1 Peter 2:4-10 – The Unique Identity of God’s People

Peter is ready to close this first section of his letter. He has been hammering away at the fact that Christians are strangers in this present world. Because of our salvation we have new life, new hope, and a new treasure. These truths ought to affect the way we live – there should be a difference between the children of God and the people of the world. This last section reinforces these themes but in a different way. Peter again considers our identity this time using the temple and ancient Israel as pictures of our unique identity.

1. Christians Are the New Temple of God

1 Peter 2:4-8(nkjv) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 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." 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," and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

A. Christ is the Cornerstone of the Temple
• The Cornerstone Determines the Shape of the Building
• How You Respond to the Cornerstone Determines Your Destiny
• God’s Plan Includes Your Response to His Son

B. Christians are the Building Blocks of the Temple

C. Christians are the Priests of the Temple

2. Christians Are the New People of God

1 Peter 2:9-10  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

A. The Unique Identity of God’s People
• A Chosen Generation – Emphasizes God’s Purposes
• A Royal Priesthood – Emphasizes Our Purpose
• A Holy Nation – Emphasizes Our Purity
• A Peculiar People – Emphasizes God’s Possession

B. The Important Purpose of God’s People

C. What Makes It All Possible – God’s Mercy

1 Peter 1:13-21 — What the life of God’s children ought to look like.

Peter has just finished his hymn of praise to God for our amazing salvation. In it he praised God that we were saved by his mercy and kept by his power. When God saved us by his mercy and grace he gave us new life, new hope, and new treasure. God then promises that we are kept by his power, even in the midst of all kinds of trials. What an amazing salvation! I hope you can never get over the salvation that God has given you through the death of his Son. Peter never got over it. This amazing salvation becomes the very foundation for everything Peter tells us to do. As we shall see, Peter gives us some strong commands that will take great effort to keep. And he knows that we will be tempted to say, “why should I do this?” So he gives us the answer – because God saved you by his mercy.

1. Set Your Hope in Future Grace (v.13)
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
The first thing that Peter tells us to do is to set our hope in future grace. You have been saved by God’s past grace, now live by God’s future grace. The Christian life is to be a life of hope.  

One day Christ will return to rescue his church. He will rescue us from our own sin, and from this world. You have to keep that future rescue in mind.

How do we do this? Peter describes how we are to set our hope on future grace:
A. By “girding up the loins of our mind” – This means to prepare our minds for vigorous activity. “Roll up the shirt sleeves of your mind”  fixing your hope on a promised future rescue can be a difficult thing in the midst of trying circumstances. It takes mental toughness to keep your hope fixed on God.
B. By “being sober” – This means that we are to be self disciplined in our thinking. We are to let nothing hinder or weaken or cloud our thinking.

Get tough! God saved you by his grace! You are his child now. You have a new home in heaven. Someday God will come and take you out of this world. So don’t live for this world, don’t fear those in this world, don’t act like those in this world. Fix your hope on God and his gracious promises! That is what you are to be living for!

2. Be Holy in All You Do (vv. 14–16)
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The next thing Peter commands us to do is to live holy lives. God saved you by his grace. You are his child now. Now God calls you to be an obedient child, a holy child. God calls you to be holy.
A. The foundation for the call – We are to be holy because God himself is holy. One of the ways that the Bible describes salvation is in the picture of birth. We are born again. We saw that earlier in this chapter. Now we are commanded to show some family resemblance – “Like Father, like child” If we say that we are part of God’s family, yet have little or no resemblance to our father, then something is seriously wrong!
B. The explanation of the call – What does it mean to be holy? Peter tells us, it is not living like we used to – according to our former ignorant desires. Before people are saved the bible describes them as being slaves to sin. Being enslaved by their sinful desires. They are trapped. Their sinful heart tells them to do something and they helplessly have to obey. But when God saves us he rescues us from those sinful desires. They are still present, but they are like an overthrown dictator trying to tell us what to do, we might listen, but we don’t have to. Sin’s power and dominion is broken.
C. The extent of the call – “be holy in all manner of conversation” in the whole of your life. There are not any areas in your life that are off limits to God’s demand for holiness. God commands you to be holy, like he is, in every area of your life. It is not enough to be holy at church, you must be holy at home, and at school. Be holy as you read your bible daily, and be holy in the locker room. Every area of your life should be holy!

