1 Peter 1:13-25

Intro

Transforming Hope

Self-made millionaire Eugene Land, greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem.

Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him.

Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I'll help pay the college tuition for every one of you."

At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling."

Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.

Hope does something to us, it allows us to push through the unenviable, the suffering, the unhappy and undesired days

Perhaps you have heard of Victor Frankl

Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, endured the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. He observed that those who lost hope quickly deteriorated and died, while those who had a purpose—whether it was seeing their family again or believing their suffering had meaning—had a higher chance of surviving. Frankl himself clung to the hope that he would one day share his insights with the world.

Frankl would go on to become the father of what is known as Logo-therapy!

This therapy says that the deepest drive of a human, and what allows us to push through the hardships that may attack us is what what is our meaning for life

In other words, what brings us Hope, to push through the darkest storms, like Frankl in that concentration camp

It allows us to maintain sanity in the hard times that life brings to us

But what is interesting is that hope is rather translucent when it is unneeded, when life is going well, the sun is shining,

Yet it becomes the light that keeps us going when darkness surrounds us, and the foundation of making sense of life when it is thrown upside-down

While it might be hard for some of us to fully grasp this it was real life for Peter’s audience as Roman Persecution was spreading and the crazy Nero was in power

I really appreciate how well CS Lewis puts it in the Chronicles of Narnia

If you remember in the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Narnia is in perpetual winter, as the White Witch is running the show

People live in cold and fear of the secret police finding out they said the wrong thing and taking them to prison to be made a frozen statue by the White Witch

What gave the people in Narnia hope was the promises of old, the promises of Aslan, the true king, returning back to right the wrongs

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

For those in Narnia, they knew that Hope would keep them going, hope in God, and their dark times were easily seen and grasped with the never ending snow and winter without Christmas!

For Peter’s audience, it is hope that kept them going, in the midst of great persecution and difficulty

In a time where they would learn that their brothers and sisters were being captured and lit as human torches for Nero’s delight as he walked through the garden at night

So is our hope important?

Absolutely, and if we don’t make it important, we will be scrambling for it when the darkness assails us

Peter has already told us the basis of our hope, Jesus resurrected, and raised on high, but he wants us to make sure our hope is full and robust

So to that end, Peter lays out a few things for our lives and how we can help nurture, develop and cultivate a Christian faith that is robust in hope

Live Holy (v.13-16)

The very first thing we see in this passage is that we are to live lives that are Holy and pleasing to God

Now you might be wondering why this is the case, why is it not doctrine or just a vague take care of people that need help!

Well, we have to remember that Peter is speaking from a Jewish audience, and when they say ‘listen’ what listening means is that they are living it out too

That also means if you hear words and don’t act upon the words spoken, you are not listening

So for Peter, if you want to honor God, and you hear the gospel and you convert, then you don’t live out the implications of the gospel, then you have not really listened to anything!

So Peter says, have your minds be ready for action, sober minder, and set your hope on the grace of Jesus!

Ready for Action

This word is rather fun, if we were to translate it literally, it’s a cultural idiom which is “Gird up the loins of your mind”

The reason this was used because you would be wearing these long robes, and as I’m sure the women in the audience can attest, running in long flowing dresses is not easy

Think about how at a wedding, how carefully the bride and bridesmaids are when walking or moving their dress, and most brides have a heavily altered dress for the reception period so they can move much easier!

So gird up your loins meant to take your robe and tie it up so you could run, move, and do the activity where the robe would be in the way

So what this points to is to be purposeful in engaging your mind, and seeking to obey God at once

Since you are perpetually having your mind ready to be engaged, it allows you to be alert, and move as quickly as possible

If we are honest, this is something that takes a lot of legwork for us today

We have a whole slew of things considered entertainment, and when we go to entertainment, we go there to turn our brains off

Why do we turn our brains off when we watch movies, play games, or consume most types of media?

There is nothing neutral about media, they are all trying to make you believe something about how the world or yourself works

The follow your heart, ie emotions above all, from Disney,

which as this passage is problematic because it makes your emotions the headliner of all things

Hollywood itself is the capital for materialistic, self-worshipping hedonism, so we should expect the movies to match the people who are making them

So part of us following Jesus means we need to keep our minds engaged, don’t turn them off and blindly let whatever you want come into your brain

Keep our minds constantly on the watch for things that are not honoring to God

This is what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:5 “5 We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

So Peter is saying, with the reality of God becoming man, all the things lavished on us, we should allow and strive to make our minds ready to grasp, understand, and wrestle with the things of faith

Sober Minded

The next thing Peter says is that we are to be sober minded

Now, we might consider this in purely alcohol terms, but it is more than that

If you think of someone being drunk, and then sober, you can think about the incredible difference in mental capability

When we use it with other things in life, it means that we should seriously consider how or even if we use mind altering substances

But ultimately for most of us, it has a realization of emotions and addictions

Being sober minded means we do not let excessive emotions take over and run our lives, we do not bounce from one high to another

So it means we are self-controlled, we allow emotions, and we think through them, but we are not emotionally impulsive, or shallow

Paul uses this same word in 2 Timothy 4:5 “5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

If we think about it, doesn’t sin really distract us from being sober minded?

