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| home :: archive :: 04.02.21. |
21 February 2004
THE CHRIST FILLED LIFE.1 Peter 1:14-251. The Christ-filled life is the life of obedience and of holiness (1Pet. 1:14 -16). To be chosen by God is to enter, not only into great privilege, but also into great responsibility. Peter remembers the ancient command at the very heart of all Hebrew religion. It was God's insistence to his people that they must be holy because he was holy. The word for holy is hagios whose root meaning is different.
He is chosen for a task in the world and for a destiny in eternity. He is chosen to live for God in time and with him in eternity. In the world he must obey his law and reproduce his life. There is laid on the Christian the task of being different. 2. The Christ-filled life is the life of reverence (1Pet. 1:17-21). Reverence is the attitude of mind of the man who is always aware that he is in the presence of God. (a) The Christian is a sojourner in this world. Life for him is lived in the shadow of eternity; he thinks all the time, not only of where he is but also of where he is going. (b) He is going to God; true, he can call God Father, but that very God whom he calls Father is also he who judges every man with strict impartiality.
Life in this world becomes of tremendous importance because it is leading to the life beyond. No honorable man throws away what is of eternal human worth. 3. The Christ-filled life is the life of brotherly love. It must issue in a love for the brethren which is sincere and hearty and steadfast. The Christian is a man who is reborn, not of mortal, but of immortal seed. The remaking of the Christian is due to no human agency but to the agency of God, another way of saying what John said when he spoke of those "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn. 1:13). The Christian is remade by the entry into him of the seed of the word; and the picture is that of the Parable of the Sowed (Matt. 13:1-9). The quotation which Peter makes is from Isa. 40:6-8. However we take it, the meaning is that the Christian is remade. Because he is reborn, the life of God is in him. The great characteristic of the life of God is love, and so the Christian must show that divine love for men. The Christian is the man who lives the Christ-filled life, the life that is different, never forgets the infinity of its obligation, and is made beautiful by the love of the God who gave it birth.
What do you believe god for??? Love must grow - become brighter - become more visible. A commitment of love that everyone will see & know that this overcoming church will have a commitment of love. Where there is no spiritual unity = no lasting victory = because there is no lasting spiritual love.
Love without commitment is not love!!! Jesus says here that many people will feel disgraced; they will turn against one another. They will hate each other. Many false prophets will appear. They will fool many people. Because the influence of sin will be so strong, the love of many people will grow cold. But the person who endures until the end will be saved.
"I loved once but got hurt" "I was committed to Christian service one time - but they used me" People withdraw from being committed. Their love will become cold. Illust: In front of you there will always be "stumbling blocks". People do not stumble over "boulders" - people fall over stones - "little things" - to "stumble" is to stop walking and fall. If you do not watch - you will fall over someone's weaknesses or sin's. When you fall over someone's weaknesses or sin, you must get back up - and continue to love as you did before. You cannot withdraw from walking in love. You must "forgive" those who caused you to stumble . Every time "you refuse to forgive" or to "overlook" a weakness in some one else, your heart hardens toward them - and your heart also hardens towards God. You cannot form a negative opinion of someone (even if they may deserve it!) You cannot allow this kind of attitude to affect your attitude & your heart. So the "measure of your love" depends upon your attitude & your heart. For every time you form a negative opinion of someone - an area of your heart will grow cold toward God. 1 John 4:20 "Any one who says - I love God - and hates his brother is a liar - for he who does not love his brother who he has seen cannot love God - who he as not seen." You may not like what someone has done, but you do not have an option to stop loving them. The measure of your love = 1 Corinthians 13
1) gentle – kind and peaceful 2) affectionate – attentive and tender 3) sensitive – perceptive and sympathetic 4) open – available and honest 5) persistent – constant and loyal Love is a compassion that is empowered by faith & prayer - to see God's best come forth in the one you love!!! When you have love for someone - means you have predetermined that you will stand with them, regardless of what they are going through. Everyone needs a person who will love them.
I am not talking about salvation - I am talking about growing up in your salvation. You are to be committed to each other with Jesus' love. More than anything else, people will stumble over little faults or weakness of others. These minor "little things" are quickly discovered by the enemy and made into great big problems. You need to "measure your love" and overcome your struggles about commitment. "Well - as soon as I find the perfect "church" then I will be committed" "I need to find the "church" that believes the same way I do" When you who decide in your heart that you don't want God to deal with you about the quality of your love, You will then begin to blame your "lack of commitment" on some "minor doctrinal difference". The kingdom of god is not based on doctrines -- the kingdom of god is founded on "relationships". Your relationships with God and your relationship with one another. Doctrines only help define those relationships. Love is the greatest of all the commandments of God. Mark 12:28-33 How you love others - is how you love God!!! When you love God - your love for others will be like your love for God. Why??? - "Because the second is like the first". The more you unconditionally love God - the more you will unconditionally love others!!! The more you unconditionally love others, you show your obedience to God. The measure of your love is shown by your obedience to Jesus. You cannot truly have Jesus and at the same time - not do what he says. The love & faith that looks like Jesus is the love & faith that is in Jesus. "Measure your love" as if it were Jesus love!!! This kind of love is being committed - no matter what the cost. The kingdom of God is not "just" in you or me, the kingdom of God is in "us" - corporately. John 17:23 says that we are being perfected into one unit - united in love with God. To have the kingdom working properly within you, you must be committed one to another - as individuals & as a church body together. Jesus accepts us while we are still imperfect. - We must also accept one another as imperfect.
You must "measure your love" = this is a challenge for every believer. "I will discover the heights & depths & the length & the breath of the love of Jesus". As a body we must become filled with the life of our lord & we must become flooded with the love of Jesus Christ. Dale Boehs 21 February 2004 to load the version for print |
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