1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,660 I hope you’ll keep your Bibles open at First Peter. 2 00:00:04,660 –> 00:00:09,020 We’re discovering that more than any other book in the Bible, First Peter sets out the 3 00:00:09,020 –> 00:00:12,020 experience of the Christian life. 4 00:00:12,020 –> 00:00:16,000 This series as we go through the letter of First Peter is not so much about what Christians 5 00:00:16,000 –> 00:00:23,920 believe as about how Christians live, it is God’s manual for discipleship. 6 00:00:23,920 –> 00:00:28,180 And we saw last time that Peter begins by explaining what God has done in the life of 7 00:00:28,440 –> 00:00:30,459 every Christian believer. 8 00:00:30,459 –> 00:00:31,760 Chapter 1 and verse 3. 9 00:00:31,760 –> 00:00:34,020 You’ve been given new birth. 10 00:00:34,020 –> 00:00:39,820 This means that there is a desire and a capacity to live a new life that God has implanted 11 00:00:39,820 –> 00:00:42,200 in you by the power of the Spirit. 12 00:00:42,200 –> 00:00:47,840 The power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ has touched you and this is what has brought you 13 00:00:47,840 –> 00:00:53,500 into the living hope of a new life that you have already begun. 14 00:00:53,500 –> 00:00:59,259 Then we saw that the Christian is kept by God’s power, belonging to Jesus Christ. 15 00:00:59,259 –> 00:01:05,199 He holds an inheritance, as it were, in one hand for you, he holds you for the inheritance 16 00:01:05,199 –> 00:01:09,400 in the other hand and as it were on the last day he will bring what he holds in his two 17 00:01:09,400 –> 00:01:11,900 hands wonderfully together. 18 00:01:11,900 –> 00:01:14,900 You’re kept by the power of God. 19 00:01:14,900 –> 00:01:20,000 You will go through suffering and grief and all kinds of trials, Peter said in verse 7, 20 00:01:20,000 –> 00:01:25,239 and remember that although God has never promised us a pain free life, it will be the 21 00:01:25,239 –> 00:01:31,440 case that these hardest experiences of life will show that your faith is authentic and 22 00:01:31,440 –> 00:01:38,540 that is something of supreme value because of course that faith will last for eternity. 23 00:01:38,540 –> 00:01:44,620 So if you think or thought that being a Christian was that you’d said a prayer or you had made 24 00:01:44,620 –> 00:01:48,440 some commitment to follow Jesus, try your best to live a new life and so forth. 25 00:01:48,519 –> 00:01:54,500 Peter is saying to you, no, that’s just a tiny part of what is going on. 26 00:01:54,500 –> 00:01:57,139 God is at work in your life. 27 00:01:57,139 –> 00:02:03,220 This is true of every Christian and when we recognize what God is doing in our lives then 28 00:02:03,220 –> 00:02:10,600 as Peter said in verse 8, we will be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 29 00:02:11,000 –> 00:02:12,380 Well that’s what we learned last week. 30 00:02:12,380 –> 00:02:16,160 It took a lot longer than that to learn it but there you go. 31 00:02:16,160 –> 00:02:20,440 Now today we take up the story at verse 13. 32 00:02:20,440 –> 00:02:28,360 The new birth leads to a new life and Peter is going to describe and we’re going to see 33 00:02:28,600 –> 00:02:31,740 today what this life looks like. 34 00:02:31,740 –> 00:02:40,679 Our key verse is verse 15, just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all that 35 00:02:40,800 –> 00:02:48,080 you do, for it is written, be holy because I am holy. 36 00:02:48,080 –> 00:02:56,880 Holiness is the second key that Peter gives us for unlocking the Christian life. 37 00:02:56,880 –> 00:03:00,800 Now I wonder what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word 38 00:03:00,800 –> 00:03:03,660 holy, or holiness. 39 00:03:03,660 –> 00:03:12,779 You know we hear phrases like, He’s a holy Joe, or we hear people talk about holy rollers, 40 00:03:12,779 –> 00:03:16,539 or a holier than thou attitude. 41 00:03:16,539 –> 00:03:21,919 Well, if any of these things come to your mind, then you will certainly not find the 42 00:03:21,919 –> 00:03:27,020 idea of pursuing holiness to be very attractive. 43 00:03:27,059 –> 00:03:33,559 In my reading just in the last week, I came across a list of things that people associate 44 00:03:33,559 –> 00:03:36,979 with the word Holiness. 45 00:03:36,979 –> 00:03:41,380 And here’s the list just to run through it. 46 00:03:41,380 –> 00:03:57,559 Holiness, hollow-eyed gaunt-ness, beards, sandals, long robes, stone cells, no sex, 47 00:03:57,559 –> 00:04:09,940 no jokes, hair shirts, would you believe, frequent cold baths, fasting, hours of prayer, 48 00:04:10,080 –> 00:04:15,559 wild rocky deserts, getting up at 4am, clean fingernails…” 49 00:04:15,619 –> 00:04:18,100 Can you believe it? That was the first thing that came to somebody’s mind, when the word 50 00:04:18,100 –> 00:04:20,679 holiness was used. 51 00:04:20,679 –> 00:04:21,940 …stained glass, self-humiliation. 52 00:04:25,859 –> 00:04:31,839 Now, if any of that or all of that is running around in your mind when you hear the word 53 00:04:31,839 –> 00:04:38,399 holy, then you certainly will not find the idea of pursuing holiness to be remotely attractive, 54 00:04:38,399 –> 00:04:43,239 unless of course you are a very unusual person indeed. 55 00:04:43,239 –> 00:04:48,980 So it will come surely as a great relief for you to know, that holiness in the Bible has 56 00:04:48,980 –> 00:04:56,320 nothing whatever to do with any or all of these things. 57 00:04:56,320 –> 00:05:01,519 God does use this word in the Bible, so let’s understand what God means by it, what the 58 00:05:01,519 –> 00:05:04,720 Scripture intends us to understand. 59 00:05:04,760 –> 00:05:09,459 Let’s put these things out of our minds and understand what God is saying to us. 60 00:05:09,459 –> 00:05:18,119 The root meaning of the word holy is simply to cut, to sever, or to separate. 