[0:00] Good evening everyone and a very warm welcome to Callanish Free Church.! If we haven't met already, my name is John McPherson.
[0:11] ! I was recently licensed as a minister of the Free Church just a few days ago and it's an absolute! joy to be with you as we gather to worship God. And before we start our time of worship, I just want to say two things. Thank you so much for your warm hospitality and welcome today.
[0:31] And also I bring with me the greetings of the church family in St. Andrew's Free Church. I should have said that this morning, but they are all too happy to see me here with you and they send their prayers also. This evening we continue in the first chapter of 1 Peter, a letter written to Christians scattered throughout the world, reminding them that they are redeemed and set apart and called to live lives that are holy and reverent because of who their God is. So let's hear these words from Psalm 130, a call to worship and to reverent joy. Psalm 130 says, If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared. This is the heart of Christian hope. Not that we are perfect, but that with the
[1:35] Lord there is plentiful redemption. That's what Peter reminds us of too. We are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and that changes everything. And what we're going to do now is we are going to sing from Psalm 130. We're going to sing the whole Psalm to God's praise. Let's sing together.
[1:56] Lord, from the dead to Thee I cry. My voice, Lord, could I hear. I'll fill my salvation.
[2:22] Lord, who shall stand? If thy, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? If thy, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
[2:52] Yes, O Lord, should know. Yes, O Lord, should know. And yet with thee forgiveness is a fear that mayest be.
[3:15] Thy wish for God, my soul, God, wait.
[3:27] My hope is in His Word. More than may that one morning watch, my soul waits for the Lord.
[3:56] I say, Lord, I may not to watch.
[4:08] The morning light to see. Let Israel open the Lord.
[4:27] All in mercy's being. The plentious redemption is ever time with Him.
[4:55] And from all is iniquity's.
[5:07] He is real so redeemed. Let's turn to the Lord in prayer.
[5:25] Almighty and gracious God, we come before you this evening in awe of your holiness and in wonder at your mercy.
[5:37] You are the God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The one who does not treat us as our sins deserve nor repay us according to our iniquities.
[5:51] As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is your love for those who fear you. Lord, we confess that we do not always live as those who fear you.
[6:05] We have often wandered from your ways. We have allowed ourselves to be shaped by the world's desires rather than formed by your truth.
[6:16] Forgive us, Father. We thank you, Father.
[6:48] And so we ask, would you meet with us in power this evening? Please, Lord, soften our hearts, open our ears and fix our eyes on Christ.
[7:02] May our singing be sincere, our prayers be pleasing, and our hearts be ready to receive your word. Help us to worship you in reverent joy as redeemed exiles who long to live differently all because of your grace.
[7:23] For we pray it all in Jesus' name. Amen. Before we turn to read from God's word, we're going to sing again.
[7:36] We're going to sing from Psalm 1. A psalm that sets before us two ways to live. One is the blessed life of the one who delights in God's word and walks in his ways.
[7:51] The other is the path of the ungodly, which leads to ruin. In 1 Peter that we're considering this evening, we're called to live differently, to be holy, to fear God, and to set our hope in Christ.
[8:04] Well, Psalm 1 gives voice to that call. To be rooted in God's truth and fruitful in every season. Let's sing Psalm 1 to God's praise.
[8:14] That man hath perfect grace in his Who ought in the cross be In Christ the Lord and glory man Nor stand in the cross be Nor sit in the cross be But grace in his
[9:36] And God's presence in God's presence chewing chewing The advancement of the advancement, chewing chewing chewing chewing chewing And God even shall prosper with the wicked heart of soul.
[10:35] The light they had unto the child.
[10:47] With wind rise still and groan. In good heaven for shadows turn.
[11:08] Such as the earth of the earth. Nor in the assembly of the dust.
[11:28] God's way in men appear. For by the way of the name.
[11:49] Until the earth is known. Where as the way of wickedness.
[12:09] God's way the overthrown. God's way the overthrown.
