Hope and Hostility - 1 Peter 2:1-3

Last week: Salvation has changed our lives and opened our capacity to love one another.

Cause - The gospel was proclaimed to you and you believed.

Effect - We love one another constantly.

READ 1 Peter 2:1-3.

Christ offers a new life, a living hope to all.

We are called to grow. Nourishment is crucial.

Kids and goldfish. (Basically, empty calories)

A healthy church is comprised of healthy Christians.

1. Put Away All Forms of Immaturity.

The vices in verse 1 are those that offend against brotherly love described in 1:22. Each vice springs forth into a new one.

Malice - wickedness, evil

Deceit - treachery, trapping

Hypocrisy - passing judgment

Envy - Jealousy

Slander - Evil speech

These sins aim at harming people, whereas love seeks the good of others.

School play - Daughter wanted the main part, mom thinks the girl stole the part, and grandmother is furious.

Immaturity is a church killer.

Every generation struggles with it.

Churches would be perfect if it wasn’t for all the people.

This is why the alter is so important when Christians gather for worship.

What immature form of evil am I capable of committing against the people of God?

2. Spiritual Growth Requires Biblical Nourishment.

“Newborn infants” (Just now)

1:3, Born again into a living hope.

Believers are to desire and depend on Christ as a newborn needs and thirsts for milk. By drinking this pure milk, Christians can put away these sins.

“Desire for the pure milk of the word”

Milk is not here described as elementary truth to more advanced material.

An intense personal desire. “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.” (Psalm 41:1)

“Grow up into salvation” - Grow into spiritual maturity.

“Tasted” - “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

Christians set aside immoral behavior of their formal life and instead place their hope in God.

“Good” - Goodness because of worth.

How does this verse connect to the word of God.

Peter is assuming scripture is the word of the Lord, so to read or listen to Scripture is to hear the Lord speak, to take his good and nourishing word into one’s heart.

To drink the milk of the Lord is to “taste” again and gain what He is like, for hearing the Lord’s words, believers experience the joy of personal fellowship with the Lord Himself.

National Museum of the Bible. Heart breaking to think of people who do not have access to the Bible. But, it’s extra heartbreaking for the people that do and still do not read.

“Nobody ever outgrows scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.” - Charles Spurgeon

Christian growth is impossible for the man and woman with no desire to learn scripture.