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1 Peter 2:1-3

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  1. Well, I'll turn again, if you will, back to 1 Peter chapter 2.

    1 Peter 2 chapter mention

  2. The sermon this night will be through verses 1-3, the first three verses.

  3. Just a reminder, next Sunday begins our new series in Adult Sunday School on the means of grace,

  4. on the preaching and reading of scripture, on baptism, on the Lord's Supper and prayer.

  5. So each week we'll go through each one of those, and if you can, it'd be very edifying for all of you to come.

  6. And this evening we look at those very topics here in 1 Peter chapter 2.

    1 Peter 2 chapter mention

  7. Peter addresses those for us.

  8. Well, last Thursday, of course, was Halloween, but it was also another very special day.

  9. Does anybody know what we celebrate on October 31st?

  10. Reformation Day.

  11. Reformation Day, all right, good.

  12. So Reformation Day is the day we remember on October 31st, 1517,

  13. that Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg

  14. and started the Protestant Reformation.

  15. And the theology of the Reformers swept across Europe,

  16. and thousands and thousands of people were converted to the true gospel.

  17. But things didn't always go so well.

  18. So in 1546, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V

  19. sent his imperial troops into Germany to destroy the Protestant delegation there.

  20. The Roman Catholic Emperor had decided that the Protestant princes had given him enough trouble,

  21. and it was time to take them out.

  22. And thousands of Christians were killed in Germany.

  23. Many more fled for their lives, and fear swept across Europe.

  24. All the Protestants were in fear that this was it.

  25. This was the end for them.

  26. They would be exterminated.

  27. The Reformed churches in Geneva also grew worried with this act of Charles V.

  28. There were rumors that the Pope himself was leading an army of 25,000 men into Geneva

  29. to slaughter the Reformed church there.

  30. Well, the entire population of Geneva was about 12,000 people at the time,

  31. so it wouldn't have been much of a fair fight.

  32. The political and religious leaders in Geneva knew that the internal squabbles

  33. that they were having in that day would only weaken the defenses of their city

  34. against this external threat.

  35. And so in March of 1547, the pastors of that city summoned all the people together,

  36. and they encouraged them to reconcile with one another.

  37. They knew that internal unity was absolutely essential for them to survive these potential attacks.

  38. The pastors called for a day of prayer for their brothers and sisters in Germany,

  39. and also for their own unification.

  40. Now, as it turns out, the rumors were not true.

  41. The Pope, indeed, did not lead an army into Geneva.

  42. The city was spared.

  43. But this unity that had developed over this time,

  44. it served to strengthen the city,

  45. and it continued to unite them in years to come.

  46. And Geneva was enabled to endure future threats that came from Roman Catholics,

  47. and it became a haven of refuge for exiled Protestants from across Europe

  48. to come there fleeing the persecution from Roman Catholics.

  49. Many in this country, indeed, fled to Geneva and were strengthened there.

  50. And they were strengthened in part because of this internal unity

  51. that had developed in the city.

  52. Now, although we in this country do not often face the threat of physical persecution,

  53. we do have to remember our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who do face it every day.

  54. Those who are persecuted for the cause of Christ.

  55. We must remember them.

  56. We must pray for them.

  57. We must seek to help them, not only as individuals, but as the corporate body of Christ.

  58. And even if we here are not in threat of physical danger for our faith,

  59. we have to remember that all Christians live as pilgrims.

  60. We are exiled from our ultimate home in heaven.

  61. And as we suffer the travails of life lived under the sun,

  62. we must seek unity within the body of Christ,

  63. as we are assaulted from without and from within,

  64. while we journey to the promised land.

  65. And Peter instructs us here in these matters in 1 Peter 2.

  66. He urges exiled pilgrims to discard the sinful encumbrances

  67. and to nourish their souls on their journey to heaven.

  68. In our passage, we see Peter's instructions for exiled Christians.

  69. These instructions come in three parts.

  70. First, Peter's instructions for exiles are based on their redemptive relationship with Christ.

  71. Secondly, Peter instructs exiles to long for Christ.

  72. And finally, Peter instructs exiles to reconcile with one another.

  73. So first we see Peter's instructions for exiles are based upon their redemptive relationship with Christ.

  74. Now, if you look at verse 1 of chapter 1,

  75. Peter addresses his letter to the exiles, the elect exiles of dispersion.

  76. Again, in verse 17 of chapter 1, he references the exiles.

  77. This idea of Christians as exiles or pilgrims, it goes all the way back to the time of Abraham.

  78. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament,

  79. the same word is used of Abraham when he's speaking to the Hittites.