If you and I want to become more like Jesus then we have to fight sin, since sin will make us inebriated

Sin does at least 4 things to us, regardless of the sin

Sin will feed our distractions and deception of who we are

We become consumed by a temporary, selfish desire

It will dull our spiritual awareness of our own hearts

Sin distorts the truth of who we are

It causes us to justify our behaviors

So we struggle to think clearly of the evil of what we have done, as well as our need to run to God for reconciliation

Sin stirs our emotional instability

Particularly when life is hard, it is very trying to run to things we know are bad things to do, but they are easy to do

Sin never requires you to use your brain to engage in it, you just go on autopilot, and hope it gives you a reprieve from whatever hard thing is assailing you

A sober minded person can hold to God’s promises with their mind, while they wait for their emotions to catch up

Sometimes the emotions never catch up, but emotions are fickle, and not a good descriptor or navigator on what we should do

What is interesting is that we cannot control our emotions, they just come

However, we can control how we respond to our emotions, and sin allows those emotions to run the show unchecked

Sin severs our connection and dependance on God’s Power

When we are sober minded, our power of knowing who we are, what we want, and what we need, stem from a deepening walk with God

When we sin we sever our relationship with God for that sin

Then all of a sudden we feel even more lost, confused, alone

We become prime targets for the devil to take out, much like a heard of lions taking out the weakest of the flock

Sin will hinder our relationship with God, just as it would with any other relationship

As we say with our human relationships, trust is easily given, and difficult to rebuild

We understand that our sin causes severance and difficulty in our relationships

Yet the crazy thing is God doesn’t do that, he forgives us not once, twice, three times, but as many as we need, as long as we return to him

Set Hope Meaning

This is why Peter puts the point of setting our hope completely on the grace of the revelation of Christ

We set our hope fully, all together, wholly, upon Christ, and his forgiveness that he brings to us!

The most incredible thing about this is that we expect legalism, that is a set of rules we must follow to gain God’s approval, but that is not how it is

Peter says grace is the basis of our actions in having our minds constantly on the ready, for whatever God might call us to

Peter says grace is the basis for us doing what we can to remain sober minded, allowing God to drive our actions, thoughts, and entire lives

It is not that our ready minds, and sober minds, that God is impressed and gives us grace, but it is the other-way

The reason is what Peter said earlier in this chapter

1 Peter 1:3–5 “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

It is no mere accident that Peter does these things in this order!

If we know the incredible truths of our salvation which are v. 1-12

Then in v. 13 we visualize ourselves on a path of life leading to a heavenly reward beyond comprehension,

Then we will be ready in our minds and hearts to strive for the life of holiness before God!

This is why Peter lays out the next few verses

As obedient children don’t be conformed to your former lusts, that you live in ignorance

We have been chosen and adopted as God’s children, he is now our Father

So we should not live according to our former ways of life, where we did not know Jesus, and so we lived in lives of emptiness, and no meaning

Colossians 1:13 “13 God has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”

Ephesians 2:1–2 “1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.”

So now, our Father is God, let us honor the name of our Father!

This is why Peter says, for us to live holy lives, that is a key trait of our family name

Just as our Triune God is Holy, be Holy in your conduct, for it’s written in the writings of Moses, to be Holy because I am Holy

To be holy is to be set apart, not corrupted by sin

We can’t do it on our own, but if we rely on God’s power within us, we can say no to sin and yes to holiness bringing light into this world

To strive with all our heart, mind, soul and strength after God, that is what us looking Holy looks like, it is something we cultivate, it is also something we become when Jesus takes away our sin

Yet that leaves us with one issue, how do we do this in a correct way, what about when we mess up, because we will!

Well I think here is a simple way to remember that our walk with God is based on God’s grace, not our ability

Holiness is about striving to be like God, knowing we will mess up, not pursuing an unrealistic perfectionistic to-do list!

Legalism/Religion: I messed up. My Dad is gonna kill me.

The Gospel/ Grace of God: I messed up. I need to call my Dad.

