1 Peter 02:09-12 A Plea to Pilgrims – audio

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Text: 1 Peter 2:9-12

Introduction

1. Having said that as Christians we are:

a. a chosen generation

b. a royal priesthood

c. a holy nation

d. God’s own special people

e. Peter makes a heart-felt plea concerning our conduct before those in the world

2. 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. YOU ARE BELOVED

1. Beloved by whom?

a. By Peter, of course – 1 Peter 2:12

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 of such human and divine love that this plea is made

B. YOU ARE SOJOURNERS AND PILGRIMS

1. You 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. YOU ARE ENGAGED IN WARFARE

1. A war in which fleshly lusts wage war against the soul

2. The outcome will determine whether or not we will reach our heavenly home

D. YOU 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 is the Day of Judgment

b. We have an opportunity to bring glory to God by the way we heed this plea

II. THE PLEA ITSELF

A. FIRST, THE PLEA BEGS US 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 – 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)

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, 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. THE PLEA ALSO BEGS US TO HAVE HONORABLE CONDUCT

1. The word honorable in the Greek is kalos

a. It means that which is good, beautiful, harmonious, and lovely

b. In other words, 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

3. We have seen what fleshly lusts are. 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!

a. As Jesus taught us – Matthew 5:16

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 1 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 (1 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 to behold!

3. In so doing, you will ensure the successful completion of your spiritual pilgrimage!

4. Speaking of the mercy of God, have you received the mercy that comes through the blood of Christ? – Acts 20:28