Clean Living in a Dirty World - Part 1 PREPARE

Introduction

Story about riding pigs with Dan on the farm,

Question have you ever been so Muddy that you were almost unrecognizable to the people around you?

He walked right out of His boots and fell face down in the Mud (poop)

He was absolutely covered in that stuff.

and when my grandma looked out of her kitchen window and saw us boys- She came out and got the hydrant hose and made us stand there until every square in of our bodies were clean.

Transition:

Today we are talking about Clean Living in a Dirty world.

It doesnt take much effort to see that this world is "Filthy with moral decay and the absence of ethical values.

Greed, selfishness, dishonesty, and immorality have become all too common in our culture,

This moral filth has lead to a breakdown in relationships and in our society.

It has caused mankind to fall deeper and deeper into Sinful life styles, to the point that what culture would have called despicable and unacceptable 40 years ago is now praised as good. and wholesome for mankind.

Friends dont be blinded to the truth that this world is in terrible shape, when it comes to the standards of God.

This moral filth that plagues our world also wants to infiltrates the church and erode the fabric of our community and leave us feeling spiritually polluted.

Friends we need to understand this morning, that Satan Hates loves this filth, He loves the breakdown of the family, He loves that this world now calls what God said was despicable is now ok and even praised as good, He loves that the world is turning its back on what God called good and labelling it as Hate.

Brothers ands sisters we live in a dirty world, and the supernatural ruler of this world hates the church, and He loves to use the media and technology and culture to expose God’s Children to harmful content, all so that he can corrupt the Body of Christ and make it useless for the gospel message,

Brothers and sisters, Dont Be fooled by the temporary pleasures that sin brings into your life - We are at war with the enemy.

In a world where moral and spiritual pollution seem to surround us at every turn, the imperative to live a life of purity and holiness becomes increasingly vital for us as Believers.

Friends if we are going to MAKE AND EQIUP FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST IN OUR COMMUNITY THAN WE MUST LIVE CLEAN LIVES IN THIS DIRTY WORLD>

We are in part one of a two part sermon on how We can live clean lives even when everything around us is filthy,

in Our text this morning, Peter gives us “4 Steps we must take to prepare our lives for Clean living,

Turn with Me in your own Bibles to 1 Peter 1:13-21

1 Peter 1:13–21 ESV

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. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 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, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.

The first requirmen to Live clean in a dirty world is that Believers must

1.Prepare Your Mind (13)

1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)

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.

Peter opens up this passage telling the christians that they must prepare their minds for Action, and he gives them two ways to do this.

A. Be Sober-Minded:

Being sober-minded is about maintaining a clear, focused, and disciplined mental state. Be ready for Action:

In High school right before a game our team would all huddle up with are arms around each other in a big circle and the coach would stand in the middle and He would begin to build us up= “ LETS ˝GET OUT THERE AND WIN THIS GAME _ YOU CAN DO IT, you are better than they are”. HE would pump us up - He would get us into the right mental state to go out and win the game.

We became focused on the match , We became unified as a team, We were in the right state of mind for the battle that was about to begin.

Peter is calling the church to mental readies. THERE FORE- PREPARE YORU MINDS FOR ACTION- BE MENTALLY READY-

This call to mental readiness is essential because in a world filled with distractions and temptations, we need to stay focused on what we have been called to do..

. Being sober-minded means being ready for the battle, guarding our thoughts, resisting the influence of worldly distractions, and ensuring our minds are aligned with God's truth.

This mental preparation is a vital step in living clean in a polluted world.

Peter goes on and says

1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)

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.

Grace is God giving us what we dont deserve. He gave us salvation when we deserved condemnation. He saved us out of the pit of Hell and placed us in his eternal family. Securing this destiny with His own blood.

Thats Grace-

And Peter says.

B. Set Your Hope Fully on [this] Grace:

Like A coach before the game- Boys keep your eye on the prize- Lets win this game.

Peter is simply saying Live your life with Eternity in view

Dont get distracted by what the world says you need to find happiness, Dont get distracted by the temporary pleasures of this world

Dont let Satan have a foothold in your life.

Peter encourages believers to fix their hope completely on the grace of Salvation that will be finalized in their lives when Christ returns to take them home to glory.

In a world where despair, sin, and brokenness are prevalent, our hope in God's grace becomes our source of strength, comfort, and motivation to live clean lives and pursue holiness in this dirty World.

Paul in his letter to the Colossians challenged the church to do the same thing

Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Friends, having our minds ready for the battle are essential in living Clean lives in this dirty world.

Remember the words of that Precious old Hymn “ This world is not my home Im just a passing Through.

Believers We must maintain mental clarity - DOnt be fooled by the lies of this world.

We must resist worldly distractions- Dont let the pleasures or success of this world distract you from your heavenly reward,

and We must find our unwavering hope in the unmerited favor of God that will one day be fully ours at His return.

Trans: Peter goes on in verses 14-17 to tell the church that we also must Ready our hearts to live clean in this dirty world.

2. Ready your heart (14-17)

1 Peter 1:14–17 (ESV)

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 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,

The mind is where we process the information we are letting into our lives.

The mind is what helps us comprehend the theological aspects of our faith and provide the foundation for our beliefs.

The heart represents our core being- it is where our faith and convictions reside. its the pool from which all our actions flow out of.

Our mind and Heart go hand in hand together- When the mind understands and accepts spiritual truth, Our heart responds with faith, trust, and a deep sense of conviction.

It's in our heart where we experience a personal and emotional relationship with God.

