What We Are To Be

Well, we begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 96 in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 96, we're going to sing from verse 4 to verse 9, the tune of St. Magnus.

For great's the Lord, and greatly he is to be magnified,

yea, worthy to be feared is he above all gods beside.

We'll sing from verse 4 to 9 to God's praise.

For great's the Lord, and greatly he is to be magnified,

yea, worthy to be feared is he above all gods beside.

For all the gods are idols come, which blinded nations fear.

But our God is the Lord by whom the heavens created were.

Good honor is before this face, and majesty divine.

Strength is within this holy place, and there does beauty shine.

Glory to you, O Lord, and mighty power has died.

And we'll give thee the glory to the Lord, that to this name is true.

And we'll give thee to this Lord, standing, and offering with you.

In beauty of his holiness, O do the Lord adore.

Like wise that all the earth through our tremble as days before.

Let's come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, as we come before you to this day,

we thank you that there is a beauty that shines from you,

and that we are to come and adore you as our Lord and as our God,

and that your beauty may shine upon us,

that we might see your beauty through the person of Jesus Christ,

that we would might know more of your beauty through your word to us.

May it speak to all our hearts today.

May it help us to see and to know how great a God you are.

You are the Lord, and greatly to be magnified, the psalmist says.

And we do pray that as we come to worship you this day,

that that will be our longing and our desire,

that we would see you as so great and ourselves as so small.

But yet remember how you have remembered us,

and how you have given us all that we need,

how you have given us a way to salvation through your own Son, Jesus Christ,

how you have done all things that we could not.

And we thank you for the commands of your word.

We thank you for every instruction they give to us.

And we pray that we would not see them as just something that is a burden to us,

or something that is there to spoil our fun or to hinder us in any way,

but that we would see all your laws and your commands as there for our good and for your glory.

We thank you that the young ones just now are learning through your word about the Ten Commandments.

And may we all come to remember them and to see them as so wonderful for us as a people and as a world.

As we learn all about your truth, Lord, may they instruct us and guide us in our way.

But may we see that it's more than just trying to keep your commands.

But the greatest command of all that we are to keep is to love the Lord with all our heart,

and to love our neighbor as ourself.

And we thank you that that is what these commands guide us to.

So we pray, Lord, your blessing on your word to us, young and old today,

that we would hear your commands, that we would be obedient to them,

and that you would bless us through them.

Remember us in our homes and in our families and all our different needs.

We thank you that you are a God who loves us and cares for us.

And we pray that every burden that we have, every care and concern that we carry,

that we will be able to bring them to you in prayer,

knowing that you are able to help us in all our different needs.

So hear our prayers even at this time.

And continue with us through this day.

May you guide us and bless us as we ask all things for the forgiveness of our sins.

We ask it for your glory and for your sake.

Amen.

It's good to see you all again.

It's good to have the children here today as well,

and especially I'm sure you're all delighted to be back in school this last week.

All delighted to see your teachers again,

to hear your parents shouting at you in the morning,

to hurry up and get ready to get to school.

But do you like being told what to do?

Do you like it when people say to you,

do this and do that?

Or do you find it sort of just spoils your fun a little bit?

Maybe it depends who's saying it to you, does it?

Maybe it depends if it's a brother or a sister telling you

to go and get my shoes or go and get my jacket.

You're saying to yourself, go and do it yourself.

I'm not your slave.

I'm not here just to do what you tell me to do.

But then maybe if it's your mum or dad who are telling you to go and do these things,

do you say the same to them?

I hope not.

I hope you don't even say it to your little brothers or sisters either.

It's not the way we're to speak to people at all.

How about when you go to school or Sunday school

and your teachers are telling you what to do?

Do you listen to them?

Do you do as you're told with them?

Do you always, if they say, do your homework,

do you always do it, hand it in on time?

Maybe we don't always,

but we should seek to try and do what they're telling us.

But who's the most important person that we're to listen to?

Who do you think is the most important person that you're to listen to

who's telling you what to do?

Do you think it's your mum?

Do you think it's your dad?

Grandparents?

Brothers or sisters?

Friends?

Do you think that's the most important people to listen to?

