2020-03-25 1 Peter 2.11-12
Notes
Transcript
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
11-12
I. Don’t let the stress of the moment lead you to sin.
I. Don’t let the stress of the moment lead you to sin.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
A. We should view catastrophe different than the world around us.
A. We should view catastrophe different than the world around us.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
Illus: There is a hopeless that comes in days like today.
Many allow the grief and despair to overwhelm them to a point of hopelessness.
While we are all quarantined it is easy to spend our time watching the internet and news as story after story is placed in front of us.
We begin to dwell on the economic fall you, the rising numbers, and staggering effects. You might be there.
In these next days you will either experience significant spiritual growth, learning to know God in depth, or you will experience a spiritual famine as you allow the constant time in front of news and social media to starve your soul.
It is all going to be about focus. Where are your eyes focused? Where is your heart focused?
As believers we know that there is much more than this world of death. We know that this world will pass away. We know that our bodies are not built to last forever .
Who we are, and how we respond in these next days should be a direct reflection that our hearts are home in heaven.
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.
18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 cor 4:
B. The devil will use this catastrophe to lead you to find solace in sin.
B. The devil will use this catastrophe to lead you to find solace in sin.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.
Illus: I have noticed that stress is often the gateway to sin. You feel you need relief from the pain and craziness of the world around so you embrace your vice to comfort your soul.
Perhaps in these days you have looked for the numbness of alcohol to bring your peace.
Perhaps you have embrace gluttony as a means to bring your peace.
Perhaps you have clicked and watched content that you know does not honor God.
Perhaps you have found yourself gossiping and griping constantly because of your time spent on social media.
Perhaps you have allowed despair to overwhelm your soul.
Perhaps you have looked for emotional or physical satisfaction outside of mate God gave you.
Everyone is tempted differently, but everyone is tempted none the less.
THese next days the devil will use your stress and anxiety to draw you away from God and to find solace in sin.
There is nothing fruitful that will come from being drawn into sin. It will only leave you empty and broken.
When you bow to sin trying to find peace in the midst of these days, you are rejecting God’s open arms and presence.
12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.
14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.
15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
II. The world is watching us.
II. The world is watching us.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
A. To world is watching to see if what we say we actually believe.
A. To world is watching to see if what we say we actually believe.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
Illus: Being a dad has changed me drastically. I used to have a very short fuse. Sometimes I still do.
I used to have a very short fuse.
As my children got older I began to notice how their eyes watched me in the midst of my screaming.
Yelling at a nail affected my kids. So much so that their watchful eyes were the catalyst for me to deal with un-dealt with anger.
During this time the world is looking to see if we actually believe and live out our faith.
We claim during easy days to be people of hope, peace, and life. We claim a peace which passes all understanding.
Does that peace reside in your soul when the world is shaking?
Crisis reveals who you actually are. Crisis will reveal whether you genuinely trust that God is on his throne.
The world is watching believers. Will they see a group of people who are no different than them, reacting in panic and turning to sin, or will they see the people of God rise to serve and love in the midst oft his crisis. Will they see a people realistically hopeful in the chaos.
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness
12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.
13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
B. The devil will tempt you to return evil for evil.
B. The devil will tempt you to return evil for evil.
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
Illus: Lets be straight, people will use this crisis for their own advantage.
Politicians on both sides will use this emergency for their platform.
The rich and poor will use this emergency.
Business will take advantage of others.
Selfish people will act selfishly.
Crisis will lead people to be who they are deep down.
IN the midst of this we will look and say, if they won’t act fairly, what chance do I have. It will tempt you to retaliate either in words or actions.
Don’t return evil for evil, but instead magnify the righteousness and love of Jesus Christ.
God is most magnified when we live out the cross of Christ.
On the cross when men acted selfishly and vilely, Christ magnified the love of God.
That is our call.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
10 The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.
1 pet 5:6-
III. Our conduct in these days is a witness about God.
III. Our conduct in these days is a witness about God.
11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
A. May the church, Christians, show the world the peace of Christ through these days.
A. May the church, Christians, show the world the peace of Christ through these days.
11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
1 pet 1:11-12
Illus: It is our time to step up. It is our time to be the people of God.
Illus: It is our time to step up. It is our time to be the people of God.
We will see the devil come to steal kill and destroy.
We will see people act in ways that show the enemys distinctive work.
You will be tempted to fall for his ploy.
Don’t. Instead see these days as a way to magnify Jesus.
What if through this the greatest good is that an awaking of souls because the world watched the church and saw our savior.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.
14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.
Col 3:12