New Living
Series: Vision Series 2024 - New Life
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 18th February 2024
Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-21
00:00:00 --> 00:00:08 I remember it vividly, although it was, I think, around about 44 years ago now, something like that.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:14 I was like 10 or 11, and I was on my first school excursion.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 We were away for something like four days.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 We had travelled about 400 kilometres from home.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 We were just north of here near Newcastle.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:30 And each of our grade were billeted out.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 We were distributed to families from the school that we were connecting with.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:39 This is before there were things like child protection laws and things like that.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:47 And I remember staying with this family, and it was the end of a very long day.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 It was the first night.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:54 There were so many things that were familiar with this family to my own,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 but there was a whole bunch of stuff that was different as well.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 And I remember we had dinner, and the mum said,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:06 do you want to call home and just tell your parents that, you know, you're okay?
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 And so I rang home to tell them that I was okay,
00:01:09 --> 00:01:14 and as soon as my mum answered the phone, I just burst into tears.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 I didn't know what happened, where it came from.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 I just started blubbering.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:24 And I was told that it was called homesickness.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:29 And it's like, and I mean, these people may be sick.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 You know, like, what is this homesickness?
00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 In case you're not sure what it is, it's an emotional distress.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 It's the feeling of emotional distress when you're away from home
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 and in a new and unfamiliar environment,
00:01:45 --> 00:01:49 even though there were many things that were familiar to that environment for me.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:56 Maybe some of us here feel that experience on a regular basis,
00:01:56 --> 00:02:00 given the fact that Australia is not your first home.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:06 But it is the Christian life according to the Bible.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 It's what we touched on last week in 1 Peter,
00:02:11 --> 00:02:15 as Peter describes the life of the Christian as resident aliens.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 We are exiles, foreigners.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:23 That is, the Christian is not a tourist in this world.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:29 We live, in fact, to serve our neighbours for the good of society.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 And in that sense, we are resident aliens.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:34 This is not our home.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:38 We are homesick for our true home.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:44 We live as homesick people longing for our true home.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:49 This was true for the first residents,
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 sorry, the first recipients of this letter from Peter,
00:02:53 --> 00:02:59 as they themselves were struggling under the oppression of a Roman society,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 standing against their trust in Jesus Christ.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:07 And it's true for the Christian today in our society,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 and for Christians everywhere, from every culture and society,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 from the time that Jesus ascended,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 and until we reach home, we are homesick.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 When you become a Christian,
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 you don't just turn over and you leave,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 or simply become a little bit more spiritual.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:31 In the Bible, 1 Peter says that, as we just read, we are reborn.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 Reborn.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 A whole entire new life has begun.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 The old is gone, and new has come.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:44 The resurrection power of Jesus Christ,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:50 the same power that saw him go from death to life,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 comes into our lives.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:59 And so what does the pilgrim resident alien life look like?
00:03:59 --> 00:04:04 That's the journey we're on here in 1 Peter,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 as we look at this new life.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 But one way that Peter answers that,
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 is as he who called you is holy,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 so be holy in all you do.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 For it is written, be holy, because I am holy.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 So that's what we're looking at this morning.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 We've got three things.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 If you've got the St. Paul's app, you can download it.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:29 If you want to just take notes, feel free to do that as well.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 But what is holiness?
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 How does holiness grow?
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 And who makes the holiness possible?
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 So what is holiness?
00:04:40 --> 00:04:40 That's the first thing.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:45 We start to answer that question by looking again at verses 15 and 16.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 Just as he who called you is holy,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 so be holy in all you do.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:54 For it is written, be holy, because I am holy.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 Now, when we hear the word holiness,
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 which is not a word that's generally used in society much at all,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 unless somehow it's a slight,
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 but we automatically think in terms of morality.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 It's morality.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 It's moral things.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 It's ethics.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:18 And we think of things like the Ten Commandments
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 or the Golden Rule, the Great Commandment,
00:05:20 --> 00:05:20 that sort of stuff.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 Holiness, according to the Bible,
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 doesn't mean less than morality,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 but it does mean something fundamentally more
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 than just morality.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:38 The clue to that is Peter's quote in verse 16.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:44 Be holy because I am holy.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 What Peter's doing there is he's quoting from Leviticus
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 in the Old Testament.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 And there are at least five times in Leviticus
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 that God says to his people Israel,
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 words to the effect of,
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 be holy because I am holy.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:05 Now, but the interesting thing about the book of Leviticus
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 is that it's talking,
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 Leviticus talks about holy things,
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 not so much holy people.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 That is, Leviticus does not include
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 a list of the Ten Commandments
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 or the moral codes.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 You've got to go to Deuteronomy,
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 you've got to go to Exodus for that.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:28 Leviticus talks about holy tables
00:06:28 --> 00:06:32 and holy pots and holy utensils.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:38 That is, holiness is much more
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 than just morality and ethics.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:49 You know, what after all is a holy pot?