61 00:05:18,119 –> 00:05:22,980 And you may recall we touched on this last month when I pointed out in a rather gruesome 62 00:05:22,980 –> 00:05:29,279 illustration that if I were to cut my thumb off while chopping carrots or something at 63 00:05:29,279 –> 00:05:35,660 lunchtime today, then I would be able to hold the thumb up and say, this thumb is holy, 64 00:05:35,660 –> 00:05:39,899 and what I would mean by that is I would be saying the thumb is severed. 65 00:05:39,899 –> 00:05:47,119 It is apart from the body, it is disconnected, it is a thing to itself, it is not bound up 66 00:05:47,119 –> 00:05:48,820 with anything else. 67 00:05:48,820 –> 00:05:57,700 Now when the Bible says God is holy, it’s saying very simply that God stands alone. 68 00:05:58,079 –> 00:06:04,859 that God is not bound up with everything else, that the God of the Bible is not some product 69 00:06:04,859 –> 00:06:12,679 of Judeo-Christian culture, he is the creator, he is not to be confused with the creation, 70 00:06:12,679 –> 00:06:18,019 he is separate, a part, distinct holy other. 71 00:06:18,019 –> 00:06:24,299 Now come to verse 15 again, he who called you, God is holy. 72 00:06:24,380 –> 00:06:29,059 And so it’s for that reason that we’re to be holy in all that we do. 73 00:06:29,059 –> 00:06:32,920 For it is written, be holy, because I am holy. 74 00:06:32,920 –> 00:06:40,160 In other words, Peter says, God has called you to a new and different life that clearly 75 00:06:40,160 –> 00:06:45,100 reflects the character of the holy one. 76 00:06:45,100 –> 00:06:50,540 This is the life you were born to, this is the life in which you are now to grow. 77 00:06:50,540 –> 00:06:57,660 It is a life that will be so clearly identified with God that it will be distinct, cut off, 78 00:06:57,660 –> 00:07:02,519 as it were, from the prevailing values of this world. 79 00:07:02,519 –> 00:07:07,540 For if you live a life that reflects God’s character in this world, you will be marching 80 00:07:07,540 –> 00:07:10,559 to the beat of a different drum. 81 00:07:10,559 –> 00:07:17,019 Holiness, therefore, involves us being cut off, separate, distinct from the prevailing 82 00:07:17,059 –> 00:07:22,799 values of this world in order to live a life that is patterned after the character of the 83 00:07:22,799 –> 00:07:27,839 Holy One who has called us and equipped us to live this life. 84 00:07:27,839 –> 00:07:31,660 Now if you think about it, in anything that is new, there is a parting from the old in 85 00:07:31,660 –> 00:07:34,500 order to engage with the new. 86 00:07:34,500 –> 00:07:41,779 When a student graduates high school, you leave high school in order to go to college. 87 00:07:41,779 –> 00:07:48,799 When a couple get married, they leave father and mother in order to cleave together. 88 00:07:48,799 –> 00:07:53,239 When God calls you to a holy life, what that means is that there are sins that you must 89 00:07:53,239 –> 00:08:00,980 leave behind in order to pursue this life that is patterned after the character of God. 90 00:08:00,980 –> 00:08:07,500 Now Peter’s going to explain for us in this passage how holiness works out in life. 91 00:08:07,500 –> 00:08:11,700 And there are really three dimensions, three spheres in which it is worked out. 92 00:08:11,700 –> 00:08:18,559 If you want a simple way of remembering it, they are the fight, the future and the family. 93 00:08:18,559 –> 00:08:21,779 The fight, the future and the family. 94 00:08:21,779 –> 00:08:23,980 Let’s see how Peter spells it out. 95 00:08:23,980 –> 00:08:27,440 First the fight, verse 13 and 14. 96 00:08:27,440 –> 00:08:32,580 He calls us to take action against sin in our lives. 97 00:08:32,580 –> 00:08:37,780 Therefore prepare your minds for action. 98 00:08:37,799 –> 00:08:44,419 Verse 13, take action against sin in your life. 99 00:08:44,419 –> 00:08:49,659 Therefore prepare your minds for action. 100 00:08:49,659 –> 00:08:57,020 Now, whenever you see the word, therefore as you see it there in verse 13, it’s always 101 00:08:57,020 –> 00:09:04,619 a good idea to look and see what it’s there for, and obviously therefore is a connecting 102 00:09:04,739 –> 00:09:11,619 word that tells us that what is coming is directly related to what has just been said. 103 00:09:11,619 –> 00:09:16,340 What has just been said is that you’re born again in the mercy of God and the power of 104 00:09:16,340 –> 00:09:19,020 the risen Lord Jesus Christ has touched your life. 105 00:09:19,020 –> 00:09:31,500 Now, Peter says in the light of that, therefore prepare your minds for action, action, action. 106 00:09:31,500 –> 00:09:33,380 Now think about that word. 107 00:09:33,380 –> 00:09:36,140 Holiness isn’t something that just happens to you. 108 00:09:36,140 –> 00:09:41,219 A lot of Christians are kind of waiting for something to happen in relation to sin that 109 00:09:41,219 –> 00:09:43,080 remains within their lives. 110 00:09:43,080 –> 00:09:46,940 No, holiness isn’t something that happens to you. 111 00:09:46,940 –> 00:09:53,219 Holiness is something that you actively pursue, action. 112 00:09:53,219 –> 00:10:01,000 God calls you to cut off sin in your life as you pursue this new life that reflects 113 00:10:01,239 –> 00:10:02,780 the character of God. 114 00:10:02,780 –> 00:10:06,960 Now Peter describes what this looks like in three ways. 115 00:10:06,960 –> 00:10:09,880 First in verse 13, be self-controlled. 116 00:10:09,880 –> 00:10:13,479 I love the simplicity of that. 117 00:10:13,479 –> 00:10:16,440 That couldn’t be clearer, could it? 118 00:10:16,440 –> 00:10:19,960 Be self-controlled. 119 00:10:19,960 –> 00:10:24,119 Be self-controlled on the internet. 120 00:10:24,119 –> 00:10:29,119 Be self-controlled with your credit card. 121 00:10:29,119 –> 00:10:34,520 Be self-controlled in relation to eating and drinking. 122 00:10:34,520 –> 00:10:39,400 Be self-controlled when people around you may be using foul language or putting pressure 123 00:10:39,400 –> 00:10:43,919 on you to do something that you know to be wrong. 