  80. He says, I am a stranger and an exile among you.

  81. The other time in the New Testament that this word is used is in the book of Hebrews,

  82. where again it refers to Abraham,

  83. but also Christians before and after him as exiles on the earth.

  84. So Peter, in one sense, is addressing all Christians in his letter,

  85. and he's addressing them as exiles, as those sojourners without their home.

  86. Peter later encourages these exiles in chapter 5 to stand firm in the grace of God

  87. as they journey throughout the world.

  88. In chapters 3 and 4, he instructs these pilgrims on the path to salvation

  89. that they will indeed face persecution.

  90. In chapter 5, he sums it up and he says,

  91. he instructs us here to remain faithful under pressure,

  92. living as exiles in this world as they progress towards God's ultimate rest.

  93. Interestingly here, in verse 3 of chapter 2,

  94. Peter quotes Psalm 34,

  95. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

  96. We saw in the version of that psalm earlier in the service.

  97. Now the heading of that psalm reads,

  98. You recall that David was a fugitive from King Saul,

  99. and for many years he sojourned throughout southern Israel.

  100. He was forced to leave his homeland,

  101. and Saul is on the run.

  102. He's after David, seeking to kill him.

  103. And Saul eventually drives him out of the land of promise,

  104. and David is forced to seek refuge in the hand of Israel's greatest enemy,

  105. the Philistines.

  106. And he goes to King Abimelech,

  107. seeking refuge from Saul.

  108. David never is able to settle in peace.

  109. He's never able to rest in the land of promise that God had given his people.

  110. And so he's driven into the hands of the Philistines.

  111. Thankfully, David was able to escape,

  112. using his cunning, using his trust in the Lord.

  113. And Psalm 34 references this.

  114. Psalm 34 tells us of God's faithfulness to his servant,

  115. and deliverance from suffering.

  116. Even though the psalmist is deceived on all sides by his enemies,

  117. he knows that he can trust in God,

  118. that God indeed will deliver him.

  119. The hearers of 1 Peter immediately would have recognized this quotation from this psalm.

  120. They would know Psalm 34.

  121. They would know that he's speaking of David,

  122. and especially that context of exile,

  123. of dispersion and his activity as a fugitive.

  124. Peter here is associating his hearers with David in exile.

  125. They too long for deliverance from the persecution that they face from the hands of the Romans.

  126. They too long for rest in their homeland that God has promised them.

  127. Like David, they must sojourn outside of the land of promise,

  128. as they await God's ultimate rescue.

  129. These pilgrims are compelled by Peter to remain faithful to God,

  130. and to anticipate that ultimate Sabbath rest that one day they will enter as their reward.

  131. Just as God rewarded David with the kingdom of Israel,

  132. although it too was a mere type and shadow of the heavenly kingdom that is to come.

  133. Now these instructions that Peter gives these exiles here

  134. are based on their redemptive relationship with Christ.

  135. He tells them,

  136. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

  137. Now this phrase here, it's kind of like a rhetorical question.

  138. The answer, of course, is yes.

  139. Now children, imagine if your parents said,

  140. We can get ice cream if indeed you really want some.

  141. Well, of course you want some.

  142. Who doesn't want ice cream?

  143. That's what Peter is basically saying here.

  144. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

  145. And of course you have.

  146. You know what it means to taste that the Lord is good.

  147. He writes to those who intimately know Christ.

  148. They know what it means in verse 3 of chapter 1 when he says,

  149. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  150. According to his great mercy,

  151. he has caused us to be born again to a living hope

  152. through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

  153. They know this.

  154. And they know it intimately.

  155. They know what it means to taste that the Lord is good.

  156. They recognize the Christ as the living stone, as we read in verse 4.

  157. In the sight of God, he is chosen and precious.

  158. Just as Peter's hearers were exiles from their homeland

  159. and they suffered persecution in this present evil age,

  160. more so our Savior Jesus Christ was the ultimate exile.

  161. He left his home in heaven and came to earth to suffer as a man for our disobedience

  162. and to earn the righteousness that we need to stand before God as holy and justified in his sight.