00:06:49 --> 00:06:55 More curiously, what is a unholy pot?
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 I googled unholy pot
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 and up comes marijuana.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 The word holy in the Bible
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 means separate or set apart.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 This is why God can easily call himself holy.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 He is set apart from everything
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 and every being.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 That is, he stands outside of creation.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 He creates creation,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 but he's not part of creation.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 He is unique.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 That is, God himself,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 by himself, exists in his own category.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 There is none like him.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 And when God says, I am holy,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 he is saying,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 there is nothing,
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 no one like me at all.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 And so, to look at Leviticus,
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 to understand what holiness is,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 a holy item,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 like a pot or a table
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 or a spoon,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 is set apart
00:07:52 --> 00:07:56 for God's exclusive use.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 It's used for God
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 and worshipping God.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:07 So, when Peter quotes Leviticus here
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 to tell people
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 that they should be holy
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 in living the pilgrim life,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 the implication is
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 that he's going beyond
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 and deeper
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 than ethics and morality.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 Holiness is
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 fundamentally
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 belonging to God.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 That's what it is.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 Not simply
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 a moral code.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 The core of holiness
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 is very personal.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 Very personal.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:47 A very, very personal God.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 Not law codes.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 Not moral rules.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 They're not at the core of holiness.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 Belonging
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 to a personal God
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 is at the core of holiness.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 So, that means
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 it is actually possible
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 to be moral
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 out of a sense of duty
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 or self-worth
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 or meeting expectations
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 of others
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 or just simple pragmatism
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 and yet still not belong to God.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:22 You can be moral
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 for selfish reasons.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 It's possible
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 to be moral
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 but not long to God.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:28 It's possible
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 to do good things
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 and to live
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 a good life
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 and still not belong
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 to God.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 You see,
00:09:37 --> 00:09:37 belonging to God
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 is primarily
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 a heart issue.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 It's not an activity
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 first and foremost.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:48 There are only
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 a few people
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 in my life
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 where I can say
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 that their claims
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 of love
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 on my life
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 are so great
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 that I belong
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 to them.
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 That's my wife
00:09:59 --> 00:09:59 and my children.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 There are things
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 that I do now
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 that I would
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 most likely
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 not do
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 if it wasn't
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 because of those
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 love relationships.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:17 If it wasn't
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 because of those
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 love relationships
00:10:19 --> 00:10:19 there was things
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 that I currently do
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 that I would not
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 choose to do.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 To belong to God
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 means to live
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 on his terms,
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 delighting in him,
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 reserving ourselves
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 for him,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 obeying him,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:35 honouring him.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 Belonging to God
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 means
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 duty becomes
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 delight.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 delight.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 It is not
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 enough to be
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 moral.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 To be holy
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 we must
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 belong
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 to God.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 Imagine a scenario
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 where you have
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 a single
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 poor woman
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 who has
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 one child.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 This woman
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 teaches her child
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 good ethics,
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 good things
00:11:03 --> 00:11:03 to
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 care for the poor,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 to always tell
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 the truth,
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 to have a great
00:11:09 --> 00:11:09 work ethic,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 work hard.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 And she does
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 everything for her
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 child as she's
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 growing up.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 She works long
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 hours in hard
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 conditions and
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 sacrifices much to
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 provide for her
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 child.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 And so,
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 such a point where
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 she works and
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 works and works
00:11:22 --> 00:11:22 and is able to
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 send this child
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 into a university
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 and as soon as
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 this child gets
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 their university
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 degree and
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 then from there
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 they do well,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:32 they get into a
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 great job,
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 the child calls
00:11:34 --> 00:11:34 her up with the
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 great news,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:36 I've got this
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 fantastic job,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 getting paid
00:11:40 --> 00:11:40 well,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 I can afford
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 some great
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 rent.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 So,
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 from here on
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 in,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 I'll be in
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 touch occasionally.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 Christmas time,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 birthdays,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 I'll send a
00:11:55 --> 00:11:55 card.