3. Live in Fear of God (vv. 17–21)
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Peter again reminds us that we are exiles. We are living a life of sojourning – lit. a time of stay among strangers. You are strangers on this earth. How then should you live? You should live in fear of God. Not so much a cowering before God, but a reverential awe of our Almighty Heavenly Father.

The foundation of our reverential fear:
(1) God is still judge.
(2) God redeemed you.
Redemption: Here we have one of the most majestic passages in the bible on the subject of our redemption. The Bible uses many powerful pictures to describe all that took place when God saved us. One of we were adopted, we were born again, we were ransomed, we were set free, we were reconciled, we were justified, we were redeemed. We were bought back. Here Peter says that we were redeemed from the empty life of our forefathers. Everyone around us in America today is living an empty life if they are not saved by God’s grace, and that is the life from which we were redeemed! And this redemption came at the cost of God’s very Son. This redemption was God’s plan from the very beginning, and it is accomplished by the power that raised Christ from the dead. That is the hope you have! God poured out all of his wrath upon his sinless son to rescue you from sin and death and hell, and then he raised his Son from the dead so that you would know that your hope is in a powerful and living God!

Now tell me that doesn’t affect how you live. God did all of that for you and you are going to go on listening to your godless music and watching your godless and wicked TV and movies and telling dirty jokes and gossiping, and living apathetic lives and so on? God saved you by his grace and made you his child at the cost of his Son. He gave you a new home to look forward to, he gave your life meaning and hope, he gave you treasure that this world can’t ever imagine or take away. So don’t live for this world! It is not your home. Fix your hope on God’s future grace! Live holy lives! Fear your God!

If you really were living your life so that you were focused on God’s future grace, If you really were living a holy life, if you really did fear God, what would your life look like?

Late Night Marathon

"How?"

"Do you recognize these horses?"

"Beef jerkey, anyone have a stick of beef jerkey?"

I didn't manage to get any pictures at the YMCA, so the rest of these are from the bowling alley.

Evangelistic Meetings, Leadership Conference, and Late Night Marathon

Well it is finally here! This week we have Evangelist Brad Harris speaking at special meetings every night. Evangelist Harris spoke Sunday for S.S., A.M. Worship, and again in the evening and all three messages were very biblical and challenging. I hope that all the youth will make every effort to attend as many meetings as possible. These meetings are an important part of the life of our church and we should pray for them that God's Spirit would be at work in hearts, and we should attend as many as possible that His Spirit may work in our own hearts.

This Friday also has two very important events in our Youth Ministry. First will be a day long conference on Leadership. Evangelist Kevin Brownfield will be speaking at this conference and we look forward to his ministry to us. Christian Leadership is a very vital topic that we need to consider carefully for the message that the world gives constantly about leadership is almost directly opposed to that which the Bible presents. I praise God for the godly young men and women that God has give our Youth Group that already act as good leaders. It is a rare thing that a youth group of any size would have so many that I would consider as godly leaders. Yet there is always room for growth in each of our lives in this area and we must constantly endeavor to build up the next group of leaders to replace those that graduate each year. I am very excited to see what God will do in the lives of our teens (and those from other churches that are coming) through this time of instruction.

Following the conference we will jump right in to our yearly Late Night Marathon. This event as most of you know already is one of the high points of our year in the youth group. Bible Quizzing, Fun Time, Food, Games at the YMCA, Bowling, etc. fill up a night of great fun. It also serves as a great opportunity to invite those from outside our church to come and have fun with Christian young people, become acquainted with our church and youth ministry, and to sit under the preaching of the gospel. Please make every effort to attend and please be inviting friends and neighbors to come out for this event. 

