Sermon: Separate…But Shining
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 31:42
Size: 14.5 MB
New Life In The Same Old Place
“Separate…But Shining”
1 Peter 2:11-12
I. Separation & Indulgence
Though it is viewed differently in different Amish communities, there is in many places a period of time, called Rumspringa.
I mention it to you this morning because I found it an interesting lens through which to view the ideas of separation and indulgence.
II. Keep Your Conduct…Honorable (2:11-12)
We might think about that first section in terms of its focus on our identity in Christ, in light of our salvation in Christ.
But we need to dig deeper into these two verses so that we can strengthen our foundation for understanding what is coming up.
A. Sojourners & Exiles (2:11a)
And everything from this point on will be an explanation of how to live as exiles.
Notice that he is urging them to “abstain from the passions of the flesh” because they are “sojourners and aliens”.
You’ve become an exile without even leaving your house.
B. Passions Of The Flesh (2:11b)
Peter is saying, “If you really belong to God’s kingdom, then stay true to the values of your King.”
When we want what God wants, that is the will of God.
To indulge in such passions, to give in to our desires and not God’s, is not something we should ever minimize.
C. Among The Gentiles (2:12a)
But as we saw last week, Peter has identified his predominantly Gentile readers with the true Israel of God, the true people of God.
III. Radically Changed By An ‘Alien’ Power (2:12b)
Your abstinence in regard to world-satisfied desires, your “good deeds“, as Peter puts it here, will be used by God to change them.
But when Peter thinks about an ‘alien‘ power, he is thinking about the power of Jesus Christ, a power that is completely alien, completely foreign to this world system.
Do you believe that people around you can be radically changed when you are living a life of abstinence and honor because of Jesus?
Through Peter, God is calling us to be separate but shining; to be alien but appealing because of Jesus Christ.
But when the most recognizable marks of our separation are defined by things like clothing and electricity, we are missing what Peter is saying.
Only when we walk by faith with Jesus, because of His cross, can we die daily to what we want, and become people who live by that ‘alien‘ power that can change hearts.
Next Week
“Life Underneath”
1 Peter 2:13-17