The Common Made Holy Series
Part 3
“The Training of Saint Who”
God calls those who place their trust in Him to live a life “set apart” to obey Jesus Christ. That is what it means to be a saint. If you have placed you trust in Jesus Christ and Savior and Lord you are a Saint. That is your new Identity. It does not mean we are sinless or that we are better than others. In fact the more you live a life set apart to God the more you will realize just how unworthy you are in and of yourself. And the more you will realize if God can save a person like me, I am confident He can save anyone else.
The secret to living a life set apart to obey Jesus Christ is found in immersing ourselves in God’s Word. 1 Peter 1 10-11 tell us that God’s Word was written for our benefit. Studying God’s Word, memorizing His Word, Meditating on His Word enables us to know God, and know how we are to relate to Him and to discover just how much we can trust Him.
I Peter 1:
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The Written Word (the bible) points us to the Living Word (Jesus Christ), because Jesus Christ is the author of the Written Word. It is through Him that we are born again. And it is through His Word that we have the understanding and the power to live a life that is set apart, to live like a saint.
So I challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word, and to Memorize it.
Last week I put these verses in the Worship Guide to challenge as many of us as are willing to memorize God’s Word.
Would you stand with me and lets read Psalm 19:7-14 together to help us move towards hiding it in our hearts.
Memorization – In your Worship Guide
Psalm 19:7-14 (ESV)
Psalms 19:
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Immerse yourself in God’s Word, it is the secret to living a life that is set apart by God to obey Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
I Peter 1:
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
EXAMINATION of 1 Peter 1:13-23
What comes to mind when you hear the word obedience?
What about Exercise?
Training?
An athlete in training presupposes an identity that is getting stronger not a fear of failure.
As “Obedient Children” – Becoming who God made you to be.
How many of you want to know what God’s perfect will for you is?
Romans 12:
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Obey
Now
Everytime
1. Obedience requires ACTION. (1 Peter 1:13)
I Peter 1:
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action,
Now gird is not a word we use in American culture very much. And it can sound pretty strange to our ears but it refers to gathering up your robe and securing it in your belt so that you’re legs are free to run. It refers to removing the things from our minds that will hinder us from living a life set apart to obey Jesus Christ.
A phrase that might paint a picture for you would be, to clear the decks for action. In the Navy when a battle was about to ensue the commander would order the decks be cleared for action. This meant that he wanted everything off the deck that could interfere with the sailors effectively fighting the battle.
It also meant that many of the normal ordinary things that were used during a voyage needed to be stowed away or removed, so that they would not endanger the sailors. A bucket left on deck during a frenzy of a battle could cause an accident that resulted in the loss of a life. Only that which is required for the battle should be left on deck.
That’s the idea here, we are to clear our minds for action. To set aside everything common that could get in the way of obeying Christ Jesus.
And the reason we are to prepare our minds for action is because obedience to Christ is an act of our will. We choose to obey.
Obedience is never passive. It does not happen by osmosis or by accident. Obedience requires action on our part. You must choose to obey and then act upon it. Our good intentions do not equate with obedience.
2. Obedience requires BALANCE. (1 Peter1:13)
I Peter 1:
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded,
The word translated “sober in spirit” literally means “be well balanced, and be watchful.” Peter uses the word two more times in this letter.
I Peter 5:
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Are minds have to prepared to pray properly so that our prayers reflect the will of God. We have to have God’s perspective to be well balanced. Look how else Peter uses this phrase…
I Peter 5:
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
What he wants us to do is realize that the spiritual realm is real. That’s why we pray, because we know that God is at work.
But we tend to operate primarily on what we see. Peter is admonishing us that if we are to walk in obedience to the Lord, we must be well balanced with an understanding that this life is temporary and there will be a judgment of all our behavior. In addition he wants us to remember that in addition to what we see we have a enemy who seeks our destruction.