124 00:10:43,919 –> 00:10:48,880 Now, some of us may immediately react in our minds by saying, well, you know, it’s one 125 00:10:48,880 –> 00:10:50,119 thing to say that. 126 00:10:50,119 –> 00:10:51,919 It’s another thing to do it. 127 00:10:51,919 –> 00:10:55,900 After all, temptation is powerful. 128 00:10:55,900 –> 00:10:59,059 The power of habit is very strong. 129 00:10:59,580 –> 00:11:05,299 We hear a great deal today, don’t we, about addictions, patterns of ingrained response 130 00:11:05,299 –> 00:11:10,400 that over a period of time become compulsive within a person. 131 00:11:10,400 –> 00:11:15,780 And here we’re opening the Bible, and Peter says, be self-controlled. 132 00:11:16,679 –> 00:11:19,119 Now you see, a lot of us immediately react to that. 133 00:11:19,119 –> 00:11:23,640 Somewhere in our minds, we’re thinking, uh, well, of course, he was writing in the first 134 00:11:23,640 –> 00:11:27,940 century and he didn’t know anything about modern psychology and so forth. 135 00:11:27,960 –> 00:11:31,640 I mean, this is a bit naïve, it is a bit simplistic. 136 00:11:32,500 –> 00:11:39,320 Now, if that’s what you’re tempted to think, remember that is why the therefore in verse 137 00:11:39,320 –> 00:11:41,359 13 is so important. 138 00:11:42,219 –> 00:11:49,460 You see, if being a Christian was just a matter of you making a commitment and trying harder, 139 00:11:49,460 –> 00:11:56,979 if that’s all it was, then self-control would be, for some people, impossible, because the 140 00:11:57,059 –> 00:12:01,859 power of temptation is obviously much stronger than any commitment that you can make. 141 00:12:02,700 –> 00:12:08,640 But remember that what Peter has been saying is that you have been born again. 142 00:12:08,640 –> 00:12:15,380 The life of God is in you, the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ has come to you, and 143 00:12:15,380 –> 00:12:19,719 this is the thing that gives you living hope of a different life. 144 00:12:20,539 –> 00:12:27,679 So if you think that Peter is psychologically naïve, 145 00:12:27,679 –> 00:12:36,719 I want to suggest to you that you might be underestimating the power of the Holy Spirit. 146 00:12:36,719 –> 00:12:42,820 See let me ask every Christian in this congregation to focus on this one question for a moment. 147 00:12:42,820 –> 00:12:52,559 Do you believe that the Holy Spirit lives in you? 148 00:12:52,559 –> 00:12:55,359 Let me ask it so that we can answer aloud, 149 00:12:55,359 –> 00:13:03,440 Do you believe that the Holy Spirit lives in you? 150 00:13:03,440 –> 00:13:04,599 Okay. 151 00:13:04,599 –> 00:13:09,260 Now that’s the kind of clarity that every Christian needs, 152 00:13:09,260 –> 00:13:12,419 because if you’re in doubt over that question, 153 00:13:12,419 –> 00:13:17,000 you will never know victory in the fight against temptation. 154 00:13:17,000 –> 00:13:18,979 This is what Peter has been teaching. 155 00:13:18,979 –> 00:13:25,000 The power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ has come to you. 156 00:13:25,000 –> 00:13:27,179 Be absolutely clear about that. 157 00:13:27,179 –> 00:13:31,179 You have power, 158 00:13:31,179 –> 00:13:33,640 and we’re not talking about the power of positive thinking. 159 00:13:33,640 –> 00:13:35,340 You had that before you were a Christian. 160 00:13:35,340 –> 00:13:38,979 You can have that irrespective of whether you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 161 00:13:38,979 –> 00:13:40,219 We’re not talking about that. 162 00:13:40,219 –> 00:13:43,419 We’re talking about the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ 163 00:13:43,419 –> 00:13:47,099 coming to you by the Holy Spirit. 164 00:13:47,099 –> 00:13:50,000 And you, as a Christian, 165 00:13:50,000 –> 00:13:55,039 have living hope of getting out of debt 166 00:13:55,039 –> 00:13:57,159 through the power of the risen Christ. 167 00:13:57,159 –> 00:14:01,700 That’s why you can have self-control over your credit card. 168 00:14:01,700 –> 00:14:05,640 Because the power of the risen Christ is in you. 169 00:14:05,640 –> 00:14:07,299 You have living hope of getting 170 00:14:07,299 –> 00:14:09,320 free from pornography 171 00:14:09,479 –> 00:14:13,640 because the power of the risen Christ is in you. 172 00:14:13,640 –> 00:14:15,179 You have living hope of overcoming 173 00:14:15,179 –> 00:14:18,559 the power of alcohol for some who really struggle 174 00:14:18,559 –> 00:14:19,820 with a bridgehead, 175 00:14:19,820 –> 00:14:22,080 a hole that the has in some lives. 176 00:14:22,080 –> 00:14:22,900 Why? 177 00:14:22,900 –> 00:14:26,159 Because the risen power of Jesus Christ lives in you. 178 00:14:26,159 –> 00:14:29,539 You have living hope of getting control of your tongue 179 00:14:29,539 –> 00:14:30,799 and of your temper. 180 00:14:30,799 –> 00:14:33,700 Even on a sports field when you lose. 181 00:14:34,760 –> 00:14:36,140 Why? 182 00:14:36,219 –> 00:14:39,679 Because the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ 183 00:14:39,679 –> 00:14:40,520 lives in you. 184 00:14:40,520 –> 00:14:42,859 God has put you in a position 185 00:14:42,859 –> 00:14:45,960 where you can say no to sin. 186 00:14:46,820 –> 00:14:47,919 You can do that. 187 00:14:50,700 –> 00:14:54,179 And Peter says, prepare your minds for action. 188 00:14:55,020 –> 00:14:56,880 That’s what we’ve got to do right now. 189 00:14:58,140 –> 00:14:59,539 You see, in this coming week, 190 00:14:59,539 –> 00:15:01,179 you’re gonna go into the shopping mall, 191 00:15:01,179 –> 00:15:04,099 you’re gonna see something that you can’t afford 192 00:15:04,099 –> 00:15:06,359 and you’re gonna have a credit card in your pocket. 193 00:15:07,700 –> 00:15:10,739 In this coming week, you’re gonna be on the net, 194 00:15:10,739 –> 00:15:11,580 it’s gonna occur to you, 195 00:15:11,580 –> 00:15:13,380 it’s gonna be some pop-up ad or something 196 00:15:13,380 –> 00:15:15,780 that will invite you to go someplace you shouldn’t go. 197 00:15:17,659 –> 00:15:18,500 In this coming week, 198 00:15:18,500 –> 00:15:20,380 you will drive past a place 199 00:15:20,380 –> 00:15:22,640 that has been a source of temptation to you. 200 00:15:22,640 –> 00:15:26,200 Now, prepare your mind for action, 201 00:15:27,900 –> 00:15:30,440 be self-controlled. 