The Enduring Word

Dear Lord,

We come before you today with humble hearts, seeking to draw closer to you through your holy word. We thank you for the gift of your word, which guides us in truth and teaches us your ways.

Help us to cherish your word and to meditate on it day and night. May it be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, showing us the way we should go. Give us the wisdom to understand your word and the courage to live it out in our daily lives.

May your word take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives. Help us to be doers of your word and not hearers only. May we always seek to glorify you through our obedience to your word.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, the living Word. Amen

Welcome to our series on the book of 1 Peter, titled Living Hope: How to Endure Suffering and Rejoice in Salvation.

In this series, we are exploring the main themes and messages of this letter, written by the apostle Peter to Christians who were facing persecution and suffering for their faith.

So far, we have looked at the first two parts of chapter one, where Peter reminded them of their living hope that is based on God’s mercy and grace in giving them new birth into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

He also challenged them to be holy as God is holy, and to love one another earnestly from a pure heart.

Today, we will look at the last part of chapter one.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:22-25 together

1 Peter 1:22–25 NKJV

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Introduction:

1 Peter 1:22-25 is a passage that emphasizes the importance of sincere love among believers and the eternal nature of God’s word. In this passage, Peter reminds his readers that they have purified themselves by obeying the truth and calls them to love one another deeply and sincerely. He also reminds them that they have been born again through the living and enduring word of God. This passage is part of a larger section in 1 Peter in which the apostle encourages his readers to live holy lives in response to their great salvation in Christ.

Purification through Obedience to the truth. v. 22a

What does this mean exactly??

Acts 15:9 “9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”

Obedience = faith to the truth = submitting to the truth

What is truth then?

It is the Gospel - 1 Thess 2:13 “13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”

The word of God being the truth is the full gospel message. Peter has just given the gospel (The Good News) in 1 Peter 1:18-19 “18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Sincere Love for One Another. v. 22b

Paul has just said, “Since your now purified by grace through faith in the truth your love for one another will be sincere and with a fervent pure heart.”

Lets look at some key words Peter uses.

“Sincere” lit. means unhypocritical, without hypocrisy

“Fervently” can mean: earnestly, deeply, constantly, intently, in a serious manner.

“Pure heart” meaning: clean heart, deep within ones being

Peter is remembering back to Jesus’ word to him and the other disciples John 13:34 “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Born again through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23)

Again Peter comes back to the importance of being “Born again”

Born again is phrase Jesus used when speaking with Nicodemus recorded for us in John 3, to point to the reality of an eternal birth which only God can grant and give by His own grace and mercy.

John 3:3 “3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

It has been said, “if you are born once you will die twice, but if you are born twice you will only die once.”

What does being born again look like in a Biblical since?

John 1:13 “13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

This is what Peter is implying when he says, 1 Peter 1:23 “23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,”

The Word of God is not pages in a book. For us it is God in Flesh, who is Jesus Christ the Lord.

John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14 “14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

All things corruptible, that is perishable, will fade away, but God’s word is eternal which lives and abides forever.

The temporary nature of human life (1 Peter 1:24)

1 Peter 1:24 “24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,”

Peter is quoting by the way Isaiah 40:6-8 “6 The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.””

“All flesh” meaning no one is exempt.

“All the glory of man” all mans accomplishments, dreams, desires, achievements, technical wonders, all man has done for its own glory, honor and praise will turn to dust.

Just as the grass withers and the flowers fall, our lives on earth are temporary and fleeting.

Jesus even warns us about where we should lay up our treasures. Matt. 6:19-21 “19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Eternal Nature of God’s Word. v. 25

Again Peter goes back to what he previously says in v. 23 by repeating himself by saying 1 Peter 1:25 “25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”

Matt 24:35 “35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

In conclusion, 1 Peter 1:22-25 reminds us of the importance of sincere love for one another and the eternal nature of God’s word. As believers, we are called to love one another deeply and sincerely, just as we have been purified by obeying the truth. We have been born again through the living and enduring word of God, which stands in contrast to the temporary nature of human life. May we always remember the enduring nature of God’s word and strive to love one another as He has called us to do.

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Graduation Recognition Sunday

Dear Holy Father,

We come before you today with grateful hearts, thanking you for the blessings you have bestowed upon these graduates as they complete their high school journey. We ask that you continue to guide and protect them as they embark on new adventures and face new challenges.

Grant them the wisdom to make good decisions and the courage to follow after your ways. Help them to always seek your will and to trust in your plan for their lives.

Bless these graduates with the knowledge that they are never alone, for you are always with them. May they find comfort in your love and peace in your presence.

We ask all of this in your holy name. Amen.