Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk - 1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Go along, that's 1 Peter chapter 1, and that's on page 1217 of the Church Red Bibles.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,

set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written,

Be holy, because I am holy.

Since you call on a father who judges each person's work impartially,

live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

For you know that it is not with perishable things, such as silver or gold,

that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,

but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him.

And so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth,

so that you have sincere love for each other,

love one another deeply from the heart.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,

though or through the living and enduring word of God.

For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,

so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.

Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Thank you, Dan.

Good morning, everyone.

Pleasure to be with you again this morning.

Before we begin, let's just go to the Lord in a word of prayer.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the freedom that we have to gather in your name without interruption,

without fear of harassment or persecution.

Help us not to take that freedom for granted, Lord,

but help us to use it in this very moment to lift our voices and lift our hearts and lift our minds

to be elevated in our worship.

Holy Spirit, we ask that you would continue to direct us in our worship,

and we ask that you would help me as I, as an imperfect vessel, bring your perfect word.

So whatever has to be said of you, Lord, may it be lifted up.

May my own words be forgotten, but may your words live forever.

We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

About ten years ago, Seneca and I were still dating,

and I took a trip with her and her family to visit her dad's relatives in Wisconsin,

in the middle part of the U.S., and we took a day trip to see Lake Michigan,

which is basically a large ocean in the middle of America.

And on the shore, Seneca's dad picks up a rock, and he turns to me and he says,

how many stones can you skip across the lake?

Now, unknown to me, Seneca's family had an in-joke,

that only men who could do a certain number of skips across the lake

would be worthy of marrying one of their daughters.

So naturally, I accepted the challenge, stone skipping, not marriage,

and based on nothing more than testosterone and male ego,

proceeded to do my worst.

And I really mean that.

Inconsequential as it was in the end,

I portrayed myself as being good at doing this particular thing

I'd been challenged to do, skipping stones.

I was not good.

It became obvious by my efforts that I was not good at doing this thing.

You see, I talked a big game, even for something so trivial,

but I couldn't back it up.

Thankfully, a few months later, Tim exercised a kind of mercy

and graciously allowed me to marry his daughter,

so at least that went in the right direction in the end.

But basically today, Peter is telling us,

let's not just talk a big game,

but let's walk the walk, let's back it up.

So last week, we learned that we were shielded,

that we're being kept,

that our inheritance is guaranteed,

that if you follow Jesus Christ and you submit to him,

you can call yourself a Christian.

This week, we're going to start looking at the way we ought to live

because we're Christians.

So we don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk.

And we're going to look at three things that we ought to see in our lives,

that we ought to model out for other people.

If you have one of the handouts, it's in front of you.

Otherwise, feel free to take notes.

Firstly, we're going to see that we ought to be holy.

Secondly, that we ought to be reverent.

And thirdly, that we ought to be loving.

So we ought to be holy, reverent, and loving.

Let's jump into the first one.

I actually want to start by looking at verses 15 and 16,

this idea of what it means to be holy.

So Peter writes,

Just as he who called you is holy,

so be holy in all you do.

For it is written, and he quotes the Old Testament,

Be holy, because I, the Lord, am holy.

Now that verse is the anchor of this whole section.

So underline it, draw a circle around it,

write something in the margin.

The first reason that we ought to live lives

that are good and righteous and God-honoring

is that God himself is holy.

Now, holy is a mysterious-sounding word.

For some reason, I always think of incense

when I hear the word holy.

It's probably just my background.

Maybe some of you think that too.

But it's not really a mysterious idea.

As we were just singing about,

holiness basically means being set apart from sin

or being set aside from sin.

So God is holy because God is perfectly without sin,

completely separated from sin.

He has nothing to do with sin

because of his very nature.

The prophet Isaiah, in his vision,

had a vision of God sitting on his throne

and angels hovering around him

and covering their eyes

because they couldn't look upon the holiness of God

and singing,

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.

And like us, Isaiah knew he was a sinner.

And he knew that sinners cannot enter

into relationship with the holy God

unless that holy God reaches out

and does something.

Ultimately, he did that by sending his own son.

To pay the penalty for that sin.

Your sin, my sin,

and the sin of all who would follow him.

One writer puts it this way.

How hateful must sin be to God

for him to punish it

with the death of his own son.

And because that holy God reached out,

because that holiness led him to conquer sin

and bring us to him,

God tells us here,

through his servant Peter,

be holy,

for I am holy.

