Sermon
Peter's Admonition For Holy Living
September 18, 2005
Pastor Donald Sheley

I'm going to ask you to take your pew Bible there today because we have a number of Scriptures and I'm going to give you the page on which to turn. Here in our church we love the Bible and we love to follow the Scriptures as closely as possible. Now Pastor Leighton has read for us the verses that we have recorded for you in your notes that you have there also with your bulletin, and so I'll not take the time to read the passage of Scripture, but let me give you some background so that we all have the same knowledge as to where we're going to commence today in our letter.

Peter wrote this letter as most people agree probably in the year of 67 A.D. That would be about 30 years after the ascension of Christ back to heaven, and during those 30 years Christians had freedom to worship. They were not persecuted, and even though in the Roman Empire requirements were made in various provinces that the people there must have emperor worship, but as far as Jewish people were concerned the Roman Empire gave them a freedom of religion. So what happened is the Roman governors and the leaders thought that Christianity was a sect or a division or a part of the Jewish faith, and thus they fell under that umbrella of protection, so they had religious freedom for 30 years.

But what happened, in the year of 67 A.D. Nero came to the throne over in Rome and Nero wanted to build - he was a builder - but here the city was, of course, totally occupied and fully built out. It was even an old city then, and so what happened is Nero decided, well, we've got to burn down the city in order to have a new building project, and so one night, in fact, on July 19 A.D. 64 Nero lit the city of Rome afire. And it burned for three days and three nights, and people who tried to put it out were hindered, and if they put it out, Nero had people in position where they would start another fire. So the fire raged on for many days.

When the fire was out the people were absolutely, totally embittered and angry at Nero for doing such a thing. And of course, Nero said he didn't do it and thus to find a scapegoat he blamed the Christians for lighting the fire, and thus started the persecution that came under the reign of Nero, and people were killed, chased from their homes, and they were under deep persecution.

So Peter writes this letter in A.D. 67 to bring comfort and encouragement to those who are fleeing persecution or who were facing persecution. So we keep that in mind when we read his letter. Now last Lord's Day we went to the first 12 verses and we studied those, and down on the bottom of your notes...we're just going to take one paragraph today and then go right to our Scriptures.

Peter has opened his letter with a breathtaking description of the scope of salvation. He states that as the "elect" of God, we are only pilgrims here on this earth, and that we've been drawn into God's eternal family by the work of the Holy Spirit, and our sins are cleansed and washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. And into our hearts has come a living hope, based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. We have been given an inheritance, Peter says, that will never perish and that is secured for us in heaven, and that we are guarded and kept by God's almighty hand.

Now for those 10 verses in the starting letter of Peter, you probably have one of the most concise and complete definitions or explanations or descriptions; a description of the salvation that we have when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. Now when Peter gets to verse 10 he talks about the fact that in the past prophets wrote about what the people in Christ's day we're now beginning to experience.

For instance, we took the illustration last Sunday of old Isaiah who wrote 700 years before Christ. And when Isaiah sat down at his old wooden desk with his quill and his inkwell he began to write his passages, and we come to passage 53, Isaiah 53, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" And he starts penning, but he doesn't know what he's writing about. And as he writes on he writes: he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his chastisement he paid for our peace. We like sheep, he said, have all gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was despised. He was rejected.

And old Isaiah wrote those words, but he didn't know what they meant. He knew that they would somehow be fulfilled in future days, and when we come to Christ, Christ is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53. He is the Lamb that was slain. He gave his life and his blood for our cleansing.

So what Peter is saying is what we as Christians today, and he's writing this 2000 years ago, he is saying, what we as Christians today enjoy is what was written by the prophets centuries ago. We are enjoying that now. And then he added on that last phrase there in verse 12, he said, and even the angels...notice he says the angels desire to look into. He's implying that the angels of heaven are fascinated by this whole plan of redemption that has been laid out by God and that has been made possible through Jesus Christ who died on the cross for it. The angels desire to look into it, to peer into it.

And we closed last Lord's Day with a stanza of a song that I heard as a little boy that relates to this truth. The singer sang it this way: Holy, holy, is what the angels sing, And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring; But when I sing redemption's story, they will fold their wings, for angels never felt the joy that our salvation brings.

So here's what Peter is saying - the prophets wrote about it, the angels are fascinated by it, but you and I are the recipients of it - the blessings of salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Now, Peter gets very practical. Remember, he's writing to people who are either running or hiding, but they're under persecution. So he starts with very, very practical instructions as to how they are to handle this situation in life. Look at what he says in verse 13. We're at page 638 in your Bible, so if you like to turn there in your red Bible. We're just going to have one verse today because that's all we'll have time for.

