[0:00] If you have a Bible with you, if you could turn to 1 Peter 1.! We're going to begin in verse 13 in a moment. And we will read that together.
[0:13] Francis Schaeffer, this legendary Christian philosopher, wrote and he entitled the book, How Should We Then Live?! In Schaeffer's book, he said that coming to faith in Christ is not merely making a decision, but it is in fact that God has rescued us from the bondage of sin, yes, but it ought to impact every area of our life.
[0:38] I've just spared you from having to read the book. That's the one sentence synopsis of it. But it's coming to faith in Christ is the starting point.
[0:50] And Christ ought to affect every area of our life. And that's going to be the thrust of today's message. Peter is going to make the argument that God has given you this new life, so live in a new way.
[1:05] And then we're going to look at three ways that Peter's going to encourage us this new way of living, what it may look like. But if you have now your copy of Scripture with you, please read along with me 1 Peter 1, verses 13 through 23.
[1:20] Therefore, preparing your minds for action, be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[1:33] As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct, since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.
[1:49] And if you call on his name, if you call on him as father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourself with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
[2:19] He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last times for the sake of you. I'm sorry, for the sake of you, 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.
[2:41] Peter is making the argument, God has given you this new life, so live in a new way. We say, well, Scott, how did Peter already have said, there's a presupposition a little bit in me here, that God has given you this new life.
[2:59] Peter has already been saying this. We can look back in verse three, 1 Peter chapter one, verse three says this, blessed be God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy, he has rescued us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
[3:16] He, because of his great mercy, has rescued us. He has given you new life. But verse 13 says, therefore, it's this, it's a transitional conjunction.
[3:31] Okay, therefore, since God has given you this new life, so then live this new way, what does this new way look like? It says this, what is this new way?
[3:44] Set your, the first part of this, is to set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So, therefore, verse one, or verse 13 rather, begins with therefore, and then we're gonna skip the phrases, prepare your minds for action, and we're gonna skip the phrase and be sober-minded for now, because what's the therefore pointing to?
[4:09] Therefore, since you are in Christ, therefore, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That's the thrust of the verse, the point of verse 13 that he's getting to is in verse 13, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[4:26] So, the first point of this is this, God has given you new life, so live in a new way by doing what? By anticipating the Lord's return. We are commanded to set our hope fully.
[4:40] In English vernacular, we use this word hope as a feeling word, like, I hope the girl responds well to my invitation for a date.
[4:52] You know, we use the word hope, like, I have no basis for understanding, thinking that she will, but I sure hope it is, and so it's just a feeling. Or, I hope I do well on this test. I may not have studied, but I sure hope I do.
[5:04] And so, it's more of a wish and a feeling, but that's not the context of the word hope in Scripture. Hope is rather like an obligation of the will that is believing something that has already been revealed.
[5:20] Has Christ already said, I will return in like manner? Yes, even the angel, when Jesus is ascending into the clouds and the men stand there in the book of Acts, what does the angel say?
[5:34] He said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? Again, this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come again and it's the same as you saw him go into heaven. This same Jesus will return in the same manner.
[5:49] So, we don't have this hope based on no information that he will return. No, we're quite certain that he will return and we can set our hope in that.
[6:03] And you say, well, in what way are we to set our hope in that way based on all that has been revealed, the certainty of Christ's return. He says, set your hope fully.
[6:16] That is to be rendered completely, unreservedly, perfectly. For the believer, there is no half-hearted or indecision about the return of Christ and the favor that will be bestowed upon you in that time.
[6:31] And think about how this would have come across to these exiled believers because of their faith in Christ facing persecution and he is saying to them, hey, live a different way because this hope of his return that you have, this certainty and the grace that is accompanying his return upon your life, it is certain.
[6:54] You can count on it. I imagine this certainty like, I am not a rock climber. I don't know if you could have guessed that but I don't, I'm not.
[7:10] But I look up to those who are, my wife and I went to Arches National Park and right outside the park there is this monolithic pillar of rock that is just amazing and there was a guy standing at the very top and the only way he got up there is to rock climb and he was getting ready to belay down and I imagine this hope that is like this that all he has is his experience, his harness and a rope and an anchor point that he is trusting and he has trusted time and again because he rather quickly and easily and almost without reservation just leaned over the edge and let his weight take him down.
