The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.33\00:00:03.73
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:00:03.77\00:00:07.60
It says, "To receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
00:00:07.64\00:00:11.34
which is able
to save your souls.
00:00:11.37\00:00:13.78
And to be diligent to
present yourself approved to God
00:00:13.84\00:00:17.31
rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
00:00:17.35\00:00:20.28
Join us now
00:00:20.32\00:00:21.65
for the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:21.68\00:00:24.15
Our study today
is "Feed my Sheep,
00:00:24.19\00:00:27.76
First and Second Peter.
00:00:27.79\00:00:29.19
Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
00:00:32.63\00:00:33.96
and we want to welcome you
to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:34.00\00:00:38.30
This day we're going to
be studying lesson number 2
00:00:38.33\00:00:41.80
from the second quarter of
the Adult Bible Study Guide
00:00:41.84\00:00:46.24
which is titled Feed My Sheep.
00:00:46.27\00:00:49.18
This is on the first and
second Epistles of Peter.
00:00:49.21\00:00:53.95
We want to encourage
you to get your Bible
00:00:53.98\00:00:56.72
and if you have
your quarterly get that.
00:00:56.75\00:00:58.39
If you don't
have your quarterly,
00:00:58.42\00:01:00.26
you can go to
00:01:00.29\00:01:01.69
absg.adventist.org,
00:01:01.72\00:01:07.56
that's absg, Adult Bible
Study Guide.Adventist.org
00:01:07.60\00:01:13.47
and download the lesson
00:01:13.50\00:01:14.84
so that you can
follow along with us.
00:01:14.87\00:01:16.64
Well, let me just
introduce our panel.
00:01:16.67\00:01:18.94
You know, it's so
exciting for us to get together.
00:01:18.97\00:01:21.61
And we work together
00:01:21.64\00:01:23.91
but we don't always get
to study the Bible together
00:01:23.98\00:01:26.51
and I enjoy so much what
each person on this panel
00:01:26.55\00:01:29.42
has to contribute to
our lessons week by week.
00:01:29.45\00:01:34.12
So next to me we
have Pastor CA Murray.
00:01:34.19\00:01:36.56
And, CA, you are the Manager,
00:01:36.59\00:01:39.86
General Manager of
the Proclaim channel,
00:01:39.89\00:01:41.56
so glad to have you here.
00:01:41.60\00:01:42.93
Good to be with you.
00:01:42.96\00:01:44.30
Then we have Pastor
Tom Ferguson who is,
00:01:44.33\00:01:47.34
as CA would say,
00:01:47.37\00:01:48.80
he superintends
the Marion District.
00:01:48.84\00:01:51.04
You have a number of churches
00:01:51.07\00:01:52.94
and, Tom, we're so thankful
that you have joined us,
00:01:52.97\00:01:56.08
and we're really
enjoying your insight.
00:01:56.11\00:01:58.68
Then we have Mollie Sue Steenson
00:01:58.71\00:02:01.12
who is a very dear friend,
00:02:01.15\00:02:03.82
and she is our President,
00:02:03.85\00:02:06.39
well, wait a minute,
I gave you a promotion.
00:02:06.42\00:02:07.79
I just got a promotion.
00:02:07.82\00:02:10.06
Vice President and
General Manager of 3ABN.
00:02:10.09\00:02:13.40
And next to her Jill Morikone
00:02:13.43\00:02:15.36
who is the assistant to
our President, Danny Shelton.
00:02:15.40\00:02:19.00
So what we'd like to
do is start with prayer
00:02:19.03\00:02:21.84
and I'm gonna ask you, Tom,
00:02:21.87\00:02:23.51
would you please
start with prayer?
00:02:23.54\00:02:24.87
Sure.
00:02:24.91\00:02:26.24
Dear Heavenly Father,
00:02:26.27\00:02:27.61
we thank You for the privilege
of studying Your Word together.
00:02:27.68\00:02:29.68
We invite Your Holy
Spirit to give us understanding
00:02:29.71\00:02:32.75
and as we study
the life of Peter
00:02:32.78\00:02:34.55
and we look through
the epistles here today,
00:02:34.58\00:02:37.02
Lord, we just invite
everyone that is listening to
00:02:37.09\00:02:41.29
and watching this
broadcast to be fed by You.
00:02:41.32\00:02:45.46
Speak through
us, anoint this time
00:02:45.49\00:02:49.00
we pray with Your
Spirit in Jesus' name.
00:02:49.03\00:02:51.30
Amen. Amen.
00:02:51.33\00:02:53.10
Well, why don't we
just say, we're on lesson 2,
00:02:53.13\00:02:56.14
An Inheritance Incorruptible.
00:02:56.17\00:02:58.91
And let's say our
memory text together,
00:02:58.94\00:03:02.61
and we'll just all repeat this.
00:03:02.64\00:03:04.05
This is 1 Peter 1:22
00:03:04.08\00:03:07.62
and the version
that has been taken
00:03:07.65\00:03:09.95
for the Sabbath School
Quarterly is from the NIV,
00:03:09.98\00:03:14.66
so our memory text is,
00:03:14.69\00:03:16.59
"Now that you have
purified yourselves
00:03:16.62\00:03:19.86
by obeying the truth
00:03:19.89\00:03:21.90
so that you have
sincere love for each other,
00:03:21.93\00:03:25.50
love one another
deeply from the heart."
00:03:25.53\00:03:29.87
Amen and Amen.
00:03:29.90\00:03:31.67
1 Peter is one of the, what,
00:03:31.71\00:03:34.34
well, actually 1 and
2 Peter are considered
00:03:34.38\00:03:37.41
one of the general epistles,
00:03:37.45\00:03:39.48
that means they were
written to the church,
00:03:39.51\00:03:42.48
the group of
believers, and Peter wrote,
00:03:42.52\00:03:45.82
he tells us in 1 Peter 5:13
00:03:45.85\00:03:47.92
that he wrote this from Babylon.
00:03:47.96\00:03:51.03
You know Babylon, we believe,
00:03:51.09\00:03:55.50
he was using this
as a code word for Rome
00:03:55.53\00:03:58.50
because tradition
tells us that Peter spent
00:03:58.53\00:04:02.37
his last few years
of his life in Rome.
00:04:02.40\00:04:05.41
Whereas there is no evidence
00:04:05.44\00:04:07.08
that he was ever
actually in the city of Babylon.
00:04:07.14\00:04:10.31
But the whole epistle of 1 Peter
00:04:10.35\00:04:14.38
is about persecution,
00:04:14.42\00:04:17.05
persecution from without
00:04:17.09\00:04:19.72
and when we think of
this it was either written,
00:04:19.75\00:04:22.89
either right before,
00:04:22.92\00:04:25.03
shortly before or
during the early stages
00:04:25.06\00:04:28.46
of when Nero was
persecuting the Christians,
00:04:28.50\00:04:32.53
so that
persecution started in Rome,
00:04:32.57\00:04:36.24
spread to Asia Minor.
00:04:36.27\00:04:38.34
But what 1 Peter does is
00:04:38.37\00:04:40.41
he covers in his
letter to the churches,
00:04:40.44\00:04:43.98
he covers salvation,
submission, and suffering.
00:04:44.01\00:04:48.62
He wants to
encourage the believers
00:04:48.65\00:04:53.52
to have more faith and to
have joy even under persecution
00:04:53.59\00:04:58.79
if they're suffering for Christ.
00:04:58.83\00:05:01.86
So one thing that
we'll see in 1 Peter
00:05:01.90\00:05:05.00
is that he really does,
00:05:05.03\00:05:07.77
by the influence
of the Holy Spirit,
00:05:07.80\00:05:10.37
he's telling people
that we need to lead
00:05:10.44\00:05:13.27
distinctive life styles.
00:05:13.31\00:05:15.14
You know we're only temporary
residents in a foreign land
00:05:15.18\00:05:18.18
because he's pointing
out that heaven is our home.
00:05:18.21\00:05:21.08
So, in this week's study
as we look at this epistle,
00:05:21.15\00:05:25.85
an epistle just
means that it's a letter.
00:05:25.89\00:05:28.59
Why does someone normally
write a letter to someone else?
00:05:28.62\00:05:33.23
They have a
message they want to convey
00:05:33.26\00:05:36.03
and often when
we see the apostles,
00:05:36.06\00:05:38.80
like Peter or Paul
when they're writing
00:05:38.83\00:05:41.24
to a church or a
group of churches,
00:05:41.27\00:05:45.04
quite often they're
addressing a specific issue
00:05:45.07\00:05:48.18
that the church
either needs to correct
00:05:48.21\00:05:50.21
or be encouraged upon.
00:05:50.25\00:05:52.18
So when we study the Bible,
00:05:52.21\00:05:53.55
there is three
questions that we should,
00:05:53.58\00:05:56.65
if at all
possible try to find out
00:05:56.69\00:05:58.92
before we really
get deep into the book
00:05:58.95\00:06:01.42
and that is who, number
1, is the intended audience?
00:06:01.46\00:06:06.86
What was the topic, the
precise reason for writing,
00:06:06.90\00:06:12.13
and was there a particular issue
00:06:12.17\00:06:14.70
that the author
wanted to address?
00:06:14.74\00:06:16.20
These things are good to
know as much as possible,
00:06:16.24\00:06:18.94
if we can because it helps
us put it in a proper framework.
00:06:18.97\00:06:23.61
But the most important thing,
00:06:23.65\00:06:25.18
of course, even though knowing
00:06:25.21\00:06:27.05
the historical
context is important,
00:06:27.12\00:06:29.75
the most important thing
is for us to see what message,
00:06:29.78\00:06:33.62
under the
influence of the Holy Spirit,
00:06:33.66\00:06:35.92
each one of these
epistles has a message to us.
00:06:35.96\00:06:40.16
So for Sunday, I have
one scripture to cover.
00:06:40.20\00:06:43.77
So let's look
at it real quickly.
00:06:43.83\00:06:45.37
We're gonna read 1 Peter 1:1
00:06:45.40\00:06:47.80
and see what we can
learn that from this
00:06:47.84\00:06:50.37
that gives us a little bit
of context of the whole epistle.
00:06:50.41\00:06:54.71
So 1 Peter 1:1 says,
00:06:54.74\00:06:56.18
"Peter an
apostle of Jesus Christ
00:06:56.21\00:06:58.15
to the pilgrims
of the dispersion
00:06:58.18\00:06:59.85
in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
00:06:59.88\00:07:02.12
Asia and
Bithynia," first of all,
00:07:02.15\00:07:06.15
Peter is one of the 12 disciples
00:07:06.19\00:07:07.99
whom Jesus hand selected
00:07:08.06\00:07:10.53
and he was a member
of the inner circle,
00:07:10.56\00:07:12.49
he was really close to
Jesus, He, James and John.
00:07:12.53\00:07:16.36
So what we're seeing here,
00:07:16.40\00:07:18.63
Peter assumed
leadership in the early church
00:07:18.67\00:07:22.14
but he's clearly
identifying himself
00:07:22.17\00:07:24.81
as the author of this book.
00:07:24.84\00:07:27.44
He is also
basically establishing
00:07:27.48\00:07:31.01
his credentials and his calling.
