Well, we begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 96 in the Scottish Psalter.
Psalm 96, we're going to sing from verse 4 to verse 9, the tune of St. Magnus.
For great's the Lord, and greatly he is to be magnified,
yea, worthy to be feared is he above all gods beside.
We'll sing from verse 4 to 9 to God's praise.
For great's the Lord, and greatly he is to be magnified,
yea, worthy to be feared is he above all gods beside.
For all the gods are idols come, which blinded nations fear.
But our God is the Lord by whom the heavens created were.
Good honor is before this face, and majesty divine.
Strength is within this holy place, and there does beauty shine.
Glory to you, O Lord, and mighty power has died.
And we'll give thee the glory to the Lord, that to this name is true.
And we'll give thee to this Lord, standing, and offering with you.
In beauty of his holiness, O do the Lord adore.
Like wise that all the earth through our tremble as days before.
Let's come to God in prayer.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, as we come before you to this day,
we thank you that there is a beauty that shines from you,
and that we are to come and adore you as our Lord and as our God,
and that your beauty may shine upon us,
that we might see your beauty through the person of Jesus Christ,
that we would might know more of your beauty through your word to us.
May it speak to all our hearts today.
May it help us to see and to know how great a God you are.
You are the Lord, and greatly to be magnified, the psalmist says.
And we do pray that as we come to worship you this day,
that that will be our longing and our desire,
that we would see you as so great and ourselves as so small.
But yet remember how you have remembered us,
and how you have given us all that we need,
how you have given us a way to salvation through your own Son, Jesus Christ,
how you have done all things that we could not.
And we thank you for the commands of your word.
We thank you for every instruction they give to us.
And we pray that we would not see them as just something that is a burden to us,
or something that is there to spoil our fun or to hinder us in any way,
but that we would see all your laws and your commands as there for our good and for your glory.
We thank you that the young ones just now are learning through your word about the Ten Commandments.
And may we all come to remember them and to see them as so wonderful for us as a people and as a world.
As we learn all about your truth, Lord, may they instruct us and guide us in our way.
But may we see that it's more than just trying to keep your commands.
But the greatest command of all that we are to keep is to love the Lord with all our heart,
and to love our neighbor as ourself.
And we thank you that that is what these commands guide us to.
So we pray, Lord, your blessing on your word to us, young and old today,
that we would hear your commands, that we would be obedient to them,
and that you would bless us through them.
Remember us in our homes and in our families and all our different needs.
We thank you that you are a God who loves us and cares for us.
And we pray that every burden that we have, every care and concern that we carry,
that we will be able to bring them to you in prayer,
knowing that you are able to help us in all our different needs.
So hear our prayers even at this time.
And continue with us through this day.
May you guide us and bless us as we ask all things for the forgiveness of our sins.
We ask it for your glory and for your sake.
Amen.
It's good to see you all again.
It's good to have the children here today as well,
and especially I'm sure you're all delighted to be back in school this last week.
All delighted to see your teachers again,
to hear your parents shouting at you in the morning,
to hurry up and get ready to get to school.
But do you like being told what to do?
Do you like it when people say to you,
do this and do that?
Or do you find it sort of just spoils your fun a little bit?
Maybe it depends who's saying it to you, does it?
Maybe it depends if it's a brother or a sister telling you
to go and get my shoes or go and get my jacket.
You're saying to yourself, go and do it yourself.
I'm not your slave.
I'm not here just to do what you tell me to do.
But then maybe if it's your mum or dad who are telling you to go and do these things,
do you say the same to them?
I hope not.
I hope you don't even say it to your little brothers or sisters either.
It's not the way we're to speak to people at all.
How about when you go to school or Sunday school
and your teachers are telling you what to do?
Do you listen to them?
Do you do as you're told with them?
Do you always, if they say, do your homework,
do you always do it, hand it in on time?
Maybe we don't always,
but we should seek to try and do what they're telling us.
But who's the most important person that we're to listen to?
Who do you think is the most important person that you're to listen to
who's telling you what to do?
Do you think it's your mum?
Do you think it's your dad?
Grandparents?
Brothers or sisters?
Friends?
Do you think that's the most important people to listen to?
No, the most important person we're to listen to is God.
Because God tells us what we're to do.
Again and again through his word,
he reminds us what we are to do.
And like I was praying there,
you're learning about the Ten Commandments in Sunday school.
You're learning about the things that we're to do
and the things that we're not to do.
And it's important to listen to that
because God is telling you,
this is how we're to live our lives.