You call yourself my child?

Act like it.

God calls us to be different from the world

because he is different.

So how do we act like it?

Well, verse 13

tells us to have minds that are alert

and fully sober.

It doesn't necessarily come across

very clearly in the translation

we're using this morning,

but other translations say this,

prepare your mind for action.

Prepare your mind for action.

Get ready.

That's an interesting idea.

The phrase actually goes back

to this practice

when you were going on a long journey,

on camel or on horseback,

that you would actually tie up your robe

around your waist

so that it wouldn't dangle

and trip either you or the horse up,

which would end very badly

for both of you.

Basically,

it's like getting ready to run a race.

For instance,

Alex ran in the New York City Marathon.

Was it last year?

Yeah, last year.

And before he started the race,

he made sure he was dressed appropriately

to run in the race.

He didn't go to the starting line

and try and run 26 miles

wearing a full suit of medieval armor

and carrying a 50-pound bag of spuds.

That's an image for you, isn't it, Alex?

So we're to make sure

we have the right clothes on,

that we have those things on us

that means we can run this race.

We're to make our minds,

Peter says,

alert and sober,

free from intoxication,

free from anything

that's going to cloud you

and prevent you seeing the truth.

This hope,

this grace,

Peter says,

that will truly be ours

when we go to be with Jesus.

We have to make sure, friends,

we're not wearing anything

or carrying anything

that we shouldn't be.

Look at verse 14.

As obedient children,

do not be conformed

to the evil desires you had

when you lived in ignorance.

That word desires,

another way to put it

would be lusts.

Lusts.

What was it you lusted after

before you became a Christian?

For me, it was my career.

It was ambition.

And still something

I have to watch out for.

Just like we were singing

and just like Sam was talking about,

this isn't a once and done process.

These are things you must learn

to do throughout your life.

And one thing I've had to learn to do

is when I look at the next promotion

or the next competition for promotion,

I have to think carefully,

why do I want this?

Is it because I want more money?

Is it because I want more position?

Power?

Authority?

A better pension?

That last one is true,

but that's okay.

I have to think carefully.

Do I want to do this

because it glorifies God?

And I can do it in such a way

that actually points others

towards Jesus.

By being the best civil servant

I can be.

By being the best teacher,

the best mechanic,

the best student,

the best father,

the best mother,

whatever it is.

I've had to tie up that loose end

to keep watch on it

because it still might trip me up

if I don't watch it.

That was my former ignorance,

one translation puts it.

Before,

I didn't know any better.

I was lost,

dead in my sin,

Paul says.

But now,

God is my father.

I do know better.

Because I talk the talk,

I have to walk the walk.

So what is it that trips you up?

What is it that you tend to struggle with?

And I could mention lots of things here,

but here's just a few.

Just completely random thoughts.

Maybe they hit home,

maybe they don't.

Are you addicted to comfort

or entertainment?

In your spare time,

do you automatically glue yourself

to your iPhone

or Netflix?

Or do you open your Bible

and you read and listen

to what the Lord has to say?

How about this?

This happened to me this morning

when I was driving here.

When someone calls you out

on something bad

you've done or said.

In this case,

it was the driver

who came across the intersection.

Is your first reaction

to get your back up?

To get defensive?

Well, I did the right thing.

I don't know what that guy's problem is.

Or do you freely admit your fault?

Do you freely admit,

I can do better

and humble yourself?

How about this one?

I've seen a lot of this lately.

When you're on social media,

when you're on Facebook,

Twitter, whatever,

do you use that freedom of speech

that we were just praying about

to spread anger

and to spread outrage?

You know,

the roads in this country

are disgrace.

It's disgraceful

what the government is doing.

I swear,

disgraceful is the most popular word

in Irish people's lexicon.

Or do you use

that freedom of speech

to point others

towards the tender love of Jesus?

Do you use a platform

of speech

not to push an agenda

or grind an axe,

but to actually demonstrate

what it looks like

to be a Christian?

In other words, friend,

do you look any different

from the world around you?

Are you holy

in the things that you do?

Do you have a desire

to grow in this holiness?

And again,

you won't get this perfect

because we're all imperfect.

But what path are you on?

Do you blend into

the background

of self-absorption

that the rest of the world

seems to be mired in?

One writer put it this way,

if you were put on trial

for being holy,

would there be enough evidence

to convict you?