We are well balanced when we recognize that there are spiritual realities at work behind the scenes of our circumstances. Now understand he says be sober, be well balanced, don’t blame everything that goes wrong on Satan. He certainly wreaks havoc and seeks our destruction, but our worst enemy is not Satan but our own selfish sinfulness, and we are greatly affected by the sinfulness of others.
What is important is that we evaluate all the factors. To be well balanced in our approach.
The most important way for us to live and think with balance is to expose ourselves to truth. God’s Word is truth. It reveals the deceptions of our own hearts, and the wiles of the enemy.
You cannot live a life of balance without immersing yourself in God’s Word.
Thy word have I treasured in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:105
And Jesus used scripture to combat Satan when He attempted to tempt Him in the wilderness. He refuted Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3
Matthew 4:
4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus is our example of living a well-balanced sober life. It does not mean somber or dreary, it means that we have taken all the facts and the factors into account.
3. Obedience requires a FIXED FOCUS. (1 Peter 1:13)
I Peter 1:
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
If we are going to live a life set apart to obey Christ, we need to develop a single focus. The desires of our heart need to set on God.
Peter is telling us to have an eternal perspective. Our obedience to Christ will obtain and everlasting reward. If we operate only on what is temporal we will never live a life of obedience to Christ. God wants the focus of our lives to be set completely on Him. He promises an everlasting inheritance for all who live in obedience to Christ.
Jesus does not want to make you life better. He is not a product that improves the comfort of your life. He wants to be your life! Paul in his letter to the Colossians says,
When Christ, who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3)
When Christ becomes the complete focus of our lives, we have real life, not just an improved shadow of the life which is what our earthly journey is, but a real substantive meaningful life.
Obedience requires us to pursue a single focus.
“the same eye cannot look up to heaven and down to earth at the same time. The more your affections are disentangled from the world the more they can be actively engaged in this hope.” Robert Leighton 1660
4. Obedience requires ABANDONEMENT. (1 Peter 1:14)
I Peter 1:
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
If we are to live a life set apart to obey Christ we must abandon the selfish lusts and sins that will weigh us down. He wants us to separate ourselves from evil desires. And every one of us has them.
They may come in various forms and different flavors but we all have them. Lust, greed, pride, selfishness, and on and on.
Before we came to Christ, those were the best things we knew, we were ignorant of better things. God wants to enrich our lives with spiritual blessings, but hands that are already filled with sand cannot be filled with food unless we first let go.
5. Obedience includes ALL OUR BEHAVIOR. (1 Peter 1:15)
I Peter 1:
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
God wants all of us. There is a great temptation to make God a part of our lives. But that is not obedience. God doesn’t want to be “a part” of your life. Jesus did not go to the cross and die in your place and in my place to purchase 1 1/2 hours of your life on Sunday. He bought it all. Every atom belongs to Him!
I Corinthians 6:
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
6. Obedience is LIVING a Life Set Apart. (1 Peter 1:16)
I Peter 1:
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We are to live set apart even and Jesus Christ who calls us lived set apart to obedience.
7. All our Behavior will be REFINED. (1 Peter 1:17)
I Peter 1:
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, (NASB) during the time of your stay upon earth;
Judges – 2919 kri÷nwœœ (krin¬o¬) – to choose out the good.
He does not use bema
1037 [968] bhvma, beœma, n. [326]. judicial court, judge’s seat; this can refer to human or divine judgment
God will judge all the world. There will come a day when every person must bow before God and give an account of the life they have lived. But this judgment that leads to punishment rather it leads to reward.
Every act of obedience that was manifest in our lives through faith in Christ Jesus will result in reward, in a glorious inheritance. God is choosing out the good, the fruit of our lives that brings glory to Him. Like the silver is drawn out from the dross God will draw out the acts of faith and obedience in our lives and refine them to shine for all eternity as a vibrant reflection of His glory.
Therefore we live in fear, not being afraid, but in humble reverence that every word, every act, every circumstance of our lives is an opportunity to bring glory to God!
We live a life set apart to obedience when we remember that God will examine each of our lives impartially and fully.