That goes for everybody here, myself included.
God tells us what we are to do.
Imagine if there was no laws and no rules.
What would the world be like?
Everybody would think,
oh, it'd be so good if there was no rules.
Just do as we want.
Imagine if there was no rules for driving on the road.
Imagine some people,
how fast they would drive.
I mean, there's speed limits in place today,
but yet people don't always listen to them.
They go faster than the speed limit says.
But imagine if there was no rules,
how crazy people would be on the roads.
What about in school if there was no rules?
You have rules in place,
like times you have to start,
times you finish.
What do you just decide for yourself?
I'll go into school at two in the afternoon
for half an hour and that's it.
Would you learn?
No.
You'd be missing out on so much.
So there's all kinds of rules in place for us
because they're good for us.
But the greatest rules of all
are how we are to live and to love God.
And that's really what's at the heart
of the Ten Commandments.
God giving us great instructions,
how we are to live for Him
and love Him with all our hearts
and serve Him,
but also how we are to love others around us
and to be obedient to all the rules
that He has given to us.
Today in the service in 1 Peter,
we're looking at a command,
an instruction that God gives to His people.
He says,
Be holy.
And what does it mean to be holy?
Sometimes we think of being holy as being good,
but it's more than being good.
It's about loving God with all our heart
and doing everything that He instructs us
and commands us
because that's for our good
and for His glory.
So when you're told to do things,
don't see it always as just burdensome
or there to spoil your fun,
but see it as for your good
and especially the instructions
that God gives to us through His Word.
See that as for your good,
for all our good together,
that we would live for Him
and love Him with all our hearts.
So let's come to God in prayer just now
and share the Lord's Prayer together.
Let's say the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
We again sing to God's praise
just now in Psalm 103.
Again, this is in the Scottish Psalter version,
Psalm 103.
We're singing verse 1 to verse 5.
And the tune is Martyrdom.
O thou my soul,
bless God the Lord,
and all that in me is,
bested up His holy name
to magnify and bless.
We'll sing from verse 1 to 5
to God's praise.
O thou my soul,
best of the Lord,
and all that in me is,
He's stead of His holy name,
to magnify and bless.
O thou my soul,
the Lord my God,
I'll not forget to be,
of all His gracious benefits,
He hath be stoned on me.
O night and air,
when Jesus to the most gracious
be for Him,
will do kidding on me.
If you will see more than us,
I will have indeed to amp 장 please.
O thou thy soul,
O Lord,
who's t colleague and Mark,
O wondering the best
of all things.
Who do-do ...
redeem
my life
not down
to death
may
not go down
who
be with
all
in
kindness
God
and
tender
as
He Wisconsin
the
øve
with
the
bond
and
song
good
does
satisfy
thy
part
so
that
Out in our devil's head, renew it is I am.
Well, can we turn to reading God's word as we come back to our study in 1 Peter?
We'll read in 1 Peter the first chapter, the whole chapter, just to remind ourselves where we are with it.
1 Peter chapter 1, we read the whole of the chapter together.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit,
for obedience to Jesus Christ, and for the sprinkling with his blood.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
who by God's power are being guarded through faith,
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now, for a little while,
if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
so the tested genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to result in praise and glory and honour
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Though you have not seen him, you love him.
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him,
and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
obtaining the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and inquired carefully,
inquiring what person or time
the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating.
when he predicted the sufferings of Christ
and the subsequent glories,
it was revealed to them
that they were serving not themselves,
but you,
in the things that have now been announced to you
through those who preached the good news to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels longed to look.
Therefore,
preparing your minds for action
and being sober-minded,
set your hope fully on the grace
that will be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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 your conduct.
Since it is written,
you shall be holy,
for I am holy.
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
from the futile ways
inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things
such as silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
like that of a lamb
without blemish or spot.
He was foreknown
before the foundation of the world,
but was made manifest
in the last times for your sake,
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 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.
And so on,
and may God bless that reading
from his word.
We'll again come to God
in prayer.
Let us pray.
Lord God,
as we continue in worship,
we continue in our dependence upon you
for all things.
For you know our weaknesses,
you know how easily we are distracted,
you know how easily
we can be led astray.
And as we think of these words
in Peter,
and as we come to study them today,
we are reminded of the great challenge
that is put before us
to be a holy people,
a people who are set apart for you,
a people who live for you
in the way that we love you
with all our heart,
but also as we read,
in the way we conduct ourselves,
conduct ourselves among one another here,
but also in our conduct in the world
on a day-to-day basis.