As with all things,

don't look to your own efforts.

Yet not I,

but Christ in me.

Look to Christ.

Look to Jesus

who set aside

his heavenly rights

and his heavenly dwelling

and he made himself nothing

to become the suffering servant

who would set you free.

Jesus didn't come into the world

so that we would look

like the rest of the world.

Jesus came into this world

that we would be set apart

from this world.

So don't just talk the talk.

Walk the walk as well.

So we ought to be holy.

Secondly,

we ought to be reverent.

Verse 17.

Since you call on a father

who judges each person's work impartially,

live out your time

as foreigners

here in reverent fear.

Have you ever said this?

You can't judge me.

Only God will judge me.

You're absolutely right.

He will.

He'll ask you,

first of all,

what did you say about my son?

Who did you say he is?

And if you call upon him

as Lord Jesus,

he'll ask you,

what did you do

in my son's name?

Jesus said that every person

will have to give an account,

friends,

for every idle word

and every idle thought

that they've ever uttered,

that they've ever thought.

You could nearly put it this way.

Because you're a Christian,

live your life

in such a way,

this reverent fear,

that you show the proper respect

and deference

towards God.

Because Peter says

he's an impartial judge.

He'll ask you to give an account

for being his servant.

And that's pretty much

what reverent fear means.

Having an appropriate sense

of who God is

versus who we are.

Not trembling,

not cowering in a corner

like you're terrified of,

I don't know,

spiders,

the dark,

heights,

whatever the case might be.

It's not that kind of fear.

It means

respecting the difference

between us

and God.

Honoring him

and living lives

that honour him.

I'll illustrate this

with a personal example.

My dad and I

were very close.

I loved him

and I respected him.

And he'd tell me

and illustrate to me

what to do

in order to show

that I actually was

part of this family,

that I would prove myself

to be part of this family.

And I respected that.

I respected his direction

and his advice

and his opinion.

And I remember once

when I was going through

a fairly long period

of unemployment,

I was naturally

pretty depressed.

If you've been unemployed,

you understand that feeling.

I was depressed

and discouraged

and I was sort of

venting this to dad

on the telephone.

And he said,

it's all right, Dan.

You're an Usthäzen.

You'll get there.

You're an Usthäzen.

You'll get there.

Now, he wasn't just telling me

to sit back

and let it happen.

He was saying

that he saw

certain qualities in me

that he saw in himself,

saw in his brothers,

saw in his father,

saw in his grandfather,

things like hard work

and perseverance

and determination.

What he was saying was,

keep going.

Keep going

towards the prize.

Remember that you're my son

and my son

ought to run the race

in such a way

that he'll cross

the finishing line.

That's basically

what Peter is saying.

You call yourself

God's child.

Do you run the race

in such a way

that you will cross

the finish line?

And this reverend fear,

like I said,

it's not because

we're terrified of God.

That's not what it's about.

It's because we know

what he's done for us.

Look at verses 18 to 19.

God redeemed us.

That means he ransomed us,

bought us,

not with currency,

not with euro

or pounds

or whatever's going to exist

after Brexit comes through,

not with silver

or gold,

Peter says.

You know the old saying,

you're worth your weight

in gold.

No, you're not.

You're worth

much more than that

to God

because the price

that had to be paid

for your sins

and for my sins

was the precious

blood of his son.

That was the only thing

that could clear the debt.

So high was that price.

And that's what Jesus meant

when he said

on the cross,

remember this,

he said it is finished.

Not it has begun,

not the down payment

has been made

and now you can enter

into a monthly variable

installment arrangement.

It is finished.

In Greek,

tetelestai,

it's what they used

to stamp

on the deed

of a house

or a mortgage

to show you

that the debt

had been paid

completely.

The debt is discharged,

paid in full,

nothing left

to be collected,

final payment made.

I lived my life

in a certain way

because I revered

and I respected

my dad.

And I wanted to honor him

by the way I lived.

So how much more

ought I honor a God

or live a life

that honors a God

who sent his son

and completely eradicated

my sinful debt?

Verses 20 and 21,

it is through God's own son

that we believe.

This son who was chosen,

the literal word there

is foreknown,

before the ages began.

If you were here last week,

you might remember

we talked about this idea

of being foreknown.

God's desire

to be intimate

with us

goes back to

before creation itself

and in the same way

the son

was foreknown

by the father.

So think about this.