00:11:57 --> 00:11:57 But from here
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 on in,
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 I'm living life
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 my way
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 because I don't
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 actually need you
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 anymore.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 because I'm
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 doing what you
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 told me to do,
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 I'm taking care
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 of the poor,
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 I tell the
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 truth and I
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 work hard,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 thank you for
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 that.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 Mother starts
00:12:15 --> 00:12:15 to cry,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 it's confused,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 they're really
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 upset.
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 And the
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 child,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 what's your
00:12:24 --> 00:12:24 problem?
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 I'm doing the
00:12:26 --> 00:12:26 things that you've
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 told me to do,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 I am loving
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 the poor,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 caring for them,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 I'm telling the
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 truth,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 I'm working
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 hard,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 what is your
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 problem?
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 Why are you
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 upset with me?
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 Now if you've
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 got any emotional
00:12:41 --> 00:12:41 intelligence at all,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 you would understand
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 that child doesn't
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 have emotional
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 intelligence.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 It's unthinkable,
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 horrible for
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 someone to treat
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 their parent like
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 that,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 and yet that's the
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 way we often
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 think about
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 morality,
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 it's often the
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 way we think
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 about holiness,
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 we just do
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 things,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 live a certain
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 way,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 but without
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 a relationship.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 For anyone
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 to say that
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 it's really
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 important that
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 I am moral,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 but I don't
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 need God,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 you're not
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 holy.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 Holiness means
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 you belong to
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 God,
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 and so the
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 core of
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 holiness is
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 intentionally,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 intensely
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 relational.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 relational.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 This leads to
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 another very
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 important discovery.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 We now have
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 the key
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 principle in
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 which to
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 apply holiness
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 to every
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 single part
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 of our
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 lives.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 The opposite
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 of belonging
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 to God is
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 to live for
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 yourself.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 The opposite
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 of belonging
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 to God is
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 to live for
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 yourself,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 you,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 what you want
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 in life,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 your preferences.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 And so the
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 principle of
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 holy living
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 is to
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 live for
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 yourself,
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 sorry,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 is to not
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 live for
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 yourself,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 but to
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 live for
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 God.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 1 Corinthians
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 6,
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 19 puts it
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 like this,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 you are
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 not your
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 own,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 you are
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 bought at
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 a price,
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 therefore
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 honour God
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 with your
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 bodies.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 The Christian
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 has been
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 bought at
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 a price,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 they are
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 owned by
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 another.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 That means
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 that there
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 is not a
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 single
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 situation
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 in life,
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 not a
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 single
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 situation
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 in life
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 where we
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 make a
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 decision
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 based on
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 personal
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 preference,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 not a
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 single
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 decision,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 nothing in
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 life,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 anywhere
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 where I
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 think about
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 what is
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 my need
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 first.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 you live
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 for God
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 and others.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 It's
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 really
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 interesting,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 I find
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 that Peter
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 in the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 first place
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 quotes from
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 Leviticus.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 In the
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 book of
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 Acts,
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 we read
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 that God
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 really had
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 to push
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 home to
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 Peter that
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 it wasn't
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 necessary for
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 him to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 keep the
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 entire
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 Levitical
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 code.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 As a
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 Jew,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 Peter was
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 committed to
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 the rules
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 about food,
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 clothing,
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 ceremonies.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 He even
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 was insisting
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 that new
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 Christians,
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 Gentile
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 Christians,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 needed to
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 submit to
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 this same
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 law code
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 as well
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 in certain
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 areas.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 And then
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 God gives
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 Peter a
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 vision and
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 tells him,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 in Acts
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 chapter 10,
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 and tells
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 him that
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 all these
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 laws have
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 now been
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 fulfilled by
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 Jesus.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 Jesus has
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 perfectly
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 obeyed and
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 so you are
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 clean and
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 you are now
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 acceptable to
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 Jesus.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:52 it took
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 Peter a
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 little while
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 to get
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 that.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 But he
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 finally got
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 the principle
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 of holiness.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 Every part
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 of your
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 life is
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 holy.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 Every part
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 is to be
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 holy.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 And to be
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 holy is to
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 belong to
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 God first
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 and foremost.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 The
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 particulars of
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 Leviticus,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 are fulfilled
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 by Jesus
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 but the
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 principle still
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 applies to
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 the Christian
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 now.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Every part
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 of your life
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 belongs to
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 God.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 Every part.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 Every part.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:39 the principle
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 of living for
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 God and
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 others and
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 not self
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 is to push
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 its way into
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 every corner
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 of our
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 lives.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 So I
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 ask you
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 the last,
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 just think of
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 the last big
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 decision that
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 you've made.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 I'm not
00:16:55 --> 00:16:59 asking you,
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 did you pray
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 about it?
