Whole Family Makeover Series
Everybody Loves a Godly Man
1 Peter 1:14-15
February 13, 2005 First Baptist Church, Chester Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction
Dominic DeCarlo (What’s a Man? Pg. 34-35)
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior
1 Peter 1:14-15 (NASB)
ETS: Peter was concerned that the believer’s life should have testified to their faith in God.
ESS: Believers should show God’s holiness in all their behavior.
OBJ: I hope you will (especially my men) take a personal inventory on your personal holiness.
PQ: What kind of man are you?
UW: Types
Points
1. Men we used to be
2. Men to be used
TS: Let’s look at two types of men that we are probably looking like this morning:
I The first type of man is the man we used to be.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance
1. Someone once called a preacher to say he wanted to become a church member.
But, he went on to explain that he did not want to:
worship every week,
study the Bible,
visit the sick,
or serve as a leader or teacher.
The minister commended him for his desire to be a church member,
but told him the church he was looking for was located in another part of town.
The man wrote down the address and hung up.
When he arrived at that address, the man came face to face with the result of his own attitude of not wanting to be involved....
There stood an abandoned church building
boarded up
and ready for demolition.
Peter told the early Christian not to let the world squeeze them into its own mold.
1. Before they became Christians, these men’s desires were the very thing that kept them from God in the first place.
1. What NASB translates as "lust", the NIV translates as "evil desires"
2. Lust frequently refers to evil desires, esp. in the areas of sex, greed, and violence
3. "...which were yours in your ignorance."
2. Peter’s saying, "Don’t do what you used to do before you knew better."
1. Once these men recognized their desires for what they really were (sin), it allowed them to understand God’s call in their lives.
2. Peter’s telling these guys to be in control over their desires rather than to be controlled by them. Don’t be the man you used to be!
2. Men, if you’re a Christian, be careful to avoid being the man you used to be.
1. There are at least three types of men:
1. Ladies Men (seek admiration/attention of women)
1. Dress to impress
2. Sexual fulfillment is the ladies’ man’s goal
3. Usually single, marriage does not necessarily convert the ladies’ man into a family man. (Many families have been destroyed because daddy couldn’t give up being a ladies’ man)
2. Men’s Men (The man’s man seeks the respect of other men)
1. Wants to be listened to, admired by, esteemed highly by men
2. Work hard-play hard
3. Firm without being pushy, compassionate without being sentimental, achiever, humble, takes responsibility for his own failures without making excuses.
2. To be revered as a man’s man is a genuine honor, but in the long run, it is not a sufficient goal.
1. Ladies’ man without Jesus goes to hell when he dies.
2. Man’s man without Jesus goes to hell when he dies.
3. The third type of man is God’s Men
* Some of us used to be a ladies’ man before we knew better!
* Some of us used to be a man’s man before we knew better!
TS: Only God’s man can look like the second type of man that we’re looking at this morning:
II The second type of man is the man to be used.
A. A little old lady was amazed at how nice the young man was next door. Everyday he would help her gather things from her car or help her in her yard. One day the old lady finally ask the young man, "son, how did you become such a fine young man". The young man replied, "well, when I was a boy, I had a drug problem". The old lady was shocked, "I can’t believe that". The young man replied, "it’s true, my parents drug me to church on Sunday morning, drug me to church on Sunday night and drug me to church on Wednesday night"
B. Peter wanted these children of obedience to allow themselves to be remolded by their holy, heavenly Father.
a. These believers had an obligation to display holiness...just like the Father they belonged to.
1. If these children were going to live under His roof, they’re going to do as Daddy says! (sex, greed, violence...EVERYTHING)
2. 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. Eph 1:4 (NASB) He chose them to be holy.
3. Being chosen by God brings great privilege...and responsibility
C. It’s not enough that we don’t look like the world, men...we’ve got to look like God.
a. God has chosen us for holiness.
1. When we think "holiness", we think of God (we can’t be holy like Him)
2. Holiness in the spiritual life is like health is to the physical life.
3. When someone has poor health (or holiness)...it shows.
b. Holiness shows up "in all your behavior" but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior
1. True salvation always results in obedience (change)
2. Behaviors: Ladies’ man-go home; Man’s man-seek God’s approval
3. God has passed holiness onto His children
4. We’re not completely holy, but we’re carriers
5. God will use us if holiness carries into all of our behaviors
c. In the Jewish temples, the items used in worship services were considered to be holy (set apart, separated, for use by God)
1. Only clean, holy items could be used (ordinary table, knife, clothes, bread...no good!)
2. Holy items alone could be used
3. Peter was saying that God would only use these believers if they were separated/ set apart for use by God. Holy.
Conclusion: ETS: Peter was concerned that the believer’s life should have testified to their faith in God.
ESS: Believers should show God’s holiness in all their behavior.
TS: Let’s look at two types of men that we are probably looking like this morning:
Points
2. Men we used to be
3. Men to be used
OBJ: I hope you will (especially my men) take a personal inventory on your personal holiness.
PQ: What kind of man are you?
UW: Types
A young university graduate crossed a large river on a barge. An elderly, worn, gentleman was driving the barge. The university student asked the old man three questions: 1) "Do you know anything about physics?" "Nope", replied the old man.
"Then 1/3 of your life has been wasted!" 2) "Do you know anything about philosophy?"
"Nope", replied the old man. "Then another 1/3 of your life has been wasted!" 3) "Do you know anything about social sciences?" "Nope", replied the old man. "Then another 1/3 of your life has been wasted!" Suddenly, the barge hit a large object, took on water rapidly, and overturned. Both men were thrown into the water. The old man cried out to the young student, "Do you know anything about swimming?" The young man replied "No." "Then your whole life is wasted!" replied the old man.
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Mike Fogerson