For our worship and our praise of you
is not just for a short time
on this day.
It's not just for the hour
that we are together in worship,
but our worship,
our praise of you
is something that we are to be
a people involved in 24-7.
So whatever we are doing,
we do it for your glory.
And we recognize, Lord,
our failings in that.
We recognize so often
in our attempt at holiness
and our seeking after holiness
how far short we fall.
So often maybe we don't even consider
ourselves holy at all,
but as your word reminds us,
you have chosen a people for yourself.
You are calling a people to yourself today,
and that means a people
who will be set apart,
a people who will be different.
And so we pray that you will help us, Lord,
to live as those people,
and to seek to be those people for you,
to seek to conduct ourselves
in a manner worthy of the gospel
that we hear,
the good news that is preached to us.
And so help us, Lord,
to confess our sins before you.
Help us to acknowledge them
and to know that with you
there is forgiveness.
And we pray, Lord,
that you will help us
to bow the knee before you,
to confess from our hearts
that we have sinned against you
and against you only
in thoughts, word, and deed.
We are guilty to all ends.
But, Lord, help us
that you may lift us up too,
that you will place our feet
on the rock that is Jesus Christ,
and that through him
we will be able to live
as those who are your redeemed people
and are called people.
Help us to go into the world,
to go into the week ahead of us, Lord,
to be a people
who will conduct ourselves
in the right manner of your calling.
Help us to love our neighbor.
Help us to live for those around us.
Help us to share
the good news of the gospel with others.
Help us that in all that we would do,
we would seek not our own building up,
but that your name would be praise.
So, Lord, humble us in your presence
and under your holy arm today.
Humble us under your word
and your truth,
that they may build us up.
We thank you too, Lord,
that as we come,
we come as those
who are fully dependent upon you
in all things,
but thankful too
that you hear our prayers,
that you know
every thought of our heart,
you know every burden
that we carry,
be it for ourselves,
be it for our families,
be it for those around us
in our communities,
in our homes,
in our own families,
be it for our nation
or the nations of the world.
Lord, we thank you
that we do not carry everything alone
for it is impossible for us,
but we come to bring our burdens to you.
And so we ask, Lord,
that you will deal graciously with us
and those we love and care for,
be gracious towards those
who struggle in different ways
at this time,
those who are weighed down
with sorrow and sadness
in their hearts,
those who mourn
the passing of loved ones
even in this week
and the last few weeks,
Lord,
as there has been grief and loss
in the midst of our people here.
We thank you, Lord,
that you are a God of comfort.
And when things come upon us,
when our lives are changed so quickly
in the midst of these things,
we thank you that we are known to you,
that you are a good shepherd
who cares for his sheep.
You are the one
who so often will come
and carry us and uphold us
in our times of great need.
And so we pray, Lord,
for your comfort and your blessing
to those who are heavy in heart today,
for those who mourn and grieve,
for those who are anxious
over loved ones,
for those who are anxious
of themselves.
Lord, we pray that you will
draw near to them.
We give you thanks too, Lord,
that you are a God
of great blessings as well,
that you are the giver of life.
We thank you for a new life
in our midst as a people as well.
And we pray and thank you, Lord,
for the good news
of a new birth in our midst.
We pray your blessing
over families,
upon children born into this world
and born to families
who will love them
and care for them.
Lord, we pray
for all our young ones,
that you will look after them,
that you will bless them,
that you will keep them.
We see the great challenges
around them in these days.
And we thank you, Lord,
for your word
and how it instructs a people
from a very young age
into old age.
We hear your word
and your truth speaking to us.
And so we pray, Lord,
for our children,
that they will grow up
in this world,
knowing your great love
and compassion,
knowing your great concern
for them.
And we pray for those
who seek to instruct them
and guide them in day school
and also in Sunday school
and also the clubs
and events that go on
through the week as well.
We thank you for the resumption
of the Explorers group
in this past week.
Thank you for all
who came to that
and pray you continue
to bless and to watch
over them there.
We thank you for the toddler group
that meets on a Monday
and for all parents
and children who attend there.
We pray your blessing
over them as well.
So we thank you
for the conference
over this weekend,
for young people
and for the big YF
this evening.
We pray that it will be
a blessed time
of guidance and instruction
for young but also old alike.
That we would learn
from the challenges
that we face in these days.
Learn how to approach them
in a godly manner
and seeking your wisdom
and your guidance in them.
