Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 Peter 1. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Suppose that a person – a very naïve person – decided that he needed transportation. He observed that a lot of people had cars, and that this gave them convenient and reliable transportation, so he decided to purchase a car for himself.
- He looked online at dealerships, and decided that the cars shown on websites were far too expensive for him. So he looked at Craigslist and other online shopping sites. He found a car he could afford and made arrangements to have it shipped to him, but when it arrived it had no engine!
- So he went back to shopping and found another car – and this time he made sure it had an engine, one that was working. He again had the vehicle shipped to him. When it arrived, he took it out for a test drive. It worked great – for about 60 miles. Then it quit. He couldn’t figure out what to do, so he left it abandoned on the shoulder, and hitch-hiked back home.
- He was lamenting his sorry circumstances with a neighbor, and the neighbor asked him if he had run out of gas. Our naïve car buyer was puzzled – and asked what gas is, and why he should have to buy it to make his car run.
- This, of course, is a fairly ridiculous illustration. No one is that naïve and stupid! But when it comes to our spiritual life, this is exactly what Peter was thinking about when he referred to “the futile ways” that many people live in. Many have no “engine” for real life, and even Christians can “run out of gas” and forget how to refuel.
- Peter urges us to be wary in how we live our lives in what he calls “the time of our exile,” which is our time of living in this world. He urges us to conduct ourselves with “fear.” He does not mean that we should be afraid – many times Jesus told His people to “fear not.” But He means that we should take great care to “LIVE WITH FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD.” He first reminds us that:
I. Our Redemption Is Sure And Certain – We Have Been Ransomed From Death And Hell With The Precious Blood Of Christ
Text: “knowing that you were ransomed . . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
Statement: This is like God giving us a new car and a full tank of gas – for our spiritual life! He was willing to pay the price for our spiritual life and vitality – with the life of His precious Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The purchase has already occurred – we “were ransomed,” when Jesus suffered and died for our sins under the wrath of God. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our trespasses against us.” [2 Cor. 5:19]
Application: We do not have to piddle around with “used cars” and used car salesmen, when it comes to our relationship with God! Our Heavenly Father has taken care of us, providing us with all that we need for eternal life and eternal salvation! But Peter is quick to remind us that:
II. Our Ransoming Has A Purpose
A. We Are Now Saved From Formerly Evil And Futile Ways
Text: “knowing that you were ransomed FROM the futile ways inherited from your forefathers.”
B. We Are Blessed Now To Conduct Ourselves With Reverence To God, Knowing Him
Text: “If you call on Him as Father Who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear [reverence] throughout the time of your exile.”
Statement: We are no longer “naïve” and foolish – as though we have to live like everyone else in the world, following our sinful impulses, judging thoughts and behaviors by human and earthbound logic, going with the flow and conforming to the thoughts, values, and behavior of the people of the world around us. We have been ransomed “from” this! We are no longer in sin and ignorance.
Application: There is an implication of knowing we have been ransomed – that we now conduct ourselves with reverence toward God. We confess our sin and live by faith in Jesus, rejoicing that His blood cleanses us from all sin. Further, we now consider ourselves “dead to sin” but alive to God! Peter spells this out in our text:
III. We Are Now Purified By Faith – By Obedience To The Truth – And This Compels Us To A Life Of True And Earnest Love For One Another
Text: “Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, so love one another earnestly from a pure heart.”
Statement: This is where God’s love drives us – the direction we are to travel. Knowing His gracious love – His purification of our souls and our hearts, through repentance and faith, we are prepared and empowered to forgive one another and to “love earnestly.” Likewise, we are keenly aware that this is at the heart of “each one’s deeds” – which our Father judges impartially – our forgiveness of and love for others, especially our brothers and sisters in the faith!
Application: This especially is the “fear and reverence” for God that flows out from us when we are “LIVING WITH FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD.” “We love, because He first loved us.” And Jesus instructs us to love one another just as He has loved us! The heart and center of this love is forgiveness, patience, steadfast devotion, kindness, and self-sacrifice toward others, seeking the good of others as our first and highest priority.
Transition: But we need fuel for this engine of God’s love. We need to remember that:
IV. Our Faith And Hope In God Comes To Us Through His Word – Which Is Good News That Is Living And Abiding Forever
Text: “You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God; for “all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.” And this Word is the good news that was preached to you.”
Statement: It is an aspect of our nature that we tire and run out of gas – especially when it comes to repentance, faith and hope in God, and living in love for others. But the same One Who raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory also empowers our faith and hope in God! He does so through His Word – a powerful, living, and eternal Word! We must not be naïve and foolish about this – thinking that we can prevail in “FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD” on our own.
Application: This is something we should fear – overconfidence in ourselves and a lack of reliance on God! We must remember that we are flesh, and “all flesh is like grass, which withers! But so long as we are being fed and fueled by the Word of God, the good news of His ransoming us from sin and purifying us, we will be empowered to “LIVE IN FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD,” and this will power us in a life of love for others.
Conclusion: While virtually no one would be so naïve as to purchase a car without an engine, or to think that an engine will run without fuel, many people are spiritually naïve: they think that they can live well without God’s gracious love, mercy, forgiveness and ransoming in the blood of Christ. And many Christians naively think that we do not need refueling from God’s Word – and run out of gas for “LIVING WITH FAITH AND HOPE IN GOD.”
We are warned about this, so that we can “conduct ourselves with fear throughout the time of our exile,” our journey through this earthly life! God has given us all that we need to complete this journey – having purified our souls so that we love earnestly from a pure heart. May He grant these blessings to us abundantly until our travels in this world come to an end and we reach our heavenly home! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.