1. This whole chapter flows from the pen, from the heart of a pastor… a shepherd.
a. Peter… often remembered for his failures, for his mishaps, for his stumblings, and trip ups…
b. He’s just the one that God says, I can use that man!
c. Notice with me what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1.26-31
I would have loved to have Peter as my pastor… to sit under his teaching, to watch his leadership, to serve alongside of him.
• As we read his letters we hear his heart, his care, his concern.
• The church wasn’t a business to him… it was Jesus.
• Everything was about Jesus.
• His heart was to win people to Jesus Christ!
• His heart was to disciple people in Jesus.
• His heart was to send people out to win others to Jesus!
APP: And you know, it’s our heart too. Win – Disciple – Send.
• Every moment of every day is a gift from Jesus.
• Our lives aren’t to be spent on ourselves, just flittered away.
• BUT invested in the lives of others.
Jesus lived for people… died & rose again the 3rd day for people…
• Yes… the people you might be mad at right now.
• And Yes, the people you might be holding a grudge against.
• And yes, the people that hurt you, harmed you…
APP: 2 things will go into eternity… souls of men & Word of God.
• NOT our gold, our cars, our houses, our trinkets, our toys.
• NOT our businesses, or education, or degrees or earthly pursuits.
NOTE: That’s where Pastor Peter is here at the end of CH1.
• “Guys, I know you’re struggling. I know you’re down.”
• Times are tough. Situations are serious.
• But isn’t it great to know Jesus in times like this?
• That’s really what’s he’s doing… taking them back to their relationship with Him.
• You’ve been saved, chosen by God, born again to a living hope, awaiting an incorruptible inheritance.
• You’re kept by the power of God, your genuine faith is being revealed, you love is growing…
• SO Gird up the loins of your mind, rest your hope fully on His grace… live holy lives
• As God values your life more than any earthly possession…
SO THE QUESTION FOR US IS: Where do we take people when they come to us for counsel? When we hear of their difficult times?
• Well, I just give them my opinion and my wise thoughts.
• OR, I pray with them, but then go tell everyone I know about their problems!
• OR, I pat them on the back and send them on their way.
LISTEN guys… what they need in times like these are a high minded opinion or a low minded gossip…
• Peter says we need to give them FERVANT LOVE & God’s FAITHFUL WORD! – Read through vv22-25
I. (1:22) FERVENT LOVE
1. (22) Fervent…
a. We’ve seen this word before… look back at James 5:16
b. Literally, “hot-hearted, passionate, continual & intense”
c. James uses the word in relation to prayer.
d. It’s a great word that’s used many times in the NT.
Jesus uses it in relation to desire…
Luke 22.15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
Paul uses it in relation to serving…
Romans 12.10-11 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Now Peter uses it in relation to love.
See how it all flows? You’ve been saved, you’ve been loved by God, we’ve been given life by God…
• NOW let God’s love flow through you to the rest your family of faith… passionately, continually.
Peter actually uses 2 different words for love here…
• First he uses the word ‘philadelphia’… brotherly love.
• The wonderful, kind, and special family type of love.
• Then he uses the word, ‘agapao’, self-sacrificial & giving…
• The kind of love shown in John 3:16…
John 3.16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
AND OH how we enjoy both here in the family of Calvary Aurora!
• When you love the Lord and know how much He loves us, then you naturally love the children of God.
• Let’s flip over to 1 John 3:14ff
• Love… that laughs with those who laugh.
• Love… that cries with those who cry.
• Love… that serves, gives, sacrifices, thinks of others more highly than ourselves.
• Love… that helps when there is help needed.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD filled with needs…
• And time & time again, you guys have jumped in to help!
• Whether it’s hurricane relief or soccer coaching… love.
• You guys that help out when we have little emergencies with the kids, or you that clean up, or visit the homeless, or go to the hospital when someone is sick.