[12:48] Matthew 21. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.
[13:00] And hope to the end. For the grace that is to be brought unto you. At the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children.
[13:11] Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. That as he which hath called you is holy. So be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
[13:25] Because it is written. For I am holy. And if ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work.
[13:40] Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.
[13:55] But with the precious blood of Christ. As of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.
[14:08] But was manifest in these last times for you. Who by him do believe in God. That raised him up from the dead. And gave him glory.
[14:19] That your faith and hope might be in God. Let's turn once again to God in prayer.
[14:30] Let's pray. Our heavenly father we praise you that in your mercy.
[14:43] You have given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. You have secured for us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
[14:59] Kept in heaven for us. And guarded by your power. How kind you are. How strong you are. How sure are your promises.
[15:12] Even when we face trials of many kinds we can rejoice. Because we know our faith is being refined. And that one day we will see Jesus face to face.
[15:24] And praise him with pure hearts. What a salvation you've given to us. A salvation the prophets longed to see. And the angels longed to look into.
[15:38] Father we thank you that these truths are not just ancient words or lofty ideas. They are the present and eternal reality of your people here in Kalanish who are trusting in you.
[15:53] Thank you for this congregation. Thank you for those who have walked with you for many years. And for those just starting to follow Jesus. Thank you for every act of love.
[16:06] Every moment of witness. Every quiet step of obedience. And I pray now that the truth of 1 Peter 1 would not be just known but owned.
[16:22] May my brothers and sisters here know that they are chosen, born again and richly blessed. May they feel that inexpressible joy in their bones.
[16:35] May they feel that they are chosen, born again and richly blessed. And especially for those going through sorrow or trials of many kinds as Peter puts it. For those weighed down by grief, pain, uncertainty or weariness.
[16:50] Remind them of their living hope. Please assure them that they are never alone. And that their present suffering cannot compare to the glory that is to come.
[17:01] Father, we thank you that your grace not only saves us but shapes us. And so we pray that you would help Kalanish Free Church in every part of its life and witness to live out its identity.
[17:19] This is a church that is different by your grace. Lord, we lift our eyes to your wider work in Scotland.
[17:46] We long for the day when there is a thriving, healthy gospel church in every community of our country. Please help us to share the same compassion and heart of the Lord Jesus when he looked out and saw the crowds.
[18:04] He said, harassed and helpless. They are like sheep without a shepherd. May we be driven to our knees as we think of our loved ones, our neighbours, our co-workers and communities.
[18:19] We come to you, O Lord of the harvest. We ask for more workers for the task of making disciples of all nations. Please, we ask you, raise up pastors and church planters, teachers, evangelists, Sunday school teachers, youth workers, godly elders and deacons.
[18:41] We pray, especially this evening, for the congregation in Graver, for Park Free Church. We thank you for every evidence of your grace among them, for faithful saints, for the ongoing witness of the gospel and for the longing to see your word preached and lived out in their community.
[19:03] We ask, Lord, that you would sustain and encourage the congregation in this season of waiting. Please, please guard them from discouragement. Strengthen the congregation with wisdom and perseverance.
[19:16] Please stir up a spirit of unity and love and faithfulness. And in your good time, Lord, please provide a pastor after your own heart.
[19:28] One who will love your word, feed your sheep and lead with humility and joy. Prepare both preacher and people for a fruitful ministry together and may your name be honoured in that place for generations to come.
[19:46] Lord, we thank you for Simon Rayburg, the minister in training who has been doing his placement in the Park congregation. We thank you for his faithful efforts to preach your word and to love that church.
[19:59] We thank you for the outreach event that just happened this past Friday. We thank you for the Stand in the Gap event. We thank you for the four or five who came who aren't believers, who were encouraged to ask their questions about what they make of the Christian faith and the evidence of the resurrection.
[20:21] Please, Lord, be at work in their hearts. And we ask that you would, by your spirit, save them unto new life. And now, Lord, as we come to the preaching of your word, give us ears to hear and hearts to respond.