  163. He came to his own and his own received him not.

  164. Just as David was persecuted by Saul, even more so.

  165. Christ was despised and rejected by men.

  166. He was exiled outside of the city of Jerusalem and crucified by his own people.

  167. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus suffered outside the gates

  168. in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

  169. He was sent outside the city to suffer and die as a common criminal

  170. so that he could bring us one day into God's heavenly city

  171. as citizens, as heirs of Christ.

  172. Christ was exiled as a man of no esteem

  173. so that we could be adopted as God's own children.

  174. Now when David was exiled by the hand of Saul,

  175. in Psalm 34 you recall that he had already been anointed king

  176. by the prophet Samuel.

  177. He was the true king.

  178. But his own subjects rejected him

  179. as they followed the former king, the false king Saul.

  180. Well, the Lord Jesus, the king of kings, came to earth

  181. and he inaugurated his kingdom

  182. but his own subjects rejected him.

  183. The exiled king died on behalf of his people

  184. so that he might make them citizens of his eternal kingdom.

  185. And one day he will return as conferring king,

  186. no longer the humble suffering servant

  187. but as the victorious monarch.

  188. And he will vanquish his enemies

  189. and establish his kingdom which will last forever.

  190. And he will bring us into that kingdom

  191. and we will be his loyal subjects,

  192. no longer his enemies but his faithful servants

  193. ruling alongside him.

  194. Reconcile to God and we will remain forever

  195. as obedient servants in Christ

  196. and testimonies to his great rule.

  197. We long for that day.

  198. But even now, even today,

  199. we have tasted that the Lord is good.

  200. We know what it is to go from darkness to light.

  201. We know what it means to be forgiven

  202. and to be reconciled with God.

  203. And we long for that day

  204. when Christ will consummate his kingdom

  205. and establish his throne forever.

  206. But even today,

  207. we know that God has declared us righteous in Christ

  208. and we have experienced that he is good.

  209. We have tasted the goodness of the word of God

  210. and the powers of the age to come,

  211. as Hebrews tells us.

  212. We taste that goodness

  213. every time we feed upon

  214. the body and blood of Christ

  215. in the supper of the Lord.

  216. This is where we taste

  217. that the Lord is good.

  218. We receive Christ and all his benefits

  219. through the means of grace

  220. that he has ordained for us.

  221. You see, early on in the history of the church,

  222. the early Christians recognized

  223. that this passage was referencing

  224. the Lord's supper.

  225. And the only two uses of this word

  226. in the New Testament

  227. are in clear Lord's supper passages.

  228. So the early church actually incorporated

  229. this verse into the form

  230. that they would read

  231. before they celebrated the supper.

  232. They knew they received Christ

  233. and all his benefits

  234. when they came to the table of the Lord.

  235. Nothing unites Christians together more

  236. than when we partake of the Lord's supper.

  237. When we are assaulted from without,

  238. we come together as the body of Christ

  239. and we eat from the same loaf

  240. and we drink from the same cup.

  241. We are one

  242. as we assemble around this table

  243. and we experience a supernatural unity

  244. as we feed on the body and blood of Christ.

  245. Now when we come to the table,

  246. we are brought back to the cross of Christ

  247. as we partake of the same body

  248. that was crucified for us

  249. and we drink the same blood

  250. that was shed for us.

  251. Christ is the sacrificial meal.

  252. But he not only takes us back to the cross,

  253. he takes us forward.

  254. The supper foreshadows the eternal Sabbath rest

  255. when we will eat and drink together

  256. in the presence of the Lord.

  257. Our King is no longer exiled from his homeland.

  258. He has completed his redemptive work

  259. and he has entered into the age to come.

  260. Christ is the first fruit of the final resurrection

  261. and we will follow him in that resurrection.

  262. He has already been rewarded

  263. with the blessings of that consummated kingdom.

  264. And every time we partake of his body and blood

  265. here in the supper,

  266. we taste the powers of the age to come.

  267. We experience a foretaste

  268. of that eternal Sabbath rest

  269. where we will again partake of the supper with Christ

  270. in the marriage feast of the Lamb.

  271. Peter's hearers knew

  272. what it meant to go from darkness to light.

  273. They knew that formerly they had not known God

  274. but now they had come to be known by God

  275. in an intimate way.

  276. And not only known by God,

  277. but by Christ.

