1 Peter 1:13-25
October 27, 2002
Piggott Christian Church
D.T.: When Jesus Makes someone new again, he cleanses the heart fully.
TITLE: “A New Way of Life”
Intro:
When someone is injured so badly they have to learn to walk again – They learn a new way of life.
When people come from other countries they have to adjust to our culture and our environment – It’s literally a new way of life.
When you lose a loved one, and your life was completely wrapped up with them, you literally have to figure out a new way of life. Example with my mom – What do we do with our time?
Allow me to baptize this a little. I could hint around at things becoming new again all over, some of my examples aren’t new ways of life they are just different ways. Let’s go deeper this morning and talk about the spiritual things. When Jesus makes someone new again, he cleanses the heart fully. God is in the business of making people new.
Discussion:
I want to invite you to do something this morning. Do you remember when you first accepted Jesus as Savior? I want to invite you to remember the time. Maybe it was at church camp; maybe it was in this room. I want to invite you to remember when and why you gave your life to Jesus.
Turn with me this morning to our text. Over the next few weeks we are going to maybe walk a little in the shoes of Peter. I hope we understand what he was thinking, how God wants us to act both in our families and in the church.
Turn with me to 1 Peter 1:13-25 (read)
Peter tells us several things in this section of scripture. He First tells us about a Life of Holiness.
I. A Life Of Holiness (13-16)
a. After knowledge (that was received in the first part of this chapter.)
i. Peter says, THEREFORE
1. Prepare (The original says “Gird”)
He’s speaking of action – the people of Israel were to eat the first Passover with “your loins girded, you sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste.” (Exod. 12:11) – Peter was using this as a metaphor – telling the church prepare your minds and be self-controlled.
ii. “Set your hope”
1. Understand the source of our hope
2. Move towards the source of our hope
Much like you would if you were in a dark tunnel and you saw light. You would move towards the light. Jesus is our light.
3. Cling to the source of our hope
a. Hope that is found only in Jesus
b. Reminds them of what they were – very common
i. “As obedient Children”
1. The way he desires for them to live
a. They were living in ignorance
b. They were living according to their evil desires
c. They were conforming to the world
Don’t expect non-Christians to act like Christians. The best thing to do is set the best example for them as you possibly can. The problem is more when Christians act like they have no understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus.
2. Peter says,
a. You don’t live in ignorance now
b. You don’t live according to your evil desires
c. You don’t conform to the world.
It’s not that you all of a sudden become full of knowledge when you become a Christian, you don’t rise out of the baptistery full of wisdom and understanding all the mysteries. If anything you understand how much you don’t know. It’s not like all the evil desires suddenly leave. I was asked the other day, if I was tempted. They understood I was a preacher and simply asked, “Are you ever tempted?” I told them no, I am beyond temptation, I just do what I want and ask for forgiveness. OF COURSE I am tempted. It’s not that we won’t be tempted it’s how we handle those temptations. It’s not that this world won’t be pleasing to the eye. It’s how we make the world conform to us. When you are in a group of people who influences you and who do you influence? I can be in the world but make an influence on the world, without conforming.
c. His Calling – His People
i. Unholy People
ii. Sinners
iii. People with Issues
iv. Downtrodden
v. Abused
vi. Lonely
d. His desire
i. Unholy people become holy
ii. Sinners become forgiven
iii. People who have issues are going to see solutions in him
iv. Downtrodden will have their faces lifted
v. Abused will see freedom in Jesus
vi. Lonely will find a friend
He calls people that he can use. He calls people who are willing to give him everything. He calls people that will make a difference in coming generations. God calls us to be Holy. If you have your mind set on grace and are self-controlled and prepared, you will be holy, not because of what you do, but because of what he does through you. This isn’t about what you do…as if you can make yourself holy, this is about what God does through you. He prepares your mind for action, he makes you self controlled, he keeps you from evil desires. Peter tells us, Be holy in all that you do.
vii. Applied Holiness
1. In our jobs (what would happen)
2. With our friends (what would happen)
3. In our homes (what would happen)
4. At school (what would happen)
viii. OT Imagery of God’s Holiness
1. Psalms 33:21 “In him our hearts rejoice for we trust in his holy name”
2. Isaiah 6:2-4 “Above him (God) were seraphs, each with 6 wings: With two wings they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; The whole earth is full of his glory.”
3. Psalm 145:21 “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.”
We could turn our city to Jesus if we could make a difference that could impact the lives of millions of people. How do we make a difference…holiness.