No, the most important person we're to listen to is God.

Because God tells us what we're to do.

Again and again through his word,

he reminds us what we are to do.

And like I was praying there,

you're learning about the Ten Commandments in Sunday school.

You're learning about the things that we're to do

and the things that we're not to do.

And it's important to listen to that

because God is telling you,

this is how we're to live our lives.

That goes for everybody here, myself included.

God tells us what we are to do.

Imagine if there was no laws and no rules.

What would the world be like?

Everybody would think,

oh, it'd be so good if there was no rules.

Just do as we want.

Imagine if there was no rules for driving on the road.

Imagine some people,

how fast they would drive.

I mean, there's speed limits in place today,

but yet people don't always listen to them.

They go faster than the speed limit says.

But imagine if there was no rules,

how crazy people would be on the roads.

What about in school if there was no rules?

You have rules in place,

like times you have to start,

times you finish.

What do you just decide for yourself?

I'll go into school at two in the afternoon

for half an hour and that's it.

Would you learn?

No.

You'd be missing out on so much.

So there's all kinds of rules in place for us

because they're good for us.

But the greatest rules of all

are how we are to live and to love God.

And that's really what's at the heart

of the Ten Commandments.

God giving us great instructions,

how we are to live for Him

and love Him with all our hearts

and serve Him,

but also how we are to love others around us

and to be obedient to all the rules

that He has given to us.

Today in the service in 1 Peter,

we're looking at a command,

an instruction that God gives to His people.

He says,

Be holy.

And what does it mean to be holy?

Sometimes we think of being holy as being good,

but it's more than being good.

It's about loving God with all our heart

and doing everything that He instructs us

and commands us

because that's for our good

and for His glory.

So when you're told to do things,

don't see it always as just burdensome

or there to spoil your fun,

but see it as for your good

and especially the instructions

that God gives to us through His Word.

See that as for your good,

for all our good together,

that we would live for Him

and love Him with all our hearts.

So let's come to God in prayer just now

and share the Lord's Prayer together.

Let's say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father which art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our debts

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

We again sing to God's praise

just now in Psalm 103.

Again, this is in the Scottish Psalter version,

Psalm 103.

We're singing verse 1 to verse 5.

And the tune is Martyrdom.

O thou my soul,

bless God the Lord,

and all that in me is,

bested up His holy name

to magnify and bless.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 5

to God's praise.

O thou my soul,

O thou my soul,

best of the Lord,

and all that in me is,

He's stead of His holy name,

to magnify and bless.

O thou my soul,

O thou my soul,

the Lord my God,

I'll not forget to be,

of all His gracious benefits,

He hath be stoned on me.

O night and air,

when Jesus to the most gracious

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If you will see more than us,

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Well, can we turn to reading God's word as we come back to our study in 1 Peter?

We'll read in 1 Peter the first chapter, the whole chapter, just to remind ourselves where we are with it.

1 Peter chapter 1, we read the whole of the chapter together.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit,

for obedience to Jesus Christ, and for the sprinkling with his blood.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

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

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope,

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,

kept in heaven for you,

who by God's power are being guarded through faith,

for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you rejoice, though now, for a little while,

if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

so the tested genuineness of your faith,

more precious than gold that perishes,

though it is tested by fire,

may be found to result in praise and glory and honour

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Though you have not seen him, you love him.

Though you do not now see him, you believe in him,

and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

obtaining the outcome of your faith,

the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation,

the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours

searched and inquired carefully,

inquiring what person or time

the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating.

when he predicted the sufferings of Christ

and the subsequent glories,

it was revealed to them

that they were serving not themselves,

but you,

in the things that have now been announced to you

through those who preached the good news to you

by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,

things into which angels longed to look.

Therefore,

preparing your minds for action

and being sober-minded,

set your hope fully on the grace

that will be brought to you

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children,

do not be conformed to the passions

of your former ignorance,

but as he who called you is holy,

you also be holy in all your conduct.

Since it is written,

you shall be holy,

for I am holy.

