Class Lesson March 13, 2011

Hey Gang,

This Sunday we will spend the hour in fellowship as our class has been blessed with several new couples. We have done these circle times before in our old class and they were always very special, why? Because we have time to talk, share prayer concerns and really get to know each other.

Now for those of you that don't want to miss our lesson plans, below is a summary of this weeks' lesson:

1 Peter 1:13-2:1

Think About This

How many times have you felt it was more practical to conform to the world’s standards rather than to God’s standard?

How many times have you wondered if it’s even possible to be “holy” or to obey God in all things?

How many times have you had a hard time showing love to other people when you are going through a difficult period?

Christians are suppose to be different, but more than not Christians’ lives are not noticeably different from unbelievers’ lives. Our lesson this week says that we can break this mold, how? By doing what's right no matter how difficult things are.

Ask Yourself

What motivates you to do the right thing? When times are tough, is it harder or easier to do the right thing?

• Our lesson challenges each of us to demonstrate a holy, reverent, and obedient lifestyle.

I. BE HOLY! – 1PETER 1:13-16

A Call to Holy Living

¹³ Therefore, get your minds ready for action, being self-disciplined, and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance ¹⁵ but, as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; ¹⁶ for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

What do you do when someone betrays you or your adult child? What if you are in danger of losing your job even after working faithfully? In such situations, is it okay to get revenge, to lash out, to cut corners? How do you remain faithful to God in the day to day?

1.    Christians are no longer to be conformed to their old lives of ignorance.

2.    We are to have renewed minds and disciplined actions.

3.    Our hope of the Lord’s coming exerts a moral imperative.

4.    We are to be holy because we worship a holy God.

II. BE REVERENT! – 1PETER 1:17-21

¹⁷ And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one's work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during this time of temporary residence. ¹⁸ For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things, like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the times for you 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.

People act with loving fear toward things all the time. A guy who loves his car inwardly cringes when someone leans on it. A woman who loves clothes will carefully follow the cleaning instructions fearing damage to her clothes in any way. Love and healthy fear go hand in hand. But some fear is not healthy and some love is not reverent.

1.    Jesus Christ is our Redeemer.

2.    He redeemed us from sin and death.

3.    Gratitude for our redemption produces in us reverent fear.

III. BE OBEDIENT! – 1PETER 1:22-2:1

²² By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, ²³ since you have been born again —not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower drops off, ²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.

When we fear God, we love Him. When we love God, we obey Him. When we obey God, we get rid of everything that keeps us from loving people; we take on qualities that equip us to bring delight in every area from work to disagreements.

1.    Those who are born again become children of God.

2.    Children of God love others with a warm and sincere family love.

3.    We are to practice self-giving love that acts for the good of others.

4.    New believers desire the Word of God the way an infant desires milk.

New life in Christ doesn't come and go depending on feelings and circumstances. Even when going through difficult times, God calls us to show love. And He gives us the power to do so. Choose to show love when others are kind and when they are rude, when they are thoughtful and when they are selfish, when they love you and when they hate you.

Bottom Line

“Practice what you preach (profess).” This is what every Christian must do. Failing to live consistently with our professed beliefs is hypocrisy, and nothing is so deadly to the cause of Christ. On the other hand, Christians who live holy lives, love one another, obey the Word of God, and live by eternal standards have the joy of leading critics to glorify our God.

  

Think About This

In which of these three areas of Christian living (holy, reverent, obedient) are you closest to doing what God’s Word calls for?

In which area are you the farthest away from obeying the Lord?

Prayer This Week

Lord, help me live in such a way that those who criticize Christians will come to glorify You. Amen

 

In His Love,

David & Susan