Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / 1 Peter 1:15-16

Transcript

1 Peter 1:15-16 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Yesterday, I had a conversation with my oldest, Britton, and we were listening to a song on the way home on the radio and she asked if that was this Christian song.
0:09
Which is a great question. It allowed me to kind of think about it and how do I want to answer this question.
0:17
And I answered it by saying, let's not think about things in just Christian music or Christian books or Christian bookstore or Christian t-shirts or Christian clothing kind of idea.
0:28
But let's think about the lyrics and do the lyrics move you to think of God or not.
0:35
And in that case, I pushed my 8-year-old, soon to be 9-year-old, to think and use her brain a little bit and not just claim something to be Christian music or Christian TV or Christian movie or whatever.
0:49
And so my question this morning kind of got me thinking was, is that the idea of holiness that we should believe?
0:57
Where we have our Christian music that we listen to and we have our Christian school we go to and we have our Christian bookstore that we shop in.
1:05
And we have our Christian t-shirts that we wear.
1:08
And so we're set apart based on the definition of holiness.
1:12
If you don't know, that's what holiness means.
1:14
We're set apart and we kind of go down this road of this is where we're going to stay.
1:20
We're going to stay within the boundaries of the Christian title.
1:24
Is that the idea of holiness that we should believe?
1:31
I don't think so.
1:32
I don't think that that biblically that that lines up with how we should view holiness.
1:40
How we should pursue a specific way of living.
1:44
Imagine for a moment that we're up in an airplane really, really, really high.
1:48
And we look down and we're so high that a forest doesn't look like little individual trees or you can't see the definition of the trees.
2:01
It's just a green mass on the land below you.
2:05
Now, one can assume, well, that's a forest.
2:08
But you can also assume, well, it's green and kind of, well, that's a body of water.
2:15
That could be water from this height.
2:17
We're not really sure.
2:18
And just to claim that it's water or claim that it's something without really knowing what it is, without viewing it on a map and saying, well, that's Cherokee Forest.
2:28
That's the National Reserve or whatever.
2:32
We cheapen and make a quick assumption by saying, well, that's just water.
2:40
Yeah, it looks like water.
2:41
That's water.
2:41
And I think what we've done with holiness, if we believe that that's how we should pursue holiness is by separating ourselves completely,
2:50
then we cheapen that idea and make an assumption that that's what holiness is.
2:57
So this morning, I want to bring the plane in a little bit.
3:02
I want to look at the forest and I want to see the trees.
3:05
I want to see the animals crawling on the ground.
3:07
I want to see the different types of trees and see what this holiness really does look like for you and I.
3:14
Because when we read Scripture and we have familiar verses and we know just by being a Christian that, well, if God is holy, then we are to be holy.
3:22
You guys and all of us in this room would believe, yes.
3:26
But what does that mean?
3:27
How does that affect the way we live?
3:30
How does that affect how we walk out this life?
3:34
Or is it just a cheap assumption?
3:36
Yes.
3:37
I believe that we should be holy.
3:40
So that's my goal this morning, to bring that plane down a little bit for us so we can kind of see some details of the forest.
3:50
So in 1 Peter 1, we're going to read four verses starting in verse 13.
3:58
It says,
4:02
Therefore,
4:03
Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded sets your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
4:15
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.
4:21
But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.
4:28
Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.
4:33
Let's pray together.
4:34
Father, I ask for your grace this morning to speak to us clearly.
4:41
God, I ask that words that come from my mouth will be true words.
4:46
And that all of us in here, including me, would hear from you this morning.
4:50
God, I pray that you would help us in the hearing of your word, but also in the action to follow, in the obedience to follow whatever you have laid out for us to do.
5:05
Help us.
5:06
We cannot do it apart from you.
5:09
We beg and we ask in Jesus' name.
5:13
Amen.
5:13
Amen.
5:14
So, we're going to start from verse 16 and work our way back to verse 13.
5:20
That's the plan.
5:21
Verse 15 and 16 says,
5:24
But as he who called you is holy, you will also be holy in all your conduct.
5:29
Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.
5:34
So what does God being holy mean?
5:37
What does the holiness of God actually mean?
5:39
Well, as I mentioned a few minutes ago, the definition is to be set apart.
5:44
So how does God become set apart?
5:48
How do we set God apart?
5:50
Well, here's how.
5:51
God is utterly unique.
5:54
He is in a class all to himself.
5:57
There is no one like him.
5:59
No one compares.
6:00
He is unequaled.
6:02
He is without beginning and without end.
6:05
And he has no need for improvement.
6:07
He is perfect.
6:09
He always is and always will be and always was perfect God.
6:16
So, this is who God is.
6:19
God is the source of holiness.
6:21
God is the author of holiness.
6:22
He is holy, perfect, sinless God.
6:29
Now, let's think about this for a minute.
6:31
One of the Christian terms that we read and we throw out there is the glory of God.
6:39
What is the glory of God?
6:41
Well, the glory of God is that outward expression of God's holiness.
6:46
So, let me help you.
6:49
You could say that the sun, the light is the glory of God.
6:53
The light that we get from the sun is the glory of God.
6:56
The fire is the holiness.
6:58
It's the root of that source, of the source of light.
7:04
So, just kind of give you a little bit of perspective there.
7:07
So, this is who God is.
7:09
He is without comparison.
7:11
Perfect, holy, sinless.
7:13
The source.
