A Worshipper Who is Humble Puts Aside His/Her Pride

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Insights:  I do not have time to cover all that I spoke about regarding these verses, but I will do the best I can to summarize.  The basic gist of these verses is to instruct us to put away our pride.  If you look at those first five character traits that Peter referenced, you will recognize they all stem around the fact that the person practicing these attributes is trying to put themselves above other people.  In my sermon I explained how each of these five actions brought about that result.  Next I focused on how slander is a type or form of gossip, but with an attempt to destroy another persons character.  So, for a brief time I explained how gossip is, in my opinion, the most prevalent and destructive attribute of the American church.  We constantly are talking about other people to the detriment of the body of Christ.  I then shared how we stop gossip from spreading.  Basically, when a person approaches you with words about another person, stop them by saying something like, “I appreciate your concern regarding this situation.  I will be praying for you, but I also encourage you to go to X-person and share with them your concerns.”  What will this person do at that point?  They will leave you and go and find someone else and try again to share their concern.  But what if that person gave the same response?  And the person after this second person did the same thing?  Eventually the gossiper would realize that in this church they don’t tolerate gossip.  They will eventually change or move on to a church that does accept gossip.  Beloved, let me encourage you to stop gossip and slander from spreading and damaging the body of Christ.  I concluded this section with the reality that if one is going to see or taste the kindness and glory of the Lord, then he/she must be humble.  The way we become humble is by feasting on God’s Word and letting it heal us of ourselves.  If we will strive to know the Lord, then these other sinful attributes Peter mentioned will not even be in appearance in our lives.  Beloved, let us walk humbly with our Lord.

Questions:

1.  Would others characterize you as being a prideful person?

2.  Are you learning the secrets of being content in the Lord only means becoming humble in His sight?

Prayer: Father, so often I am absorbed with my own passions and pleasures.  I seek after my prideful heart.  Lord, forgive me for this sinful rebellion against You.  Humble me I pray and help me to walk in obedience with You.  Amen.

A Worshipper Who is Humble is One Who Perseveres

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:23-25

for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.  For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, And the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.”  And this is the word which was preached to you.

Insights:  In today’s verses we see another example of why we hold to the doctrine known as the perseverance of the saints.  In Southern Baptist language we refer to this doctrine as once saved, always saved.  Our belief in this doctrine, as it relates to today’s verses, comes from the type of seed with which we are born again.  In other words, man’s seed, his sperm, is perishable.  At some point his offspring are going to die.  God, on the other hand, conceives us from His Holy Spirit and births us spiritually with an imperishable seed.  God’s seed never dies.  If a person could really lose their salvation, then with what kind of seed had they been born again?  The answer is a perishable seed, but this passage tells us we are born again from an imperishable seed.  Peter goes on to use the illustration of the grass and the flowers.  These two items fall away, but God’s word endures forever.  God’s word is the seed that brought about our salvation.  In fact the verse actually stated, “…imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.”  I have often quoted the old adage, the author of this line is unknown to me, which states, “faith that falters was flawed from the first.”  The point of this simple little line is that if one were capable of walking away from their salvation, then they were not really born again with from the beginning.  Is it possible for a truly born again individual to go through a season of carnality in their spiritual walk with the Lord?  The answer is yes.  Paul even uses that language of a carnal Christian.  I think Lot from the Old Testament is an example of one who was born of imperishable seed that was carnal for a season.  I believe he was restored after the Sodom and Gomorrah judgment because in 2 Peter 2:7-8 we are told Lot was a righteous man.  He may have for a time wandered from the Lord, but the Lord never stopped drawing him back to Himself.  It was for this reason that Lot was rescued from the destruction which fell on these two cities.  His seed with which he was born was imperishable.

Questions:

1.  Are you truly born again?

2.  Do you understand that your salvation came from an imperishable seed?

Prayer: Father, thank You for my salvation.  Thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love.  Thank You that You have placed within me a new heart that longs after the things that please You.  Let me, by Your grace, grow and mature and understand this new heart even better each day so that I pursue You more and more.  Amen.