Remember our land as well, Lord,
and the nation of the world
as we hear of the tragedy
in South Korea yesterday, Lord.
So many lives lost,
so many young lives lost there.
We do pray for comfort,
for mercy upon all
who need you at this time there.
You know, too,
the many difficulties
throughout our world.
Wars and conflicts going on,
famine and natural disasters
all around us.
We see it so often.
We hear it in the Philippines.
We've seen it in America.
We see it on every continent, Lord,
how there is disaster
after disaster.
And we just pray, Lord,
have mercy upon us.
Come with your healing power.
Come with the power
of your Holy Spirit.
Come and draw near to us
as a people
and help us in all things.
We ask your blessing on us now
as we continue in our worship,
as we turn to your word
and we continue to sing your praise.
May we sing from our hearts,
rejoicing in the hope of the gospel,
thankful for the redemption
that is ours through Jesus Christ,
the one who has paid
the ultimate price.
We thank you that in all things
we can look to him,
that we can trust him
and that we have hope in him
through faith.
And so we pray, Lord,
that you will give us that faith
and dependence upon him.
So hear our prayers
and go before us.
We ask all things
for the forgiveness of our sins
and for your glory alone.
We ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to sing
to God's praise
before we turn back
to that first letter of Peter,
singing in Psalm 49,
page 64 of the psalm books.
Psalm 49,
singing from verse 1 to verse 10.
Listen to me,
all you peoples,
all who in the whole world dwell,
low and high,
both rich and needy,
hear the message
I will tell.
Then at verse 8,
it says,
to redeem,
a life is costly,
none sufficient,
price can pay,
so that one should live
immortal,
free forever
from decay.
But it's a reminder to us
that there is forgiveness
and redemption
in Jesus Christ.
Let's sing from Psalm 49,
verse 1 to 10
to God's praise.
Psalm 49,
verses 1 to 10
And this is part of it
to Jesus Christ.
And this is part of it
of the psalm commemorative
and Michael's chosen
against Jesus.
This is part of it
and this is part of it
avoir ads klass cheyed
I will speak with understanding, wisdom from the heart I'll preach.
I will listen to a proverb, speak as with the harp I'll teach.
What should I fear, days of evil, when the wicked end be in?
Those who boast of their possessions, by their trust and wealth they save.
There is no one who is able to redeem a soul from death.
Man can pay to God their ransom to prolong another's bread.
To redeem a life this costly, none sufficient price can pay.
So that one should live the mortal free forever from decay.
For we all can see life ending, wise and foolish all will die.
They must leave their wealth to others.
God, God is demand defied.
Can we turn back to 1 Peter chapter 1?
We can read again at verse 14.
Let's continue our study in this letter.
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 your conduct.
Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.
As we pick up our study in this letter once again,
we've seen in the introduction to it in these opening verses,
from verse 1 to 12, where Peter is writing to a people,
God's people who are in a situation where they've been scattered far and wide,
a people who are suffering and struggling and with many different things.
And at the same time, a people who are being reminded that they are precious to God.
That's Paul's.
Peter's reason for writing to them is to remind them of whose people they are
and the great hope that is theirs through Jesus Christ.
To that end, he's reminding of the many different precious truths that they have.
That there is this eternal hope.
That there is an inheritance for his people.
An inheritance that will never fade or perish.
A reminder that a day is coming when Christ will return.
And a day that they are to be prepared and ready for.
And that through faith in Jesus Christ,
they have that outcome of their faith,
the salvation of their souls, as it says in verse 9.
So there's many great promises and many great truths
that they are to hold on to in the midst of all the challenges that they are facing.
But as we've been going through in this introduction,
the question that they might have as we move into the body of the letter,
the thought that might be theirs is,
how is all of this going to help me now, here in my need?
The people may have been thinking that in Peter's day in the same way
that many of us may be thinking that today as well.
How is all of these truths,
how are they going to help me on a day-to-day basis?
What difference do they make to my life in the here and now?
How does or how can it make a difference to my life just now?
Well, from verse 13 and through the rest of the letter,
he is going to show the difference that this makes.
He's going to show us just how, in a practical way,
the outworking of all of these truths affect our lives on a day-to-day basis.
And the great difference that they make to us,
not just how we are to live in this world,
as our people who are very individualistic,
or how we are to live in this world just for ourselves,
but more how we are to live for one another.
And above all, how we are to live for God.