I am very excited to see what God is going to do in our church and youth group this week.

In Case You Missed It...

Thanks for the birthday wishes everybody! My birthday has never been so....red & white!

1 Peter 1:3-12 Praise to God!

On Wednesday Nights we have been studying the book of 1 Peter. 

We have noted that the theme of this important book of the Bible is "Standing in God's Grace While Walking in a Wicked World."

Last night we looked at 1 Peter 1:3-12

1 Peter 1:3-12 – Praise to God

Having reminded us of our relationship to this world (we are foreigners, pilgrims, strangers) and of our relationship to God (we are his children by his choice) Peter now opens the main part of his letter by giving an extended praise to God. It is sort of a hymn of praise and worship to God.

I.        Praise God because he has saved us by his mercy(1:3-4)

1 Peter 1:3-4   ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  ⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

A.      We are given new life through his life.

Peter says we were begotten us again – we were born again. We were given new life.

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

B.       We are given new hope in this life.

Because our Lord is living (he is raised from the dead) our hope is a living hope. Unlike the dead and empty hopes of the world our hope is living.

C.       We are given new treasure in the next life.

One of the unique things about our salvation is that we don’t receive all the benefits of it right away. There is a big part of our salvation that is yet to come – it is our inheritance. God describes this inheritance as a permanent inheritance. Unlike the treasures of this world our inheritance cannot fade or ruin or be destroyed. And this inheritance is kept in heaven for us.

Matthew 6:19-21   ¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

II.         Praise God because he has kept us by his power (1:5-12)

1 Peter 1:5-12   ⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  ⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  ⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  ⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:  ⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  ¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  ¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  ¹² Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

A.      He has kept us through faith for a future salvation

God is guarding us. He is keeping us by his power – what an amazing thought. We are kept by God’s power by means of our faith unto our future salvation. There is coming a day when we will finally be saved from even the very presence of sin. God is keeping us for that day, though we walk in a wicked world, by giving us faith to endure to the very end.

B.       He has kept us in the midst of various trials

This world is no longer our home. And it is often the case that the world does not like to hear that. It bristles at those who woul d live their life different from them, with different identities and values then they have. Therefore it has often been the case, and will continue to be so that those that are saved and live godly lives shall suffer various trials. What is to be our response to these trials? God gives us four responses to these trials that we should have.

C.       How we should respond to these trials

1.   We should to rejoice in these trials

a.       Because they prove our faith is genuine

The word trial here carries the idea of proven genuineness. It has been tested and proven to be authentic. When we go through trials and come out still standing strong in our faith we can rejoice because that is a sign that our faith is real.

b.       Because genuine faith brings God glory

This kind of faith brings glory to God because it shows his value. When we are willing to hold on to our faith and profession even when it means we will suffer that shows the world that God means more to me than their opinion, my comfort, my stuff. God is enough for me, take what you want, but you can’t take Him or the treasure he has laid up in heaven.

2. We should love God in these trials

a.       Though we have not seen him

So many today question God, get angry at God, and hate God when things get tough. Yet real faith loves him, even though we have never seen him.

3. We should believe in God in these trials

a.       Though we do not see him now

We should trust God, believe in him, even though we don’t see him right now. We look all around us and it seems as if God is not there, yet we know he is. We believe that he is there, and in control, and good. We trust him. We have to.

        4.  We should rejoice in these trials

a.       With inexpressible and glorious joy

Wait a minute you say, you already said we should rejoice in these trials. Well I guess God wanted us to hear it again. Our rejoicing should be characterized by unexplicable and glorious joy.

Something seems different...CBCYM 2.0

For those of you who might be wondering, yes the CBC youth web page has gotten a face lift. From time to time I like to change things up a little around here and it seemed like time for a change. But the design of the web page is not the only thing that will be changing around here. It is my desire to make this web page more than just a place to post pictures of recent events. From now on I would like to also 

1. Post the lesson notes following Wednesday Night and Sunday School. (this is for the benefit of the parents and for the teens who occasionally have to miss a lesson, please don't let this become an excuse for not attending) 
2. Continue to post announcements for upcoming events.
3. Continue to post pictures of our events and activities.
   