(Possible break point for next week. GO TO APPLICATION)
I Peter 1:
18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
8. Christ’s Obedience was the PRICE of our Redemption. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
He died to purchase hope for us.
God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners (enemies) Christ died for us. We demonstrate our love for the One who died for us when we obey Him in all our behavior. Jesus paid the price for our sin. The one who created us came to earth, lived a perfect spotless life of obedience to God the Father, and suffered for our sake.
9. Obedience PURIFIES us. (1 Peter 1:22)
I Peter 1:
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
Obedience to God purifies our souls, as we submit to God and immerse ourselves in His Word, it has a cleansing effect on our souls and it produces a genuine love for others.
We recognize that Jesus did not die just for me. He loves you, and you and you and you, and If He loves, the one who paid the ultimate price for our sin, if you, and you and you are the object of His affection shouldn’t I love you as well?
10. Obedience PRODUCES love for one another. (1 Peter 1 :22)
I Peter 1:
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
God’s Word has a role in purifying us and in stimulating a genuine love for one another. God’s Truth allows us to see ourselves as God sees us. Both that fact that in ourselves we are self focused, prideful sinners. And that (at least in me) there is no bounds to the sin I am capable of. I cannot look down on another person, as if I am better than them. What I can do is see a fellow sinner who is making choices that could drive them away from God and cause great pain and potential judgment from God in their lives. God’s truth lets me see an accurate picture of my sinful self. But it also allows me to recognize that Jesus purchased me from my sin and if I will submit to Him He will transform me into something of great value.
If Jesus can do that in me, as stubborn and prideful as I am, I have an even greater confidence that He will do it others. Knowing God’s truth, Helps me to see the eternal value, the incredible precious treasure that God is working in each of you. That knowledge stirs us a genuine love for others and a strong confident belief that God will do great things for His glory in them and through them.
BACK TO MANUSCRIPT
II. APPLICATION of 1 Peter 1:13-16
I Peter 1:
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Obeying God is like walking on a beam. It is straight and narrow. It has a single direction.
Proverbs 3:
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Listen to the similarities to 1 Peter in Hebrews 12:11-14
Hebrews 12:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Get ready, Prepare your mind to run.
Lay aside every weight and entanglement of the world and your old self, fix your eyes on Jesus and RUN.
IRONWORKER
As I was reflecting on 1 Peter 1:13-16 this week, God brought to mind how an Ironworker walks the steel beams of a high-rise building.
You never see an Iron worker, focused on his feet or on what is below him. He stays focused on where he is going and what he has been assigned to do. The most dangerous thing and Ironworker can do is become distracted by the things below him.
ATHLETE – BALANCE BEAM
Likewise those incredible athletes who compete in the Olympics on the balance beam, you never see them looking at their feet. The stay focused on the end of the beam and what they have been called to do.
When you watch them prepare to mount the beam, you have a perfect picture of “Girding up your mind for action.” Their total focus in on what they have been set apart to do.
Once they are on the beam they set their sights not on the crowd, not on their steps but on the end of the beam and the glory that will follow. Their hope is fixed completely on successfully finishing the beam.
Have you noticed that when one of those girls looks down, a fall or a near fall almost always happens. They become distracted from their mission, and then they falter.
Walking The BALANCE BEAM of Faith.
1. Walking the beam of obedience begins with a CHOICE to act. (1 Peter 1:13)
You will never obey God unless you first choose to do so. Just as you can never mount this beam unless you first choose to step upon it.
How many of you want to know what God’s perfect will for you is?
Romans 12:
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Obey
Now
Everytime – Every Step!
Two dangers of the Beam of Faith
o THE FALL OF FEAR – Insecurity, guilt and fear will seek to keep you from obeying Christ,
o THE FILL OF FLUFF – Don’t try to fill the air around you with the stuff of self.
Both are in essence a lack of faith and saying to God, “I don’t like the plan You have for me or I don’t trust you to do what is best for me.
How would you rate your faith in God? How much do you trust Him? Do you trust Him with your soul? What about your finances? Your Relationships?
