Are you different?
Do you wish to stand out from the crowd?
Do you seek to blend in?
Or do you want to be distinct from everyone else?
I remember when I was a teenager in high school or anywhere else,
I would always try to blend in with the crowd.
Generally speaking, standing out for whatever reason was a bad thing.
It meant that you were either weird, had done something wrong,
and generally attention was a bad thing.
I generally used to hate it.
But I wonder how you found that.
I wonder how comfortable you felt with standing out from the crowd.
As we come to this portion of 1 Peter,
it could be said that it is all about being distinct
in light of what Peter previously wrote.
We find that we are called to what many of us might find uncomfortable.
In this passage, we see that as we press on in our journey to the new creation,
we are urged to live in light of the hope we have in Christ
by living in contrast to our former lives
and aspiring to Christ's likeness
by living in hope, holiness, and reverence to our God.
Peter calls Christians to three things in this section,
which is what we shall consider one by one.
In verse 13, he calls Christians to be a hopeful people.
Secondly, in verses 14 to 16, he calls them to be a holy people.
And finally, in verses 17 to 21, he calls them to be a reverent people.
So firstly, in verse 13, we are called to be a hopeful people.
Verse 13,
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.
And at the beginning of this section, we read,
Therefore.
So it is important to understand what came before this section,
as this is Peter's conclusions based upon what he wrote previously.
Peter, at the start of his letter, begins with doxology and praise.
Verse 3,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why?
Because in him, we have been born again to an indestructible inheritance,
which, though we go through various trials here and now,
this inheritance is secure for us in heaven,
where our faith and hope will be completed when Jesus Christ comes again.
And it is on the note of this marvelous salvation,
which is secure for us,
and in which we can find joy that Peter picks up on in verse 13.
And this is what we see in our passage.
Verse 13,
We set our hope on what?
On the grace to be brought to you
when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
We are commanded to hope in the salvation which is guaranteed for us
when Christ returns.
In verse 13, we also find the manner in which we are to hope.
Read verse 13,
With minds that are alert and fully sober.
With minds that are alert.
Commentators suggest this would be the equivalent to the modern phrase
of its time to roll up the sleeves.
Generally, when you're doing cleaning or gardening,
you don't just sit back and relax.
No, you roll up your sleeves and you get to work.
It is also thought that this is a subtle allusion to Exodus chapter 12, verse 11,
where before the Exodus,
the people of Israel were to show similar preparedness for the Exodus,
which would lead them to their own wilderness journey towards the promised land.
It was to be done in preparedness,
not in idleness.
As we embark upon our journey towards our heavenly inheritance,
as after being saved from slavery to sin,
it is important, we hope,
not in idleness,
but in readiness for action.
We also see in verse 13 that we are to hope with sober-mindedness.
We are to be focused on the hope that we have in Christ,
and we are not to allow ourselves to be distracted by this world.
Though we may not be able to pinpoint the exact historical circumstances
of the recipients of this letter,
we know that they faced persecutions and pressures from their culture around them.
They faced many threats to their hope
precisely because of the hope they had.
And the command here is to be focused on their hope,
despite all these pressures.
Thinking about today,
I wonder how many pressures we have
that would distract us from our hope.
We place our faith in Christ,
and we know that our hope in life and death is Him alone,
and in the final resurrection,
but this can so often be hard to hold to.
Amidst the world where there is so much evil,
suffering, trials, and affliction,
and instability and violence,
perhaps we face pressures from the world around us.
Maybe we face pressure from those who would trash on our hope,
and pressure us to live in such a way
that would make us conform and neglect our hope.
Whatever it is,
Peter exhorts us to stay focused.
We are to stay focused.
We are to be sober-minded.
In a world where our brains are fed
with that which is untrue,
not noble,
wrong,
impure,
disgusting,
and that which is worthy of condemnation,
we are called to stay focused on the hope
we have in Christ.
Christian,
you are not supposed to set your mind
on that which would distract from your hope.
