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Biblical
references in Gahanna-Jefferson Church of Christ's nondenominational sermon
outlines are linked directly to text of the King James version of the Bible.
Bible quotes you hear in the streaming audio may be from the New King James
version of the Bible.
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Introduction.
1. Having said that as Christians we are
a:
a. Chosen generation.
b. Royal priesthood.
c. Holy nation.
d. Special people, God’s own people.
2. Peter makes a heartfelt plea concerning our conduct before those in the world
-
1 Peter 2:11-12
3. As we consider this plea to pilgrims, remember that Peter is speaking by
inspiration; it is actually God who is making this plea!
Body.
I. The basis of the plea.
A. We are beloved.
1. Beloved by whom?
b. By Paul, James, John, & Jude, all of whom used this same term of endearment.
c. But most of all, we are beloved of God and Jesus! -
Romans 1:7;
Colossians 3:12
2. It is out such human and divine love that this plea is made.
B. We are all sojourners and pilgrims.
1. We have not yet reached your heavenly home.
2. As we will see later, failure to heed the plea will mean you will never reach
it!
3. In view of that real possibility, we find this plea made even in form of
begging!
C. We are engaged in warfare.
1. A war in which fleshly lusts wage war against the soul.
2. The outcome of this war will determine whether or not we will reach our
heavenly home.
D. We are being observed by others.
1. Some of which who often speak evil of you (even as they did of Christ).
2. But by heeding this plea, it is possible to cause those very ones who speak
evil of you to glorify God in the day of visitation.
a. This day of visitation might refer to the day of judgment.
b. In my opinion, it refers to the day when God’s grace is shown through a
presentation of the gospel to them -
Luke 19:44
c. In either case, we have an opportunity to bring glory to God by the way we
heed this plea.
II. The plea itself.
A. To abstain from fleshly lusts.
1. The word abstain means to hold one’s self constantly back.
2. From what are we to abstain?
a. Fleshly lusts, some of which are defined by Paul in
Galatians 5:19-21
b. Notice that they involve more than just sexual sins (such as fornication).
c. They also include sins of the “emotions” (hatred, outbursts of wrath,
jealousies, envy, etc.)
3. Why must we hold ourselves constantly back from these things?
a. According to Peter, they “wage war against the soul”.
b. According to Paul, they can keep us out of the kingdom of God!
- Galatians 5:21
c. So if we want to succeed in our spiritual pilgrimage and reach our heavenly
destination, we must heed this plea to pilgrims!
4. How can one abstain from fleshly lusts? In his epistles, Paul explains how.
a. Keep your mind on the things of the Spirit, and not on the things of the
flesh - Romans 8:5-6
b. Grow in Christ, and don’t provide opportunities for the fulfillment of
fleshly lusts - Romans 13:13-14
c. Should such opportunities arise, flee them (remember Joseph and Potiphar’s
wife?), and pursue after that which is good -
2 Timothy 2:22
B. To have honorable conduct.
1. The word honorable (honest, KJV) in the Greek is kalos.
a. It means that which is good, beautiful, harmonious, and lovely.
b. Our conduct is to be something beautiful and refreshing to behold.
2. We can have conduct that is honorable.
a. If on the one hand, we abstain from fleshly lusts.
b. And on the other hand, we do good works (good is the same word in the Greek
as honorable).
3. We have seen what are fleshly lusts, what good works can we do that are
beautiful to behold?
a. We can see to the needs of those who are poor, fatherless, widowed, sick, and
otherwise afflicted -
James 1:27
b. We can demonstrate love and hospitality to brethren, friends, neighbors, even
strangers - Hebrews 13:1-3
c. We can react kindly to those who despise us, speak evil of us, and mistreat
us - Luke 6: 27-31
4. The effect of such conduct is that it will likely prompt others to glorify
God!
b. Even those who at the present may speak against us as evildoers!
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conclusion.
1. By heeding this plea to pilgrims
as found in I Peter 2:11-12, it is possible to
accomplish several things at the same time.
a. We can save ourselves.
b. We can glorify God.
c. We might even help save those who presently speak evil of us!
2. As the people of God who have
obtained mercy (I Peter 2:10), can we do any less?
a. Abstain, then, from those fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul!
b. Conduct yourselves, then, in ways that are honorable and a thing of beauty
for others to behold!
3. In so doing, we each ensure the successful completion of our spiritual
pilgrimage!
Don Treadway,
October 2003 |
