Holy and Hopeful

1 Peter 1:13-19 “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.”

P.O.P.

The Gospel equips and calls us to holy living even when we suffer.

Kids

God calls us to live the right way even when life is difficult.

I. The Gospel prepares us to remain holy in suffering.

1 Peter 1:13 “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.”

“Therefore” - Verse 13 is bridge between 1:1-12 and 1:14-25.

Peter has argued for all the reasons why worship should still exist if in their current state.

Imperative: “set your hope fully”

The New Testament use of hope is not wishful thinking or wishful anticipation.

This is different than when we say “I wish my situation would change” or “I wish I could go back and change some things”.

New Testament hope is an assured certainty. Our future hope is rooted in Christ’s past accomplishments.

Peter is calling for a full hope.

Not a partial hope or wavering hope but a hope set upon that realization that those in Christ have a salvation that is promised and kept.

“Preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded”

Peter is establishing the required action believers must take for our hope to fully set in.

Preparing your minds for action - girding up your loin clothes (roll up your shirt sleeves, put your hair up) Believers must actively set their minds on heavenly hope, this will not come accidently or naturally.

1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.”

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Our spiritual discipline and our fight against temptation depend on our active work to set our hope fully on the truth of the Gospel.

Being sober-minded - we must be careful to not let our passions or the temptations of the world to distract us or lead us away from this hope.

Impaired - drunkenness, drugs, anything that we seek to make us numb, block out, or escape the reality around us. Seeking that which will make us not be able to think clearly will also keep us from healing and resting in the truths of the Gospel.

Suppressed - the attempt to hide, self-deception. An attempt to move past without actually healing or correcting.

Rash - social media, technology, news. Seeking quick information that provides quick reactions. Not using discernment or wisdom to process before reacting or showing emotional response.

“hope will not become a reality without disciplined thinking. “

Thomas Schreiner

1 John 3:1-3 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

II. The Gospel calls us to remain holy in suffering.

1 Peter 1:14-16 “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 obedient children

The expectation for the child of God is obedience. This eliminates the position of the antinominists. Those who say grace frees us from any binding to law. Free to live as we please under the shadow of grace.

Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance

As Christians we have left our sinful, fleshly life behind. We are not looking back but steadily look at the beauty of Christ. Not even hardships in life can make Christ less beautiful, however, we take our gaze off of Christ we will find ourselves looking to the world once more.

You shall be holy, for I am holy

Holiness is tied to the character of God.

III. The Gospel reminds us to recall where our holiness comes from.

1 Peter 1:17-19 “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.”

Rather than living in fear of the world, live in fear of the Lord:

1. He is the Father who is judge

2. You have been saved from your sinful life

Christ as the sacrificial lamb fulfilled the covenantal requirements for the chosen people of God.