THE
POINT
Our hope in Christ changes how we view
the world and live in it.
THE
BIBLE MEETS LIFE
At the bottom of it all was misplaced hope—misplaced in a university, degree, team, or status. All those things can come crumbling down. But it doesn’t take a high-profile case to see misplaced hope; we see it when people pursue a bigger house, a better job, or a certain status as if these things truly matter. We even see it when people buy something just based on the marketing hype. Hope in such things is never sure; these things can disappear overnight. Faith and hope in Christ transforms our perspective so that life is no longer about what we can gain, but about how we love and serve God and others.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
1 Peter 1:13-16
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your
hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his
coming. 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.”
In the
previous session, we read Peter’s words about who we are in Christ. Now Peter
calls us to action. The first recipients of Peter’s letter were facing
persecution, but Peter didn’t call on them to take up physical weapons against the
Roman Empire. Rather, he understood that we fight the true battle over our
affections, time, disciplines, anxieties, and priorities.
We
live as God’s people because we have been redeemed from the world. Living as strangers
in this world does not mean that as Christians we are to be detached and isolated
from other people. However, it does mean we are no longer driven by the
culture’s values. We fight the battle of the mind living according to God’s
standards of holiness and purity through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Question 2:
What
does conforming
to the
world look like today?
When
our minds become consumed with the gifts we have been given and forget the
Giver, we’re out of balance; then we need to realign our minds with the hope we
have in Christ. Peter gave five admonitions to help us stay aligned with that
hope:
Be ready. (“With minds that are alert”) We should be mentally alert as we prepare for Christ’s return.
Be alert. (“Fully sober”) Peter was referring to the danger of letting our minds be clouded by deceit or our own passions.
Be hopeful. (“Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed”) This hope has an object; it is focused on the grace of Christ!
Be distinct. (“Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance”) The life of the believer should be counter-cultural.
Be holy. (“As he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written; ‘Be holy, because I am holy’ ”) God is holy—He is fully set apart from all else—and He has called us to be holy. To be holy is to be like Christ.
As God
reveals Himself through Scripture, we see that He is holy and set apart. He
reserved for Himself a tree in the garden, a day of the week, a tithe, a land,
a people, and a temple to name just a few. Holiness describes the relationship
between God and His chosen people. God’s holiness confronts our own idolatry
and sinfulness and calls us to purity.
1 Peter 1:17-21
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners 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 ancestors, 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.
We see two wonderful truths about God in this passage:
God is an impartial God. He’s not impressed with wealth, education, social standing, physical appearance, or intellect. God doesn’t appraise our value based on externals; God looks at the heart.
God redeems us through Christ. Our salvation was not secured by anything perishable. The outward appearances and the accumulation of goods will fade away, but our redemption is secure in Christ.
Redemption
is a rich word with huge implications for our walk with Christ.
A HOLY HOPE
Christ-based hope finds expression in living for Christ. Based on
this session, use the acrostic below to share how you can demonstrate hope in
Christ.
H –
Holiness:
O –
Obedience:
P –
Purity:
E –
Endurance:
List
other ways you can express hope in Christ:
“All
who have this hope in Him purify
themselves,
just as He is pure.”
1 JOHN
3:3
The
Greek word lutroo means to gain release by paying a ransom price.
Humanity
is not getting better. Life without Christ is barren, futile, empty, and meaningless.
Sin sucks the meaning out of life and leaves us searching for direction and
purpose. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10); therefore,
life apart from Him is incomplete—and we can do nothing to change that fact.
The
incredible truth is that this redemption through Christ was the eternal plan of
God (1 Pet. 1:20). God didn’t go back to His cosmic drawing board to figure out
“Plan B” when sin entered the world. He knew even before the first day of
creation. Salvation was framed in eternity and revealed in God’s perfect
fullness of time.
Still
with hope in mind, Peter linked back to the brilliance of the resurrection as
the basis for our hope and faith. Without the triumph of the resurrection, we
truly are without hope and have nothing in which to place a confident faith.
This reality is ours because of the finished work of Christ alone, which
secures for us a living hope and a firm faith.