When we live in light of that, and know that our hearts are based in our relationship with our Father in heaven, it transforms our intentions, interactions and initiatives of you and I

This is why the next thing Peter says that our relationship with God is that he is our Father

But he is also our perfect Judge!

Even though we know our judge is our Father, he doesn’t ignore justice, he still demands it, particularly from his children!

So Peter says therefore live to not be afraid of your Father judging you, that you have done all you can in your time as strangers to honor the family name!

No one is perfect, but it is the thing, what are you remembered for?

Love Deeply (v. 22-25)

Now let’s skip down a few verses to verse 22, and see the other part of living holy, that is we love our family deeply!

Peter says we are purified from our sin, and obedient, this is seen by showing love to our brothers and sisters in Christ

That heart is pure, and constant toward your family, your church

If you want to see if someone loves Jesus, the church will be important to them!

This love is because we are born of the family of God, and not the perishable birth of our earthly existence

This is why we have so much in common with brothers and sisters who share the faith

In fact, you and I have more in common with the Christians in China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, than we do of a Non-Christian who lives in America

It is a family that will last for eternity, and we want others to join!

This life is fleeting, and so it will fail and fall, but God’s word, will remain

That is God’s promises, and God’s revelation in Jesus

That is what is preached to us, that is our hope, the base of our relationship is always Jesus

If we love Jesus, and part of his family, it means that we will love those that are also part of our families

Because Christ Ransomed You (v.18-21)

Now, that seems a bit mean if I’m honest

Here is a fun fact for you if you are a Christian, the church is one of the most beautiful places you will ever experience, and one of the most devastatingly hurtful places at the same time

In modern popular terminology, we call it church hurt, it’s always been there since the beginning, since we are the unholy, trying to become holy

We are striving to do our Father’s name proud, but there are always some that just want the inheritance without the work, alongside those that strive to the core of their being to do all possible to get their lives in order!

Ultimately, what should drive us is what Jesus did to get us to be part of God’s family!

Peter reminds us that we were redeemed, or ransomed from our empty ways of life that we got from our earthly fathers

The ways of this world are not helpful

I think of several friends that I have, where they came to Jesus, and experienced God, and they realized how much they had to unlearn about being a ‘man’

Or perhaps you think of the cultural alpha males of our day, Andrew Tate and his ilk, and how unChristlike they are, just as much as Sam Smith or Harry Styles might be in the opposite

The way of Jesus, does not fit in the paradigms of this world, he is too gracious for the legalistic, too demanding for the grace-abusers

The cost of our family, the blood of Jesus

This was not a new plan, but was foreknown from before the foundations of the world, but was fully revealed to you and I

Then Jesus revealed himself through the gospel being proclaimed, and we believed in him, which allowed us to put our faith and hope in Jesus!

This is the basis of our entire faith, Jesus ransomed us, to redeem us, so that we might live for God, spread God’s kingdom, fight back the kingdom of darkness,

and build a community full of Holy Love for the people the Holy God died wholly for!

Application

Live Holy - Make a Plan to Engage Your Mind for God

Ask yourself: What are the patterns in your daily life where your mind “turns off”? Is it during entertainment, social media scrolling, work habits, or how you respond to stress?

This week, be intentional: identify one area where you tend to disengage from God’s truth and actively replace it with a habit that “girds up the loins of your mind” — perhaps committing to daily Scripture meditation or setting limits on entertainment that dulls your spiritual alertness.

Cultivate an alert and sober mind by asking God daily to make you sensitive to distractions or compromises that pull you away from holiness.

Reflection: What would it look like for you to “gird up” your mind in your workplace, in your parenting, in your singleness, or in your suffering?

Love Deeply - Commit to the Church Family

Who in your local church needs you to demonstrate a deep, sacrificial love this week?

Is there someone you’ve been avoiding, holding a grudge against, or simply overlooking who needs encouragement or reconciliation?

Love deeply means prioritizing people over preferences. Choose to love a brother or sister in Christ by showing hospitality, offering forgiveness, or simply reaching out to listen.

Challenge: Make one intentional act of deep love toward someone in your church family this week—even if it feels inconvenient.

Anchor Your Hope Fully in Christ

Where are you tempted to put your hope right now? Career success? Comfort? Control? Emotional highs?

Peter calls us to set our hope fully on the grace to be revealed.

Take time to confess where your hope has drifted, and realign your heart by dwelling on the resurrection of Christ and the inheritance kept for you.

Practical step: Spend time in prayer asking God to make the future grace of Christ more real to your heart than the fleeting promises of the world.

Benediction

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 NET

23 Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this.