1 Peter 1:13-25, The key to real change starts in the mind

Timeline (key events):

~33 A.D.	Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection
~48	First book: I Thessalonians
64	Fire destroys most of Rome;  Nero blames Jews (means Christians too)
~65	1 Peter
~68	Death of Peter (historically crucified head down)
70	Jerusalem and Temple destroyed
~90-100	Last books: John, 1 2 & 3 John, and Revelation

A.D. means Anno Domini
B.C. means Before Christ


1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV) — 13 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.”


• Peter starts out by telling us to prepare "your minds."  Why "your minds?"
• Someone has said, "you are what you think" … [YA (young adults): some of you are anime characters or heroes in a TV show or whatever you spend the majority of your time thinking about]
• What do you spend the most time thinking about?
• Romans 12:2 (ESV) — 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
• How do we do that?
• Your mind is fashioned by what you feed it …
• The key is spending consistent time in God's word
• What does sober-minded mean in context? What does sobriety imply?
• The opposite of sobriety is to lose control
• A sober-minded person is not pushed here and there by different winds of doctrine
• Peter gives us 3 specifics to prepare your minds for action, what are they?
1. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus is revealed. What do we hope for?
2. Do not conform to the passions of former ignorance. Conform is the idea of fashioning yourself (see Logos)
3. Be holy. Holiness means to be separate
/* SKIP NEXT */
• First.  Set you hope …
• What does that mean?
• What do we live for … what excites us … what is our reward
• Second.  Do not conform to evil desires
• How does that happen?
• The things of the world become more important than the things of God
• Third.  Be holy
• What does the word "holy" mean?
• It means "set apart"
• Many of the rules of the OT were meant to set the Jewish people apart from their neighbors so that people would inquire about their lifestyle
• Today, we are not under the OT law, yet how do we set ourselves apart?
• It is our actions for others
• [YA: What do you do that really makes you any different from others around you?]


1 Peter 1:17–21 (ESV) — 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.


• What does v17 mean … "a Father who judges each man's work impartially?"
• God judges people
• Does that mean He judges believers?
• Yes
• 1 Corinthians 3:10–17 (ESV) — 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
• What does it mean "to live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear?"
• There should be a seriousness to how we live our lives
• We have been warned
• Yes, we are eternally secure if we have trusted Christ, but there is great shame and great reward depending on what we invest our lives in …
• [YA: what are you investing your life in?]
• What is Peter's reason for why we need to live for God?
• We were redeemed … But what does that mean?
• We were bought, paid for … But what does that mean?
• Our lives are not our own, they were purchased by God and for God … at a very great price
• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
• 1 Corinthians 7:23 (ESV) — 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.


1 Peter 1:22–25 (ESV) — 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.


• "Obeying the truth" refers to our initial act of faith -- the result is that our souls have been position-ally  purified.  We call this "justification," meaning "it's just as if I'd never sinned"
• The challenge to live holy is part of the process we call sanctification.  That is what Peter is primarily addressing
• Peter mentions one of the results of the new birth, what is it?
• A sincere love
• What is meant by sincere love?
• John 13:34–35 (ESV) — 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
• What is the opposite of love?
• Selfishness
• How do you know if your life is characterized by love or selfishness?
• Think of someone, whom you consider a good example of loving -- how are you like or unlike that person?
• Peter mentions that we have been born again of imperishable seed … meaning our new birth results in an imperishable life.  He then quotes a passage in Isa 40:6-8, what is the point he is trying to make?
• Physical life is short
• Our spiritual life is eternal
• The word of God is the imperishable seed, and it is what can change our minds


APPLICATION:
Redeem our minds (Word of God can change our thinking)
Live holy lives because
We've been bought
Physical life is very short
Holy lives
Fearful of the taint of sin
Characterized by love for others
You are what you think -- what do you want to become?