Question 3:
What’s
the evidence that Jesus has
redeemed
different aspects of your life?
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so
that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the
heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people
are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass
withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And
this is the word that was preached to you.
Peter
clearly articulated that, when it came down to living out the hope and faith
that is ours through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Word of
God is our only guide. God’s Word forever stands as the sole authority for how
to live in the world, no matter where we are or what difficulties confront us.
Question 4:
How have you experienced
the power of God’s Word in remaining pure in this world?
Our
relationship to one another in sincere brotherly love was assumed. Peter recognized
that because we have experienced new life in Christ, our obedience is the means
of our purification, and that purity overflows in sincere love for one another.
Peter wasn’t commanding us to love—he reasoned that our faith meant we are
already loving—but he called us to do so “constantly” (CSB).
This
is not love in word only; we are to constantly display “sincere love” (v. 22). Sincerity
means our love is to be genuine and real, without hypocrisy or pretense.
It’s
impossible to love God’s truth and hate another person. Since we believe the
Word, we must act on it—and Scripture is abundantly clear on the matter of
love. Love for one another is the hallmark of Christianity. We’re not to use
others for our own advantage, and we don’t mask inward grudges with a smile. We
see no superficial unity painted over hate filled hearts.
The
Word of God shows us how to love sincerely. In fact, we can’t love in this way without
knowing the Word. Throughout the pages of His Word, God reveals what love is, how
He has shown it to us, and how we are to manifest it to the world around us.
Peter gave us two important truths about the Word in this passage:
God’s Word is living. It is alive and active. The Word is always working to accomplish God’s purposes. It is not dead, meaningless, or outdated.
God’s Word is enduring. Often in the New Testament we see this word translated “abide” or “remain.” God’s Word is here to stay. It is fixed and unchanging because the God who spoke it is fixed and unchanging.
Question 5:
What are the challenges and benefits
of loving others sincerely and consistently?
LIVE
IT OUT
Confess. Confess to the Lord where you have misplaced your hope. Be honest and open about the people or things that you’ve looked to for hope apart from Christ.
Read. Commit to read and apply God’s Word to your life every day. It is through continually reading the Bible that we can develop a lifestyle of obedience and holy living. If this is a new discipline for you, consider a devotional guide to help you such as Open Windows, Stand Firm (for men), or Journey (for women).
Commit. If there is an area of your life where your hope in Christ is not evident through your obedience to God, commit to change that. Surrender that area of life to God and remove all the barriers that stand between you and total obedience.
People
often misplace their hope and trust. They focus upon lesser things. But hope in
Christ indeed changes how we view the world and how we live in it—to God’s
glory.
Video: Louie
Giglio – Living the Christian Life
Click Play to Watch
Last
week we opened this series on LIVING WITH HOPE IN A BROKEN WORLD with: The
Basis for Our Hope: We talked about how we put our hope in a lot of things
that never live up to their promise. That Hope in Christ is the only sure and
certain thing.
We
read where some 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians of the day
were suffering persecution for their faith. Peter writes this letter both to comfort
and encourage them to stay strong. Keep the faith!
· He says
to put your hope in the perfect eternal future we have with Christ, and trust
and obey Him in the present, even in your suffering.
· Christ
suffered greatly too you know and now we as Christians have the opportunity to
follow Him even in our suffering, showing His grace and power in our hope,
obedience, and faith.
Peter
said Jesus is our living hope. Our future is secure, endless and perfect. We
have every reason to rejoice, even in our present suffering. We belong to God,
our present and future are kept by God (in His hands) and we are being
developed by God.
Tonight,
Peter talks about how we are to express our hope in our daily lives.
· Have
you ever had the experience of seeing someone and thinking that there was just
something different about the person? Maybe something stood out about their
demeanor and the way they carried themselves. But in some way, they stood out
from everyone else and made you want to find out more about them.
· Well
that’s what Peter is telling us tonight. He is saying that as Christians, we
should stand out from nonbelievers. And the reason should be because of our
connection to God. Although we are not of the world, we are currently living in
it, and should use this opportunity to allow others to see how God is at work
in our lives. There should be a noticeable difference in our behavior because
of our relationship to God.