[7:57] That is not for me. But, but there is no way that rock climber would do that unless he trusted his equipment and his anchor point.
[8:11] Just the same. You have more certainty than a harness, a rope, and an anchor point about the return of Christ and you can set your hope on that.
[8:27] And it's not just, I want us to read that verse carefully in verse 13, the verse carefully, because it's not just that the Lord will return but rather we are to set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the event of his return.
[8:48] So there is the favor of the Lord, the grace that will be brought to believers at his revelation when he returns. That is what we're to set our hope on.
[9:02] Yes, Jesus, but all that accompanies him when he returns. You say, well, Scott, what are some things that accompany him? First of all, let's not discount the Lord. He is the point of his return.
[9:13] He is the point of our life. we get Jesus. There is nothing more that is necessary. But Jesus will also judge sin and wickedness with finality upon his return.
[9:33] He is accompanied with his angels. There is no more weeping, no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain.
[9:46] All those things are part of his favor that we receive that are accompanying his return. Faith looks forward because it has first experienced the faithfulness of God in the past.
[10:04] The rock climber can go over that edge because he's tasted the faithfulness of his harness, his anchor point, and his rope. We have something far certain, more sure than all of that.
[10:20] But let's look at some of these past faithfulness of the Lord. Think with me for a moment. How certain can we be about the Lord and his return?
[10:31] What is it in the past that we can say, oh, with certainty he's going to do this? Look with me in Matthew 1, 21. These are going to be on the screen. We're just going to review these. This is the angel speaking to Joseph.
[10:42] the husband of Mary who has told him that your betrothed, Mary the gal, your betrothed is going to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
[10:53] And this is what the angel says to Joseph. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus and he will save people from their sins.
[11:07] Next, we witness Christ publicly recognized as the Son of God. John the Baptist did this in John 1, 29. It says, the next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and he said, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
[11:24] And then, Paul, later in Ephesians, says this, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.
[11:37] You have prior to Christ this angel testifying, Joseph, this son that your wife will bear. He will save his people from their sins.
[11:51] John the Baptist saying, behold, there he is. There's the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. And then, after Christ's death and resurrection, you have the Apostle Paul say, in him, looking back on the cross, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.
[12:11] Have you tasted the Lord's faithfulness in any past event that you could say, oh, with certainty, I have no doubt of his return and the grace that will accompany him then, and I can set my hope on that.
[12:27] And how comforting that would be going through difficult times. you may be like those in the first century and perhaps myself, and you say, well, Scott, I am experiencing currently hardship, disappointment, health setbacks, relationship setbacks, divorce, death of a parent, death of a child, death of a spouse.
[13:03] I am suffering. Let us remind ourselves who the audience that Peter is speaking to. They are people who are experiencing hardships, persecutions, setbacks.
[13:15] They are of the diaspora, in verse 1. They are the dispersed ones. And so you say, well, Scott, how is it that I can set my hope fully on the grace that will be brought to me at his return?
[13:31] Well, that's now where we're going to read those phrases that we left out earlier. Verse 13 says, therefore, how do we do this? How do we have this set our hope fully on the grace of God?
[13:44] Well, Peter tells us two elements to that. Verse 13, well, prepare your minds for action. And number two, being sober-minded. Preparing your minds for action.
[13:56] It's, the phrase is literally gird up your minds. It's this phrase, gird up. It's a word picture, the metaphor that Peter is using.
[14:08] If you, in the first century, it was customary, you had this long, robe-like outfit. And in order to move or take action, you would gird it, you would pull it up, and you would tuck it into the belt that you had, and now it's like a big adult diaper.
[14:25] And now you could run faster and not get caught up in the clothing. And he's, so basically he's saying, okay, do that same thing with your mind. Get ready for action in your mind.
[14:36] Prepare it. Well, how do we do that? I think a couple of elements we could think of is Romans chapter 12 too. We read, to discipline our thoughts. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
[14:56] Number two, I can think we are to live with biblical priorities. Look with me in Matthew 6, 33. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Number three, I can think of disentangling ourselves from this world's sinful hindrances.
