This past Sunday, on August 9, 2015 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a message based out of 1 Peter 5:6-11. This message was part 10 in the “True Grace” sermon series. The audio and video of this message are posted below.
To download this message to listen to it later, click on the link below:
True Grace #10
To listen to the message below, use the online media player below:
To watch the sermon video, use the Vimeo video posted below:
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
On Sunday, August 9, 2015 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 1 Peter 5:6-11. This message was part 10 in the “True Grace” series. Below are a set of questions related to the message for personal or group reflection.
Questions:
To access the entire True Grace Study, click here.
I have a problem with my driveway. It wants to grow grass. All spring and summer, I can plant seeds, water, and fertilize my yard . . . and see no new grass grow. However, zipping back and forth across my driveway are shoots of green reaching for the sky.
To be fair, however, I must note that grass does not grow everywhere on my driveway, only in the cracks. This makes sense, doesn’t it? The concrete is too dense to allow anything up or down in most spots. Only where pressure and weakness have created a fissure can the unwanted grass make its way up. Only a squirt of Roundup can destroy these saplings.
I was thinking about that as I read 1 Peter 5:8-11. In these verses Peter warns Christians about Satan who is roaring about like a lion seeking to devour his prey. At first glance this section seems like a random conclusion to the letter. However, a second read reveals that the inclusion of these verses is very strategic and relevant to Peter’s argument.
As we have seen, the book of 1 Peter is about the grace God gives to Christians, allowing them to stand firm while they are living in the hostile environment of this world. Indeed, Christians were being persecuted and maligned for their faith, along with a number of other fiery trials. Life was hard. As Peter concluded his letter, he wanted Christians to realize that Satan wants to take advantage of these hard times to try to make Christians waver in their faith.
In a sense, Satan knows that in good times, our faith may remain as strong as concrete. However, Satan is waiting for the pressures of this life, persecution, and our own weaknesses to create fissures where his lies and temptations can take root and tear us down. Like grass peaking through my driveway, Satan wants his misery to overcome our firm foundation.
Have you ever seen this to be true in your life? I have felt it in mine. When things are good, we easily say God is good, but when life falls apart, we wonder if God cares at all. Too often we fail to call these doubts what they are: Satanic attacks. The devil is prowling around, waiting for life to wear us down, then he wants to pounce on our depression.
To combat this, Peter gives several exhortations to Roundup Satan’s lies:
As we live out our life in Christ, let us not allow Satan to exploit the cracks in our concrete to sprout forth his lies. Follow the exhortation of Peter and allow Jesus to round up the devil’s darts before they take root.
Join us this Sunday, August 9, 2015 at Wildwood Community Church in our 9:30 or 10:50 worship services as I preach a message based on 1 Peter 5:6-11.
To access the entire “True Grace” Study, click here.
To access the entire “True Grace” Study, click here.
To access the entire “True Grace” Study, click here.
To access the entire “True Grace” Study click here.
On Sunday, August 2, 2015, I preached a message at Wildwood Community Church based out of 1 Peter 5:1-5. This message was part 9 in the “True Grace” sermon series. The audio and video of the message are posted below for you to listen to, watch, or share.
To listen to the sermon online, use the media player below:
To download the sermon to listen to offline, click on the link below:
To watch the sermon, use the Vimeo video below:
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
On Sunday, August 2, 2015 I preached a message at Wildwood Community Church that was based on 1 Peter 5:1-5. This message was part 9 in the “True Grace” series. Below are a set of questions for personal reflection or group discussion related to this sermon.
Questions:
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
Adolescence. We have all been through it. You know, the time when you have lived through nothing but know everything? The time when you have more pimples than purpose? The time when you have more recreation than responsibility? The time when your parents were clueless and your peers were crafty? Yeah, you know the time. We all lived through it. In fact, I think we have all lived through it twice.
Twice? Are you serious? What kind of a cruel joke would it be to make someone relive 13-16 again? I mean seriously . . . there are many moments from those years I wish I could just cover with white out and move on. Why would anyone want to live through those years again? When I say we have lived through adolescence twice, I do not mean that we have grown up physically twice . . . but I do mean that as “born again” Christians, we have gone through a second “spiritual adolescence” at some point in our spiritual life.
Spiritual adolescence. We have all been through it. You know, the time when you lived through very little spiritually speaking, but know everything? The time when you have more opinions than wisdom? The time when those who walked with God for many years have “lost their fire” (in your estimation) while your campus group is the only one who is “doing the Christian life right?” Yeah, you know the time. If we are honest and self-aware enough, most of us have gone through a phase of our Christian life where we thought we knew it all. In 1995 that was me. Today, 20 years later, I am amazed at what I do not know. God, the Christian life, and ministry are simply too big to be totally figured out on a weekend retreat. It takes a moment for someone to become a Christian, but it takes time and experience to go from a spiritual babe to a man or woman of God.
I was thinking about that as I read 1 Peter 5:5. Peter encourages all young people in these verses to “be submissive to those who are older.” What is Peter getting at here? Is he indicating that old people are more righteous than young people? No, in Christ all are declared righteous and totally forgiven of their sins. Is he indicating that old people are more valuable? No, Jesus died for all people . . . no one is more valuable than anyone else. Peter writes to the early church and encourages its younger members to be submissive to its older members because there is wisdom with age. This wisdom cannot be learned through reading books alone, it is learned on the pages of real life. Walking with God while living life creates a depth of character, wisdom, and insight that cannot be microwaved. Because of this truth, Peter wants young people to submit to those who are further along than them because they have wisdom that young people need.
Like a teenager who learns how wise their parents were (after he turns 26), so “adolescent” believers learn how wise their elders are after they have weathered a few storms of their own.
I am writing this letter today as someone who sits squarely between two worlds. Around many in the church, I am the young guy . . . a nearly 42 year old dude who has yet to figure a lot of stuff out. Around youth and college students (much to my chagrin) I am becoming one of the old guys . . . having lived through enough decades to have a different perspective than just a twitter account and a facebook page. Being in this place gives me reason to apply this passage in two directions. If you are a “young person” be careful to not fall into the trap that “you are the only one doing it right.” Clothe yourself with humility and listen to the perspective of those further along than you. If you are an “elder,” live a life that is worthy of respect. Don’t just place your life in cruise control and coast into apathy. Continue to walk with God and trust Him on a daily basis. Be willing to share your life experience with younger men and women so that they can learn from the wisdom God has taught you over years of living.
Let’s all age well in the Lord together. After all adolescence is hard to go through . . . both times.
Join us this Sunday at 9:30 or 10:50 at Wildwood Community Church were I will be preaching on 1 Peter 5:1-5.
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
To access the entire “True Grace” study, click here.