4. I also want to regularly have discussions about various topics and provide opportunities for you to ask questions. On most Fridays a new discussion or topic will be posted. 
   
5. Occasionally post other challenges or thoughts throughout the week.
   

Hopefully this web-page will be a more helpful tool in your growth as Christians.

If you have any questions or comments you can leave them below or e-mail me at pastorryan@ymail.com

Please also remember that your comments are moderated through me before they are posted online and I ask that there be no anonymous comments.

God Bless You,

Pastor Ryan

Huskers Game - Saturday October 3rd

Quotes from the night:
"Yeah!!!"
"Wrong team!"
"What are you cheering for? That was the instant replay!"
"Well, replays are made for people who miss it the first time!"
"C'mon Huskers!!"

Youth Activity Night Sept 27th

We had a great time at the Youth Activity Night on Saturday--thanks to all who came out to join us! Since there are few nights left with enough sunlight to play outdoor games we opted to start outside with a game of Crusader Ball. Everyone got their exercise running the field with that game! Sorry the pictures aren't so great, it's hard to get action shots in the semi-dark!








When we couldn't stand the bugs anymore and it was too hard to see the ball we moved inside and decided to play some Knock-out.

Nebraska's First National Hoops Tournament

National Hoops Team is Coming This Week!

Just a friendly reminder that the National Hoops Team is coming to CBC this week. The team will run a week-long spiritual emphasis week in Park Avenue Christian School. They will then run an all day 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Saturday which will serve as an opportunity to give out the gospel to all those that attend.

The team is lead by Evangelist Mike Washer and his family:

The team also consists of four college students that have committed to travel for the Fall semester. Their names are: 

Keri

Brittany

Stephen

and Ben

Please do two things: 

1. Pray - please pray that God will work this week in our own hearts as well as in the hearts of those lost teens that come and hear the message of the gospel. We need God to work! Without God all of our work is in vain. We need His Spirit to move and work in hearts and lives if anything of eternal benefit is to be accomplished.

2. Invite - be courageous and invite those teens you know (i.e., friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.) to come out. It is our duty to be faithful in giving the gospel and this is a way in which you can do so. Simply pray that God would lay someone on your heart and prayerfully and sincerely invite them to come out on Saturday. Offer to play on their team. 

Chivalry in the works...

This weekend's youth activity will take place in Lincoln where everyone will stay overnight. The girls get to sleep in a house with a mattress under them, a roof over them, and the joy of air conditioning all around them. The guys, chivalrous as they are, will sleep outside in a tent. And before they can sleep in it they have to set it up. Hmmm.... Last night we did a trial run to see if we had all the parts. Here's how it went...



Yeah, we should have some fun stories to tell after this weekend!!

Pastor Ryan's Ordination

Hey guys, it's Mrs. Coon writing today. I wanted to post some pics of Pastor Ryan's ordination for the many parents and youth that couldn't be at the festivities this past weekend due to vacations, work, etc. The ordination went well--yes, he passed! (thankfully I won't have to send back that book I bought for him!!) There was a really nice meal after the morning service and a special ordination service in the afternoon. Many thanks to all the youth who sang at the service and especially to all those who put so much work into the entire weekend. Our family feels truly blessed to be able to minister here with and to you all!

Pastor Ryan's Challenge to the Parents

For those parents that were unable to attend the Parent-Teen night I wanted to make available the challenge that I shared. Kaleb took the teens and shared a challenge with them so that I could speak with the parents and share a challenge that God had laid on my heart.

Raising our Children to Hope in God

Parent/Teen Activity August 1, 2008

Psalm 78:4-7   ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.  ⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  ⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  ⁷ That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.