7:14
He is the sun that our life should revolve around.
7:18
So, in verse 15 and 16 in 1 Peter, we have,
7:23
Be holy for I am holy.
7:26
Now, a little bit of context here for 1 Peter.
7:28
And we studied this a few summers ago or a couple years ago.
7:32
1 Peter, Peter writes this letter to the churches in Asia Minor,
7:36
which would be modern day Turkey.
7:39
Ephesus would have been in this area.
7:42
And he's writing to them and he's giving them kind of a warning,
7:46
giving a heads up that persecution is headed their way.
7:51
Peter is writing from Rome.
7:54
He's getting a lot of persecution in Rome
7:56
and he sees the Roman Empire moving that direction.
8:00
And so, he's writing this to the Christians there,
8:02
the churches in Asia Minor,
8:04
telling them there's persecution coming
8:07
and this is how you should stand firm in it.
8:11
This is how you should live because of what's coming your way.
8:14
And so, we read this.
8:16
And we read our text this morning
8:19
and we've got some practical things.
8:21
We've got God being holy.
8:22
So, I'm hoping to kind of pull all that in together for us,
8:25
even with the context of who Peter is writing to.
8:30
So, verse 15 and 16,
8:32
Be holy for I am holy.
8:34
Be holy because God is holy.
8:37
We as Christians are to be holy.
8:40
Everybody in here who is a Christian,
8:41
who has read the Bible,
8:42
would shake your head yes to that.
8:44
Yes.
8:45
So, how can we be holy?
8:47
How is it that we can live and be set apart
8:50
based on the definition of who God is?
8:52
Well, one way, and the main way,
8:54
is that we are imitators of God.
8:57
We imitate God.
9:00
Now, this shouldn't surprise any of you.
9:03
If you're a Christian,
9:04
your name claims that you're little Christ's.
9:07
You are little Christ's.
9:09
You're Christians.
9:11
We bear His name.
9:13
So, it should not surprise us that we are to be imitators.
9:17
But what it does mean here
9:19
is that our lives should revolve around God.
9:24
As the earth revolves around the sun,
9:27
our lives should revolve around God.
9:29
Meaning, that our lives are consumed with God.
9:32
Our lives are all about God.
9:34
Our lives are formed by God.
9:37
We are called by God,
9:38
and we are set apart by God.
9:41
We are to imitate God's holiness.
9:45
The question is, how?
9:47
How do we do that then?
9:48
Where is the practical?
9:49
So, let's bring this plane in a little bit more.
9:52
So, how?
9:53
Well, based on our text,
9:55
the first thing we need to do
9:56
is that we need to admit
9:58
God has called us out of darkness into light.
10:01
Look at verse 15.
10:04
It says,
10:05
But as He who called you is holy,
10:07
you will also be holy in all your conduct.
10:10
Now,
10:11
I chose this verb,
10:13
admit,
10:14
on purpose.
10:15
That we need to admit
10:16
that God has called us out of darkness.
10:18
We must admit
10:19
that it was God's act on our lives.
10:22
And nothing in us that caused God to call us,
10:26
or that even we called on Him.
10:29
Colossians 1,
10:31
13 and 14 says that
10:33
He has delivered us
10:35
from the domain of darkness
10:36
and transferred us
10:38
to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
10:40
in whom we have redemption,
10:41
the forgiveness of sins.
10:43
So, if you caught it there,
10:45
He has, being God,
10:47
delivered us from the domain of darkness.
10:48
He has delivered us,
10:49
He's pulled us out,
10:51
and He has transferred us
10:52
to the kingdom of His beloved Son.
10:55
God's action on our lives.
11:00
Basic gospel truth,
11:02
but very important.
11:05
Romans 3,
11:06
Colossians 2,
11:07
Colossians 1,
11:07
what we just read,
11:09
tells us that we are dead
11:10
in our trespasses and sins.
11:12
For the wages of sin is death.
11:14
For all have sinned
11:15
and fallen short of the glory of God.
11:17
We have nothing in us
11:18
that has deserved or earned God's favor.
11:21
It is God's grace to us
11:23
to bestow on us.
11:24
God's favor to give us life
11:27
and to pull us from darkness into light.
11:31
So, when we admit this truth,
11:34
when we admit that God has called us
11:36
out of darkness into light,
11:38
then we accept that truth.
11:40
Then we acknowledge that truth.
11:42
And when we accept,
11:43
we are humbled.
11:44
We are moved to humility
11:45
because of that grace
11:47
and that mercy that He has shown us.
11:49
In James 4, verse 6,
11:53
it says,
11:54
God opposes the proud,
11:56
but gives grace to the humble.
11:59
Verse 10 of that same chapter
12:00
in James 4,
12:02
Humble yourself before the Lord
12:03
and He will exalt you.
12:06
Humility is important for the Christian.
12:10
We must acknowledge
12:12
the grace and the mercy
12:13
that we have been shown.
12:14
We live in light of that.
12:16
We love other people
12:17
in light of that.
12:18
We make decisions in light of that.
12:21
Not because we have earned it,
12:24
but because He has shown us
12:25
grace and favor.
12:27
In Isaiah chapter 6,
12:30
Isaiah writes and tells the story
12:33
of being in the throne room of God.
12:36
And Isaiah is face to face with God.
12:40
Face to face in the same room
12:42
with His holiness and His righteousness.
12:45
God perfect without comparison.
