As Obedient Children

 

Introduction:

A.    Last week we spent time discussing 1 Peter 1:1-12. In these verses we see:

1.      1:3 – Thru God’s great mercy we have been born again.

2.     1:4-5 – we are filled with confident expectation of receiving an inheritance.

3.     1:6-9 – strong faith results from trials

4.     1:10-12 – the precious salvation we desire has been reserved for us. God wants us to be saved.

a)     1:3-12 – Peter spells out the blessings we have in Christ and the great privileges that result.

B.    Today: we wish to focus on the remainder of chapter 1. Peter begins to emphasize our part in receiving these blessings. There is a price to be paid. There is responsibility on our part.

C.    How strong is our focus on the spiritual? On heaven?

1.      1:2 – we reside as aliens in a strange land. 1:17 – during your stay on earth…temporary in nature. See also 2:11.

2.     Each day, our focus should be shifting more toward the spiritual. The physical, while important, should become secondary to the spiritual.

3.     In order to become all our God desires of us, we must focus solely on Him.

a)     Think of Paul’s writing: Gal. 2:20; Philippians 3:20-21

4.     That means we must be willing to forego everything else around us, and concentrate only on Him.

D.    To help us do that, Peter gives us some tips that will help us if we apply them.

 

I.      1:13-16 - Prepare Yourself

A.    In order to lay hold of the salvation before us, we must take care to prepare ourselves.

1.      Peter suggests we…

a.     1:13 - Prepare our minds for action

1)      Must be in proper frame of mind; we can’t let anything hinder us when we decide to take action.

2)     Must be ready to deal with the trouble we may face. Can’t fight a battle effectively with divided affections.

b.     1:13 - Keep sober in spirit

1)      Be alert; not under any delusions (pray for help in seeing who we really are and where changes need to be made.)

2)     Clear; serious, logical, rational thinking.

3)     This needs to be habitual behavior – wording in present tense.

c.     1:13 - fix our hope on God’s grace

1)      Hope can change our lives! Elevates our perspective.

2)     Fix hope completely. Not having divided affections.  (totally) 

3)     Must fix hope completely during good times & bad.

4)    Fix on the grace that will be brought…

a)     Assurance. Those who live for Christ can be confident!

b)    Assured to happen…but not happening yet…future…at the 2nd coming.

2.     1:14 – to live with this assurance, we must not be conformed (aligned) with the sins we committed prior to our conversion.

a.     It is a life we are to put behind us.

b.     Time when we didn’t know any better; that time is gone.

B.    1:15-16 - God has called us to live by a higher standard.

1.      Peter was not the only one to call for a higher standard.  See:

2.     2 Tim. 1:8-9; Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:22; 3:12-14.

3.     We must be holy in…

a.     Eph. 4:25-29 – our words

b.     2 Cor. 10:5 – our thoughts

c.     1 Peter 1:15 – our deeds5

d.     Mt. 15:15-20 - The key in all of this is protecting our heart.

 

II.    1:17-21 - Remember What Was Done for You

A.    1:17 – We should appeal to God as our Father. (A relationship) Since God will judge us according to our works, we should conduct ourselves with fear.

B.    A healthy fear of God will go a long way towards appreciating what He has done for us.

1.      This is not a cowering fear, but a deep, healthy respect for God.

a.     Can include terrifying but not so much that we are paralyzed or afraid to act.

b.     It is a deep respect for God who has ALL power. One day we will stand face to face with God. Are you ready?

2.     1:18-19 - We are not redeemed by some cheap means or material.

a.     We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

b.     A spotless, without defect, precious Lamb.

c.     And it is because of the vicarious death of Christ that we should adopt a heavenly set of values & expectations.

C.    1:20-21 - Though Jesus was from the beginning, He humbled Himself and came to fulfill the Father’s will.

1.      The plan to redeem man was known about before time.

2.     Philippians 2:5-7; Rev. 13:8; Acts 2:23; Eph. 1:4

3.     God’s plan was not an accident or an afterthought. Put in place to redeem mankind from sin

4.     He came to help establish our faith in God.

a.     John 17:  Everything He did was in order to glorify God.

b.     1 Cor. 15:16-19 - The bedrock of that faith is in the resurrection of the Lord.

5.     1:21 – our faith and hope are in God. We learn to trust God because of what God did in the life of jesus.

a.     Think what this meant to those of Peter’s day: if they killed by persecution – they could expect deliverance because of what God did for Jesus.

 

III.   1:22-25 - You Have Not Believed A Lie

A.    1:22 - The faith we possess is pure because the source of it is pure.

1.      This seed is able to produce a genuine love.

a.     Sincere – mean it; from the heart; genuine.

b.     Fervent – constant, intense

B.    1:23 - The seed upon which we build our faith is imperishable.

1.      It cannot and will not go away.  Even though we lose everything else, we will always have God’s word and assurance.

2.     The word we have today was given through inspired men with the intent of revealing God’s will to mankind. See also 2 Pet. 1:16-21

a.     We can feel confident the Bible is right and true.

b.     We live in an age that questions the bible. Don’t give into the hype!

 

Conclusion

A.    To become what our God desires of us we live our lives as obedient children.

B.    Have you given yourself to Him?