Rejoicing in our living hope Session 3: Our Calling

I Peter 1:13-25 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass     and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers,     and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action…. Therefore…Reference to (what Jill taught…our hope) Literal from the Greek “gird up the loins of your mind” Image of wrap up robe to run Loins =s creative, life producing part of the human Not mind the way we think of it but….rather Mind in the greek assumes understanding, motivation, desires, immagination not just our ‘fact processing ability” which is a modern definition of the mind as more separated Immagination is often what motivates us –MOLE illustration by Paul Cox There fore practice in your minds, imagine this situation…imagine your self as picked by God, kept by God, given a hope that no one can wreck….that is the preparation for action and life What flows from us should be…

And being sober-minded… God gives us the metaphor of drunkness— What does it mean to be sober minded? Sober—we think of serious, thoughtful, especially not having judgement cloud by our appettites drunkness--clouded judgement, slow response, unaware of reality, able to be manipulated or controlled by others, out of control,

…Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is calledFaithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in[b] blood, and the name by which he is called isThe Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule[c] them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written,King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 19:11-15 Fully---completely Grace—God leans in towards us—his favor How often do we set our hope partially— Revelation of Jesus Christ—implies that he isn’t fully revealed yet! When he returns and makes all things right. Sounds terrifying but….we get grace….how amazing

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance… Our obedience as CHILDREN—implies trust in a good Father not a manipulative, angry, or coercive parent—may we not be that as mothers Conformed—shaped, patterned after, fashioned after in the Greek, Passions—in the greek refers to desires or lusts Former ignorance—many were former idol worshipers, their evenings were spent telliing stories for entertainment about the gods who were completely ruled by their passions and terrifying in their unpredictable vengeance Also, experienced pleasure literally in feasting, drinking, prostitution, etc in the temples. Taught to desire by their patterns of worship. Fears and reactions and lusts for all the things associated with idol worship. Pontus—archeology found ruins of Hittite temple with sacred prostitution in honor of goddess ma BBC in 2013—revival of Greek idol worship "People want to identify with something in the past - where they came from - so as to know where they are going," says Trivoulides. "If you don't know your past, you don't have a future. "It's going back to the roots. It makes me feel the continuation through the millennia.”

but as he who called you is holy… 16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Exodus 19:16-20 Holy--we think perfect but that is not the complete picture greek hagios—different unlike other God is completely other than us in every way-- None like him quote—p19 Bible gives us a great metaphor—Mt Sinai—The physical earth trembles at the presence of its creator Tim Keller says difference is God come down—not man tries to reach up to God James KA Smith be holy in all your conduct-–implies we purposefully live, our lifestyle so that we are holy. There is some other way to live than that

…you also be holy in all your conduct,  since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  “Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God’s judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word. ” ~ J.C. Ryle, Holiness No man should desire to be happy who is not at the same time holy. He should spend his efforts in seeking to know and do the will of God, leaving to Christ the matter of how happy he should be.—A W Tozer God is incomprehensible. This does not meant that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known. It is the joyful duty, the delightful task of his children to spend their lives, both this one and the next, discovering who he is. --Jen Wilkin, None Like Him How in the world are we to be holy? Why would God ever call us to be holy? Wouldn’t it be better for him to let us walk the earth as the great contrast to his greatness and perfection? NO! He picks us, leans in grace towards us, invites us into communion with his triune self!!!!! So our pursuit of holiness is NOT about us being good enough to get salvation from God (that is selfish) He Justifies while we don’t deserve and can’t measure up Our pursuit of holiness is to get God him self and to receive all the blessings that have already been made available to us in Jesus Habit and efforts—get the order right Don’t participate in evil and don’t participate in even the good that would become an idol in our lives—that habit of worship would train/fashion/conform our hearts to desire other than Jesus What are our habits and efforts we spend pursuing God? James K A Smith says……

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the 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. Greek—Doxa—splendor, weight, intrinsic worth, brightness, etc

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God Literally read “The souls of you having been purified” –this does NOT imply that we purify ourselves but if our pursuit of holines is part of the progress of sanctification than we in our habits and efforts toward pursing God’s mind and love to others will be receiving the blessing of purified souls Obedience—again that imagery of children The truth—who we are, who God is, Indicative leads to imperative There fore Love—agape-–wish well, take pleasure in, long for, esteem earnestly—Ektenos—fully stretched, extended out completely taut, or run at full speed Brotherly love--Philadelphia Imperishable-–hints again at our HOPE Abiding—never ending

And this word is the good news that was preached to you. All flesh is like grass     and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers,     and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. This is the good news? We die and fade? Yes, Isaiah 40—major passage of comfort to God’s people of salvation This is the G

All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass All flesh is like grass     and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers,     and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the lord remains forever