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Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:13-17
Theme: We must submit to government.
Be subject ... to every human institution...
One: ...with an understanding of God's will.
- Be known as those who do good.
- Obey for the Lord's sake.
Two: ...with an understanding of true freedom.
- Not free to do evil.
- Not free from authority.
- But free to serve God.
Three: ...with an understanding of Christian living.
- Honor everyone.
- Love other believers.
- Fear God.
- Honor elected officials.
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution... ~ 1 Peter 2:13
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:11-12
Theme: Your righteous living is a witness to the watching world.
The Witness of Your Works...
One: ...flows from your identity with Christ.
- Anchored in love
- Call to be different
Two: ...calls for a war with sin.
- Sin's plan to ruin
- God's plan to stand
Three: ...points to the beauty of goodness.
Four: ...argues against the accusations of evil.
Five: ...longs for the visit of God.
- In judgment
- In mercy
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Theme: You must build your life and identity on Jesus Christ.
5 Benefits of My Union with Christ
One: Belonging to God's people.
Two: Worship through God's Son.
- Access to God
- Acceptance by God
Three: Confidence in God's faithfulness.
- Certainty of the stone
- Certainty of my standing
Four: Purpose from God's choosing.
- A life of purpose
- A message of hope
Five: Wonder at God's mercy.
...as you come to him...you are being built up... ~ 1 Peter 2:4
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 1:22 - 2:3
Theme: You must (and you can) love each other.
How is it possible to love each other?
One: Exercise your faith.
- Your faith was designed for loving others.
Two: Demonstrate God's love.
- Because you have received gospel love, you must show gospel love.
Three: Reject all selfishness.
- Refuse to love self and thus disobey the 2nd great commandment.
Four: Nourish your soul.
- Desire both the Word of God and the God of the Word.
...love one another earnestly from a pure heart... ~ 1 Peter 1:22
Series: Passing Through: A study in 1 Peter
Text: 1 Peter 1:13-21
Theme: Holiness is the logical conclusion of a living hope.
4 Arguments for Holiness
One: Since you believe Christ will return, get busy with kingdom work.
Two: Since you are children of God, show the family resemblance.
Three: Since God evaluates your choices, honor him with the time He gives you.
Four: Since you were ransomed at great cost, trust God with all of life’s issues.
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 1:10-12
Theme: We must rekindle the wonder of our salvation.
One: Our salvation is a story throughout the Bible.
Two: Our salvation is a study by the prophets.
Three: Our salvation is a drama of suffering and glory.
Four: Our salvation is a revelation from the Holy Spirit.
Five: Our salvation is a mystery to the angels.
...the prophets... prophesied about the grace that was to be yours,...
~ 1 Peter 1:3
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Theme: Hope that works for today looks back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ.
One: Hope that works for today...
- A hope that recognizes grief
- A hope that causes joy
- A hope that treasures Christ
Two: Hope that works for today looks back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- We have life by God's mercy
- We have an inheritance by God's promise
- We have protection by God's power
Three: Hope that works for today looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ.
- We have a faith that is growing
- We have a faith that will be rewarded
...he has caused us to be born again to a living hope... ~ 1 Peter 1:3
Series: Passing Through: A Study in 1 Peter
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2
Theme: Why election matters to an exile.
One: To an exile, election means...I am loved by my Heavenly Father. "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father"
Two: To an exile, election means...I am set apart for God's purpose. "in the sanctification of the Spirit"
Three: To an exile, election means...I am righteous by faith in Jesus Christ. "for obedience to Jesus Christ"
Four: To an exile, election means...I am secure in God's promise of salvation. "for sprinkling with his blood"
Theme of 1 Peter
We must live as followers of Jesus Christ in the face of hostility...steadied by grace.
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 1:1
Author: Peter
- Someone who had learned his need for grace and the sufficiency of grace.
- 30 years after Jesus returned to heaven.
Recipients: Exiles
- A different Lord; a different citizenship; a different way of life.
- They were foreigners who didn't fit.
