Sermon Tone Analysis

*Prepared To See Jesus*

*1Peter 1:13-16*

9~/20~/98

 

Introduction:

 

Read excerpts from letter

 

Highlight the fact that the letter ended in bold print:  “Prepare!”

 

Today we are going to see that believers are called to prepare for the day that they see Jesus.

Big Idea:  The best preparation for seeing Jesus is to live a holy life. 

 

1 Peter 1:13-16

 

I.

Our Preparation (vs.

13)

II.

Non-conformity to Lusts (vs.

14)

III.

Conformity to Holiness  (vs.

15, 16)

 

Read Passage

 

I.

Our Preparation (vs.

13)

A.    The Reason (1:3-12)

1.     “Wherefore”- 

2.

Based upon 1:10-12 directly

a.

We have a great salvation with cleansing, future inheritance and present protection.

(vs.

2-5)

b.

The prophets predicted this great salvation provided by Jesus (vs. 10, 11)

c.

The prophets actually served us by making these predictions (vs.

12)

3.     The foundation is laid for Peter’s following comments.

We have a great salvation which was foretold long ago, now what do we do with it?

B.

The Exhortation (vs.

13)

1.     “Gird up the loins of your mind”-

a.

The men in the Old Testament wore long flowing robes which made it hard to run.

If they tried they would continually be slowed down by the clothes.

To “gird up” meant to gather up the long robe and pull it up fastening it to the body with a belt.

That way the legs were not hindered when trying to work, run or do some sort of action.

b.     1 Kings 18:46  And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

c.

Notice it’s a preparation for the mind instead of the body.

a).

Peter is saying that we must remove everything in our thoughts that                                                        keeps us from following Christ.

b).

Illustration-  Speech impediment.

It’s something that keeps the person from talking correctly

                                It’s something the person often cannot help.

Peter is saying that we must not have thought impediments

                                That is, things that keep us from being prepared for battle in the                                                           Christian life.

*/How well you walk is determined by how well you think/*

 

2.

“Be sober”

a.      Grammar-  keep being sober

b.     Alertness- watchfulness

 

3.

“Hope to the end”

a.      to hope completely

b.     to hope entirely

c.      never give up in your hope

 

C.

The Purpose-  Answers the question for what am I supposed to be preparing?

It’s useless to prepare if you don’t know for what.

1.     Prepare to see Jesus

a.      “revelation”-   reveal, show forth.

We will see Christ

b.

There seem to be a lot of prophetic events surrounding this sighting of Jesus

c.      grace- the blessings of heaven and our rewards

2.     Overview of prophetic events

a.      Next event on calendar-  Rapture.

Christ comes to get those who are saved.

He takes them to be with Him forever.

b.     7 year tribulation period- 

                        a).

wars, death, famine, pestilence (one fourth of the people on earth are                                                           killed from these), sun is darkened, moon “becomes like blood (Rev.

6:12), one third of sea is turned to blood, and one third of the water is                                                                         poisoned (killing “many men” Rev. 8:11).

b).

One third of the sun moon and stars are caused to be darkened.

That’s                                               not all of it, but it gives you an idea of some of the things happening.

c.

Christ’s second coming  (Rev.

19:11-21)

a)     Armies of the world foolishly assemble to fight Christ at the battle of Armageddon.

b)     Christ returns and destroys the armies in the battle

c)     It is called the “great supper of God,” and all the birds of the air are encouraged to come and eat the flesh of all those killed in the battle.

d.

The Kingdom is established-  1,000 years

e.      Eternity

 

f.

Two major judgments

                        a).

Judgment seat of Christ

                        b).

Great White Throne judgment- unbelievers are thrown into the Lake of                                                 Fire

 

3.

The point-  Are you ready to see Jesus?  Knowing that these events will take place, are you ready?

a.      Are you a child of God?  Have you ever realized that He died for you, and rose again for /your sins?  /If you know that, have you ever placed your faith in Him?

That is, trusted that what He did on the cross was for you, and clung to Him to keep you from heading to hell?  Throwing away the fact that you were raised in a Christian home, throwing away the fact that you pray, throwing away every good thing you have ever done.

You can never do enough good to cover up for your sinfulness!!!!!  If you want heaven, you must trust Christ and what He did for you alone.

Nothing else

b.

You who have done this, are you ready to see Jesus?  Have you been living your life prepared to see Him? 

 

Illustration:  Teacher gives her students a test and then leaves the room.

They cheat and trade answers.

But when they hear the teacher walking down the hall, they quickly make everything look like they never cheated.