And if you call on him as Father

who judges impartially according to each one's deeds,

conduct yourselves with fear

throughout the time of your exile,

knowing that you were ransomed

from the futile ways

inherited from your forefathers,

not with perishable things

such as silver or gold,

but with the precious blood of Christ,

like that of a lamb

without blemish or spot.

He was foreknown

before the foundation of the world,

but was made manifest

in the last times for your sake,

who through him

are believers in God,

who raised him from the dead

and gave him glory

so that your faith and hope

are in God.

Having purified your souls

by your obedience to the truth

for a sincere brotherly love,

love one another earnestly

from a pure heart,

since you have been born again

not of perishable seed,

but of imperishable

through the living and abiding word of God.

For all flesh is like grass

and its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers

and the flower falls,

but the word of the Lord

remains forever.

And this word

is the good news

that was preached to you.

And so on,

and may God bless that reading

from his word.

We'll again come to God

in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord God,

as we continue in worship,

we continue in our dependence upon you

for all things.

For you know our weaknesses,

you know how easily we are distracted,

you know how easily

we can be led astray.

And as we think of these words

in Peter,

and as we come to study them today,

we are reminded of the great challenge

that is put before us

to be a holy people,

a people who are set apart for you,

a people who live for you

in the way that we love you

with all our heart,

but also as we read,

in the way we conduct ourselves,

conduct ourselves among one another here,

but also in our conduct in the world

on a day-to-day basis.

For our worship and our praise of you

is not just for a short time

on this day.

It's not just for the hour

that we are together in worship,

but our worship,

our praise of you

is something that we are to be

a people involved in 24-7.

So whatever we are doing,

we do it for your glory.

And we recognize, Lord,

our failings in that.

We recognize so often

in our attempt at holiness

and our seeking after holiness

how far short we fall.

So often maybe we don't even consider

ourselves holy at all,

but as your word reminds us,

you have chosen a people for yourself.

You are calling a people to yourself today,

and that means a people

who will be set apart,

a people who will be different.

And so we pray that you will help us, Lord,

to live as those people,

and to seek to be those people for you,

to seek to conduct ourselves

in a manner worthy of the gospel

that we hear,

the good news that is preached to us.

And so help us, Lord,

to confess our sins before you.

Help us to acknowledge them

and to know that with you

there is forgiveness.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will help us

to bow the knee before you,

to confess from our hearts

that we have sinned against you

and against you only

in thoughts, word, and deed.

We are guilty to all ends.

But, Lord, help us

that you may lift us up too,

that you will place our feet

on the rock that is Jesus Christ,

and that through him

we will be able to live

as those who are your redeemed people

and are called people.

Help us to go into the world,

to go into the week ahead of us, Lord,

to be a people

who will conduct ourselves

in the right manner of your calling.

Help us to love our neighbor.

Help us to live for those around us.

Help us to share

the good news of the gospel with others.

Help us that in all that we would do,

we would seek not our own building up,

but that your name would be praise.

So, Lord, humble us in your presence

and under your holy arm today.

Humble us under your word

and your truth,

that they may build us up.

We thank you too, Lord,

that as we come,

we come as those

who are fully dependent upon you

in all things,

but thankful too

that you hear our prayers,

that you know

every thought of our heart,

you know every burden

that we carry,

be it for ourselves,

be it for our families,

be it for those around us

in our communities,

in our homes,

in our own families,

be it for our nation

or the nations of the world.

Lord, we thank you

that we do not carry everything alone

for it is impossible for us,

but we come to bring our burdens to you.

And so we ask, Lord,

that you will deal graciously with us

and those we love and care for,

be gracious towards those

who struggle in different ways

at this time,

those who are weighed down

with sorrow and sadness

in their hearts,

those who mourn

the passing of loved ones

even in this week

and the last few weeks,

Lord,

as there has been grief and loss

in the midst of our people here.

We thank you, Lord,

that you are a God of comfort.

And when things come upon us,

when our lives are changed so quickly

in the midst of these things,

we thank you that we are known to you,

that you are a good shepherd

who cares for his sheep.

You are the one

who so often will come

and carry us and uphold us

in our times of great need.

And so we pray, Lord,

for your comfort and your blessing

to those who are heavy in heart today,

for those who mourn and grieve,

for those who are anxious

over loved ones,

for those who are anxious

of themselves.