00:07:31.05\00:07:32.98
He said, I'm an
apostle called by Christ
00:07:33.01\00:07:35.75
and he's got a divine
authority with which to speak.
00:07:35.78\00:07:40.36
Now when he
says to the pilgrims,
00:07:40.39\00:07:43.06
you know, we
think of the strangers
00:07:43.09\00:07:44.59
and the
sojourners, words like that,
00:07:44.63\00:07:46.36
typically applied to the
Jewish people, doesn't it?
00:07:46.39\00:07:50.23
He's talking that word pilgrim,
or sojourner, or traveler,
00:07:50.27\00:07:53.77
he's saying that
word temporary residents
00:07:53.80\00:07:57.04
in a hostile
world really that has,
00:07:57.07\00:08:00.11
where we have
no real rights here
00:08:00.14\00:08:02.91
because our
rights are in heaven,
00:08:02.94\00:08:04.95
this whole lesson is about
an inheritance incorruptible.
00:08:04.98\00:08:10.29
So he's saying to the
pilgrims of the dispersion.
00:08:10.32\00:08:13.46
That word just simply
means that they were scattered
00:08:13.49\00:08:16.42
and we know that God's people
00:08:16.46\00:08:18.63
if they were scattered
outside of their homeland,
00:08:18.66\00:08:20.66
who do we think of again?
00:08:20.70\00:08:22.16
We're thinking
of the Jews, right?
00:08:22.20\00:08:24.53
But they're in Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.
00:08:24.60\00:08:28.80
These are Roman provinces
that are now modern Turkey.
00:08:28.84\00:08:33.17
But now we're gonna
see as we get into Peter
00:08:33.21\00:08:37.05
that there's times
like in the beginning
00:08:37.08\00:08:39.81
it sounds like he's speaking
00:08:39.85\00:08:41.25
to an
exclusively Jewish audience,
00:08:41.28\00:08:44.02
but then he's
gonna say some things
00:08:44.05\00:08:45.79
that make it really
impossible to believe
00:08:45.82\00:08:49.42
that he would ever
write that to a Jew
00:08:49.46\00:08:52.03
and we see in specific we see
00:08:52.06\00:08:56.36
that he talks
about the futile ways
00:08:56.40\00:08:58.30
inherited from your ancestors.
00:08:58.33\00:09:00.80
He talks about
we've spent enough time
00:09:00.84\00:09:03.34
of the past lifetime in
doing the will of the Gentiles,
00:09:03.37\00:09:06.51
when we walked in lewdness
00:09:06.54\00:09:07.91
and lust, drunkenness revelries,
00:09:07.94\00:09:09.44
drinking parties and
abominable idolatries,
00:09:09.48\00:09:13.48
now it sounds like he's
talking to Gentiles, doesn't it?
00:09:13.52\00:09:16.52
Well, here's what
most scholars believe.
00:09:16.55\00:09:22.46
Most of the leaders
00:09:22.49\00:09:23.83
and the members of
the early church or Jewish
00:09:23.86\00:09:26.06
and it is true
that they were scattered
00:09:26.09\00:09:28.60
throughout the Roman world.
00:09:28.63\00:09:30.30
But the dispersion did not stop
the advancement of the gospel
00:09:30.33\00:09:34.07
and that it helped to fuel
the advancement of the gospel.
00:09:34.14\00:09:38.27
So, many Gentile
believers came into the church.
00:09:38.31\00:09:42.78
So with all likelihood
Peter is writing to both Jews
00:09:42.81\00:09:46.92
and to Gentiles in this.
00:09:46.95\00:09:49.52
When we think
about the persecution,
00:09:49.55\00:09:52.39
they were persecuted
by three primary entities.
00:09:52.42\00:09:55.79
First, the Romans,
the Jews themselves,
00:09:55.82\00:09:58.83
and then their
own family members.
00:09:58.86\00:10:00.53
The Romans
looked at the Christians
00:10:00.60\00:10:02.30
as a sect of Judaism.
00:10:02.33\00:10:04.47
And that was a
legal religion in Rome.
00:10:04.53\00:10:06.57
But they said,
okay, you're legal
00:10:06.60\00:10:08.67
as long as you obey the laws,
00:10:08.70\00:10:11.47
but the Christians
refused to worship the...
00:10:11.51\00:10:18.01
What's the word I'm looking for.
00:10:18.05\00:10:19.51
They refused to
worship the emperors
00:10:19.55\00:10:21.22
who I'm trying
to think of as god,
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.08
they refused to
worship the pagan temples
00:10:23.12\00:10:25.59
and these pagan temples
00:10:25.62\00:10:26.96
were money making
businesses for Rome.
00:10:26.99\00:10:31.53
So anywhere that the Christians
moved in, the Roman temples,
00:10:31.56\00:10:35.66
when Christianity
started setting in,
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.53
then the Roman temples suffered.
00:10:37.60\00:10:39.80
So they were being
persecuted by the Romans,
00:10:39.83\00:10:43.41
but then they were
persecuted by the Jews as well
00:10:43.44\00:10:45.97
because Jews didn't
like being associated
00:10:46.01\00:10:48.51
with the Christians legally.
00:10:48.54\00:10:50.11
They didn't like this at all
and we see all throughout Acts
00:10:50.15\00:10:53.45
which is the book about
00:10:53.48\00:10:55.12
the first 30 years of
the history of the church,
00:10:55.15\00:10:58.25
we see throughout Acts
00:10:58.29\00:10:59.69
how some Jews actually put
physical harm on Christians,
00:10:59.72\00:11:04.99
they turned them out of town,
00:11:05.03\00:11:07.86
they turned the
officials against them.
00:11:07.86\00:11:10.60
But then the Christians
also, many of these converts,
00:11:10.63\00:11:14.40
especially the Gentile converts,
00:11:14.47\00:11:16.27
they suffered from
their families persecution
00:11:16.30\00:11:19.31
because in the Roman law,
00:11:19.34\00:11:21.78
the head of the household had
full authority over the family,
00:11:21.81\00:11:27.05
and if the head of the household
00:11:27.08\00:11:29.92
did not turn Christian,
00:11:29.95\00:11:31.32
if one of the
members of the household,
00:11:31.35\00:11:33.15
or a slave of the
household was Christian,
00:11:33.19\00:11:35.39
then they could beat
them, they could send them away
00:11:35.42\00:11:37.46
and they had no
legal rights whatsoever.
00:11:37.49\00:11:40.16
So when we think
about this epistle,
00:11:40.20\00:11:43.97
to me what I learned
or what renewed in me
00:11:44.00\00:11:48.54
is that Peter was an apostle,
00:11:48.57\00:11:51.91
it says, to the Jews
00:11:51.94\00:11:53.88
but he also
ministered to the Gentiles.
00:11:53.91\00:11:57.38
What's crucial for us
isn't so much the audience
00:11:57.45\00:12:02.32
that Peter is addressing,
00:12:02.35\00:12:03.72
what's crucial
for us is to realize
00:12:03.75\00:12:06.72
when we're
persecuted for our faith,
00:12:06.76\00:12:09.02
it's gonna do one of two things.
00:12:09.06\00:12:11.06
It's either going to
stimulate our spiritual growth
00:12:11.09\00:12:15.23
or it's going to foster
bitterness in our hearts.
00:12:15.26\00:12:18.73
And our response
is what determines
00:12:18.77\00:12:23.64
when we're
persecuted or when we suffer,
00:12:23.67\00:12:26.34
our response is what to
that persecution and suffering
00:12:26.37\00:12:30.75
is what determines the result.
00:12:30.78\00:12:32.81
So that's just a little bit of
background for Sunday's lesson,
00:12:32.85\00:12:38.09
and now I'm going to
pass it to brother CA Murray.
00:12:38.12\00:12:40.89
Thank you, well said.
00:12:40.96\00:12:42.89
I think among the things
that we need to remember,
00:12:42.92\00:12:46.63
and, Shelley, you
touched on it so well,
00:12:46.66\00:12:48.40
that the church originally
was a Jewish community.
00:12:48.43\00:12:52.30
But as the diaspora set in
00:12:52.33\00:12:54.90
and their natural
bend towards evangelism
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.47
once you came to know Jesus,
00:12:57.51\00:12:59.31
the church also took in a large
number of Gentile individuals
00:12:59.34\00:13:04.15
and you rightly said,
Peter's audience included both
00:13:04.18\00:13:08.02
and that is why to
take a parallel issue,
00:13:08.05\00:13:11.09
Paul wrote the book of Hebrews,
he wrote to Hebrew Christians
00:13:11.12\00:13:14.69
because a lot of the
Hebrew Christians were thinking,
00:13:14.76\00:13:17.36
you know, maybe we ought
to just go back into Judaism.
00:13:17.39\00:13:19.49
Maybe we ought to just go back,
00:13:19.53\00:13:21.70
Judaism is a religio
licita, it's recognized.
00:13:21.73\00:13:25.80
This new religion
is religio illicita
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.70
and we're getting in trouble.
00:13:28.74\00:13:30.71
So Paul wrote to let
them know that Christ is
00:13:30.77\00:13:34.78
and I use modern
language, the real deal.
00:13:34.84\00:13:37.05
Stay with Jesus,
He will get you home,
00:13:37.08\00:13:39.01
He is the real deal.
00:13:39.05\00:13:40.38
Well, Peter is
spanning that also.
00:13:40.42\00:13:43.32
Jewish audience,
non-Jewish audience
00:13:43.35\00:13:46.05
and I think it's
important to remember that
00:13:46.09\00:13:48.62
because of some of
the language he uses.
00:13:48.66\00:13:50.83
My topic for the day is Elect.
00:13:50.89\00:13:54.83
He uses that language
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.20
when speaking to both audiences.
00:13:56.23\00:13:57.90
So he's not singling
out the Jewish people
00:13:57.93\00:14:00.04
as a particular group
that have any advantage.
00:14:00.07\00:14:04.07
Once you're in Christ,
00:14:04.11\00:14:06.47
you're equal, you
know, you're elect.
00:14:06.51\00:14:09.14
I don't know if
there's any doctrine
00:14:09.18\00:14:10.58
that has split
Christianity a little bit more
00:14:10.61\00:14:12.55
than this idea of
election and predestination.
00:14:12.58\00:14:15.98
There are ongoing debates
00:14:16.02\00:14:17.42
to this day of
election and predestination.
00:14:17.45\00:14:21.52
But elect
simply means to choose.
00:14:21.56\00:14:25.09
When God chooses us,
we still must select Him.
00:14:25.13\00:14:31.30
There is election and selection.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.90
God elects, we select.
00:14:33.94\00:14:35.90
Everything that has
to do with salvation
00:14:35.94\00:14:37.74
deals with
relationship with God.
00:14:37.77\00:14:40.58
God does not
superimpose salvation on anyone.
00:14:40.61\00:14:44.61
He opens the door to salvation.
00:14:44.68\00:14:46.78
He has made a way of salvation
but then you must select God.
00:14:46.82\00:14:51.05
What is predestined is
that if you do certain things,
00:14:51.12\00:14:57.49
certain things are gonna happen
00:14:57.56\00:14:59.69
and I've got a bunch of texts
that sort of speak to that.
