Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: Illustration of a pivot point, a critical juncture in a journey.

We are familiar with the idea of a see saw.

A simple plank of wood with a pivot point in the middle.

You can’t find a traditional one in a park anymore.

They were considered too dangerous, so other things have been substituted instead.

But the principle remains; there is a tipping point where you move from going up to going down.

And if the person on the other end jumps off when you are up, then you go down, very fast!

Which is where the problem of broken legs, back injuries and abrasions came into the picture, which is why they can’t be found in parks anymore?

Or perhaps if you haven’t had the privilege of experiencing a traditional see saw, then you may be familiar with the idea of a critical point in a journey.

A juncture where everything seems to change.

It might be the peak of a long climb up a hill.

A journey where you change flights part way through.

It may be a journey where you have to change the mode of transport from a plane to a train.

There is this almost magical point where everything seems to change.

Maybe where the journey home seems to go faster than the journey to get there.

You move off the country roads onto the freeway.

Whatever it is there is this critical juncture in your journey.

The tipping point on the see saw.

Or the change of tone in a letter where general thoughts become specific instructions.

Which is what we find in 1 Peter 2:11.

Here Peter begins what is structurally the second half of the letter.

In the first part of the letter Peter focuses on the theological aspects and occasionally applies these to life.

From this point forward Peter focuses on the practical with shorter theological statements included.

[1]

The first half contains general exhortations to holiness (1:15), love (1:22), and trust in God this half gives very specific instructions showing how believers are to practice holiness and trust in God in actual life situations.

(related to hope in 1:13, and implied in 1:5, 7–9, 21; 2:7), [2]

Though it is an oversimplification, it may be said that 2:11–5:11 gives specific application to the general teaching of 1:1–2:10.

[3]

Peter begins this practical application with a reminder to his readers of their relationship and standing.

- 1 Peter 2:11

Most new translations use the term “Dear Friends” at the beginning of verse 11.

But this isn’t a strong enough term.

Peter isn’t just writing to his friends.

These are friends whom he loves, friends who may have to die with him for their faith.

This is an intense affection shared by people who have and will go through a lot together.

Peter is calling to them as an Apostle, a man speaking with the authority of God and also a man who cares about them as a brother.

He is warning them, strongly urging them.

Be careful, don’t get trapped.

But what is there that they need to be careful off?

What is there that could trap them?

Peter identifies the danger as worldly desires, sinful desires or worldly lusts, things that wage war against your very souls.

Which sounds a bit alarmist and over the top.

Like those who continually cry out the end is near, the sky is falling and you will all be doomed!

But this is actually what will happen if Christians loose sight of what really counts.

PAUSE

The war that Peter identifies is actually very real.

It is a war that comes because of our status as “aliens and strangers”

We need to be reminded of our position as aliens & strangers in this world because of Christ.

Peter has addressed his readers as

1 Peter 2:11 (NLT)

11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.

Peter speaks to them as aliens and exiles, using two words which are found together in both Gen. 23:4 and Ps.

39:12.

These words emphasize the Christian’s status as a temporary resident in a world that is not his home, for his true homeland is in heaven.

[4]

And this is why there is a war, an internal conflict.

The desires of a heavenly home against the desires of a fallen earthly home.

Peter calls his readers to keep away, or to abstain from these worldly desires.

Now Christians will often come up with a list.

Usually taken directly from a scripture passage such as Galatians 6:19 which lists; sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, murder4drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.[5]

The reason Christians will often come up with a list like this is so they can go through and tick of each one they are not guilty of and therefore they can declare themselves to be right before God.

Which totally misses the point!

No list can be complete.

No attempt to declare yourself righteous is realistic.

As citizens of heaven, as aliens and strangers in this world the attitude which is required is totally different.

1 John 2:16 sums up the situation very well when it says; “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”

(1 John 2:16, NLT)

Physical pleasure, possessions and pride.

A desire for anything that is against God’s will is what Peter has in mind.

A desire for anything other than relationship with God is a danger.

Here is the key, the pivot point on the see saw.

When our focus is on heaven, our relationship with Christ then everything else takes on a correct perspective.

Peter’s warning is not in the past it is a continuous action, a present tense1 and gives the sense of ‘continually keep away from sinful desires, do not let yourself indulge in them at any time’.

[6]

These desires are not uncontrollable as our modern society would have us believe.

We are not to let every feeling and desire wash over us as something which we cannot control.

A life focussed on Christ will drive away many feelings and desires because they are not welcome or compatible with a life focussed on heaven.

Instead our desires are brought under the control of Christ.

Bit by bit, moment by moment, thought by thought our focus becomes Christ.

So that by continually focussing on Christ our sexual desires find appropriate expression and enjoyment in our spouse or if we are single our invovlement in genuine community and service helps us to tame these desires until such time as they can find appropriate expression in marriage.

Our physical desires for food, comfort and excitement find appropriate expression and enjoyment in healthy physical sustainment and the joy of shared community.

Our desires for possessions and wealth are transformed from an idol which gives us a sense of security and achievement into wisdom and stewardship which builds resources.

Resources which enable us to bless others.

When our focus is on heaven and our relationship with Christ, pride falls away and is replaces with love.

When this is our reality then something truly amazing happens.

When this is our reality a transformation takes place.

A transformation which is physically evident to those around us.

We will actually live as an example to Christ for those who do not know him.

Living as aliens and strangers amongst unbelieving neighbours v 12a

When Peter wrote “

The world was a very different place.

The lifestyle of Christians and also Jews was a confronting testimony that these people were different.

Their moral purity stood out as they did not use prostitutes, they avoided affairs, they had only one spouse for life and they remained faithful.

Their love, care and concern for others stood out.

Their avoidance of idol worship stood out.

Their sense of community stood out.

Now that isn’t to say that there weren’t elements of these positive things in other members of society.

There was, but the Christians especially were different.

When we read 1 Peter 2:12 we have a significant problem.

Until recently the world around us upheld these same values as the ideal to be aimed for.

And while most people, most of the time would say that this way of behaving was good and right.

The reality was that Christians were about as good and right as most of the people, most of the time.

In reality we really didn’t have a testimony to give because the church looked no different from the world around us.

Except that we pretended to be holy, when everyone else could see that we were at best no better than them and often were simply hypocrites.