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 I'm asking
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 how have
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 other people
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 responded to
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 it?
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 What wisdom
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 and guidance
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 did you get
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 from God's
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 word about
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 it?
00:17:13 --> 00:17:21 So,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 second point
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 is how
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 does it
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 grow?
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 If that's
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 what holiness
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 is,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 then how
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 does it
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 grow in
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 our lives
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 and in
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 this new
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 life we
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 have in
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 Jesus?
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 Jesus.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 These
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 verses tell
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 us that
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 holiness
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 grows in
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 three ways.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 The mind,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 the will,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 and the
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 heart.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 So first
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 of all,
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 let's focus
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 on the
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 mind.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 Notice
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 verse 13.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 With
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 minds that
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 are alert
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 and fully
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 sober,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 set your
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 hope on
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 the grace
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 to be
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 brought to
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 you when
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 Jesus
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 Christ is
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 revealed at
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 his coming.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 it is
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 clear that
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 the mind,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 with the
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 mind the
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 intellect is
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 engaged.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 Minds that
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 are in
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 fact alert
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 as we're
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 told here
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 and fully
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 sober.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 To be
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 fully sober
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 is not to
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 mean that
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 you don't
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 drink alcohol.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 To be
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 fully sober
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 the word
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 means
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 judicious.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 It means
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 to be
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 careful.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 It means
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 to be
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 thoughtful.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 It means
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 to be
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 sensible.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 It means
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 to be
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 prudent.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 It's
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 the,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 if you
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 like,
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 in the
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 first century
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 it's the
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 mindset of
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 the scholar.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 The other
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 statement is
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 for our
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 minds to
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 be alert.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 In the
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 original
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 New Testament
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 language that
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 reads as
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 gird up
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 your minds.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 I think
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 some of the
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 early English
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 translations have
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 the idea of
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 gird up your
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 minds.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 It's quite a
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 vivid statement.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 Back in those
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 days when this
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 was written,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 everyone wore
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 dresses,
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 well technically
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 robes.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 If you
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 need to
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 do something
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 active,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 what you
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 did was
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 you got
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 your robe,
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 you pulled
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 it up and
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 you stuck
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 it in your
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 belt,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 your girdle,
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 you stuck
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 it in your
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 belt in order
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 to be able
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 to do the
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 active thing.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 So how
00:19:20 --> 00:19:23 alert and
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 fully sober
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 work together
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 in this
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 passage is
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 that the
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 Christian needs
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 to be
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 thinking,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 thinking,
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 thinking,
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 pouring over
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 God's
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 word,
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 his
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 requirements,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 the gospel,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 again thinking,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 thinking,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 thinking towards
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 action.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 Not just
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 blowing our
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 brains out
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 more and more
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 with more and
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 more theology,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 but towards
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 action.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 Thinking very
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 carefully about
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 the implications
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 of faith in
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 Jesus in
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 every single
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 corner of
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 our lives
00:19:58 --> 00:20:03 with the
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 purpose or
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 the goal of
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 doing it,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 practicing it.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 It tells us
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 here to set
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 our hope,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 to set our
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 sights, if you
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 like, on the
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 grace that is
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 coming with
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 Jesus at the
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 end of all
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 things.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 in other
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 words, be
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 alert and
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 fully sober,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 engage,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 engage your
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 brains, put
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 it into
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 practice, the
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 Christian life
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 into practice,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 with the
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 end goal in
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 focus.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 Fix your
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 mind on the
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 finish line and
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 all its
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 rewards and
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 keep thinking
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 about it and
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 all its
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 implications over
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 and over and
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 over again and
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 push all those
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 implications down.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 into practice.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Put it like
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 this, are
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 you a
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 Christian?