Lord, we pray that you will

draw near to them.

We give you thanks too, Lord,

that you are a God

of great blessings as well,

that you are the giver of life.

We thank you for a new life

in our midst as a people as well.

And we pray and thank you, Lord,

for the good news

of a new birth in our midst.

We pray your blessing

over families,

upon children born into this world

and born to families

who will love them

and care for them.

Lord, we pray

for all our young ones,

that you will look after them,

that you will bless them,

that you will keep them.

We see the great challenges

around them in these days.

And we thank you, Lord,

for your word

and how it instructs a people

from a very young age

into old age.

We hear your word

and your truth speaking to us.

And so we pray, Lord,

for our children,

that they will grow up

in this world,

knowing your great love

and compassion,

knowing your great concern

for them.

And we pray for those

who seek to instruct them

and guide them in day school

and also in Sunday school

and also the clubs

and events that go on

through the week as well.

We thank you for the resumption

of the Explorers group

in this past week.

Thank you for all

who came to that

and pray you continue

to bless and to watch

over them there.

We thank you for the toddler group

that meets on a Monday

and for all parents

and children who attend there.

We pray your blessing

over them as well.

So we thank you

for the conference

over this weekend,

for young people

and for the big YF

this evening.

We pray that it will be

a blessed time

of guidance and instruction

for young but also old alike.

That we would learn

from the challenges

that we face in these days.

Learn how to approach them

in a godly manner

and seeking your wisdom

and your guidance in them.

Remember our land as well, Lord,

and the nation of the world

as we hear of the tragedy

in South Korea yesterday, Lord.

So many lives lost,

so many young lives lost there.

We do pray for comfort,

for mercy upon all

who need you at this time there.

You know, too,

the many difficulties

throughout our world.

Wars and conflicts going on,

famine and natural disasters

all around us.

We see it so often.

We hear it in the Philippines.

We've seen it in America.

We see it on every continent, Lord,

how there is disaster

after disaster.

And we just pray, Lord,

have mercy upon us.

Come with your healing power.

Come with the power

of your Holy Spirit.

Come and draw near to us

as a people

and help us in all things.

We ask your blessing on us now

as we continue in our worship,

as we turn to your word

and we continue to sing your praise.

May we sing from our hearts,

rejoicing in the hope of the gospel,

thankful for the redemption

that is ours through Jesus Christ,

the one who has paid

the ultimate price.

We thank you that in all things

we can look to him,

that we can trust him

and that we have hope in him

through faith.

And so we pray, Lord,

that you will give us that faith

and dependence upon him.

So hear our prayers

and go before us.

We ask all things

for the forgiveness of our sins

and for your glory alone.

We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

We're going to sing

to God's praise

before we turn back

to that first letter of Peter,

singing in Psalm 49,

page 64 of the psalm books.

Psalm 49,

singing from verse 1 to verse 10.

Listen to me,

all you peoples,

all who in the whole world dwell,

low and high,

both rich and needy,

hear the message

I will tell.

Then at verse 8,

it says,

to redeem,

a life is costly,

none sufficient,

price can pay,

so that one should live

immortal,

free forever

from decay.

But it's a reminder to us

that there is forgiveness

and redemption

in Jesus Christ.

Let's sing from Psalm 49,

Psalms 49:1–10

verse 1 to 10

to God's praise.

Psalm 49,

Psalms 49:1–10

verses 1 to 10

And this is part of it

to Jesus Christ.

And this is part of it

of the psalm commemorative

and Michael's chosen

against Jesus.

This is part of it

and this is part of it

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I will speak with understanding, wisdom from the heart I'll preach.

I will listen to a proverb, speak as with the harp I'll teach.

What should I fear, days of evil, when the wicked end be in?

Those who boast of their possessions, by their trust and wealth they save.

There is no one who is able to redeem a soul from death.

Man can pay to God their ransom to prolong another's bread.

To redeem a life this costly, none sufficient price can pay.

So that one should live the mortal free forever from decay.

For we all can see life ending, wise and foolish all will die.

They must leave their wealth to others.

