1Peter 1:13-17
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Peter wrote to encourage the Christians in their persecutions. In
the previous verses, he gave us some idea how they were handling the
persecutions. He did this by his description.
1. \\#6\\ He described them as "heavy." Who would not be in such
a situation? Their livelihood and their lives were in
jeopardy. While we might think there is such a thing as a
"super" Christian who is impervious to sin, discouragement,
and difficulties—there is not. We are all subject to the
same human emotions because we are all humans.
2. But they were still rejoicing. Here is where their
spirituality can be seen. They chose to trust that God has a
plan and to rejoice in their eternal blessings even as their
heavenly blessings were being taken away from them.
3. \\#13-17\\ They were challenged. Peter was encouraging—even
commanding that they be all that they could be for Jesus.
I count six challenges that Peter made to these persecuted
Christians.
I. \\#13\\ Peter challenged them to "gird up" the loins of their
mind and to think soberly.
1Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ;
A. I have mentioned of the first one in our last study, but did
not have the time to go any further.
B. Both of these have to do with how we think.
1. How a person thinks influences every other aspect of his
life.
2. That is why God warns us to "think" correctly.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things
are of good report; if there be any virtue, and
if there be any praise, think on these things.
3. That is especially true when we are going through a
difficult time.
4. How we think we determine how we behave.
C. To gird up the loins of our minds means we must get serious
about our thinking concerning suffering.
1. For most, there are two things that we think do not go
together. They are Christians obeying God and Christians
suffering.
2. There is a very prevalent notion that if we are serving
God, we should not suffer; and, we figure, if we are
suffering, we aren’t going to serve God.
a. In fact, this premise is what has made the name-it,
and claim-it crowd so popular.
b. They go so far as to preach that if you are suffering,
you are not right with God.
3. However, that is NOT what the Bible teaches as this text
makes clear.
4. These people were already suffering then Peter told them
to prepare to suffer more!
a. The thought is, "You are Christians. What did you
expect?"
b. Jesus suffered. Are we better than Jesus?
c. Jesus warned us that suffering would come. Did we
think Jesus was kidding?
d. Jesus taught the disciples that suffering was not a
possibility but a certainty. Did we not listen?
5. Friend, no Christian living in any time period within any
nation should think he is going to get off this planet
without suffering for Jesus Christ.
6. We will prepare in case we do, but we will think like we
will not.
7. That is girding up the loins of your mind.
D. Be Sober
1. To gird up the mind has to do with our preparation.
Thinking soberly has to do with our thinking accurately.
2. To think soberly is to think soundly, accurately, with
realistic expectations.
3. Interestingly, when you are suffering for Christ, some
who are trying to discourage you may encourage you to
think realistically as well.
a. They may say things like, "You better think twice
about this. You could lose your job over this
religious stuff. Is that what you want?"
b. And they are not wrong.
(1) One of the first things Christians may lose if
they take a stand for Jesus is their job.
(2) Their goal is to get Christians to focus on the
immediate.
(3) Peter was making the same argument, but he was
trying to get Christians to focus on the
eternal.
4. When Peter commands us to think soberly, he wanted us to
think about…
a. "Jesus Christ" - The One who gave His life for us. How
can we back away from suffering for Jesus when Jesus
gave so much for us?
b. "the revelation of Jesus Christ" - "Revelation" means
revealing and it is a reference to when Jesus returns
and is revealed to be the Son of God in power.
(1) The revelation is not the rapture.
(2) The rapture is the return of Jesus at the end of
the church age to get the saints.
(3) The revelation is the return of Jesus at the end
of the tribulation with the saints.
a. He will come in power, in glory, with the
angels, to judge the world.
b. The Bible gives us a brief description.
2Thess 1:17 And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his
saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe because our testimony among you was
believed in that day.
(4) Regardless of which of His returns, we do not
want to be denying Him, but affirming Him—even
if the midst of persecution.
c. Then we might as well add the rewards of Jesus Christ,
for when Jesus, we will be rewarded both for what we
have done and what we failed to do.
5. Friend, these are the things we need to think on because
long after the sacrifice and suffering of this world have
passed, we will be living with Jesus Christ. Be certain
that you think accurately about that!
the immediate.
II. Be Hopeful.
1Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ;
A. Hope in the Bible does not mean to wish for something that is
possible. It means to long for something that is certain.
B. Peter says hope for the grace that comes at the revelation of
Jesus Christ.
1. There are many kinds of grace.
a. There is saving grace that brought salvation to you.
b. There is changing grace that brought about a change in
your life.
c. There is enduring grace that makes it possible for us
to endure our physical suffering in life.
d. There is dying grace that makes it possible for us to
die without fear.
e. There will be the grace that carries the believers
through the tribulation. It hasn't arrived yet, but
it will.
2. But the grace that Peter mentioned is the grace that will
be available AT the revelation of Jesus.
a. This is persecution grace.
b. Just before Jesus returns to execute judgment, the
anti-Christ will have spent 3 1/2 years hunting,
persecuting, and killing every Christian and Jew he
can find.
c. It will be the worse persecution the world has ever
known.
d. Peter was saying that these persecuted Christians
needed to hope for, to long for, some of that
persecution grace.
This is as far as our we will get tonight, but Peter has more
exhortations for the suffering saints. Tonight, we need to prepare
ourselves for whatever the future holds and the present presents to
us.
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