WEBVTT 00:00:02.299 --> 00:00:10.500 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:20.832 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:00:26.966 --> 00:00:29.033 Good morning, Valley View. 00:00:29.033 --> 00:00:33.100 It's great to be with you today as we continue in our study of First Peter. 00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:36.100 If you have a Bible, go ahead and turn to First Peter. 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:39.299 And if you have a church Bible, if you don't have a Bible, we'd love to put one in your hands. 00:00:39.299 --> 00:00:41.033 Those are out in the connection corner. 00:00:41.033 --> 00:00:43.299 Slip out any time and grab one. 00:00:43.299 --> 00:00:46.299 We're going to wrap up chapter one today. 00:00:46.665 --> 00:00:50.732 The page number for where we are in that church Bible should be on the screen. 00:00:50.732 --> 00:00:52.432 We've been working through chapter one. 00:00:52.432 --> 00:00:59.265 We're going to land here on these last few verses, and I'm going to begin by reading those before we set up the theme for the day. 00:00:59.265 --> 00:01:01.600 First Peter chapter one, verse 22. 00:01:04.766 --> 00:01:08.965 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth. 00:01:08.965 --> 00:01:28.599 For a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God. 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:34.566 For all flesh is like grass, all its glory, like the flower of grass. 00:01:34.566 --> 00:01:37.566 The grass withers, the flower falls. 00:01:38.700 --> 00:01:43.233 But the word of the Lord remains forever. 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:50.000 And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 00:01:50.332 --> 00:01:58.665 Every parent has experienced seasons with your children when you ask them to do things. 00:01:58.665 --> 00:02:07.299 When you give instruction, when you give a command, usually that first season you encounter is the word no. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:10.500 No matter what you ask, the response is no. 00:02:10.500 --> 00:02:11.466 You work through that. 00:02:11.466 --> 00:02:15.300 You help them see, actually, you do need to do some things I ask. 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:16.665 Then it turns to why? 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:18.500 Why? 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:20.633 No matter what you ask -- why? 00:02:20.633 --> 00:02:24.566 The smallest little thing -- why? 00:02:24.566 --> 00:02:29.300 There's something within us when asked to do something, we want to know why. 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:30.300 Give me a good reason. 00:02:30.300 --> 00:02:34.300 I'll decide whether I should follow you or not. 00:02:34.300 --> 00:02:37.566 We've talked about how Peter is a book full of commands. 00:02:37.566 --> 00:02:41.500 Peter issues command after command, although at first he didn't. 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:45.633 At the beginning was just laying out who you are in Christ. 00:02:45.633 --> 00:02:50.966 And what we're going to see today is that there is one central command in this passage. 00:02:50.966 --> 00:02:52.665 It's love. 00:02:52.665 --> 00:02:55.466 Love one another. 00:02:55.466 --> 00:03:01.099 But Peter understands that we also wrestle with the question, why? 00:03:01.099 --> 00:03:05.000 Why, why should I love? 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:10.566 You know, loving others isn't really natural. 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:12.032 It's unnatural. 00:03:12.032 --> 00:03:17.432 In fact, I've I ran across a quote, by the poet Ogden Nash. 00:03:17.432 --> 00:03:18.165 He said it this way. 00:03:18.165 --> 00:03:21.165 He says smallpox is natural. 00:03:21.733 --> 00:03:23.000 Vaccines ain't. 00:03:24.332 --> 00:03:27.733 Now, regardless how you feel about vaccines or the word ain't. 00:03:27.733 --> 00:03:30.066 Sorry, mom, I'm quoting a poet. 00:03:30.066 --> 00:03:32.800 The point being, disease is natural. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.500 The breakdown of society is natural. 00:03:35.500 --> 00:03:39.233 We've got to fight for things that are good. 00:03:39.233 --> 00:03:40.199 Your heart. 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:43.199 My heart, naturally is not loving. 00:03:43.432 --> 00:03:53.000 The natural responses defensiveness, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness. 00:03:53.032 --> 00:03:54.099 Peter knows that. 00:03:54.099 --> 00:03:59.165 And when he says love, today we're going to see the reason why we should love. 00:03:59.165 --> 00:04:02.665 He's going to give three reasons why we should love. 00:04:02.665 --> 00:04:06.832 So look back in verse 22 and we'll see this first reason why we should love. 00:04:06.832 --> 00:04:11.099 If the command is love one another with a sincere brotherly love, why? 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:13.832 Why should I ? Shouldn’t I just follow my heart? 00:04:13.832 --> 00:04:15.032 That's what the world says. 00:04:15.032 --> 00:04:16.500 If I feel something, go with it. 00:04:16.500 --> 00:04:17.932 Just follow your heart. 00:04:17.932 --> 00:04:19.132 Why should I love? 00:04:20.432 --> 00:04:21.233 First reason here. 00:04:21.233 --> 00:04:28.833 Look back at verse 22 Since, because, therefore, here's the reason. 