Peter in these verses tells the Christians that “If you are going to live a clean life in this dirty World, You have to be clean at your core.” You cant fake your Christianity-

You cant have a clean heart if your mind is putting unclean things into it

But, it’s more than just letting the world influence you through your mind.

Its also about keeping your old nature from creeping back into your life and turning your focus back towards its foolish way of thinking.

in verses 14-15 -Peter is saying Don’t slip back into your old way of living to satisfy your own desires, your Former ignorance

instead Live your life like the Father who adopted you into his family.

in 2 Cor. 5:17- it says the old has passed away Behold ALL THINGS ARE NEW.

Friends if you are in Christ than all things are new- This includes your passions, your desires, your purpose, Your ignorant way of life is Gone, You have been redeemed into new life, Your eyes have been opened to the truths of Gods word and His plan.

Dont slip back into that old way of thinking-

In verse 16 Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44

Leviticus 11:44 (ESV)

44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

To be holy because God is holy, means to live a life that reflects the character and nature of God.

It involves a commitment to moral purity, to righteous living, and separate your life and actions from sin.

to Be holy means that you purpose in heart to align your thoughts, actions, and values with the divine standards we find in God’s Word.

It takes work to live a holy life. And this is why we must Ready our hearts to be Holy.

We cannot expect our actions to bring God glory if our heart is far from Him.

We cannot expect what comes out of our heart to be Clean if what we have been putting into it is the filth of this world.

Brothers and sisters, It is hard work living a life that mimics the Life of Jesus in this dirty world. But that is what God has called us to be,

He consecrated us- He set us apart from this world to look drastically different- To walk Clean and not be covered in the filth of sinfulness.

Peter Goes on and tells these Believers the third thing they must do to prepare their life for Clean living in this dirty world .....

they must Fortify their redemption

3. Fortify your Redemption ( 18-21)

1 Peter 1:18–21 (ESV)

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.

Friends dont ever lose sight of your redemption!

You once stood on the auction block as a slave to sin- and until Jesus Stepped forward to pay your debt in full -You were condemned to die.

If it wasn't for the great love of God bestowed upon your life you would still be condemned.

You were Ransomed into New Life

Dont let this world diminish the work that God has done in your life through your salvation!

Peter gives us three things to rememberer about our Ransom...in verse 18 Peter tells us that we have been..

Ransomed From an Empty Life (18)

Do you remember your life Before Jesus ?

Story: When I was in Ukraine a few years Back I met a man named Andrew, As far as the world was concerned He had it all, He was on the Ukrainian national Rugby team, which gave him fame and fortune, He had a beautiful girlfriend which brought him companionship, according to the world’s philosophy There was nothing else this man needed to be happy.

But when I met him, even with all of his earthly success He was Broken, He was lonely He was hurting, He was unfulfilled, He was lost in his ignorant way of thinking.

Why? Because that is what this world’s pleasure leads to .. It will never last It will never satisfy, It will never give you hope beyond the grave.

Andrew had it all and yet he felt like He had nothing.

Christian, you have been redeemed from this Empty Life.

In verse 19-20 Peter tells us that this redemption is through a Sacrificial Life

Ransomed through a Sacrificial Life (19-20)

1 Peter 1:19–20 (ESV)

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.

Friends, it is only through the redemptive work of Jesus, that we have been rescued from a purposeless existence marked by sin and separation from God.

(Expand on Christ’s Redemption if time)

In verse 21 Peter tells us that it was this This divine ransom, paid with the precious blood of Christ, that imparts an eternal purpose to our lives, freeing us from the futility of a sinful existence and into the fullness of God's grace.

Ransomed Into an eternal New Life (21)

1 Peter 1:21 (ESV)

21 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.

As Ransomed Believers, Our faith and hope are in God, who raised Jesus from the dead.

Through His resurrection, we are not only ransomed from the empty, fleeting existence of sin, but are also redeemed into the promise of a everlasting life, secured by the H.S. through the resurrection of Christ.

Story: My friend Andrew’s life was radically changed on Friday night of English camp when he humbled himself and Asked Jesus to be His Lord and Savior,

And from that moment He was Ransomed for all eternity.

He no longer was a slave to that futile way of thinking, He no longer had to live for his own pleasure, He no longer had to seek his own self worth or happiness or hope.

He now was a redeemed Child of God, Ransomed through the blood of Christ, and Secured for all eternity.

Andrew and I have remand good friends, He now oversees all of the Fellowship of Christian athletes ministry in Ukraine. God is using him in many mighty ways.

He has a New Purpose- God’s glory in His life.

Brothers and sisters, In order to live Clean in this dirty world we need to remember who we were before God lovingly chose to redeem us from that futile way of thinking.

as we remember our life before Hope it should motivate us to run as far away from the pleasures of this world that want to distract us and pull us back into our former ignorance?

Bring It Home

If we are going to live Clean Lives in this dirty world - We must be fully ready for the Battle.

We must be Sober Minded- Don’t let the lies of this world influence your mind

We must live with eternity in View- Dont live for the pleasures of this world but for eternal reward.

We must Remember that we have been ransomed form this futile way of thinking- through the precious blood of Jesus,

By grounding ourselves in God's grace, we can stand unwavering in our commitment to live clean and pure lives in the face of worldly contamination.

Stand Firm!

Transition: NEXT WEEK we will have a special guest Speaker Dr Dean Taylor who will be speaking on the Family. And then in two will be part two of this sermon, -Friends Once your mind is prepared, and your heart is Holy, and you are grounded in your redemption, its time to Put your faith into Action. Please plan now to Join us as we delve into our text again in two weeks to see what the Actions of Clean Living in a Dirty world looks like in the Believer's Life.

Pray.