  278. You see, in Psalm 34,

  279. it says,

  280. Taste and see that Yahweh is good.

  281. But when Peter translates it here,

  282. he says,

  283. Taste and see that the Lord Jesus Christ is good.

  284. It's not enough to know the Father.

  285. You must know the Father through the Son,

  286. Jesus Christ.

  287. He is the Lord.

  288. We have to come into a relationship with Him.

  289. We have to be known by Him.

  290. This is a thoroughly Trinitarian passage.

  291. God the Father feeds us

  292. with the true and proper

  293. body and blood of Christ

  294. by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  295. It is through the Spirit

  296. that we taste that the Lord is good.

  297. This is why we confess

  298. in Westminster Confession 29.7,

  299. speaking of the supper,

  300. Worthy receivers,

  301. outwardly partaking of visible elements

  302. in this sacrament,

  303. do then also,

  304. inwardly by faith,

  305. really and indeed,

  306. yet not carnally and corporately,

  307. but spiritually.

  308. And this spiritually should be capital.

  309. It's speaking of the Holy Spirit.

  310. We spiritually receive

  311. and feed upon Christ crucified

  312. and all benefits of His death.

  313. We feed on Christ

  314. by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  315. So our redemptive relationship with Christ

  316. serves as the foundation

  317. for Peter's edifying instructions

  318. for his fellow exiles.

  319. We pilgrims are sustained

  320. on our journey to our heavenly home,

  321. for we indeed have tasted

  322. that the Lord is good.

  323. Now secondly,

  324. we see that

  325. based on this redemptive relationship,

  326. Peter instructs exiles

  327. to long for Christ.

  328. Look down at verse 2.

  329. Like newborn infants,

  330. long for the pure spiritual milk.

  331. Now this analogy of infants

  332. stresses the desperate need

  333. that we have for spiritual nourishment.

  334. Now unlike those

  335. whom Paul scolds in Corinthians

  336. when he tells them

  337. you haven't grown up to solid food,

  338. you're still stuck on milk,

  339. or those in the book of Hebrews

  340. who were equally stunted,

  341. Peter here is not rebuking them

  342. for their need for this milk.

  343. Indeed, he's commending them.

  344. Long for this pure spiritual milk.

  345. This is a perpetual need.

  346. This is a need that we will have

  347. throughout our entire life.

  348. Now this infant metaphor

  349. is entirely appropriate.

  350. Children, those of you

  351. who have younger brothers and sisters,

  352. do you remember

  353. when your little brother or little sister

  354. came home from the hospital

  355. and your parents brought them

  356. into the house?

  357. What could they do?

  358. Did they make dinner for you?

  359. Did they help you clean up your room?

  360. No, they didn't do anything.

  361. They're helpless.

  362. They just kind of sit there.

  363. They can't help you.

  364. They can't do anything.

  365. They have nothing.

  366. They have no way

  367. to defend for themselves.

  368. They can't even feed themselves.

  369. And so are we.

  370. We are weak.

  371. We are vulnerable.

  372. We are highly susceptible to harm.

  373. We can't defend ourselves.

  374. We are completely dependent

  375. upon another for sustenance.

  376. We need this life-giving milk

  377. above all else.

  378. We cannot survive

  379. unless we are fed.

  380. Also, like infants,

  381. not only are we helpless,

  382. but as infants,

  383. we must be free

  384. from the corruption

  385. of living in a sinful world.

  386. Now, although infants

  387. aren't free from original sin,

  388. they bear the guilt of Adam's sin.

  389. Yet they are free

  390. from the guile

  391. and the deceit

  392. that we develop

  393. as we grow into adulthood.

  394. Infants don't willfully

  395. harm their neighbor.

  396. They don't have this

  397. hardness of sin

  398. that we experience

  399. as we grow older.

  400. They're naive.

  401. They're in a good sense.

  402. They're as gentle as doves.

  403. And so we exiles

  404. are instructed

  405. to long for milk

  406. as infants.

  407. Now, even though

  408. this longing here

  409. is not a command

  410. by Peter,

  411. it's really more

  412. of a reminder

  413. of the benefits

  414. that we receive.

  415. Infants don't have

  416. to be told to eat.

  417. They don't have to be commanded

  418. now is the time to eat.

  419. They have this longing.

  420. They instinctually know

  421. they need this milk

  422. to survive.

  423. And so, too,

  424. we need the spiritual milk

  425. to survive

  426. on our pilgrim journey.

  427. Now, there is much debate

  428. as to the identity

  429. of this milk.