00:04:29.033 --> 00:04:38.932 Since you have been purified, having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love. 00:04:38.932 --> 00:04:45.100 The first reason why we are commanded to love is that you have been purified. 00:04:47.033 --> 00:04:49.399 Peter also loves to quote the Old Testament. 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:52.333 We we've shown that a few times now. 00:04:52.333 --> 00:05:00.565 In verse 16, we saw where he says, be holy, for I am holy. He’s quoting Leviticus when he says that. Be holy. 00:05:00.565 --> 00:05:03.833 You are to be holy because God is holy, and he's called you to holiness. 00:05:03.833 --> 00:05:12.065 What I love about this first reason why we are called to be loving is that act of holiness. 00:05:12.065 --> 00:05:17.000 That idea points towards the idea of being set apart for something different. 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:20.033 God has set you apart, different from the rest of the world. 00:05:21.766 --> 00:05:25.932 And that's holiness, that's purity, that's sanctification. 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.699 And the way that wording there is, is it's already true of you. 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:30.966 You have been purified. 00:05:30.966 --> 00:05:36.300 If you know Christ, the reason why you are to love is because God has already set you apart. 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:37.733 He's already changed your heart. 00:05:37.733 --> 00:05:41.033 He's already made a difference in your life. He's already set you apart. 00:05:41.033 --> 00:05:44.033 Therefore, live that out. 00:05:45.165 --> 00:05:46.800 But it's because of what he says here. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.800 It's obedience to the truth. 00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:56.165 Much of our world is all about trying to get us to believe lies. 00:05:57.165 --> 00:05:59.365 But it could be the news. 00:05:59.365 --> 00:06:01.365 It could be school. 00:06:01.365 --> 00:06:03.266 It could be your own heart at times. 00:06:03.266 --> 00:06:07.665 The enemy is desperate for you to believe the lies he has for you. 00:06:07.665 --> 00:06:08.899 He's the father of lies. 00:06:10.266 --> 00:06:12.533 But our call is to obey truth. 00:06:12.533 --> 00:06:13.966 And that's not always easy. 00:06:13.966 --> 00:06:15.233 The truth can be harder to believe. 00:06:15.233 --> 00:06:17.432 It's a lot easier a lot of times to believe a lie. 00:06:17.432 --> 00:06:19.199 Really. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:21.533 We're called to obey truth. 00:06:21.533 --> 00:06:36.533 And because you have been set apart, because you have been purified, because your heart has been changed now your longings have changed, your desires have changed the things you hunger for, the things that you delight in, those have changed. 00:06:37.333 --> 00:06:41.632 One of the things I loved about growing up here at Valley View was our children's church. 00:06:41.632 --> 00:06:44.932 We call it KidZone now. 00:06:44.932 --> 00:06:58.899 I loved going to that because the guys who taught that they were so good, they knew how to tell stories, how to connect with us as elementary age school kids. 00:06:58.899 --> 00:07:02.733 They were just-- one guy in particular I remember, Uncle Joe, Joe Marr. 00:07:02.733 --> 00:07:05.100 He would come in and just tell the best stories. 00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:16.000 Here we are 40 or so years later, and I still remember the day he came in and said, y'all may not understand this, but God has changed me. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.233 God took me from an alcoholic and he changed me. 00:07:19.233 --> 00:07:23.932 He turned me away from that and I didn't really quite know what that meant. 00:07:23.932 --> 00:07:26.266 But then he said this, and this really stood out to me. 00:07:26.266 --> 00:07:32.199 He said, I used to drive down Seventh Street and right away I thought, why would you do that? 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:34.733 Because I've driven down it and it smells so gross, right? 00:07:34.733 --> 00:07:39.865 Immediately in my mind, we would go down Seventh Street whether my dad worked downtown or I had to go to school. 00:07:39.865 --> 00:07:45.733 I went to school over more in the West End, and I just thought, man, that smell on Seventh Street from the distillery. 00:07:45.733 --> 00:07:48.065 It just made my stomach sick. 00:07:48.065 --> 00:07:49.665 I don't know if you remember that or not. 00:07:49.665 --> 00:07:51.533 If you experienced that, I just couldn't. 00:07:51.533 --> 00:07:53.632 I wanted to vomit when I smelled it as a little kid. 00:07:53.632 --> 00:07:57.065 I was like, why would anybody want to smell that? 00:07:57.266 --> 00:08:01.632 And he said, when I would drive down Seventh Street, I would smell the smell of those distilleries cooking. 00:08:02.632 --> 00:08:06.065 And I just soaked it up and delighted in it. 00:08:06.865 --> 00:08:08.533 I thought, you're messed up. 00:08:08.533 --> 00:08:11.533 Why would anybody do that? 00:08:11.833 --> 00:08:19.565 We believe the lies of what will bring you life, but the truth is opposite. 00:08:20.033 --> 00:08:25.199 You have been purified. Because of that, live it out. