Be Prepared

Have you ever been caught off guard? Have you ever been blind sided by something you didn’t see coming?

In most cases… this is not a fun thing to walk through. Sometimes it can be a good thing… but if you are like me, I do not like the element of surprise.

I like to plan… I like to process… I like to try to know what is coming BEFORE it arrives.

It is impossible to be able to anticipate everything that might come our way. But I do all I can to prepare for what might be coming in the near future.

Much of that readiness comes from following what God would lead me to do. When a person goes as God guides… it helps to keep important things in focus.

But even as we follow God, we might find ourselves facing things we never thought we would face.

I never thought we would see our world shut down like ti did 2 years ago. To say I was unprepared for that season would be an understatement.

Yes… we had the basic infrastructure in place to that helped keep things going online, but the mental tole and psychological tole was a bit higher than I thought it would be.

I never thought the virus would land me in ICU… in a position that I was struggling to breathe and struggling to keep the pain under control.

“If I get it, I’ll beat it” was my exact statement as it began to spread across the country. I had no idea I would find myself in the position I was in last summer.

We work to plan for the future, we schedule to know what we can take on in a day. We coordinate to achieve successes within our communities and we strategize on how we will get it done.

But as hard we try, there is no way we will be able to foresee or anticipate everything that will come our way. Does this mean that we should throw our planning out the window? Does this mean we should forget about the strategy and just… wing it?

No, no, and no. What it means is… we should focus our ability to prepare in the areas where readiness IS a possibility.

Last week, we looked at a passage in 1 Peter that talked about the living hope… the assurance that we have in knowing the Lord.

That living hope has opened the door for three important things:

Living hope moves us to praise.

Living hope moves us to persevere.

Living Hope moves us to proclaim.

All three of those points… are action points. A believer cannot praise without actively praising God. A believer will not persevere without actively standing in the face of struggle and suffering. A believer cannot proclaim without actively sharing and expressing their faith.

So because these things are ACTIONS… the next section of Scripture we are going to study instructs believers to PREPARE to put those actions in motion.

Think about it for a moment.

When we are getting ready to hit the road and to put a few miles on the car… we prepare as best we can for the journey ahead.

We make sure the tires are in good shape. We check the oil, clean out the interior, check the fluids, and make repairs to anything that might be out of sorts.

We make sure that the car is ready to take on the load of the journey by doing what we can to make it ready.

When we are getting ready to do a service here at the church we do our best to prepare for the experience ahead.

We create a plan, we have the worship rehearsal, we get everything set up and lined up… we pray as a team and we ask the Holy Spirit to have His way throughout the service.

We prepare for the task at hand to make sure that our hearts and our minds are ready for what God is wanting us to do.

Now… if readiness is something we take to heart when we travel or conduct a service… how much more important is it for us to make ready ourselves each day for what might lie ahead?

Again, we cannot foresee everything coming in a day’s time. BUT… in response to the list of active motions that was given a moment ago (praise, persevere, proclaim), we need to prepare accordingly… to take action for God!

Our main text for our study this evening comes from 1 Peter 1:13. In light of what was presented in the previous 12 verses, the believer is encouraged to do something very specific.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

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

First, anytime you see a “therefore” statement in the Bible, you need to consider the text that led up to the statement being presented. To paraphrase, it would read something like this:

SINCE living hope moves you to praise...

SINCE living hope moves you to persevere...

SINCE living hope moves you to proclaim...

It is important then that you PREPARE YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION. How do we do that? By setting our hope FULLY on the soon coming return of Jesus!

So… how exactly do we as believers do that? How do we prepare our minds for action when we cannot foresee all that is to come in the near future? How can we plan to praise, persevere, and proclaim up to the day Jesus returns?

The answer to that question is given in the next several verses. We are given fundamental steps to take toward readiness… steps that should be considered at the start of every day. These steps place our focus… place our hope on the right things.

No… we cannot control what might come in a day’s time… but we CAN set ourselves up to overcome SO LONG AS WE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO US BY GOD!

We find three points in the remaining verses of chapter one that highlight HOW believers are to prepare our minds for action. As we are no strangers to God… His chosen people should prepare themselves DAILY for what might come in the minutes, hours, and days ahead.

Prepare Point One: Be Holy.

1 Peter 1:14–16 NIV

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Readiness, alertness, sober-mindedness, begins with a life that is set on Holiness. Becoming prepared to praise, persevere, and to proclaim begins by separating ourselves from that which is NOT holy. This places our focus off the things of this world and properly sets our hope in Jesus.