THE
POINT: Our hope in Christ should change how we view the
world and how we live in it.
Turn to: 1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be
brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient
children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just
as he who called you is holy, so be holy in
all you do; for it is written: “Be holy,
because I am holy.”
So,
Peter starts off by saying that before our actions can change, our minds have
to change.
· Now a
good example of this would be how people prepare for an important task, such as
a competition, exam, or presentation - they mentally prepare themselves for the
task at hand. They get their heads in the game. They also have to keep their
heads in the game if they want to be successful in the end.
Peter’s
says in his first point:
1. We
must have a holy mindset. What do you think he means
by that?
We
must live in grace and holiness rather than conformity to the world.
· If we
are going to live for the glory of God, we must be intentional.
· We
have to keep God’s gift of salvation foremost in our minds.
· The
world should not shape our thinking (Romans 12:2).
· God
sets the standard for how we should think and how we should behave.
· We
must see ourselves as holy (set apart) people with a special purpose.
How do
we live a holy life when we are surrounded by people who are conformed to the
ways of the world?
· We don’t
have to detach from other people, but we do have to watch for being driven by
the culture’s values or by our own personal cravings. This is a battle we fight
in our mind and we can’t do without the power of the Holy Spirit.
· Remember,
God reserved for Himself a tree in the garden, a day of the week, a tithe, a
land, and a people.
1 Peter 1:17-21
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work
impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 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 ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ,
a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world,
but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in
God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope
are in God.
I don’t
know about you, but for me, completing a monumental task requires a lot of
motivation, especially if the task takes a long time.
· The
Christian life many times is referred to as a marathon rather than a
sprint. Peter is saying here that while we run this race we should focus on
Jesus. He is the perfect example of how to run the race and the perfect
motivation for us to keep running.
· Jesus’
sacrifice on the cross makes our salvation possible. This gift is precious to
us because of its cost to Him.
Peter’s
second point is:
2.
We serve a holy Savior. What
does that mean?
What
Peter is saying here is that we are to live as God’s people because we have
been redeemed from the world.
· We can
live in the world, but we must live as strangers, foreigners, remembering that
heaven is my home.
· Just
as God’s deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt was
central to the people following Him, so too is our deliverance from sin through
Jesus central to our service and submission to God.
· Our
choices in life matter. God placed a high value on our lives, paying for them
with the blood of Christ. What we inherited from our human ancestors was a
meaningless existence. We lived in futility. What God gave us, instead, is true
purpose. In Christ, our lives have meaning and
our choices have significant consequences.
What
are some examples of empty ways of life you see in our culture?
What
situations or circumstances make you feel like a “stranger” in this world?
1 Peter 1:22-25
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so
that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like
the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the
word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to
you.
The
Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Our hope in God is demonstrated
by the manner in which we treat one another.
And Peter’s
third point is that:
3. We are
to act with holy love. What do you think Peter
means by this?
Live
according to God’s Word in order to remain pure in this world.
· Showing
love to each other is the way we show all people that we follow Jesus. This
love is an indication of the power of God’s salvation. We have been saved
through hearing and believing the Word of God. The Word of God will never fail,
but instead it will endure forever. We can count on God’s Word, even when
everything else fades away. God’s powerful Word preached to us and God’s
powerful love shown to us through Jesus enable us to show love to one another.
· Peter
clearly articulated that, when it came down to living out the hope and faith
that is ours through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Word
of God is our only guide. God’s Word forever stands as the sole authority
for how to live in the world, no matter where we are or what difficulties
confront us.
· It’s
impossible to love God’s truth and hate another person. Since we believe the
Word, we must act on it—and Scripture is abundantly clear on the matter of
love. Love for one another is the hallmark of Christianity.
Conclusion: Holiness is about being set apart. God set us
apart when He called us and began working in us through the Holy Spirit. Being
set apart is not for our isolation, however. Rather, the love we show to both
believers and nonbelievers alike sets us apart in an era in which many people
only look out for themselves.
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