You are not to focus your mind on that
which would take you away from this great hope.
If you allow your minds to be filled with spiritual junk,
then we should not be surprised
when your hope seems less tenable each day.
Instead,
you ought to fill your mind
with that which is true,
with that which is noble,
right,
pure,
lovely,
admirable,
and praiseworthy
as you anticipate the day
when Christ returns.
And as you stay focused on the hope
that you have in Christ,
you also ought to be careful
concerning other hopes.
As a culture,
we hope in many things.
We may hope in scientific advancement.
We may hope in certain political figures.
Or maybe we just hope
that things will eventually get better.
I wonder what you hope in this morning.
Maybe it's something that is a good thing,
or maybe it's something that we ought not
to get ourselves embroiled in.
Friends,
regarding our eternal salvation,
regarding our eternal salvation
and spiritual satisfaction,
we ought only to look to Christ
for salvation
and spiritual satisfaction.
Not all these other competitors
which would threaten
to rob us of hope.
And of course,
it is easy
being caught up in this world
to be distracted
and to set our hope
on worldly things,
but the message here
is that we ought to stay focused
on the eternal hope
which has stood the test of time,
which lifts our eyes
beyond the beckoning grave
to see the matchless beauty
of a day design.
In this verse,
we also see
that we are to have
an undivided hope.
The ESV brings this out
clearer than the NIV
where it says
that you are to set your hope
fully on the grace
that will be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
You see,
you cannot one day
hope in Christ
and then the next day
in a political figure.
You cannot hope
in eternal salvation
only when it suits you
and then hope in technology
for our satisfaction
and spiritual well-being.
Friends,
we are called here
to hope fully
on the grace
that is to come.
And let me ask you,
do you wait
with an undivided hope?
Or are you prone
to be distracted
by many other things?
At this point
in his letter,
Peter is about
to focus on many
of the ethical implications
of our salvation
and it is no accident
that he begins
here with hope.
before we live
our lives
to the Lord,
we must do so
in the context
of his grace.
It is why
it is important
as we continue
our journey
that we focus
on the hope
that we have
in him.
For many of us
at different times,
this may be a struggle.
But regardless
of how you feel,
you can have assurance
that your hope
is certain.
Let us not focus
on what would
overwhelm us.
No,
let Peter bring us
back to the gospel
where we see
that our salvation
is secure.
And how much
of a difference
this makes
to our lives.
I remember
at a family funeral
a few years ago.
The hope we had
in eternal life
struck many of those
who were there
who were not Christians.
It does make a difference.
People do
take notice.
Friends,
part of living
in light
of the hope
that we have
is by setting
our hearts
and our minds
upon it
and not losing sight
of what awaits us
in the end.
we are a hopeful
people.
And in verses 14
to 16,
we see that we
are to be
a holy people.
Verse 14,
as obedient children,
do not conform
to the evil desires
you had
when you lived
in ignorance.
But,
just as he
who has called you
is holy,
so be holy
in all you do.
before we see
the command
to be holy,
we see that we
are obedient
children.
We are those
who have been
born again
and who have been
made children
of God.
And it is important
to understand
that this
is the context
in which we strive
to be holy.
We do not
strive to be holy
in order to
become obedient
children,
but rather
we are already,
we have been
already been made
obedient children
that we strive
towards holiness.
For the believer,
our works
must stem
from the reality
of the gospel.
we are commanded
to be holy,
but before this
command,
we find that
this involves
a negative
as well as
a positive.
In verse 14,
we are told
do not conform
to the evil
desires you had
when you lived
in ignorance.
And in chapter 4,
verse 3,
Peter describes
what this may
have looked like.
In chapter 4,
verse 3,
he says,
for you have spent
enough time
in the past
doing what
pagans choose
to do,
living in
debauchery,
lust,
drunkenness,
orgies,
carousing,
and detestable
idolatry.
And it is
in this background,
which Peter
was writing to,
that they are
commanded
to be distinct
from all of this.
