War Of Your Worlds Series

When is something worth nothing? Zimbabwe’s central bank will introduce a $50 billion note -- enough to buy just two loaves of bread – as a way of fighting cash shortages amid spiraling inflation. Zimbabwe is grappling with hyperinflation now officially estimated at 231 million percent, and its currency is fast losing its value. As of Friday, one U.S. dollar was trading at around ZW$25 billion. When the government issued a $10 billion note just three (weeks ago, it bought 20 loaves of bread. That note now can purchase less than half of one loaf.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:9-12)

What these two verses make clear is that there are two tremendous issues in the world. Yet, the majority of the world’s population see these two things as worthless. The two issues that dominate these two verses — and indeed dominate the whole New Testament — are the salvation of the human soul and the glory of God. The two great issues of the Bible are how our sinful soul might not be destroyed and God’s great name might not be disparaged.

If the world believed this, the newspaper and the television and the theater and the university and popular music and industry mission statements and government goals would look and sound very different than they do: The salvation of the human soul and the glory of God. But in fact we live in a world that shows by its priorities and values that it does not regard these two issues as paramount. In fact, they are not even on the list of the world's priorities.

Sermon in Summary: Peter encourages believers to live as aliens in a hostile world. Believers in Christ are to conquer the evil desires inside of them so that nonbelievers will take notice of their behavior. Peter also hopes that the lives of Christ-followers will be so attractive to nonbelievers that they will come to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Lastly, this will bring great glory to God when He judges the entire world.

1. Live Godly

“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). My goal is to get you to want to live godly rather than just adhering to a list of external commands.

Coach Billy Donovan kicked the Florida Gator basketball team out of gym this past week. When the Florida Gators lost in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, they knew it knocked them out of the NCAA tournament field. They had no idea it also would get them kicked out of their practice facility. Coach Billy Donovan felt like his players had settled into a state of complacency and entitlement after losing 8 of the last 11 games. So he banned them from Florida University’s $12 million facility. He also told them they couldn’t wear any Florida attire. Commenting on his 2007-8 team after the Gators had won the previous two national championships, Donovan commented: “Probably in some respects the confetti is still falling down around them. When you have great success like we’ve had I think it’s very, very easy to become complacent and to lose sight of how good things are around here and to have an attitude of, ‘I’m at Florida. This is just what’s going to happen.’” Donavan pointed back to his team’s desires.

I want you to see from verse eleven that what we are talking about is important: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). The ultimate issue in that verse is that the human soul is in danger of being destroyed. A war is being waged against the soul in this world. If the war is successful, the soul is lost. Verse eleven tells you that the believing life is not passive: “which wage war against your soul….” Our faith lives in a hostile world. Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul? For what can a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:26)? If the soul is lost, the whole person is lost. And there is no way to negotiate to get it back. When this war against the soul is over, it’s over. There is a great gulf fixed and none can cross one way or the other—from heaven or from hell (Luke 16:26).