Introduction

Last’s weeks study in 1 Peter reminds me of the story of Lazarus from John 11. Turn there with me. Lazarus was Jesus’ friend and he lived in Bethany. Jesus was staying about 15 miles away in Perea when Lazarus became very ill. They send word to Jesus, but Jesus said this really incredible statement, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) Then he stayed two more days in Perea and Lazarus died.

In Verse 11, Jesus says to His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” His disciples were a little confused. Was Lazarus asleep? Surely he hadn’t died – Jesus just said 2 days earlier that his illness would not lead to death. So they asked (Verse 12) “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” At this point, Jesus makes it very clear (Verse 14-15) “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

As they were crossing the Jordan River and hiking across some rough terrain, heading into dangerous territory (where there were people who were trying to kill Jesus), the disciples must have had so many questions running through their minds.

• Why did Jesus wait so long?
• Why did Lazarus die when Jesus said the illness “does not lead to death”?
• Jesus said he’s GLAD that he was not there, so that they might believe. Believe what? It seems like this situation is only creating doubt, not belief. What was Jesus talking about?

When Jesus arrives, he proclaims (Verse 25-26) “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” If that’s true, then Jesus needs to prove it because there must have been some confusion at this point as to who Jesus really was and exactly how much power he possessed.

The tomb was likely a cave carved into the side of a hill. Lazarus had been dead for 4 days (verse 39). There was no question….Lazarus was dead. His body was a rotting corpse. They were concerned about how bad it would smell (Verse 39).   Then the miraculous happens. Jesus proves that he is the source of both physical life and the source of spiritual life by walking into that dead man’s tomb and commanding Lazarus to come out.

At that moment, life came back to Lazarus’ cold dead body. His heart began to pump again. Blood began to circulate. Electrical impulses started to pulse in his brain and through his nerves. His lungs filled with air. Whatever disease that had killed Lazarus left his body. At Jesus’ command, Lazarus’ body came back to life.

Did Lazarus decide that his body was to come back to life? No Lazarus was totally dead. His physical body was totally unaware of any life around it.

In a spiritual sense, that was like me before I received Christ. I didn’t know spiritual life until Jesus came by my spiritual tomb and said “COME OUT.” And I was made spiritually alive through the one who is the resurrection and the life.

What was Lazarus’ part in coming back to life? Jesus told him to come out and Lazarus obeyed. He was not supposed to be among the dead any longer, but among the living. He had life in his body. He could have kept laying there – alive and in the tomb, but a tomb is not a suitable place for a living person. It was his decision to obey and to stand to his feet and to walk out of that tomb to be among those who are living.

Once Jesus made me alive spiritually, I now have a role to play. I’m called to come out of the tomb of my former life and to dwell among those who are spiritually alive. Do you know what the Bible calls that behavior? Holiness.

Last week we talked about how Jesus is the source of our salvation. He is our living hope.   This morning we’re going to focus in on our calling to be holy – and specifically how holy living results in showing God’s love to other people.

Holiness means “different” or “set apart.” It doesn’t necessarily mean that a holy person is odd or strange, but it does mean they are different. Their life has a quality about it that is different from others who are spiritually dead.

It’s so different that those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior will think that a Christian’s behavior is strange. They are a sanctified nonconformist…Their behavior doesn’t conform to the pattern of the world. It doesn’t conform because they have been transformed by power of the risen Christ. They will never be the same. They are holy / “different” / “set apart.”

In 1 Peter 4:3, Peter tells us that we don’t live like those who are without Christ… “…living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”   He tells us that unbelievers will be surprised by our holiness in regard to sinful lifestyles. Verse 4 “4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;” (the Greek means to speak evil of a person). It’s so ironic – a disciple of Jesus can expect that secular people will say evil things about them because they refuse to be evil – secular people will say evil things about them because they choose to enjoy Jesus and live holy lives.