12:49
And what is Isaiah moved to?
12:52
Immediately to his knees to worship.
12:55
And he says,
12:55
woe is me,
12:57
for I am a sinner.
13:00
Humility will and can lead
13:03
to holiness for us
13:05
when we acknowledge and we admit
13:07
that God,
13:08
it is God on our lives
13:09
delivering us
13:12
and as Colossians said,
13:14
transferring us
13:15
from darkness into light.
13:17
So we've got to admit,
13:20
we've got to admit
13:21
that God has called us
13:23
out of darkness into light.
13:25
But we also have to admit
13:26
as Christians
13:27
that we are children of God.
13:29
As we bear His name,
13:31
little Christ,
13:33
we are children of God.
13:34
Look at verse 14 of 1 Peter.
13:36
It says,
13:38
as obedient children,
13:40
do not be conformed
13:41
to the passions
13:41
of your former ignorance.
13:45
Now,
13:45
to understand
13:46
that we are children of God
13:48
is important.
13:49
It's important because
13:50
it shows that God
13:51
has changed us
13:53
from the inside out.
13:56
Now,
13:56
I have four kids
13:57
and my four kids
13:58
are always going to be
13:59
my kids.
14:01
I can't change the fact.
14:03
Now,
14:03
legally,
14:04
sure,
14:04
we can make an argument.
14:05
But blood-wise,
14:07
they're always going to have
14:08
my blood in them.
14:09
They're always going to be
14:10
mine.
14:12
I can't do anything
14:13
about that.
14:14
But God,
14:16
God can change
14:17
a heart
14:18
and make it His.
14:20
God can change
14:21
a person
14:23
and transfer them
14:24
from darkness
14:25
into light
14:26
to make them
14:26
a child of wrath,
14:28
as Ephesians 2 says,
14:30
to a child
14:30
born
14:32
son or daughter
14:34
of the King.
14:35
Turn to Ephesians 2,
14:37
as I just kind of
14:38
mentioned.
14:42
Ephesians 2.
14:50
If you love the Gospel,
14:52
you believe the Gospel,
14:53
then you are familiar
14:54
with Ephesians 2,
14:55
I hope.
15:00
Ephesians 2.
15:01
Ephesians 2.
15:03
Starting in verse 1,
15:03
it says,
15:04
And you were dead
15:05
in the trespasses
15:06
and sins
15:07
in which you once walked,
15:09
following the course
15:10
of this world,
15:10
following the prince
15:11
of the power of the air,
15:12
the spirit
15:13
that is now at work
15:14
in the sons of disobedience,
15:16
among whom
15:17
we all once lived
15:18
in the passions
15:19
of our flesh,
15:20
carrying out
15:21
the desires
15:21
of the body
15:22
and the mind,
15:23
and were by nature
15:24
children of wrath
15:26
like the rest
15:27
of mankind.
15:28
But God,
15:29
being rich in mercy
15:30
because of the great love
15:31
with which he loved us,
15:33
even when we were dead
15:34
in our trespasses,
15:35
made us alive
15:35
together with Christ.
15:38
By grace,
15:38
you have been saved.
15:40
And raised us up with him
15:41
and seated us with him
15:42
in the heavenly places
15:43
in Christ Jesus,
15:45
so that in the coming age
15:46
he might show
15:46
the immeasurable riches
15:48
of his grace
15:48
and kindness toward us
15:50
in Christ Jesus.
15:52
So not only has he taken us
15:53
from darkness
15:54
into light,
15:55
we were dead
15:56
and now alive,
15:58
we were children of wrath
15:59
and now we're children
16:00
of the King.
16:02
This is important
16:02
because it is God
16:03
who has made that change
16:05
in us.
16:07
We can't make that change.
16:09
We can't do it.
16:14
Jesus says
16:16
in one of the Gospels,
16:17
and I apologize
16:18
because I could not find it
16:19
this morning,
16:20
but it's true,
16:20
I promise.
16:23
He talks about
16:24
how an earthly father,
16:26
when a son asks for bread,
16:28
will not give him a stone.
16:29
And he says,
16:30
how much greater
16:31
will your heavenly father
16:33
then provide for you?
16:36
I will provide for my kids
16:38
as much to the end
16:40
of my ability,
16:41
but how much greater
16:43
will that heavenly father,
16:45
our heavenly father,
16:46
as Christians,
16:47
children of God,
16:49
provide for us,
16:51
care for us,
16:52
love us,
16:53
nurture us.
16:54
This is who
16:55
our heavenly father is.
16:57
And we are children
16:58
children of this king.
17:00
So with a heart change
17:02
then,
17:03
we will not be conformed,
17:06
back to 1 Peter 1,
17:09
we will not be conformed
17:10
to the passions
17:12
of our former ignorance.
17:15
A new heart
17:16
means new passions
17:19
and new desires.
17:19
A new heart
17:21
means that those passions
17:24
and those desires
17:24
lead to holiness,
17:26
not to
17:26
fill in the blank,
17:29
sin.
17:31
A new heart
17:32
means that
17:32
our want-tos
17:34
change.
17:35
We want to
17:36
pursue holiness.
17:37
We want to
17:38
honor God.
17:39
We want to
17:40
love Jesus.
17:41
We want to
17:42
share the gospel.
17:44
We want to live
17:44
in such a way
17:45
this passion,
17:49
this desire,
17:51
has no limits
17:53
before Christ.
