Hope & Holy Living
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· 16 viewsWhat an empty life we'd have if we followed the ways of the unbelieving world. We'd have a short life that would end with no hope. Our hope is restored when we remember the way Jesus redeemed us by his blood, and so our faith and hope are in God. And it shows. Our hope in Christ leads to holy living!
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Sermon delivered by Pastor Finn Sunday, April 26, 2020 SERIES: “Living With Hope” (Wk 2) TEXT: 1 Peter 1:13-21 “Living Hope Leads to Holy Living”
We’re in First Peter again this week. Last week Peter began his letter with this main point: Jesus is the reason for our hope. “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious hope for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls!”
In his letter today, Peter goes on to ask the question, “So what?” You have this living hope in Christ. What’s next? Peter tells us today. Your Living Hope Leads to Holy Living.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, there is no one holy but you. You are our holiness. We thank you that you took our sin on yourself and became what you are not, so that by faith in You, we could become what we are not, holy, like you. Bless our study of Your holy Word today. Amen.”
The word “holy” in the Bible is used in two different ways. First, it’s used to describe God. God is holy. He is the only one who is holy in and of Himself. Our baptismal liturgy reminds us of that when it says that, by our natural birth we are not born holy. “From our parents we inherit a sinful nature; we are born without true fear of God and without true faith in God and are condemned to eternal death. But Jesus took away all our sin by giving his life on the cross. At our baptism, he clothes us with the robe of his righteousness and gives us a new life.” Peterr reminded us of this new birth into a living hope last week! God brings us to faith and we find out that Jesus has made us holy in His sight by taking all our sins away. For Jesus’ sake, God no longer hold our sins against us.
We are holy. So that’s one way the Bible talks about holiness. Another way to think about holiness is the holy life that we strive for in our every-day faith life. We who know that we’ve been made holy in God’s sight, now want to lead holy lives. That’s something we grow into. It’s gradual and we need instruction and encouragement along the way. The Holy Spirit gives us that, too. But our greatest motivation for holy lives is the holy condition we have already, for Jesus’ sake. Let me repeat that: our greatest motivation for holy lives is the holy condition we enjoy right now, for Jesus’ sake.