Sept 6, 2011 1 Peter 1 Part 2 (Bryan and Adam)

by ctarter · Published September 6, 2011 · Updated March 17, 2016

Teaching 9.6.11
1 Peter 1:3
- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
  - In Christ we have a new identity and are alive
1 Peter 1:4
- “To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”
  - We have a purpose
  - We know where we are going in life
  - We get to enter into heaven with no worries
  - There is no more alienation with God
1 Peter 1:5
- “Who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
  - We know we are protected by God
  - This gift from God is solid and will never fade
1 Peter 1:13
- “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
  - Therefore means this is a conclusion
  - Prepare your minds for action
    - Get ready for battle
    - No one is going to jump into battle without any armor
    - We live in a world alienated from God
    - 1 Peter 5:8
      - “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
        
        We need to get protection from Satan
        
        God has done everything for you, so get off your butts and go do something with it
1 Peter 1:14
- “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,”
  - Do not be conformed to your formal lust
    - “If only I could get this… If only I can get that…”
    - After years and years of going after your lust, you end up with more desires and less joy
    - Your life could end up driven by these lusts
      - Addictions
      - You could not care for anyone or anything
  - Do not be a sucker for this kind of lifestyle
  - This is a self-serving lifestyle
  - The world is telling you to go after what you want (your lusts)
  - Conformity rules the world
    - “This is the path you got to take to be successful in life!”
1 Peter 1:15-16
- “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’”
  - This word “holy” kind of sucks
    - This is a “churchy” word
  - Holy means to be different
    - Be a non-conformist
  - How would we go about being a non-conformist?
    - Take our self-serving lifestyle and change it to serving others lifestyle
    - It is kind of scary being a non-conformist
1 Peter 1:22
- “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
  - Fervently love = God’s love
    - Jesus says to love others as you love yourself
  - God is a non-conformist from the world
    - How?
      - He does not have cravings or desires
        
        Must have feeling
        
        He is more interested in what He can give
        
        He already has everything
        
        Self-sacrificial lifestyle
  - How far are we supposed to go with this love?
    - Should not be just done in our spare time
    - Look at Jesus, He took this love all the way to the cross
      - Jesus did that all for you because He loved you that much
  - How am I supposed to be like that?
    - If I let me pitcher empty by loving others, how does my pitcher get filled?
      - God replenishes your pitcher
      - This gives you more energy to be self-sacrificial
      - You get this sweet feeling of helping and loving others
Are you willing to take the chance with this self-giving?
- If you give into your lusts, you will become addicted and you will have no love in your life
- If you give up to God and be a non-conformist, you will have fulfilling love in your life
  - You might wake up the next morning not feeling completely empty
- How do you get past these lusts?
  - Luke 12:29-31
    - “And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
      - The Lord knows your lusts/desires
      - Seek Him and He will help you
  - 1 John 3:16
    - “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
      - God laid down His life for us
  - 1 John 4:16
    - “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
      - We do not have to earn God’s love or give Him a reason to love us
      - We have to believe in God’s love
      - The Lord does not have an unforgiving heart like we do at times
What if you want this love from God?
- All you have to do is accept Jesus as your Savior and accept the Lord into your heart
- This is between you and the Lord
- You will receive this love relationship with the Lord, all you have to do is ask