  430. You may have seen

  431. translations that say

  432. the pure milk

  433. of the Word.

  434. Certainly, this milk

  435. is related to

  436. the inscripturated

  437. Word of God.

  438. At the end of chapter 1,

  439. Peter reminds us

  440. of the greatness

  441. of the Word of God.

  442. Verse 22,

  443. Having purified your souls

  444. by your obedience

  445. to the truth

  446. for a sincere

  447. brotherly love,

  448. love one another

  449. earnestly from a pure heart.

  450. Since you have been

  451. born again,

  452. not of perishable seed,

  453. but of imperishable,

  454. through the living

  455. and abiding

  456. Word of God.

  457. For all flesh

  458. is like grass

  459. and all its glory

  460. like the flower of grass.

  461. The grass withers

  462. and the flower falls,

  463. but the Word of the Lord

  464. remains forever.

  465. So this milk,

  466. of course,

  467. includes the written

  468. Word of God,

  469. but it's much more

  470. than that.

  471. Based on our

  472. redemptive relationship

  473. with Christ,

  474. we are commanded

  475. to long for this

  476. pure spiritual milk,

  477. which is the sustenance

  478. of the Christian life.

  479. And the sustenance

  480. is Christ Himself.

  481. We long for Him.

  482. We are nourished by Him.

  483. We grow as we are fed

  484. by Him.

  485. Just as infants

  486. need milk all day,

  487. every day,

  488. so too we exiled

  489. Christians need

  490. Christ to survive.

  491. We need Him

  492. and all His benefits

  493. to sustain us

  494. on our Christian journey.

  495. He is the fine

  496. that sustains us

  497. as we sojourn

  498. in this world.

  499. Well,

  500. how do we receive Christ?

  501. How are we nourished

  502. by this milk?

  503. Of course,

  504. it's through the Word of God,

  505. but more specifically,

  506. it's through the preaching

  507. of the Gospel.

  508. Peter mentions this

  509. at the end of verse 25,

  510. chapter 1.

  511. And this Word

  512. is the good news

  513. that was preached

  514. to you.

  515. We receive Christ

  516. and all His benefits

  517. every Lord's Day

  518. when the minister

  519. preaches the Gospel

  520. to us.

  521. This is why we confess

  522. in the Second

  523. Helvetic Confession.

  524. Wherefore,

  525. when this Word of God

  526. is now preached

  527. in every church

  528. by preachers

  529. lawfully called,

  530. we believe

  531. that the very Word

  532. of God

  533. is proclaimed

  534. and received

  535. by the faithful.

  536. Christ Himself

  537. speaks to us

  538. through the mouth

  539. of the minister

  540. as He faithfully

  541. proclaims His Word.

  542. We also confess

  543. in the Westminster

  544. Larger Catechism,

  545. 155,

  546. the Spirit of God

  547. makes the reading,

  548. but especially

  549. the preaching

  550. of the Word

  551. an effectual means

  552. of enlightening,

  553. convincing,

  554. and humbling sinners,

  555. of driving them

  556. out of themselves

  557. and drawing them

  558. unto Christ.

  559. This is primarily

  560. how we long

  561. for that pure

  562. spiritual milk.

  563. We attend

  564. to the means

  565. of grace.

  566. We attend

  567. to the preaching

  568. of the Gospel

  569. and the administration

  570. of the sacraments.

  571. This is how

  572. we are granted faith

  573. and this is how

  574. our faith is nourished

  575. and strengthened.

  576. That great passage

  577. from the Apostle Paul

  578. in Romans chapter 10.

    Romans 10 chapter mention

  579. How are they

  580. to call on Him

  581. in whom they have

  582. not believed?

  583. And how are they

  584. to believe on Him

  585. of whom they

  586. have never heard?

  587. And how are they

  588. to hear

  589. without someone

  590. preaching?

  591. And how are they

  592. to preach

  593. unless they are sent?

  594. As it is written,

  595. how beautiful

  596. are the feet

  597. of those

  598. who preach

  599. the good news.

  600. So faith

  601. comes from hearing

  602. and hearing

  603. through the Word

  604. of Christ.

  605. It is through

  606. the preaching

  607. of the Gospel

  608. that the Holy Spirit

  609. creates faith

  610. in our hearts

  611. to believe

  612. and we are adopted

  613. into God's family

  614. and then He works

  615. through the administration

  616. of the sacraments

  617. to strengthen

  618. and nourish

  619. our faith

  620. in Christ.