00:14:59.73\00:15:02.90
And then we'll come back
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.30
and do a couple
more things in Peter.
00:15:04.33\00:15:05.67
But in Acts 16:31, "Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:15:05.70\00:15:08.87
you're going to be saved."
00:15:08.90\00:15:10.24
That's guaranteed.
That's guaranteed by Christ.
00:15:10.27\00:15:13.98
Mark 16:16, believe and baptize,
00:15:14.01\00:15:17.18
you're gonna be saved.
00:15:17.21\00:15:18.68
You know, that's predestined.
00:15:18.71\00:15:22.15
That if you
believe and are baptized,
00:15:22.18\00:15:25.05
God will see to it
that you get saved.
00:15:25.12\00:15:28.89
Romans 10:9,
"Confess with your mouth,
00:15:28.92\00:15:32.66
believe with your
heart, you're gonna be saved."
00:15:32.69\00:15:35.60
Amen. That's predetermined.
00:15:35.63\00:15:39.70
Romans 10:13, "Call on His
name you're gonna be saved."
00:15:39.73\00:15:45.04
So there is a part
that we have to play
00:15:45.11\00:15:47.91
in response to
what God has done.
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.88
And if we
respond in a positive way
00:15:50.95\00:15:54.45
and hold on to
that relationship,
00:15:54.52\00:15:56.65
it has been predetermined
you're going to be saved.
00:15:56.69\00:16:01.69
There's no way to get around it.
00:16:01.72\00:16:04.86
The lesson, I'm
gonna stick kind of closer
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.46
because the lesson
makes some good points,
00:16:06.49\00:16:07.83
I do want to bring out.
00:16:07.86\00:16:11.07
1 Timothy 2:4, it is
His desire that we be saved.
00:16:11.10\00:16:16.74
I was saying to
someone else the other day,
00:16:16.77\00:16:21.01
God's not
trying to keep you out,
00:16:21.08\00:16:22.94
He's trying to get you in.
00:16:22.98\00:16:24.35
Amen.
00:16:24.38\00:16:25.71
And if He can,
He's gonna get you in.
00:16:25.75\00:16:27.08
If you'll just work with
Him, He's gonna get you in.
00:16:27.12\00:16:28.62
Not trying to find
reasons to keep you out,
00:16:28.65\00:16:31.09
He's trying to find
reasons to get you in.
00:16:31.12\00:16:32.45
And Peter of all
people knew that,
00:16:32.49\00:16:35.09
He's not trying to keep me
out, He's trying to get me in.
00:16:35.16\00:16:38.06
And those lessons are
woven throughout his gospels,
00:16:38.13\00:16:43.10
his works, they're there.
00:16:43.13\00:16:46.47
We look at 2 Peter
3:9, God is not slack,
00:16:46.50\00:16:50.51
He's not slow
concerning His promises
00:16:50.54\00:16:54.11
as some people look at slackness
00:16:54.14\00:16:56.24
or sloppiness or slowness,
00:16:56.28\00:16:58.41
but He's long-suffering
00:16:58.45\00:17:00.42
and Peter knew about
a long-suffering God.
00:17:00.45\00:17:03.55
Because He's not
willing that any should perish.
00:17:03.59\00:17:07.86
And so the thing
that you can bite down on,
00:17:07.89\00:17:12.99
hold on to, is that God
wants you in the Kingdom,
00:17:13.03\00:17:16.80
He wants you to
be in the Kingdom.
00:17:16.83\00:17:19.10
And He's long-suffering so...
00:17:19.13\00:17:22.27
You know, the truth is
some days you feel like
00:17:22.30\00:17:26.44
you can carry the
weight of the world,
00:17:26.47\00:17:28.44
you get up and you feel
strong in the Lord, you know.
00:17:28.48\00:17:31.21
Some days you feel like
00:17:31.25\00:17:32.58
you are carrying
the weight of the world.
00:17:32.61\00:17:34.12
I've had those days, like
it's just on you, you know.
00:17:34.15\00:17:38.05
I tell...
00:17:38.09\00:17:39.69
When I used to counsel
people who are married,
00:17:39.72\00:17:41.82
some days you feel
very married, you get up,
00:17:41.86\00:17:44.29
you look at her, and she
looks at you, you feel married,
00:17:44.33\00:17:46.26
you know, you just
feel really married.
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.56
Some days you
don't feel so married.
00:17:48.63\00:17:52.83
You know, you have days,
00:17:52.87\00:17:54.20
you know, you live
with a person 10, 20, 30,
00:17:54.24\00:17:55.84
you have good days
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.21
and you have some days
when you don't feel so married.
00:17:57.24\00:17:59.74
On the days when you feel
very married, you're married.
00:17:59.77\00:18:03.91
Amen.
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.31
On the days when you
don't feel married, guess what?
00:18:05.35\00:18:08.08
You're still
married. You're still married.
00:18:08.12\00:18:10.35
So in your Christian experience,
00:18:10.39\00:18:11.75
you're gonna have strong days,
00:18:11.79\00:18:13.12
you're gonna have days
when you don't feel so strong.
00:18:13.15\00:18:16.06
But God has chosen you
and you have selected Him.
00:18:16.09\00:18:21.43
So on the good
days you're in Christ,
00:18:21.46\00:18:24.17
and on the bad days
you don't need to question
00:18:24.20\00:18:27.14
because Christ is
still there for you.
00:18:27.17\00:18:29.14
You're still in
Jesus, you're still equipped.
00:18:29.17\00:18:30.71
You're having rough times,
stuff is getting in the way,
00:18:30.74\00:18:33.71
but you're still a child of God.
00:18:33.74\00:18:35.51
And Peter of all
people knew that,
00:18:35.54\00:18:38.28
particularly
after his experience
00:18:38.31\00:18:43.69
in the book of Acts
00:18:43.72\00:18:45.62
that he knew who Christ
was and where Christ was
00:18:45.65\00:18:51.89
and that Christ was with him,
00:18:51.96\00:18:53.29
so when he had
those little slips,
00:18:53.33\00:18:56.03
he can write in his gospel.
00:18:56.06\00:18:59.10
God is not slack
concerning His promises to me.
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.80
The promises are not,
in the kingdom of God,
00:19:02.84\00:19:06.41
it's not about feeling,
it's about the promises of God.
00:19:06.44\00:19:10.01
So when you feel
them, well, praise the Lord,
00:19:10.05\00:19:12.31
but even when
you don't feel them,
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.82
the promises are true.
00:19:13.85\00:19:15.35
And Peter had that in his heart.
00:19:15.38\00:19:19.35
I want to read this last
line before my time gets over,
00:19:19.39\00:19:21.39
and I like this.
00:19:21.42\00:19:22.76
"This foreknowledge in no
way forced their choice anymore
00:19:22.79\00:19:29.43
than a mother knowing beforehand
00:19:29.46\00:19:31.57
that her child will
choose chocolate cake
00:19:31.60\00:19:34.30
instead of green beans."
00:19:34.34\00:19:35.67
'Cause you know your child,
00:19:35.70\00:19:37.34
you know what he's gonna choose,
00:19:37.37\00:19:38.71
you know what he's gonna take,
and God knows us, He knows us.
00:19:38.74\00:19:42.61
Her foreknowledge of the
choice force the child to make,
00:19:42.64\00:19:46.41
so because she knew
what was gonna happen
00:19:46.45\00:19:48.05
and she didn't force the child,
00:19:48.12\00:19:49.45
she knows her
child, and God knows us,
00:19:49.48\00:19:51.89
so He's not gonna
force you into salvation
00:19:51.92\00:19:54.12
but He knows
what your choices are,
00:19:54.16\00:19:55.76
He's understood
you, He's watched you,
00:19:55.79\00:19:57.86
He's made you, He's
kept His eye on you,
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.66
He knows kind of
where you're going
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.56
and what you're gonna do.
00:20:02.60\00:20:04.53
So do not think
that there's some secret
00:20:04.57\00:20:07.40
inside something
that God selects pastor
00:20:07.44\00:20:10.24
and does not select Mollie
00:20:10.27\00:20:11.61
and selects Jill and
does not select Shelley,
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.81
He wants all of you to be saved
00:20:13.84\00:20:16.38
and He's sitting
there waiting and watching
00:20:16.41\00:20:18.81
and working for
you to select Him.
00:20:18.85\00:20:21.88
And once you
select His election,
00:20:21.92\00:20:25.25
you're gonna be saved
00:20:25.29\00:20:26.79
as long as you abide
in Him and stay with Him.
00:20:26.82\00:20:31.53
So what kind of assurance
00:20:31.59\00:20:32.93
the lesson has
does this give us?
00:20:32.96\00:20:34.30
It gives me the assurance that
as long as I stay with Jesus,
00:20:34.30\00:20:38.13
it's all gonna be good.
00:20:38.20\00:20:39.53
Amen.
00:20:39.57\00:20:40.90
And the end is
gonna be salvation.
00:20:40.94\00:20:42.27
There's gonna be rough
times, good times, bad times,
00:20:42.30\00:20:44.24
some times things are gonna
go just like I want them to go.
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.64
Sometimes they're not gonna go
like I want them to go at all,
00:20:46.68\00:20:48.91
but God is with them all
and it will all work for good
00:20:48.94\00:20:51.61
as long as we hold on
00:20:51.68\00:20:53.01
to the unchanging
hand of Jesus Christ
00:20:53.05\00:20:54.78
and He will see us home.
00:20:54.85\00:20:59.19
And, you know, you
just made that comment,
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.12
it will all work for good
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.56
that reminds me
of Romans 8:28 and 29
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.79
because to me that's
what predestination is about.
00:21:04.83\00:21:07.30
It says that, "He works
all things together for good
00:21:07.30\00:21:09.66
for those who love Him
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.03
and are called
according to His purpose,"
00:21:11.07\00:21:13.74
and then verse
29, Romans 8:29 says,
00:21:13.77\00:21:16.64
"For those He knew,
00:21:16.67\00:21:18.64
He predestined to be conformed
to the image of Jesus."
00:21:18.67\00:21:24.45
So our destiny,
00:21:24.48\00:21:26.05
God has predestined
us to be like Jesus.
00:21:26.08\00:21:28.25
Yeah, that's what He
wants, our sanctification,
00:21:28.28\00:21:30.05
and that's Peter 2 by the way.
00:21:30.09\00:21:31.55
Amen.
00:21:31.62\00:21:33.15
So you're saying then
that we're all elected.
00:21:33.19\00:21:35.39
It falls on us now
to do the selecting.
00:21:35.42\00:21:38.16
You there you go. Precisely.
00:21:38.19\00:21:40.56
Very good. Pastor?
00:21:40.60\00:21:41.90
I was just thinking,
00:21:41.93\00:21:43.26
many are called, few are chosen
00:21:43.30\00:21:44.70
and that so much
involves Jesus' calling humanity
00:21:44.77\00:21:49.87
but at the same
time we must respond.
00:21:49.90\00:21:51.71
Yes. We must say yes.
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.31
Yes, and I also
as you were speaking,
00:21:54.34\00:21:56.01
I was thinking about how
God is in the redemptive process
00:21:56.04\00:21:59.08
trying to redeem that
which was lost through sin.