[15:12] I think of Hebrews 1, 12, 1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings to so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
[15:27] Notice in this verse before we move on, it talks about a weight and a sin that so easily clings to us. Not everything that hinders you from setting your hope in Christ and his grace is necessarily a sin.
[15:45] It can be just a weight. For example, there are things that we may have Christian liberty to do and enjoy that is not sinful, but it may not be helping you run well and to disentangle yourself from the sinful things that hinder us or just a simple weight that hinders us.
[16:03] You think, well, what are those things? Think about things that are within Christian liberty. Do you have liberty in Christ to play video games? Perhaps. I would want to know more what kind and all of this, but I'll spare you from the questions I would ask.
[16:19] But you can see video games inherently are not, you may have liberty there, but they may not be helpful. They may be a weight. That's an example of what I'm talking about.
[16:30] Last, conduct your life with righteousness and godliness. Colossians 3, 2 and through 4, set your minds on things above, not on things of earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
[16:44] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will appear with him in glory. So we are to prepare our minds for action.
[16:55] You have a responsibility to discipline your mind, discipline your thoughts, have biblical priorities, disentangle yourself from worldly hindrances and conduct yourself righteously in godliness and last, be sober-minded.
[17:13] He's talking about, it's a metaphorically speaking, Paul, Peter is saying, do not lose spiritual control by imbibing in the world sinful systems. Have clarity of mind, discipline your heart, have biblical priorities.
[17:29] So, therefore, therefore, verse 13, prepare your minds for action.
[17:40] Being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. What's the point? God has given you new life, so live a new way by anticipating the Lord's return.
[17:54] Secondly, by being holy, by being holy, wholly devoted to God. Peter then writes in verses 14 through 16, I'm going to read those verses one more time, as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct.
[18:14] Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. Dr. Vreeland, a member here, has helped me understand many of the Old Testament connotations of holiness, of what it means, like a separation to God for service.
[18:32] It can mean the semantic range of holiness could mean a purification, a dedication to an assignment and devotion to the master. This phrase, be holy, for I am holy.
[18:46] So how are we to live this new life? Well, we are to be holy. It comes from Leviticus 19. It's a quote from Leviticus 19, one through two. It says, The Lord God said to Moses, saying, Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for the Lord your God is holy.
[19:09] Oftentimes, and I know this is the box again. We'll explain the box for those who may be a first-time guest, but we often think of holiness as separation from and a separation to something.
[19:24] So, I'm going to separate myself from something evil or wicked, and I'm going to separate myself to the Lord. That's biblical.
[19:37] That's helpful. But imagine, in this box, all of creation. Okay? We have the earth, the universe, the bugs, people.
[19:48] Everything that God has created is now in the box. Then, God, before, and time, and space, everything is in the box that God has created. So then, before time, and space, and all of creation, God exists, and He is holy there.
[20:06] Be holy, for I am holy. But there's nothing for God to be separate from in order to be holy. So that meaning of holiness to be separate from is good, but in this case, it's not complete.
[20:24] So how are we to think about holiness, God being holy, when there's no creation? What makes God holy?
[20:35] It was a few years ago I read this verse that gave me a hint and a book I read by Sinclair Ferguson that gave me closer to what is it that when God says be holy, for I am holy, what is at the core of holiness?
[21:00] John 17, verses 10 through 11 was helpful. All mine are yours. This is Jesus praying to the Father.
[21:11] He is about to go to the cross. He's about to be killed, die for sin, and in His prayer, Jesus is praying to the Father and He says this, All mine are yours and yours are mine, and I'm glorified in them.
[21:34] And I am no longer in this world, but they are in the world, speaking of His disciples, His people, they are in this world, and I am coming to you. So Jesus said, I'm coming to you, Father.
[21:47] Holy Father, there is Holy. Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as you, as we are one.
[22:00] Jesus is praying to the Holy Father, the one to whom He is devoted. So this is the word that gets at the core of holiness.
[22:14] Yes, holiness can mean separation from something and separation to something. But when God is holy before time, space, creation, He is devoted to Himself.
[22:29] At the core and the root of holiness is a devotion. He says that I, that they may be one, even as we are one.
[22:41] we have this unity and devotion to one another, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and I want that devotion and unity to be experienced in my people.