17:58
Why do you think
17:59
the commandment says
18:00
do not covenant
18:00
another man's wife?
18:01
There are no limits
18:02
to the passion
18:03
and the desires.
18:05
Somebody else's stuff.
18:07
There are no limits
18:07
to that.
18:08
It's whatever
18:08
fulfills that hunger
18:10
in us.
18:12
Well,
18:12
when our heart
18:12
is changed,
18:13
when we become
18:14
children of God,
18:15
those desires
18:16
change and those
18:17
passions are
18:18
fulfilled with
18:19
only one thing
18:21
and that is God.
18:22
That is His holiness
18:24
and that is Him
18:25
Himself.
18:29
When our hearts
18:31
are changed,
18:32
we will not
18:33
desire the gift.
18:35
We'll enjoy the gift,
18:37
but we won't
18:37
desire the gift.
18:38
We will desire
18:39
the giver of the gift
18:40
who is God.
18:42
We'll desire
18:43
what He gives us
18:44
and we'll look
18:45
for opportunities
18:46
and situations
18:48
and things we can do
18:49
with that item,
18:50
with that gift
18:51
that will bring honor
18:52
and glory to Him
18:53
and not
18:54
fulfillment
18:56
for us.
18:58
That's an example
19:00
of the change
19:01
in us.
19:02
A new heart
19:03
changes.
19:05
So our heart
19:06
has changed.
19:07
Our passion
19:07
has changed.
19:09
So our desires
19:09
and passions
19:10
now lead to
19:11
holiness.
19:12
Pursuing holiness.
19:16
So thirdly,
19:16
first,
19:17
admit God
19:18
has called us
19:19
out of darkness
19:19
into light.
19:21
Admit that as
19:21
Christians we are
19:22
children of God,
19:23
meaning that God
19:24
has changed us,
19:25
given us a new
19:26
heart,
19:26
now sons and
19:27
daughters of the
19:28
King.
19:31
Thirdly,
19:32
we place our hope
19:33
in our future.
19:35
We place our hope
19:36
in our future.
19:39
Verse 13,
19:39
the second part
19:40
of verse 13
19:41
says,
19:43
set your hope
19:44
fully on the
19:46
grace that will
19:46
be brought to you
19:47
at the revelation
19:48
of Jesus Christ.
19:51
Now,
19:51
this does not
19:52
mean or is
19:53
suggesting a
19:54
flight into
19:57
dreamland
19:58
thinking
19:59
of future,
20:01
hoping that
20:02
maybe that
20:03
thought of our
20:04
future glory
20:04
will dull
20:05
the life
20:07
here,
20:08
what we're going
20:08
through,
20:09
the persecution
20:10
or the struggle
20:10
or the whatever.
20:12
That's not what
20:13
he's suggesting
20:13
here.
20:15
As if it's some
20:16
sort of drug
20:17
that just kind of
20:18
numbs us and we
20:19
just kind of keep
20:20
going through and
20:20
just ho-hum.
20:21
That's not what
20:22
he's suggesting.
20:23
What he's suggesting
20:24
is that instead
20:28
of viewing the
20:29
present circumstance,
20:31
we view it in
20:32
light of what's
20:33
to come,
20:34
the promises
20:35
of God.
20:35
we view the
20:37
situation saying
20:38
we can endure
20:40
because of
20:41
the promise
20:42
of God
20:43
that we will
20:44
overcome,
20:45
the promise
20:45
of God
20:46
that we will
20:47
be perfected,
20:48
that though my
20:49
body breaks
20:50
and I'm sick
20:51
and I am
20:52
suffering and I
20:53
have cancer
20:54
or whatever,
20:55
my body will be
20:57
perfected eventually
20:58
and I'm okay
20:59
with this situation
21:00
now because
21:01
hopefully in those
21:03
situations I can
21:04
bring glory to God
21:05
and I can pursue
21:06
holiness with a
21:07
new heart.
21:10
So,
21:10
we endure
21:13
because of what
21:15
God will do,
21:17
has done even.
21:21
The church in
21:22
Asia Minor,
21:23
remember Peter is
21:24
writing to them,
21:25
warning them of
21:26
what's to come.
21:27
Guys,
21:28
it's coming your
21:29
way.
21:30
Gather up,
21:31
get together,
21:32
understand,
21:33
realize,
21:34
look at chapter
21:35
1,
21:35
verse 3,
21:36
it says,
21:36
blessed be the
21:37
God and Father
21:37
of the Lord
21:38
Jesus Christ,
21:39
according to
21:39
His great mercy,
21:40
He has caused
21:41
us to be born
21:42
again to what?
21:43
To a living
21:44
hope.
21:45
Third sentence,
21:47
second sentence,
21:47
whatever it is,
21:48
He's already
21:49
saying look ahead
21:50
to what's to
21:51
come.
21:51
Look ahead to
21:52
your future
21:53
hope.
21:55
And hope in
21:55
that because of
21:57
what's to come.
21:58
Their persecution,
21:59
heavy persecution.
22:02
Kids,
22:02
vegetables,
22:04
don't usually
22:05
go together.
22:07
But you tell a
22:08
child,
22:08
you say,
22:09
eat your
22:09
vegetables and
22:10
you can have
22:10
cake.
22:13
What are they
22:13
going to do?
22:14
They're going to
22:15
eat their
22:15
vegetables.