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 Do you know
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 that the
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 Bible says that
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 God made this
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 world to be
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 perfect paradise,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 a perfect place
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 of love and
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 glory?
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 And yet
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 everything is
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 broken in our
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 world because
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 humanity turned
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 away from its
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 creator.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 life.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:21 But God, at
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 infinite cost to
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 himself, entered
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 history, his
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 story, as
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 Jesus Christ and
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 died on a cross to
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 pay the debt of
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 humanity's sin.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 He will one day
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 return and remake
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 everything so that
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 it all becomes
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 perfect once again.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 everything.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 What that means is
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 that whatever
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 happens to you in
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 life, whatever
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 happens to you in
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 life, it will end
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 up okay.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 It will all be good
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 in the end.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 Better, in fact, in
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 the end.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 The best thing that
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 can ever happen and
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 the worst thing that
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 can ever happen to
00:22:06 --> 00:22:09 you will live, is
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 that we will live
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 forever with him
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 in perfection and
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 glory.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 That is the worst
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 thing that can
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 happen to you,
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 namely death, is
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 the best thing that
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 can happen to you
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 because of Jesus.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 I want to ask you,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 do you have peace
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 in that right now,
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 confidence in that
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 right now?
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 If you do not,
00:22:36 --> 00:22:41 and if you are
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 constantly making
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 decisions to shore
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 up that peace and
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 to grow in that
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 confidence your way,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:51 it's because you're
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 not thinking.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 It's because you're
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 not thinking.
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 Don't believe the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 self-serving narrative
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 of our time that
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 says Christians,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 or more broadly
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 religious people,
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 well, they have
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 faith, but everyone
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 else thinks.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 That is absolute
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 nonsense.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 Absolute nonsense.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 Think.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 The Bible says that
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 you will not be
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 holy.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 You will not have
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 peace.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 You will not have
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 security and
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 certainty unless you
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 think.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 And primarily
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 think.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 Pour over God's
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 word to us.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 Have the gospel
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 in front of you
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 again, day in
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 and day out.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 I think we've
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 said this
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 multiple times
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 in the last
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 three to four
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 years.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 If you are not
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 doing that a
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 minimum of four
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 times a week
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 in God's word,
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 you are not
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 thinking.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 you are not
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 growing in
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 holiness.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 You will not
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 have certainty.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 Thinking,
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 however, is not
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 the only thing.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 The will must
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 also be engaged
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 in order to
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 grow in holiness.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 Have a look at
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 verse 14.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 As obedient
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 children, do
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 not conform to
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 the evil desires
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 you had when
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 you lived in
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 ignorance.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 obedience.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 To be holy
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 does in the
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 end require
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 obedience.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 As I said, it
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 requires a
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 movement from
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 thinking towards
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 action.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 So it requires
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 obedience.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 Peter here is
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 addressing Gentiles.
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 They didn't know
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 the Ten Commandments
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 or the rest of the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 law, but now
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 they do.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 And now that
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 they do, he
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 says they need
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 to conform to
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 it.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 We should
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 note, though,
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 that even as
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 Peter says
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 obedience is
00:24:53 --> 00:24:55 required, notice
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 he calls them
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 obedient children.
