Be What You Are-Christian!

Scripture: 1 Peter 1: 13-16.

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. HCSB.

Introduction

In this society of time-saving shortcuts and technology we work really hard trying not to work. We spend a lot of time trying to save some time. So, how hard do we work at being a Christian? I'm not referring to some effort to secure salvation, Jesus Christ finished that work. I'm really referring to the emphasis we place on developing a knowledge of God through His word and personal devotional time. Our pace of life is driven by our affections; what we love we will pursue. What we pursue charts the course and the direction that our lives will take. With that in mind we should review our pursuits and evaluate our path. In this sermon I tried to relate what Peter wrote to the first century Christians of Asia Minor as a guide for what we must do today in order to experience spiritual growth. 

Verse thirteen begins with "Therefore..." Because you have been chosen by God and set apart for obedience(vs. 2); Because He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead(vs. 3); Because you have an inheritance which is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading kept in heaven for you(vs. 4); Rejoice, though you suffer as your faith is being refined... Therefore...

Fix Your Minds

Text: vs. 13 - Get your minds ready for action, being self-disciplined.

Main Idea: Set your minds - Gird up the loins of your mind.

A.T. Robertson writes of this verse as a vivid metaphor for habit of the Orientals who quickly gathered up their loose robes with a girdle when in a hurry.We must prepare our minds in order to engage our culture with biblical answers to problems that our communities are facing today. We are to be ready to give an answer as Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:15. In this sermon I compared Christian discipleship with the preparation in Islam that Nabeel Qureshi(link to article in Christianity Today) received while growing up. He states that by age 5 he had rectied the entire Qur'an in Arabic and memorized the last seven chapters. I am convicted by my lack of passion to study the Bible and commit more of the truth to memory. God help us to fix our minds on your holy word. 

Focus Your Hope

Text: 13b - set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Main Idea: Focus your hope on the return of Jesus Christ.

As Christians we live in the future tense. Grace has been given and more grace forthcoming. Warren Wiersbe illustrates this fact by drawing attention to an engaged couple who make their plans in light of their future wedding. We should be making our lives reflect the hope that we have been given through the promise of our Lord about His future plans(John 14). 

Forget Your Former Ignorance

Text: vs. 14 - as obedient children do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 

Main Idea: Forget the former, sinful life...

Peter speaks to his audience in Asia Minor who were possibly both Jews and Gentiles. Either group would be able to apply this teaching. The Gentile must leave the pagan gods of their forefathers while the Jews must see Jesus as the Messiah who fulfilled the Law. You and I must turn from the desires of the flesh and our sin nature which we have all inherited and turn to Jesus, our mediator and advocate with the Father. 

Finish in Holiness

Text: vs. 15 You also are to be holy in all your conduct.

Main Idea: We are to live in holiness as a reflection of God's holiness.

In his commentary Wiersbe notes that we are to maintain a different lifestyle, a holy walk in a polluted world. In order to do this we must be different from much of the culture around us. As we grow in the knowledge Jesus Christ we are being sanctified and set apart exclusively for God's use and pleasure. When I look at my own life I see where God has had to remind me that I have been redeemed from the worthless, former manner of life that I once lived. I am on a different course and I am called to finish the race in holiness. My aim as I study the Bible is not just to learn the Bible but to know its Author intimately. 

If you followed the link above and read the article about Nabeel Qureshi you know that he eventually trusted in Christ as Lord. At great personal loss he turned from Islam to Christianity. He writes, "He redeemed my suffering by making me rely upon him for my every moment, bending my heart toward him." Dear friend may I extend this thought to you? God is working in your life to bring you to a place where you rely upon Him for your every moment. Many times over the past few years God has reminded me of this truth. The more I yield and say yes to God, the more grace he sends to heal my heart. 

I hope something in this message has stirred your heart. If you have question post a comment. I would love for this blog to become a forum for sharing questions and prompting discussions about a biblical world view. If you desire to seek God, come join us in worship at Fyffe First Baptist.