First, what does it mean to be holy? Defined, holy is moral and ethical wholeness or perfections. It is complete freedom from moral evil.

Holiness is one of the essential elements of God’s nature required of His people. The word holy denotes that which is sanctified or set apart for divine service.

To be holy as God is holy is… beyond our reach. It is something we cannot do on our own.

So were we given an impossible task? No… not at all. God made a way where there seemed to be no way.

Secondly, how is holiness obtained by the believer?

The instruction to “be holy in all you do” is a tall order for sure. Why? Because this is something that every human being has failed in. Scripture makes clear that ALL have sinned. No one on this earth is naturally holy meaning holiness is something all of us have to work for.

But is “work” the right word to use here? Is holiness a standard we can achieve or accomplish on our own? Sadly, the answer is no… we cannot make ourselves holy… we cannot overcome the blemish of sin on our own.

There is only one way for a person to come out from under the weight of their sin. It is not a way of works or earning… it is a way of forgiveness and receiving.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins. His blood is the ONLY resource strong enough to wash our sins away. Our holiness is not earned, but is granted through forgiveness found in Jesus.

Holiness is something we become THROUGH our relationship with Jesus. We are justified… or made righteous in the eyes of God… through this relationship.

Jesus took on our sin… we take on His righteousness. So through Christ, we are set apart, we are transformed because of His redeeming blood.

Holiness is obtained through the saving grace of Jesus.

Third, how is holiness maintained by the believer?

Holiness is something that must be maintained through the faithfulness of the believer. The instruction to “be holy” is something possible only through becoming holy in Christ.

The first point given regarding maintaining holiness is obedience.

Peter speaks of no longer being ignorant regarding the evil desires we face. Instead, in light of God’s holiness, we are to be obedient… we are to REJECT conformity with the world.

The world is going in every destructive direction it can as fast as it can. It continually rejects the Word of God and seeks to live by human understanding and desire.

Holiness is not defined by the world’s standards… it is defined by God’s standards… and by God Himself.

Since this is the case, believers must choose to not conform to the world but instead, align themselves with God and His ways. WE NEED TO OBEY THE WORD OF GOD.

Secondly, we must lean upon His grace to get us through.

Grace is not given to be abused, but is given to carry us through. Jesus offers us help through grace. His power is made perfect in our weakness. Therefore we need to seek and live in His grace every day.

We know tonight that God is holy. What is true of God should be true of His people as well.

God is holy, He is pure, He is perfect, He has nothing to do with evil.

When applied to the people of God, holiness carries the thought of being morally pure, spiritually whole, separated from the ungodly ways of the world and set apart for love, service and worship to God.

The goal is to be prepared for His service. Such is positive action.

Holiness is not only avoiding evil; it is also pursuing godliness.

Being holy is living as God would have us live. And doing so… sets us up to be ready for what the day might throw at us… it places God at the forefront instead of our impulses or other worldly ways.

Our readiness begins by choosing holiness over worldliness.

Prepare Point Two: Be Reverent.

1 Peter 1:17–21 NIV

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Peter brings out an important point - a point regarding reverence.

First, he reminds the readers that they are foreigners in a strange land. Although, because of their faith, they might appear as strangers to those in the cultures around them, they are no strangers to God.

But while living in this reality, they are given an important instruction regarding what they should be prepared to do - be reverent.

Reverent or reverence is not a word used very often anymore… but it doesn’t make it any less important.

Reverence is a feeling of profound awe and respect. Because of His majesty and holiness, God arouses a feeling of reverence in those who worship and serve Him.

But note something important here. Peter doesn’t stop at reverence… he instructs believers to operate in reverent fear… fear of God that is.

Is the instruction given to be afraid of God? What does “reverent fear” even look like?

A reverent fear of God helps us to avoid being trapped by the natural pull toward going our own way, defying God and giving in to the inviting ways of immoral behavior. The broad command to “fear the Lord” involves understanding several things about a believer’s relationship with God.

We must recognize that God is loving, merciful, and forgiving, but He is also holy, just and righteous. God will judge sin.

We must also recognize that fearing the God means to be in awe of His holiness, to give Him complete reverence and to honor Him as the God of great glory, majesty, purity, and power.

True fear causes believers to place their faith and trust in God and God alone for salvation.

Lastly, fearing God involves recognizing His displeasure toward sin and His power to punish those who stand arrogantly against Him and who break His laws.

So what does a reverent fear of God look like?

It will lead us to obey His commands and to live by His Word. It will cause us to say no to sin.

It will also effect those around us. Not only will we choose to live for the Lord, but we will encourage others to do the same.

