1 Peter: Holy, Hopeful Lives
Notes
Transcript
Exegetical Point:
Homiletical Point:
Introduction
Introduction
What is holiness?
Gonna talk about it a fair bit today.
My Pocket knife is a picture of holiness
Purchased for me, for my use.
My initials are engraved on the side.
In some sense it is “holy to me”
If it is not maintained to be clean and operational, then it is useless to me.
Something set apart for a noble or divine purpose.
Lexham Theological Wordbook Holiness
When the term is applied to people, things, or places that have been touched by the presence of God or dedicated to God, it connotes the idea of being set apart for God and thus belonging to the realm of the divine, which is morally and ceremonially pure.
Theme of holiness is mixed with the theme of purity and cleanliness, as well as with morality and righteousness. So that it’s not just belonging, but also intrinsically made pure for that purpose.
Holiness for Christians
Purchased for God, set apart for his glorious loving use.
Named for God - we belong to him, and take on his name.
Made fit for God, from the inside. Prepared, pure and aligning with his purposes.
If we do not take on our identity as Christians - to be spiritually clean, and operating in godliness then we have reason to fear, that we are living against God, in opposition to him in an offensive way, and, we potentially we ought to fear that our faith is not genuine.
Short recap of last week
Short recap of last week
Letter written in Greek from late first century - From the apostle Peter to churches in Turkey (and us by extension).
Praise to God and an encouraging overview of the hope we have in a salvation the we’re receiving despite the trials here.
Where are we headed this week?
Where are we headed this week?
Can we please talk about obedience and working for God without being apologetic? Belonging to Jesus - being a real Christian - means going all in. It’s a new way of life that demands everything.
I’m not going to protect you from your Bible - I want you to hear the unwavering call to holiness and obedience that comes as part of our Salvation through Christ.
This call, new lived identity flows out of what Jesus has already done, let’s not minimize the demands on our life.
This passage gives us 3 pictures of who we are in light of Christ’s work. 3 pictures of holy lives in Jesus.
Holy Children of Obedience (v13-17)
Holy Children of Obedience (v13-17)
We first come to the transitional verse v13, that links last week’s passage to this week.
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.
Minds that are not absorbed with other concerns - out of control, in a daze or stupor.
set your HOPE of the grace coming to you.
Once again: grace is given but not yet fully received. We have it, but we’re still hoping to receive it. Not a “loose hope” but on based on history and the Spirit’s confirmation.
We live in light of Jesus 2nd coming - You always make decisions based on what you expect to be coming -
If you expect to moving house soon, you’re going to spend your time differently, to prepare for that. Packing, etc.
If you expect that you’re going to live a long life, you prepare for older age now by paying off your house and putting savings in the bank.
If you expect that you family or friends are coming to visit, you prepare by making the house ready to host them.
As “alert” and “sober” people, we set our hope on grace that is coming with Jesus. Living in ligth of what’s coming.
Which is what peter does next - he talks about how we live.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
“As obedient Children” lit. “Children of Obedience”, remember 1:2? “Chosen…to be obedient” - As spiritual children, born into God’s family, we embody the family traits.
Obedience to God - not popular topic! But an integral part of our new identity in Jesus.
Obedience is not popular right now - we’re told to be free, break the mold, create your own identity. That’s on the one side, yet in reality obedience is being required - right now Christians are being increasingly pressured to be obedient to the fluctuating morality of the world with laws that seek to prevent us practicing our faith.
You will always be obedient to something, will it be to the ignorant program of society that is swayed by lobby groups and commercial interests? or to the weird family traditions you have inherited? or to the loving and gracious God of the world?
I hope we can be obedient something greater and higher than the misplaced desires of our hearts! Obedience to Jesus is the most noble way to live, and it is the outcome of being his Child.
(kids, in practicing obedience to you parent, even when they ask you to do seemingly unimportant things, is training you to follow Jesus for yourself).
“Do not be conformed...” - Reject the ignorant evil “pagan” desires - These were people who didn’t have a background in this stuff. Like many of us who didn’t grow up in Christian homes. Don’t align yourself with the desires of the world - the love of money, the pursuit of pleasure.
Replace them with holiness - a life dedicated to God and shaped by Him.