When Jesus makes someone new again, he cleanses the heart fully.
This is a command to be holy because we are his people and we understand his grace.
a. This is not intended for people who aren’t called
b. This is not intended as a guideline for non-Christians.
c. Should not expect non-Christians to act like they are Christians.
i. If you have no understanding of grace you won’t be holy.
Peter makes the switch from a life of holiness to a life of reverence.
II. A life of Reverence (17-21)
a. God’s Reverence
Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”
Psalm 5:7 “But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.”
i. Our understanding of Him
1. If we have a special relationship with God by virtue of our calling and our new birth then it is all the more urgent that we remember who he is in himself, and display the reverence that God deserves.
ii. His Judgment of us
1. Based on each man’s work (think about that)
2. Judged correctly – impartially
It’s easy for people to sit back in bed on Sunday morning and claim that they are better than the people who fill our churches. If you think about it, they have a case. For them it’s better to claim nothing than to claim Christianity have hope in Jesus. For them it’s better to live a lifestyle that conforms to the laws and hurt no one, than to hope. My friends, I would rather hope in Jesus.
3. Not an Army type of judgment – one messes up the whole group.
4. We are individually responsible for ourselves.
5. We are also responsible for each other.
iii. God offered Jesus
1. Thoughtfully
2. Willingly
3. Carefully
iv. Jesus had a choice
1. Jesus thoughtfully went to the cross
2. Jesus willingly went to the cross
3. Jesus understood and carefully went to the cross
v. Without Jesus
1. We might have knowledge of a God
2. We might have faith in at least one god
3. We might even have some sense of a need to do good things to others
4. We wouldn’t have a complete understanding of God.
vi. Through Jesus
1. We have faith
2. We have hope
3. We believe
4. We have knowledge of the resurrection
vii. God’s work
1. He raised Jesus
2. He Gave Jesus so that we could know him
3. He desires our hope and faith
We move from a life of reverence to the last point a Life of Genuine Love
III. A Life of Genuine Love (22-25)
a. What this isn’t
i. Romantic love (boyfriend/girlfriend)
ii. Family Love (you choose your friends not your family)
b. What genuine Love is
i. Helping those in need
ii. Hurting when people hurt
iii. Giving self-disclosure
iv. Being real
v. Rejoicing when others rejoice
vi. This kind of love meets people on their level and shows them Jesus.
vii. Giving of your time and resources and opening yourself up to hurt.
viii. Love says, I will go where you go and be with you no matter what.
ix. This kind of love over looks differences of opinions
x. This kind of love is loyal
xi. This love looks at the cross and sees the pain that Jesus went through, but also a reflection.
When you find this person it’s a good thing. I believe there are many people who desire this kind of love. I believe that across the boardrooms and break rooms of America our hearts crying out to a living God because they hurt. It might not be clear, but they are, you watch. Even the atheist in California who sued for a change in the Pledge is crying out to God.
c. Love directed at people
i. Affects what we do with people around us
ii. Affects how we react to sin
iii. Affects how we open ourselves up
iv. This is the love that will take of your time
v. This love will take your effort
vi. This love will cost you energy
vii. This love is fulfilling and has many rewards
1. It’s in giving this love that you receive
2. Love is only good when you give it away
A church that shows this kind of love will grow, because the genuine spirit of love will attract the community.
d. Love directed @ God
i. This also affects how you react to sin
ii. This kind of love puts you open to trust God
1. You start to follow his leading
2. You allow him to put you into situations that only he knows the reason for.
3. You will grow, not in religion, but in a relationship with Jesus.
I was asked this week, if Jesus were here on earth where would you find him? What would Jesus be busy doing. I believe that if Jesus were on earth today you would find him in the halls of hospitals and nursing homes. You would find him in the homeless shelters and empty subway terminals. Jesus would be where hurting people are. Would he be here? Would he find his way to Piggott?
Closing:
Some one said: In order for something to become clean, something else must become dirty. Someone else added: But you can get everything dirty without getting anything clean.
Are you clean this morning? Are you hurting this morning? Do you want to release your pain, your struggles, your hurts and your fears? Are you dealing with a load of care? If you are, Jesus loves you. If you want to come this morning but believe you aren’t good enough, that’s alright…we are perfected by his grace not because of our actions. Jesus isn’t interested in past sins, he’s interested in a present child. Come this morning as we sing.