00:21:59.11\00:22:03.25
He gave everything
for that to happen.
00:22:03.28\00:22:06.62
He gave His son, gave His life
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.92
and what you're looking at here
as we go throughout this lesson
00:22:08.99\00:22:13.40
is the fact that
there has been success.
00:22:13.43\00:22:16.93
The kingdom of heaven has
now been planted on this earth
00:22:16.97\00:22:20.64
on enemy territory,
00:22:20.67\00:22:22.04
He has taken the keys
back and as the church
00:22:22.07\00:22:25.24
is growing, you know,
you think of the dispersion,
00:22:25.31\00:22:27.14
you're also looking at,
yes, there's heavy persecution
00:22:27.18\00:22:30.61
but if you hang
on to Jesus in faith,
00:22:30.65\00:22:32.31
He'll bring you places that
you otherwise wouldn't have gone
00:22:32.35\00:22:34.72
if it hadn't
been for that person.
00:22:34.75\00:22:36.08
That's right. Amen.
00:22:36.12\00:22:37.45
And now I'm gonna start
with what I had prepared.
00:22:37.49\00:22:38.95
Okay.
00:22:38.99\00:22:40.59
You got me going, that was good.
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.56
You know, I wanted to,
00:22:43.59\00:22:44.93
we're gonna be
looking at 1 Peter 1,
00:22:44.96\00:22:46.93
but it has already
been touched on the setting.
00:22:46.96\00:22:50.40
But one of the
things that stood out to me
00:22:50.43\00:22:52.83
was the very fact that
we're dealing with Asia Minor,
00:22:52.87\00:22:55.04
we're dealing with the
majority as I concluded
00:22:55.10\00:22:58.37
not being Jews
but being Gentiles.
00:22:58.41\00:23:01.28
And then you think
about Peter and his history,
00:23:01.31\00:23:04.41
what a growth
process he had to go through
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.72
because when he wrote this,
00:23:07.75\00:23:09.08
he was writing it as a
pastoral letter to people
00:23:09.12\00:23:11.89
that never knew
Jesus personally.
00:23:11.92\00:23:15.26
Now none of us have walked
with Jesus where He walked,
00:23:15.29\00:23:19.09
so to us this is common place
00:23:19.13\00:23:21.23
but when I
think of the apostles,
00:23:21.26\00:23:24.50
the sent ones, actually getting
toward the end of their lives,
00:23:24.53\00:23:29.77
John on the island of
Patmos writing his gospel,
00:23:29.80\00:23:32.74
thinking that this
is the next generation,
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.61
he's trying to address them.
00:23:34.64\00:23:36.21
Peter as he's
writing his epistle,
00:23:36.24\00:23:37.58
he's nearing the end of his life
00:23:37.61\00:23:39.41
and he's actually
ministering to the very ones
00:23:39.45\00:23:42.12
that he otherwise
would not have been caught
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.12
with before
Christ was in his life.
00:23:44.15\00:23:48.22
But he's writing
this pastoral letter,
00:23:48.26\00:23:49.76
he's writing counsel
to those that are servants
00:23:49.79\00:23:54.30
or those to
submit to government.
00:23:54.30\00:23:56.46
He's writing counsel
to wives, to husbands,
00:23:56.50\00:23:58.70
to elders and even
young members of the church.
00:23:58.73\00:24:02.14
And as you look at
verse 3 in 1 Peter 1...
00:24:02.17\00:24:05.67
We see here that
one of the things
00:24:09.81\00:24:12.88
if you find through from verse 3
00:24:12.91\00:24:15.58
all the way through verse 12
00:24:15.62\00:24:17.82
is you'll see the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
00:24:17.85\00:24:21.42
In our previous quarter we
were studying the Holy Spirit
00:24:21.46\00:24:24.43
and how He wasn't just
on the forefront as much
00:24:24.46\00:24:27.13
but you see clear
evidence of the Holy Spirit
00:24:27.13\00:24:29.73
is part of this whole experience
00:24:29.76\00:24:32.30
for the New Testament Church.
00:24:32.33\00:24:34.07
And so he starts off
with, "Blessed be God,
00:24:34.10\00:24:37.11
the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:24:37.14\00:24:39.64
who according to
His abundant mercy
00:24:39.67\00:24:41.01
has begotten us
again to a living hope
00:24:41.04\00:24:44.78
through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead."
00:24:44.81\00:24:48.35
You know, there's no
hope for any Christian,
00:24:48.38\00:24:50.82
Jew or Gentile in their
background beyond Christ.
00:24:50.85\00:24:54.72
He is the blessed hope.
00:24:54.79\00:24:56.42
The fact that He has power over
the grave is something that,
00:24:56.46\00:24:59.83
can you imagine
all of the pagan gods
00:24:59.86\00:25:02.30
that the Gentiles
would have worshipped
00:25:02.36\00:25:04.60
were not like Jesus.
00:25:04.63\00:25:06.27
Jesus was the one that actually
had victory over the grave,
00:25:06.30\00:25:09.94
so one of the
themes that you see
00:25:09.97\00:25:12.04
Peter is writing
here is that we have hope
00:25:12.07\00:25:15.31
because Jesus had
victory over the grave.
00:25:15.34\00:25:17.98
That means we have
victory over the grave.
00:25:18.01\00:25:20.12
All of us are going
through various trials
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.58
and as we age,
those trials are changing,
00:25:22.62\00:25:25.32
and some of them we
didn't know were coming,
00:25:25.35\00:25:28.49
we didn't expect them,
00:25:28.52\00:25:30.03
and, but the blessed hope
for this church at this time
00:25:30.06\00:25:33.83
that Peter's writing to,
00:25:33.86\00:25:35.20
those churches
throughout Asia Minor
00:25:35.23\00:25:37.40
applies to us
today to this very day.
00:25:37.43\00:25:40.64
And a theme that I see
here, if you look at verse 4,
00:25:40.67\00:25:45.21
there is an inheritance
that God has reserved for you.
00:25:45.24\00:25:51.28
Now I think it
was mentioned before
00:25:51.31\00:25:53.35
that this is something you
can look at in a plural way,
00:25:53.38\00:25:55.82
it's for all of us.
00:25:55.85\00:25:57.25
But I also like to think
of it as in a personal way
00:25:57.29\00:25:59.42
as I'm reading this verse
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.76
that God has
prepared and reserved
00:26:01.82\00:26:03.76
something special in
heaven for me personally.
00:26:03.79\00:26:06.76
And when He went to
that cross, He thought of me.
00:26:06.80\00:26:10.27
And I'm kept by the
power of God through faith.
00:26:10.30\00:26:13.74
Hallelujah. Amen.
00:26:13.77\00:26:15.97
And, you know,
one of the things...
00:26:16.00\00:26:17.91
Remember, who are we reading?
00:26:17.94\00:26:19.31
This is Peter. Yes.
00:26:19.34\00:26:20.94
Is one of the
things he had to learn
00:26:20.98\00:26:22.58
that I see consistently
throughout the New Testament
00:26:22.61\00:26:25.08
is that he needed to be kept
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.48
by the power of
God through faith.
00:26:26.51\00:26:29.22
He failed over and
over and over again,
00:26:29.25\00:26:31.79
now here he is
in a pastoral way,
00:26:31.82\00:26:34.29
sharing with new converts
and those maybe not so new,
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.96
the very same thing
that he had to learn himself.
00:26:37.99\00:26:41.03
So you see that theme,
it's very important to him.
00:26:41.06\00:26:44.13
As you go through
in verse 6 and onward,
00:26:44.17\00:26:47.30
it talks about
the various trials
00:26:47.34\00:26:50.14
that people are going through.
00:26:50.17\00:26:51.87
You know, the
New Testament church,
00:26:51.91\00:26:53.24
one thing about having
the Holy Spirit poured out
00:26:53.27\00:26:54.81
which oftentimes we want to see
00:26:54.84\00:26:56.41
in a corporate way
brings on persecution
00:26:56.44\00:27:00.25
because the enemy hates
00:27:00.28\00:27:03.95
when God's
church is on the move.
00:27:03.99\00:27:06.72
And can you imagine being
Peter having to grow in faith,
00:27:06.76\00:27:12.16
having churches
throughout Asia Minor,
00:27:12.23\00:27:14.36
watching them go
through persecution
00:27:14.36\00:27:16.30
because they followed your lead
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.27
and watching them struggle
00:27:18.33\00:27:19.67
with the same
things you struggled with.
00:27:19.70\00:27:21.50
That's good.
00:27:21.54\00:27:22.87
So what they
needed was an encourager.
00:27:22.90\00:27:25.67
I think all of us
need an encourager.
00:27:25.71\00:27:28.98
Someone that mentors,
00:27:29.04\00:27:30.38
someone that maybe
he's been where they are
00:27:30.41\00:27:33.28
and can help them through it.
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.45
The other thing
he points out here
00:27:36.48\00:27:37.89
is that they have a
faith that is amazing to him,
00:27:37.92\00:27:40.66
look at verse 8, "Whom
having not seen, Jesus,
00:27:40.69\00:27:44.86
you love him,"
because he saw Jesus
00:27:44.89\00:27:48.73
and many others that were
in the early Christian church
00:27:48.76\00:27:50.73
had seen Jesus and
they could refer to that.
00:27:50.77\00:27:53.23
And, but this is a group
that had never seen Jesus
00:27:53.27\00:27:56.67
and they believed.
00:27:56.71\00:27:58.04
Do you know what
a miracle that is?
00:27:58.07\00:28:00.94
To have not only days but years,
00:28:00.98\00:28:04.95
decades go by where God
is in control of your life,
00:28:04.98\00:28:07.95
leading you on a path.
00:28:07.98\00:28:09.32
That is a miracle of God
00:28:09.38\00:28:11.85
and it's an act of faith to
be on that journey with Him.
00:28:11.89\00:28:15.52
So he's encouraging them that,
00:28:15.56\00:28:18.63
you know, even
though you have these trials
00:28:18.69\00:28:21.56
and you love Jesus even
though you haven't seen Him,
00:28:21.60\00:28:25.70
and verse 9, he says,
00:28:25.73\00:28:27.77
"Receiving the
end of your faith,
00:28:27.80\00:28:30.14
the salvation of your souls."
00:28:30.17\00:28:32.04
So because of this,
God is going to save you
00:28:32.07\00:28:36.31
and, of course, we know
that third part of salvation
00:28:36.34\00:28:39.98
that redemptive
process is the glorifying
00:28:40.02\00:28:42.82
in 1 Corinthians 15.
00:28:42.85\00:28:44.29
And, Pastor, that end
there is not the terminus
00:28:44.32\00:28:46.35
but the goal of your faith.
00:28:46.39\00:28:47.72
Yes. Yes.
00:28:47.76\00:28:49.09
That's right. That's right.
00:28:49.12\00:28:52.79
And also I like
the way he gets into,
00:28:52.83\00:28:55.43
if you go down to verse 10,
00:28:55.50\00:28:58.13
you will find
that this salvation
00:28:58.17\00:29:00.97
is what the prophets have
enquired and searched carefully
00:29:01.00\00:29:05.44
and prophesied of the
grace that would come to you.