Living out a holy life in an unholy world is the emphasis of this next section of Peter. Peter is going to explain to us that Holiness is our new normal. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1:13. Holiness is not a quality reserved for “super-Christians.” Christ raised us from the dead, but now it’s our turn to begin living out this new spiritual life in the midst of this fallen world. Peter begins by telling us how to be prepared for this new life in Christ.

The Preparation (1:13-16)

13 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.

Prepare Your Mind for Action

Lara and I just had our 16th wedding anniversary. I remember when I was engaged to Lara. We were engaged for about 6 months and during that time, I thought about our future wedding day all the time.   Few moments went by during my day that I was not thinking about my future bride and our upcoming marriage. My actions and my decisions during my engagement were hugely affected by my preparation for our wedding. I was living expectantly. People who are engaged live expectantly. Just like the engaged couple lives with the expectation of a wedding day, the believer lives with the expectation of seeing their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

When you prepare your mind for action, you live expectantly. Now that you are alive spiritually, you have a job to do. There are some good works that you are called to complete. Preparing your mind means that you have a disciplined mind. You are tough-minded. You are pulling your thoughts together. You are not the kind of person that lets their mind wonder, but you are telling your mind what to think.   Paul put it this way:

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” 2 Cor 10:5

A disciplined mind is calm, steady and in control. A disciplined mind the new normal for the Christian. That is what is meant by a “sober mind.” A sober mind is free of intoxicating influences. It is balanced, measured and temperate.

When we set our hope fully on Christ, it strengthens our faith and our hope during difficult trials. The Bible encourages us to discipline our mind to hope to the end (to be optimistic about the coming of Christ) – to “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ “

One writer said, “when the outlook is gloomy, try the uplook.” Don’t focus on the darkness of your circumstances, but focus your minds attention and your hearts affection on the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ, our Savior (Heb 12:1-2). The writer of Hebrews says, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,” Heb 12:1b-2a

Let’s read on in 1 Peter 1:
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

God is holy (John 17:11). He is a righteous Father (John 17:25). Children inherit the nature of their parents. SO, if God is holy, His children are also called to be holy. God does not compromise with sin. He is merciful and forgiving, but God is a loving disciplinarian who cannot permit his children to enjoy sin. One commentator said, “the pagan life that God abhorred will be no less abhorred if it is lived out by one who professes to be a Christian.”

I think this is why so many people are saved and yet miserable. Disciples remember back when sin held some pleasure for them and they try to go back to their former life. They try to get comfortable again in the pleasures of sin, while God is actively, forcefully, and aggressively calling them to holiness.

Why is holiness so important to God? Because if we continue in our former, secular ways, it ultimately denies that value of Christ’s death. Let’s read on to 1 Peter 1:17-19 (a note: verse 17-21 is 1 long sentence in the Greek and therefore 1 continuous thought)

The Price (1:17-21)

17 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,18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

During this period of history, there were about 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire. The word ransomed or redeemed carried with it a special meaning during this time. To be redeemed is to be set free by paying a price. In order for a slave to gain his freedom, he needed to somehow come into money and purchase his freedom from his master. Or (a more likely scenario), someone else could purchase the slave from his master and then set him free. Either way redemption was a precious thing to a slave.

Peter explains that we were slave is an evil master called sin. We were not purchased with perishable things like gold or silver. When Christ purchased our freedom, it cost more than what gold or silver could buy. No amount of money can set a lost sinner free from his sin. Something much more valuable than money needed to be ransomed for the redemption of our soul. So the most valuable thing in the universe was given as payment: the precious blood of Christ! Only the blood of Christ could set us free

20 He (Jesus) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.

Christ’s death was an appointment, not an accident (Acts 2:23). God, in his perfect foreknowledge, made a plan to purchase our freedom through the blood of His Son. From our perspective, Jesus was brutally murdered. From God’s perspective, Jesus laid down his life for sinners (John 10:17-18). But Christ didn’t stay in the grave. Verse 21 says that God raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory so that your faith and hope and in God.

What is the end result of faith and hope in God?