God, God is demand defied.

Can we turn back to 1 Peter chapter 1?

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

We can read again at verse 14.

Let's continue our study in this letter.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.

But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.

Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.

As we pick up our study in this letter once again,

we've seen in the introduction to it in these opening verses,

from verse 1 to 12, where Peter is writing to a people,

God's people who are in a situation where they've been scattered far and wide,

a people who are suffering and struggling and with many different things.

And at the same time, a people who are being reminded that they are precious to God.

That's Paul's.

Peter's reason for writing to them is to remind them of whose people they are

and the great hope that is theirs through Jesus Christ.

To that end, he's reminding of the many different precious truths that they have.

That there is this eternal hope.

That there is an inheritance for his people.

An inheritance that will never fade or perish.

A reminder that a day is coming when Christ will return.

And a day that they are to be prepared and ready for.

And that through faith in Jesus Christ,

they have that outcome of their faith,

the salvation of their souls, as it says in verse 9.

So there's many great promises and many great truths

that they are to hold on to in the midst of all the challenges that they are facing.

But as we've been going through in this introduction,

the question that they might have as we move into the body of the letter,

the thought that might be theirs is,

how is all of this going to help me now, here in my need?

The people may have been thinking that in Peter's day in the same way

that many of us may be thinking that today as well.

How is all of these truths,

how are they going to help me on a day-to-day basis?

What difference do they make to my life in the here and now?

How does or how can it make a difference to my life just now?

Well, from verse 13 and through the rest of the letter,

he is going to show the difference that this makes.

He's going to show us just how, in a practical way,

the outworking of all of these truths affect our lives on a day-to-day basis.

And the great difference that they make to us,

not just how we are to live in this world,

as our people who are very individualistic,

or how we are to live in this world just for ourselves,

but more how we are to live for one another.

And above all, how we are to live for God.

Knowing that even in the midst of everything that we go through,

and as the people here in Peter's day,

we're going through all these different trials,

and perhaps feeling, you know,

where is God in the midst of all this?

Has he left us?

Has he abandoned us?

That God is not far away.

And we are to remember that for ourselves too.

God is with us.

God is near and near to help.

Remember, he's writing here,

not just to help them to survive in this world,

and to get by in this world.

He's writing to help them to thrive in this world.

And that's what we want for ourselves too,

isn't it not?

That we will be a people who thrive for God

and for his kingdom in this world

through knowing him.

And what is at the heart of this life

that they are to live,

and the way that they are to live,

is really these verses that I've just read to you.

That we are to be a people

who are called and who live a holy life.

It revolves, it hinges on these verses.

Verse 15 and 16,

as he who called you is holy,

you also be holy in all your conduct.

Since it is written,

you shall be holy,

for I am holy.

This is not something new to the people.

It's not a new command to the people.

It's a command founded in the Old Testament

in the book of Leviticus,

where this is quoted from.

As it says there,

since it is written,

you shall be holy,

for I am holy.

He's quoting there in Leviticus chapter 11,

Leviticus 11:44

verse 44,

a command that God gave to the children of Israel

as they were coming out

from being under the bondage of Egypt.

He told them,

you be a people who are holy,

for I am holy.

But what does it mean to be holy?

That's perhaps the key question here.

Maybe you think of holiness

as something for others,

something for the elite of God's people,

something I could never achieve,

something that is a standard

that is too high for me to attain.

Well, the word holy at its root

has the idea of a people

or a being set apart.

And in particular,

being set apart for God.

A people who love him

and live for him.

That's what he is calling us to be

as a people.

A people set apart for him.

Living for him.

And that's what we see

in this section

is about being obedient to God.

Not being pulled back

into our former ways

or the past ways of our life.

Losing hope of faith in God.

Thinking that he's left us

but instead striving

more and more

for this holiness,

this living for him.

It's what Peter called

the people to then.

It's what he's calling us

to now as well.

It is something

that we are to strive for.

Something that every one of us

should pursue

with all our heart,

with all our being.

To be a holy people.

A people set apart

and living for God.

But in all honesty,

who of us feel holy today?

There's so much

that goes on around us

in that our holiness

seems that's something

that cannot be attained.

