Untitled Sermon

Trusting in God’s grace and promised future results in living for jesus

Introduction à Read Passage, then *PRAY* AGAIN

I. Two weeks ago I preached sermon titled:

a. Apart for a Future Hope Through Faith, No Matter What from .

b. Today’s passage follows in .

c. But 1st…quick overview of last sermon à will help us understand today’s passage.

II. Review.

a. In first few verses

i. Peter cuts to the chase and,

1. Provides the believer’s salvation of the Lord

2. Tells us that God set us apart, so that we would obey Jesus and be cleansed of all our sins.

ii. As a result

1. God has promised those who trust him

a. (1) an imperishable inheritance that belongs to us right now, we already own it. No down payment needed. Jesus already made the down payment (for your salvation) when He died for our sins.

b. (2) God will bring us safely to the end when Jesus returns who God raised Him from the dead.

III. However

a. Peter is writing to a suffering church under persecution

i. Suffering brings distresses and grief that caused

1. anxiety for Jesus to return, but for the wrong reason:

a. For their suffering to end

i. While I can relate a little

1. Stomach flu…major right knee injury…other bodily disabilities, etc.

a. However, this 1st century church had a much worst case of the flu under persecution like most or all of us have never experienced.

b. Persecution from:

i. satanic and demonic Romans inflicting insults and pain.

c. Result?

i. Doubt & other distresses

ii. distresses compromised or competed for this 1st century church’s faith in God, because…

iii. There were temptations or and lies about how to stop their suffering before Jesus returned

iv. Such as:

v. go back Judaism (today, Baptist to Catholic)

vi. go back to Gentile idol worship

vii. or just give into sin and look like the world

b. This was a big problem Peter had to address, because

i. Church’s faith was becoming weak during persecution

1. And they were being tempted to stop the suffering

a. In their own way, not God’s way

IV. Peter’s answer to suffering

a. rejoice in knowing Jesus is coming

i. even in suffering

1. for Peter well knows Jesus’ words in , “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

ii. Furthermore, the testing of their faith in the…[(hand quote) “trials of fire”]

1. For like gold

a. Trials, removes impurities such as doubting God’s promise

i. and strengthens their failing faith

1. and, their tested faith leads them to “endure to the end,” as Jesus remarked.

a. Therefore

i. suffering under God’s control

ii. brings us closer to Jesus and His promises.

V. In , Peter summarized

a. how God has

i. always been true to His word

1. to bring about His glorious grace and salvation

a. to them (& us)

i. who… completely trust in God.

VI. vv.10-12 also served two purposes

a. (1) encourage this early church’s failing faith

i. by reaffirming God’s promise of salvation predicted thousands of years ago

1. that has now been fulfilled in Jesus Christ!

b. And (2), to introduce Peter’s next exhortation…

i. Which is

1. today’s message titled

a. Trusting in God’s grace and promised future results in living for jesus

VII. Body of Message

a. 13a Therefore,

i. “therefore”

1. Refers to…previous 3 verses:

a. God’s promise and fulfillment

i. of His amazing grace

1. that dropped the jaws of the angels in awe (demonstrate).

b. 13b prepare your minds for action

i. When we trust in God’s grace

1. and drop our jaws like the angels

a. our response

i. to God’s grace should

1. make us want to clear our minds

a. from all junk

i. that slows or stops us from continually trusting in God

b. i.e. doubt, worry, and even pride, many more

i. Cloud our judgement

ii. Use glasses illustration (from when I was a kid, I used to…)

2. Therefore, remove the burring glasses of our minds

a. So, our minds can see clearly

i. To trust in Jesus

c. 13c keep sober in spirit

i. The Greek word used here is nēphō,

1. be sober

2. self-controlled.

a. Clearing our minds in response to God’s grace

i. Gives us sober minds which

1. is another way

a. of saying you have self-control

i. i.e. a drunk person will have no self-control

ii. and, cannot see clearly

iii. and, cannot think clearly

ii. to sum, clearing the emotional junk

1. from our minds

a. by taking off the prescription glasses that blur your vision

b. or, stop drinking in so much doubt and worry, etc.,

i. that keeps you from your continuing trust in God

2. but remember that

a. trusting in God’s grace

i. comes first before clearing the vision of our minds

b. therefore, faith in God is our answer to helping us

i. to clearing the vision of your minds

ii. so, depend on God, and pray

1. for we should not depend on our own failing strength in times of trials and suffering

d. 13d fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

i. Only after we have trusted in God’s grace

1. Will we be able to clear the vision of our minds

a. so that we will

i. have sound judgement…and…be sober in spirit

2. So that… we will see (right glasses) clearly

a. how to hope and trust completely on God’s promise of Jesus’ return.

ii. With our hope fixed completely on Jesus and His future promise to those who endure to the end

1. Begs the question,

a. “How now shall we live in light of God’s grace and Jesus ‘promised return?”

e. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

i. Answer to question: we shall live as obedient children of God.

1. Because obedience shows that we trust in God

ii. Obedience involves two steps in our passage today.

1. Step one; as obedient children…

a. Run from sin!

b. Go the opposite direction!

c. Get as far away from it as possible!

i. Sin fogs up your mind from trusting in God (bad glasses)

ii. Sin was also a temptation for this 1st century church

1. to stop this their suffering from persecution

a. their way, not God’s way

b. also, the lure of sin promises relief

i. but that is a lie, for sin always creates more suffering

ii. sin promises relief, but then it betrays you with more suffering

iii. therefore, sin is a hinderance or stumbling block

1. from

i. a continued or enduring faith in God

d. But beware of our enemy:

i. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1. The devil is a liar, but resist him by completely trusting in God

2. To sum step one on obedience

a. if we truly have placed our faith in Jesus

i. then it follows we will obey Jesus’ commands.

1. For true faith in God loves God, for God first loved us;

a. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (propitiation = atonement)

2. & : “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

VIII. Now on to step two.

a. 1st, let’s read : 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

b. Do you remember our question, “How now shall we live in light of God’s grace and Jesus ‘promised return?”

i. The answer was to live as obedient (or trusting) children of God, and the answer has two steps

ii. Step one: was… run from sin!

1. Repent from it!

a. Repent actually means

i. turn the other way

1. so, run the opposite way of sin.

a. That opposite way is step two, and it is called holiness.

iii. So, step is:

a. Obedience (or trusting God) by being holy, because being holy is a direct command from God in

b. The word holy in Greek is hagios, and it has two senses

i. Consecrated

ii. pure

c. In our passage, holy means pure

i. That means, complete separation from sin

1. This definition makes more sense of Step 1,

a. For one cannot be holy if they being adapted to sin that makes them not pure.

i. That doesn’t make sense

d. In fact, we were called to be holy according to according to verse 2 and 15. Think about this…

i. If I bought a computer to write sermons, but never use ever used that computer to write sermons, that just doesn’t make sense! The purpose of the computer is not being lived out!

ii. You likewise, live out your purpose for which God called you.

1. Yet, being holy and living out that holiness is an entirely different matter just like the computer.

e. Therefore, in obedience and trust in God,

i. live out your purpose

1. to live holy lives.

a. That means we will look much different from the rest of the world.

b. Jesus is our example For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.