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.833 Live differently. Love. 00:08:27.833 --> 00:08:31.665 When you love others, you're going to stand out. 00:08:31.665 --> 00:08:35.865 This world does not know how to love. 00:08:35.865 --> 00:08:41.332 In fact, look at some of the words here that are used for love when we're commanded to love. 00:08:41.332 --> 00:08:42.832 Look back at some of the descriptors. 00:08:42.832 --> 00:08:47.033 By the way, isn't it sad that we have to use words to describe love? 00:08:47.033 --> 00:08:51.432 We can't just say love because I love coconut cream pie. 00:08:51.432 --> 00:08:53.365 I also love my mom. 00:08:53.365 --> 00:08:56.066 Those are very different loves right? 00:08:56.066 --> 00:08:58.700 We've got to add qualifiers to the word love. 00:08:59.932 --> 00:09:03.265 Look at what he does here. 00:09:04.033 --> 00:09:07.666 Have a sincere brotherly love is the first way. 00:09:07.666 --> 00:09:13.966 He describes it in verse 22, a sincere brotherly love, that word sincere. 00:09:13.966 --> 00:09:16.899 It's the same word we get our word hypocrite from. 00:09:16.899 --> 00:09:18.832 It looks the same, sounds the same. 00:09:18.832 --> 00:09:21.832 Except it means not a hypocrite. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:24.432 The hypocrite is two faced. 00:09:24.432 --> 00:09:32.600 The hypocrite does one action and hopes you'll see a motive that's opposite of what they're really feeling. 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:35.133 The hypocrite. 00:09:35.133 --> 00:09:39.633 In fact, I remember a time for my dad's birthday. 00:09:39.633 --> 00:09:46.133 I realized he really needs a new tackle box because I really need a new tackle box. 00:09:46.133 --> 00:09:51.033 I'm the one who is the one using it, and it's not working as well as I would like. 00:09:51.033 --> 00:09:56.399 And so I bought him a new tackle box, and of course, he saw right through it because he never used it. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.600 And he was very gracious and kind and laughed. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:05.432 And in fact, I think this year I have a few books in mind he might like for his birthday, probably. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:11.033 When I gave him that, I wasn't loving him. 00:10:11.332 --> 00:10:14.332 I was using him to love me. 00:10:14.732 --> 00:10:17.732 It wasn't sincere. 00:10:17.932 --> 00:10:20.932 We're called to give sincere love. 00:10:21.265 --> 00:10:23.399 Genuine love. 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:25.466 Look at the other word that's used here. 00:10:25.466 --> 00:10:29.932 Two other words love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 00:10:29.932 --> 00:10:30.832 Examine your heart. 00:10:30.832 --> 00:10:32.500 Is my love pure? 00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:33.365 Of course. 00:10:33.365 --> 00:10:36.365 Can it ever be 100% pure? 00:10:36.365 --> 00:10:37.299 Who knows? 00:10:37.299 --> 00:10:42.232 But we can seek it out and say, Lord, would you help my motive here to be pure? 00:10:42.232 --> 00:10:43.600 What's my desire? 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:46.600 What's going on in my heart? 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:48.566 Then I love this word earnestly. 00:10:48.566 --> 00:10:51.166 We don't often use that related to love. 00:10:51.166 --> 00:10:53.232 Love them earnestly. 00:10:53.232 --> 00:10:56.466 That word’s only used two other times in the New Testament. 00:10:56.466 --> 00:10:59.033 One is in Acts chapter 12. 00:10:59.033 --> 00:11:04.666 In Acts chapter 12, it describes people who are praying for Peter to be released from prison. 00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:08.033 God, would you move? 00:11:08.033 --> 00:11:13.133 Would you bring him out of prison so that the gospel can be proclaimed? 00:11:13.133 --> 00:11:16.899 You see this intensity, this earnestness from them. 00:11:16.899 --> 00:11:32.600 Then the other place it's used and both times are used of prayer, interestingly enough, is in Luke 22, where Jesus is in the garden and he's praying, God, would you remove this cup from me? 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:34.100 I don't want to go through this. 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:36.265 Would you remove this? 00:11:36.265 --> 00:11:38.365 But if not, your will be done. 00:11:38.365 --> 00:11:41.365 And it says this of him. 00:11:41.533 --> 00:11:47.332 As he prayed, his sweat fell from him like great drops of blood. 00:11:48.332 --> 00:11:53.399 Have you ever prayed so hard that you were sweating? 00:11:54.166 --> 00:11:58.332 Maybe before a test or something. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.133 That is earnest prayer. 00:12:01.133 --> 00:12:04.133 God, would you move? 00:12:04.265 --> 00:12:05.566 Do we love like that? 00:12:06.765 --> 00:12:12.332 Love earnestly to where it causes you to take extreme effort. 00:12:13.865 --> 00:12:16.566 You know, I think. 00:12:16.566 --> 00:12:21.133 True love, genuine love, sincere love, earnest love, at the core of it is always. 00:12:21.133 --> 00:12:24.133 It's always involves sacrifice. 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:27.200 It always involves giving up something. 