[20:40] Still our wandering thoughts. Soften our stubborn wills. And open the eyes of our hearts to see the beauty and the weight of what you are saying to us.
[20:52] Speak, Lord, not just to inform our minds, but to transform our lives. We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from your mouth.
[21:04] So feed us now, we pray, for your glory and our joy. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We're going to sing again.
[21:18] And we're going to sing from Psalm 24. A psalm that lifts our eyes to the greatness and holiness of God. It asks a searching question, this psalm.
[21:29] Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? The answer is sobering. Only the one with clean hands and a pure heart. But the good news is, in Christ Jesus, we have been made clean.
[21:43] By his precious blood, we are counted righteous and welcomed to worship our holy God. As we prepare to hear from 1 Peter about living holy lives before this holy God, let's sing with reverence and gladness.
[21:57] Psalm 24, verses 1 to 8. The earth belongs unto the Lord, All that it contains, The world that is in our vision, And the Lord that is in our vision, The world that is in our vision,
[23:25] Of our vision, And the Lord that is in our vision, He from the carol shall receive the blessing of God.
[24:14] And brightened head came from the Lord of His salvation.
[24:33] Can I invite you to turn back with me to 1 Peter chapter 1 and the verses that we read together, verses 13 through 21.
[24:44] It would be great to keep that open in front of you as you follow along. What does it mean to live as a Christian in a world that doesn't share your convictions?
[24:59] A world where Christian beliefs can feel alien, maybe even unwelcome. A world where faith in Jesus doesn't get you applause, but maybe raises eyebrows.
[25:14] That's exactly the kind of world Peter was writing to. Scattered across the Roman Empire, these early Christians were beginning to feel the pinch of living as strangers in their own towns.
[25:29] Misunderstood for being Christians. Maligned and tempted to shrink back. But Peter writes to remind them who they really are and how to live in light of that.
[25:46] The first 12 verses of Peter, some of which we read this morning, they're like a soaring hymn of praise. Peter lifts their eyes to the breathtaking realities of what God has done for them in Christ.
[26:03] He tells them that God has chosen them. Caused them to be born again into a living hope and secured for them an imperishable inheritance.
[26:14] Even their sufferings, Peter says, are not meaningless, but refining their faith. And though these believers have never even seen Jesus, they love him.
[26:29] These are truths so profound that even the angels long to look into them. Now in verse 13 in our passage this evening, Peter says, therefore, because all of that is true, here's how you must live.
[26:49] It's the classic New Testament pattern. The indicative comes before the imperative. Gospel identity before gospel lifestyle.
[27:01] You are different.
[27:31] That's the flow of this whole passage.
[27:42] And in the verses before us today, Peter gives us three clear commands, three ways to live differently as God's people in the world.
[27:54] He says three things. Set your hope on the future. Be holy like your father. And fear God until you finish.
[28:05] We'll take them one at a time. So firstly, set your hope fully on future grace. Peter begins in verse 13.
[28:16] 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.
[28:28] In other words, Peter is saying, set your focus on the future. Set your hope, not vaguely, not vaguely, not partly, but fully on the grace that will be ours when Christ returns.
[28:44] No backup plans. No half measures. All our eggs in this basket. It's a really challenging instruction that makes us ask, what am I setting my hope on for the future?
[28:59] Are we pinning our hopes on career success? Finding true love, the dream retirement home, raising the perfect family or finally going on that once in a lifetime holiday.
[29:15] It's so easy, even for us as Christians, to get caught up hoping in the same things the world hopes in. The world hopes in these things.
[29:27] But Peter says, Christians are different. Don't settle your heart on what won't last. Lift your eyes to eternity. So how do we do that?
[29:38] Well, Peter gives us two means. He says, alert minds and sober thinking. I actually love the way that the King James puts it.
[29:49] Guarding up the loins of your mind. Literally preparing your minds for action. That phrase, it's a funny picture. Imagine people in the Middle Eastern heat.
