this way.
c. The phrase "get rid of" is actually not a command, although most English translations render it that way. It actually borrows it foce from the verb "crave" in the next verse.
d. Why did Peter call the believers to to get rid of all evil behavior and attitudes? Quite frankly, because it destroys love which is the cheif characteristic of followers of Jesus.
e. The phrase "get rid of" is usually used in the NT for putting off sin or anything that hinders our spiritual growth.
f. We must understand that the things to which Peter is calling us to rid ourselves of is not a one time event, but it is to be a life long process.
g. We need to diligently work our ridding these things from our lives (Matthews, New American Commentary: 1 Peter).
3. Peter now continues a list of things that we are better off without. He says, "Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech."
a. You will notice that the sins that Peter lists here are those that destroy the unity and effectiveness of the church.
b. The first sin listed, deceit, could refer to wickedness in general, but can be better understood as malice.
c. Harboring ill-will for another destroys the love, trust and unity that should and must exist in the church.
d. Hypocrisy, on the other hand, introduces pretense and disingenuousness so that trust necessary for love vanishes.
e. Hypocrisy (hupokrisis), which originally identified an actor who wore a mask. It refers to spiritual insincerity and pretense.
f. The word describes any behavior that is not genuine or consistent with what one really believes or says he believes
(MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary – 1 Peter, 98).
g. In addition, envy is also contrary to love, for instead of desiring the best for someone, it hopes for their downfall or prefers the advancement of oneself rather than joy for others.
h. Envy (phthonos) defines the attitude of those who resent others' prosperity. It often leads to grudges, bitterness, hatred, and conflict (MacArthur, 98).
i. All unkind speech, an imitative word designed to sound like the whispers and tattles reported behind someone's back in gossip and backbiting. It referred essentially to defamation of character (MacArthur, 98).
j. All unkind speech is not limited to spreading false stories about others but also involves running down others.
k. On the contrary, love looks for and finds good in others and avoids speaking what is negative (Matthews).
B. Living Like Jesus
1. Illustration: There is a story about a man who was walking down the street. He passed a used-book store, and in the window he saw a book with the title, "How to Hug." He was taken by the title and, being of a somewhat romantic nature, went in to buy the book. To his chagrin, he discovered that it was the seventh volume of an encyclopedia and covered the subjects "how" to "hug." Everyone knows that the church is a place where love ought to be manifested, and many people have come to church hoping to find a demonstration of love—only to discover an encyclopedia on theology.
2. Living right side up requires putting off our old ways.
a. Romans 13:12 (NLT)
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
b. Right side up living is about being different.
c. It's not about looking out for number one, but it's about surrendering ourselves to the only number one - Jesus.
d. It's about laying aside things that cause division.
e. It's about doing away with things that destroy unity.
f. It's about changing our attitudes, actions, and desires.
g. It's about behaving like people who are passionately in love with Jesus!
Transition: Peter's next suggestion is to start...
II. Living To Crave (2).
A. Crave Pure Spiritual Milk
1. Have you ever had a craving for something? Most of us crave after things or experiences, but most of the time when we talk about cravings we are talking about food.
a. Part of the reason for this, I believe, is we love food.
b. But also food does something good for us in that it strengthens our bodies.
2. Peter takes this common desire and uses it to teach a spiritual truth. He says, "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation."
a. The central idea of this paragraph is communicated here, to "crave pure spiritual milk."
b. Believers are to strive for "pure spiritual milk so that they can grow, resulting in salvation."
c. This craving is compared to the craving for milk of "new born babies."
d. The fact that Peter makes a reference to Christians as "new born babies" reminds us that Jesus called our spiritual birth as being "born again."
e. Peter's purpose was to say that all believers should be like infants in that they should crave this pure spiritual milk.
f. The word crave is a very strong one, used in the OT of the strong desire that believers are to have for God.
g. While it is true that other places in Scripture believers are criticized for their spiritual immaturity.
h. 1 Corinthians 3:2 (NLT)
I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready.
i. However, we shouldn't impose those context on to Peter's usage of it here.
j. We should remember that Peter has talked about these Christians as new born babies and uses the image of milk as an avenue of growth.
k. Milk then becomes not a negative thing, but rather the substance of life, compromising all that Christians need to grow in their spiritual lives (Matthews).