Despite

our sin,

the father

was pleased

to crush

his son,

Isaiah tells us,

to bring us

into relationship

with him

based on

the same relationship

that the father

has

with his son.

And now you and I,

if we declare

that Jesus is Lord,

Paul tells us,

we

are children

of God

and fellow heirs

with Christ

in his kingdom.

And despite

the fact that

Jesus was perfectly

divine,

totally united

with the father,

he submitted

to the will

of the father.

He revered

and respected

the father

even though he was

and is fully divine

and deserved everything

with his divine

trappings and surroundings.

He deferred

to this plan

to save

lost people.

See,

being himself

God,

friends,

Jesus knew

the only way

that these people

can come into

relationship with God

is if God

reaches out.

And so in full

agreement with

this plan

that was set

in motion

before the ages

began,

he voluntarily

accepted this role.

Taking on human form,

he became like us.

He gave us the perfect

example of reverence

by submitting himself

completely

and totally

to the will

of the father.

And because of

his submission,

he was able

to declare,

it is

finished,

complete,

done.

friends,

we ought to

be reverent

by honoring

God's will

for our lives.

So we have to

ask ourselves,

does my life

honor God?

When I stand

before him

and he asks me

that question,

Dan,

what did you do

with your life?

What did you do

with this freedom

that I gave you?

What will I

submit as evidence?

Will I

say I did

things my own

way?

I looked

to my own

strength,

Lord.

I did the

best I could.

I spent all

my time

on my iPhone.

I had to

tell people

about what

was going

on with

the national

roads

infrastructure.

You know

me,

Lord.

Or will

I say,

Lord,

I honored

you because

I sacrificed

myself daily

like your

son did.

Will I

be able

to say I

walked the

walk?

You might

ask how do

we do that?

Well,

Peter tells

us,

our last

point.

Because we're

Christians,

we ought to

be loving.

Verses 22

and 23.

Now that we

have purified

ourselves by

obeying the

truth,

that means

now that we're

saved,

now that we're

believers,

so that we

have sincere

love for one

another,

that means

we're saved

into a

fellowship of

believers,

not just by

ourselves,

we're saved

into a

church.

Because of

these things,

we ought to

love one

another deeply

from the

heart.

We use that

word love

a lot.

We say it to

our spouses,

to our

parents.

The highlight

of my day

is when Jack

or Alice

comes up to

me and

says,

I love you

daddy.

I think that

puts a

smile on

every parent's

face.

Some of us

love our

wives cooking,

maybe a

little too

much,

speaking for

myself.

We can be

both meaningful

and casual

in the way

we use the

word love.

love.

But this

love,

that Peter

refers to,

is grounded

in nothing

casual,

in nothing

flippant.

It is

grounded in

the precious

love of

Jesus.

We should

love one

another deeply

because we

have been

born again.

We have

been resurrected

with Christ

into new

life.

We've heard

the good

news that

Christ came

into this

world to

save sinners

among whom

we are

chief.

And this

good news,

this word,

Peter says,

is imperishable

seed.

It doesn't

die.

It just

lives.

And you

see,

friends,

this is his

point.

Everything

in this

world is

eventually

going to

fade away.

Your

career,

my career,

my ambitions,

your bank

account,

your favorite

political party.

We're like

grass,

verse 24,

and all our

glory is like

the flowers of

the fields.

They look

good for a

season.

Maybe they

even yield

a little bit

of fruit

in their

season.

But eventually

they wither

and they

fall.

And none

of it lasts

forever.

The only

thing that

does,

Peter says,

is the

word of

the Lord,

the reality

that Jesus

conquered death

and sin

and opened

the gate so

that all who

call on the

name of the

Lord would

not die

but would

live forever.

And that's

the point,

friends.

You don't

have to have

it all figured

out before

you come to

Jesus.

Jesus came.

He didn't

go straight

to the

righteous or

the self-righteous

or the

religious or

people who

had their

lives all

together.

He went

into the

home of a

prostitute.

He went

and sat

with tax

collectors,

which is

obviously near

and dear to

my heart.

He went

and spent

time with

the most

lowly people

in society.

He didn't

go to the

people who

had it

figured out.

He went

to the

people who

needed a

savior,

people like

you and

me.

Now look

at the

first two

verses of

chapter 2

and then

we'll

finish.

This is

the application.

Verse 1,

therefore,

now that I've

told you

that,

here's what

you do.