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 As obedient
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 children.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 Again, it's
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 highly relational.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 Not obedient
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 slaves, not
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 obedient workers,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 not obedient
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08 servants, obedient
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 children.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 He's talking
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 about the kind
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 of trusting
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 obedience that
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 children give
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 to parents,
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 parents who
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 they rely
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 upon and
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 love.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 Another great
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 example of
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 this in
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 terms of
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 obedience is
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 in 2 Samuel
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 23.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 It's one of
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 these narratives
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 that you
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 potentially could
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 fly straight
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 over and not
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 notice the
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 beauty of it.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 When David
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 became king,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 the Philistines
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 were so worried
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 about David.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 They were like,
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 this guy is
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 going to be a
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 formidable force
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 to reckon with.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 As soon as he
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 was crowned
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 king, the
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 Philistines
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 decided we're
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 going to invade
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 his country
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 while he's still
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 celebrating or
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 while he's a
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 little bit unsure
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 of himself as
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 king, new in the
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 role as the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 head man.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 They came in
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 real strong.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 David, in this
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 moment, responds
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 in the way that
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 they probably
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 predicted he
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 would.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 with a few
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 hand-picked
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 men known as
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 David's mighty
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 men, he
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 escaped into
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 the wilderness.
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 He did a
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 runner with a
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 few choice
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 guys.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 The Philistines
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 came in, they
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 took over the
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 key parts of
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 David's kingdom
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 including David's
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 hometown,
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 Bethlehem.
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 So Dave's out
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 there in the
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 wilderness, one
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 hot day, he
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 laments his
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 situation and
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41 says with words
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43 to effect, if
00:26:43 --> 00:26:45 only I had
00:26:45 --> 00:26:47 a Frank
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 Green full
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 of the water
00:26:48 --> 00:26:50 from the
00:26:50 --> 00:26:52 well that I
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 drank out of
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 as a kid in
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 Bethlehem, if
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 only I had
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 that.
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 It was a
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 hope, it was a
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 longing of things
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 to be reversed.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 It wasn't a
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 command and
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 three of these
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 key dudes are
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 there going,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:09 hmm, strap
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 their swords
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 on, grab the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 water jug,
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 fought their
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 way through
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 the Philistines
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 to Bethlehem,
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 filled up the
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 water jug from
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 the well, came
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 running back,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 fought their
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 way back through
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 the Philistines
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 and gave the
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 water jug from
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 Bethlehem to
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 Dave.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 What did he
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 do?
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 Tipped it on
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 the ground.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 Tipped it all
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 on the ground.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 Why?
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 I am unworthy
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 of this kind
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 of devotion.
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 I am
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 unworthy of
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 this kind of
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 devotion.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 That's his
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 point.
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 And the
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 point that I
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 want to say
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 in the call
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 to obedience
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 here in 1
00:27:56 --> 00:27:58 Peter, when
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 you're really
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 devoted to
00:27:59 --> 00:28:01 someone as
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 these three
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 men were to
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 their king,
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 belong, when
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 you really
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 belong to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 someone as
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 these three
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 men were to
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 their king,
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 you will do
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 anything to
00:28:14 --> 00:28:17 delight that
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 person.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 You will do
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 anything to
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 honour that
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 person.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 When we have
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 this kind of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 relationship with
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 another, namely
00:28:25 --> 00:28:27 Jesus, there is
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 no difference
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 between a
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32 command or
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 a request
00:28:32 --> 00:28:34 or even
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 simply a
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 sigh.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:38 they heard
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 a sigh
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 from David
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 and they
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 risked their
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 lives for
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 him.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 You don't
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 look at the
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 rules and the
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 regulations and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 work out which
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 ones do I need
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 to keep
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 nowadays, God?
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 If we have
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 to ask
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 ourselves
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 questions like,
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 so, calculating
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 my giving,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 should it be
00:29:03 --> 00:29:05 pre-tax or
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 post-tax?
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 Or asking
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 questions, how
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 regular do I
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 need to be at
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 church in order
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 to be considered
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 regular?
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 Plus, can I
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 add to that,
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 the thousands,
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 the tens of
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 thousands of
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 questions that
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 are really hiding
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 behind the
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 deepest questions
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 of the human
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 heart, what is
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 the bare minimum
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 that God requires
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 of me before he
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 gets crossed
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 with me?
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 That's not
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 holiness
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 question at
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 all.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 And it's a
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 million miles
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 away from
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 the devotion
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 of David's
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 men to their
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 king.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 And he was
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 just a man.
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 To be holy
00:29:54 --> 00:29:56 is to belong
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 to God, to
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 live for God,
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 and not just
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 obey the things
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 you do know,
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 but you look
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 in multiple ways
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 of how I
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 might increase,
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 how I might
00:30:05 --> 00:30:07 increase my
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 obedience towards
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 him.