Peter calls them
to not be conformed
to this world's
way of thinking
and living.
Instead,
they are to be
holy.
They are to
strive to be
like the one
who called them.
Verse 15,
but just
as he
who called you
is holy,
so be
holy
in all
you do.
The call here
is one
to live
in a way
that is distinct
from their
surrounding culture,
something which
Peter often
calls his readers
to,
and instead
they are to
imitate
their God.
Perhaps
you have had
role models
in your life.
Perhaps
this is a parent,
maybe a teacher,
maybe it is
an older Christian,
or maybe it's
a celebrity.
I'm sure
whoever it is,
most of us
have had someone
who we have
looked up to,
admired,
and have
tried
to imitate.
And the command
here to be
holy
and imitate
God is similar
except that
God is far
greater
than anyone
that we
could look
up to.
He is
all-sufficient
in himself.
He is
perfect,
both in
power and
majesty
and in
his moral
purity.
And at this
point I would
like to ask,
how much
like God
are you?
we read
the Ten
Commandments
earlier,
which reflect
his character,
and I wonder
how much
of your life
matches up
to this
standard.
Do you
reflect
your maker?
Do you
strive to
be more
like him
every day?
And notice
that we are
to strive
to be like
him in all
aspects of
our life.
Verse 15,
so be holy,
in all
you do.
Holiness
is a whole
life deal.
We do
not get to
pick and
choose which
aspects of
our life
we are
holy.
You know,
I've had
people speak
to me and
tell me that
they follow
Christ,
but when it
comes to
particular areas
in their
life,
they're not
going to
follow Jesus
in those
bits.
I'm going
to follow
Christ in
all aspects
of my
life,
well,
maybe
except my
finances.
I'm going
to devote
my life
to God,
but I
think I'll
retain control
over how I
spend my
time.
And I
wonder,
are there
any areas
which you
are struggling
to devote
your life
to Christ
in?
Friends,
Peter leaves
no room
for this
kind of
attitude.
In all
you do,
he says,
this is what
you are
called to.
You are
to be like
him in
every area
of your
life.
Peter cites
Scripture in
order to
build his
point.
In verse
16,
for it is
written,
be holy,
because I
am holy.
It is
not entirely
certain what
text he
is quoting.
If you
have an
NIV,
it will
list in
the footnote
three potential
and possible
texts,
but in
either case,
what is being
referenced here
is the
holiness code
for Israel.
For the
Israelites,
they had
been redeemed
and set free
to worship
God as
his people,
and because
of this,
this meant
that they
had to be
different from
the surrounding
cultures.
This meant
they had
cleanliness laws,
food laws,
and other
civic moral
obligations.
And what
Peter is saying
here is,
while we may
not follow all
of the
ceremonial laws,
the same
principle applies.
The same
principle at
work.
As God's
people,
you are to
be distinct
to him.
This means
that your
lifestyle must
be different
to that of
your former
life.
And if
you've been
a Christian
for as long
as you can
remember,
then it
means that
your lifestyle
must be
different from
that of the
surrounding
culture.
Because as
obedient children,
you have been
made holy
in his sight.
In verse
two,
we see that
you have
been called
by the
one through
the sanctifying
work of
the Spirit.
Are you
distinct from
the culture
around you?
Is there a
noticeable difference
that knowing
Christ brings
to your life?
If you took
your daily
routines,
your words,
and your
thoughts,
I wonder how
different they
would be if
you were not
a Christian.
the reality
is that
reading these
verses may
prove difficult
for those
of us,
for many
of us,
including
myself.
It may be
said that
there are
many in
the church
who in
fact do
not look
very different
from the
non-believing
world around
us.
In fact,
even whole
denominations
would fit
this description.
Perhaps
you talk
in the
same ways.
Perhaps
you may
live very
similar lifestyles
and conduct
yourselves in
a similar
manner to
those who
do not
know Christ.