Now that I've

told you all

these things,

this is how

you walk

the walk.

Peter says,

rid yourselves

of all malice

and all

deceit

and all

hypocrisy,

envy and

slander of

every kind.

Rid yourselves,

Peter says.

Pick it up,

bundle it

up,

and throw

it away,

as far as

you can

throw it.

And the

things he

says speak

for themselves,

so I won't

unpack each

one in

detail.

Instead,

think about

things like

this.

Again,

just some

random

thoughts.

Malice.

When someone

disagrees with

you,

or maybe

even gives

you feedback,

or constructive

criticism,

them,

when it

looks like

they're not

in your

sight,

do you

desire to

cut them

out of

your life?

How about

deceit?

When there's

something you

stand to

gain,

job,

money,

position,

whatever the

case might

be,

when you

stand to

gain something,

do you

tell people

what they

want to

hear,

so that

you get

it?

Hypocrisy.

Are you

sitting here

right now

thinking,

I really

hope so

and so

is paying

attention,

when there's

something God

is trying to

tell you?

How about

envy?

When somebody

else gets

recognized for

their gifts,

maybe even

in the church,

maybe even

gifts that you

have,

gifts of

teaching,

music,

leadership,

whatever the

case might

be,

when someone

else gets

recognized for

those things,

do you envy

them for it?

Do you resent

them for it?

Or slander?

If you have a

problem with

someone in

this church,

and because I

know people,

people always

have problems

with each

other,

if you have

a problem

with someone

in this

church,

do you go

and talk to

them about

it face to

face?

I've been

really meaning

to talk to

you about

something,

something in

my heart,

I need to

talk to

you about,

or do you

just gossip

behind their

back?

You see,

if I call

myself a

Christian,

friends,

Peter puts

these in

the negative,

if I call

myself a

Christian,

but my

behavior isn't

loving,

then,

frankly,

I'm not

acting like a

Christian.

I might be

talking the

talk,

but I'm not

walking the

walk.

I'm focused

on my own

glory,

and all the

glories of

this life,

my career,

my money,

my house,

everything like

that,

but ultimately,

they all fade

away,

they all fall

and die.

God's glory

is forever,

because you

see,

Jesus came

and there

was no

malice in

him.

He didn't

come and

condemn the

world.

He came to

save the

world.

He didn't

come and

spread deceit,

but he told

people the

truth about

God.

He wasn't

hypocritical,

but he

perfectly obeyed

the will of

his father

on the road

to Calvary.

He was

jealous for

nothing,

except his

sheep.

He slandered

nobody,

but spoke to

others in

love.

He didn't

seek to

glorify himself,

he sought to

glorify the

father.

And we look

to that example

of love as a

way to honor

God in our

lives, to put

other people

before ourselves.

The apostle

John puts it

this way,

we love,

because he

first loved

us.

It really is

that simple.

We love

because he

first loved

us.

This simple

idea, verse

2 calls it

the spiritual

milk, it's

pure.

It's just

like a baby

nursed by

his mother.

Depending on

that milk for

life, so

too our

spiritual life

depends on

this truth,

depends on

modeling out

this holy,

reverent,

loving nature

of Jesus

Christ.

Imperfect

as it will

be, because

we're not

perfect, we're

all fallen.

But because

he came, and

because he

first loved

us, we

ought to

love one

another.

It's the

entire reason

we're saved,

that love is

the great

truth of

God's

gospel.

You see, we

need to keep

our minds

focused,

friends, on

this simple

truth, and

meditate daily

on the word

of God, which

reminds us of

his love.

love.

That's why

Psalm 1

says that the

blessed person

who delights

in the law

of the Lord,

who delights

to know the

things of

God, reflects

on it day

and night, and

he or she is

like a tree

planted by

streams of

living water

which bear

fruit.

Peter writes,

this is how

we grow up

in our

salvation.

It's how we

mature as

believers, and

you're never

mature enough.

It doesn't

matter if you've

been a Christian

for 30 years,

it doesn't

matter if you

grew up in a

Christian family,

or you became

a Christian

last week,

there's always

room for us

to mature.

This process

is ongoing.

This process

will take the

rest of our

lives, and

we'll just get

a small glimpse

of what it

looks like,

until we go

and be with

him forever.