22:16
You put that
22:17
cake in front of
22:17
them,
22:18
those vegetables
22:18
are gone.
22:21
Likewise,
22:21
for us,
22:22
we endure,
22:23
we go through
22:23
struggles,
22:24
we suffer here
22:25
on earth,
22:26
we have
22:26
physical ailments,
22:27
we live in
22:29
such a way,
22:29
we pursue
22:30
holiness,
22:30
even in
22:31
those situations,
22:33
looking ahead
22:34
to what's to
22:35
come.
22:36
We're going to
22:36
be perfected.
22:38
God is going
22:38
to receive glory
22:39
through the way
22:40
that I live
22:40
this out.
22:43
Our desert,
22:45
I know
22:45
illustrations fall
22:46
short,
22:47
but our
22:48
desert is to
22:50
come.
22:53
Fourthly,
22:54
this is where
22:55
we'll spend a
22:55
little bit more
22:56
time.
22:57
So not only
22:58
do we admit
22:58
that God has
22:59
called us
22:59
out of darkness
23:00
into light,
23:02
not only do we
23:03
admit that as
23:04
Christians we are
23:04
children of God,
23:05
meaning we have a
23:06
new heart,
23:07
that God has
23:07
changed our
23:08
heart from the
23:09
inside out,
23:10
we cannot do
23:10
it.
23:12
Not only do we
23:13
place our hope
23:14
in our future,
23:16
but fourthly and
23:17
finally,
23:18
we prepare our
23:18
minds for
23:20
action.
23:21
Verse 13,
23:23
therefore,
23:24
preparing your
23:25
minds for
23:25
action and
23:26
being sober
23:27
minded,
23:28
set your
23:29
hope fully
23:30
on the grace
23:31
that will be
23:31
brought to you
23:32
at the
23:33
revelation of
23:34
Jesus Christ.
23:36
Preparing your
23:37
minds for
23:38
action.
23:38
If you have
23:39
an ESV
23:39
Bible and
23:40
you're reading
23:41
in it,
23:41
there's a
23:41
footnote
23:42
that says
23:42
in the
23:43
Greek,
23:43
it's actually
23:44
gird up the
23:45
loins of
23:46
your mind.
23:48
Now this
23:48
picture that
23:49
Peter is
23:50
painting for
23:50
us is
23:51
back in
23:55
this time,
23:57
they would
23:58
wear long
23:58
dress-like
23:59
tunics.
24:00
And if
24:01
they're just
24:01
talking in
24:02
the marketplace,
24:03
if they're
24:03
just slowly
24:04
meandering,
24:05
if they're
24:06
just hanging
24:06
out at home,
24:07
it's all the
24:07
way down to
24:08
their ankles
24:08
or close to
24:09
that.
24:10
But when
24:10
they're working,
24:11
when they're
24:12
getting ready to
24:13
run or going
24:13
into war or
24:14
whatever,
24:15
they pull that
24:15
up and they
24:16
tuck it into
24:16
their belt.
24:17
And that's
24:17
called girding
24:18
their loins.
24:19
It's getting
24:19
ready,
24:20
freeing up
24:21
their legs
24:22
so that
24:22
they can
24:22
be men
24:26
or women
24:26
of action,
24:27
men of
24:27
action,
24:28
so that
24:28
they can
24:28
run and
24:29
they can
24:29
fight and
24:30
they can
24:30
do these
24:30
things,
24:31
they can
24:31
work in
24:31
their
24:31
garden or
24:32
whatever,
24:33
freely.
24:34
This is the
24:35
idea,
24:35
preparing your
24:37
minds for
24:38
action and
24:39
being sober
24:39
minded.
24:40
It's an
24:40
act of
24:40
preparation
24:41
for active
24:42
work.
24:44
So,
24:45
I love
24:47
golf.
24:47
I love
24:48
playing
24:48
golf.
24:49
I'm not
24:49
good at
24:50
golf.
24:51
I enjoy
24:51
every bit
24:52
of it.
24:53
I enjoy
24:53
buying new
24:54
golf balls.
24:55
That's
24:55
silly,
24:56
I know.
24:57
I just
24:58
love playing.
24:59
I love
24:59
being outside
25:00
and walking.
25:00
I like
25:01
how manicured
25:02
it is and
25:02
just everything
25:04
about golf,
25:05
even if I
25:05
hit a bad
25:06
shot.
25:07
Now,
25:08
I am not
25:08
going to get
25:09
any better
25:09
if I just
25:11
play golf
25:12
three or
25:12
four times
25:13
a year.
25:13
I'm going
25:14
to probably
25:14
maybe get
25:16
worse or
25:16
just kind
25:16
of stay
25:17
right where
25:18
I am.
25:18
It's not
25:19
going to
25:19
happen.
25:20
You've
25:20
got to
25:20
put time
25:20
in.
25:21
You've
25:21
got to
25:21
practice.
25:22
You've
25:22
got to
25:22
make
25:23
commitments
25:24
to prepare
25:25
for times
25:26
and wanting
25:27
to get
25:27
better and
25:28
putting in
25:28
those hard
25:29
work.
25:29
All those
25:31
phrases that
25:32
you find on
25:32
milk commercials
25:33
and NFL
25:34
commercials,
25:34
all those,
25:35
put in the
25:35
hard work.
25:40
Likewise,
25:41
holiness
25:41
takes practice
25:43
and takes
25:43
preparation,
25:44
preparation,
25:45
preparing our
25:45
minds.
