Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Peter 1:23-2:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2000

Which Kind Of Christian Are You?

/ /

A lot of Christians are like wheelbarrows—not good unless pushed.

Some are like canoes—they need to be paddled.

Some are like kites—if you don’t keep a string on them, they fly away.

Some are like kittens—they are more contented when petted.

Some are like a football—you can’t tell what way they will bounce next.

Some are like balloons—full of wind and ready to blow up.

Some are like trailers—they have to be pulled.

Some are like lights—they keep going on and off.

And there are those who always seek to let the Holy Spirit lead them.

Introduction

 

Last week Peter shared the greatest motive for holiness of all, the love of God.

God saved us through the precious blood of His Son.

He planned this before the world began.

He made us partakers of the divine nature through the new birth.

Since God has been so gracious to us we ought to live lives that glorify Him.

This means being holy in all our conduct.

Today Peter emphasizes the importance of growth in the Christian life.

Last week we saw that our salvation started with a new birth.

Today I want to look at the Christian life from birth to adulthood.

*/We will look at: 1. Birth, 2. Growth, 3 Vocation/*.

/Firstly/      Birth

/ /

*1 Pet 1:23-25* /having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you./

/ /

The Birth Of Jonathan

/ /

On the April 12 2000 Jonathan Mark was born into our family.

Sandy and myself are delighted with our little boy.

All babies enter the world through birth.

But that's not really where they start.

As you know it requires two parents to conceive a child.

The child that is born receives the nature of his parents.

Even though physical life is a miracle, our first birth is still a birth of flesh, and the flesh is corruptible.

Everyone that is born into this world inherits Adam's sinful nature.

This birth inevitably leads us to death.

For man to receive eternal life requires a new birth.

Just as two parents are required to have a baby, spiritual children need two parents too.

The Word of God and Spirit of God are our parents.

*John 3:3-6* /Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?

Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit./

*1 Peter 1:23* says that the Word of God is one of our parents, whilst *John 3:5-6* informs us that the Holy Spirit is the other.

These two parents work together to conceive a child of God.

This new birth gives us new life, a new nature and a new and living hope.

I spoke about this last week so I won't dwell on it today.

But needless to say the only way to become a part of God's family is to be born into it.

This was the truth that Nicodemus had to learn.

Application

 

/How have you responded to the Gospel of Christ?

Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and that God raised Him from the dead?

Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Have you been born again by the Word of God and the Spirit of God?/

 

/Secondly/  Growth

/ /

*1 Peter 2:1-3* /Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious./

/ /

Babies Need To Grow

/ /

Very soon after Jonathan's birth he started to feed.

Like all new babies, he needed regular meals.

It is natural for babies to desire their mother's milk.

They need it to grow.

If you forget their feed time they soon remind you.

Unfortunately some mothers spoil their children by giving them sweets and juices too early.

Then they don't like the plain food that is best for them.

A mother's milk is full of vitamins and minerals.

It is also rich in antibiotics that help fight off infection.

God has provided a mother's milk to help babies grow healthy and strong.

After four months we added solids to Jonathan's milk diet.

Because he is growing he can now digest other foods as well.

In fact Jonathan is developing his muscles through exercise.

Start With Milk

 

The same is true in the Christian life.

Believers must start off on the pure milk of the Word.

Sometimes children have no appetite for milk because they have been eating the wrong things.

Peter warns us that nature determines our appetite.

If we allow the old nature to set the menu we will eat the wrong food.

The old nature hankers after malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking.

Peter warned his readers to/ lay aside/ these wrong attitudes of the heart that would hinder their appetite and spiritual growth.

If we allow these attitudes and actions in our lives, we will lose our appetite for the pure word of God.

If we stop feeding on the Word, we stop growing, and we stop enjoying the grace that we find in the Lord.

However, the new nature gives us a desire for the pure milk of the Word.

Babes in Christ must regularly feed on this.

The word */tasted/* *geuomai* in verse 3 means */to eat, to experience, to enjoy, to partake of/*/./

*Psalm 34:8 says: */Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!/ When Christians are growing in the Word, they are peacemakers, not troublemakers.

As young believers feed on the pure Word of God they see how gracious God is.

I can't prove this to you, you have to try it yourself./

/Each one of us must be careful what appetites we develop.

Our diet ultimately determines our lifestyle.

It determines whether we are spiritual or carnal.

Growth Requires Solid Food And Exercise

 

/But what happens when infants stay on milk?/

They don't grow up.

Paul talks about this in *1 Corinthians 3:1-2:/ /*/And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.

/To develop from infancy into childhood and then adolescence requires solid food and exercise.

Christians exercise by practicing what they have learned.

The study of God's Word coupled with exercise brings growth.

This enables believers to eat the meat of the word also.