A Holy Life
Notes
Transcript
Main Theme
Main Theme
Reborn to a Holy Life
Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to House of Bethany. My name is Samuel Teka, I serve as the pastor here.
If it’s your first time, I’m are glad you are here. And if you’re already part of the family, happy to see you guys again.
Our what and why is very simple here: We create a space for people to encounter Jesus and be transformed.
Regardless of who are or whatever your beliefs or background is, I believe one encounter with Jesus can change everything.
You don’t have to have it all figured out to have a place here.
My/our hope is that you would experience the love and presence of Jesus in a real way as you keep on coming.
Main Passage
Main Passage
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 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.
Title
Title
A Holy Life.
Introduction
Introduction
Story
Thunderbolts: the new avengers
Valentina, who works for the the CIA experiments on Bob and gives him a serum which gives him superpowers.
Bob becomes Sentry.
Explanation
The point is: Just as Bob becomes a new being, we have become new beings by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As a result of being born again, it produces a transformed life.
Illustration
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
Application
Context
Context
Historical Background
Historical Background
Author:
Peter, the disciple and apostle of Jesus, is the author of this letter.
Place:
Peter is writing from Rome
Time:
He most likely wrote the letter before or little after 60 AD, just before he was killed in Rome around 64 AD under Emperor Nero.
Audience:
Stated in chapter 1 of verses 1-2, Peter is writing to believers who are dispersed or scattered though out Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, which are regions through out Asia Minor, modern day Turkey.
Background:
The Christians in these regions are marginalized and facing persecution because of their faith in Christ. It wasn’t legal persecution, under Roman government, yet until emperor Nero in 64AD. Instead, it was primarily social and religious persecution.
Purpose:
Peter, with the knowledge that persecution was present and would soon arise in a greater degree, writes this letter to comfort and encourage Christians to face suffering with hope.
Transitional Sentence
Transitional Sentence
The new birth produces a life of holiness, and Peter is going to continue to show us ways that holy living purifies and produces a transformed life:
(a) A sincere love for God’s Church (1:22–25)
(b) Repentance from sin (2:1)
(c) A desire for spiritual growth (2:2)
Prayer
Prayer
In Jesus name, Amen!
Points
Points
1: Sincere Love for God’s Church
1: Sincere Love for God’s Church
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
Explanation
When Peter says: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth” He’s either saying one or two things or he’s saying both:
Salvation: It’s that we’ve been purified and are made holy because we heard and answered to the Gospel.
Or it’s sanctification: that we are cleansed continually, maturing, refined in character as we hear, answer and obey the truth of God’s word
OR it’s both! and there is no harm if Peter means both or one or the other. Either way, the result remains the same:
Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart,
When we’re purified by the Gospel it should result in a fervent love from the heart for the body of Christ.
Illustration
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Application
ME:
One of the signs I know my love for God is growing cold is my love for people runs thin. I am easily agitated, I am offended easily, I listen less and talk more, and I think more about myself than I do others.
WE:
It happens to all of us. The reality is we all struggle to love because we’re not in the secret place of remaining in God’s love.
The way we measure our love for God, is how well we love God’s people. It’s impossible to say we love God but hate his church. The two cannot co-exist.
If we’ve received God love and he’s forgiven our sin, our only natural response is to sincerely love God’s church.
2: Repentance from Sin
2: Repentance from Sin
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8) And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Therefore put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
Explanation
What does it mean that they’ve been born again of the imperishable Word, which is the good news?
Illustration
Illustration 1
My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your Word!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
So also it is written: “The first man, Adam, became a living Person.” The last Adam was a life-giving spirit.
And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Application
It means Jesus, who is the imperishable Word, gives us the Holy Spirit which produces new life.
That is the connection between the Word = Spirit.
Illustration 2:
Imagine a small seed. It looks dry, hard, and lifeless, yet when it's planted in the soil, something incredible happens. The shell begins to crack—not because the seed is trying harder, but because life starts working from the inside out. Soon, roots push downward, a shoot reaches upward, and what was once just a seed becomes something entirely new.
In a similar way, Jesus says we must be "born again."
On our own, we are spiritually dead and cannot produce new life by trying to be better. But because of Jesus, when the Holy Spirit gives us new life, He doesn't simply make us a better version of who we were, He transforms us from the inside out.
Just as a seed breaks open to reveal a new life, the Spirit causes us to become a new creation in Christ, and that new life begins to grow, bear fruit, and look more like Jesus every day.
Therefore put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
ME:
So now that I am born again, a new creation, because of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, I put away all malice (perversion; wickedness), deceit (lying or trickery), hypocrisy (acting, pretending to be someone you’re not or have something that you don’t), envy (Jealously), and slander (evil speaking, evil report, defamation, backbiting).
Why? Because I am no longer that person. I have been made a new person in the likeness of Christ.
WE:
When we repent of our sin, we are declaring that’s not who we are anymore. We are no longer the seed. The shell of our old life is gone and we have transformed into the plant, the new creation, that we are.
3: A Desire for Spiritual Growth
3: A Desire for Spiritual Growth
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Explanation
In other words, if you are born again there is a desire and longing for the Word of God because:
Know Christ.
You will grow and mature in Christ-likeness
You’ve tasted and have seen that the Lord is good.
Illustration
Illustration 1
I remember seeing a baby taste soda for the first time — there eyes widened and reached out their little arms and hands for more.
In a similar manner: We have seen the Lords presence, tasted His Word, and experienced his salvation and we long for more.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Application
ME:
However, at times, If I am honest with myself, In certain seasons, I have little to no desire for God and his Word? Why is that?
I did a random search on Google and asked, “What are the causes for babies not eating (drinking milk)?”
Illness/Sick: Mild soreness or low fever can temporarily kill appetite
Tiredness: An overtired baby lacks the energy required to eat or focus on eating
Distraction: growing babies get easily overstimulated by light, sound or people around them
WE:
I started thinking to myself that there are parallels to our spiritual life in this. The reason why we have little to no desire for God and his word at times is because:
Illness/Sick: Pain, Wounds, afflictions that’s in our life that’s consuming us and killing our appetite. Or the illness is sin in our life that is perpetuating and is affecting our fellowship and intimacy with God.
We need healing, surrender, and repent.
Tiredness: Overwhelmed, discouraged, fatigue and have no energy.
In those moments, we need refreshing (Psalm 23:1-2; Matthew 11:28-30)
Distractions: Full of something else — Idols, the world and it’s pleasures (1 John 2:15-17). We lay down our Idols because nothing is worth more or satisfies more than knowing Him.
Call to Action
Call to Action
Unbeliever: Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Believer: Healing (Wounds), Refreshment (Tired), Surrender (Idols)
Communion
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
Prayer
In Jesus name, amen!