Knowing that even in the midst of everything that we go through,
and as the people here in Peter's day,
we're going through all these different trials,
and perhaps feeling, you know,
where is God in the midst of all this?
Has he left us?
Has he abandoned us?
That God is not far away.
And we are to remember that for ourselves too.
God is with us.
God is near and near to help.
Remember, he's writing here,
not just to help them to survive in this world,
and to get by in this world.
He's writing to help them to thrive in this world.
And that's what we want for ourselves too,
isn't it not?
That we will be a people who thrive for God
and for his kingdom in this world
through knowing him.
And what is at the heart of this life
that they are to live,
and the way that they are to live,
is really these verses that I've just read to you.
That we are to be a people
who are called and who live a holy life.
It revolves, it hinges on these verses.
Verse 15 and 16,
as he who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct.
Since it is written,
you shall be holy,
for I am holy.
This is not something new to the people.
It's not a new command to the people.
It's a command founded in the Old Testament
in the book of Leviticus,
where this is quoted from.
As it says there,
since it is written,
you shall be holy,
for I am holy.
He's quoting there in Leviticus chapter 11,
verse 44,
a command that God gave to the children of Israel
as they were coming out
from being under the bondage of Egypt.
He told them,
you be a people who are holy,
for I am holy.
But what does it mean to be holy?
That's perhaps the key question here.
Maybe you think of holiness
as something for others,
something for the elite of God's people,
something I could never achieve,
something that is a standard
that is too high for me to attain.
Well, the word holy at its root
has the idea of a people
or a being set apart.
And in particular,
being set apart for God.
A people who love him
and live for him.
That's what he is calling us to be
as a people.
A people set apart for him.
Living for him.
And that's what we see
in this section
is about being obedient to God.
Not being pulled back
into our former ways
or the past ways of our life.
Losing hope of faith in God.
Thinking that he's left us
but instead striving
more and more
for this holiness,
this living for him.
It's what Peter called
the people to then.
It's what he's calling us
to now as well.
It is something
that we are to strive for.
Something that every one of us
should pursue
with all our heart,
with all our being.
To be a holy people.
A people set apart
and living for God.
But in all honesty,
who of us feel holy today?
There's so much
that goes on around us
in that our holiness
seems that's something
that cannot be attained.
There's a book
written by Kevin DeYoung.
It's called
The Hole in Our Holiness.
And in the first chapter,
he says
that the hole in our holiness
is that we don't care
much about it
and seldom pursue
after it.
He says
the sadness is
that we can focus
on what Christ
has saved us from,
which is great,
but we have lost sight
of what Christ
has saved us to.
A pursuit
of a holy life.
And that's what we're called to.
Not just to recognize
the wonder
of what Christ
has saved us from,
but more so
as we go on,
what he has saved us to
in our way
that we live.
And you see here
how holiness
is linked
to our conduct
in verse 15.
He has called you
to holiness.
He who called you
is holy.
You also be holy
in all your conduct,
in everything
that you do.
This impacts
everything
in your life.
And so,
from verse 13
through really
the rest
of the letter,
he gives us
practical ways
to live
this holy life.
Set apart
for God
and living
for Him.
And there's three things
that we're going
to think about
as we start
this next section
today.
One is
being ready.
What we are to be.
The first thing,
being ready.
The second thing
is being responsive.
And the third thing
is remember
we are being redeemed.
We are being redeemed
at a great price.
And it's
grounded
in what is said
in the opening
of this letter
up to verse 12.
Because you notice
in verse 13
the first word
there is
therefore.
So in other words,
in light of everything
that we'd said
up to this point,
therefore,
this is how
you are to live.
Therefore,
this is what
you are to do.
So he's reminded
of them
of the hope.
He's reminded them
of the inheritance.
He reminded them
of all these
wonderful promises,
the outcome
of their faith,
the salvation
of their souls.
He's saying
these are not
just things
that are
at a distance
from you.
These are things
that you take
with you
every day
of your life
and everywhere
that you go.
Therefore,
he says,
hold on
to these truths
and take them
into every aspect
of your conduct
in this world
because they affect
everything
about you.
And the first thing
he says here
is,
therefore,
be ready.
Be ready.
A preacher
once told
his congregation
a story.
He said to them,
I'm not a connoisseur
of great art,
but from time
to time,
he said,
I like to go in
and see
in museums
and different places,
galleries,
paintings
and paintings
that give
a clear picture
of something
that really
speak
a powerful,
a strong message
to me.
And he said,
some time ago
I saw a picture
and it was a picture
of an old
burnt out
mountain shack.