25:47
Now see,
25:47
unlike golf,
25:49
where golf is
25:49
just my
25:50
ability,
25:51
there's no
25:52
supernatural power
25:53
out on the
25:53
golf course.
25:54
I mean,
25:54
maybe,
25:55
if I hit it
25:55
straight,
25:56
possibly.
25:57
But for the
25:57
most part,
25:58
it's just me
25:59
and the golf
25:59
ball and the
26:00
golf club.
26:01
But for us,
26:02
holiness,
26:04
it's God
26:04
in us that
26:06
can empower
26:06
us and
26:07
strengthen us
26:07
and push
26:08
us to do
26:10
what He has
26:11
commanded us
26:12
to do.
26:13
He can
26:14
accomplish
26:15
what He
26:16
commands
26:16
through us
26:17
and through
26:17
the Holy
26:17
Spirit.
26:19
So preparing
26:20
our minds,
26:20
girding up
26:21
our loins.
26:23
So,
26:24
the next
26:25
thing it
26:25
says in
26:26
this verse
26:27
is,
26:27
and being
26:28
sober-minded.
26:30
A definition
26:31
of this is
26:31
complete clarity
26:32
of mind
26:33
and it's
26:34
resulting in
26:36
good judgment.
26:37
So,
26:38
I know
26:39
all of us
26:40
in here have
26:40
made really
26:41
bad choices
26:41
at some
26:42
point in
26:42
our life.
26:43
We made
26:43
a bad
26:43
decision.
26:45
We
26:45
didn't have
26:47
good judgment.
26:48
We weren't
26:48
sober-minded
26:49
in that
26:49
moment.
26:52
Peter,
26:53
when writing
26:54
this,
26:54
knew that
26:55
this world,
26:57
the cares
26:57
of this
26:58
world,
26:58
the temptress
26:59
of stuff,
27:01
the difficulties
27:01
and the
27:02
persecutions,
27:03
speaking to
27:03
the church
27:04
in Asia
27:04
Minor,
27:05
but even
27:05
to us
27:06
today,
27:07
can
27:07
intoxicate
27:08
us as
27:09
much as
27:09
alcohol can.
27:11
When we're
27:12
intoxicated,
27:13
we are
27:13
controlled by
27:15
that substance.
27:16
We don't
27:17
have much of a
27:19
say.
27:19
It's controlling
27:20
us to a
27:21
specific point.
27:23
And the
27:25
desires of
27:26
this world,
27:28
the things
27:30
that we want,
27:31
the things
27:31
that we think
27:32
we need,
27:33
the boyfriend,
27:34
the girlfriend,
27:35
the husband,
27:36
the wife,
27:36
the car,
27:37
the house,
27:38
fill in the
27:41
blank,
27:42
the specific
27:42
grade that
27:43
you think
27:44
you need,
27:45
all of
27:45
this can
27:48
intoxicate
27:49
us,
27:50
can consume
27:52
us.
27:54
And so
27:54
Peter is
27:54
warning the
27:57
churches in
27:58
Asia Minor
27:58
and warning
27:59
us today,
28:00
be sober
28:00
minded,
28:02
be of good
28:02
judgment,
28:04
complete clarity
28:05
of mind,
28:07
knowing what
28:07
was headed
28:08
their way,
28:09
knowing what
28:09
we deal
28:10
with even
28:10
today.
28:18
Turn to
28:19
Philippians
28:19
chapter 4.
28:25
So we need
28:26
to have a
28:27
clear mind
28:27
so that we
28:29
can think
28:30
on godly
28:31
things,
28:32
that we can
28:32
think on
28:33
God and
28:34
His holiness
28:34
so that we
28:35
can pursue
28:36
Him and
28:37
Him alone.
28:41
In
28:42
Philippians
28:42
chapter 4,
28:47
Paul is
28:48
getting ready
28:49
to close
28:50
this letter
28:50
to the
28:51
church of
28:51
Philippi
28:52
and he
28:52
says,
28:52
finally
28:53
brothers,
28:55
whatever is
28:55
true,
28:57
whatever is
28:57
honorable,
28:58
whatever is
28:59
just,
29:00
whatever is
29:01
pure,
29:01
whatever is
29:02
lovely,
29:03
whatever is
29:03
commendable,
29:04
if there is
29:04
any excellence,
29:05
if there is
29:05
anything worthy
29:06
of praise,
29:08
think about
29:09
these things.
29:12
Here's the
29:13
kicker here,
29:14
is God
29:15
is these
29:17
things.
29:18
Who is
29:19
honorable?
29:20
Who is
29:21
just?
29:21
Who is
29:22
pure?
29:23
Who is
29:23
lovely?
29:23
Who is
29:24
commendable?
29:24
Who is
29:25
excellent?
29:26
Who is
29:26
worthy of
29:27
praise?
29:28
Think of
29:28
these things.
29:29
God
29:31
encompasses
29:31
all of
29:33
those
29:33
things.
29:33
He is
29:34
all of
29:34
those
29:35
things.
29:37
Now,
29:37
there's
29:37
other
29:37
things
29:38
that
29:38
from
29:39
God
29:39
we
29:39
can
29:40
think
29:40
on.
29:40
Think
29:41
on His
29:41
word.
29:43
Think
29:43
on our
29:44
brothers and
29:45
sisters in need.
