1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Thirsting for God’s Word

Hot temperatures

Snake story

Frequency:

• In the US: 220,000 hospitalizations and 400 deaths per year.
• World wide: nearly 4 million deaths per year in infants and children.

Point: Water is foundational to physical life: We must have water to have life and heath.

Spiritual realm also a source of nourishment required for spiritual life and heath.  Without it, we undergo a type of spiritual dehydration.

Spiritual dehydration often goes undetected for months and even years.

What are the signs of spiritual dehydration?

-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.

READ 1st Peter 1:22-2:3

Peter tells us that the word of God is the source of spiritual nourishment that we need to have spiritual life and health. 

Peter tells us to thirst for the word of God.

Proposition: Three reasons to thirst for God’s word

I.       1:23-25  The Message of God’s Word is endures forever

READ 1:23

a.      God’s word is 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

In contrast: God’s word endures forever!

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

                                                    i.     ILL: Steve’s realestate books

                                                   ii.     How many languages have translations of the Bible?

-2,454 languages.

- Why? God’s message is relevant for all men of all times: culture, age, upbringing, over 3,000 old but still relevant

Application:

Q: Do you still thirst for God’s Word?

-Bible still the most sold book in the world.

-16 in our house

YET- “barely half of all Protestant adults (54%) read the Bible during a typical week.”

No wonder the church in America is dying! We are starving our souls!

Q: Is your soul healthy, 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.

-Practical Steps for feasting on the Word

1)     Schedule time: if it isn’t planned, it wont happen

2)     Read for understanding and nourishment of your soul, “quality not quantity”

3)     Anticipate God revealing your sin, encouraging your soul and change you

-Tools to help

1)      Reading Plan: keep you consistent and motivated.

2)     Do a plan with a your spouse, child or friend

3)     Basic Hermenutics book “How to read the Bible for all its worth”

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 the sweetness of God’s Word in your own salvation.

a.     This is were Peter ends READ 2:2-3

This where Peter begins READ 1:22-23

b.     (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

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

(1:21) Christ’s resurrection and glorification

Q: Do you remember the day you heard that sweet truth that Jesus had taken the punishment for your dirty sins and that you could be cleansed and forgiven?

I do! Ten years ago, Silverdale WA, fell to my knees, delivered from drugs and alcohol addiction.

Don’t forget the sweetness of your salvation!

            -Practical tips for remembering

1)     Keep your testimony fresh in your mind and heart

2)     Write your testimony down

3)     Use your testimony to encourage another believer

4)     Use your testimony as a witnessing tool

c.      Peter describes the sweetness of our salvation in a second way:

                                                    i.     READ 1:23

1.     You have been “born again” by faith the good news of salvation.

2.     You have been made spiritually alive by the power of His Word.

                                                   ii.     Many effects of being born again. One very important to Peter

READ 1:3-4

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

2.     Once a rebel, Now a Son

Don’t forget the sweetness of being adopted by the God of the universe!

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 the sweetness of God’s Word in your own salvation.

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

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

III.    The 3rd  reason to thirst for God’s word is that God is not finished with you. God is still changing you and 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.

Application:

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

1:23 “Living” word

          Not without power to change

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95)
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

God is active using his living word to expose our sin and sanctify us making us fit for service

Practical advice:

Understand The cycle of longing and growing

Section 1:22-2:3 goes in a circle:

Begins 1:22 “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls” Since you your yourself have tasted the kindness of the Lord in your salvation.

Middle: Love the brethren 1:22 , put aside sin 2:1, long for the word 2:2

Ends 2:3 “Since you have tasted the kindness of the Lord”

Illustration: Mary-go-round, just jump back on and the cycle will get you going. Like a big brother spinning the wheel. The hardest part is getting on, once you on you just hold on and enjoy the ride.

-Hardest part is getting on: use some of the tips like scheduling time, reading plan, reading partner. It’s get easier.

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

1.     God has purified you by the Truth of His word

2.     The result is love of one another

a.     “of the brethren” the family of God

b.     “one another” reciprocal

c.      “fervently” stretchingly (torture machine)

d.     “Sincere” or “without hypocrisy” not like an actor on the stage, with a mask, pretending to love

e.     “from the heart” sincere affections

f.       VERY HARD TO DO!

g.     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 the sweetness of God’s word in your own salvation.

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

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

3rd, you should thirst for God word because God is not finished with you.

-God is still changing you and making you fit for service through His word.

-God is creating in you a love for one another that is supernatural and beyond your own making.

-And God is calling you to forsake love-hindering sins so that can love one another with a since heart.

Closing

Remember

• World wide: dehydration account for nearly 4 million deaths per year in infants and children.

Simple solution: Mortality is generally dependent upon the severity of dehydration and the promptness of oral or intravenous rehydration. If treatment is rapidly and appropriately obtained, mortality is low.

All that’s needed: simple fluids, basic nourishment.

The health of our souls is no less important!

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 remember the kindness of the Lord in your salvation,

God invites you to taste again God’s sweetness in His word and

God invites you to, like newborn babies, long for more of the pure milk of His word that by it you may grow is sanctification and Love.

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