And think

about this,

every time you

have one of

these little

battles, these

things that

trip you up,

these things

that just

happen to

you in life,

these opportunities

to demonstrate

love, and

holiness, and

reverence, every

time you have

one of those

moments, and

you actually

choose the

right path, do

the God

honoring thing, do

the loving thing,

do the holy

thing, hang

on to those

moments, and

hang on to

how you think

can feel in

those moments,

because you're

going to feel

like that for

the rest of

eternity, when

you go to be

with God.

So be

encouraged, you

will fall, but

he who began a

good work in

us, will bring

it to completion

in the day of

Christ Jesus.

This love is how

we come to

understand and

appreciate the

depth and the

greatness of God

and his

character.

love.

We simply

have to love

one another.

And we do

this, verse

three, because

we have tasted

the sweetness

of the Lord's

goodness.

In other

words, because

we have come

to Christ, we

have seen the

goodness of

Christ, we

have seen his

love, seen

his holiness, seen

his reverence.

In love, God

reached down to

us, and in

love, we ought

to reach out to

each other.

Jesus said it

as usual, most

simply and most

profoundly.

A new commandment

I give to you,

love one another.

As I have

loved you, so

also are you

to love one

another.

And by this, all

people will know

you are my

disciples, if you

love one another.

Because of what

he's done for us,

friends, we ought

to mimic Christ.

Because he's

holy, set

apart from sin,

we ought to be

holy.

Because he was

reverent and

honoured the

Father, so

ought we do

the same.

And most of

all, because he

first loved us,

we ought to

love one

another.

Now after we

finish, we're

going to sing,

and we're going

to go to the

Lord's table

together.

And as we go

to the Lord's

table, we

remember the

sacrifice of

Jesus.

We remember

the Lamb

without blemish,

whose body

was broken

for us.

So when we

break the

bread, we

remember this

sacrifice where

Jesus was

broken.

When we take

the wine or

the juice, we

remember the

sinless Messiah

whose blood was

shed for us.

And we

remember the

one who

shows us

holiness,

reverence,

and love.

I don't know

your individual

circumstances,

but you do,

and the

Lord does.

So we'll

pray before we

break bread

together.

But ask

this, this is

what I'll be

asking him.

Lord, help

me to be

holy.

Help me to

be reverent.

Help me to

love the people

in this church

the way you

love them,

and the way

you love me.

Amen.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Father, we

give you

all due

glory and

praise for

what you

have done

for us

by setting

aside your

heavenly

privileges and

becoming nothing

like us,

so that through

your death and

resurrection you

would be

ascended to

the highest

place.

We thank

you, Lord,

for giving

us your

word which

is so clear

and so

profound

and so

simple.

We ask

you, Lord,

to help

us in our

daily lives

with those

things that

can trip

us up.

Help us

to be

honest with

ourselves.

Help us

to see

those things

which don't

honor you,

those things

we have to

be putting

to death,

and help

us to

simply get

rid of

them,

to model

out instead

the holiness

that you

have, Lord,

that you

hate sin,

that you

are apart

from sin,

and help

us to do

that by

revering who

you are

and respecting

who you

are and

what you've

done for

us and

realizing that

our own

efforts count

for nothing

and that

ultimately it

was only

because of

the perfect

submission of

your son that

we are able to

come to you.

So help us to

be humble as

we live out

these lives and

try and be

holy and help

us most of

all, Lord,

to be loving

because we

know of faith,

hope, and

love, the

greatest of

these is love.

We pray,

Lord, that you

would really give

us a heart

for each

other, that

you would

melt our

hearts of

stone, that

you would

give us hearts

of flesh in

you, and

that day by

day you

would help

us to grow

in this pure

spiritual milk

that is the

word, that

you came for

people like

us, not for

perfect people,

but that you

reached down

into a world

of darkness,

and you came

to those who

needed you the

most, ourselves

included.

So as we

come together

around the

table, Lord,

we pray that

we would

remember these

truths, and

we pray that

you would give

us a real

sense of

your presence

here this

morning, and

that in all

things, we

pray we would

say and do

and think

everything for

your glory.

So be with

us for the

remainder of

our time

today.

We ask all

this in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

I'm going to

ask the

musicians to

come back

up, and

we're going

to sing

When I

Survey the

Wondrous

Cross, because

all that's

left to do,

when you

compare

yourself to

a holy

God, when

you compare

yourself to

what he's

done for

us, all

it's left

to do is

to look to

Christ and

to sing songs

of worship and

to give him

glory and

praise.

So let's

stand together

and sing.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.