202 00:15:31,320 –> 00:15:36,039 Secondly, verse 14, he puts it another way, 203 00:15:36,039 –> 00:15:40,840 do not conform to evil desires 204 00:15:40,840 –> 00:15:44,280 that you had while you lived in ignorance. 205 00:15:44,280 –> 00:15:46,119 Now, notice, he’s not saying 206 00:15:46,119 –> 00:15:48,940 that you won’t have evil desires, 207 00:15:48,940 –> 00:15:52,080 what he is saying is that you shouldn’t conform 208 00:15:52,080 –> 00:15:56,599 to evil desires, be a nonconformist, Peter is saying. 209 00:15:56,599 –> 00:15:58,719 He says the same thing in chapter 2 in verse 11, 210 00:15:58,719 –> 00:16:02,239 I urge you to abstain from sinful desires 211 00:16:02,239 –> 00:16:03,880 that war against your soul. 212 00:16:03,880 –> 00:16:06,460 There are sinful desires that war against your soul, 213 00:16:06,460 –> 00:16:09,679 just abstain from them, have nothing to do with them. 214 00:16:09,679 –> 00:16:13,440 There is a war going on inside the soul 215 00:16:13,440 –> 00:16:17,479 of every Christian, that’s normal. 216 00:16:17,479 –> 00:16:21,640 So don’t be alarmed or disturbed when you experience it. 217 00:16:21,640 –> 00:16:24,359 You see, sometimes a Christian will have 218 00:16:24,359 –> 00:16:28,359 some dreadful thought or impulse or desire 219 00:16:28,400 –> 00:16:31,760 and you say, my goodness, can I even be a Christian 220 00:16:31,760 –> 00:16:34,200 that I thought that or that I felt that? 221 00:16:36,159 –> 00:16:39,760 Well, Peter is saying that there are evil desires. 222 00:16:40,679 –> 00:16:45,039 Don’t be surprised or alarmed when you’re tempted. 223 00:16:45,039 –> 00:16:47,760 What you have to know is what to do at that time 224 00:16:47,760 –> 00:16:51,719 and what you have to do is don’t conform to that desire. 225 00:16:52,979 –> 00:16:56,239 I love the story of the new Christian who was baptized 226 00:16:56,239 –> 00:16:57,460 by immersion in water. 227 00:16:57,460 –> 00:16:59,760 The pastor pushed him right under the water, brought him up 228 00:16:59,760 –> 00:17:02,380 and he was so full of joy, 229 00:17:02,380 –> 00:17:05,359 and his face was radiant, and he said, 230 00:17:05,359 –> 00:17:10,359 pastor, now I will not be tempted anymore. 231 00:17:11,859 –> 00:17:15,439 And the pastor said, I’m afraid that for that blessing, 232 00:17:15,439 –> 00:17:18,920 I would have had to hold you under for a bit longer. 233 00:17:21,540 –> 00:17:26,540 Now don’t be surprised or alarmed when you’re tempted. 234 00:17:27,660 –> 00:17:30,000 Evil desires may dwell in you. 235 00:17:30,000 –> 00:17:32,520 We do live this Christian life in the body. 236 00:17:33,699 –> 00:17:36,699 God says don’t conform to them. 237 00:17:38,020 –> 00:17:40,540 Don’t do what they’re telling you to do. 238 00:17:41,560 –> 00:17:45,060 Every time you say yes to an evil desire, 239 00:17:45,060 –> 00:17:48,520 it’s power in you increases. 240 00:17:48,520 –> 00:17:52,500 Every time you say no to an evil desire, 241 00:17:52,500 –> 00:17:55,900 it’s power in you weakens. 242 00:17:56,560 –> 00:18:00,619 Now, if you have been giving in, 243 00:18:00,619 –> 00:18:02,459 let’s take one example from our four, 244 00:18:02,459 –> 00:18:04,140 say to buying on impulse, 245 00:18:04,140 –> 00:18:07,479 things that you can’t afford and that you don’t need. 246 00:18:07,479 –> 00:18:10,459 And that’s been a pattern that’s become ingrained 247 00:18:10,459 –> 00:18:13,579 and you’ve run up huge debts as a result. 248 00:18:13,579 –> 00:18:15,599 But that’s just the way it’s been for you. 249 00:18:15,599 –> 00:18:16,739 Then when you go into a store 250 00:18:16,739 –> 00:18:18,000 and you see something that you’d like, 251 00:18:18,000 –> 00:18:19,000 but you can’t afford, 252 00:18:19,000 –> 00:18:21,979 the impulse to get your credit card out 253 00:18:21,979 –> 00:18:25,180 will be very, very strong indeed. 254 00:18:26,640 –> 00:18:30,400 But what you need to know is that God has put you 255 00:18:30,400 –> 00:18:33,900 in the position where you can say no, 256 00:18:33,900 –> 00:18:37,680 don’t conform to that desire. 257 00:18:38,479 –> 00:18:39,640 In the old life, 258 00:18:39,640 –> 00:18:42,099 you used to be pushed around 259 00:18:42,099 –> 00:18:44,859 by all these desires at work within you. 260 00:18:45,780 –> 00:18:48,260 But in the new life God has put you 261 00:18:48,260 –> 00:18:50,479 in a position where you are able 262 00:18:50,479 –> 00:18:54,160 to exercise control over the desires. 263 00:18:54,160 –> 00:18:55,319 That’s freedom. 264 00:18:55,339 –> 00:18:57,459 Who wants to spend their life being pushed around 265 00:18:57,459 –> 00:18:59,359 by a bunch of uncontrolled desires 266 00:18:59,359 –> 00:19:01,099 that are going on inside of you? 267 00:19:01,099 –> 00:19:02,339 God brings you to a position 268 00:19:02,339 –> 00:19:04,219 where that will no longer be the case, 269 00:19:04,219 –> 00:19:08,420 where you are in a position of mastering the desires 270 00:19:08,420 –> 00:19:10,959 that are at work within you. 271 00:19:12,140 –> 00:19:14,000 Now the Bible’s teaching about sin really 272 00:19:14,000 –> 00:19:16,380 is very, very simple. 273 00:19:16,380 –> 00:19:21,020 And it can really be summed up in three words. 274 00:19:21,020 –> 00:19:24,800 Here’s the Bible’s teaching on sin in three words. 275 00:19:25,219 –> 00:19:26,579 Don’t do it. 276 00:19:26,579 –> 00:19:29,380 That is the Bible’s teaching on sin. 277 00:19:31,020 –> 00:19:35,280 And don’t muddy the waters of biblical clarity. 