Peter begins then: "Therefore..." In other words, everything that I've said before based on what I've already talked to you about. "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind..." Now he's talking about something we are not quite familiar with because in eastern lands men wear long robes, and what he was referring to that when they got ready to take a journey or they needed to get somewhere fast, they would quickly pull up their robes and tuck them under their belt. That was girding up their loins so that their legs would be free to move rapidly wherever they were going. They were preparing for the battle, and in order to do that, they had to get away from the hindrances that would annoy them in their journey and thus they pulled up their outer garment and tucked it under their belt.

Gird up your loins - and Peter moves that thought across suggesting that in this Christian walk it is imperative how we treat the mind because the mind plays a tremendous role in life. The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. So Peter gets right to the core of life, because he realizes that if a man or a person does not have their mind under control and disciplined, that with wrong input their life can be deeply affected and go wrong.

Now it's interesting, when you read the Bible the mind is referred to almost 200 times, and so the Bible has much to say about how we handle our mind and its usage and its capacity.

Go with me to a passage of Scripture. Philippians chapter 4, and in your Bible and it's page 621. Paul is going to talk to us about how we gird up, how we protect our minds, how we prepare for this journey, and how we control our thought life. Look at what he writes in verse 4, Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things."

So he tells us how we are to control our thought life, things that are pure, things that are true, things that are noble, things that are just, things that are lovely. Then he goes on to say, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." So he is saying, as Peter is saying, we've got to watch what comes into our mind. We've got to control our thought life if we're going to control life at all, and if we're going to walk as a Christian should walk.

Now he goes on. Go with me to Colossians, just over a few pages. He picks up the thought again and look at what he writes in Colossians 3:1-4, he says, "If then you were raised with Christ..." That is you put your trust in Jesus Christ, the risen Christ. Then he says, "Seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

Now I've suggested in our other congregations that I think the Christian church has failed miserably in this instruction of girding up our minds and watching what comes into the mind. And I mean this by suggesting that what we used to see 20 years ago and look upon and turn and frown and walk away and say that's wrong, the world has so conditioned our mind today that what was ugly and what was sinful 20 years ago isn't that way in the minds of most Christians today, because we've allowed the world to control our thoughts and our values.

Paul says, do not be conformed to this world! And the word he is saying is don't let the world pour you into its mold, its lifestyles, its value systems. Don't do it! But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is acceptable unto God. So Paul is telling us we've got to watch what comes in through the eyes, through the ears, what comes into the mind because our thought life in most cases determines our actions.

Now this becomes very practical. We live in a world today where piped into our front rooms is all the garbage that Hollywood can dream up. And sad as it is, how many Christians sit hour by hour watching that screen allowing the world to filter into their minds things that are not important, and some things that are very ungodly.

Now here's Peter's point - if we don't control our minds and don't put barriers to make sure that what comes in is not going to distract us spiritually, if we don't do that, we're in for trouble.

I'm going to say something folks, but I'm very serious about it. This last year, if I count correctly, three families in our church disintegrated over pornography. Men started watching their Internet, did not gird up the loins of their minds, allowed those things to come into their mind, destroyed their thought life, destroyed their value system, destroyed their families, and those families don't exist today. And I cry, I mop up the tears day after day from broken homes. Because we as Christians have not learned there are just some things we don't allow into our minds and our eye channels.

That's what Peter is talking about. He knows these people are going through difficult times and things are raging on the outside, and if this isn't under control, this will totally mess them up out here. So he is saying gird up, watch what you think, control your thought life and he implies that the responsibility is ours. God doesn't come down to your front room and turn off your television set - you shouldn't be watching that. God just doesn't do that.

In the Scripture when Peter uses phrases like this, gird up or put on, he is saying that something we make the decision to do, and we decide what's going to enter our mind and what isn't. Ladies and gentlemen, that's why I watch little to no television. I'm not interested in things I cannot change. I see people get all upset about the war and everything else, and I say, look at, God is the sovereign ruler of this universe. He's in control. I can't change those things. Why should I all of those problems...and they change every day...why should I allow them into mind?

When I get in my car, if you ride along with me, you're going to hear hymns and you're going to hear the Scriptures being read not Rush Limbaugh. And I'm not saying that unkindly, I'm just simply saying he can say what he wants to say, but I'm more interested in what God has to say and what the Scriptures have to say.