00:29:05.47\00:29:09.44
So they were called,
these prophets of old,
00:29:09.48\00:29:13.95
to speak to a generation
and it was this generation
00:29:13.98\00:29:18.39
and he wanted to encourage them.
00:29:18.42\00:29:20.36
You know it always
makes me scratch my head
00:29:20.39\00:29:23.36
when Christians,
well-meaning Christians
00:29:23.39\00:29:25.26
say that the Old
Testament is irrelevant.
00:29:25.29\00:29:29.30
And now we are a
New Testament Christian.
00:29:29.33\00:29:31.70
Well, if you think about it,
00:29:31.73\00:29:33.10
this whole church
in the New Testament
00:29:33.13\00:29:36.07
that's all they had,
was the Old Testament.
00:29:36.10\00:29:39.21
And it was those Old Testament
prophets that encouraged them
00:29:39.24\00:29:44.28
and Peter wanted to
make sure that they knew
00:29:44.31\00:29:47.22
that those writings
were for that generation
00:29:47.25\00:29:50.15
and for every
generation that followed.
00:29:50.19\00:29:52.29
And also in verse 12,
00:29:55.59\00:29:57.79
to them it was
revealed that not to themselves
00:29:57.83\00:30:00.93
but to us they were ministering.
00:30:00.96\00:30:04.40
The things which now
have been reported to you
00:30:04.43\00:30:07.67
through those who have
preached the gospel to you
00:30:07.70\00:30:09.67
by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven,
00:30:09.70\00:30:12.31
things which angels
desired to look into.
00:30:12.37\00:30:16.41
And I look at
that and I think, wow,
00:30:16.44\00:30:18.35
the plan of
salvation is something
00:30:18.38\00:30:20.62
that angels longed to look into.
00:30:20.65\00:30:25.15
You know, I often think of
what is the most difficult thing
00:30:25.19\00:30:27.22
that God that can
speak things into existence,
00:30:27.26\00:30:29.22
what was the most
difficult thing for Him to do?
00:30:29.26\00:30:31.89
It's the conversion of a soul.
00:30:31.93\00:30:35.66
It is something that
angels long to look into.
00:30:35.73\00:30:39.73
We sing our unique
song on our unique journey
00:30:39.77\00:30:43.04
and this is
something that unfallen beings
00:30:43.07\00:30:46.27
are blessed in
seeing things about God
00:30:46.31\00:30:49.88
that they otherwise
would not have seen.
00:30:49.91\00:30:52.11
Watching His patience with us,
00:30:52.18\00:30:53.98
watching the fact that He
took Peter from what he was,
00:30:54.02\00:30:57.79
written off by church leadership
00:30:57.82\00:30:59.89
to now here he is,
00:30:59.92\00:31:01.32
a church leader
encouraging others in the faith.
00:31:01.36\00:31:03.96
Very, very good.
00:31:03.99\00:31:05.33
Thank you so much.
00:31:05.39\00:31:06.76
Mollie, would you like to?
00:31:06.80\00:31:09.76
I pick up right
where you left off.
00:31:09.80\00:31:12.53
Now what you've
just so eloquently done,
00:31:12.60\00:31:17.31
and so
beautifully, and meaningfully,
00:31:17.34\00:31:19.24
it's kind of given us some
of the heavenly inheritance
00:31:19.27\00:31:23.45
that we're going to receive.
00:31:23.48\00:31:25.68
And so in 1 Peter 1,
00:31:25.71\00:31:28.78
we're gonna look
at 13 through 21.
00:31:28.85\00:31:32.05
Peter shares the attributes
00:31:32.12\00:31:37.09
that we are to have
living the life of salvation.
00:31:37.13\00:31:42.80
So 1 Peter 1:13
starts out with therefore.
00:31:42.83\00:31:47.90
Now anytime there's a therefore,
00:31:47.94\00:31:50.57
what are you supposed to do?
00:31:50.61\00:31:51.94
Look back.
00:31:52.01\00:31:53.34
Look and see
what it's there for.
00:31:53.38\00:31:54.71
So therefore,
therefore what, therefore
00:31:54.74\00:31:57.88
because of this
heavenly inheritance,
00:31:57.91\00:32:00.22
and I kind of
put it in a capsule
00:32:00.25\00:32:02.22
using 1 Peter 1:8 and 9.
00:32:02.28\00:32:05.32
"Though now you do not see Him
00:32:05.35\00:32:07.56
yet believing you
rejoice with joy inexpressible
00:32:07.59\00:32:12.16
and full of glory
receiving the end of your faith
00:32:12.19\00:32:15.16
the salvation of your souls."
00:32:15.20\00:32:17.33
Therefore because of
the salvation of our souls
00:32:17.37\00:32:21.50
of all this that we have
in this heavenly inheritance,
00:32:21.54\00:32:27.28
he uses two little words.
00:32:27.31\00:32:30.11
He says gird up, gird up.
00:32:30.15\00:32:33.42
We're going to
finish that but gird up.
00:32:33.45\00:32:36.55
Now this girding up,
00:32:36.58\00:32:38.35
that's to prepare
oneself for a fight
00:32:38.39\00:32:41.66
or for some difficult task.
00:32:41.69\00:32:44.06
In this culture
both men and women
00:32:44.09\00:32:46.76
wore long flowing robes.
00:32:46.80\00:32:49.36
For the men when
they were relaxed
00:32:49.40\00:32:52.23
or in a resting
condition, the robes flowed.
00:32:52.27\00:32:56.17
But when it was time to go
to work or to go into battle,
00:32:56.20\00:32:59.91
those flowing robes
would've been a real,
00:32:59.94\00:33:02.94
it would have inhibited them,
it would have deterred them
00:33:02.98\00:33:06.15
from accomplishing what
they needed to accomplish
00:33:06.18\00:33:08.82
so they girded up.
00:33:08.85\00:33:11.42
They took a belt
girded up their robes
00:33:11.45\00:33:13.99
so they wouldn't be hindered.
00:33:14.02\00:33:15.56
And now what are you to gird up?
00:33:15.59\00:33:17.93
Therefore, it
says, gird up what?
00:33:17.96\00:33:20.50
The loins of your mind.
00:33:20.53\00:33:23.00
Gird up the loins of your mind.
00:33:23.03\00:33:25.07
As a response to salvation
00:33:25.10\00:33:27.37
that you have in
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:33:27.40\00:33:29.74
we must protect our minds.
00:33:29.77\00:33:32.31
We must prepare this mind
00:33:32.37\00:33:34.74
that we have to
further the cause of Christ
00:33:34.78\00:33:38.51
and so you gird up
the loins of your mind.
00:33:38.55\00:33:42.58
We have to make sure
that our minds are protected.
00:33:42.62\00:33:47.96
Did you know there's
a scripture in Proverbs
00:33:47.99\00:33:49.99
that says "Guard your
heart with all diligence,
00:33:50.03\00:33:53.90
and above all
that you guard," why?
00:33:53.93\00:33:56.13
For out of it flow
the issues of life.
00:33:56.16\00:33:59.23
So how do you guard your mind?
00:33:59.30\00:34:02.90
You guard what
goes in your eyes,
00:34:02.94\00:34:04.51
what goes in your ears,
00:34:04.54\00:34:05.87
the two ways that
things get into your mind.
00:34:05.91\00:34:08.94
So you guard your mind
above all that you guard,
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.85
you guard yourself
and why would that be?
00:34:11.88\00:34:15.22
Because what is what
you behold you become
00:34:15.25\00:34:19.69
and, Shelley, you and
I use this quite often,
00:34:19.72\00:34:23.66
it's about your mind.
00:34:23.69\00:34:26.49
Watch your thoughts,
00:34:26.53\00:34:28.73
first and foremost,
watch your thoughts, why?
00:34:28.76\00:34:31.73
Those thoughts become words.
00:34:31.77\00:34:35.37
Watch your words
00:34:35.40\00:34:36.74
because those
words become actions.
00:34:36.77\00:34:39.97
Watch your actions
00:34:40.01\00:34:41.81
because your
actions become habits.
00:34:41.84\00:34:44.71
Watch your habits
because they become character.
00:34:44.75\00:34:49.05
Watch your character,
00:34:49.08\00:34:51.19
for your character
determines your destiny.
00:34:51.22\00:34:54.46
What is your destiny?
00:34:54.49\00:34:56.09
It's your eternity.
00:34:56.12\00:34:57.93
And so where did it all begin?
00:34:57.96\00:35:00.26
It began in the mind,
that's where it begins.
00:35:00.30\00:35:03.13
So this is gird up
the loins of your mind,
00:35:03.16\00:35:05.73
the
reproductiveness of your mind,
00:35:05.80\00:35:08.27
gird it up, protect it.
00:35:08.30\00:35:11.21
And the girding up
process, it prepared you to work
00:35:11.24\00:35:15.71
and it prepared
you to do battle.
00:35:15.74\00:35:18.58
How many of you
know we're in a battle?
00:35:18.61\00:35:20.12
Amen.
00:35:20.15\00:35:21.48
The scripture
says Ephesians 6:12,
00:35:21.52\00:35:23.65
"For we wrestle not
with flesh and blood."
00:35:23.69\00:35:26.86
So, Shelley, no matter
what should happen between us,
00:35:26.89\00:35:32.03
it's not flesh and blood.
00:35:32.06\00:35:33.56
It doesn't matter
what men or women do to us.
00:35:33.60\00:35:36.40
If you realize this
isn't a physical battle,
00:35:36.43\00:35:39.83
we wrestle not
with flesh and blood,
00:35:39.87\00:35:41.77
but bless God we wrestle.
00:35:41.80\00:35:44.27
We wrestle with
principalities, with powers,
00:35:44.31\00:35:47.84
with the rulers of
darkness of this world,
00:35:47.88\00:35:49.78
with spiritual
wickedness in high places.
00:35:49.81\00:35:52.35
That is what we're wrestling,
00:35:52.38\00:35:53.72
and those are classifications
of demonic forces.
00:35:53.75\00:35:57.49
They come against us.
00:35:57.52\00:35:58.89
So we're in this battle
00:35:58.92\00:36:00.69
and the battle, it
begins in the mind.
00:36:00.72\00:36:03.89
So it says to gird up our mind,
00:36:03.93\00:36:06.06
so how do your
gird up your mind?
00:36:06.09\00:36:08.56
Take every thought captive.
00:36:08.60\00:36:09.93
Take every thought
captive, Shelley says.
00:36:09.96\00:36:12.50
You also fill your mind...
00:36:12.57\00:36:14.80
Remember, you
become what you behold?
00:36:14.84\00:36:17.17
You spend time in God's Word,
00:36:17.21\00:36:19.31
you feast on God's
Word and allow the Word.
00:36:19.34\00:36:23.78
Well, let me
just read Romans 12:2,
00:36:23.81\00:36:27.02
"And do not be conformed
to this world, the physical,
00:36:27.05\00:36:31.72
but be ye transformed" how?
00:36:31.75\00:36:34.32
"By the renewing of your mind."
00:36:34.36\00:36:35.96
What do you renew your mind on?
00:36:35.99\00:36:37.69
God's Word.