[30:02] They're wearing these long flowing robes. Great for keeping you cool in the Middle Eastern heat. But terrible for running or fighting because you trip over them.
[30:16] To gird up your loins meant to bunch up that long robe and tie it around your waist so that your legs are free to run. And Peter is applying that imagery to our minds.
[30:30] Roll up your mental sleeves. Tuck in any loose, trailing thoughts. Be ready for action.
[30:43] This is really deliberate language. Intentional. Don't let your thoughts drift into daydreams or distractions. Fix your attention on God's truth.
[30:56] Keep reminding yourself, Jesus is coming. My future is with him. That's something we can do together as a church.
[31:08] When we meet to talk for coffee at a fellowship after the evening service. Keep pointing one another to what is unseen.
[31:19] To what is eternal. To what is to come. And then Peter says, be sober minded. And he's not just talking about alcohol, but of spiritually clear headedness.
[31:34] Because just as literal drink dulls our senses, the world's values can numb our spiritual reflexes.
[31:46] It can easily grow drowsy toward the things of God, especially in seasons of pain or pressure. Peter. I wonder if you've felt that.
[31:57] When life gets hard and you're tempted to retreat into comfort. Or when stress drives you to put your hope in money or affirmation or control.
[32:12] That's the subtle pool of spiritual intoxication. Peter is saying, don't get drunk on cheap dreams that don't last.
[32:25] Don't get drunk on temporary comforts. Don't get drunk on Netflix. Or on nostalgia for the way things used to be.
[32:36] Or the next best thing. Let me give you an example of what Peter might be talking to. This is very close to home in the church that I minister in, in St. Andrews.
[32:48] There are lots of students and many Christians long for marriage. And rightly so, it's a good thing. But it's really easy, and I've seen this a lot, to believe the world's message that romantic love is the ultimate thing.
[33:03] I've watched dear friends of mine, believers, drift. They began by hoping for a godly spouse. But when that didn't happen in their preferred timing, they gave their hearts to whoever paid attention.
[33:22] Some ended up in relationships that took them away from Christ. What happened to them? Well, a good desire became a ruling one.
[33:35] Slowly they started sipping from the world's cup, absorbing its message that romance is ultimate, that fulfillment lies in finding the one. But that message dulled their judgment and pulled them off course.
[33:52] And Peter is saying, be careful what you're drinking. What are you taking in day after day? The world offers an endless cocktail of false hopes.
[34:04] You will be happy if you have this. You'll be complete if you have that. But if you sip that for long enough, you'll find yourself spiritually drowsy, drifting from true hope.
[34:17] Instead, Peter says, fill your heart with God's promises. And especially his future grace.
[34:29] That word grace is really helpful. It reminds us that what's ahead is not earned but freely given. It's guaranteed because of Jesus. And his resurrection secures it.
[34:41] Every other future is uncertain. Only one future is certain. So let me ask each of us.
[34:53] What dream has captured your heart for the future? Is it something less than Christ?
[35:04] If so, why? Whatever it is, I can guarantee it's far less wonderful and far less secure than the hope of heaven.
[35:21] Dear friends, let's do what Peter says, which is to lift our eyes from the here and now and fix them on that glorious day when Jesus returns.
[35:32] When your mind starts to wander towards lesser hopes. Capture yourself and refocus. And remember, he's coming back.
[35:43] Keep that reality at the forefront of your thinking. That the more we set our minds on that grace. That grace-filled future.
[35:55] The more strength and joy we'll have to persevere in the present. Now that's our first point. That's Peter's first command to the people he's writing to.
[36:08] But he also says to them in verses 14 through 16, Be holy like your father. And Peter's second exhortation flows naturally from the first.
[36:21] He says, As obedient children, do not confirm to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance in the past. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
[36:37] If the first command focused on our hope, this one focuses on our conduct. Peter says, Before we knew Christ, we were in spiritual ignorance.