The Command (v.5) 

Parents must teach their Children the things of God! The Bible is clear that the primary spiritual responsibility in the upbringing of our children lies with the parents.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7   ⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  ⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Ephesians 6:4   ⁴ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot delegate it to Sunday School Teachers, or other friendly aids, these can assist us, but cannot deliver us from the sacred obligation… mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, command their households in the fear of God, and talk with their offspring concerning the wondrous works of the Most High. Parental teaching is a natural duty — who so fit to look to the child’s well-being as those who are the authors of his actual being? To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse than brutish. Family religion is necessary for the nation, for the family itself, and for the church of God.… Would that parents would awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter. It is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be an accepted work, for God has saved the children through the parents’ prayers and admonitions.” (Mornings and Evenings, July 11^th evening).

 

The Goal (v. 7)

1.       That Our Children Would Hope in God

You will hopefully notice the inward out emphasis of this passage -- It all starts with the heart. The Psalmist starts with focusing on the hearts of our children and he says that the goal of our instruction must ultimately be aimed at their hope or faith in God. This should be our chief desire with our children, that they hope in God. If we don’t achieve this then everything else is of little value. We should not be content with “good kids” that outwardly conform to the rules. We should constantly strive to make sure that their hope is in God.

2.       That Our Children Would Remember God’s Works

This second goal is related to the first. If our children are to hope in God it will also mean that they will remember his works -- they will not forget what he has done. This is essential if they are to hope in God, for how can we expect them to hope in a God they don’t know -- and how can they know God apart from what he has done. Thus we should constantly be pointing them back to what God told us he has done in the Word of God. For the Bible is ultimately a revelation of who God is by recording what he has said about himself and what he has done in history.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25   ²⁰ And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you?  ²¹ Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:  ²² And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:

 ²³ And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.  ²⁴ And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  ²⁵ And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

3.       That Our Children Would Keep God’s Commandments

Having started with the heart, the Psalmist moves now to consider obedience to God’s commands for surely little else reveals the heart as well as how well we keep God’s commands. Certainly it is possible to have outward conformity to a set of biblical standards without a heart for God…just ask the Pharisees. But it is not possible to have a heart for God that doesn’t affect our obedience.

John 14:15  ¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21   ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:

John 14:23   If a man love me, he will keep my words

John 15:10   ¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;

John 15:14   ¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

The Method (v. 4)

1.       Show them God’s Praises

When the Psalmist says that he will show the generation to come the praises of God the point is that he will tell them about God’s praiseworthy acts. He will recount to them that which God has done in history and in his own life. Again Deuteronomy 6:20-25 illustrates this point. If you want your children to know and love God, to hope in Him, you cannot expect this to grow in a vacuum. You must realize that love for and hope in God grows under the fertilizer of recounting God’s majesty.

“My child, you must love and hope in God, and let me tell you why. He is altogether lovely and He will never fail you. He is the most beautiful and wonderful one whom you could love. He is the One whom you can trust though all else may fail you. Listen to how he proved his faithfulness to people long ago…and let me tell you how He has proved himself faithful in my own life.”

2.       Show them God’s strength

Again, if we are endeavoring to raise our children to hope in God, we must tell them about God’s strength. He is a Mighty God! He is Almighty, therefore you can trust in Him!

“A mighty fortress is our God! A bulwark never failing.” Do you believe that? If you don’t first believe that then it won’t matter how much you tell you children to hope in him. You must first believe this truth deep down in your heart. And you must believe it so much that it affects the way you live. Show them God’s strength by showing them how much you trust in his strength. When they see that, it will be a great encouragement to trust in God themselves.

3.       Show them God’s wonderful works

The way to encourage your children to hope in God is to tell them about God’s wonderful works. Make your family devotional time a time of exciting discovery. When you read the stories of what God has done in the past seek to do so in a way that causes wonder. Too often we recount God’s works without a sense of wonder – we become dulled by way of familiarity to the wonder of God’s amazing working. Pray that God would restore a sense of wonder to you in your own life so that your children can see it and know that God is a God they can hope in because he truly is wonderful.