Freed to Serve
April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17
This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you.
1.) Our identity defines our actions.
- We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home)
- We have a heavenly citizenship
Actions
- We abstain from the passions of the flesh
- Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people)
- Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners
“Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett
2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways)
- Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers
- Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation
3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist)
- Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake)
- This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad)
- The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people
4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom
- Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil
- We are freed to serve God
- Honor, Love, and Fear
Discipleship Questions:
1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior?
2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week?
3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism?
4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others?
5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing?
6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor?
7.) Should we fear the Emperor?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, April 6, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 1:13-21 Instruction —we should set our hope fully on Jesus "The certainty of our hope has a remarkable effect on our lives. Hoping Christians cannot live carelessly, seeking self-indulgence and pleasure.” —Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter —we should pursue holiness in all our conduct Motivation —the promises of God “Traditionally, we focus on the grace revealed in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and rightly so, since Jesus’ completion of the plan of redemption brings us peace with God. Nonetheless, Peter here says that the grace to come decisively affects the present. Our hope in the grace to be revealed prepares us for self-discipline and action today.” —Daniel M. Doriani, 1 Peter 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. —the holiness of God —the judgment of God “We cannot separate trust in God from the fear of God. We will trust Him only to the extent that we genuinely stand in awe of Him.” ―Jerry Bridges, The Joy of Fearing God “The reality and finality of God’s judgment are often affirmed; we are taught that Christ will be the Judge in that day. At the same time we are told that God’s verdict on us has already been pronounced; in Christ we are justified; we have passed from death to life. The Judge in the last day is our Savior.” —Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter —the love of God Psalm 34:22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. Discipleship Questions: What are some ways we can set our hope fully on Jesus? What are some obstacles to pursuing holiness in all our conduct? How can we resist the temptation to return to the passions of our former ways? Which aspect of this passage motivates you the most? The promises, holiness, judgment, or love of God? How can each of these motivations help us pursue holiness and live with hope in different seasons of life? How can we develop a biblical and healthy fear of God in our lives? How does the price Jesus paid to redeem us impact the way we live our lives?