There's a book

written by Kevin DeYoung.

It's called

The Hole in Our Holiness.

And in the first chapter,

he says

that the hole in our holiness

is that we don't care

much about it

and seldom pursue

after it.

He says

the sadness is

that we can focus

on what Christ

has saved us from,

which is great,

but we have lost sight

of what Christ

has saved us to.

A pursuit

of a holy life.

And that's what we're called to.

Not just to recognize

the wonder

of what Christ

has saved us from,

but more so

as we go on,

what he has saved us to

in our way

that we live.

And you see here

how holiness

is linked

to our conduct

in verse 15.

He has called you

to holiness.

He who called you

is holy.

You also be holy

in all your conduct,

in everything

that you do.

This impacts

everything

in your life.

And so,

from verse 13

through really

the rest

of the letter,

he gives us

practical ways

to live

this holy life.

Set apart

for God

and living

for Him.

And there's three things

that we're going

to think about

as we start

this next section

today.

One is

being ready.

What we are to be.

The first thing,

being ready.

The second thing

is being responsive.

And the third thing

is remember

we are being redeemed.

We are being redeemed

at a great price.

And it's

grounded

in what is said

in the opening

of this letter

up to verse 12.

Because you notice

in verse 13

the first word

there is

therefore.

So in other words,

in light of everything

that we'd said

up to this point,

therefore,

this is how

you are to live.

Therefore,

this is what

you are to do.

So he's reminded

of them

of the hope.

He's reminded them

of the inheritance.

He reminded them

of all these

wonderful promises,

the outcome

of their faith,

the salvation

of their souls.

He's saying

these are not

just things

that are

at a distance

from you.

These are things

that you take

with you

every day

of your life

and everywhere

that you go.

Therefore,

he says,

hold on

to these truths

and take them

into every aspect

of your conduct

in this world

because they affect

everything

about you.

And the first thing

he says here

is,

therefore,

be ready.

Be ready.

A preacher

once told

his congregation

a story.

He said to them,

I'm not a connoisseur

of great art,

but from time

to time,

he said,

I like to go in

and see

in museums

and different places,

galleries,

paintings

and paintings

that give

a clear picture

of something

that really

speak

a powerful,

a strong message

to me.

And he said,

some time ago

I saw a picture

and it was a picture

of an old

burnt out

mountain shack.

A place

that was

a people's home.

But all that remained

of it

was the chimney

and there was

charred,

burnt out debris

all around.

But in the picture

there were

two people.

one was

a man

who looked

quite old,

dressed just

in very little

clothes,

dirty clothes,

worn out clothes.

And beside him

was a little boy

clutching

what looked like

a patched up

pair of overalls.

And the child

was crying.

And beneath

the picture

there was

the words

which the artist

felt

spoke of what

this picture

illustrated.

Simple words

the preacher said

that presented

profound theology

and philosophy

for life.

And the words

were this

hush

child

God's

not

dead.

And the preacher

took it in this way

as a reminder

that so much

in life

just seems

like a burnt

out ruin.

A picture

of despair

and of hopelessness.

And yet

there is still

that great truth.

God's

not

dead.

And as

Peter is writing

to his people

here

and as he writes

to ourselves

today

our impression

in this world

can be one

that's full of

chaos.

But we need

to be reminded

too

God's

not

dead.

In fact

God is

reigning.

He is

alive

and he is

in control

of this

world.

And as we

think of

the challenges

that people

faced in

Peter's day

and the

many challenges

that we face

ourselves

you could look

at Peter's day

and say

it would be

easy for them

to give up

and to say

what's the

point

to throw

in the towel

and say

yes I have

my faith

but I may

as well

just hide

away

and avoid

all the

hassle

of this

world

if all

that my

faith

brings

to me

is

persecution

and

suffering.

I can

do my

duty

and that's

it.

And it

may be

the kind

of impression

that we

have in

this world

that we

live in

today.

What's

the point?

Even if

I have

faith

what difference

does it

make?

What impact

can it

make

in this

world?

Well Peter

is writing

to remind

them and

us of

the great

difference

that it

makes to

be a

people who

are holy.