278 00:19:35,280 –> 00:19:37,719 You see, so quickly, we come in with all this, 279 00:19:37,719 –> 00:19:40,020 oh, but I can’t help it. 280 00:19:41,420 –> 00:19:46,420 Listen, if you can’t help it, here’s what you need to do. 281 00:19:46,920 –> 00:19:50,280 You need to come to Jesus Christ to be born again 282 00:19:50,280 –> 00:19:52,640 so that the power of his resurrection life 283 00:19:52,680 –> 00:19:54,079 will be at work within you, 284 00:19:54,079 –> 00:19:57,040 and then you will be able to do something about it. 285 00:19:57,040 –> 00:19:58,959 And if you have come to Jesus Christ, 286 00:19:58,959 –> 00:20:00,160 and you are born again, 287 00:20:00,160 –> 00:20:02,920 and the power of his risen life is at work in you, 288 00:20:02,920 –> 00:20:06,160 don’t go through life saying I can’t help it. 289 00:20:08,319 –> 00:20:10,400 Don’t conform to evil desires. 290 00:20:10,400 –> 00:20:11,520 God’s put you in a position 291 00:20:11,520 –> 00:20:13,800 where you’re able to make the right decision. 292 00:20:15,199 –> 00:20:17,800 Now, you may not always have done that in the past. 293 00:20:17,800 –> 00:20:19,979 We may have failed to do that many times, 294 00:20:19,979 –> 00:20:22,859 but please, don’t say it can’t be done. 295 00:20:25,500 –> 00:20:26,479 Now, here’s the fight. 296 00:20:26,479 –> 00:20:28,400 Here’s what it looks like. 297 00:20:28,400 –> 00:20:31,079 And it is a raging battle. 298 00:20:31,079 –> 00:20:33,579 Be self-controlled. 299 00:20:33,579 –> 00:20:35,760 Do not conform to evil desires. 300 00:20:35,760 –> 00:20:38,719 And he puts it one more way in chapter 2 in verse 1. 301 00:20:38,719 –> 00:20:41,579 Get rid of whatever holds you back. 302 00:20:41,579 –> 00:20:43,219 See that in chapter 2 verse 1? 303 00:20:43,219 –> 00:20:47,119 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, 304 00:20:47,280 –> 00:20:50,939 hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. 305 00:20:50,939 –> 00:20:52,439 Rid yourself of it. 306 00:20:53,800 –> 00:20:55,000 Now, for the last two years, 307 00:20:55,000 –> 00:21:00,000 our church staff has observed a very special day in June. 308 00:21:01,119 –> 00:21:02,900 It’s become very popular. 309 00:21:02,900 –> 00:21:07,900 We call it the all church office clear out day. 310 00:21:09,939 –> 00:21:13,500 And the idea is that we take a single day 311 00:21:13,500 –> 00:21:14,680 and we do one thing. 312 00:21:14,680 –> 00:21:16,560 We clear out all the files. 313 00:21:16,560 –> 00:21:18,300 We clear out all the cupboards 314 00:21:18,300 –> 00:21:20,540 and get rid at the end of another year 315 00:21:20,540 –> 00:21:22,439 of all the things that we don’t need. 316 00:21:22,439 –> 00:21:23,280 I’ll tell you, 317 00:21:23,280 –> 00:21:25,500 it is a day of great joy. 318 00:21:26,359 –> 00:21:27,839 People have it in their calendars 319 00:21:27,839 –> 00:21:29,119 and we look forward to it. 320 00:21:29,119 –> 00:21:30,479 People often comment about it. 321 00:21:30,479 –> 00:21:31,540 In fact, someone said out in the hall 322 00:21:31,540 –> 00:21:32,880 we don’t forget that another reason 323 00:21:32,880 –> 00:21:34,040 is we all have pizza that day 324 00:21:34,040 –> 00:21:35,439 but that’s by the buy. 325 00:21:36,479 –> 00:21:39,959 Music plays in the hallways. 326 00:21:39,959 –> 00:21:42,199 People have large sacks 327 00:21:42,199 –> 00:21:45,800 and are tossing things out like there was no tomorrow. 328 00:21:45,800 –> 00:21:48,339 We sing songs like meet me at the dumpster 329 00:21:48,339 –> 00:21:50,459 and things like that. 330 00:21:50,459 –> 00:21:52,719 And the reason that we do this 331 00:21:52,719 –> 00:21:54,979 is because we have a job to do 332 00:21:56,060 –> 00:21:59,540 and we know that we have to get rid of the clutter 333 00:21:59,540 –> 00:22:01,099 that holds us back. 334 00:22:01,099 –> 00:22:03,699 Now, that’s exactly the picture here. 335 00:22:03,699 –> 00:22:06,260 Get rid of the clutter, Peter is saying. 336 00:22:06,260 –> 00:22:08,500 Get rid of what holds you back. 337 00:22:08,500 –> 00:22:10,420 Get rid of what impedes you. 338 00:22:10,420 –> 00:22:12,000 The deceit, the deception, 339 00:22:12,000 –> 00:22:14,160 the hypocrisy, the malice, the slander. 340 00:22:14,199 –> 00:22:15,260 Take it out! 341 00:22:15,260 –> 00:22:16,540 Get rid of it. 342 00:22:17,479 –> 00:22:19,339 Now, the important thing to notice 343 00:22:19,339 –> 00:22:20,459 right the way through here 344 00:22:20,459 –> 00:22:25,459 is that God consistently speaks to Christian believers 345 00:22:25,640 –> 00:22:27,800 as those who have power. 346 00:22:28,959 –> 00:22:30,880 Be self-controlled. 347 00:22:31,859 –> 00:22:34,359 Do not conform to evil desires. 348 00:22:34,359 –> 00:22:37,959 Get rid of malice. 349 00:22:37,959 –> 00:22:39,920 Don’t wait for God to do it, 350 00:22:39,920 –> 00:22:42,719 for some spiritual experience to happen. 351 00:22:43,579 –> 00:22:45,199 You have been born again. 352 00:22:45,199 –> 00:22:46,819 You have been given power. 353 00:22:46,819 –> 00:22:47,839 Now, act. 354 00:22:47,839 –> 00:22:50,000 Prepare your minds for action 355 00:22:50,000 –> 00:22:52,660 to rid yourself of that 356 00:22:52,660 –> 00:22:53,839 which 357 00:22:53,839 –> 00:22:55,959 clings to you 358 00:22:55,959 –> 00:22:57,599 from the old life. 359 00:22:57,599 –> 00:22:59,500 Be self-controlled. 360 00:22:59,500 –> 00:23:02,359 Do not conform to evil desires. 361 00:23:02,359 –> 00:23:03,900 So, there’s the first dimension 362 00:23:03,900 –> 00:23:06,599 of what a holy life looks like. 363 00:23:06,599 –> 00:23:07,520 The fight. 364 00:23:07,520 –> 00:23:09,060 Take action. 365 00:23:09,060 –> 00:23:11,060 Against sin in your life. 366 00:23:12,020 –> 00:23:15,339 The second dimension is all about the future. 367 00:23:15,339 –> 00:23:16,180 Verse 17. 368 00:23:16,180 –> 00:23:17,599 Live as strangers 369 00:23:19,420 –> 00:23:21,380 in the world. 370 00:23:21,380 –> 00:23:24,359 And, let’s take it up of verse 13. 371 00:23:24,359 –> 00:23:26,099 Set your hope fully 372 00:23:27,160 –> 00:23:29,579 on the grace to be given you 373 00:23:30,500 –> 00:23:33,000 when Jesus Christ is revealed. 374 00:23:34,160 –> 00:23:35,400 And, then, verse 17. 375 00:23:35,400 –> 00:23:37,040 Since you call on a Father 376 00:23:37,040 –> 00:23:39,359 who judges each man’s work impartially, 377 00:23:39,699 –> 00:23:43,160 live your lives as strangers here 378 00:23:43,160 –> 00:23:45,300 in reverent fear 379 00:23:45,300 –> 00:23:46,680 for 380 00:23:46,680 –> 00:23:47,920 Now he’s gonna give us a reason. 