Now,
I'm not saying
that we must
remove ourselves
so far from
those who do
not know
Christ.
I am not
saying that we
must completely
withdraw from
anyone else,
that we cannot
relate to those
who are not
Christians.
But what I am
saying here is
that the
Christian is
called to live
a distinct
lifestyle,
not following
this world's
ways of
thinking and
living,
but imitating
God in
all that
we do.
We must be
like Him,
and we must
not be afraid
to be different
from those
who we live
our lives with
who do not
know the Lord.
we are to
be a hopeful
people,
we are to
be a holy
people,
and finally,
in verses 17
to 21,
we are to
be irreverent
people.
Notice
that in
verse 17,
Peter begins
in the same
place as he
does in
verse 14.
He refers
to his
readers again
as children
of God,
since you
call on a
father.
This is the
reality for
anyone who
has been
born again,
that God
is our
father.
This is how
our Lord
taught us
to pray,
our father
in heaven.
And it is
in this
identity that
we consider
this command
as the
children of
the almighty
judge of
heaven and
earth.
And in
verse 17,
we read
the next
command,
which is
to live
in reverent
fear.
Verse 17,
since you
call on a
father who
judges each
person's work
impartially,
live out
your time
as foreigners
here in
reverent
fear.
Not only do
we see who
we are in
these verses,
but we also
see that it
is important
to understand
who God
is.
He is the
impartial
judge.
This is
similar to
what our
Lord taught
us in
Matthew
chapter 12,
verse 36,
where he
says,
but I tell
you that
everyone will
have to
give an
account on
the day
of judgment
for every
empty word
they have
spoken.
For by
your words
you will
be acquitted,
and by
your words
you will
be condemned.
And throughout
the Old
Testament,
and even
the New,
we find
that God
makes it
abundantly
clear that
just because
his people
know him,
that does
not mean
they are
above him
or are
excused
from his
holy law.
So,
knowing that
God is the
impartial judge,
and that just
because we are
his people
does not mean
that we are
above his
law,
we are
commanded
to live
in reverent
fear.
As many
commentators
point out,
this is no
paralyzing
terror,
but rather
it is a
deep reverence,
a deep
respect,
which spurs
us on to
act like
who we are
under our
triune
God.
Thomas
Schreiner
puts it
rather helpfully.
He says,
there is a
kind of
terror that
does not
contradict
confidence.
A
confident
driver also
possesses a
healthy fear
of an
accident that
prevents him
or her
from doing
anything
foolish.
And what
is in view
here is as
we go on
our journey
as foreigners,
as we continue
our pilgrimage
traveling towards
our inheritance,
we cannot
abuse the
grace that
God has
given us.
This would be
to entirely
misunderstand
what God
has done
for us.
We must
live like we
have been
saved.
we must
live like
who we
are,
which is
obedient
children of
our Father
in heaven.
Living in
irreverence,
thinking that
we can now
sin as we
please,
would be,
as C.S.
Lewis puts
it,
to act as
children playing
with mud
pies while
holiday at
the sea is
offered to
us.
Friends,
knowing Jesus
gives you no
license to
sin.
when Paul
was confronted
with a
similar problem,
shall we
go on
sinning so
that grace
may increase?
What does
he say?
By no
means.
Instead,
we live
in view of
the final
judgment,
confident in
our salvation
because of
this we
strive to
live in
obedience to
our Father
in heaven.
We seek
to follow
His laws
and be
holy.
to Him.
And Peter
gives us a
reason to
live in
fear.
It is
because you
have been
redeemed to
a secure
salvation.
Verse 18,
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.
Christians,
you have
been
redeemed.
You have
been
redeemed,
and there
are two
images
generated
here.
First is
that in
the ancient
world where
slaves would
be set free
from their
masters after
money had
been paid
to secure
their release.
Exodus,
however,
perhaps the
more prominent
image here is
that of the
Exodus,
where God
redeemed Israel
from their
slavery in
Egypt,
and their
whole wilderness
journey is
set in this
context that
they have been
redeemed by
their God.