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 And in the
00:30:13 --> 00:30:15 end, if you
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 delight in him,
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 it doesn't feel
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 like obedience
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 at all.
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 It is just
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 delight.
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 A delightful
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 duty.
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 To grow in
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 holiness, we
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 need to engage
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 the mind and
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 the will, and
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 lastly, the
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 heart.
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 Verse 17,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 since you
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 call on a
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 father who
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 judges each
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 person's work
00:30:37 --> 00:30:39 impartially, live
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 out your time as
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 foreigners here in
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 reverent fear.
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 Living in the fear
00:30:46 --> 00:30:48 of God is how you
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 engage the heart.
00:30:49 --> 00:30:52 that is, the
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 fear of God, the
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 biblical fear of
00:30:54 --> 00:30:56 God, is crucial to
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 understanding the
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 Christian life.
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 This is the heart
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 of what will
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 motivate and
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 create a desire
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 for us to
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 please God, and
00:31:06 --> 00:31:08 delight in God, and
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 give ourselves to
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 God.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 The word fear
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 here does not
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 mean scared.
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 It means awe
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 and wonder.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 It's an internal
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 sense of awe and
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 wonder.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:21 not doing things
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 because you have
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 to do it out of a
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 sense of duty, but
00:31:24 --> 00:31:27 awe and wonder at
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 the magnificence of
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30 a God who has
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 captured my heart
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 through sacrificing
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 himself, giving
00:31:34 --> 00:31:36 himself for me.
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 In other words,
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 fear of God
00:31:40 --> 00:31:42 grows the more we
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 understand his love
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 for us.
00:31:44 --> 00:31:50 and finally, and
00:31:50 --> 00:31:52 really quickly, how
00:31:52 --> 00:31:54 is, who makes
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 this possible?
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 What is it that
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 will capture our
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 hearts so that they
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 will grow in fear and
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 wonder?
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 What makes this new
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 life possible?
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 What's the engine
00:32:07 --> 00:32:09 under it all, if you
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 like?
00:32:09 --> 00:32:11 verse 18 and 19,
00:32:11 --> 00:32:13 for you know that
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 it was not with
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 perishable things such
00:32:14 --> 00:32:16 as silver or gold that
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 you were redeemed from
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 the empty way of life
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20 handed down to you from
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 your ancestors, but with
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 the precious blood of
00:32:23 --> 00:32:26 Christ, a lamb without
00:32:26 --> 00:32:28 blemish or defect.
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 defect.
00:32:30 --> 00:32:34 Again, Peter is
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 alluding to Leviticus.
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 To live the Christian
00:32:38 --> 00:32:40 life, our hearts need
00:32:40 --> 00:32:42 to be filled with the
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44 fear and the awe and
00:32:44 --> 00:32:46 the wonder of Jesus
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 Christ's blood being
00:32:47 --> 00:32:49 shed for us, for you.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 He has sacrificed
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 himself for you.
00:32:54 --> 00:32:57 You cannot grow in
00:32:57 --> 00:32:59 holiness unless your
00:32:59 --> 00:33:01 mind, your will, and
00:33:01 --> 00:33:03 your heart is fixed on
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 that, the gospel.
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 He wants us to know
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 the joy and the
00:33:08 --> 00:33:10 freedom of not living
00:33:10 --> 00:33:12 for ourselves anymore.
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 He wants us to know
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 the joy and the
00:33:15 --> 00:33:17 freedom, the freedom
00:33:17 --> 00:33:19 from the
00:33:19 --> 00:33:22 claustrophobia, the
00:33:22 --> 00:33:25 narrowness of living
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 for the self.
00:33:27 --> 00:33:29 Jesus gives his life
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 away that we might
00:33:30 --> 00:33:32 experience and grow in
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 the freedom of new
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 life.
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 And as we see him
00:33:36 --> 00:33:38 living and dying for
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40 us, we will die to
00:33:40 --> 00:33:42 ourselves and we will
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 live for him.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 You belong to him.
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 You belong to him.
00:33:48 --> 00:34:18 You belong to him.