OUR SPIRITUAL MAKEOVER
1 PETER 1:13-21 THEREFORE, PREPARE YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION; BE SELF-CONTROLLED; SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON THE GRACE TO BE GIVEN YOU WHEN JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED. 14 AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, DO NOT CONFORM TO THE EVIL DESIRES YOU HAD WHEN YOU LIVED IN IGNORANCE. 15 BUT JUST AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, SO BE HOLY IN ALL YOU DO; 16 FOR IT IS WRITTEN: "BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY." 17 SINCE YOU CALL ON A FATHER WHO JUDGES EACH MAN’S WORK IMPARTIALLY, LIVE YOUR LIVES AS STRANGERS HERE IN REVERENT FEAR. 18 FOR YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT WITH PERISHABLE THINGS SUCH AS SILVER OR GOLD THAT YOU WERE REDEEMED FROM THE EMPTY WAY OF LIFE HANDED DOWN TO YOU FROM YOUR FOREFATHERS, 19 BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH OR DEFECT. 20 HE WAS CHOSEN BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, BUT WAS REVEALED IN THESE LAST TIMES FOR YOUR SAKE. 21 THROUGH HIM YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, WHO RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND GLORIFIED HIM, AND SO YOUR FAITH AND HOPE ARE IN GOD.
INTRODUCTION: THE PASSAGE BEFORE US THIS MORNING IS ONE OF IDENTITY, MORE SPECIFICALLY, A NEW IDENTITY, AND ONE WE HAVE IN CHRIST. YET, OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST IS FAR MORE THAN A NEW NAME OR RESIDENCE. IT IS NEWNESS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE SCRIPTURE TALKS OF THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AS ONE WHO HAS BECOME A NEW CREATURE. NEW TO THE POINT THAT THE OLD IS PASSED AWAY. WE HAVE NOT SIMPLY BEEN GIVEN A NEW COAT OF PAINT FROM THE SPIRITUAL BEAUTY SHOP, WE HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED.
PROPOSITION: A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NEWNESS IN CHRIST IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR CHRISTIAN WALK
I. THE REWORKING OF OUR MAKEOVER
A. WE ARE NOW CHILDREN OF GOD – (V.14)
1. THE TEXT SAYS OBEDIENT CHILDREN – LITERALLY, CHILDREN OF OBEDIENCE
2. WE WERE OBEDIENT IN OUR DECISION TO TRUST CHRIST AS SAVIOR
3. WE ARE TO NOW BE OBEDIENT IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST
a. OBEDIENCE IS A PRODUCT OF PREPARATION – TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY THE SHOULD GO, AND WHEN THEY ARE OLD THEY WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. AS GOD’S CHILDREN, WE ARE BEING TRAINED TO BE OBEDIENT
b. WE CAN NEVER BE READY TO RESPOND OBEDIENTLY IF WE ARE NOT PREPARED FOR OBEDIENCE
1) GOD DOES NOTHING BY CHANCE.
2) WE ARE GOING THROUGH WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE GOD IS WORKING OUT HIS ULTIMATE MAKEOVER IN US – CHRISTLIKENESS!
B. WE HAVE BEEN CALLED OF GOD – (V.15)
1. WE ARE CALLED AWAY FROM SOMETHING – NO ONE HAS TO CALL US TO DINNER IF WE ARE ALREADY SITTING AT THE TABLE
2. WE ARE CALLED TO SOMETHING
3. HOW WE RESPOND TO THE CALL IS IMPORTANT – IT DETERMINES BLESSING OR DISCIPLINE
a. GOD IS CALLING WALK WITH HIM – TO RESPOND IS TO EASE OUR BURDEN
b. GOD IS CALLING US TO LEARN FROM HIM – TO RESPOND IS TO FIND REST (FIND HARMONY IN ALL YOU DO)
c. GOD IS CALLING US TO WORK WITH HIM – TO RESPOND IS TO HAVE PURPOSE
d. GOD IS CALLING US TO LIVE FOR HIM – TO RESPOND IS TO GAIN
C. WE ARE NOW ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD – (V17)
1. PETER ASSUMES THAT A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WILL CALL ON GOD FOR HELP
2. OUR CALL NECESSITATES OUR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CALLING
a. WE CANNOT “CRY WOLF” WITH GOD -- JAMES 4:3 WHEN YOU ASK, YOU DO NOT RECEIVE, BECAUSE YOU ASK WITH WRONG MOTIVES, THAT YOU MAY SPEND WHAT YOU GET ON YOUR PLEASURES.
b. WE CANNOT BE SLOW WITH GOD – GOD IS THE POTTER, WE ARE THE CLAY! CLAY THAT REFUSES TO BE MOLDED IS DISCARDED AND REPLACED. IT IS STILL CLAY, BUT CLAY WITHOUT PURPOSE OR DIRECTION
c. WE CANNOT BE CLANDESTINE WITH GOD – GOD SEES OUR MOTIVE AND ACTION AND ACTS AND JUDGES ACCORDINGLY.
