1 Peter 1:13 – 1:20 Part 1 Responding in the Midst of Difficulty: Tough minded reactions

Trouble comes. The world will never be the same. What happens now?

Let me tell you a story about a guy who use to work for me at one point while I was at EDS. Joe Rowe had a great career, initially as a technical person, but later (when I knew him) as a manager. He led some the best minds in EDS. They were responsible for the underlying online systems that application programs used to serve customers across all of EDS.

Joe presented to company CEOs and CIOs of Fortune 500 companies that EDS was interested in doing business with. He presented to GM board members. He was known many of EDS top executives. Joe was articulate and capable. But he couldn’t breathe without a machine.

At five years old Joe Rowe had polio that paralyzed from his neck to his waist. For the rest of his life, he lived in special wheelchair during the day and at night slept in an iron lung. He had to grasp a mouthpiece with his lips to inflate his lungs with air, and then as his chest collapsed he could talk. He had no use of his hands. Instead he used his feet and toes, to type on a computer, eat lunch, drive his wheel chair. He drove himself to work in a specially equipped van that had mirrors on the inside that enabled him to see down the road. And the hydraulics ramps opened and lowered him to the pavement when he got where he was going.

When you first met Joe, you felt a natural pity for someone who looked so handicapped. However, it did not take long to forget these seeming liabilities as you interacted with someone as capable as any you would encounter. In addition to managing at a major corporation, Joe likes to work on clocks, design and construct children’s dollhouses, and build /fly complex remote controlled airplanes and rockets. He is also a gourmet cook. All with his toes.

When faced with difficulties, Joe never slowed down. He did not accept that difficulty should cause him to give up. He didn’t blame others. He persevered. He moved forward. He controlled his responses to difficulty. And he prospered.

Life is not easy. Even for the Christian. Difficulty comes. Sudden. Swiftly. Slowly. Over time. From events. From people around us.

Peter’s letter is intended to address how a Christian should respond in the midst of difficulty. Because you know that difficulty and trials produce Christlike maturity respond appropriately to difficulty.

Don’t go ballistic when difficulty comes. When people don’t treat you right (much of Peter’s comments to come). Respond godly.

When sudden events overtake you. Respond godly.

This is no game. It isn’t easy. It’s time for us to respond with tough minded reactions to trouble.

1 Peter 1:13-1:20

I. In Difficulty: A disciplined response

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action (gird your loins), and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

A. Tough minded

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action,

(NKJV) gird up the loins of your mind

1. Not an easy task ahead

2. Be ready for a battle

3. Ex: Janice and I talking about James – resist the devil

a) A powerful adversary

b) But he is leashed – unable to overcome the one with us. Nothing to fear

c) YET – He is seeking to destroy us – and he can – manipulate us. Trick us. Depend on ourselves.

d) A real threat - Resisting can be hard work – Avoiding the traps – depending on Christ is not a passive effort – Must be tough minded – Preparing our minds – here is where the real battle is fought. Devil can’t win unless we let him. Face the torrent of opposition knowing in our minds that He will enable us to stand.

4. Not for wimps – get ready for a battle in the mind during difficulty

B. In control

13 … be sober-minded,

1. Keep mind under control

a) Not self-medicate to artificially remove the difficulty

b) Not let anger take control – lashing out

c) Not let difficulty create a wrong mindset that takes control

C. Dependent

13 … set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1. A conundrum – be prepared – strive – work --- YET depend. Beyond our control.

2. Set your mind on truth – act by faith – trust in His enablement

3. Based in grace

4. Waiting for Christ who will deal with all difficulties

Get your mind right – aligned with the real truth from Christ – react according to this truth --- and expect it to be hard work.

II. In Difficulty: A holy response

A. Apart from sin

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1. Don’t react in the way of a lost person

a) Know the emotions will want to drag you back to sinful behaviors

The old way – passions take control / strike back / justify yourself / react based on how you are treated

But now things are different --- react like Christ reacted to difficulty --- unconditionally surrendered His rights for the benefit of the offenders

b) Righteous anger

--- Anger an emotion --- righteous anger is a reaction to God’s honor being impacted / righteousness being thwarted.

(ESV) Ephesians 4 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

It’s okay to feel angry when sin manifests itself – However, in the midst of that DON’T SIN. And deal with the emotion quickly so bitterness doesn’t settle in. Don’t let others’ sin drag you into sin yourself.

a) Remain apart from sin Difficulty is no excuse for bad behavior

2. Model Christ – even when it is difficult

D. In the fear of God

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

3. All are evaluated based on action – wrong actions matter – even when we are facing difficulty

4. God is Father --- loves and care --- demonstrates tough love --- He will deal appropriate with us if we willfully reject holiness and choose to continually act in sin

E. Because of the price paid

5. Precious blood of Christ

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, …

a) We wouldn’t treat expensive things flippantly – put them away when grandkids come – they are careless and don’t appreciate the value.

b) We were bought with the blood of Christ. Respond appropriately in difficulty because of the great price with which you are bought.

6. His plan of redemption that originated from before the beginning

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 20 He was foreknown (foreordained) before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.

7. The innocent giving of self for the guilty

(ESV) 1 Peter 119 … like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.