  621. The preaching

  622. of the Gospel

  623. and the administration

  624. of the sacraments

  625. are the life force

  626. for exiled Christians.

  627. And as we journey

  628. on our pilgrim way

  629. when we suffer persecution

  630. or when Christians

  631. around the world

  632. suffer

  633. we must cling

  634. to Christ

  635. and we must cling

  636. to Him

  637. as we have received Him

  638. in the means of grace.

  639. This is what is

  640. really real.

  641. When we face

  642. moments of doubt

  643. or when we stare

  644. death in the face

  645. we will not

  646. cling to our experiences.

  647. We will not trust

  648. our feelings

  649. and emotions

  650. to tell us

  651. that we are safe

  652. in Christ.

  653. When we face

  654. that final hour

  655. we will cling

  656. to Christ

  657. and we will cling

  658. to Him

  659. as we have received Him

  660. in the preaching

  661. of the Gospel

  662. and the administration

  663. of the sacraments.

  664. When we receive Christ

  665. and all His benefits

  666. we will know

  667. that the Gospel

  668. that has been

  669. proclaimed to us

  670. is true

  671. and it's true

  672. for us.

  673. Martin Luther said

  674. it's not enough

  675. to know

  676. that Christ died

  677. for my sins.

  678. We must know

  679. that Christ died

  680. for my sins.

  681. And when we take

  682. that last breath

  683. we will trust

  684. those promises

  685. for us are true

  686. as we have received

  687. them through

  688. the means of grace.

  689. Just as sure

  690. as we eat

  691. this bread

  692. and we drink

  693. this cup

  694. so too

  695. we are sure

  696. that we have

  697. eaten His body

  698. and we have

  699. drunk His blood

  700. and that we have

  701. eternal life

  702. and that He will

  703. raise us up

  704. on the last day

  705. as He promised us

  706. in John chapter 6.

    John 6 chapter mention

  707. Just as sure

  708. as we've been baptized

  709. whether you remember

  710. it or not

  711. just as sure

  712. as you've been a witness

  713. to others

  714. who've been baptized

  715. we know

  716. that Christ

  717. has taken us

  718. through those waters

  719. of death

  720. and He has brought us

  721. out safely

  722. on the other side.

  723. And just as sure

  724. as we've heard

  725. the minister

  726. proclaim the Gospel

  727. to us

  728. we know

  729. that Christ

  730. has delivered

  731. to us

  732. the good news

  733. that He has died

  734. for us

  735. that He has

  736. reconciled us

  737. to God.

  738. When we're confronted

  739. with the difficulty

  740. that comes

  741. with the life

  742. of exile

  743. we must look

  744. to the means

  745. that God

  746. has given us

  747. to receive Christ

  748. and all His benefits.

  749. It is true

  750. we have tasted

  751. that the Lord

  752. is good.

  753. Peter's exile

  754. here is new

  755. what it was

  756. to trust in Christ.

  757. They have tasted

  758. that the Lord

  759. is good

  760. and based on

  761. their redemptive

  762. relationship

  763. with Christ

  764. God instructs

  765. them to long

  766. for Christ

  767. to desire

  768. this pure

  769. spiritual milk

  770. with the result

  771. that they could

  772. grow together

  773. in unity.

  774. This is our

  775. third point.

  776. Peter instructs

  777. exiled Christians

  778. to be edifying

  779. to build up

  780. one another

  781. as they reconcile

  782. with one another.

  783. It's only because

  784. we have received

  785. Christ and all

  786. His benefits

  787. through the Word

  788. and the Sacraments

  789. that now

  790. we can grow

  791. in Christ

  792. and love

  793. our neighbor.

  794. So,

  795. verse 1

  796. of chapter 2

  797. we must put away

  798. all these

  799. sinful encumbrances

  800. that weigh us

  801. down as we

  802. journey to our

  803. final homeland.

  804. Peter instructs us

  805. here that this

  806. isn't all going

  807. to happen at once.

  808. We can't snap

  809. our fingers

  810. and instantly

  811. be sanctified

  812. as much as

  813. we would like to.

  814. We know that

  815. we will deal

  816. with the presence

  817. of sin

  818. as long as

  819. we journey

  820. on earth.

  821. We will never

  822. be perfectly

  823. sanctified

  824. while we are

  825. still in these

  826. sinful bodies

  827. but we must

  828. begin to put

  829. away these

  830. sinful behaviors.