[22:51] And so He prays for you and me in that way, that we would be devoted to the Lord and we would be unified as a people because of our devotion to the Lord. So holiness is to be chiefly devotion to the Lord.
[23:07] The way I can think about this is the best, I think, earthly illustration of this is in marriage. Marriage is probably the best earthly institution that could help us understand this.
[23:19] Holiness as devotion. When a husband devotes himself to his wife in a covenant of marriage, the man forsakes every other woman. His devotion to his wife drives away every other competing affection.
[23:32] The result of the husband separating himself for his wife and for her alone is a husband whose devotion drives away every other competing affection.
[23:43] So, the Lord has a devotion unto himself that it drives away any other competing affection.
[23:58] And we are to have a devotion to the Father, to God, to God that drives away every other competing affection.
[24:09] In the Godhead, we have unequaled, unparalleled devotion that exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And in the Godhead, there are no competing affections.
[24:21] They are working in concert for the Father to be glorified. Holiness can be most clearly seen as devotion. And so, notice in 1 Peter now, back to our text, as obedient children, verse 14, do not become conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.
[24:45] Well, that's a competing affection. But he says, don't, don't do that. But as he who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct. You have a devotion to the Father that eclipses all other affections.
[25:01] So how can you live a differently, have a devotion to the Lord that eclipses all others? Be holy. Robert Murray McShane was a pastor in Scotland, lived in the 1800s.
[25:15] He has a famous quote that says this. Now here's a pastor and this is what he says. The greatest need of my people, and he's speaking of his congregation, the greatest need of my people is my holiness.
[25:29] Now this may sound like pastoral hubris, but it is quite the opposite. Robert Murray McShane understood holiness as devotion, and so his congregation needed to be led by a person who is wholly devoted to the Lord.
[25:45] That's what he was saying. And a devotion where no one, I'm sorry, a devotion where one becomes like the one, let me say it this way, you become like the one you are devoted to.
[26:00] In high school, I wanted to be like Michael Jordan. In fact, I'm quite certain the only difference between Michael Jordan and myself is his shots went in and mine didn't. That's the only difference I could find.
[26:12] But Michael Jordan had a fadeaway jump shot that I practiced over and over in the gym, and so he would catch the ball and he would turn and face the defender and he would fade away in the air.
[26:26] I'm not going to be to jump, but he would fade away in the air and he would have this great shot and it would go in. It's hard to defend because the defender may be taller than him, but because he faded away he could still get the shot over the defender and he made it.
[26:39] Most often. I didn't. But, why did I practice that?
[26:50] I was devoted, if you will, in a certain way to Michael Jordan. I practiced that move time and time and time again. But we're talking about a devotion that drives away all other competing affections and you become like that which you're devoted to.
[27:09] So what is the key to overcoming sin and competing affections is to be devoted to the Lord. I get concerned when I hear sentiments by Christians who say something like this.
[27:25] I don't like the Christians that I know. I have more fun when I am around non-believing friends. I have two concerns, two questions.
[27:37] I want to ask a person this. Do you really even know any Christians? I don't mean churchgoers, but do you know people who radically serve the Lord, who are wholly devoted to the Lord, who lay their lives down because of Christ and He has moved them to live lives where Christ means everything to them.
[28:02] They serve people. They bless people all around them. They love. They pray for their enemies. Their world is turned upside down. They are radical people who lay their lives down.
[28:13] Jesus has broken them free from this world. He's broken them free from their own ego. He's freed them from their desire for power, for recognition, for passions, comfort, entitlement, control.
[28:24] He's broken them. Do you know those people? people? They're wholly devoted to Him and they're like Him.
[28:36] My other concern with that sentiment, why would it be that you as a professing Christian would find more joy in people who do not find any joy in Christ?
[29:01] And Christ is the one who is supposed to be taking your highest affection and highest delight. you're who you are to be devoted to. So maybe you have never met a Christian to even make that statement and I'm concerned for you.
[29:19] and I'm concerned for you. Robert Murray McShane said, the greatest need for my people is my own holiness.
[29:32] Let's make it very personal. That's true of me for this church. That's true of me for my relationship with my wife. The greatest need for my wife is for me to be holy.
[29:45] holy. The greatest need for you. The greatest need for your children. The greatest need for your spouse. The greatest need for this church.