A people

who are set

apart for

God.

Who can be

used by

God.

And so the

first thing

he says is

be ready.

In verse

13,

preparing your

minds for

action and

being sober

minded,

set your

hope fully

on the

grace that

will be

brought to

you at

the

revelation

of Jesus

Christ.

So one of

the truths

that he's

already told

them of in

the introduction,

the revelation

of Jesus

Christ,

that speaks

of in

verse 5,

you who by

God's power

are being

guarded through

faith for

our salvation,

ready to be

revealed in

the last

time.

And he

speaks about

it there

again in

verse 7,

the glory

and honour

at the

revelation

of Jesus

Christ.

So now he's

saying you

take this

into your

life on a

day to day

basis,

preparing your

minds,

girding up the

loins of

your mind,

it says in

the AV,

and in the

footnote at

the bottom

of the ESV.

And the

people in

that day

would have

been familiar

with this

phrase,

gird up the

loins of

your mind.

The kind

of clothes

that they

wore in

those days

were long

tunics and

gowns that

went right

down to

their feet.

And if

they were

called to

action,

if they were

called to

work or

to war or

to battle,

any of

these things,

they had to

prepare.

And they

prepared by

rolling up

their gowns,

their tunics,

and tucking

them into

their belt.

That is what

is meant by

gird up your

loins for

action.

So here

he is saying

prepare your

minds,

gird up the

loins of

your minds

for action.

He's saying

be ready

for action.

This is how

you are to

live,

prepared and

ready for

anything that's

going to come

your way.

Be ready.

He is saying

that there

will be and

there have

been challenges

in your

life,

but prepare

yourselves.

when we

ask ourselves

is that

how we

live?

Is that

how you

live today?

Do you

prepare for

the battles

of this

world on

a daily

basis?

Did you

prepare yourself

for coming to

church today?

Or did you

just rush into

the day?

We're all

guilty of it,

aren't we?

Just rushing

on with the

day where we

don't prepare

ourselves by

coming to

God,

preparing our

minds for

action by

being sober

minded,

setting our

hope fully

on the

grace that

will be

brought to

us at the

revelation of

Jesus Christ.

What a

difference it

would make

if that's

how we

started our

day.

Yes,

we're going

to go into

the challenges

of this

world.

We're going

to go into

worship and

fellowship with

God's people,

which is

wonderful,

but then on

the Monday

and the

Tuesday and

the Wednesday

we go into

each day with

the challenges

that it brings,

but do we

go into

it prepared,

setting our

hope fully on

the revelation

of Jesus

Christ, that

great hope

that we have.

Don't live in

your former

ways, don't

slip back into

them, put

them away

and instead

prepare yourselves

with the

holiness of

God.

Like Paul

says in

Ephesians

6, we

prepare by

putting on

the whole

armor of

God.

So are

we ready?

The danger

for the

people then

was they

just sat

back idly.

What's the

point?

The danger

for ourselves

today is to

have that

same kind

of attitude.

What's the

point?

Well, hope

in Jesus

Christ gives

us that

point.

Martin

Luther once

said that

through living

faith which

the Holy

Spirit instills

into the

heart simply

cannot be

idle.

It's a

living, it's

an active

faith and

that's the

way that we

are to live.

Kevin de

Young in his

book says

the best

looking Christian

is the one

growing by the

Spirit into

the likeness of

Christ.

That is what

we are to

strive for

by being

ready, by

preparing our

minds for

action, to

strive after

holiness.

The second

thing we see

here is that

we are to be

a people who

are responsive.

In verse 14

it says,

as obedient

children do

not be

conformed to

the passions

of your

former

ignorance but

as he who

called you

is holy,

you also

be holy

in all

your conduct.

We are to

be a people

who are

obedient,

who are

responsive.

How are you

when it comes

to being

told what

to do?

What's your

response like

when it

happens?

Just like we

were thinking

with the

children, if

someone tells

you to do

something, do

you go and

do it

immediately or

does it

depend on

who says

it to

you?

It

sometimes

does depend

on who

tells us.

If we

know that

person, if

we love

that person,

want to do

good for

that person,

we respond

immediately

perhaps.

