1 Peter 1:13-2:12 "Be Prepared"
Sermon Three
"Be Changed."
1 Peter 2:1-8 Page 1888
November 28, 2010
This is a series about being prepared and that thought comes from 1 Peter 1:13 where Peter calls his audience, and us, to prepare our minds for action. The first part of preparedness was to have your hope fully grounded in the grace of God shown to us through Jesus (vs 13). The second part; which we looked at last week was to consider our connections. Connecting to Jesus permeates all aspects of our lives and I showed that through the food coloring and the paper towel object lesson. Today we become more prepared to walk with Jesus and experience an abundant life by following Jesus’ command to rid ourselves of sin and connect to Christ as others connect to him making a temple for Christ to dwell.
These eight verses are in two sections that are connected. In the first three verses we are called to rid ourselves of sinful behaviour and in the next five verses we are called to consider our connection to Christ and the consequences of not making that connection while time is available.
I have called this sermon "be changed" as a reminder that connecting to Jesus enters us into a change process. God is the author of change. Although God himself is unchangeable, he changes us. We are always in the process of change. Nothing good lasts forever and nothing bad lasts forever as well. Age, maturity, knowledge, and growth are all processes of change. Some changes we like and other changes we want to stay away from. People become closer to God through one choice at a time and we can become farther from God one choice at a time. If your life is not drawing closer to God then confess, repent, reaffirm your commitment and turn back to God. If your choices are keeping you connected to God then keep doing, and thinking, good things and reap the results of a full life now and for eternity.
Last week we looked at 1 Peter 1:17-25 and the call to have a different connection with sin, others, God, and salvation because of God’s word. The passage ends reminding us that we are born again of imperishable seed by the knowledge of the word of God which stands forever. These new connections lead to the "therefore" of 2:1 and our text today.
1 Peter 2:1 page 1888 "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."
These are all relational sins so this is a reminder that believers need to get rid of any attitude or hindrance that could threaten this love for brothers and sisters in Christ. | Rid yourselves is also translated "put away" or "put off." The same phrase is used in other New Testament passages, always indicating removing one’s former life of sin as one would take off a garment (see also Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22, 25; Colossians 3:8; James 1:21). The Greek tense indicates that this is a singular decisive act with ongoing consequence. The choice has been made and it is being carried out. Peter addressed this command to rid oneself of sin only to born-again Christians (1:23) who, having a new God-given nature within them, have the ability to break with their past life of sin. While we cannot become completely sin-free in this life, no matter how hard we try to put aside sin, we are commanded to get rid of sin in order to become more like Christ. |
| Peter lists several types of sin to remove from our lives. The sins Peter listed here fight against love and cause dissension among believers. The first two sins mentioned refer to general categories. The last three sins refer to the specific acts that flow out of them. |
| Malice means doing evil despite the good that has been received; the desire to harm other people. Malice may be hidden behind good actions. Christians should have no part in evil actions toward others (see Colossians 3:8; James 1:21). |
| Deceit means deliberately tricking or misleading by lying (see also 3:10). |
| Hypocrisy means that people say one thing but do another; playacting; presenting good motives that mask selfish desire. |
| Envy means desiring something possessed by someone else. This causes discontent and resentment as believers make unhealthy comparisons to one another. It also makes them unable to be thankful for the good that comes to others. |
| Slander means destroying another’s good reputation by lies, gossip, rumour-spreading, etc. Malice often manifests itself through slander. We should not treat fellow Christians the way the world treats us (3:16). Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you. —Spanish proverb |
When we get rid of these sins and love each other deeply from the heart as it says in 1:22 we are preparing our lives for God’s blessing.
Then Peter goes on to write:
1Pe 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(the focus is on the "crave" and the nutritional value more than milk
as opposed to solid food like in Hebrews 5:12-14)
so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, :3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
(
Tasted: That is… at the start of your faith in Jesus as the provider of your salvation since they are just starting their walk with God through the grace of Jesus.)Then we move on to the need for us to be connected to Christ as the cornerstone of our faith. Extra time and care was made in placing and selecting the cornerstone since all other blocks would be connected to it. If you change this one stone you change the building!! If you reject this stone then the whole building is flawed.
Is Jesus your cornerstone? Is everything else connected to Him and His word?
1Pe 2:4
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— :5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.We start with Jesus being acceptable to the Father.
Then we move to our connection and change of responsibilities.
He even tells this Gentile audience that they are now Priests who present offerings acceptable to God.
These offerings are only acceptable THROUGH Jesus and the changed relationship because of God’s grace.
Then Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16:
1Pe 2:6
For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."By connecting to Jesus we are free of shame and the punishment for our sins but that is not true for everyone.
1Pe 2:7
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,’"1Pe 2:8
and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall."They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
The J.F.B. commentary has this to say for verse 8: The lost shall lay all the blame on their own perversity, not on God's decree; the saved shall ascribe all the merit to God's electing grace.
The New |Commentary on the Whole Bible includes this section: What they were destined for—God does not ordain that certain people would be disobedient, but he does give them up to the consequences of their disobedience. The consequence of disobedience has been predetermined; those who disobey will suffer God’s judgment. Through the same Christ whom they reject, sinners themselves will be rejected. The lost will lay all the blame of their ruin on their own sinfulness, not on God’s decree. The saved shall give all the credit for their salvation to God’s electing love and grace.
Connecting Christ changes us. He calls us away from sin and into a life of love.
| First of all – Are you connected to Christ and His grace? Has His grace covered your sins? If not this week is a good week to make the change and connect to the cornerstone. Let me know how I can help. |
| Secondly, How are you doing with showing God’s love to others? |
| How are you showing love for the family of God? |
| How are you loving those who love you? |
| How do you show kindness to strangers? |
| How are you loving the lost? |
| How are you loving your enemies? |
Next week we go further in looking at our lifestyle as we conclude our study with 1 Peter 2:9-12 – "Be Attractive."