  831. This is a

  832. lifelong process

  833. but we can

  834. begin to set

  835. aside these

  836. encumbrances

  837. that weigh us

  838. down.

  839. Now,

  840. Peter writes

  841. and,

  842. you see,

  843. in between

  844. each of these

  845. lists of

  846. bad things

  847. and he wants

  848. the reader

  849. to stop

  850. and focus

  851. on each

  852. one and so

  853. we'll do

  854. that now.

  855. We must

  856. put away

  857. all malice.

  858. This is a

  859. mean-spirited

  860. disposition.

  861. Peter places

  862. all before

  863. there to

  864. signal every

  865. kind of

  866. malice,

  867. every kind

  868. of mal-intention.

  869. These exiles

  870. must shed

  871. every evil

  872. disposition

  873. which is the

  874. opposite of

  875. love,

  876. whatever form

  877. that manifests

  878. itself.

  879. Peter then

  880. instructs his

  881. hearers to

  882. be free

  883. from all

  884. deceit.

  885. This is the

  886. taking advantage

  887. of another

  888. person through

  889. underhanded

  890. means or

  891. crackiness.

  892. Isaiah speaks

  893. of Christ

  894. that no

  895. deceit was

  896. found in

  897. his mouth.

  898. We sojourners

  899. on the road

  900. to salvation

  901. must be

  902. truth to

  903. one another

  904. and avoid

  905. this deceitful

  906. speech that

  907. is so harmful.

  908. Put away

  909. all malice

  910. and all

  911. deceit

  912. and hypocrisy,

  913. the opposite

  914. of truth.

  915. In ancient

  916. Greek,

  917. this word

  918. was used

  919. for actors

  920. who played

  921. a role

  922. on the

  923. stage.

  924. You recall

  925. that Jesus

  926. repeatedly rebukes

  927. the scribes

  928. and the Pharisees

  929. for playing

  930. the role

  931. of the

  932. truly righteous.

  933. This sin

  934. is devastating

  935. to the

  936. church.

  937. We have

  938. to be

  939. open and

  940. honest with

  941. one another,

  942. warts and

  943. all.

  944. And as we

  945. journey on

  946. our way,

  947. this sin

  948. of hypocrisy

  949. is especially

  950. dangerous in

  951. times of

  952. hardship and

  953. suffering.

  954. We have to

  955. know who we

  956. can count on

  957. when we

  958. are assaulted

  959. from without.

  960. We must

  961. put aside

  962. this hypocrisy.

  963. Put aside

  964. all envy.

  965. This inhibits

  966. the love and

  967. affection within

  968. the body of

  969. Christ.

  970. In the

  971. ancient world,

  972. many people

  973. believed that

  974. the success

  975. of one person

  976. inhibited the

  977. success of

  978. another.

  979. The cake

  980. was only so

  981. big, so if

  982. my neighbor

  983. got a big

  984. slice, well,

  985. that means that

  986. my slice will

  987. be much smaller.

  988. And so they

  989. were very

  990. envious of

  991. one another,

  992. wished ill on

  993. their neighbor.

  994. These exiles

  995. are victims of

  996. the slander from

  997. the Gentiles in

  998. chapter 2,

  999. verse 12, who

  1000. speak evil of

  1001. them as

  1002. wrongdoers.

  1003. But the only

  1004. other time that

  1005. this word is

  1006. used in the

  1007. New Testament

  1008. is of slander

  1009. of fellow

  1010. Christians.

  1011. Why do we

  1012. turn on one

  1013. another in

  1014. times of

  1015. trial?

  1016. How much

  1017. more in

  1018. times of

  1019. hardship do

  1020. we need to

  1021. be edifying

  1022. instead of

  1023. tearing down?

  1024. Pilgrims

  1025. traveling to

  1026. ultimate

  1027. salvation must

  1028. cast away

  1029. these sinful

  1030. impediments

  1031. that block

  1032. our path.

  1033. And this

  1034. improper

  1035. behavior remains

  1036. a constant

  1037. temptation, but

  1038. it is a great

  1039. distraction from

  1040. our journey, and

  1041. we must avoid

  1042. these restrictive

  1043. encumbrances and

  1044. embrace the

  1045. nourishing benefits

  1046. that come from

  1047. Christ and the

  1048. gospel.