00:12:28.432 --> 00:12:35.365 Now, of course, you may do it willingly, because what greater delight is there than to love someone well? 00:12:35.365 --> 00:12:39.700 What greater joy is there than to display love to someone? 00:12:39.966 --> 00:12:42.966 But it still costs you something. 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:45.832 An earnest, a sincere love. 00:12:45.832 --> 00:12:49.966 This is what we're called to be about because we have been purified. 00:12:49.966 --> 00:12:52.399 That's the first reason why we should love. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.399 Why? 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.332 Because God's already changed you. 00:12:56.332 --> 00:12:59.332 Let's look at the second reason here. 00:12:59.899 --> 00:13:02.899 Look at verse 23. 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:12.932 Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 00:13:12.932 --> 00:13:15.932 Since you have been born again. 00:13:16.265 --> 00:13:24.600 Not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God. 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.399 The second reason why we are to love one another. 00:13:28.466 --> 00:13:30.399 You've been born again. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:33.399 You've been made new. 00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:43.100 17 if anyone is in Christ, the old has gone, the new has come. 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:46.100 You are a new creation. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:55.432 God has done something in you to transform you into something completely different than you were. 00:13:55.432 --> 00:13:56.566 You're new. 00:13:56.566 --> 00:13:59.566 You're not stuck in your old ways. 00:14:01.432 --> 00:14:02.332 This week I was. 00:14:02.332 --> 00:14:03.865 I mentioned this in the midweek update. 00:14:03.865 --> 00:14:12.232 I was cleaning out a closet and I ran across my high school yearbook, which is always fun. 00:14:12.232 --> 00:14:15.765 It's probably been about 20 years since I even looked at it. 00:14:15.765 --> 00:14:17.865 And, I thought, who are these people? 00:14:17.865 --> 00:14:19.799 I have no idea who these people are. 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:24.232 As I'm flipping, I'm reading the things people, the notes people wrote me in the front of the book. 00:14:24.232 --> 00:14:27.666 These would have been the people that were your closest friends in high school. 00:14:27.666 --> 00:14:30.666 Have no idea who half, more than half of them are. 00:14:32.633 --> 00:14:36.799 And as I read through it, though, I read through the whole, a lot of it. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:45.265 When I put it down, I was so discouraged I thought, man I, I wasted a lot of years. 00:14:45.265 --> 00:14:52.133 There were a lot of years that I could have been investing in others for the gospel, and it was all about me. 00:14:52.133 --> 00:14:54.566 I wanted everyone else to love me. 00:14:54.566 --> 00:14:57.600 I wanted everyone else to invest in me. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:00.500 I just put that down. 00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:03.566 I thought so self-focused. 00:15:03.566 --> 00:15:05.365 I was so discouraged by that. 00:15:05.365 --> 00:15:08.732 I kind of went to bed half depressed that night. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:14.799 I woke up the next morning and I was reading a devotional that I read from regularly by Ian Hamilton, and here's what he said. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.899 This is going to be on the screen. 00:15:19.133 --> 00:15:31.365 One of Satan's well-rehearsed strategies is to turn us in upon ourselves, to absorb us with our weaknesses and sinful failures. 00:15:31.365 --> 00:15:38.466 Too often, we fall into this quagmire and find it hard to get ourselves out of it. 00:15:38.466 --> 00:15:38.700 Yeah. 00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:45.899 You know, I had become self-absorbed about how self-absorbed I was. 00:15:47.566 --> 00:15:51.166 The enemy had used that. 00:15:51.232 --> 00:15:59.566 That over self-absorption, that over reflection on sin to turn me away from the gospel. 00:16:01.033 --> 00:16:03.666 But here's what the next paragraph said. 00:16:03.666 --> 00:16:14.000 When the Lord convicts us of our sinful failures and failings, he immediately points us away from ourselves to himself. 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:19.166 This is what nurtures and nourishes our faith, not dwelling on our sins. 00:16:19.166 --> 00:16:22.265 By the way, not ignoring our sins, not pretending they didn't happen. 00:16:22.265 --> 00:16:25.299 We're confessing them and taking them there to him. 00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:26.365 But we don't dwell on them. 00:16:26.365 --> 00:16:33.033 We dwell on the one who freely and fully forgives our sins, and who delights to embrace us in his unfailing love. 00:16:34.432 --> 00:16:37.265 You know I'm not that guy I was in high school. 00:16:37.265 --> 00:16:38.265 Praise the Lord. 00:16:38.265 --> 00:16:42.000 Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:43.899 I'm not stuck in that sin. 00:16:43.899 --> 00:16:45.732 I'm not stuck in self absorption. 