You come to a point in life where you say I'm going to put regulations on and I'm going to discipline what comes into my mind, and what comes into my family, and what comes into my front room. I'm going to discipline that because I want godliness in my home. So Peter says the first thing that's important is that we put some barriers and some perimeters on what is allowed into our thought life.

Now he lives on. Notice we go back to the text there on pages 638. He adds another thing we do. He said, "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,..." Now that's an interesting word. To be sober could have two implications. It could literally mean to stay free from intoxication and intoxicating liquors. To keep a clear mind, don't allow a foreign substance to control your thought life.

But it also has the idea of being intoxicated with new fads and new fashions and new things that are happening, and I watch people in life, I mean, their lives are just turbulent. They've got an exciting thing going on over here and they heard over here, and I mean their life is absolutely in a whirlwind; and as a result they become intoxicated with current things of fashion, fads, and whatever and their life loses a consistency.

And when you see that word it means to keep a well-balanced life. And that again means something we have to do. A balanced life - when we have peace within and we've got life under control because our hearts are steadfast upon Christ, I don't care what goes on out here. The heart is at peace with God. The heart is balanced.

What do you mean by balanced pastor? Well I believe that you discipline your life. There's a certain time you spend with God; there's a certain time you spend with your Bible; there's a certain time that you spend with your family, and you begin to discipline your life so it's balanced, and in that balance you can handle all the frustrations that go on out here. But if this is not balanced, out here will only agitate what's in here.

Now remember, Peter is writing to those who are being chased or being persecuted, and he is saying, watch what you think. I mean you can hear of people being slain over here in Antioch and over here in Ephesus, and people being beheaded. If you let all that, it'll upset you. Don't allow the outside to interfere with the peace that's inside. Control your thoughts and keep a well-balanced life.

Notice the next thing. There are just three things he tells us to do. He says, "rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Well what is that revelation? Well he is speaking of the second coming of Christ. So he is saying, you fix your hope, you set your focus on that eternal goal, which is the goal of all of us as Christians, and that's the moment what we are wafted into His eternal presence. Keep your mind set on that eternal hope.

Now come with me to some passages, and we will hurry to a conclusion. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and here is Paul's instruction to the Christians at Thessalonica. He writes in verse 13, "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." That means those who have died as believers in Christ.

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

A dramatic moment is coming in the history of our world. One of these days the clouds will separate in the skies and heaven's trumpets will blow and Christians will be wafted into the presence of God.

Now let's hear Jesus say something about it, so go with me to Matthew chapter 24. In Matthew 24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Verse 36: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

So watch he says, the day will come. So Peter gives to his discouraged Christians running from persecution, he said I want to give you three things; first of all watch your mind, protect it, put up the barriers, stop doing things that take away from the thoughts of godliness and righteousness and goodness. Concentrate upon what's pure, what's right, what's honorable, and then find an inner peace that makes a balanced life where everything that you possibly can control is disciplined, and then set your focus heavenward.

I told you last Sunday and I say it frequently, I'm often asked when people come into the office, Pastor, how are you doing today? I say I'm two days closer to heaven than I was two days ago. And I mean that; I'm not trying to be facetious. I know my days might be shorter than some of yours, but I know one thing as Christians, the goal is the same for all of us. And the Bible is very clear - we don't know when that revelation, that appearing, of Christ is going to take place. It could take place any time, and if we're not Christians, we are going to be left behind. If we are Christians the Scripture is very clear, Paul writes, in a moment of time we will disappear into the heavens ever to be with Christ, so we keep our hope vibrant and keep it real, and keep it moment by moment. And then whatever happens out here with all the tides of time and all the issues of history, and all the situations that beat around us as a family, we can control those if we've got control in here and our mind is set right. Amen? Let's pray.

Father, thank you for Your Word because it's very, very clear and it's very, very practical. Would You forgive us? because many of us sitting here today have been extremely negligent about the way we protect our mind. Would You forgive us for that negligence, and would You bring us under deep conviction so that when something or a situation arises that I can control, or that we can control, we'll take the steps in godliness to make the changes necessary so that we think and act like godly people.

Please help us. And may that wonderful hope that we all have as Christians, that hope that one of these days we'll all be with You there in heaven, Lord Jesus, may that hope remain vibrant, active, alive, and exciting in our hearts looking for that blessed hope. Please help us. Please help us, dear Jesus, and everybody said, amen. God bless you.