The fear of the Lord has a sanctifying effect on God’s people. It compels us to hate sin and to avoid evil. It causes to be careful in what we say, it steers us clear of immorality.

God has promised to reward those who fear Him (see Proverbs 22:4 and 14:26-27).

Reverent fear of the God also brings a humble confidence and overwhelming spiritual comfort to the believer.

To reverently fear God is to look at who He is and what He has done with awe and respect as the result.

God has done for us more than we have ever asked. His works, His power, His love for us is greater than anything we could ever imagine.

Proper reverent fear of God will cause the believer to place God above all else… nothing will be more important to him or her.

And with that statement comes understanding of how such a position can help us ready ourselves for what is to come.

When we have a reverent fear of God, our praise will come naturally, our willingness to press through will press on, and our desire to proclaim His good news will be unstoppable! We will desire to serve Him, and to serve Him well!

Prepare Point Three: Be Loving.

1 Peter 1:22–25 NIV

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

One last instruction is given regarding readying ourselves… and that instruction is to have a sincere love for each other.

Where does this love for others come from?

We learn of this love as we are purified from sin and by obeying the truth that God has given us. We learn of this love… as we learn of our God.

God IS love. And God desires for His chosen people to be a people that loves each other.

Remember, God’s chosen people in Peter’s time were living as strangers in a foreign land. Their faith caused them to stand out… and one of the distinctive characteristics of a believer was love.

The world claims to love… but without knowing God, it is impossible to know hos God loves or how God instructs us to love.

God’s love is unlike the love of the world. His love is for all people. His love never fails. His love is not based on what we do… but is based in who we are. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM HIS LOVE.

I pray tonight… that nothing could STOP God’s chosen people from loving one another.

Yes, we will have differences. Yes, we will face challenges. Yes, we will have moments where we will need to seek resolve. But I pray that no matter the circumstance, we will love, we will operate in loving ways, and we will be known for our love.

We have been born again. We have been given new life through the enduring Word of the Lord. Just as God’s word endures forever, so should our love for God and for others endure.

The enemy won’t make this easy on us. He will try to get us positioned to do anything but love.

I heard it said once that people will either be on your nerves… or be on your heart. And I believe the determining factor to this is how our mind has been prepared to take action.

IF we have a mind prepared to love, to show patience, kindness, peace, goodness, faithfulness, you know… the whole fruit of the Spirit thing… then we can expect for God to show up in how we treat others.

However, IF we have a mind prepared to looked out for self, to react and to preserve self, to operate in a consumer fashion instead of a sacrificial and service fashion, then loving others will become difficult at best.

As God has shown us love and grace, so should we show others the same. But we must PREPARE ourselves to take and display this sort of action.

We need to have our minds made up BEFORE we start the day. We need to be determined to be loving before the pressures of the day begin to hit.

It’s kind of like the “just say no” idea from the 80’s. Have predetermined a response to a given situation.

Decide right now to be loving. Decide right now to go against the flow and to extend to others what God has extended to us.

Make Ready Your Mind

And with that thought we move to the application for the evening. We need to make ready our hearts and minds. We need to decide to:

Be holy.

Be Reverent.

Be Loving.

But before we can be any one of these three things, we need to make sure that we have cleaned house a bit. We need to make sure that in preparation, we have asked God to remove from us that which would cause us not to be holy, reverent or loving.

All three of these things listed are intentional actions… actions that go against the flow of the world.

The world says do whatever makes you feel good. The world says God is a myth or a fantasy. The world says look out for number one and don’t worry about anyone else.

And look at the mess the world finds itself in today because of what it says. The world… is on fire. And it’s only hope… is Jesus.

Jesus is the answer. Jesus, His grace and His mercy, is the only way to breaking free from the pattern of this world. It is through Christ that we become God’s chosen people and it is through Christ that we are transformed spiritually from sinner to saved.

Maybe you are listening and you do not feel… holy. Maybe you are listening and you do not feel reverent. maybe you are listening and you haven’t been loving.

Perhaps there is something in your heart or mind that is keeping you where you are.

Maybe you’re holding on to sin that you have struggled to let go of.

Maybe God is not your highest priority and He is a part of who you are instead of central to who you are.

Maybe you’re holding on to hurt, bitterness, or anger. Maybe you’re tired, weary, and in that weariness, you find yourself struggling to love others.

I could go on for a long time with the various maybes… but my point is something is keeping you from being prepared in these areas. Tonight, I encourage you to make it right with God.

Prayer - Lord prepare me. Help me to live a life that is

Holy

Reverent

Loving