Be Ready Part 3
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We’ve been working our way down through these verses and looking at the subject of “Be Ready” - There are some things we are to do or be doing in order to be ready for the coming of Christ.
What drives us to these actions? We found those things in the first part of the chapter…Let’s recap for a minute so we don’t forget, then we will get into tonight’s message.
The “hope” of verse 3.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The “inheritance” of verse 4.
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
The “keeping” of verse 5.
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The “rejoicing” of verse 6.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
The “privilege” of verse 12.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
These blessings ought to prompt and inspire us to something…What is that something?
Well, that’s what we’ve been looking at for several weeks, and going down through these verses, we’ve seen so far that we are to:
Be Girded in verse 13…That has everything to do with a spiritual mind and a sober manner.
Be Growing and Be Guarded in verse 14...
and
Be Godly in verse 15 and 16...
That brings us to what we will look at tonight...
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Verse 17 gives us another reason to be ready…not only should we be doing these things because Christ is coming back, but when He returns, He will judge according to every man’s work.
Peter tells us in verse 17 that the Lord has no favorites at all. He is not a respecter of persons.
Men have a choice to be saved. They can accept the Lord or reject Him. Their rejection is what condemns them to Hell. God does not show partiality. He is not a respecter of persons. He will show no partiality with believers.
Because of this, we should pass the time of our sojourning here in fear…Now, that word fear means a sense of awe from having been struck with who God is and an alertness that results from that…It’s a reverence we have for God because of Who He is.
The word pass means to conduct oneself; to turn upside down…Now that’s interesting isn’t it? It’s saying, that We are to turn the world upside down for Christ while we travel through this world…by the way, that is Scriptural...
The early Christians did this by their witness for Christ:
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
I just love that, don’t you?
Chuck Swindoll pointed out, “We’re living in a world that doesn’t like to talk much about the fear of God. People don’t mind talking about the love, grace, mercy, and blessings of God; but to refer to God as the Judge who evaluates our work—this kind of thinking bothers a lot of people today, even Christians. But Peter doesn’t hesitate to refer to the great holiness and justice of God, who demands reverence before Him. We would be wise to conform our attitude to Peter’s words rather than to the world’s preferences.”
In verses 18-21, we find the fifth thing we are to be when it comes to being ready for the return of Christ...
5-Be Grateful
5-Be Grateful
No one has more reasons to be thankful than those who have been saved from sin and are on their way to Heaven for eternity.
Nobody will be thankful in Hell that they lived in a three million dollar home or traveled the world.
The rich man in Luke 16 begged for a drop of water in his torment. He pleaded for the man who ate crumbs from his table to come to his aid.
Material possessions are not the most important things in life!
If you are saved—you are a child of the King! Be grateful for your standing in Christ.
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
There’s a couple things found in these verses that we should be grateful for...
A. Our redemption is not through human behavior.
A. Our redemption is not through human behavior.
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
How futile to believe that we can somehow work our way into Heaven. To think that we can get to God by doing something noteworthy in our sinful flesh is preposterous.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The law tells us that we sin, the law condemns us and only condemns…It could never save because it was not created to save…What the law does is educates us on how we are not good enough to get to Heaven by our human behavior, and it points us to Jesus Christ, Who is the only way to get to Heaven!
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Grace is not given to us by anything other than the kindness of the Giver! If it was given to us because of our performance or potential, then it would not be grace!
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Let me ask a question here...
If we could go to Heaven by being good or joining a church, why did Christ die on the cross?
Paul states it plainly in Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Law says DO! Grace says DONE! “It is finished!” was Christ’s victory cry. “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8).
Are you frustrating God’s grace today?
Are you deciding that you have a better way to get to Heaven than God’s way?
Every human effort comes short of the glory of God.
So, we should be grateful that 1-our redemption is not through human behavior, but then also, we should be grateful because:
B. Our redemption is through His blood.
B. Our redemption is through His blood.
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Our redemption, thank God, had nothing to do with what we can do, but it’s through the blood of Jesus Christ!
When Jesus died on the cross, He provided the means whereby lost, hell bound sinners trapped in the futility of their wasted lives and who are headed to a Godless, Christless eternity might be forever set free from their bondage and delivered from their torment! That is what redemption is all about!
I bless His name that He came to set the sinner free! He came to pay the price that we could not pay. He came to break from our lives the chains of sin that bind us and to set us free. He came to do for us that which we could never do for ourselves: He came to save us from our sins and set us free to serve the living God.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Trusting anything else to get you to Heaven will leave you condemned forever. What a joy it is to know that Jesus paid it all! Through His shed blood we can have forgiveness of sins. That alone should make us grateful!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Robert Lowry penned the lyrics:
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this I see—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, ’tis all of grace—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my hope and peace—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Thank God for the blood of Jesus our Lord. The blood of Jesus is the price that was paid to redeem us from sin and eternity separated from God in hell.
We can never pay God back for the price He paid for us, but we can live a life motivated by the love of God and thankful for the gift of God. He paid a debt that He did not owe because I owed a debt that I could not pay.