3. So what is this spiritual milk that Peter is talking about? Two adjectives gives us the clues we need to figure this out.
a. The first adjective is the word pure, which here functions as a contrast to the deceit that we are to get rid of from verse 1, and refers to that which is untainted and uncontaminated.
b. Contaminated milk produces sickness and even death, but this milk is healthy and pure.
c. The second clue comes from the word spiritual. The word that is normally translated "spiritual" is the Greek word pneuma, but the word that is used here is the word logikos which is related to the word logos which refers to the written word.
d. In Greek literature this word is used to refer to that which is rational or reasonable.
e. The reason that Peter uses this word to describe the milk is so that believers will know that the milk he is referring to is, in fact, the Word of God.
f. The way that God transforms us is through our minds, through the continual regular study and proclamation of the Word.
g. While spiritual growth is partially mystical, it is primarily rational, and rational in the sense that it is informed and sustained by the Word (Matthews).
4. The purpose for craving this spiritual milk is so they can grow.
a. The NLT very appropriately translates the conjunction used by Peter as so, indicating result.
b. Consequently, the result is growing into a full experience of salvation.
c. We must remember that salvation is both an event and an ongoing process, and we must continue to grow towards spiritual maturity (Matthews).
B. Spiritual Food
1. Illustration: A Minister, while preaching, noted most of his congregation was asleep. He stopped the sermon and asked a deacon to pass the offering plate. The deacon woke up red-faced and reminded him the offering had already been taken. His response; "Never mind, take up another one. I intend to make them pay for lodging as well as spiritual food." By the time the second offering was taken up the congregation was wide awake.
2. Craving the Word is necessary if we are going to grow in the transformation process.
a. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
b. The Word teaches us what is truly important in life.
c. The Word shows us those things in our lives that must change.
d. The Word corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us how to live right side up.
e. The Word turns us from babies into mature Christians.
f. The Word is our spiritual food and without it we will die, but with it we will grow and become strong.
g. Oh God gives us a passion for your Word again!
Transition: Peter also tells us the need to start...
III. Living The Experience (3).
A. Had A Taste
1. In order to understand how amazing some things really are you have to experience it for yourself.
a. I know what it's like to see your children born
b. I know what it's like to graduate from seminary after several years of hard work.
c. I know what it's like to play a concert on the side of a mountain in the Alps.
d. I don't know what it's like to have my team win the Super Bowl.
2. The Christian like is about relationship, but it is also about the joy of experiencing that relationship. That's why Peter says, "now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness."
a. Unfortunately, both the NLT and NIV turn this conditional clause into a fulfilled condition.
b. A more literal translation of this verse would read, "1 Peter 2:3 (ESV) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."
c. Peter did not write "if" to sow doubt into the minds of his readers, but neither should we confuse "if" with "now."
d. Peter wanted us to contemplate whether they have in fact experienced the kindness of the Lord, and is sure that the answer would be "yes."
e. Translating it "now" instead of "if" eliminates the process that Peter wants us to consider.
3. The main idea that Peter is trying to convey is that "if we have tasted the Lord's kindness," then we should long for more of the Lord.
4. For Peter spiritual growth is not a call to duty, but rather a desire that flows from experiencing the goodness and kindness of God. It is an experience that leaves us longing for more (Matthews).
B. So Good Nothing Else Will Do
1. Illustration: Anyone that has ever eaten an 8 Sister's cream stick knows that no one else’s will do. A couple of weeks ago I was out working with another agent and we stopped at this donut shop for a cup of coffee, and I decided to give into temptation a bought a cream stick. Well it just wasn't the same!
2. Once you have experienced life with Jesus nothing else will do. Isaiah 55:2 (NLT)
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.
a. Why would we want to go back to living like we used to?
b. What does the world have to offer us that is better than Jesus?
c. Leave your past behind and live the good life that Jesus has to give.
d. Once you have experienced Jesus why would you want anything else?
e. Don't waste your money on something that cannot satisfy.
f. Live in the goodness that only Jesus can give!
Conclusion
1. Peter gives us three suggestions...
a. Living Like We Mean It
b. Living To Crave
c. Living The Experience
2. Are you living like someone who has tasted the goodness of Jesus?
Proposition: Once you have tasted of the goodness of Jesus nothing else will do.