29:46
Think
29:46
on our
29:47
brothers and
29:47
sisters who
29:48
are pursuing
29:49
holiness.
29:50
They are
29:51
from Him
29:52
and out
29:52
of His
29:52
work.
29:53
So,
29:56
in 1 Peter
29:57
in verse
29:59
13,
29:59
it says,
30:00
therefore,
30:00
preparing your
30:01
minds for
30:02
action.
30:04
Now,
30:04
what we
30:04
have here
30:05
is a
30:05
present tense.
30:07
Preparing
30:07
your minds.
30:08
It doesn't
30:08
say,
30:09
prepare your
30:10
minds.
30:10
It doesn't
30:10
say,
30:11
since you
30:11
have prepared
30:12
your minds.
30:13
It's just
30:13
preparing.
30:15
So,
30:15
this is a
30:16
continuous
30:16
action by
30:18
you and
30:19
by me.
30:20
Meaning,
30:21
that if you
30:22
are going to
30:23
the movie,
30:25
prepare your
30:25
minds for
30:26
what you
30:26
may see
30:27
or hear.
30:28
If you
30:29
are going
30:29
to class,
30:30
prepare your
30:31
minds for
30:31
the opportunity
30:32
to share
30:33
the gospel.
30:34
Remember the
30:35
definition of
30:36
sober-minded,
30:37
complete clarity
30:38
of mind and
30:39
its resulting
30:40
good judgment.
30:42
Sober-minded,
30:44
preparing our
30:45
minds for
30:45
action,
30:48
whenever,
30:50
wherever we
30:51
go,
30:52
preparing our
30:52
minds for
30:53
that action.
30:57
Your
30:57
holiness and
30:59
my holiness
30:59
depends on
31:00
it.
31:02
Now,
31:03
here's the
31:03
beauty of
31:04
the gospel.
31:05
Here's the
31:05
beauty of
31:06
the gospel.
31:08
God is
31:09
holy and
31:10
He is the
31:11
source of
31:12
holiness.
31:13
And in
31:13
Christ,
31:15
if you are
31:15
a Christian
31:15
in this
31:16
room,
31:18
if you have
31:19
confessed your
31:19
sins and you
31:20
believe that
31:22
Jesus died for
31:23
your sins and
31:24
you are a
31:24
Christian,
31:26
then in
31:27
Christ,
31:28
you are
31:29
holy before
31:30
God.
31:31
In Christ,
31:32
you stand as
31:33
if no sin
31:33
had ever been
31:34
committed.
31:35
You stand
31:35
set apart.
31:38
Right now,
31:40
here in
31:42
this room,
31:43
we get
31:44
done,
31:45
we pray,
31:46
we leave,
31:47
we drive
31:47
down the
31:48
road,
31:49
we make a
31:50
bad choice
31:51
on the
31:51
road,
31:52
we say
31:52
something we
31:52
shouldn't
31:53
have said,
31:54
we struggle,
31:56
we have
31:57
difficulties here
31:58
on earth,
31:59
because sin
32:00
still is in
32:01
us.
32:02
But here on
32:03
earth,
32:03
we have the
32:04
power of
32:05
Christ through
32:06
the Holy
32:06
Spirit in
32:06
us to
32:08
pursue holiness,
32:09
to strive to
32:11
be holy,
32:12
to prepare
32:12
our minds,
32:14
to be
32:14
sober-minded
32:15
with God
32:18
in us,
32:19
and we can
32:19
live in
32:20
His power.
32:21
So verse
32:22
13 starts
32:24
with
32:25
therefore.
32:27
Therefore,
32:29
preparing your
32:29
minds for
32:30
action.
32:31
Now,
32:33
this
32:33
therefore is
32:34
there for
32:36
a reason.
32:36
In light of
32:37
what I've
32:38
just said,
32:40
prepare
32:41
your minds
32:41
for action.
32:42
Well,
32:42
what has
32:43
He just
32:43
said?
32:44
Let's
32:44
start reading
32:45
in 1 Peter
32:46
chapter 1,
32:47
verse 3.
32:49
Blessed be
32:50
the God
32:50
and Father
32:51
of our
32:51
Lord Jesus
32:51
Christ.
32:53
According
32:53
to His
32:53
great mercy,
32:55
He has
32:56
caused us
32:56
to be
32:57
born again
32:57
to a
32:58
living hope
32:58
to the
32:59
resurrection
32:59
of Jesus
33:00
Christ from
33:00
the dead,
33:01
to an
33:02
inheritance
33:02
that is
33:03
imperishable,
33:04
undefiled,
33:05
and unfading,
33:06
kept in
33:06
heaven for
33:07
you,
33:08
who by
33:08
God's
33:08
power are
33:09
being guarded
33:10
through faith
33:10
for a
33:11
salvation
33:11
ready to
33:12
be revealed
33:13
in the
33:13
last time.
33:15
In this
33:15
you rejoice,
33:17
though now
33:17
for a little
33:18
while,
33:18
if necessary,
33:19
you have
33:20
been grieved
33:21
by various
33:21
trials,
33:22
so that the
33:23
tested genuineness
33:24
of your
33:24
faith,
33:25
more precious
33:26
than gold
33:26
that perishes,
33:28
though it is
33:28
tested by fire,
33:29
may be found
33:30
to result in
33:30
praise and
33:32
glory and
33:32
honor at the
33:33
revelation of
33:34
Jesus Christ.