D. WE ARE A NEW PERSON IN GOD – (V.18)
1. WE ARE A NEW PERSON BASED ON THE REDEMPTIVE WORK OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.
a. BIBLE CALLS US A NEW CREATION
b. BIBLE SAYS THAT THE OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY – IE: DIED
c. BIBLE SAYS THAT WE DIED WITH CHRIST AND WERE RISEN AGAIN WITH HIM
2. WE ARE A NEW PERSON BASED ON THE PRICE PAID FOR US
a. GOD NO LONGER LOOKS AT US THE SAME WAY
b. HIS JUSTICE HAS BEEN SATISFIED
c. WE ARE NO LONGER SEEN AS ENEMIES, BUT AS SONS
d. AT THE MOMENT THE PRICE PAID ON OUR BEHALF WAS REALIZED
1) WE BECAME SAVED
2) DESTINED FOR HEAVEN
3) ETERNALLY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD – I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU
3. JUST A LITTLE GEM HERE – GOD’S TIMEFRAME IS DETERMINING OUR NEW PERSONHOOD – VERSE 21 – SINCE BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD!
AS WITH ALL MAKEOVERS, THERE ARE TWO PARTS, THE REWORKING OR CREATING OF THE MAKEOVER, AND THE REVEALING OF THE MAKEOVER. WHAT IS A MAKEOVER IF NO ONE EVER SEES IT?
II. THE REVEALING OF OUR MAKEOVER
A. BEING A CHILD OF GOD IS REVEALED IN OUR NON-CONFORMITY
1. NON-CONFORMITY IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE – GOOD SAYS IT IS OK TO GO AGAINST THE CROWD!
2. DON’T REMAIN LIKE YOU WERE
a. DO NOT TRY TO REMAIN AS YOU WERE
b. ADOPT A NEW “ROLE MODEL” – IE: SEEK TO BE LIKE CHRIST
3. EVIL DESIRES
a. WORD IS NEVER USED IN A POSITIVE SENSE IN THE BIBLE
b. REFERS TO THINGS THAT WOULD “CHOKE OUT OR PREVENT A FRUITFUL LIFE”
WE REDUCE OUR FAITH AS BELIEVERS TO AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE NOW. JESUS IS NOT SOME COSMIC BUTLER WE CAN PRAY TO AN JUST GET WHAT WE WANT NEITHER IS HE "OUR HOMEBOY." "BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY IS “STANDING ON THE PROMISES”, WHILE CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY IS “SITTING ON THE PREMISES."
B. BEING CALLED OF GOD IS REVEALED IN OUR UNCOMPROMISING HOLINESS
1. UNCOMPROMISING HOLINESS IS NOT BASED ON OUR OWN STANDARDS
2. UNCOMPROMISING HOLINESS IS BASED ON GOD’S CHARACTER AND ATTRIBUTES
3. “BECAUSE” I AM HOLY
4. IMITATION OF GOD ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE A LEVEL OF HOLINESS UNAVAILABLE TO SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
5. UNCOMPROMISING HOLINESS IS NOT A THOUGHT, OR MENTAL ASCENT.
6. UNCOMPROMISING HOLINESS IS AN ACTIVITY AND LIFESTYLE.
a. TOO MANY IN THE CHURCH CLAIM HOLINESS, BUT DO LITTLE TO EVIDENCE HOLINESS
b. WE ARE WAY TOO COMFORTABLE TO TALK THE TALK WITH NO REGARD TO WALKING THE WALK!
C. BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD IS REVEALED IN OUR FOREIGN LIVING
1. LIVING AS STRANGERS
a. STANDARDS OF THE WORLD NOW SEEM STRANGE TO US
b. HAVING A SENSE THAT WE ARE OUT OF PLACE
2. LIVING IN REVERENT FEAR
a. HAVING A TENDER CONSCIENCE – A SENSITIVITY TOWARDS OTHERS
b. HAVING A FOCUSED WATCHFULNESS – A SENSITIVITY TOWARDS OURSELVES THAT WE LOOK TO AVOID WHAT DISPLEASES GOD
D. BEING A NEW PERSON IN GOD IS REVEALED IN OUR UNWAVERING FAITH
1. FAITH IN THE EFFECTIVE WORK OF CHRIST
a. APPLICABLE TO ALL
b. APPLICABLE TO ME
2. FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST
a. IT IS FINISHED MEANS IT IS FINISHED
b. REFUSAL TO GO AROUND WORRIED ABOUT MY SALVATION
c. RATHER TO MOVE FORWARD CONVINCED THAT GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE ME OR FORSAKE ME IN THIS LIFE OR THE NEXT!
3. FAITH IN THE FUTURE WORK OF CHRIST
a. HE IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR ME
b. HE IS COMING BACK AGAIN FOR ME
c. HE IS ASKING ME TO BE FAITHFUL IN ALL THAT I NEED TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING
1) LOOK FOR IT
2) WORK IN ANTICIPATION OF IT
3) PRAY FOR IT
THE MOMENT WE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR WE EXPERIENCED A SPIRITUAL MAKE OVER. IT WAS AN INSIDE MAKEOVER THAT NEEDS TO BE OUTWARDLY VISIBLE.
TODAY, I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO BE THE GREAT REVEALER OF OUR SPIRITUAL MAKEOVER IN CHRIST.
BE BOLD – BE VIBRANT – DON’T LET ANYONE MISS THE NEW YOU IN CHRIST!