A place
that was
a people's home.
But all that remained
of it
was the chimney
and there was
charred,
burnt out debris
all around.
But in the picture
there were
two people.
one was
a man
who looked
quite old,
dressed just
in very little
clothes,
dirty clothes,
worn out clothes.
And beside him
was a little boy
clutching
what looked like
a patched up
pair of overalls.
And the child
was crying.
And beneath
the picture
there was
the words
which the artist
felt
spoke of what
this picture
illustrated.
Simple words
the preacher said
that presented
profound theology
and philosophy
for life.
And the words
were this
hush
child
God's
not
dead.
And the preacher
took it in this way
as a reminder
that so much
in life
just seems
like a burnt
out ruin.
A picture
of despair
and of hopelessness.
And yet
there is still
that great truth.
God's
not
dead.
And as
Peter is writing
to his people
here
and as he writes
to ourselves
today
our impression
in this world
can be one
that's full of
chaos.
But we need
to be reminded
too
God's
not
dead.
In fact
God is
reigning.
He is
alive
and he is
in control
of this
world.
And as we
think of
the challenges
that people
faced in
Peter's day
and the
many challenges
that we face
ourselves
you could look
at Peter's day
and say
it would be
easy for them
to give up
and to say
what's the
point
to throw
in the towel
and say
yes I have
my faith
but I may
as well
just hide
away
and avoid
all the
hassle
of this
world
if all
that my
faith
brings
to me
is
persecution
and
suffering.
I can
do my
duty
and that's
it.
And it
may be
the kind
of impression
that we
have in
this world
that we
live in
today.
What's
the point?
Even if
I have
faith
what difference
does it
make?
What impact
can it
make
in this
world?
Well Peter
is writing
to remind
them and
us of
the great
difference
that it
makes to
be a
people who
are holy.
A people
who are set
apart for
God.
Who can be
used by
God.
And so the
first thing
he says is
be ready.
In verse
13,
preparing your
minds for
action and
being sober
minded,
set your
hope fully
on the
grace that
will be
brought to
you at
the
revelation
of Jesus
Christ.
So one of
the truths
that he's
already told
them of in
the introduction,
the revelation
of Jesus
Christ,
that speaks
of in
verse 5,
you who by
God's power
are being
guarded through
faith for
our salvation,
ready to be
revealed in
the last
time.
And he
speaks about
it there
again in
verse 7,
the glory
and honour
at the
revelation
of Jesus
Christ.
So now he's
saying you
take this
into your
life on a
day to day
basis,
preparing your
minds,
girding up the
loins of
your mind,
it says in
the AV,
and in the
footnote at
the bottom
of the ESV.
And the
people in
that day
would have
been familiar
with this
phrase,
gird up the
loins of
your mind.
The kind
of clothes
that they
wore in
those days
were long
tunics and
gowns that
went right
down to
their feet.
And if
they were
called to
action,
if they were
called to
work or
to war or
to battle,
any of
these things,
they had to
prepare.
And they
prepared by
rolling up
their gowns,
their tunics,
and tucking
them into
their belt.
That is what
is meant by
gird up your
loins for
action.
So here
he is saying
prepare your
minds,
gird up the
loins of
your minds
for action.
He's saying
be ready
for action.
This is how
you are to
live,
prepared and
ready for
anything that's
going to come
your way.
Be ready.
He is saying
that there
will be and
there have
been challenges
in your
life,
but prepare
yourselves.
when we
ask ourselves
is that
how we
live?
Is that
how you
live today?
Do you
prepare for
the battles
of this
world on
a daily
basis?
Did you
prepare yourself
for coming to
church today?
Or did you
just rush into
the day?
We're all
guilty of it,
aren't we?
Just rushing
on with the
day where we
don't prepare
ourselves by
coming to
God,
preparing our
minds for
action by
being sober
minded,
setting our
hope fully
on the
grace that
will be
brought to
us at the
revelation of
Jesus Christ.
What a
difference it
would make
if that's
how we
started our
day.
Yes,
we're going
to go into
the challenges
of this
world.
We're going
to go into
worship and
fellowship with
God's people,
which is
wonderful,
but then on
the Monday
and the
Tuesday and
the Wednesday
we go into
each day with
the challenges
that it brings,
but do we
go into
it prepared,
setting our
hope fully on
the revelation
of Jesus
Christ, that
great hope
that we have.