00:36:37.73\00:36:39.06
The Word of God is
quick and powerful,
00:36:39.13\00:36:40.80
it's a living force and
as you gird up your mind,
00:36:40.83\00:36:45.07
you study God's Word,
00:36:45.10\00:36:46.43
you allow this Word to become
a living reality in your life,
00:36:46.47\00:36:49.60
then you can prove what
is that good and acceptable
00:36:49.64\00:36:53.44
and perfect will of God.
00:36:53.48\00:36:55.44
Now Peter goes
on after he tells us
00:36:55.48\00:36:57.95
to gird up the
loins of our mind.
00:36:57.98\00:37:00.45
He says be sober, be sober.
00:37:00.48\00:37:03.65
Now when you think of sober,
what do you normally think of?
00:37:03.69\00:37:07.46
Don't be inebriated.
00:37:07.49\00:37:09.19
Has to do with alcohol
and which is good counsel,
00:37:09.26\00:37:14.13
be sober, but in this case,
00:37:14.20\00:37:16.36
I believe it
means show self-control.
00:37:16.40\00:37:19.63
You know, allow yourself
to be conducted by God's Word
00:37:19.67\00:37:24.57
and not to be quick to,
as we were talking about,
00:37:24.61\00:37:28.68
Peter quick to
pow-pow quick to spout off.
00:37:28.71\00:37:31.35
Be sober and rest your
hope fully upon the grace
00:37:31.38\00:37:36.48
that is to be brought to you
00:37:36.52\00:37:37.92
at the revelation of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:37:37.95\00:37:40.36
And I believe it was you,
00:37:40.39\00:37:41.72
and I think I've
heard it from each of us,
00:37:41.76\00:37:44.56
our only hope is
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:37:44.59\00:37:47.23
There is no hope anywhere else
but in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:37:47.30\00:37:53.10
So as a consequence of
our salvation, our actions,
00:37:53.13\00:37:59.04
the way we conduct
ourself has got to change.
00:37:59.07\00:38:03.11
We got transformed out
of the kingdom of darkness
00:38:03.18\00:38:07.08
into the kingdom
of God's dear Son,
00:38:07.12\00:38:09.28
everything changed,
who we serve changed.
00:38:09.32\00:38:13.25
The kingdom we're now
associated with changed.
00:38:13.29\00:38:16.86
What is expected
of us has changed.
00:38:16.89\00:38:20.43
Now we were
children of darkness,
00:38:20.46\00:38:23.97
now we're children of light.
00:38:24.00\00:38:25.63
The scripture says, "Beloved,
now are you the sons of God."
00:38:25.70\00:38:28.87
It's not gonna happen
later in the sweet by and by,
00:38:28.90\00:38:32.64
it's already happened.
00:38:32.67\00:38:34.01
You are right now a
child of the living God.
00:38:34.04\00:38:37.21
And the scripture tells
us, verse 14, Peter continues,
00:38:37.25\00:38:41.18
"As obedient
children" what kind of children?
00:38:41.22\00:38:44.89
"Obedient children
not conforming yourselves
00:38:44.92\00:38:48.26
to the former lusts
as in your ignorance
00:38:48.29\00:38:51.79
but as He who called you..."
00:38:51.83\00:38:53.50
Oh, no, here it is, you
can teach about love and peace
00:38:53.53\00:38:58.27
and joy and happiness
00:38:58.30\00:39:00.07
and people just
rejoice with you.
00:39:00.10\00:39:02.10
But you start
talking about holiness
00:39:02.14\00:39:04.27
and they get uncomfortable.
00:39:04.31\00:39:05.77
But here is what
the scripture says,
00:39:05.84\00:39:08.68
"But as He who
called you is holy..."
00:39:08.71\00:39:11.81
This does not
sound like a suggestion.
00:39:11.85\00:39:14.48
"You also be
holy in your conduct.
00:39:14.52\00:39:17.75
Not just part of your
conduct but in all your conduct
00:39:17.79\00:39:21.99
because it is written
be holy, for I am holy."
00:39:22.02\00:39:26.06
And I do want to stop
there for just a minute.
00:39:26.09\00:39:30.77
When we speak of holiness,
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.20
does that mean that
you never make a mistake?
00:39:33.27\00:39:35.50
No.
00:39:35.54\00:39:36.87
You know, it just means
you are striving, excuse me.
00:39:36.91\00:39:41.91
You are striving to be
obedient men and women of God,
00:39:41.94\00:39:45.41
obedient children of God.
00:39:45.45\00:39:47.02
And at most every teaching,
00:39:47.05\00:39:48.92
Jill, you're in my
Sabbath School class for years,
00:39:48.95\00:39:52.92
every lesson is gonna
have 1 John 1:9 in it.
00:39:52.99\00:39:56.66
Oh, thank God for 1 John 1:9.
00:39:56.69\00:39:59.13
We are to be
holy, for He is holy,
00:39:59.16\00:40:01.56
and we get our lives in
alignment with God's Word
00:40:01.60\00:40:06.23
and then, oh, my
goodness you won't believe
00:40:06.27\00:40:08.60
what she did to me
00:40:08.64\00:40:10.01
and what popped
right out of my mouth,
00:40:10.04\00:40:11.41
1 John 1:9,
00:40:11.44\00:40:12.81
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful
00:40:12.87\00:40:15.51
and just to
forgive us of our sins
00:40:15.54\00:40:17.25
and then cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:40:17.28\00:40:20.02
When you're cleansed
from all unrighteousness,
00:40:20.05\00:40:22.05
what does that make you?
00:40:22.08\00:40:23.42
There's no unrighteousness.
00:40:23.45\00:40:24.79
Oh, honey, there you are.
00:40:24.82\00:40:26.15
You're back in
that position with God
00:40:26.19\00:40:27.99
where He says that we are to be.
00:40:28.02\00:40:31.26
"And if you call on the Father,
00:40:31.29\00:40:33.23
who without partiality judges
according to each one's work,
00:40:33.29\00:40:36.56
conduct yourselves
throughout the time
00:40:36.63\00:40:39.80
of your stay here in
fear and that isn't scared.
00:40:39.83\00:40:42.77
Fear is just an awesome
reverence of Almighty God.
00:40:42.80\00:40:46.71
And now I've got
to finish this up.
00:40:46.74\00:40:49.41
Knowing that you were redeemed,
00:40:49.44\00:40:51.05
we were
redeemed, we're redeemed!
00:40:51.08\00:40:53.08
Amen.
00:40:53.11\00:40:54.45
Hallelujah.
We've been bought back.
00:40:54.48\00:40:56.15
We didn't pay the price,
someone else paid the price
00:40:56.18\00:41:01.26
but it wasn't a cheap price.
00:41:01.29\00:41:02.86
It was the blood of
the precious Savior.
00:41:02.89\00:41:07.96
Our Lord and Savior, His
blood is what redeemed us.
00:41:07.96\00:41:11.83
It's not free.
00:41:11.87\00:41:13.20
It was a precious price.
00:41:13.23\00:41:14.57
And I wanted to read this.
00:41:14.60\00:41:15.97
This is the
Desire of Ages, page 25.
00:41:16.00\00:41:19.17
This is what we get.
00:41:19.24\00:41:20.71
"Christ was
treated as we deserve
00:41:20.74\00:41:24.31
that we might be
treated as He deserves."
00:41:24.35\00:41:27.28
Listen to this, "He
was condemned for your sins
00:41:27.32\00:41:31.19
in which He had no share
that we might be justified
00:41:31.22\00:41:34.86
by His righteousness
in which we had no share.
00:41:34.89\00:41:38.33
He suffered the
death which was ours
00:41:38.36\00:41:42.10
that we might receive
the life which was His.
00:41:42.13\00:41:46.70
With His stripes we are healed."
00:41:46.74\00:41:48.87
Praise God.
Attributes of a Christian.
00:41:48.90\00:41:52.01
Amen.
00:41:52.04\00:41:53.41
That's powerful.
00:41:53.44\00:41:54.98
Praise the Lord for
what He wants to do,
00:41:55.01\00:41:56.68
what He has done
and what He wants to do
00:41:56.71\00:41:58.65
in each one of
our hearts and lives.
00:41:58.68\00:42:00.72
We continue on, verse 22.
00:42:00.75\00:42:02.98
I like how the lesson does this
00:42:03.02\00:42:04.45
because it just
takes it verse by verse
00:42:04.49\00:42:06.86
and we get to go through all of
1 Peter 1 in this lesson here.
00:42:06.89\00:42:11.19
So rich. It is,
isn't it, Shelley?
00:42:11.23\00:42:13.46
So rich. So we are in verse 22.
00:42:13.50\00:42:16.50
Since, remember, Mollie,
00:42:16.53\00:42:18.63
your section
started with therefore
00:42:18.67\00:42:20.40
and we went back to
what Pastor Tom did.
00:42:20.44\00:42:22.67
Mine starts with since you have
00:42:22.74\00:42:25.57
purified your souls
in obeying the truth.
00:42:25.61\00:42:28.38
So Peter is saying
the purification process
00:42:28.41\00:42:30.98
is already underway.
00:42:31.01\00:42:33.08
I'm not talking to you as
a brand new baby Christian,
00:42:33.15\00:42:35.92
you're already in
that purification process.
00:42:35.95\00:42:40.59
That you have the blessed hope
00:42:40.62\00:42:42.12
and you're in the
process of trials,
00:42:42.16\00:42:44.63
verse 7 talks about
the trying of our faith
00:42:44.66\00:42:48.90
is made perfect in the
midst of the fiery trials.
00:42:48.93\00:42:51.90
So they have,
they're in persecution,
00:42:51.93\00:42:53.84
the church is suffering
and in the midst of that
00:42:53.87\00:42:56.77
God is growing His
character in their lives.
00:42:56.81\00:43:01.28
It's being developed.
00:43:01.31\00:43:02.64
Since you've purified your souls
00:43:02.71\00:43:05.15
in obeying the truth,
00:43:05.18\00:43:06.55
that word purified means,
00:43:06.58\00:43:07.92
to purify, to
cleanse from defilement
00:43:07.95\00:43:10.95
and it refers back
to that word you said,
00:43:10.99\00:43:13.62
that holy word that sometimes
00:43:13.66\00:43:15.66
we might struggle with it a bit,
00:43:15.69\00:43:17.19
"Be ye holy as I am holy,"
00:43:17.23\00:43:19.53
he's referring back
to that verse there.
00:43:19.56\00:43:23.47
And the beautiful thing is
that it's never our holiness.
00:43:23.50\00:43:28.00
It's never our righteousness.
00:43:28.04\00:43:31.24
It's when I open up my heart
and say, Lord Jesus I want you.
00:43:31.27\00:43:36.28
I want to be emptied of
myself and filled with Jesus.
00:43:36.34\00:43:40.85
I want to be
transformed into Your image,
00:43:40.88\00:43:44.59
into Your likeness
and He transforms us.
00:43:44.62\00:43:46.55
I love what you said, Mollie,
00:43:46.59\00:43:48.12
by opening up and
studying the Word of God.
00:43:48.16\00:43:50.36
You know, at 3ABN,
Mollie has 'Mollyisms'
00:43:50.39\00:43:53.83
as what we call them, Mollyisms,
00:43:53.86\00:43:56.43
and you always say
what we feed, grows,
00:43:56.46\00:43:59.23
and what we starve, dies.
