Our Story: God has a plan to bless sojourning believers who draw on His Spirit/grace/power to live in a sanctified rlshp w/ Him and love others
1Pt 1:22 Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth thru the Spirit for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart
» 1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word 1:23, that you may grow up in your salvation NKJV+NIV (1:3,5,7,9,13,18) 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
I. We grow by Cleansing ourselves and Craving the Word, Cooperating with the HS
{1:14-15, 22; purify/holy by obeying}
A. Cleanse Acts 7:58 clothes; Rm 13:12 works of darkness; Eph 4:22 former conduct/ lusts;:25 lying; Col 3:8 you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, language… Heb 12:1 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us Js 1:21 lay aside all filthiness…wickedness, and welcome with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Jn 7:17 1Cor 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding.. in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 2Pt 1:4 faith… virtue…know 2Tim 2:21 If a man cleanses himself… be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work
B. Crave Col 1:10 so you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Eph 4:15 speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things Col 2:19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the Body, nourished/knit together by joints/ligaments, grows 2Pt 3:18 grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Hear Rm 10:17, Mt 7:24;Read 1Tim 4:13; Study 2Tim 2:16 Acts 17:11;Memorize Ps 119:9-11; Meditate=Implications 4 Applications Josh 1:8 Ps 1:2 119:99
» 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people Ex 19:5, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Eph 2:21 grows into holy temple 22 built together for a dwelling place of God by the Spirit
II. We please God by being and giving Him what He wants: a Body of unified, sanctified, serving saints
Rev 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth. 2 Tim 3:16
Titus 2:14 gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity & purify for Himself a “peculiar” people, zealous for good works
Heb 9:28 Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins …he will appear a second time, to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him
1Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 2Cor 6:16-17 separate-receive
Heb 10:22 draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts cleansed from evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water
A. Ourselves Rm 12:1 present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (of worship). B. Enabling others’ faith-motivated service Phil 2:17…poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith,… C. Good Sharing Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Phil 4:18
D. Praise Heb 13:15 by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing His name. Ps 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. Person and Acts Psalm 92, 117 Provider of life.; Excellencies: infinitely good/just/holy/loving; Redeemer; Savior/Sustainer; Omni...(attributes); Names Response to Revelation (essence of Biblical Worship) Gen 22:5; I Chron 20; Ps 29:2 Give glory.. Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Awe, Adoration, Admiration, Appreciation Psalm 145 Intelligible & Emotional John 4:23-24 Deut 6:5 Sacrificial Submission as well as Song & Speech Psalm 24; 101 Edification of God & others Psalm 31:23
III. The Poor Saints Guide to Big Ticket Sacrifice: Things Even More Pleasing Than Physical Sacrifice
A. Obedience 1Sam 15:22...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice Heb 10:5…Sacrifice You did not desire… a body prepared for Me B. Teachable Ecc 5:1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools… C. Loyal love & Intimacy Ho 6:6 For I desire hesed and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Mt 9:13 D. Righteousness & Justice Pr 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Hosea 6:6 E. Two loves Mk 12:33 love Him with all heart, understanding, soul, strength…neighbor as oneself, is more than all offerings/sacrifices
Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response: 1. Do all mature? What keeps people from cleansing/purifying themselves and craving the Word? What keeps them from being holy priests? 2. Is every sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to God? What would disqualify an “offering” from being accepted, or oneself from service? 3. How should viewing ourselves as a dwelling place for the Spirit & glory of God be reflected in our actions and aspirations? Sanctuary? 4. What could hinder us from Biblically praising God? If our praise/service is just rooted in how we feel, is it a response to Revelation? 5. What have you “laid aside” in the growing process? What will you offer to God this week? Will it be acceptable to Him? Why? |