How can you really trust Him with your eternal soul when we don’t trust Him with our finances and the smaller decisions of life?
2. Staying on the beam of Obedience requires the BALANCE of Truth. (1 Peter 1:13)
This beam seems narrow. But the way to stay on the beam is to learn truth. Truth about ourselves, about others and most importantly about God, Himself. That is the secret to living a life set apart to God. Immerse yourself in His Word and you will learn the balance of truth.
3. Crossing the beam of obedience requires a FIXED FOCUS on Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13)
As long as my focus is on the comforts of this life, I will always be looking down and I will not stay on the beam. Only when Jesus Himself becomes the focus of my vision can I walk in confident assurance that He will guide my steps.
4. The PRIZE for walking the beam of obedience is seeing Jesus Christ revealed. (1 Peter 1:13, Hebrews 12:14)
There is a prize for walking the beam of obedience, Christ Himself. One day we will hear Him say well done My good and faithful servant. Enter now into your reward.
5. To stay on the beam of obedience, you can’t look DOWN. (1 Peter 1:14)
The cares of this world and calling of others, and the selfish desires of our own heart can cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus and lose our balance. Determine not to look down but to keep your eyes fixed on the author and finisher of our faith Jesus Christ.
6. Our Walking the beam of obedience may invite RIDICULE but will RESULT in others GLORIFYING God. (1 Peter 2:12)
I Peter 2:
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
This is a great promise!
When we walk in obedience to Christ it may cost us. We may face ridicule. We may lose friends or even an job. Ultimately a person can loose their life by being obedient to Christ. But the result will be that others will see God at work and give Him glory if not now, they will in the day of visitation when Jesus Christ is revealed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
7. EVERY STEP on the beam, of obedience no matter how often we fall, will bring reward. (1 Peter 1:17)
God who judges each persons life impartially will choose out the good that is produced though our lives when ever we walk in faith and obedience to Him.
You may feel like you have failed to many times, to be of any worth, Jesus invitation is simply step back up on the beam. He paid the price for your sins and failures. He calls you to be obedient today.
What step of obedience is Jesus calling you to take today?
I believe He is calling every person in this room to take a step of obedience today.
For some that step is salvation. He is calling you to come through the cross of Christ and place your trust completely in His sacrifice. You can never mount the beam of obedience on your own merit. None of us qualify, it is only through Christ that we can ever obey God.
So He may be calling you to place your trust in Him today.
For others the step of obedience is a call to abandon a besetting sin.
It may be
Gossip,
Pride,
Lust
Selfish anger
Greed,
Pornography,
Or a chemical addiction.
God may be calling you to love you wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for Her.
God may be calling you to love your husband and respect him, to honor him and submit to his authority.
God may be calling you to be obedient with your finances. He may be calling you to get out of the weight of debt that you have accumulated over years of disobedience.
God may be calling you to be obedient in giving Him the first portion of all He ahs given you. As you look at your check book He is asking you who do you really love. Where are you spending all that He has given you?
Are you faithful in giving your tithes and offering to Him?
He may be calling you to examine your time? Are you being the father to your children He wants you to be? Are you being the mother He wants you to be?
Children, students are you obeying your parents? God calls you to obey the authorities He has placed over you. They are for your protection. Are you being obedient?
He may be calling you to commit to immersing yourself in His Word. Perhaps everything else seems to taking up your time and God only gets the left-overs. Give Him your best.
God may be calling you to ministry, or to missions.
God may be calling you to go and mend a broken relationship.
God may be calling you to pray on behalf of others.
God may be calling you to serve.
God is calling us all to obedience. Will you take the step He is asking for in your life?
Is it easy? Yes, but it is costly, It requires us to die to self and live to Christ. But when we do there is great freedom.
Jesus said come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for my yoke is easy and my burden in light.
The beam of obedience is easy, when we give all of ourselves to God. It becomes burdensome when we try to drag our old life along with us.
Will you take a step of obedience today?