00:43:59.30\00:44:00.94
So as we are in this
process of purifying our souls
00:44:00.97\00:44:04.11
through this
obedience to the truth,
00:44:04.14\00:44:06.27
feed your mind
on the Word of God.
00:44:06.31\00:44:09.58
What we listen to,
what we watch on TV
00:44:09.64\00:44:13.25
the things, the
friends we associate with
00:44:13.31\00:44:15.92
has an impact on
our walk with God,
00:44:15.95\00:44:18.55
on that transforming process.
00:44:18.59\00:44:20.59
If I keep my
mind in the garbage,
00:44:20.62\00:44:22.92
in the gutter,
that's what I become.
00:44:22.96\00:44:25.56
But if I, with open
face beholding as in a glass,
00:44:25.59\00:44:29.16
2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:44:29.20\00:44:30.53
the glory of the
Lord, what happens?
00:44:30.57\00:44:33.00
We're changed into His
image from glory to glory.
00:44:33.03\00:44:36.40
So seeing we are
purified yourselves
00:44:36.47\00:44:39.14
in obeying the
truth through the spirit
00:44:39.17\00:44:41.38
in sincere love of the brethren.
00:44:41.41\00:44:43.71
Now that word for
brethren is Philadelphia.
00:44:43.75\00:44:47.85
Now in the Bible we have
different words for love.
00:44:47.88\00:44:52.95
We have Phileo which would mean
brotherly affection or love.
00:44:53.02\00:44:59.36
We have Eros which would
be a romantic type of love.
00:44:59.39\00:45:03.87
Then we have agape
00:45:03.90\00:45:06.03
and this word
agape is in this verse.
00:45:06.10\00:45:08.07
So he says, you are in
the process of purification,
00:45:08.10\00:45:11.91
you are living with
your brothers and sisters.
00:45:11.94\00:45:15.68
They're called
to worship together,
00:45:15.71\00:45:17.65
to serve together,
to minister together
00:45:17.68\00:45:19.35
they're brothers and
sisters in the church.
00:45:19.38\00:45:22.62
Then it says, "Love,"
there's that word agape.
00:45:22.65\00:45:25.52
"Love one another
fervently with a pure heart."
00:45:25.55\00:45:29.72
Now agape love
usually costs something.
00:45:29.79\00:45:34.63
It costs the
person who has the love,
00:45:34.66\00:45:37.07
who's extending
it to someone else.
00:45:37.10\00:45:39.30
Agape love seeks the
highest good in someone else.
00:45:39.37\00:45:45.84
John 13, turn
with me to John 13:35.
00:45:45.87\00:45:51.41
John 13:35, 34,
00:45:51.45\00:45:56.22
"He says a new commandment
00:45:56.25\00:45:57.59
I give to you that
you love one another
00:45:57.62\00:45:59.02
as I have loved you."
00:45:59.05\00:46:00.46
And then 35, "By this all will
know that you are My disciples,
00:46:00.49\00:46:06.86
if you have love
for one another."
00:46:06.90\00:46:10.20
That love, that agape love
00:46:10.23\00:46:12.33
that seeks the
good of someone else
00:46:12.37\00:46:14.17
is kind of a
litmus test, as it were.
00:46:14.20\00:46:17.37
If I am in Jesus, if I'm
walking and following Him,
00:46:17.41\00:46:20.48
I will have and turn that love
for my brothers and sisters.
00:46:20.51\00:46:24.41
So what my mind always goes to
00:46:24.45\00:46:26.95
is how am I supposed to
love my brothers and sisters?
00:46:26.98\00:46:30.45
How's that possible?
00:46:30.49\00:46:31.99
It's easier sometimes.
00:46:32.02\00:46:35.39
It's easier to love someone
who's at a distance from you.
00:46:35.42\00:46:39.83
Would you agree?
00:46:39.86\00:46:41.16
Someone you kind of talk to
00:46:41.20\00:46:42.76
or just don't
have much interaction,
00:46:42.80\00:46:45.63
but when you're
close with someone,
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.67
a roommate in college, a spouse,
00:46:47.70\00:46:50.87
work in the same
office, what happens?
00:46:50.91\00:46:53.51
Your personality and the
other person's personality
00:46:53.58\00:46:56.04
could have some rub,
00:46:56.08\00:46:57.41
that's what
happens in the church.
00:46:57.45\00:46:59.35
And yet, God calls
us to love each other.
00:46:59.38\00:47:03.05
So how do I love my
brothers and sisters?
00:47:03.08\00:47:06.59
In my own experience,
00:47:06.62\00:47:08.09
there's been three
steps or three keys
00:47:08.12\00:47:11.19
to experiencing God's
love and to love someone else.
00:47:11.23\00:47:14.63
The first one is Ask.
00:47:14.66\00:47:16.40
Ask God for His love.
00:47:16.46\00:47:19.40
We can't conjure up agape love.
00:47:19.43\00:47:21.37
I can't make it
happen in myself,
00:47:21.40\00:47:24.71
I just go to God and say,
00:47:24.74\00:47:26.37
"I need help right now
loving Mollie" which I don't.
00:47:26.41\00:47:31.48
I'm not, this
person's bothering me
00:47:31.51\00:47:34.32
and I need help right now.
00:47:34.35\00:47:36.05
1 John 4:19, "We love
because He first loved us."
00:47:36.08\00:47:40.76
We're not the
originator of love,
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.22
God is the author of love.
00:47:42.26\00:47:44.06
He began it and He wants
to extend His love to us.
00:47:44.09\00:47:47.76
So we just ask God for His love.
00:47:47.83\00:47:49.53
Number two,
accept His love by faith.
00:47:49.56\00:47:54.07
You talked earlier, Pastor CA,
00:47:54.10\00:47:55.67
that the
Christian walk is not...
00:47:55.70\00:47:58.11
And I don't remember
if it was this lesson
00:47:58.14\00:47:59.54
or a previous lesson,
00:47:59.57\00:48:00.98
the Christian walk
is not based on feeling.
00:48:01.01\00:48:04.28
It's based on faith.
00:48:04.31\00:48:05.78
Accept His love by faith.
00:48:05.81\00:48:08.85
We don't love
other people by feeling,
00:48:08.88\00:48:11.59
although
sometimes feelings are there
00:48:11.62\00:48:13.19
and it's nice when
the feelings are there.
00:48:13.25\00:48:15.02
But we love other people
based on God has commanded us
00:48:15.06\00:48:18.59
to love our brothers and sisters
00:48:18.63\00:48:20.50
and all of His
commands are inherent
00:48:20.53\00:48:22.83
with in it a promise.
00:48:22.86\00:48:24.60
So He gives us
the promise as well.
00:48:24.63\00:48:27.24
1 Corinthians 13,
00:48:27.27\00:48:28.77
the chapter is not
based on the feelings of love,
00:48:28.80\00:48:32.01
it's based on
principles of love.
00:48:32.04\00:48:34.81
Love is kind, that's a
thing, that's a principle.
00:48:34.84\00:48:37.98
Love is patient,
that's an action.
00:48:38.01\00:48:41.32
Love does not
boast or exalt itself.
00:48:41.35\00:48:44.39
So the feelings are nice
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.25
and God does bring the feelings.
00:48:46.32\00:48:48.02
But first of all, we
ask Him for His love,
00:48:48.06\00:48:50.29
we accept His love by faith
00:48:50.33\00:48:51.89
and then we actively
reach out in loving ways.
00:48:51.93\00:48:56.16
I remember, this was years ago,
00:48:56.20\00:48:58.70
I was walking into a room
and a woman had her back to me.
00:48:58.73\00:49:02.34
And when I walked into the room,
00:49:02.37\00:49:03.71
I was gonna go over
and say, how are you,
00:49:03.74\00:49:05.51
like just say hey to her
and all of a sudden I realized
00:49:05.54\00:49:07.74
she is talking about me
to a whole group of people.
00:49:07.78\00:49:12.18
Just belittling, cutting,
00:49:12.21\00:49:14.98
and I thought they weren't true,
00:49:15.02\00:49:16.35
and they probably
were true but anyways,
00:49:16.38\00:49:17.79
you know how your self rises up.
00:49:17.82\00:49:20.96
And I remember, I turned around
00:49:20.99\00:49:23.02
and I ran out to the car
00:49:23.09\00:49:24.43
and I just sat
there and I cried.
00:49:24.46\00:49:27.23
And I said, God why is
she saying these things?
00:49:27.30\00:49:31.17
And then I thought, I'll
do the thing all Christians do
00:49:31.20\00:49:34.44
and I won't gossip
about her to someone else.
00:49:34.47\00:49:37.24
I'm going to
just take it to Jesus
00:49:37.27\00:49:39.27
and Jesus can help
me love this woman.
00:49:39.31\00:49:41.94
Well, you know what happened?
00:49:41.98\00:49:43.31
The bitterness in my heart
for this woman was still there
00:49:43.38\00:49:47.35
but I didn't know it.
00:49:47.38\00:49:48.72
I thought I'm
being a good Christian,
00:49:48.75\00:49:50.65
and I'm walking in what
I'm supposed to walk in.
00:49:50.69\00:49:53.19
Months went by
00:49:53.22\00:49:55.22
and I was working on
memorizing certain scriptures,
00:49:55.26\00:49:57.69
Hebrews 12, "Follow
peace with all men and holiness
00:49:57.73\00:50:00.66
without which no
one shall see God."
00:50:00.70\00:50:02.60
And then it says,
"Looking diligently
00:50:02.63\00:50:05.50
lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you.
00:50:05.53\00:50:08.50
And thereby many
people be defiled."
00:50:08.54\00:50:11.44
And as soon as I
read that God said,
00:50:11.47\00:50:13.68
"Jill, if you hold on to this,
it's going to affect your life,
00:50:13.71\00:50:17.18
your walk with Me, your
salvation, your marriage,
00:50:17.25\00:50:21.98
your ministry, give it to Me."
00:50:22.02\00:50:25.02
And so I said, "God, I can't
00:50:25.05\00:50:26.39
but I will ask You for
Your love for this woman."
00:50:26.45\00:50:30.26
Then I'm choosing to
accept Your love by faith
00:50:30.33\00:50:32.59
but I don't feel it,
00:50:32.63\00:50:33.96
but the Christian walk
is not based on how we feel.
00:50:34.00\00:50:37.03
And then the way
I chose number three
00:50:37.07\00:50:39.03
is actively reach
out in loving ways.
00:50:39.07\00:50:40.84
So the way I chose to reach
out in love was to pray for her.
00:50:40.87\00:50:44.21
God, I ask that You
would bless her, in her home,
00:50:44.24\00:50:46.54
in her
marriage, in her ministry.
00:50:46.57\00:50:48.58
Bring souls into the kingdom
00:50:48.61\00:50:49.94
as a result of what she's doing.
00:50:50.01\00:50:51.95
And I felt fake
00:50:51.98\00:50:53.52
because I didn't
want those things.
00:50:53.58\00:50:55.52
But then, day
one, nothing happened.
00:50:55.55\00:50:58.25
Day two, three, four, few
days later guess what happened?