But if

that person

hasn't been

good to

us, if

that person

has mistreated

us, do

we respond

in the same

way?

Are we

obedient to

God?

If we

say, well

God hasn't

remembered me,

God hasn't

loved me,

why should

I respond

to him?

Because of

all that he

has done

for us,

which we'll

see in a

moment.

But we

are to be a

people who

are obedient

to God.

God gives

us a call

here to

holiness,

and it's a

call that

demands an

instant response.

In all our

conduct, this

is how we

are to live.

Thomas

Kempis

once said,

instant

obedience

is the

only kind

of obedience

that is.

Delayed

obedience

is

disobedience.

Whoever

strives to

withdraw from

obedience

withdraws

from grace.

Again, we

think of the

command and

the situation

of the

people here.

They were

experiencing

hard times,

perhaps even

questioning what

God was

doing for

them and

where he

was.

Why should

I do

something for

him?

Their focus

was gone.

It seemed

their hope

was gone.

But yet

God calls

them to

holiness.

Be holy

because I

am holy.

Is that the

case for you

today?

Are you

saying,

how dare

God make

demands of

me?

The devil

will put

into your

head the

same doubts

and fears

and concerns

that the

people had

in Peter's

day.

Where is

God?

You can

become blind

to the

fact that

he is

there.

What's

happened?

Paul,

writing to

the church

in Corinth,

he tells

us what's

happened.

He says

that in

their case,

the God

of this

world has

blinded the

minds of

unbelievers

to keep

them from

seeing the

light of

the gospel

in the

glory of

Christ,

who is

the image

of God.

There is

another one

at work

who blinds

us to

seeing this.

And in

our blindness

we lose

hope.

But as we

looked at

last time,

we are to

have eyes

of faith.

We are to

fix our

eyes on

God.

And in

the previous

chapter in

2 Corinthians,

in chapter

3,

Paul speaks

to them

there of

the one

who opens

their eyes.

He says

in chapter

3,

verse 16,

but when

one turns

to the

Lord,

the veil

is removed.

He was

talking about

Moses and

the veiled

glory of

God.

But when

we turn

to God

in faith,

this veil

is removed

and we

all with

unveiled

face behold

the glory

of the

Lord as

being

transformed

into the

same image

from one

degree of

glory.

to

another.

So the

more we

fix our

eyes on

the Lord,

the more

we are

transformed

by Him.

We are

transformed

into the

same image,

one degree

of glory

to another,

bit by

bit.

And that

is the way

our holiness

develops.

Seeing God,

seeing Jesus.

Kevin

again in

his book,

he says,

it may

sound boring

and out

of date,

but it

just happens

to be

true.

The way

to grow

in your

relationship

with Jesus

is to

pray,

read your

Bible,

go to

church,

all of

these things,

things that

people will

say we do

not need,

we do,

to see

the glory

of God

and to

fix our

eyes on

Him.

So are

we fixing

our eyes

on Jesus?

Is our

hope of

salvation

in Him,

are we

coming to

the foot

of the

cross?

Because when

we do,

we behold

His glory

more and

more.

And that's

what Peter

thoroughly

goes on to

show us

here.

the wonder

of our

salvation

and the

way that

we have

been

purchased.

In

verse 18,

knowing that

you were

ransomed

from the

futile ways

inherited

from your

forefathers,

not with

perishable

things such

as silver

and gold,

but with

the precious

blood of

Christ.

We are

being ransomed.

What are

we looking

to?

Are we

looking to

the cross?

That hymn

that when

I survey

the wondrous

cross on

which the

prince of

glory died,

my riches

gain I

count but

loss and

poor contempt

on all

my pride.

Closing

words of

that hymn

are,

love so

amazing,

so divine,

demands my

soul,

my life,

my all.

What does

it mean

today for

you to

be ransomed?

are you

redeemed?

Perhaps you

say,

well what

need do

I have

of being

ransomed?

A ransom

is something

that happens

to people

who are

taken hostage

or kidnapped,

but you

say,

I am

free.

But are

you?

That is a

big question

for our

world today.

Are we

free?

Are we

free from

every law

and demand

of this