00:16:45.732 --> 00:16:48.732 Christ worked in my life to change me. 00:16:48.765 --> 00:16:50.832 And he's still doing that. 00:16:50.832 --> 00:16:52.133 And he did that in your life. 00:16:52.133 --> 00:16:58.166 And he continues to do that in your life because you have been born again. 00:16:59.100 --> 00:17:01.033 He made you new. 00:17:01.033 --> 00:17:03.232 He changed your life. 00:17:03.232 --> 00:17:04.732 He went to work in your life. 00:17:04.732 --> 00:17:06.465 He did what you couldn't do. 00:17:06.465 --> 00:17:08.099 You tried to save yourself. 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:11.532 Who here has tried to save yourself year after year, after year? 00:17:11.532 --> 00:17:12.165 Three people. 00:17:12.165 --> 00:17:16.465 Okay, a lot of others have I think. You tried. 00:17:16.465 --> 00:17:17.333 It didn't work. 00:17:17.333 --> 00:17:18.599 You made a bigger mess of it. 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:19.333 I did too. 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:24.500 He brought you to life. 00:17:24.566 --> 00:17:26.766 He made you new again. 00:17:26.766 --> 00:17:28.365 Born again. 00:17:28.365 --> 00:17:29.599 Now look how this happens. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.599 Look how he did it back in verse 23. 00:17:32.633 --> 00:17:41.365 You've been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God. 00:17:41.365 --> 00:17:46.432 First, it is the living and abiding Word of God that is at work in your life. 00:17:46.432 --> 00:17:47.232 12. 00:17:47.232 --> 00:17:50.465 The Word of God is living and active in your life. 00:17:50.465 --> 00:17:52.865 You open His word. 00:17:52.865 --> 00:17:57.032 You will find something that relates to your life today. 00:17:57.032 --> 00:17:58.532 You will. 00:17:58.532 --> 00:17:59.665 His spirit is. 00:17:59.665 --> 00:18:01.232 It moves in your life. 00:18:01.232 --> 00:18:03.432 His word works in your life. 00:18:03.432 --> 00:18:06.432 You can trust it and depend on it. 00:18:07.932 --> 00:18:15.232 But he also said here, and this is actually interesting, it's the third time already in the first chapter, he's talked about things that are perishable and imperishable. 00:18:15.232 --> 00:18:17.932 He's given this contrast between the two already. 00:18:17.932 --> 00:18:27.099 If you look back at verse four, we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading. 00:18:27.965 --> 00:18:38.099 If you look back at verse seven, the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire. 00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:55.633 And then if you look back at verse 18, you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious, imperishable blood of Christ. 00:18:55.700 --> 00:19:01.965 Why is it that he's giving us this constant contrast of perishable, imperishable, especially in the context of silver and gold? 00:19:01.965 --> 00:19:12.865 He mentioned silver and gold in particular, being perishable, which I thought was interesting because in our life there are few things less perishable than silver or gold. 00:19:12.865 --> 00:19:17.266 We don't tend to categorize those as silver or gold as perishable. 00:19:17.266 --> 00:19:18.532 You call produce perishables. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:23.833 Silver and gold, man, those stay around, those last, those have value. 00:19:23.833 --> 00:19:29.032 Why does he keep referring to that as perishable? 00:19:29.066 --> 00:19:38.500 Well, to understand this, we're going to jump ahead to our next point and the next couple of verses, because the next couple of verses are going to quote directly from the Old Testament. 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:49.066 In fact, if in your Bible, those verses are probably for some Bibles set out, kind of separate, maybe indented a little differently to help you see these come from the Old Testament. 00:19:49.432 --> 00:20:02.266 Look here at verse 25, verse 24 and 25 -- for all flesh is like grass, and all the glory, like the flower of the grass, the grass withers, the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:06.599 This sets up the third reason why we're called to love. 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:12.799 This will be on the screen because flesh fades, but the word remains. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:18.500 We're called to love because that passes on to others things that remain. 00:20:18.732 --> 00:20:22.365 Now why the perishable, imperishable descriptor? 00:20:22.365 --> 00:20:23.633 Why does the grass fade? 00:20:23.633 --> 00:20:24.932 Why bring all that up? 00:20:24.932 --> 00:20:27.066 This is a direct quote from Isaiah 40. 00:20:27.066 --> 00:20:33.032 And we're going to turn there and look at why he quotes from Isaiah 40 here in first Peter. 00:20:33.032 --> 00:20:34.365 Isaiah is in the Old Testament. 00:20:34.365 --> 00:20:44.665 That'll be on page 561 in a church Bible, if you find I'm turning to page 561 of my Bible, it's not the same. 00:20:44.665 --> 00:20:46.766 It's on page six. 00:20:46.766 --> 00:20:48.232 Yeah, you don't care. 00:20:48.232 --> 00:20:51.232 It's Isaiah 40. 00:20:53.833 --> 00:20:56.133 Power of suggestion right there. 00:20:56.133 --> 00:21:01.133 Isaiah 40 is an important chapter in the New Testament from the Old Testament. 00:21:01.133 --> 00:21:04.965 Isaiah is one of the major prophets of the Old Testament. 