Israel was chosen and called to holiness just as the New People of God have been chosen and called to holiness.
Reminder - Like Israel was, we’re foreigners, sojourners, on a temporary visa, longing for a future home.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
Work that is judged - like the Parable of the talents. All were apparently servants - they belonged to the master - but their work was judged. It turned out that one of them wasn’t a servant at all, but did nothing for his master - he was rejected. We too, if we are in Jesus, already belong to him and we are to work with the gifts and strength he supplies - but if we do nothing, we prove that we’re a tare among the wheat, a false convert who appeared to belong but when the fruits are examined, there is no evidence
An indictment of the modern church - our gifts are wasted! Live out you time in reverent fear of God’s judgement on your life - turn away from the empty pursuit of riches and pleasures that do not satisfy.
Holy & Redeemed Believers (v18-21)
Holy & Redeemed Believers (v18-21)
You were purchased at a high price out of futility by Christ - the promised one now revealed. Our faith throughout this holy life in through Christ.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
You were not purchased with the things of this world to be citizens of it, you were purchased with Christ’s blood out of the slavery of this world.
Redemption caries the idea of someone who is trapped being freed - slavery,
The futile inheritance the way of life apart from God - inventing our own ideals. Right now the trend is to supplant even that with even more empty goals. These lead only to futility- just try and see where a self absorbed life under the sun will take you. You don’t even have the outside knowledge needed to know what constitutes the good life (like parents know what’s best for a child because of their experience and intellect, how much more does God’s knowledge and intellect trump our own?)
You were redeemed by the blood of the perfect sacrifice - spotless lamb - fulfilling the ancient pictures of sacrifice.
All part of the plan - from before the foundation of the world - for you!
GOSPEL
We cannot know the mind of God, only conjecture on how and why he allowed or ordained the fall of humanity, but we can know for certain that Christ was part of it from before the beginning - for your sake.
This is something that is a great encouragement when they feel like they are the scum of the world - a marginalized and suffering people.
This is an encouragement to us, because we have this inheritance to - Jesus himself! We don’t need to act apoligetically toward the world, as if we should be sorry for who we are when we have Jesus at work for our sake!
Through him we believe in God - no other name under heaven for salvation.
Faith is the extension of our knowledge. It is not wild guessing, or unfounded hope in some formless ideal - it is the extension of what we already know - a trust that it will take form based on what we already have.
A sure hope.
Holy lives through the Word (1:22-2:3)
Holy lives through the Word (1:22-2:3)
We are purifying ourselves in obedience. Our response to God is one of the ways he uses to sanctify us! In new life we take on the shape of the new family.
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
That obedience to truth creates a brotherly love, now push on so that it becomes deeper, God-like love for one another.
Why? Because this is your new identity as re-birthed people that aren’t for this fading world. We cannot embody the Christian life of belonging to God if we are embodying the old futile way of life.
“Christian love is born as Christians are born: through the truth of the Gospel.” Edmund Clowney
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Our rebirth comes through the word of God, which lasts forever.
This word is what we have have here, the Bible, but it is also conceptually the Gospel message itself - which in turn is also in some sense an expression of Jesus, the Word of God.
We can’t say the Jesus is the Gospel, but we can say that the Gospel is Jesus.
We’re reborn through the word to holy life, so cut off anything that is unholy:
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Because of who you are - reborn through the word, get rid of this stuff! A summary:
Malice - Un-love, hate,
Deceit - misleading
Hypocrisy - including hypocrisy toward God
Envy - hating someone out of jealousy
Slander - lying about, or misrepresenting others
Christians will sometimes fail in these areas - we’re not perfected yet, like first timers at the gym it takes a long time to get in good spiritual state.
What do you replace it with?
Hunger “pure spiritual milk” - the Word and the word.
grow in salvation! (it’s not the forensic view of salvation we’re used to talking about!)
You’ve already had a taste of God’s goodness, so why wouldn’t you want more?
If you want more, get more! Dive in - devour Christ!
Who wants to go back to eating rubbish when you have the good Lord offering himself as spiritual food?
What now?
What now?
Live in light of the new identity
Children of Obedience, living holy lives, turning from futility
Redeemed people living in reverent fear and faith turning from the futile,
Loving people born through the Word that is imperishable, growing in in salvation.