[36:50] We didn't know better, so we just chased after our desires. But now, he says, by God's mercy, that's not who we are anymore. We've been given a new life and identity.
[37:04] Peter says, Don't let your new life be shaped by old desires. Now that's not easy. Wouldn't it be great if once you became a Christian, sin just disappeared?
[37:19] But the truth is, our old habits cling on. Daily we face a choice. Indulge or resist.
[37:32] Someone once said, Kill sin or it will kill you. That might sound intense, but it's true. Unchecked sin can wreak havoc in our lives.
[37:43] So we can't afford to be tame or casual about it. We have to take it seriously. Sometimes that means real repentance. Naming the sin.
[37:54] Asking God for help. Making changes. Even drastic ones. Maybe you need to talk to someone. Even tonight. Maybe you need to confess.
[38:05] Don't hide it. Sin thrives in the dark. But it weakens in the light. And remember, Jesus died to redeem you from that old life.
[38:17] It no longer owns you. But holiness, the command. It's more than just saying no to sin. It's saying yes to God.
[38:28] Peter puts it really simply. He says, Be holy in all you do, Just as your father is holy. To be holy is to be distinct. Morally pure.
[38:40] Set apart for God. Peter is quoting from Leviticus here. God's call to Israel after saving them from slavery in Egypt.
[38:51] Be holy because I am holy. They, back then, were to live differently because they belonged to God. And so do we. We're God's children now.
[39:03] And the family likeness should be growing in us. So Peter is saying, Don't just avoid sin. Actively pursue Christ likeness.
[39:15] Let God's character shape your life. Maybe one way we can be helped to do that is to think about what God is like. We can think about God's attributes that we can imitate in daily life.
[39:31] His kindness. His honesty. His patience. His generosity. His compassion. To be holy is to let those qualities be evident in us.
[39:44] Holiness is not about ticking boxes or rule keeping. It's about becoming more like the most beautiful person in the universe.
[39:56] It might sound really overwhelming, Peter's command. Be holy in all you do. Every moment of every day. But here's the key thing.
[40:09] And this has really helped me in the years that I have been walking with the Lord. Think about today. We don't have to stress about the next year or five or ten or fifty years of resisting sin.
[40:24] Just ask, How can I honour God today? Lord, help me to obey you today. Help me to be holy like you today. And then, do the same tomorrow.
[40:39] One faithful step at a time. And holiness isn't about being dry or joyless. Holiness is becoming more like our Father.
[40:50] Think of maybe someone whose character really inspires you. Someone whose humility or gentleness or generosity makes you think, Ah, I really want to be like them.
[41:01] Now imagine becoming like the one who is the source of all that is good. God himself. That's what holiness is.
[41:15] It's not about rule following, though that's important. It's about relationship. When God says, Be holy, he's inviting us to share in his goodness.
[41:26] He's saying, Come close. Live like me. And by his Spirit, we actually can. Now, of course, we'll stumble.
[41:37] There will be moments this week when we don't reflect our Father. But that's when we come back to him in repentance. The same grace that saved us also trains us to live holy lives.
[41:49] Maybe even now. The Spirit is bringing something to mind. Some way in which you've been conforming to the world.
[42:01] Or rejecting his word. Don't ignore it. Don't brush it off. Bring it to the cross. Confess it and ask for God's help to change you.
[42:13] You might even need to take a sledgehammer to a specific sin. Removing the sources of temptation. Setting up accountability.
[42:24] Whatever it takes. Yes, sin is serious. But God's grace is greater. He's given us everything we need for a life of growing in godliness.
[42:37] So remember who you are. You belong to a holy God. You are different. So be different. Day by day, choose to be like your Father in heaven.
[42:48] That's Peter's second command to us. But his third and final one is, fear God until you finish. And we see that in verses 17 through 21.
[43:02] Peter's third command is there in verse 17. Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners.