00:21:04.965 --> 00:21:09.000 And it's Isaiah is the second most quoted book in the New Testament. 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:11.165 Psalms is first, then Isaiah. 00:21:11.165 --> 00:21:12.232 And 40. 00:21:12.232 --> 00:21:15.500 Chapter 40 in particular, is quoted from quite a bit. 00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:19.032 In fact, verse three shows up in each of the four Gospels. 00:21:19.032 --> 00:21:19.732 Look at verse three. 00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:26.732 A voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. 00:21:26.732 --> 00:21:30.400 Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:40.633 This is quoted in each of the Gospels in reference to John the Baptist being the one who is coming to prepare the way for Christ, for the Messiah, for the one everyone had been waiting for. 00:21:40.633 --> 00:21:52.766 And then, of course, verse six and eight are what are quoted in our passage, verse eight in particular, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 00:21:52.965 --> 00:21:59.266 That idea also shows up in Psalm 103, I think verse 14 or so. 00:21:59.266 --> 00:22:00.799 And it's this idea. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:04.432 Yeah, we fade, the flesh fades. 00:22:04.432 --> 00:22:07.432 In fact, we are like dust. 00:22:07.665 --> 00:22:10.732 Here one day, gone tomorrow. 00:22:12.665 --> 00:22:15.665 Our yard was like that recently. 00:22:15.900 --> 00:22:19.633 One day it was green and lush, like right back before Labor Day. 00:22:19.633 --> 00:22:20.633 Green and lush. 00:22:20.633 --> 00:22:29.833 The fine assortment of weeds, but green and like three days later, dirt just dead brown. 00:22:29.833 --> 00:22:32.833 Just like that. 00:22:33.732 --> 00:22:36.732 Your life is passing. 00:22:37.532 --> 00:22:40.532 It is going to be over so fast. 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:43.900 Make the most of it. 00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.900 Make the most of every moment. 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:47.865 I love that you're here. 00:22:47.865 --> 00:22:50.200 I love that you make the most of. 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:53.066 How do I get around other people who are pursuing Christ? 00:22:53.066 --> 00:23:01.432 Other people who can encourage me, other people who can build into my life, come find places to experience that. 00:23:02.432 --> 00:23:05.133 That's what I love about our Wednesday night suppers. Yes. 00:23:05.133 --> 00:23:09.232 Subtle plug, not so subtle. Wednesday night suppers. 00:23:09.232 --> 00:23:13.000 You can walk into a room and just sit down by anyone. 00:23:14.633 --> 00:23:17.232 Who are the people that you have wanted to get to know? 00:23:17.232 --> 00:23:19.200 Go sit by them. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:21.032 Talk to them. 00:23:21.032 --> 00:23:23.900 Connect with them. 00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:27.299 There's so much wisdom in that room to be gained from. 00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:29.599 We had a great time this week. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:30.865 Great meal. 00:23:30.865 --> 00:23:37.099 In fact, if you want to come celebrate our 25th anniversary with us, you can come enjoy a nice Wednesday night meal this week. 00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:38.865 That's where we'll be celebrating it. 00:23:38.865 --> 00:23:40.266 We have other plans too. 00:23:40.266 --> 00:23:42.532 Don't worry. 00:23:42.532 --> 00:23:46.000 In fact, I got a card from the Peercy's, Larry and Sharlett. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.932 just encouraging us. 00:23:46.932 --> 00:23:48.700 Hey, congratulations. 25 years. 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:49.599 That's a big number. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:51.099 That's a that's a big deal. 00:23:51.099 --> 00:24:00.165 I was feeling pretty proud of myself, but she had to write‘By the way, we celebrated 68 years this year.’ Yeah. 00:24:00.165 --> 00:24:00.732 Yeah. 00:24:00.732 --> 00:24:01.732 Praise the Lord. 00:24:01.732 --> 00:24:04.732 68. 00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:08.633 I'm not even 68 years old. 00:24:08.633 --> 00:24:11.532 They've been married that long. 00:24:11.532 --> 00:24:13.299 There's a lot of wisdom in that room. 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:15.299 There's a lot of wisdom in this room. 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:25.799 There's a lot of people that you can get time with, sharpen your life and grow closer to Christ because the days are fleeting. 00:24:25.965 --> 00:24:28.965 They’re going by quickly. 00:24:29.232 --> 00:24:31.432 Now, this brings us back to the question. 00:24:31.432 --> 00:24:34.900 Why does he keep bringing up silver and gold being perishable? 00:24:34.900 --> 00:24:47.799 Isaiah 40 in particular addresses that and oftentimes when New Testament writers quote just even one subtle verse from a chapter in the Bible, they're often referring to a whole lot that's around it. 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:52.965 Just like if I say ‘Four score and seven years ago’ you know, I'm talking about something else entirely. 