A Worshipper Who is Humble Loves Other People

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

Insights:  In today’s verse we see that another attribute of a humble worshipper is their ability to love other people with a fervent love which comes from the heart.  In other words, because of Jesus’ profound work on the cross and our position in Him we are supernaturally able to let love flow through our lives toward other people.  This reality comes out in two primary ways.  Firstly, if we truly love other people we are going to want to serve them.  Jesus said the greatest among us would be servant of all (Mark 9:35).  Secondly, if we truly love other people we are going to forgive them when they have hurt or wronged us.  Jesus said, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions (Matthew 6:14-15).”  Beloved, when we are willing to serve others as Jesus served us then we are showing a true spirit of humility.  Think about the example He gave us in the upper room on the night in which He was betrayed.  He took on the role of a slave and washed His disciples feet.  When our lives have been truly transformed by the Lord, then we are going to want to serve others for Him.  There will actually be joy in serving others for Him and it will wash over into our worship.  This second aspect of forgiveness is also modeled by Jesus on the cross when He said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).”  Even at His death He was showing the extent of His mercy and grace.  There is nothing that any person has ever done to us that compares to what we did to Jesus on the cross.  If He, in His perfect love, can forgive us of such vile acts of hurt toward Him, then because of His Spirit that indwells us, we are able to forgive others of their insignificant pains they have caused us.  Let me encourage you this day to look for opportunities to serve others and if the Lord has brought a person to you mind as you have read these words with whom you need to forgive, then let me encourage you to do that also.

Questions:

1.  Do you have a tangible love for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus?

2.  Are you harboring any feelings of unforgiveness toward them?

Prayer: Father, because You are love, teach me to love others as well.  Grant me a spirit of forgiveness toward those who have harmed or hurt me and allow me a spirit of service toward them and all of humanity.  For Your great name.  Amen.

A Worshipper Who is Humble Recognizes His/Her Position

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-21

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.  For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Insights:  A. W. Tozer in his book The Crucified Life uses the illustration about a deaf man reading a book during a Mozart concert and a blind person being yelled at while at the Louvre for not looking at the paintings.  Tozer’s point was that these two individuals did not have the capacity to appreciate the music for the deaf man nor the sight to enjoy the art works for the blind man.  He applied this reality to the lost world.  One who is not born again does not have the capacity to enjoy the things of God.  They are not able to look at creation, for example, and be drawn into intense worship of our Creator because they don’t know the Lord in this fashion.  One, however, who has received the precious gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is positionally right with the Lord God.  This individual is a new creation because they have been born again spiritually.  They now have the rights and privileges of an adopted child in the Kingdom of our God and King.  Today’s verses conclude with the phrase “so that your faith and hope are in God.”  Beloved, we have a faith and hope that is IN God.  It is not in ourselves.  It is not in the government.  It is not in other people.  It is not in economics or technology.  Our faith and hope are IN God.  This truth is a very byproduct of being in the right relational position with our loving Father.  Let me encourage you to spend the day thinking about the power found in this one aspect of your relationship with Jesus.  Worship Him without reservation because of this positional reality you are experiencing.

Questions:

1.  Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

2.  If you have, do you understand and recognize the positional significance of such a surrendered life?

Prayer: Father, I must admit that I often forget what pleasure I have in being Your adopted son.  I am permanently and forever in Your family.  This privilege alone ought to make me a worshipper of You, my Savior and Lord.  Please forgive me when I take my position for granted and ignore the cost this gift to me really cost You.  Be glorified my Lord.  Amen.

Holy Worship is Marked by One Being Set Apart FROM this World and FOR God's Work

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:14-16

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Insights:  Our final point this week is similar to the second point, but with a slightly different nuance.  Our second point this week was that we were to serve others.  In our verses today we see that we are called to live holy lives.  What you need to understand about that word holy is that it has two parts to it.  The word holy literally means to be set apart.  Here is where the two parts come into play.  We are set apart from this world and we are set apart for God’s work.  Today’s verses indicate both of these aspects of holiness.  Notice in verse fourteen that we are to not be conformed to our former lusts which we practiced in ignorance before we came to know Jesus personally.  This rejection of our former life is the same as being set apart from this world.  Verse fifteen, however, reflects the second aspect of holiness when it tells us to be holy in all our behaviors.  Our new behaviors, as a result of our lives being saved, ought to be different.  This difference is what is found in our being set apart for God’s work.  Now, having defined our terms, let me express the slightly different nuance between our second point this week and today’s point.  In the second point we learned we were to serve others.  In this fourth point we have finally gotten to the motivation of our service and that is because we have been set apart, made holy in God.  Our lives ought to look differently than the people of this worlds.  We are born again.  Our life style ought to be so radically different that a lost world would begin to question why we are so distinct in character.  We know the answer is because of God’s life changing work in us and His imputed holiness in our lives.  As we live this kind of distinction out before a lost world we are actually serving them, but the service is a byproduct of a changed life in Christ Jesus.  It is for this reason that we are able to say that our worship is relevant because we are holy people in Christ.