[43:13] Here in reverent fear. I don't know how you respond to that phrase, fear God. It can feel confusing.
[43:26] To some, it's off-putting. What does it mean to fear? Someone we're also meant to trust and love. Some Christians ignore the idea completely.
[43:39] Picturing God more like a comforting grandfather or a gentle therapist. But that can breed flippancy. And a God who never says no, who never gets taken seriously, isn't a God worth following.
[43:54] Others emphasize God's holiness so heavily that they picture him as cold or stern or distant. Someone to keep your distance from.
[44:06] But the Bible paints a richer picture. Let me read to you a verse from the book of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews says, Let us worship God acceptively with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
[44:23] Reverence, awe. Yes, he is our loving father, but he is also the holy judge, utterly pure and infinitely glorious.
[44:36] We have to hold both truths together. To illustrate this, and I'm sure many of you will be able to appreciate this, imagine a teenager slouched on the couch, eyes on their phone, barely grunting one word answers to their dad.
[44:59] Dad asks, Hey, how was your day? Anything interesting happen? Dunno. Can we talk? That kind of indifference shows a lack of proper respect for the father.
[45:15] And sometimes, don't we treat God like that? A brief prayer, a hurried song, but no real reverence or weight to his words.
[45:32] So what is the right kind of fear? There is in the Bible both ungodly and godly fear. Ungodly fear is what Adam and Eve felt when they hid the fear of punishment and wanting to run away.
[45:50] If you're outside of Christ, if you're not a Christian, that fear is appropriate. But if you belong to Jesus, there is no condemnation.
[46:01] That fear is gone. Godly fear is something entirely different. Rather than driving us away from God, it draws us toward him in worship.
[46:14] This fear is not dread, but reverence. Being deeply moved by who God is, his holiness, power, justice, and astonishing love.
[46:29] It's trembling, not because you're terrified, but because you're amazed. One helpful definition I've heard and that I've always liked to repeat to myself is that the fear of the Lord is a mixture of awe and amazement and honour and yes, a healthy sense of trembling before his greatness.
[46:54] In short, it means we take God with utmost seriousness. Godly fear doesn't say, God might crush me. It says, God is so glorious, how could I take him lightly?
[47:10] It leads not to distance, but to worship. It's a love-soaked awe that shapes how we live. And that's Peter's point. You call on God as Father, and he is your Father.
[47:25] But don't forget, this Father is also a judge. He watches how we live impartially. So live the whole of your life in every setting in reverent fear.
[47:39] Not just in church, not just at school, not just in your home, your work, your marriage, your retirement. In every single setting, we are meant to ask the question, is there anywhere I've been living as if God isn't watching?
[48:02] Anywhere I've treated his word as optional? Reverent fear won't let us compartmentalize obedience.
[48:13] It won't let us say, God can have Sundays, but not my relationships, not my finances, not my online habits. Godly fear means no corner of our lives is off limits to him.
[48:30] Not because we're scared of punishment, but because we love and honour him too much to treat his commands lightly. And Peter ends this little section by giving us two powerful reasons to live in godly fear.
[48:48] first he reminds us of the price God paid to rescue us. This is from verses 18 and 19. 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.
[49:14] The Son of God, sinless, spotless, gave his life to free us.
[49:26] That's the value God places on you. That is the cost of your forgiveness. Think about that.
[49:38] When we're tempted to take sin lightly, Peter says, remember the cross. Remember what it cost God to save you.
[49:50] When we remember that our forgiveness and new life cost Jesus everything, it makes you pause, doesn't it? How could I shrug at sins that Jesus suffered to rescue me from?
[50:09] Knowing the price of our redemption should deepen our reverence for God. It wasn't cheap. It was infinitely costly. God must be immeasurably holy and just if sin required such a sacrifice.
[50:27] And he must be immeasurably loving and merciful to provide that sacrifice himself. Godly fear flourishes when we keep the cross in view.