• You who cook meals, deliver groceries, help at the crisis pregnancy centers… Right now just flowing from this body there are some 50+ ministries ongoing and more added all the time.
SOME OF YOU LOVE by your GIVING.
• Some by giving your time, your expertise, your talents, your money, and even more importantly your hearts & lives.
• Jesus didn’t say that the world would know we follow Him because of our buildings, or because of our preaching, or because of our grand theological argumentation…
John 13.35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
We REALLY are a body… we’re all interconnected through Jesus.
• What happens to one happens to all of us.
1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
1 Cor. 12.26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
• I’m amazed in my own body… how if I have a little pain over here, my whole body feels it!
NOTE: And as we gather weekly, the body comes together!
• What if nobody showed up each week?
• ‘Oh, I don’t need to go to church, I’ll just listen in online.’
• What would the worship be like? I love you Lord… by yourself?!
• God would receive it, but it’s awesome when we’re all singing together, worshipping together, turning the pages of our Bible together..
What happens when no one shows up to serve, to love fervently!?
• Yes, you’re here physically, but others are doing the serving.
• Maybe it’s time to jump in and exercise the love God has put into your heart. There’s nothing like serving Jesus!
• IT gets your mind off yourself and gets your mind on Jesus and on top of that, it’s rewarding both now and in eternity!
Col. 3.23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Just your presence here is an encouragement.
• Maybe you’re not serving… YET. But you will.
• Some of you have even been blessed with the ministry of noticing that someone didn’t make it to church!
• Do you know how encouraging that is to someone who thinks they are just lost in a mass of people.
• This church is not a SEA OF PEOPLE, we’re the body of Christ and it’s just wonderful to sea the sincere love you show each other fervently with a pure heart.
Remember… this love is not a manufactured, phoney, syrupy, fake love… it comes through your life by the Holy Spirit.
• It’s a sincere care & concern birthed by the Spirit in your life.
• There’s a great description of love in 1 Cor 13. (let’s flip over)
• Now I know a lot of people are looking for the “Spirit FILLED CHRISITAIN” by looking for some outward manifestation of certain gifts… like tongues, or prophecy and the like.
• But I’ll tell you, love’s the evidence of God’s Spirit in you. LOVE!
II. (1:23-25) GOD’S FAITHFUL WORD
1. (23) Natural birth.
a. We’ve all been born by corruptible seed.
b. Our natural births, physically, gave us a corruptible nature, a corruptible body… we are decaying every single day!
c. Hey wait a minute… some of you might say, I work out, my muscles are getting bigger, I’m not decaying, I’m buff!
d. Hey, if you’re not decaying, then why do you use deodorant!?
e. Seriously, apart from Jesus, there is just decay & lost-ness!
f. It’s true of humans and of grass & flowers… look v24
The grass… it grows, looks good. -- Flowers… bloom beautifully.
• But the grass soon turns brown and the flowers falls away.
• Their beauty is only for a season.
Man has his season too. He comes and goes… but God’s word stands strong for all of eternity!
THIS BOOK has been around for a long time… and is still here!
• Though there have been many who have tried to discredit it, condemn it, hide it, get it out of the people’s hands.
• It’s still here!
Voltaire the French author, humanist, rationalist, and athiest (1694 - 1778), held up a copy of the Bible in the air and smugly proclaimed, "In 100 years this book will be forgotten and eliminated...". Shortly after his dead, Voltaire’s private residence became the headquarters of the Geneva Bible Society and became a major distribution hub for the very Bible he assigned to extinction.
NOTE: The good news is that you & I have been born again by an incorruptible seed… God’s Word!
• Now, although the outward man is perishing, the inward man is growing stronger every single day!
2 Cor. 4.16-17 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
God’s Word… the word that saves you abides forever!
Matt 24.35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Let’s close with Psalm 119:17-24 (Responsive?)
FERVANT LOVE… God’s FAITHFUL WORD.