381 00:23:47,920 –> 00:23:49,900 Why are we to live our lives as strangers here? 382 00:23:49,900 –> 00:23:51,180 Here’s the reason. 383 00:23:51,180 –> 00:23:54,500 For, you know that it was not with perishable things 384 00:23:54,500 –> 00:23:56,079 such as silver and gold 385 00:23:56,079 –> 00:24:00,560 that you were redeemed from the empty way of life 386 00:24:00,560 –> 00:24:02,859 handed down to you from your forefathers 387 00:24:02,859 –> 00:24:06,020 but with the precious blood of Christ, 388 00:24:06,020 –> 00:24:08,780 a lamb without blemish or defect. 389 00:24:09,420 –> 00:24:13,099 So he’s talking to us about an empty way of life. 390 00:24:13,099 –> 00:24:15,540 How do you fill up 391 00:24:15,540 –> 00:24:17,540 an empty way of life? 392 00:24:19,920 –> 00:24:21,939 Now, Peter is telling us you can’t do it 393 00:24:21,939 –> 00:24:23,859 with a new Lexus 394 00:24:23,859 –> 00:24:26,060 or with a Harley-Davidson. 395 00:24:26,060 –> 00:24:27,459 Now, he doesn’t actually say these things 396 00:24:27,459 –> 00:24:30,439 but he says you can’t do it with silver and gold 397 00:24:30,439 –> 00:24:34,219 or with anything that silver and gold could buy. 398 00:24:34,219 –> 00:24:36,699 There is nothing that you can buy, 399 00:24:36,699 –> 00:24:39,339 nothing that you can own 400 00:24:39,339 –> 00:24:44,260 that would redeem you from the emptiness of life. 401 00:24:44,260 –> 00:24:49,079 You could fill up your life with movies and entertainment, 402 00:24:49,079 –> 00:24:53,219 you could fill up your life with a glittering career 403 00:24:53,219 –> 00:24:55,739 but these things will give you no release 404 00:24:55,739 –> 00:24:59,900 from the emptiness of life. 405 00:24:59,900 –> 00:25:04,119 That is why, you see, you can have a dream job, 406 00:25:04,119 –> 00:25:06,540 the best marriage, 407 00:25:06,540 –> 00:25:08,239 great kids, 408 00:25:08,239 –> 00:25:12,959 and a growing sense of emptiness inside. 409 00:25:12,959 –> 00:25:16,920 Why is it that folks who achieve what they aimed for 410 00:25:16,920 –> 00:25:22,479 often find a great sense of emptiness when they’ve got it? 411 00:25:22,479 –> 00:25:26,239 And the reason is because there is nothing within this world 412 00:25:26,239 –> 00:25:28,880 that can bring you into the fullness of life 413 00:25:28,880 –> 00:25:30,660 that God wants you to know. 414 00:25:30,660 –> 00:25:32,880 It was not with perishable things 415 00:25:32,880 –> 00:25:34,520 or anything within this world 416 00:25:34,540 –> 00:25:36,579 that you’re redeemed from an empty way of life, 417 00:25:36,579 –> 00:25:38,199 handed down from your forefathers, 418 00:25:38,199 –> 00:25:40,160 but through the precious blood of Christ. 419 00:25:40,160 –> 00:25:41,640 It is through the blood of Christ 420 00:25:41,640 –> 00:25:43,800 that you’re brought into a relationship with God, 421 00:25:43,800 –> 00:25:45,359 with whom you will spend eternity. 422 00:25:45,359 –> 00:25:47,280 That is what you were made for, 423 00:25:47,280 –> 00:25:51,400 and that is the one way of finding fullness of life. 424 00:25:51,400 –> 00:25:53,400 That’s why, Peter says, 425 00:25:53,400 –> 00:25:58,359 you’re to live your lives as strangers here. 426 00:25:58,359 –> 00:25:59,800 Because in this world, 427 00:25:59,800 –> 00:26:03,760 people think that what we have now is everything. 428 00:26:04,839 –> 00:26:07,040 And what we will have after death, 429 00:26:07,040 –> 00:26:08,660 whatever it is, is just a shadow, 430 00:26:08,660 –> 00:26:10,000 and not worth considering. 431 00:26:11,099 –> 00:26:13,560 But the Christian knows that what we have now, 432 00:26:13,560 –> 00:26:17,839 in all its beauty and splendor, is only a shadow, 433 00:26:17,839 –> 00:26:19,699 compared to what we will have then 434 00:26:20,680 –> 00:26:22,380 in the presence of Christ. 435 00:26:23,319 –> 00:26:28,219 Nothing in this world is an end in itself. 436 00:26:29,020 –> 00:26:32,319 If God gives you the gift of marriage, 437 00:26:33,219 –> 00:26:37,199 its a partnership to be used for his glory. 438 00:26:37,199 –> 00:26:39,660 If God gives you children, 439 00:26:39,660 –> 00:26:42,260 they’re to be raised for his glory. 440 00:26:43,359 –> 00:26:45,520 Eating and drinking, the Bible says, 441 00:26:45,520 –> 00:26:48,760 are to be done to the glory of God. 442 00:26:48,760 –> 00:26:51,020 Work is for the glory of God. 443 00:26:51,020 –> 00:26:54,640 Don’t live for these things. 444 00:26:54,640 –> 00:26:57,780 These things are the spheres 445 00:26:57,780 –> 00:27:01,839 in which God calls us to live for his glory. 446 00:27:01,839 –> 00:27:04,420 So, Peter says, live your lives as strangers here 447 00:27:05,319 –> 00:27:06,359 in reverent fear. 448 00:27:07,959 –> 00:27:09,839 That phrase in reverent fear, of course, 449 00:27:09,839 –> 00:27:12,400 isn’t very significant because he’s telling us 450 00:27:12,400 –> 00:27:15,119 that it really matters that you live this way 451 00:27:15,119 –> 00:27:16,979 because as soon as your short journey 452 00:27:16,979 –> 00:27:18,160 through this world is over, 453 00:27:18,160 –> 00:27:19,920 you will stand in the immediate presence 454 00:27:19,920 –> 00:27:22,959 of God and you will see the son of God 455 00:27:22,959 –> 00:27:26,020 who loved you and gave himself for you. 456 00:27:26,020 –> 00:27:27,520 Now, learn to live every day 457 00:27:27,520 –> 00:27:31,959 in the light of that awesome reality. 458 00:27:33,079 –> 00:27:35,079 And the wonderful thing is that when you learn 459 00:27:35,079 –> 00:27:40,060 to live in that way, it will deliver you, including increasingly 460 00:27:40,060 –> 00:27:43,839 from every other kind of fear. 461 00:27:46,319 –> 00:27:49,739 I watched the film Gods and Generals recently, 462 00:27:49,739 –> 00:27:52,640 all four exhausting hours of it. 463 00:27:52,640 –> 00:27:53,900 Marvelous film. 464 00:27:54,859 –> 00:27:58,520 It’s the story of Robert Lee and of Stonewall Jackson, 465 00:27:58,520 –> 00:27:59,839 the American Civil War. 466 00:28:00,599 –> 00:28:04,140 Jackson, as you know, was given the name Stonewall 467 00:28:04,140 –> 00:28:08,500 because of his extraordinary courage on the field of battle. 