Staying Clean In A Polluted World.

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Be Ready Mentally (vs 13-14)

• An Alert Mind (VS 13A).

• A Sober Mind (VS 13B).

• A Positive Mind (VS 13C).

(2). Be Ready Morally (vs 15-21)

• Motivation #1: By Being Godlike (vs 16)

• Motivation #2: By Being Fearful (vs 17)

• Motivation #3: By Being Full (vs 18).

• Motivation #4: Be Grateful; (By Being 19-21)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• A lady went to Kenya on a short-term mission trip,

• One day she was taken to a remote township, where she attended a medical clinic.

• As the Maasai women began to sing together,

• She found herself deeply moved by their beautiful harmonies,

• She thought to herself, that she wanted to remember this moment,

• And maybe share it with friends back at the Church when she arrived home.

• With tears flowing down her cheeks,

• She turned to her friend and asked,

• “Can you please tell me the translation of the words to this song?”

• Her friend looked at her puzzled and replied,

• “They are singing, “If you boil the water, you won’t get dysentery””.

• TRANSITION: Sometimes things get lost in translation!

• But the message is simple, hygiene is important!

• Covid-19 has emphasised to the entire world the importance of washing hands,

• Being clean physically is important with our battle with germs,

• And being clean spiritually is important with our battle with sin,

• TRANSITION: In this section of 1 Peter (verses 13-21).

• The apostle Peter emphasised, ‘walking in holiness’.

Ill:

• The root meaning for the word translated as holy is “different”.

• Christians are called to be different from the world,

• Now let me pause to say, not weird, not odd, not strange or weird,

• Sadly, there are many in our Churches who fit those descriptions.

• But we are to be different in our attitudes, our morals, our character,

• We should be known for two things, loving God and loving other people.

• (Matthew chapter 22 verses 36-40).

• And to do that effectively, will require we live a holy life.

• A life committed to loving God and a life committed to living for God.

Todays passage divides into two sections:

• Be Ready Mentally (vs 13-14).

• Be Ready Morally (vs 15-21).

(1). Be Ready Mentally (vs 13-14)

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”

Ill:

• The next time life seems confusing and you feel that you’ve lost your bearings,

• ‘ZOOM OUT!’

• That’s what I did recently on Google Maps, and it worked like a charm.

• Sometimes you can be looking at a location on the map, and you are confused.

• But if you click on ‘zoom out’ then the broader perspective can make all the difference.

• Understanding where you are in relationship to other key landmarks and places,

• Can help you find your bearings.

• TRANSITION: remember that this letter is written primarily to suffering believers,

• Believers scattered by persecution.

• If they dwelt on their current situation they would most likely want to give up and fail.

• But by ‘zooming out’ and looking at the bigger picture,

• They can find the encouragement and hope that they will need to cope.

In the previous section (vs 1-12),

• The apostle Peter talks about our ‘living hope’ (vs 3),

• Now in this section (vs 13-21) that apostle Peter,

• Explains how we apply this hope to our lives.

Note:

• That the apostle Peter begins this section in verse 13 with this idea of hope,

• “Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming”.

• And he concludes this section in verse 21 with that word hope.

• “…for your faith and hope are in God.”

• Now the apostle Peter explains how we apply this hope to our lives.

• Because good theology will produce good practical living!

• Dare I say, that if your theology does not affect your living,

• Then your theology is not good!

Notice the object of our hope in verse 13 is future grace.

• That grace will be brought to us at Christ’s return.

• We live and plan in the future tense.

Ill:

• An engaged couple make all their plans in the light of the future wedding,

• That coming event will shape and influence all their key decisions ahead.

• TRANSITION:

• Our lives should be shaped by the fact that one day we will see Jesus Christ.