On the Mission Trip (1 Peter 1:17-2:3)
Gary McManus, 09/15/2013Part of the God's Word is Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
We’ve talked about Elders, let’s
talk about the congregation.
Been on a tour? Taken a class?
This letter is to God’s elect,
strangers in the world.
One-ness is through Jesus” (John 14:6)
Jesus CALLED you to follow him
—to go on His cruise ship—Jesus called
you to attend HIS class.
[ 1 Corinthians 1:24, Galatians 1:6, Ephesians 4:1,
Colossians 3:15,2 Thessalonians 2:14,
2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 9:15, 1 Peter 5:10, Jude 1:1]
You didn’t arrange this meeting today.
Jesus calls us. (1 Peter 5:10)
Learn to LOVE everyone else who is
on this cruise with you. That is in today’s word.
We have recently had opportunities to see
the congregation at its best.
We discover on this mission cruise (mission ship)
is that we are not passengers—we ARE the CREW!
We serve one another NOT just those we know.
But if the church is our tour group,
Jesus didn’t say it would be easy.
(Galatians 2:20) God in Christ makes me do any good. Jesus makes us do anything of value in this life.
The Apostles came up with a list of three things
that were not negotiable (Acts 15:29):
--abstain from food sacrificed to idols
-- from blood
--from sexual immorality
But the church isn’t made up of people who
can follow rules.
YES, this congregation IS letting Jesus give it
new life. . . .”obeying the truth so that you
have sincere love for each other”
And why is that so?
Vs. 23 For you have been born again. . .,
The letter goes ON to SAY. . .
rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, and slander of every kind
Grow up in your salvation!
“Be MATURE in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:28
and several others.). . .be fully transformed
(Romans 12:2).
In the world is malice, deceit and hypocrisy and
THERE is no alternative unless they ALSO turn to Jesus.
Today, we are on the boat of the church
on a sea of paganism. There is much darkness
in the world and Jesus is the only light.
[Jesus called you! ] 1 Peter 2 9-10
Jesus is the WAY, the truth and the LIFE. Amen.
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