  1049. our survival as

  1050. the church depends

  1051. on us.

  1052. And we have to

  1053. be reconciled to

  1054. one another so

  1055. that we can all

  1056. grow up into

  1057. salvation as we

  1058. are fed by the

  1059. pure spiritual

  1060. milk.

  1061. Look again at

  1062. verse 2.

  1063. Like newborn

  1064. infants, long

  1065. for the pure

  1066. spiritual milk that

  1067. by it you may

  1068. grow up into

  1069. salvation.

  1070. This word you

  1071. hear is plural.

  1072. In fact, all the

  1073. verbs in this

  1074. passage are plural.

  1075. Peter is

  1076. addressing us as

  1077. one.

  1078. We are united in

  1079. the body of

  1080. Christ.

  1081. We're in this

  1082. together.

  1083. We journey

  1084. together on our

  1085. way to the

  1086. heavenly home.

  1087. We are knit

  1088. together in the

  1089. body of Christ, and

  1090. we have tasted that

  1091. the Lord is good.

  1092. And it is based on

  1093. these promises that

  1094. we must long for

  1095. Christ and be

  1096. reconciled to one

  1097. another so that we

  1098. can all grow up

  1099. together into

  1100. salvation.

  1101. This salvation

  1102. starts when we are

  1103. regenerated, when

  1104. we're born again, as

  1105. Peter referenced in

  1106. chapter 1.

  1107. And it comes to

  1108. completion when our

  1109. exile is finally

  1110. over, and we

  1111. enter that heavenly

  1112. rest.

  1113. But until that day, we

  1114. must cling to Christ,

  1115. who more importantly

  1116. clings to us, as we

  1117. hold on to one

  1118. another, united in

  1119. love for our

  1120. Savior.

  1121. Well, I'm sure that

  1122. many of you have

  1123. read the book,

  1124. Pilgrim's Progress.

  1125. At one point, it was

  1126. the second best-selling

  1127. book in the English

  1128. language behind the

  1129. Bible.

  1130. Now, it's probably

  1131. been passed by

  1132. Da Vinci Code or

  1133. Harry Potter or

  1134. something.

  1135. But if you haven't

  1136. read Pilgrim's Progress,

  1137. please do so.

  1138. It is very rewarding.

  1139. And you recall the

  1140. main character,

  1141. Christian, journeys on

  1142. the Pilgrim pathway

  1143. toward his final home

  1144. in the celestial city.

  1145. Along the way, he's

  1146. attacked by doubt

  1147. and temptation, and he

  1148. trusts in the Lord,

  1149. and he remains faithful

  1150. to the end.

  1151. And as great as that

  1152. book is, one of the

  1153. main petitions of part

  1154. one of that book is

  1155. that Christian basically

  1156. travels alone.

  1157. He does have his two

  1158. friends, faithful and

  1159. hopeful, who travel

  1160. with him at different

  1161. points in the journey.

  1162. But where's the church?

  1163. Where's the body of

  1164. Christ for Christian as

  1165. he travels on his

  1166. Pilgrim way?

  1167. If the story were a

  1168. little more accurate,

  1169. Bunyan would have told

  1170. us of a countless

  1171. throng of believers,

  1172. as far as the eye

  1173. could see, journeying

  1174. together on the

  1175. Pilgrim path as we

  1176. make our way to the

  1177. heavenly home.

  1178. Christians, innumerable,

  1179. would be walking

  1180. together, carrying one

  1181. another, reminding one

  1182. another of the benefits

  1183. that are theirs in Christ

  1184. and promised by the

  1185. Holy Spirit, helping one

  1186. another along the way.

  1187. The body of Christ

  1188. journeys together on the

  1189. Pilgrim way toward the

  1190. heavenly city, and we

  1191. remind one another of the

  1192. promises that are ours

  1193. in Christ and the

  1194. wonderful benefits that

  1195. he has given to us

  1196. through the means of

  1197. grace.

  1198. As we are led by the

  1199. Holy Spirit to the

  1200. eternal kingdom, where

  1201. one day we will be

  1202. greeted by our Savior,

  1203. the crucified King, who

  1204. will welcome us to his

  1205. table, and forever we

  1206. will sit and eat and

  1207. drink with the Lord.

  1208. Let's bow together in

  1209. prayer.

  1210. Let's bow together in

  1211. prayer.

  1212. Let's bow together in

  1213. prayer.