[29:58] The greatest need for this neighborhood. The greatest need for this city. The greatest need for this nation. The greatest need for this church is for you to be holy.
[30:09] Devoted to the Lord. eclipses all other affections and you become like that which you're devoted to. The greatest need of everyone is for you to be holy.
[30:23] So, God has given you a new life, so live a new way. How do we live that new way? By anticipating the Lord's return, by being holy, devoted to the Lord, and by anchoring our faith and hope in God.
[30:37] This one will move quickly. Look with me in verses 17 through 21 and we'll conclude by anchoring our faith and hope in God. I want us to look at the beauty of the gospel of how Peter's gonna mention it through 17 through 20, and then he's gonna make a final statement.
[30:56] And if you call, verse 17, and if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed through the feudal ways, I'm sorry, knowing that you were ransomed from the feudal ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like the lamb, that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
[31:29] He was foreknown because of the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last times for the sake of you. Who, through him, are believers in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory.
[31:44] I'm gonna stop. Notice the beauty of the gospel here. He's saying, okay, you wanna live a new life? You wanna live a new way because of what Christ has done?
[31:55] Well, let's remind you what Christ has done. You were ransomed. You were ransomed in ways that were better than your forefathers because Christ gave his own blood with the precious blood of Christ.
[32:06] Verse 19, not like a lamb, though without spot and blemish, he was perfect. He was sinless. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world and he made manifest, that is, in his birth, his life, his death, in these last times for you.
[32:24] And it says then, in verse 21, he raised him from the dead, talking about his resurrection. There's basically, you could summarize the gospel in verses 13 through 20, 21.
[32:34] But all of that is for a purpose because then there's a purpose clause. So that he gave his life for you so that your faith and hope are in God.
[32:49] That's the point. That's the point. So what's the new way to live? Well, the new way to live is that your faith and hope are in God. That's the purpose clause.
[33:02] Faith. In the midst of your present circumstances, your persecution, your hardship, trust in God, hope, the assurance of the future, grace, and favor, tomorrow will bring.
[33:15] I was traveling from Europe one year to America. The flight was somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean just south of Greenland.
[33:31] And all of a sudden, the airplane dropped. There was turbulence. The airplane dropped. We hit an air pocket. And everyone went up out of their seats and their stuff. And some people even hit the baggage thing.
[33:45] The plane dropped quite severely. And then it caught air. And then it bottomed out and people were screaming and people were hurt and children were crying.
[33:57] And the flight attendants were doing their best, but the pilot put the seatbelt signs on. And my bag was underneath the seat, so I got out a book that I was reading and I just began to read.
[34:15] And the lady sitting next to me, she says, how can you read in a time like this? And because it was still a bit choppy, but the big event was over.
[34:25] And I just said, well, I said, here's what I'm trusting. I said, number one, I trust in the Lord. Number two, I trust the manufacturers and the maintenance of this plane and the pilot's skill.
[34:41] This is probably not his first flight. And I've traveled here, done this flight a few times, and I'm just quite certain on all these things. And she smiled.
[34:53] And I asked her, I said, how many times have you made a flight? And she said, this is my first time. And I was like, well, I will say this is abnormal, but this does happen.
[35:06] But here's my point. look at all the grace of God that he has done for you. Look at all that he has done for you. Will he abandon you?
[35:18] So then, place your faith and hope in God. These adversities, these hardships, these difficult times, this is normative in this world, but are the hope in which we have our anchor in the person of Christ, he is sure.
[35:41] He will return. We are to be a holy people, wholly devoted to the Lord, and we are to place our faith and hope in Christ and him alone. God gave you a new life, so live in a new way.
[35:58] That's the point. Would you pray with me? Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for how you have rescued us.
[36:10] You have ransomed us from our sin. You have forgiven us who have placed our faith in your life and death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sin.
[36:25] You ascended to the Father, and one day you will return, and we have hope. Thank you for being a sure and steady foundation for which we can place our faith and hope in.
[36:40] You have proven yourself faithful in the past, and we can, with certainty, trust in you for our future. We can live differently and offer hope to all those around us.
[36:52] So thank you, Lord, for your good and glorious, gracious work. We love you, Lord. Amen.