468 00:28:09,239 –> 00:28:12,359 And there’s a scene in the film in which one of Jackson’s men 469 00:28:12,359 –> 00:28:18,959 asks him, general, how is it that you can be so serene 470 00:28:19,099 –> 00:28:24,560 with a storm of shells and bullets raining over your head. 471 00:28:25,540 –> 00:28:28,000 That’s just a great question, isn’t it, for us who live 472 00:28:28,000 –> 00:28:29,599 in a dangerous world today. 473 00:28:29,599 –> 00:28:33,599 How, General Jackson, can you be so serene? 474 00:28:35,380 –> 00:28:36,979 Here’s what Jackson said. 475 00:28:38,959 –> 00:28:43,780 My faith teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. 476 00:28:45,500 –> 00:28:48,000 God has fixed the time for my death. 477 00:28:49,400 –> 00:28:52,020 I do not concern myself with that, 478 00:28:53,000 –> 00:28:58,000 but always to be ready whenever it may overtake me. 479 00:28:59,540 –> 00:29:02,280 That is the way all men should live, 480 00:29:03,520 –> 00:29:08,079 then all men would be equally brave. 481 00:29:09,359 –> 00:29:10,819 You see, that’s what Peter’s getting at. 482 00:29:10,819 –> 00:29:14,819 Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 483 00:29:15,780 –> 00:29:16,839 In reverent fear. 484 00:29:18,219 –> 00:29:21,780 So, this path of holiness, 485 00:29:21,780 –> 00:29:25,520 this life of holiness is lived out in a fight 486 00:29:25,520 –> 00:29:28,439 in which God calls you to take action 487 00:29:28,439 –> 00:29:31,060 against sin in your life. 488 00:29:31,060 –> 00:29:33,219 It’s worked out in relation to the future 489 00:29:33,219 –> 00:29:36,900 as we learn increasingly to live as strangers here. 490 00:29:37,859 –> 00:29:39,260 And living in the fear of God 491 00:29:39,260 –> 00:29:42,979 will give us victory over every other kind of fear. 492 00:29:43,900 –> 00:29:46,020 And lastly and very briefly, 493 00:29:46,020 –> 00:29:48,979 it’s worked out in relation to the family, 494 00:29:48,979 –> 00:29:52,060 the family of God, as we learn, verse 22, 495 00:29:52,060 –> 00:29:56,099 to love one another deeply. 496 00:29:56,099 –> 00:29:57,599 Notice what Peter says, 497 00:29:57,599 –> 00:29:59,859 now that you have purified yourselves 498 00:29:59,859 –> 00:30:02,060 by obeying the truth, 499 00:30:02,979 –> 00:30:03,819 notice, by the way, 500 00:30:03,819 –> 00:30:06,900 that truth is something to be obeyed, not just believed, 501 00:30:06,900 –> 00:30:09,199 by obeying the truth, 502 0:30:09,199 –> 00:30:12,579 so that you have sincere love for your brothers, 503 00:30:12,579 –> 00:30:17,579 love one another deeply from the heart, 504 00:30:17,959 –> 00:30:20,260 for, now he’s gonna give us the reason, 505 00:30:21,160 –> 00:30:23,859 why are we to love one another deeply from the heart? 506 00:30:23,859 –> 00:30:24,839 Here’s the reason. 507 00:30:24,839 –> 00:30:29,099 For you have been born again, 508 00:30:29,099 –> 00:30:31,839 not of perishable seed, 509 00:30:31,839 –> 00:30:35,180 but of imperishable through the living 510 00:30:35,180 –> 00:30:38,459 and enduring word of God. 511 00:30:39,739 –> 00:30:40,660 And you see what he’s saying, 512 00:30:40,660 –> 00:30:42,579 you’ve been born again, 513 00:30:42,579 –> 00:30:45,719 you’ve therefore become part of God’s family, 514 00:30:45,719 –> 00:30:47,060 as part of God’s family, 515 00:30:47,060 –> 00:30:50,339 everyone else who belongs to Jesus Christ by faith 516 00:30:50,339 –> 00:30:55,339 is your brother and your sister in the family of God. 517 00:30:55,760 –> 00:30:58,000 And these relationships matter 518 00:30:58,000 –> 00:31:01,959 because they are going to last for eternity. 519 00:31:04,000 –> 00:31:05,060 You have been born again, 520 00:31:05,060 –> 00:31:06,680 not of a perishable seed, 521 00:31:06,680 –> 00:31:08,180 not just of a religious interest 522 00:31:08,260 –> 00:31:11,479 that will end at the end of your life 523 00:31:11,479 –> 00:31:13,359 but of imperishable seed 524 00:31:13,359 –> 00:31:16,180 you’ve been brought into this family of God 525 00:31:16,180 –> 00:31:18,280 into relationships that will continue 526 00:31:18,280 –> 00:31:22,020 in the presence of God forever and forever. 527 00:31:22,020 –> 00:31:23,979 Therefore, brothers and sisters, 528 00:31:23,979 –> 00:31:28,979 let us learn now to love one another deeply. 529 00:31:29,040 –> 00:31:29,880 That’s why, of course, 530 00:31:29,880 –> 00:31:31,920 he goes on in chapter two and verse one to say, 531 00:31:31,920 –> 00:31:34,260 therefore, get rid of all malice 532 00:31:34,260 –> 00:31:36,099 and deceit and slander and envy. 533 00:31:36,099 –> 00:31:36,920 Why? 534 00:31:36,920 –> 00:31:40,619 These are the things that spoil relationships 535 00:31:40,619 –> 00:31:42,939 in the family of God. 536 00:31:44,099 –> 00:31:45,540 You see, there is no such thing 537 00:31:45,540 –> 00:31:48,619 as holiness on a desert island 538 00:31:49,500 –> 00:31:54,500 because the heart of holiness is love. 539 00:31:54,800 –> 00:31:57,599 It’s demonstrated in the relationships 540 00:31:57,599 –> 00:32:00,359 that grow within the family of God, 541 00:32:00,359 –> 00:32:03,900 love one another deeply. 542 00:32:03,979 –> 00:32:08,640 There’s a lovely story thinking about the relationships 543 00:32:08,640 –> 00:32:11,959 between Christians going on for all eternity. 544 00:32:11,959 –> 00:32:13,479 It’s a story of a young couple 545 00:32:14,540 –> 00:32:19,160 by the name of Sheldon and Davy Van Auken. 546 00:32:19,160 –> 00:32:22,119 An American couple who met with C.S. Lewis 547 00:32:22,119 –> 00:32:25,319 in Oxford England for lunch. 