Questions:

1.  What old habits and patterns are your being set apart from in this world?

2.  What new habit or pattern are you being set apart for God’s work and Kingdom?

Prayer: Father, I understand that I am not holy because of me.  I am holy because You have imputed Your holiness into my life when I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  My prayer Lord, is that I am pleasing in Your sight as I walk a holy life in this world for Your glory.  Amen.

Holy Worship is Marked by Biblical Meditation

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Insights:  This third point this week is similar to the first point, but with a slightly different nuance.  The first point this week was that we needed to be having a daily quiet time in God’s Word.  Today’s verse takes that quiet time one step further.  Notice that today’s verse tells us to prepare our minds for action.  It also tells us to keep sober in spirit.  Finally it tells us to fix our hope completely on the grace of God.  My question to you would be, “How do we do these three things?”  The answer is simple and the answer is to memorize God’s Word.  Psalm 119:11 tells us to hide God’s Word in our hearts, that we may not sin against Him.  When we are in the practice of regularly memorizing Scripture an amazing thing happens to us.  As we are living life, we often are saying those verses we are working on in our minds.  Something might happen at work and those verses will pop into our minds and we will have a brief moment of reflection on them and how they are applicable to our lives.  We stay more focused and committed to the high calling we have in Christ Jesus when we have His Word memorized.  There is another thought I would like you to consider regarding the memorization of Scripture.  We are living in a world that is increasingly becoming hostile toward Christianity.  What would happen if some kind of legislation were passed that could have you arrested for being a follower of Jesus?  What if in this scenario that they refused to allow you to read God’s Word in your prison cell?  If that happened, would you have a large portion of God’s Word to feed off of daily or would you only have a handful of His word bopping around your head?  Beloved, let me challenge you to memorize Scripture.  Memorizing Scripture has an amazing way of helping us to meditate throughout the day on God’s Word.  As we are meditating on God’s Word, then we are in the process of preparing our minds for action.  Those Scriptures help us to be sober in spirit; and finally, they help us to fix our hope on Jesus’ return.  One last thought, as we memorize Scripture, the more our lives reflect holiness.

Questions:

1.  Are you memorizing Scripture?

2.  If you were locked in prison with no access to the Bible, how much of God’s Word would you have?

Prayer: Father, You tell me that I have the mind of Christ.  Let me learn Your Word because You have it all perfectly memorized.  Help me to be disciplined in my memorizing the Bible.  May I then meditate on those Words I have memorized through out my daily routine of living life.  Amen.

Holy Worship is Marked by Service for Others

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:12

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

Insights:  In today’s verse we observe another truth regarding those prophets of old.  Not only did they spend time in God’s Word, but they did this so that they could serve us.  Notice that verse twelve tells us they were not serving themselves, but us.  How were they serving us?  By reading the Scriptures and allowing God to speak to them through those words, they were able to receive new insights from the Lord regarding the coming Messiah.  As the Holy Spirit would reveal those prophetic messages these men of God would write them down for us.  As a result there were over 360 prophecies about the Messiah and the Messiah, Jesus, had to fulfill every single one of them in order to be the Messiah.  If He failed to meet just one, then He was not the Messiah.  By God’s providential love and plan, Jesus has indeed met them all.  He is the Son of God.  In writing those prophetic words those prophets were really serving us so that we would be ready to recognize the Messiah when He came.  We can learn from their example that for our worship to be holy, then some kind of sacrificial service to other people must be a part of our lives.  I think this may be one of the areas in which we are the weakest in the body of Christ, the local church.  What I mean by this sentence is not that we don’t serve, but rather that our service is often inwardly focused only.  We do a great job of serving the local church and its membership, but the service of the prophets was to reveal to those who did not have a relationship with the Lord about His coming in flesh.  If we honestly recognize this distinction, then we must ask ourselves how well we are at serving the lost community around us.  It is my fear that we would not get a very good evaluation for this kind of effort.  Beloved, let me challenge you today to look for an opportunity to serve a person you believe may be lost and in need of the saving power of Jesus.  Once you find the opportunity, go all the way and serve that person.

Questions:

1.  Are you looking for ways in to serve others in your worship of the Lord?

2.  What have you done most recently to serve another person?

Prayer: Father, forgive me of those times in which I have felt Your prick to serve another person and I rebelled against Your love.  Help my heart to be more serving in nature so that I reflect Your love to a world in desperate need of a Savior.  Amen.