Don't live in
your former
ways, don't
slip back into
them, put
them away
and instead
prepare yourselves
with the
holiness of
God.
Like Paul
says in
Ephesians
6, we
prepare by
putting on
the whole
armor of
God.
So are
we ready?
The danger
for the
people then
was they
just sat
back idly.
What's the
point?
The danger
for ourselves
today is to
have that
same kind
of attitude.
What's the
point?
Well, hope
in Jesus
Christ gives
us that
point.
Martin
Luther once
said that
through living
faith which
the Holy
Spirit instills
into the
heart simply
cannot be
idle.
It's a
living, it's
an active
faith and
that's the
way that we
are to live.
Kevin de
Young in his
book says
the best
looking Christian
is the one
growing by the
Spirit into
the likeness of
Christ.
That is what
we are to
strive for
by being
ready, by
preparing our
minds for
action, to
strive after
holiness.
The second
thing we see
here is that
we are to be
a people who
are responsive.
In verse 14
it says,
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
your conduct.
We are to
be a people
who are
obedient,
who are
responsive.
How are you
when it comes
to being
told what
to do?
What's your
response like
when it
happens?
Just like we
were thinking
with the
children, if
someone tells
you to do
something, do
you go and
do it
immediately or
does it
depend on
who says
it to
you?
It
sometimes
does depend
on who
tells us.
If we
know that
person, if
we love
that person,
want to do
good for
that person,
we respond
immediately
perhaps.
But if
that person
hasn't been
good to
us, if
that person
has mistreated
us, do
we respond
in the same
way?
Are we
obedient to
God?
If we
say, well
God hasn't
remembered me,
God hasn't
loved me,
why should
I respond
to him?
Because of
all that he
has done
for us,
which we'll
see in a
moment.
But we
are to be a
people who
are obedient
to God.
God gives
us a call
here to
holiness,
and it's a
call that
demands an
instant response.
In all our
conduct, this
is how we
are to live.
Thomas
Kempis
once said,
instant
obedience
is the
only kind
of obedience
that is.
Delayed
obedience
is
disobedience.
Whoever
strives to
withdraw from
obedience
withdraws
from grace.
Again, we
think of the
command and
the situation
of the
people here.
They were
experiencing
hard times,
perhaps even
questioning what
God was
doing for
them and
where he
was.
Why should
I do
something for
him?
Their focus
was gone.
It seemed
their hope
was gone.
But yet
God calls
them to
holiness.
Be holy
because I
am holy.
Is that the
case for you
today?
Are you
saying,
how dare
God make
demands of
me?
The devil
will put
into your
head the
same doubts
and fears
and concerns
that the
people had
in Peter's
day.
Where is
God?
You can
become blind
to the
fact that
he is
there.
What's
happened?
Paul,
writing to
the church
in Corinth,
he tells
us what's
happened.
He says
that in
their case,
the God
of this
world has
blinded the
minds of
unbelievers
to keep
them from
seeing the
light of
the gospel
in the
glory of
Christ,
who is
the image
of God.
There is
another one
at work
who blinds
us to
seeing this.
And in
our blindness
we lose
hope.
But as we
looked at
last time,
we are to
have eyes
of faith.
We are to
fix our
eyes on
God.
And in
the previous
chapter in
2 Corinthians,
in chapter
3,
Paul speaks
to them
there of
the one
who opens
their eyes.
He says
in chapter
3,
verse 16,
but when
one turns
to the
Lord,
the veil
is removed.
He was
talking about
Moses and
the veiled
glory of
God.
But when
we turn
to God
in faith,
this veil
is removed
and we
all with
unveiled
face behold
the glory
of the
Lord as
being
transformed
into the
same image
from one
degree of
glory.
to
another.
So the
more we
fix our
eyes on
the Lord,
the more
we are
transformed
by Him.
We are
transformed
into the
same image,
one degree
of glory
to another,
bit by
bit.
And that
is the way
our holiness
develops.
Seeing God,
seeing Jesus.
Kevin
again in
his book,
he says,
it may
sound boring
and out
of date,
but it
just happens
to be
true.
The way
to grow
in your
relationship
with Jesus
is to
pray,
read your
Bible,
go to
church,
all of
these things,
things that
people will
say we do
not need,
we do,
to see
the glory
of God
and to
fix our
eyes on
Him.
So are
we fixing
our eyes
on Jesus?
Is our
hope of
salvation
in Him,
are we
coming to
the foot
of the
cross?
Because when
we do,
we behold
His glory
more and
more.