548 00:32:25,319 –> 00:32:28,319 They had had a conversation about death 549 00:32:28,319 –> 00:32:30,599 and the conversation in future years actually 550 00:32:30,599 –> 00:32:32,000 was to prove very significant 551 00:32:32,000 –> 00:32:35,339 because a short time later, Davy Van Auken, 552 00:32:35,339 –> 00:32:38,060 the young wife, died very tragically. 553 00:32:38,060 –> 00:32:40,239 And of course, some time after that, 554 00:32:40,239 –> 00:32:45,239 C.S. Lewis’ own wife Joy died through cancer. 555 00:32:45,560 –> 00:32:48,020 Well, they had had this conversation 556 00:32:48,020 –> 00:32:50,880 and at the end the Van Aukens were leaving England 557 00:32:50,880 –> 00:32:53,099 and they were returning here to the States 558 00:32:53,099 –> 00:32:56,560 and at the end of lunch, Lewis expressed his hope 559 00:32:56,560 –> 00:33:00,199 that they would come to England and visit with him again. 560 00:33:01,140 –> 00:33:04,819 Sheldon Van Auken records Lewis’ words in his own book 561 00:33:04,819 –> 00:33:08,140 about the death of his wife called A Severe Mercy 562 00:33:08,140 –> 00:33:09,979 and this is what he says. 563 00:33:09,979 –> 00:33:12,079 Lewis said to us, 564 00:33:12,079 –> 00:33:16,619 we will meet again either here or there, 565 00:33:16,619 –> 00:33:18,619 referring of course to heaven. 566 00:33:18,619 –> 00:33:21,579 We shook hands and Lewis said again, 567 00:33:21,579 –> 00:33:26,579 I shan’t say goodbye because we will meet again. 568 00:33:26,920 –> 00:33:29,780 Then having crossed to the other side of the road, 569 00:33:29,939 –> 00:33:32,939 he raised his voice in a great roar 570 00:33:32,939 –> 00:33:36,660 that easily overcame the noise of cars and of buses. 571 00:33:36,660 –> 00:33:40,000 Lewis had a great voice, you understand, a booming voice. 572 00:33:40,000 –> 00:33:44,500 Heads turned and at least one car swerved 573 00:33:44,500 –> 00:33:48,920 besides, bellowed Lewis with a great grin, 574 00:33:48,920 –> 00:33:53,459 Christians never say goodbye. 575 00:33:54,900 –> 00:33:56,160 Now that’s the truth. 576 00:33:57,119 –> 00:34:01,400 Christians never say goodbye. 577 00:34:01,400 –> 00:34:02,239 Why? 578 00:34:02,239 –> 00:34:03,260 Because the relationships 579 00:34:03,260 –> 00:34:06,579 that we have in Jesus Christ are for all eternity 580 00:34:06,579 –> 00:34:09,219 because you’ve been born not of some perishable seed, 581 00:34:09,219 –> 00:34:10,679 not some passing phase, 582 00:34:10,679 –> 00:34:13,820 but of the living and enduring word of God. 583 00:34:16,340 –> 00:34:18,320 So love one another deeply, 584 00:34:19,639 –> 00:34:23,719 let the church be like an outpost of eternity 585 00:34:23,820 –> 00:34:26,840 where relationships that will be made perfect 586 00:34:26,840 –> 00:34:29,639 in his presence are already begun 587 00:34:29,639 –> 00:34:34,239 and reflect the love of the Lord Jesus Christ 588 00:34:34,239 –> 00:34:37,679 between brothers and sisters. 589 00:34:37,679 –> 00:34:41,979 Now, God calls us to lead a holy life. 590 00:34:43,139 –> 00:34:44,580 Here’s what it looks like. 591 00:34:45,760 –> 00:34:47,919 It’s about a fight, 592 00:34:47,919 –> 00:34:49,419 the battle against sin. 593 00:34:49,419 –> 00:34:52,100 Take action against sin in your life, 594 00:34:52,100 –> 00:34:53,600 be self-controlled. 595 00:34:53,679 –> 00:34:56,060 Do not conform to evil desires, 596 00:34:56,060 –> 00:34:59,020 get rid of all that holds you back. 597 00:34:59,879 –> 00:35:01,040 Relate to the future, 598 00:35:01,040 –> 00:35:03,479 learn to live as a stranger here. 599 00:35:03,479 –> 00:35:06,120 Your home is with Christ in eternity 600 00:35:06,120 –> 00:35:09,179 and all that you have and all that he gives you to do 601 00:35:09,179 –> 00:35:11,120 is to be used for his glory 602 00:35:11,120 –> 00:35:13,979 in the light of that great day that is coming. 603 00:35:15,500 –> 00:35:17,479 And love one another deeply 604 00:35:17,479 –> 00:35:19,679 for no one lives this Christian life alone. 605 00:35:19,679 –> 00:35:22,820 We are part of a community that God brings together 606 00:35:22,820 –> 00:35:26,060 that’s a foretaste of eternity. 607 00:35:27,060 –> 00:35:32,060 That’s the path, let’s pursue it together. 608 00:35:32,780 –> 00:35:33,600 Shall we pray, 609 00:35:37,860 –> 00:35:41,840 Father, we have not always pursued holiness as we ought, 610 00:35:44,260 –> 00:35:45,899 but within every Christian heart, 611 00:35:45,899 –> 00:35:49,699 there is something that rises to the vision 612 00:35:49,699 –> 00:35:52,659 of a life that is patterned after you. 613 00:35:53,820 –> 00:35:56,959 We thank you for the miracle of new birth 614 00:35:58,419 –> 00:36:00,979 and pray that having come to new birth, 615 00:36:01,939 –> 00:36:04,080 every one of us as your people 616 00:36:05,060 –> 00:36:09,439 may vigorously pursue growth in this new life. 617 00:36:11,100 –> 00:36:13,959 We have not always fought in this battle as we ought 618 00:36:13,959 –> 00:36:15,760 and we confess our failure, 619 00:36:15,760 –> 00:36:17,199 we confess our sin, 620 00:36:18,979 –> 00:36:21,979 but we thank you for the clarity of your word 621 00:36:22,000 –> 00:36:27,000 reminding us that you have equipped us and empowered us 622 00:36:27,939 –> 00:36:30,340 to live this life that you call us to lead 623 00:36:30,340 –> 00:36:32,540 and so we renew our resolve 624 00:36:32,540 –> 00:36:36,659 that by the power of your spirit at work within us, 625 00:36:38,260 –> 00:36:42,439 we will be ready for action in this week that lies ahead. 626 00:36:43,379 –> 00:36:45,919 Help us to live this week in the light of eternity. 627 00:36:46,939 –> 00:36:48,979 Help us to grow in all that it means 628 00:36:48,979 –> 00:36:50,959 to love one another deeply. 629 00:36:52,020 –> 00:36:53,620 Within the family of God. 630 00:36:55,000 –> 00:36:57,419 To that end, lead us increasingly in lives 631 00:36:57,419 –> 00:37:00,000 that will be for your glory and for your honor. 632 00:37:01,179 –> 00:37:04,000 For all these things we ask together, 633 00:37:04,000 –> 00:37:08,800 in Jesus name, and God’s people together said, amen.