[50:42] We realise, wow, Lord, you did this for me. I owe you everything. Let me never insult your grace by living as though sin was not a big deal.
[50:56] people. And as well as the cross, Peter points us to the plan of God and our secure hope in him in verse 20.
[51:09] 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.
[51:23] the redemption accomplished through Jesus was no accident or plan B. Jesus came at the right moment and he came for you.
[51:34] We don't fear circumstances or rejection or death. We fear the God who raised Jesus and rules eternally. And what a beautiful fear that is.
[51:50] The one who will judge us is the same one who gave his son to save us. That truth humbles us without crushing us.
[52:01] Gives us confidence not complacency. Assurance but not arrogance. The fear of the Lord is what keeps us walking humbly and gratefully with him until the end.
[52:17] That's why Peter says we should fear God as long as we live as foreigners or strangers or exiles here. Until the day we get home this reverent awe should shape our steps.
[52:32] In heaven fear will give way to face to face delight but for now it keeps us grounded obedient and thankful.
[52:45] So living in reverent fear means to live with a profound awareness. God is my father God is my judge God is my redeemer God is my hope he's always present always holy always loving how could I not honor him with my life?
[53:04] So if you hear all of this and think I want more of that fear I need more of that reverence in my heart you're not alone that's a good desire ask God for it pray Lord teach me to fear you rightly not to shrink from you but to honor you not to live in guilt but in grateful worship God loves to answer prayers like that let's live each day not afraid of God but in awe of him not terrified but transformed you are different so be different until the day you see him face to face my dear friends here in Kalanish you are different so be different Peter has shown us three areas in which our differentness must shine our hope set fully on God's grace not on earthly dreams our conduct holy like our father not conforming to the world around us and our attitude toward God reverent fear not casual or rebellious this is the response to the great salvation we have received and as we live it out it will make a difference imagine a church full of people who hope in their future with Christ who strive to be holy and who have a deep reverence for God that kind of church stands out it stands out in a world of despair and indulgence!
[54:59] and irreverence people around will notice that difference some may hate it as in Peter's day just keep reading 1st Peter but others may be drawn by it our distinct lives can become a beacon that point people to Jesus and so Peter says to us at the end of this day spent in chapter 1 don't hide who you are you are different because of God's grace so be different to make a gospel difference in the lives of those around you and outside this building let's pray heavenly father we praise you for giving us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus please help us lord to set our hope not on lesser things but fully on the grace to come when
[56:02] Jesus returns holy God please work in us by your spirit that we might be holy in all that we do where we have been conforming to old patterns of sin forgive us give us strength each day to say no to sinful desires and yes to reflecting your character help us encourage one another with this pursuit of holiness and give us the humility to repent quickly and seek help when we need it almighty God we stand in awe of who you are teach us to live in reverent fear not shrinking back but walking closely with you in awe and love thank you for redeeming us at such a cost let us never treat that lightly help us since we are different in Christ to be different like Christ to make a difference for Christ in the name of Christ we pray amen will you please turn with me to psalm 103 we're going to sing verses 17 through 22 this beautiful ending brings us full circle the psalm echoes the theme of
[57:27] God's mercy and our call to live in holy reverence before him it's a fitting response to the call in 1st Peter chapter 1 to live as those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ psalm 103 verses 17 through till the end let's sing to God's praise!
[58:18] God's righteousness extends To His righteousness keep His covenant and mindful cry away of His most God's covenant men that He made their hope be that our King is at His throne His His angels out his cell,
[59:48] His strength bless me at all. He who obeyed all he commands, As I get to this world.
[60:14] O bless and bless, In Christ the Lord, He who obeyed all he commands, In this birth thought it fulfilled, What can't this pledge advance?
[60:50] O bless the Lord, I'll eat his words with the word restored.
[61:08] In his own visions every way, With my soul bless thy Lord.
[61:28] Final verse and the benediction. Set your hope fully on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, for you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
[61:43] And so may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by power of the Holy Spirit.
[61:56] Amen.