Application: The Purification (1:22-2:3)

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

The end result of faith and hope in God is a supernatural love for one another

By nature, all of us are self-centered, so it really takes an act of God for us to get over ourselves and to be genuinely interested in other people. Genuine love for other believers is an evidence that we have been born again (1 John 4:7-21). We’re not talking about niceties. It’s a sincere love with a pure heart. The kind of love that is not concerned about what we can get out of the relationship, but is very concerned about what we can give to others.

I had a man once tell me that he was serving in a bus ministry and he was frustrated that not only did he not get paid, but none of the people he picked up ever said thanks. He eventually quit. God had clearly called this man to the bus ministry, but his motivation for serving the Lord lacked some earnesty.

The Greek word for Fervent or earnest is borrowed from the athletic field. It means “striving with all of your energy.” It like the last 40 yards of the race when runners are in an all-out sprint. This man in the bus ministry was not in an all-out sprint to love others, but retracted back when things got uncomfortable. Love is something that we will have to work at. It is not a feeling. Love is intentional. It’s treating others like God treats us.

• God forgives us of a debt that we’d never be able to pay, so we forgive others. That’s earnest love from a pure heart
• God is kind to us beyond what we deserve, so we are kind to others. That’s earnest love from a pure heart
• God extravagantly and sacrificially gives to his children, so we are generous with others. That’s earnest love from a pure heart

This kind of love isn’t exceptional for the child of God. It doesn’t really deserve a plaque. It’s normal. Peter is defining the new normal for the disciple of Christ. Holy people love one another. As a church, filled with people who are growing in their holiness, love for one another should be normal. That’s the kind of church we want to be – and that’s the kind of church I want to be a part of.

In the beginning of 1 Peter Chapter 2, Peter ends his exhortation to live holy lives and to love others like this:

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

None of those things have a place in the life of a person who is actively and intentionally pouring out their lives to love and serve other people.

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Don’t be satisfied with the light and easy teaching. Feed your cravings for pure spiritual milk. Crave the deep teaching of the Word. Drink deeply of the things of Christ and let it transform you from the inside out.

Here are 3 reasons why a disciplined, controlled and sober mind are essential for the growing believer:

• Effectiveness in Prayer: Having a disciplined mind helps us to be more effective when we pray
  ⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7
  We are using the powerful spiritual weapon of prayer, we are more effective with it when our minds are disciplined.
• Surrounded by the Enemy: In order to live a holy life in an unholy world, the disciple needs to be fully aware of the forces that surround him. (Like a soldier on the battlefield)
  ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
• Most of all – Jesus is Coming: The fact that Jesus is coming, encourages us to be calm and collected. When we feel anxious, we can cast our cares upon the God who is totally sovereign and totally in control.
  “…being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

Teaching Outline

Holy living results in showing God’s love to other people.

In Box – Holiness means “different” or “set apart.”

³ For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you… 1 Peter 4:3-4

Holiness is our new normal.

Preparing Your Mind for Action

When you prepare your mind for action, you live expectantly. 1 Peter 1:13-16

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” 2 Cor 10:5

When we set our hope fully on Christ, it strengthens our faith and our hope during difficult trials 1 Peter 1:13

Focus your minds attention and your hearts affection on the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ, our Savior (Heb 12:1-2).

“let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,” Heb 12:1b-2a

God is a loving disciplinarian who cannot permit his children to enjoy sin John 17

If we continue in our former, secular ways, it ultimately denies that value of Christ’s death. 1 Peter 17:21

The Price

• To be redeemed is to be set free by paying a price.
• No amount of money can set a lost sinner free from his sin. 1 Peter 1:17-21
• Only the blood of Christ could set us free. 1 Peter 1:17-21
• Christ’s death was an appointment, not an accident Acts 2:23

The Purification

• The end result of faith and hope in God is a supernatural love for one another 1 Peter 1:22
• Genuine love for other believers is an evidence that we have been born again 1 John 4:7-21