Becoming Holy! Sermon Four: Be Attractive 1 Peter 2:9-12 Page 1888

The Text: Prepare your minds for action. Have your hope fully grounded in the grace of God shown to us through Jesus (1:13). Consider your connections. Be changed or be ready to face the consequence of stumbling over Jesus. Be attractive!

The Test!!

More Hypocrites? Whose life did you watch as you were coming to Christ? What about their life, and life style, attracted you to Jesus? What did they teach you about sin, confession, and repentance?

What About You? Who is looking into your life in order to learn more about Jesus and being His disciple? How are you making following Christ attractive without lowering the standard? How do you handle the scrutiny?

1 Peter 2:9-12 Page But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,

1 Peter 2:9-10 Page 1888 that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy…

1 Peter 2:11 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

Verse Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (the same is said in Matthew 5:16).

The Rest of the Letter: Changes between 2:13-25 slaves and masters, 3:1-7 living a Christ centered home, 3:8-22 changed relationships with each other and those who accuse, 4:1-11 living for God, 4:12-19 suffering for doing good, and 5:1-11 Peter speaks to the elders about their responsibilities before he concludes with his final greetings in 5:12-14.

Taking It Home: Whose life are you watching, and how do they help you remain faithful? Who is watching you and how do you help them remain faithful? How attractive is Christ in your life? Are people attracted to you because you have the aroma of Christ?

Making the Connection Prayer, reading, meditation, bible study, small groups, worship, evangelism, discipleship, ministry, and fellowship are several ways to be with Jesus so that His aroma rubs off on you. How do these show up in your life?

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 on page But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

Living It!! Go and be smelly!!

Next Week: We begin a three part series about love. I have titled them “Our Call to Love,” “Our Example of Love,” and “Our Help to Be Loving.”