1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Thirsting for God’s Word

Intro: Grandma’s thirst and Spiritual thirst in 1 Pet 2:2

Opening story- Grandma thirsting, water give and sustains life

-dry lips, Parched tongue,

-As she progressed 80% of her communications were “more water”

-Her thirst for water was insatiable.

Point: Water is foundational to physical life: She must have it to survive, she must have it to thrive

In the spiritual realm, there is also a source of nourishment that is foundational to creating and maintaining spiritual life.

While physical dehydration often has clear and obvious signs, spiritual malnourishment often goes undetected for months and even years.

What are the signs of spiritual malnourishment? Weakness to sins temptations, spiritual apathy, lack of affection for God, lack of desire for God’s word, impatience and lack of compassion for others, no joy, no hope, no love. These are clean signs of a lack of spiritual nourishment in our lives.

God has prescribed a specific source of nourishment that will give us spiritual life and vibrance. Peter tells us that what we need to survive and to thrive is the word of God. In 1st Peter chapter 2 he tells us to thirst for the word of God.

READ 1st Peter 1:22-2:3

Proposition: Three reasons to thirst for God’s word

I.       The Message of God’s Word is endures forever

READ 1:23-25

a.     God’s message in the Word is for all men of all times

                                                    i.     ILL: Steve’s realestate books

                                                   ii.     …translations of the Bible (in part or in whole) are available in a total of 2,454 languages. Why?

b.     God’s word compared to man and man’s glory

                                                    i.     READ 1:24-25

                                                   ii.     Man’s glory is like the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow

Luke 12:16-21 “Jesus told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

Answer: His heirs will squabble and fight, sell what they can, take the rest to Goodwill, and squander what is left and his great grand kids won’t even remember his name.

Is that sad? That the reality of mans fleeting glory. It is like the grass.

                                                  iii.     God’s word is last and endures forever

1.     Application: No other book like it in the world.

2.     Do you still thirst for God’s Word?

3.     Is your soul thriving and vibrant nourished by God eternal word?

or

Do you find yourself weak, constantly defeated by sin and feeling useless for the building of God’s kingdom?

-?Have you have starved your soul by neglect of God’s word?

-If So, taste again he sweetness of God word and thirst for more. There is satisfaction and nourishment, yours for the taking.

Summary: The 1st reason to thirst for God’s word is that the Message of God’s Word endures forever.

II.     2nd  reason to thirst for God’s word is that you yourself have tasted its sweetness in your own salvation.

READ 1:22-23

a.     (1:22) Your soul has been cleansed by your faith in the Gospel

                                                    i.     OBEDIENCE to the truth

1.     Means: Becoming followers of the truth

                                                   ii.     Obedience to THE TRUTH

1.     The good news of 1 Peter 1

a.     READ 1:18-21

                                                                                                                i.     (1:19) Redemption by Christ’s precious death on the cross

                                                                                                               ii.     (1:21) Christ’s resurrection and glorification

b.     You have been made spiritually alive by the living Word of God

                                                    i.     READ 1:23

1.     You have been “born again” by faith in Jesus

                                                   ii.     READ 1:3-4

1.     Result of being born again is that we are now loved children of God

Summary:

The 1st reason to thirst for God’s word is that the Message of God’s Word endures forever.

2nd , because you yourself have tasted its sweetness in your own salvation.

-Your soul has been purified by your faith in the Gospel.

-You have been, born again, made spiritually alive and children of God by the power of the Word.

Note: Both purified (1:22) and Born again (1:23) are perfect tenses – past action with ongoing results

III.    The 3rd  reason to thirst for God’s word is that God is not finished with you. God is still changing you through His word today making you fit to serve Him.

a.     READ 2:2-3

b.     ILL: Fawcett puppies dog-pile

c.      Why?  In order that you might “grow in regards to your salvation”

                                                    i.     General sanctification: God changing you to be like Jesus through His Word making you fit for His service.

1.     American mentality that when you retire: put you end labors for society and for the Lord, enjoy life and collect sea shells until you die.

2.     Even sadder, American mentality that once someone can order off the seniors menu at Denny’s their ideas are obsolete, they are done making their contribution, and they watch daytime television, stay out of every ones way and wait to die.

BOTH RETIREMENT TO LEISURE AND RETIREMENT TO USELESSNESS ARE LIES

AND TOTALLY CONTRARY TO GODS PLAN FOR GETTING OLD!

Interesting: Acts 13:36 “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, he died, and was laid among his fathers…”

            Q: ? Anyone in the room dead?

-YOU AREN’T DEAD

-GOD ISN’T DONE WITH YOU

Application:

You are not perfected: God still wants to change you with His word.

You are not dead: God still wants to use you for the building of His kingdom

Old men: You are the God’s choice to lead His church

1 Peter 5:1-5 (NASB95)
1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God among you, … proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (Not just an office, but an issue of age and maturity) 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders…”

Older women: You are God’s choice to teach the next generation to be Godly ladies

Titus 2:3-5 (NASB95)
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”

Point: God isn’t building a brick wall.

-He doesn’t need people with good knees and strong backs.

God is building His kingdom.

-God puts a premium price YOU.

Saints who are rich in knowledge

fortified by wisdom born of life experience

God is not done with you. God still wants to use you.

*God still intends to grow you through His Word making you fit for His service.

Summary:

Generally, God’s is using His word to sanctify us making us fit for service.

                                                   ii.     One specific way that God is sanctify us: God is working in us a Word produced Love of one another. REPEAT

READ 1:22-23

1.     Bookends of what God has done through the Word/ the Truth

2.     The center is God’s objective cultivation of word produced love in your life

a.     “of the brethren” the family of God

b.     “one another” reciprocal

c.      “fervently” stretchingly (torture machine)

d.     “from the heart” sincere affections

e.     SUPERNATURAL Word produced love

3.     Put away all love hindering sins

a.     READ 2:1

Summary:

The 1st reason to thirst for God’s word is that the Message of God’s Word endures forever.

2nd , because you yourself have tasted its sweetness in your own salvation.

-Your soul has been cleansed by your faith in the Gospel.

-You have been, born again, made spiritually alive and children God by the power of the Word.

3rd, you should thirst for God word because God is not finished with you. God is still changing you through His word today making you fit for service. Calling you to forsake love hindering sins and creating in you a love for one another that is supernatural and beyond your own making.

Closing

Grandma released

-Doctors orders: #1 need was simple but essential: nutrition and hydration

You released from this service

The great physician has prescribed for us an equally simple but essential source of nourishment so that our souls will thrive.

God invites you to taste again the kindness of the Lord and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of His word.

END

Outline of 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Three Reason to Thirst for God’s Word

1) The message of God’s Word endures forever 1:23-25

2) You yourself have tasted the sweetness of God’s Word in your own salvation. 1:22-23

-Your soul has been cleansed by your faith in the Gospel. 1:22

-You have been born again, made spiritually alive and children of God by the power of His Word. 1:23

3) God is not finished with you. God is still changing you through His word today making you fit for His service. 2:2

-Creating in you a love for one another that is supernatural and beyond your own making. 1:22

-Calling you to forsake love hindering sins 2:1