33:36
Though you have
33:37
not seen Him,
33:37
you love Him.
33:38
Though you do
33:39
not now see
33:39
Him,
33:40
you believe
33:40
in Him
33:40
and rejoice
33:41
with joy
33:42
that is
33:42
inexpressible
33:43
and filled
33:43
with glory,
33:45
obtaining the
33:45
outcome of
33:46
your faith,
33:47
the salvation
33:47
of your
33:49
souls.
33:50
This salvation
33:52
is through
33:52
who?
33:53
Jesus Christ.
33:55
Blessed be the
33:55
God and Father
33:56
of our Lord
33:56
Jesus Christ.
33:57
To His great
33:58
mercy,
33:59
He has
33:59
caused us
34:00
to be born
34:00
again to a
34:01
living hope.
34:03
It is God
34:03
in us,
34:04
through us,
34:05
that we are
34:06
able to pursue
34:07
holiness,
34:08
that we are
34:08
able to do
34:09
any of these
34:09
things,
34:11
that we are
34:11
able to repent
34:12
and confess
34:14
and believe.
34:18
It is by
34:19
God's power,
34:20
by this great
34:21
salvation that we
34:22
have,
34:23
that the Holy
34:23
Spirit in us,
34:24
Jesus in us,
34:26
that we can
34:27
admit that God
34:28
has called us
34:28
out of darkness.
34:30
We can admit it
34:31
that God has
34:32
called us out
34:33
of darkness
34:34
and into light.
34:35
that we were
34:36
enemies of God
34:37
and now we
34:38
are children
34:39
of God.
34:40
We have to
34:41
admit that we
34:42
are children
34:43
of God,
34:43
that He has
34:44
changed the
34:44
heart in us,
34:46
made us sons
34:47
and daughters
34:48
of the King
34:48
through Jesus
34:50
Christ.
34:51
We can place
34:52
our hope in
34:54
God and our
34:55
future and His
34:56
future plan,
34:58
not our own.
35:00
Some of you
35:01
are college
35:01
students in here
35:02
and you have
35:02
your ideas of
35:03
what you're
35:04
going to do
35:04
and where
35:05
you're going
35:06
to go.
35:08
You have no
35:08
idea where
35:09
you're going
35:09
to go.
35:10
You think
35:10
you know.
35:12
William,
35:12
you can relate
35:12
to this.
35:13
You think
35:14
you know
35:14
where you're
35:14
going.
35:16
You really
35:16
don't.
35:18
But God
35:19
does.
35:20
God knows
35:20
what you're
35:22
going to
35:22
encounter.
35:23
God knows
35:23
what struggles
35:25
you're going
35:25
to face.
35:26
God knows
35:26
what joys
35:28
you're going
35:29
to have.
35:29
God knows
35:30
what will
35:32
become of
35:34
you in
35:34
your life.
35:35
And that's
35:36
okay.
35:36
That's good.
35:38
We can
35:38
settle.
35:40
We can
35:40
be comforted
35:41
in that.
35:45
We can
35:45
place our
35:46
hope in
35:47
God.
35:48
And then
35:49
finally,
35:49
we can prepare
35:50
our minds
35:51
for action.
35:53
We can be
35:53
sober-minded.
35:54
We can make
35:55
right judgments.
35:56
We can be
35:58
in the right
35:59
place in
36:00
our minds
36:01
to make
36:02
good decisions,
36:03
to pursue
36:04
holiness,
36:05
not be
36:06
intoxicated
36:06
by this
36:07
world,
36:07
not be
36:08
wooed
36:09
by what
36:10
this world
36:11
has to
36:11
offer.
36:14
A lot
36:15
of this
36:16
stuff here
36:16
in this
36:16
world is
36:17
not bad.
36:18
God
36:18
created it.
36:20
But the
36:20
problem is
36:21
what intoxicated
36:22
us is when
36:24
we think
36:25
we need
36:25
that over
36:26
God.
36:26
When we
36:27
pursue
36:28
that.
36:28
over
36:29
God.
36:31
That's not
36:31
holiness.
36:32
That's sin.
36:34
Little change.
36:36
Change in
36:36
our thinking.
36:37
Our want
36:38
to's change.
36:38
Our desires
36:39
and passions
36:40
change because
36:41
God has
36:41
acted in
36:43
us.
36:43
So I
36:44
pray for
36:45
all of us
36:46
in here that
36:46
we would
36:47
pursue holiness
36:47
so that when
36:49
we read
36:49
Leviticus
36:50
through our
36:51
Bible reading
36:51
plan or
36:52
we read
36:54
numbers or
36:56
we read
36:56
another hard
36:57
book that
36:58
gives us
36:59
a bunch
36:59
of laws
37:00
shows what
37:01
he required
37:02
of Israel
37:03
we read
37:03
it and
37:03
say yes
37:05
God has
37:06
made us
37:07
holy as
37:08
he is
37:08
setting
37:08
Israel
37:09
apart in
37:09
the Old
37:10
Testament.
37:10
He has
37:11
set us
37:11
apart and
37:12
we celebrate
37:13
in that and
37:13
we pursue
37:14
holiness.
37:16
We desire
37:18
holiness.
37:19
We acknowledge
37:20
and admit that
37:21
we are his
37:22
children and
37:23
he has
37:24
called us
37:24
from darkness
37:25
and delight.
37:26
Let's pray
37:26
together.
37:27
Let's pray
37:26
together.