“God has done the work”
1 Peter Sermon Series, Part 3
1 Peter 1:13-25
Introduction
- His name, Cephas, in the Syriac language, means “rock”
-- One of the original 12 apostles (walked on water)
-- Was at the Transfiguration of Jesus
- Became a leader of the apostles in the first church (Acts 2-4)
-- Performed miracles of healing (Acts 3:6)
- Personal favorite: When Jesus asked him "Who do you say I am?" Peter made that famous statement, "You are the Christ (Messiah) the Son of the Living God." (Matthew 16:15-16)
Last time …
- (v8) Because we have not seen him … we still love Him!
-- Why is it critical that we understand this? Because it is our command!
- We are filled with His glory because we believe the hope we have within us!
-- APP: It is when we focus on ourselves that we lose hope and lose focus!!
-- HUGE: (v9) When we receive it is the culmination of all that we have lived for!
- What Christ has done on the cross, and promised, is revealed in this one verse
-- “… you ARE receiving the end result” … it’s a constant process, always
-- Receiving is an active word, not past or present … but current tense
-- Peter exclaims: “Hey man … you are GETTING what Jesus promised!”
- Read 1 Peter 1:13-25
∆ Point 1 – Set your eyes … (13-16)
- When Peter writes, “therefore”, he is tying in the previous verses for us (v13)
-- We are preparing to receive the salvation and hope promised by Christ
-- We received this hope when we committed to knowing Christ as Lord
- THEREFORE … with this knowledge before us, he gives us two commands:
-- First, prepare your minds for action (be disciplined to hear and do)
-- Second, be self-controlled (be prepared and realistic about what lies ahead)
- Even in the great and wonderful times, it is easy to lose hope and focus
-- Not to mention what happens to us in the difficult times of life
-- Our tendency is to exaggerate what is going on; it is human nature
-- We lean AWAY from spiritual concerns and TOWARDS physical ones
- Example: “The sky is falling and the world is now ending!”
- Reality: “It’s raining.”
- Peter says to “set your hope on the grace to be brought”; this is from Christ
-- Set your heart, your focus, your worries, your joy, on the One who brings hope
-- The final destination for the believer is in what Christ has in store
- John 14:2, “My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”
-- APP: Jesus never said, “In YOUR house …” - We hope for what God has!
- Peter calls us to live as “obedient children” (v14)
-- We are called to not conform to the things of evil; to the world’s issues
-- This is how we lived when we were ignorant (means, did not know)
-- APP: Now, we have been educated – we know – we must live/act like it
- Don’t be deceived here: it is an attitude adjustment that Peter just gave us
-- We are no longer ignorant (can’t say we didn’t know); so live better
-- This doesn’t mean full bank accounts and all that nonsense; but a better life
-- Live above the noise; focus intently on the One who brings you hope
- How? (v16) God instructed us to, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Lev 11:44)
-- Nothing matters more than God’s holiness; and nothing is higher than it either
-- The OT and NT speak very clearly about this, and we should not miss it
-- Holiness requires an attitude change, a decision to not be controlled by us
- God’s command to His people is (para): “We should live to be like Him.”
- God is Holy, that is a done deal; we are His people … act like it
-- 1 Cor 6:20, “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies”
- TRANS: If we set our eyes on Him, we learn a simple truth
∆ Point 2 – It’s not about us … (17-21)
- IMP: God takes our character and its development VERY seriously
-- We call on Him as Lord, as Father, and Peter calls Him judge in v17
-- There is a direct tie in here: The One who is Holy is the One who judges all
-- Being part of God’s family is a great privilege; but it takes commitment
- So, if we are His, we will live in a way that reflects Him b/c we want to honor
-- We want to live properly, pleasing our Heavenly Father more than any other
-- This produces in us “reverent fear”, our desire to be obedient to Him
- Now, this doesn’t mean we live in fear of God’s punishment
-- Note: Although for the non-believer this is a VERY real thing; be aware
-- Rather, for Christians, we live in awe of who He is, and what He has done
-- APP: Creation, giving His Son’s life for us, promise of eternal hope, etc.
-- APP: Reverent awe drives us to live righteous; because the One we serve is
- Christ did not purchase us with the world’s trade offerings (v18)
-- It is not with gold and silver and money that Jesus purchased our salvation
-- Rather, His Father gave Him freely to be crucified for the sin we’ve committed
-- The precious sacrifice of Christ (v19) and His blood was required for our sin
- Turn to Hebrews 9 … let’s examine how precious the blood is …
-- Read Hebrews 9:11-28
- It is what Christ did that allows us to be redeemed; and only by His blood
-- Mohammed will not save you; Buddha will not save you; you cannot save you
- We must remember that God, who gave His Son, found pleasure in it:
-- Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.”
- Why? Why would a God who loves His Son do this for you and I?
-- John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- The life we are called to live is MORE than what we want
-- It is to be focused on Him because of what He has done … it’s not about us
- Back to 1 Peter: Christ has been chosen, was chosen, to be our sacrifice (v20)
-- Jesus’ death was never “Plan B”; God wasn’t wringing His hands in the Garden
-- His plan was always to provide a way, because of His love for you and
-- APP: Tell me ANY other religion that admits it is not about what we can do
- Christianity is about accepting what God has done; and living for Him!
-- It’s not focused on ourselves; not greedy and self-centered; but about Him only!
-- THEREFORE! We have hope because of what God has done! (Re-read v22)
- TRANS: What has God done for us today?
∆ Point 3 – God has done the work! (22-25)
- (v22) Now … THEREFORE! … We have been purified by obeying the truth
-- We’ve cast off the things we desire to fully accept what He has for us
-- Why? Because of our sincere love for the Father we love one another!
-- APP: “Love God, Love People” (pause … discuss)
- We have been born again (v23), shedding off the things that used to control us
-- Fear, guilt, anger, malice, jealousy, rebellion, dishonor, immorality, etc.
-- We have willingly put those things down for what Christ offers instead
-- We have been granted an imperishable gift – one that never goes away
-- Why? Why would we be purchased and desire this imperishable gift?
∆ Big Idea
- v24-25, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
- We are perishable, we are not eternal, and we will one day die and be gone
-- This is a fact, it is does not change, and our belief in it is not required
-- Just like the flowers come and go – we are compared as being the same
- But, something does remain and it remains for all of eternity … Word of God
-- John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
- Why does this matter? v25b, “And this is the word that was preached to you.”
-- APP: It has already been preached and already been given to us
- So Peter implies the question: Do you believe it?
- Challenge is: When will you live it?
- Pray