And that's
what Peter
thoroughly
goes on to
show us
here.
the wonder
of our
salvation
and the
way that
we have
been
purchased.
In
verse 18,
knowing that
you were
ransomed
from the
futile ways
inherited
from your
forefathers,
not with
perishable
things such
as silver
and gold,
but with
the precious
blood of
Christ.
We are
being ransomed.
What are
we looking
to?
Are we
looking to
the cross?
That hymn
that when
I survey
the wondrous
cross on
which the
prince of
glory died,
my riches
gain I
count but
loss and
poor contempt
on all
my pride.
Closing
words of
that hymn
are,
love so
amazing,
so divine,
demands my
soul,
my life,
my all.
What does
it mean
today for
you to
be ransomed?
are you
redeemed?
Perhaps you
say,
well what
need do
I have
of being
ransomed?
A ransom
is something
that happens
to people
who are
taken hostage
or kidnapped,
but you
say,
I am
free.
But are
you?
That is a
big question
for our
world today.
Are we
free?
Are we
free from
every law
and demand
of this
world to
just do
as we
please?
Well the
Bible speaks
to us about
being slaves,
enslaved to
sin,
held hostage
by it,
but it also
speaks at the
same time
about the
cost of
being set
free.
Romans 6
is a
wonderful
passage on
this.
I am
just going
to read
a few
verses from
it.
When you
were slaves
of sin,
you were
free in
regard to
righteousness.
In other
words,
it meant
nothing to
you.
But what
fruit were
you getting
at that
time from
the things
of which
you are
now ashamed?
For the
end of
those things
is death.
But now
that you
have been
set free
from sin
and have
become
slaves of
God,
the fruit
you get
leads to
sanctification
and its
end,
eternal
life.
For the
wages of
sin is
death,
but the
free gift
of God
is eternal
life in
Christ
Jesus,
our Lord.
So do
you know
this
freedom?
That is
what Peter
is pointing
us to
here,
knowing that
you were
ransomed
from the
futile
wastes,
not with
perishable
things such
as silver
or gold.
Just like
that psalm
we sang,
Psalm 49,
to redeem
my life
is costly,
none
sufficient
price can
pay.
none
of us
can
pay
for our
salvation,
and we
are slaves
to sin,
we are
held ransom
and hostage
by sin.
How can
we possibly
be free?
Because we
are ransomed,
not by silver
or gold,
but with the
precious blood
of Christ.
And that
is what we
are to hold
on to,
what a price
has been
paid for
our freedom.
as we
approach
the time
of year
when we
remember
the many
who gave
their lives
in conflict,
when we
think of
the great
cost of
our freedom
through war
and the
shedding of
blood of
many,
here we
are reminded
of the
cost of
our freedom
from sin,
a price
none of
us could
pay,
but a
price that
has been
paid for
us.
And this
is how
we are
to live.
As verse
21 says,
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.
Is that
true for
you today?
He says
to be
holy.
He goes
on, as
we'll see,
to outwork
this in
every aspect
of our
life and
our conduct,
but it
begins with
this hope
that is
found in
Christ.
It is not
something that
is just a
theology that
is taught,
something that
we can read
in a book.
It's something
that is in
our heart
and goes
with us
every day
of our
life.
We are to
take it
with us
from here
today,
to tomorrow,
into every
day that
lies ahead
as a
command.
Be holy,
for I am
holy.
Be set
apart.
It's not
something we
cannot be.
It is
something we
are to
strive for.
So may
God enable
us and
help us to
see what
has been
done for
us, but
we have been
saved to.
The more
we see the
beauty of
Christ, the
more we see
our need to
live for
him and
love him
who gave
himself for
us through
the precious
blood of
Christ that
has redeemed
us, that
we would
live through
faith and
hope in
God.
Let us
pray.
Our
Father in
heaven, may
you instruct
us and guide
us through
these words
to be a
people who
strive after
holiness, to
live for you
and to
recognize, yes
we fall
short, but
yes too, you
lift us up and
you help us, you
strengthen us to
go on.
So may you do
that for each
of us, we
ask in Jesus'
precious name.
Amen.
our closing item
of praise is
Psalm 16 in the
Sing Psalms.
Psalm 16 at
verse 8.
Again, just
reminds us where
our focus is to
be.
Before me
constantly, I
set the Lord
alone, because
he is at my
right hand.
I'll not be
overthrown.
We'll sing from
verse 8 to
11 to God's
praise.
Thank you.
Amen.