However,
the redemption
that is enjoyed
by Christians is
far greater
than all of
these.
no,
it was not
with perishable
things that
they were
redeemed.
No,
it was with
the precious
blood of
Christ,
a lamb
without blemish
or defect.
And this
generates to
us images
of Christ's
sufferings.
He who
was sinless
and spotless,
who died
for the
transgressions
of many,
he who
was marred
beyond human
likeness or
appearance,
and he was
despised and
rejected by
mankind.
Friends,
this was
for you.
He bore
pain more
imaginable than
anything we
could bear or
imagine,
and he did
so for you.
how great
a salvation
that we
have.
He did
this so
that you
may have
eternal
life.
And when
you consider
this great
redemption
that we
have,
aren't
you not
moved to
love your
God
more?
Don't
you not
want to
live in
obedience
to him?
Robert
Layton,
a Scottish
theologian,
once said,
the more
a Christian
believes and
loves and
rejoices in
the love of
God, the
more unwilling
surely he
is to
displease
him.
Don't
you want
to please
your God?
Does
considering
what he
has done
for you
not move
you to
love him
more and
more?
And not
only does
Peter point
us to the
reconciling
aspect of
our redemption,
but he also
points us
to the
ethical
dimensions
of it.
Not only
have we
been redeemed
with a
great price,
but we
have been
redeemed
from,
verse 18,
the empty
way of
life handed
down to
you from
your
ancestors.
Many
cultures in
the ancient
world would
have held to
their traditions
firmly.
They were
highly valued,
both their
religious and
ethical,
moral ways
of life.
And any
departure
from these
would have
been
considered
deeply
offensive.
But Peter
says that
they have
been
redeemed
from all
these
things.
That is,
they have
been brought
into a
new life
despite the
opposition
and persecutions
that they
may receive
from the
surrounding
culture.
And this
is what
the atonement
does.
It not only
reconciles us
to God,
but it also
brings to us
moral
transformation.
Another
Scot,
George
Smeaton,
wrote that
when Paul
was writing
about the
death of
Christ,
it was his
purpose to
unite the
atoning and
sanctifying
elements and
to rescue
believers from
their unholy
conduct.
In other
words,
Peter is
saying that
to live
in reverence
to God
and to
not follow
and obey
Him would
be to
entirely
misunderstand
our
redemption.
Because we
have been
saved from
this way
of life
to a new
way of life
that is
marked by
holiness and
obedience
to God.
Friends,
I do not
know how
you are
feeling this
morning.
You may
feel close
to God
or perhaps
you feel
you are
struggling
with sin.
We will
all struggle
with the
battle against
sin and
sin is
something that
we must
repent of.
But we see
here that not
only do we
start our
Christian faith
with the
hope of
glory,
but friends,
we must be
brought back
to it every
day on a
daily basis.
And friends,
it is on
this hope
that Peter
leaves us.
Verse 20
to 21,
we learn
that we
have been
redeemed and
that this
redemption is
eternally
secure.
Verse 20,
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.
We are
a hopeful
people.
We are
a holy
people.
We are
a reverent
people,
but none
of this
can ever
be separated
from the
salvation
that we
have in
our Redeemer,
which has
been purposed
from before
creation
began,
where we
have been
brought to
know a
certain hope
in the
one who
was raised
from the
dead and
who was
glorified.
We end
this morning
in the same
place that
we begun,
in the hope
that our
Lord has
bought for
us.
Christians,
as we
continue in
our journey
towards our
inheritance,
as we strive
to be those
who live in
reverence and
obedience to
our God,
we can be
assured
that the
God who
eternally
purposed to
save us
will keep
us secure
until His
plan is
completed.
It is in
this hope,
in this hope
that we
journey on
until our
faith is
completed,
when our
Lord comes
again in
glory.
Amen.
Let us
pray.
We
use
Anybody