Encouragement to Run the Race
Introduction
- The Christian life is likened to running a race
- The key is to persevere and keep going
- Often encouragement is needed
- The key is to persevere and keep going
- Peter is encouraging Christians to run well
- Even when we face various trials
- 1 Peter 5:12 – to encourage you
- Peter is reminding Christians of the blessings we have in Christ Jesus
- Our response should be lives lived in obedience
- Peter is remiding Christians to feed on God’s word (2)
- Concentrating on 2:4-12
- v11-12 is a good summary
- The wonder and privilege of being part of Christ’s Church
- Overview:
- Don’t underestimate the wonder of Christ’s Church
- Don’t miss the centrality of Christ
- Don’t forget our privilege is for Christ’s glory through His Church
Don’t underestimate the wonder of Christ’s Church
- Peter is reminding the Church in case they do forget
- They might fall small, ostracised and of little significance
- We might feel like this
- They might fall small, ostracised and of little significance
- We come to the living stone
- Remember Peter’s name change to Cephas – the rock (John 1:42)
- Peter is now speaking of a better Rock
- A Rock that was spoken of in the Old Testament
- The pattern:
- Suffering and then glory
- A living stone
- Remember Peter’s name change to Cephas – the rock (John 1:42)
- God’s people met with God in the Temple
- We are the living stones being built into a spiritual house
- We are not individual Christians
- We are called to be part of a body/building
- We are the priesthood
- We are the ones who serve – offering spiritual sacrifices
- Romans 12:1
- We are to give ourselves completely to God
- We are the living stones being built into a spiritual house
- We may feel that the world has left us behind and speaking up brings hostility
- Yet we see the wonder of Christ’s Church and God’s people
- It is amazing that Christ’s glory is in us
- God is with us as we serve Him
- Our spiritual sacrifices are not missed by God
Don’t miss the centrality of Christ
- This may be obvious but we often need reminding of this
- Not to put ourselves first
- Jesus is at the centre
- Old Testament scriptures
- Isaiah – 3 passages
- Ps 118
- Ex 19
- Isa 28:16
- A passage about Jerusalem
- It is about trust in the stone laid in Zion, not in themselves
- Jesus is a cornerstone for a straight foundation
- Ps 118:22
- A prophecy that Christ will be rejected
- Peter now sees Christ’s suffering
- Isa 8:14
- Warning for Israel not to stray, otherwise the stone will make them stumble
- A reminder of the prophecy in Daniel
- Jesus is the stone that will break all other stones
- There is no promise of hope outside Christ
- It will be a stone of stumbling
- Do not make Church about us – Christ is the cornerstone
- We have nothing to offer, other than Christ
- We must trust on the Word
- We must lean on Christ
Don’t forget our privilege is for Christ’s glory through His Church
- v9-10
- We are chosen people
- By God’s grace
- Because of God’s favour
- Ex 19:3-6
- All of our privilege is in Christ
- So that we may proclaim the praises of Christ
- It was God’s hand that led the people of Egypt
- God hold’s out His hand of grace to us
- Hosea 2:21-23 – A picture of the Gospel through Jesus Christ
- We preach Christ
- We declare His praises
- We tell of God’s love
- We abstain from fleshly lusts
- We are to have honourable conduct
- Be encouraged as God’s people
- Point people to Christ