00:24:52.965 --> 00:24:57.932 And you hear the whole thing and you think about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln all just in a few words. 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:11.066 Look here in verse 18 and 19, to whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compares with him? 00:25:11.865 --> 00:25:14.532 An idol? 00:25:14.532 --> 00:25:16.833 Your Bible might have an exclamation point. 00:25:16.833 --> 00:25:18.032 It might have a question mark. 00:25:18.032 --> 00:25:19.732 The point being, really? 00:25:19.732 --> 00:25:21.799 You want to compare him to an idol? 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:25.732 You want to set up an idol instead of him? 00:25:25.732 --> 00:25:31.400 A craftsman makes it, a goldsmith overlays it with gold. 00:25:32.266 --> 00:25:34.365 And cast for it silver chains. 00:25:34.365 --> 00:25:37.566 Gold and silver are perishable. 00:25:37.566 --> 00:25:40.566 In particular. 00:25:41.766 --> 00:25:48.633 Peter and Isaiah both know our temptation to want to worship something other than God. 00:25:48.633 --> 00:25:53.500 Whether it's gold and silver, literally, or an idol, it's going to fade away. 00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:56.066 It won't last. 00:25:56.066 --> 00:26:02.333 All the things that this world says, this is what really matters. 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:03.900 It's going to fade away. 00:26:05.432 --> 00:26:07.532 It will. 00:26:07.532 --> 00:26:10.532 Proverbs 30 sums this up perfectly. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:18.099 Charm is deceitful, beauty-- Proverbs 31-- beauty is vain. 00:26:18.365 --> 00:26:22.299 Vain beauty is vain. 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:23.432 Charm is deceitful. 00:26:23.432 --> 00:26:25.133 Beauty is vain. 00:26:25.133 --> 00:26:30.732 But a woman who fears the Lord, she will be praised. 00:26:30.732 --> 00:26:33.665 You can take the most charming, most beautiful person. 00:26:33.665 --> 00:26:37.532 And if all their identity is in those, it will crumble. 00:26:37.532 --> 00:26:39.365 It'll fade. 00:26:39.365 --> 00:26:41.200 But give me the person who fears the Lord. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:44.066 That's the person I want to be around. 00:26:44.066 --> 00:26:47.799 And that's the person I want to learn from. 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:53.932 Gold and silver perish because they are no substitute for God. 00:26:54.465 --> 00:27:05.932 In fact, Isaiah 40 is bookended about two things that we need in particular, and especially 1 Peter's audience, because our whole theme for First Peter is finding joy in suffering. 00:27:07.266 --> 00:27:10.633 First Peter's audience, he knew they were being persecuted for their faith. 00:27:10.633 --> 00:27:19.599 By the way, Isaiah is writing to Jews who have been taken out of their country to Babylon and told don't talk about God anymore. 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:23.566 How do we help those? 00:27:23.566 --> 00:27:31.732 How do we help those find joy in the midst of suffering who are being persecuted, are being told you can't believe or you can believe it but don't talk about it? 00:27:31.732 --> 00:27:33.932 Here's how chapter 40 begins and ends. 00:27:33.932 --> 00:27:39.799 Look at the very first word-- comfort. 00:27:40.365 --> 00:27:43.232 Comfort my people, says your God. 00:27:43.232 --> 00:27:46.232 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. 00:27:46.432 --> 00:27:48.232 Cry to her. 00:27:48.232 --> 00:27:50.665 Her warfare is ended. 00:27:50.665 --> 00:27:53.665 Her iniquity is pardoned. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:56.165 Comfort. 00:27:56.165 --> 00:28:02.032 When you’re suffering that’s what you need to start. 00:28:02.365 --> 00:28:03.232 Bring commands. 00:28:03.232 --> 00:28:03.500 Yes. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:06.500 Give me direction, comfort. 00:28:06.965 --> 00:28:08.133 Start with comfort. 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:12.400 But then it ends with hope. 00:28:12.665 --> 00:28:15.232 The book is bookended with comfort and hope. 00:28:15.232 --> 00:28:16.732 Look at the last few verses. 00:28:16.732 --> 00:28:20.865 Verses of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 28. 00:28:20.865 --> 00:28:23.732 The Lord is the everlasting God. 00:28:23.732 --> 00:28:26.932 Look, no matter what you're going through, he is there. 00:28:26.932 --> 00:28:29.766 He is the creator of the ends of the earth. 00:28:29.766 --> 00:28:32.032 He does not faint or grow weary. 00:28:32.032 --> 00:28:35.032 His understanding is unsearchable. 00:28:35.133 --> 00:28:43.299 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, he increases strength. 00:28:43.965 --> 00:28:46.232 Even youths shall faint and be weary. 00:28:46.232 --> 00:28:52.432 Young men shall fall exhausted, but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:28:52.432 --> 00:28:57.465 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:28:57.766 --> 00:29:00.599 They shall run and not be weary. 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:03.599 They shall walk and not faint. 00:29:05.532 --> 00:29:07.833 Isaiah knew it. 00:29:07.833 --> 00:29:12.799 Peter knew it, and we know it today. 00:29:12.965 --> 00:29:15.299 What we need in the midst of suffering. 