Series Title: Passing Through
Series Theme: We must live as followers of Jesus Christ in the face of hostility ... steadied by grace.
"to the elect exiles...grace and peace" ~ 1 Peter 1:1-2
Series: What We Teach: The GBC Doctrinal Statement
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ...
One: The Church: my belonging to Christ
- As the bride of Christ
- In the body of Christ
- With spiritual leadership
- With spiritual gifts
Two: Baptism: my identity with Christ
- "I've been washed by Jesus."
- "I am alive in Jesus."
- "I am following Jesus."
Three: The Lord's Table: my remembrance of Christ
- As our sufficient substitute
- As our bond of unity
- As our standard of holiness
Jesus answered, "...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". ~ Matthew 16:18
Series: What We Teach: The GBC Doctrinal Statement
Text: Jeremiah 32:36-41
One: Justification is a legal declaration of righteousness.
- Not by my works.
- By faith in Christ's work.
- God declares me "not guilty".
Two: Sanctification is a continuing progress in righteousness.
- I choose obedience.
- In the power of the Spirit and the Word.
- God makes me more like Christ.
Three: Perseverance is an enduring strength for righteousness.
- Rooted in God's promise.
- Sealed by God's Spirit.
- God keeps me from falling away.
...To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. ~Jude 1-2
Series: New Year
Text: Luke 1:78-79
Theme: The sunrise of Christ is light for our darkness and peace for our chaos.
One: A Prophesied Sunrise
- Malachi 4:2 the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings
Two: An Incarnation Sunrise
- Luke 1:78 the sunrise shall visit us from on high
Three: A Resurrection Sunrise
- Mark 16:1-6 on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen,
Four: A Conversion Sunrise
- 1 Corinthians 4:4-6 God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts
Five: A Sustaining Sunrise
- Psalm 112:4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright
...the sunrise...to give light to those who sit in darkness...and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
~ Luke 1:78-79
Theme: As a child of God, you must pursue godliness because of the hope of Christmas
Text: 1 John 3:1-2
One: As a child of God...
- In repentance and faith, we are adopted into God's family
Two: ...You must pursue godliness...
- Purify yourself, even as Christ is pure
Three: ...Because of the hope of Christmas
- Christ has made victory possible
- Christ came to destroy the works of the devil
Series: Christmas
Text: Luke 1
Theme: Are you trusting your gracious God?
Zechariah's Question – How will I know this?
- Rooted in doubt
- Highlights impossibility
Mary's Question – How will this be?
- Rooted in faith
- Highlights moral concern
Conclusions
- The Christian life will produce questions.
- Anchor your questions to faith.
- Begin answering your questions with the nature of God. (Remember the angel's parting words – "Nothing is impossible with God")
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
~ Luke 1:46-48
Series: What We Teach — GBC Doctrinal Statement
Text: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Gift of Regeneration
- Regeneration is when God gives spiritual life to a spiritually dead sinner.
- John 1:13
- James 1:18
- 1 Peter 1:3
- Seen in prophecy – Ezekiel 36; Jeremiah 31
- Seen in illustration – John 3:1-8
- Seen in real life – John 11:38-44
- Seen in NT teaching – Ephesians 2:1
The Gift of Repentance
- A turning from sin
- As a gift: Acts 11:28; 2 Timothy 2:25
The Gift of Faith
- A turning to Christ
- As a gift: John 6:44, 65; Philippians 1:29
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! ~ 2 Corinthians 9:15
Series: What We Teach — GBC Doctrinal Statement
Text: Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his well.
The Fall: Humanity chooses to sin.
- Depravity ruins every person.
- Depravity ruins every part of every person.
Election: God chooses to save.
- God's choosing is unconditional.
- According to his purpose; Romans 9:11
- By grace; Romans 11:5
- Because of love; Deuteronomy 7:6-8
- Therefore, God's choosing is not based on his foreknowledge of someone's choice of Him.
- There would be nothing to foresee.
- God's foreknowledge is of people.
- Foreseen response is the beginning of salvation by merit.
Christ our Hope
- The representative of God's righteousness.
- The demonstration of God's love.