00:50:58.29\00:51:01.19
I was praying the
same prayer, by faith,
00:51:01.22\00:51:04.29
because that's what
God wanted me to do,
00:51:04.33\00:51:06.23
and all of a sudden I
felt the weight off my back.
00:51:06.26\00:51:10.43
And I loved her.
00:51:10.47\00:51:12.17
Only God can give us
agape love for someone else.
00:51:12.20\00:51:17.27
Amen.
00:51:17.31\00:51:18.64
So Peter says, "You've purified
your souls in obeying the truth
00:51:18.67\00:51:22.51
through the Spirit in
sincere love for the brethren,
00:51:22.54\00:51:25.98
love one another
fervently with a pure heart."
00:51:26.01\00:51:32.15
You know, that's so beautiful.
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.56
I've enjoyed so much what
each one of you had to say
00:51:33.62\00:51:36.52
but can you imagine, just think,
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.03
all this came from the
first chapter of 1 Peter.
00:51:39.06\00:51:44.97
When you think
about how many truths
00:51:45.00\00:51:47.50
he introduced like the
character of a triune God
00:51:47.54\00:51:50.64
and speaking of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit,
00:51:50.67\00:51:54.41
the provision of
Jesus as our Savior
00:51:54.44\00:51:58.55
that we are elected in Christ
00:51:58.58\00:52:00.32
for obedience
and sanctification,
00:52:00.35\00:52:02.88
that we can rejoice in the death
00:52:02.92\00:52:05.52
and resurrection through
His death and resurrection,
00:52:05.55\00:52:08.96
through which we
have this promise
00:52:08.99\00:52:11.83
of an incorruptible
inheritance in heaven.
00:52:11.86\00:52:15.26
He talked about responding
in a godly way to suffering,
00:52:15.30\00:52:19.13
how the Holy Spirit
worked through the prophets
00:52:19.17\00:52:21.60
to outline the days
00:52:21.64\00:52:23.04
in which Peter and his
readers lived and same for us.
00:52:23.07\00:52:26.91
And how Christians should live
00:52:26.94\00:52:28.51
holy lives
filled with obedience,
00:52:28.54\00:52:31.15
but not only
obedience to the truth
00:52:31.18\00:52:34.08
but in communities
that are characterized
00:52:34.12\00:52:37.52
by this agape love.
00:52:37.55\00:52:39.02
All of that is in
this first chapter.
00:52:39.05\00:52:42.82
It's so amazing.
00:52:42.86\00:52:44.39
We have just a
couple of minutes,
00:52:44.43\00:52:46.73
why don't each one of
you just share something
00:52:46.76\00:52:49.26
that God spoke
to you about today.
00:52:49.30\00:52:53.03
You know, Peter was
part of a nascent church,
00:52:53.07\00:52:57.64
a church that
was building itself
00:52:57.67\00:52:59.14
from the ground up
00:52:59.17\00:53:00.58
under the power
of the Holy Spirit.
00:53:00.64\00:53:02.01
And any institution
that is going to survive,
00:53:02.04\00:53:05.31
particularly in a
hostile environment,
00:53:05.35\00:53:07.68
that the church was coming
00:53:07.72\00:53:09.05
into had to have
these principles in place.
00:53:09.08\00:53:11.25
We've got to love one another,
00:53:11.29\00:53:12.62
we just can't say I love
God, I love God, I love God.
00:53:12.65\00:53:14.96
What about the
person next to you?
00:53:14.99\00:53:16.39
What about the
person on the side of you?
00:53:16.42\00:53:17.86
What about those who don't have?
00:53:17.89\00:53:19.93
We're gonna have to get that
God's love spread throughout
00:53:19.96\00:53:23.90
our community if
we're going to stand,
00:53:23.97\00:53:26.63
and I see those
elements in Peter's writings.
00:53:26.67\00:53:32.11
If we're gonna make it,
00:53:32.14\00:53:33.48
if we're gonna do
what Christ wants us to do,
00:53:33.51\00:53:34.84
we have to do it together
00:53:34.88\00:53:36.21
and God's love is
gonna have to be shared.
00:53:36.24\00:53:37.58
Amen.
00:53:37.61\00:53:39.35
I see this as spiritual maturity
00:53:39.38\00:53:41.95
in order to be
able to love the way
00:53:41.98\00:53:43.99
God has called us to love.
00:53:44.02\00:53:45.72
And when you were speaking,
00:53:45.75\00:53:47.09
I was just thinking
about Philippians 2:13,
00:53:47.16\00:53:50.56
'cause 12 tells us to
work out our salvation
00:53:50.63\00:53:53.23
with fear and
trembling, but I love verse 13,
00:53:53.29\00:53:55.33
"For it is God who works in you
00:53:55.36\00:53:57.33
both to will and to do
for His good pleasure."
00:53:57.37\00:54:00.60
'Cause none of us knows
where we're trying to go
00:54:00.67\00:54:04.24
when it comes to being holy.
00:54:04.27\00:54:05.61
We have the Word, we
have the influence of others,
00:54:05.64\00:54:08.54
God is working through our lives
00:54:08.58\00:54:09.94
but we
desperately need Him to guide
00:54:09.98\00:54:13.31
and be the change agent.
00:54:13.35\00:54:16.79
And we have to remember too
00:54:16.82\00:54:18.89
that when Peter writes
that in the next epistle,
00:54:18.92\00:54:22.59
he says that God
has given us everything
00:54:22.62\00:54:25.19
that we need for a godly life.
00:54:25.23\00:54:27.86
You know, He's
given us His exceedingly
00:54:27.93\00:54:29.93
great and precious
promises so that through them
00:54:29.96\00:54:32.27
we can become
partakers of His divine nature.
00:54:32.30\00:54:35.37
So holiness just simply means,
or sanctification are synonyms,
00:54:35.40\00:54:39.54
they mean to be
separated from sin.
00:54:39.57\00:54:41.81
And I think
that this divine love
00:54:41.84\00:54:43.61
that you're
talking about though,
00:54:43.65\00:54:45.21
it's when God pours
love into our hearts.
00:54:45.25\00:54:47.72
Divine love is what
separates you from sin
00:54:47.75\00:54:50.75
when you think about it.
00:54:50.79\00:54:52.12
So that's good.
00:54:52.15\00:54:53.49
And, Mollie, you're
about to burst down there.
00:54:53.52\00:54:55.02
Well, just received so
much from each one of you
00:54:55.06\00:54:59.56
and I love
these scriptures that,
00:54:59.59\00:55:02.30
Jill, that you shared,
00:55:02.33\00:55:03.67
and that was
beautiful what you shared about
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.43
how only God can really put
that agape love in our hearts.
00:55:05.47\00:55:11.71
How important the Word is.
00:55:11.74\00:55:14.38
We've been born again
not of corruptible seed
00:55:14.41\00:55:19.55
but of
incorruptible, which is what?
00:55:19.58\00:55:21.45
The Word became
flesh and dwelt among us.
00:55:21.48\00:55:25.19
That is by the
Word of the Living God,
00:55:25.22\00:55:28.59
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:55:28.62\00:55:29.96
Look how it says,
all flesh is as grass
00:55:29.99\00:55:32.29
and all the glory of
man as the flower of grass.
00:55:32.33\00:55:35.23
The grass withers
and its flower falls away
00:55:35.26\00:55:39.60
but the Word of
the Lord does what?
00:55:39.63\00:55:41.94
It endures forever
and as we take this Word
00:55:41.97\00:55:45.24
and we, going back
to girding up our minds,
00:55:45.27\00:55:49.04
we take this Word,
00:55:49.08\00:55:50.41
that is something that will
be in us forever, that Word.
00:55:50.48\00:55:55.48
What is the only thing we can
take into the presence of God
00:55:55.52\00:55:58.25
is our character.
00:55:58.29\00:55:59.62
What has our
character got to be based on?
00:55:59.65\00:56:01.96
It's got to be
based on this Word
00:56:01.99\00:56:03.73
that is going to endure forever.
00:56:03.76\00:56:05.66
In the scripture that says,
00:56:05.69\00:56:07.23
"Forever O God Thy Word is
established in the heavens."
00:56:07.30\00:56:11.70
The word established
is set there as a guard,
00:56:11.73\00:56:14.84
as a garrison that Word will
always be there to protect us.
00:56:14.87\00:56:19.14
Amen.
00:56:19.17\00:56:20.51
Jill? Amen.
00:56:20.54\00:56:21.88
The Word of God changes us,
00:56:21.91\00:56:23.24
it transforms
us and I love that.
00:56:23.28\00:56:25.85
I want to go back
to loving other people.
00:56:25.88\00:56:28.65
Actively reaching out in love
00:56:28.68\00:56:30.12
and I just want to
appeal that you at home,
00:56:30.15\00:56:32.79
make a list of maybe
people that you don't love.
00:56:32.82\00:56:35.66
And then take each one,
00:56:35.69\00:56:37.49
person by person to God
00:56:37.56\00:56:39.39
and maybe at the head of
that list might be yourself.
00:56:39.43\00:56:42.86
You know sometimes we may
not struggle with other people
00:56:42.90\00:56:46.43
but we say how
could God love me,
00:56:46.47\00:56:48.04
how could God forgive me?
00:56:48.07\00:56:49.90
He died for you.
00:56:49.94\00:56:51.31
He wants to come into your life
00:56:51.34\00:56:53.78
and to create in you a
new the image of Jesus.
00:56:53.81\00:56:57.91
Yes, well, thank you all so much
00:56:57.95\00:57:00.38
'cause this has been so rich,
00:57:00.42\00:57:01.75
I enjoyed listening to that.
00:57:01.78\00:57:03.12
For those of you at home,
00:57:03.15\00:57:04.75
we hope that you'll be
joining us for our next study
00:57:04.79\00:57:07.19
which is "A Royal Priesthood"
00:57:07.22\00:57:09.49
and this is from the
quarterly "Feed My Sheep"
00:57:09.52\00:57:12.19
and you can go online to absg,
00:57:12.23\00:57:16.40
which stands for
Adult Bible Study Guide.
00:57:16.43\00:57:19.90
absg.Adventist.org
00:57:19.93\00:57:24.67
and download those lessons
00:57:24.71\00:57:26.34
and join us next time.
00:57:26.37\00:57:27.78
We're so thankful
for this opportunity
00:57:27.81\00:57:30.95
to study together, to share
00:57:30.98\00:57:34.02
and I always am so blessed
00:57:34.05\00:57:35.48
by the many
different perspectives.
00:57:35.52\00:57:37.69
I always get
more out of the lesson
00:57:37.72\00:57:39.45
when we all get together
00:57:39.49\00:57:40.86
than when we're
just doing it on our own.
00:57:40.89\00:57:42.82
Well, for those of you
at home, our prayer for you
00:57:42.86\00:57:46.06
is that the grace of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:57:46.09\00:57:49.56
the love of the Father,
00:57:49.60\00:57:51.23
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:57:51.27\00:57:53.50
will be with you always,
00:57:53.54\00:57:55.70
and join us next time
00:57:55.74\00:57:57.51
as we delve deep
into the writings of Peter
00:57:57.57\00:58:01.64
and learn how God
can transform our lives.
00:58:01.68\00:58:05.25