00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:22.799 Comfort and hope that God is there and he is real. 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:35.766 I think all of this in the book of Peter, all of this is meant to try to draw out one thing that is should be true of those who follow Christ. 00:29:35.766 --> 00:29:47.900 Everything he's trying to tell them is trying to say to them, one mark of those who truly know Christ should be love. 00:29:48.133 --> 00:29:56.833 If I'm growing in my relationship with Christ, if I'm growing in my knowledge of who he is, if I'm growing closer to him, then I should also be growing in love. 00:29:56.833 --> 00:30:01.665 I should become more loving, more tender, more kind, more understanding. 00:30:01.665 --> 00:30:04.665 Yes, still better at standing for truth. 00:30:04.732 --> 00:30:06.865 Better at casting aside lies. 00:30:08.965 --> 00:30:19.732 But if I think I am growing in my knowledge of the Bible and I'm becoming less loving, more harsh, more cold, more bitter, less teachable. 00:30:20.133 --> 00:30:24.599 I've misunderstood the gospel completely, entirely. 00:30:26.032 --> 00:30:34.532 Love one another with a sincere, brotherly, earnest love. 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:39.400 I remember when we started serving in marriage and family ministry. 00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:52.432 My first job was to work as kind of a personal ministry assistant to the guy who was over the whole ministry, and the guy who had done that job before was training me, and he said something to me that's always stood out to me. 00:30:52.432 --> 00:30:55.165 He said, John, the guy I work for is Dennis. 00:30:55.165 --> 00:31:05.633 He said, Dennis, he's the first man I've ever been around that as I've gotten to know him better, my respect for him went up. 00:31:09.833 --> 00:31:14.566 I thought, man, how sad, how sad. 00:31:14.566 --> 00:31:19.732 He said, every other man in my life up to this point. 00:31:20.465 --> 00:31:22.732 They had a facade. 00:31:22.732 --> 00:31:24.532 They had an appearance. 00:31:24.532 --> 00:31:28.732 And as I got to know them better, I saw they were someone different. 00:31:28.865 --> 00:31:32.032 He said, But this guy's the real deal. 00:31:32.032 --> 00:31:34.133 When he talks about love, he means it. 00:31:34.133 --> 00:31:34.932 He lives it out. 00:31:34.932 --> 00:31:36.833 When he talks about integrity. 00:31:36.833 --> 00:31:39.833 He lives it out. 00:31:40.266 --> 00:31:43.833 And I thought, thank you, Lord, for the men you've put in my life. 00:31:43.833 --> 00:31:46.266 My dad. 00:31:46.266 --> 00:31:48.833 My respect for him has gone up every year. 00:31:48.833 --> 00:31:54.333 Our student minister here growing up, Kerry Jones. Better I got to know him. 00:31:54.333 --> 00:31:56.633 The more my respect for him went up. 00:31:56.633 --> 00:31:58.665 Our staff here, our elders here. 00:31:58.665 --> 00:31:59.799 It's true. It's the same. 00:32:03.032 --> 00:32:04.665 For those who know Christ. 00:32:04.665 --> 00:32:09.266 We should be becoming more loving over time. 00:32:09.266 --> 00:32:11.532 You're not going to be perfect. 00:32:11.532 --> 00:32:13.599 I'm not going to be perfect. 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:15.465 Just ride with me in a car somewhere. 00:32:15.465 --> 00:32:20.532 You will see there are areas of sanctification that could still be improved. 00:32:20.532 --> 00:32:22.900 But we should be growing in love. 00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:24.232 And that's the call. 00:32:24.232 --> 00:32:25.232 Love one another. 00:32:25.232 --> 00:32:27.232 It's what everybody wants. 00:32:27.232 --> 00:32:29.599 You want to open the door to the gospel? 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.766 Love your neighbor well. 00:32:30.766 --> 00:32:32.932 It's what every single person on this earth wants. 00:32:32.932 --> 00:32:34.099 It's what I wanted in high school. 00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:37.099 Love me, love me. 00:32:38.566 --> 00:32:41.133 Love one another. 00:32:41.133 --> 00:32:44.633 I'm going to close the sermon with a short prayer. 00:32:44.633 --> 00:32:49.432 And then I'm going to transition and just give us a brief budget update for the church. 00:32:49.432 --> 00:32:58.365 This is the time of year where we do kind of just a short couple of minute business meeting in the service to set up the budget that we'll vote on in a few weeks. 00:32:58.365 --> 00:33:00.266 Let me pray to wrap up the sermon. 00:33:00.266 --> 00:33:01.133 God, thank you. 00:33:03.365 --> 00:33:06.165 Thank you for your word that guides us. 00:33:06.165 --> 00:33:14.700 Thank you for the challenge and encouragement to love and not just giving us the command, but giving us the reasons why. 00:33:15.165 --> 00:33:16.133 Love one another. 00:33:16.133 --> 00:33:18.000 You have changed us. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:20.766 Love because you have purified us. 00:33:20.766 --> 00:33:23.766 Love because this life is short. 00:33:24.900 --> 00:33:27.900 But your word remains. 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:33.799 I pray as a church we would be known as a place that is growing in love. 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:35.500 We love you, Jesus. 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:35.965 Amen.