To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout the earth, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance. You are invited to come to the Wednesday evening prayer meeting and pray. (8:30 PM EDT Wed., Sept. 5, 2001)

This letter, written by the apostle Peter through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is written to us (as well as all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ down through the ages). We are identified as God's elect -- those who have been chosen for forgiveness of sins through the sprinkling of Jesus's blood and for obedience to him, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

After the "to" section of his letter -- the greeting -- Peter tells us that God has given us a new birth and that we are looking forward to a marvelous inheritance which he is keeping in heaven for us -- also, that our faith, which is of greater worth than gold -- that is, of greater worth than anything in this present world -- will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. And that we love Jesus. Even though we haven't seen him, we love him. God is giving us all these things -- a new birth, faith, an inheritance, and love for Jesus. Therefore, what must we do?

Today's passage starts out with the word "therefore." Peter is going to tell us what we should do as a result of what God has done for us -- what he has given us -- and notice that he has given us all these things. We have them.

Peter is going to tell us what we must do. In fact, he has devoted most of the rest of his letter to telling what we must do. The first thing that we have to do is to prepare our minds for action. What do you think it means to prepare your mind for action? Peter is not just telling you to expect something to happen. He is telling you to get ready to do something yourself.

And how do you prepare your mind for action -- to get ready to do something? The first thing is to be self-controlled. This means to live a disciplined life. If you set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed -- the praise and glory and honor. You will be able to live a disciplined life.

Peter tells us to live as obedient children -- to not conform to the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance. We are no longer ignorant. We know what our former condition was. We were enemies of God. He could have rightly taken out his wrath against us. He could have taken vengeance against us. But instead he had mercy on us and took the punishment upon himself. He suffered in our place.

We must not conform to the evil desires we had when we were ignorant, but instead, be holy in all that we do. We must be holy in all that we do. We must be holy because God is holy.

What does it mean to be holy? Jesus is our example. He is holy. He is God. Jesus called the crowd to him along with his disciples and told them, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34) Luke tells us that Jesus also said that you have to do this daily. (Luke 9:23) It's a way of living. It means that you have to give up your own will and desire and to follow Jesus. If anyone wants to save his own life, he will lose it. Jesus gave up his own life -- his own will -- his human will for comfort and security -- for human power and glory -- and suffered and died for us.

To be holy, we have to follow the example of Jesus in everything we do. The "What Would Jesus Do?" question of a couple of years ago is a good one. Do you ask that question about everything you do? Do you ask, "Will this thing I'm planning on doing make me more like Christ -- or less?" Do you ask, "Am I denying myself to help someone in need -- or am I saving my own life?" Do you ask, "Will this thing I'm doing or saying build up -- or will it tear down?" Do you ask, "Am I doing this for the glory of God -- or for my own human glory?" The apostle Paul wrote, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do it all for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

Do you do everything for the glory of God? Do you eat and drink for the glory of God? Do you work at your job for the glory of God? If you take a walk in the park, do you do it for the glory of God? If you watch a beautiful sunset, do you do it for the glory of God? If you read a story, do you do it for the glory of God? If you sit down to watch TV, do you do it for the glory of God? If you lead a bible study or lead people in worship, do you do it for the glory of God? Do you ask yourself if you are using the time God has given you to do what he wants you to do -- or for what you want to do? (If you can say yes to both -- for what he wants me to do and for what I want to do -- you are becoming more like Christ.)

I don't suppose that any of us can say that we do absolutely everything for the glory of God. (If you can say that, go directly to heaven.) Yes, it's true that we are not completely obedient children. We still tend to conform to the evil desires that defined who we were when we lived in ignorance. We are not perfectly holy as God is holy.

But God chose us -- he elected us -- for sanctification and obedience. Sanctification means making something holy. God chose us to make us holy. When God chooses to do something, he cannot and will not fail. He says that we will be like Jesus (1 John 3:2b). We have the cross as the sign of his commitment.

Don't you want to be like Jesus? -- to be pleasing to God in every way just as Jesus is? -- and to hear Jesus himself say, "Well done good and faithful servant?" I know that you do, because God has chosen you for obedience to Jesus Christ through the sanctifying work of the Spirit. He has given you a new birth into a living hope.

Praise the LORD who made the heavens and the earth, the sun, the moon and all the stars, who made the plants and all the living creatures and gave them life, who made us in his own image, male and female. Praise LORD who is almighty and wise, righteous and just, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and mercy. Praise God who sent his own Son, through whom he made all things, to become a man, Jesus, and to live among us for a while, to be free from sin even though he was tempted in every way just as we, and to die for our sin, the righteous for the unrighteous. Praise God who raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand, far above all rule, dominion, power and authority, and every title that can be given, not only in this age, but in the one to come. Praise God who is adopting us as his children through the blood of Jesus, so that we will be with him forever. Praise the LORD.

Brothers and sisters, pray that we may all set our hope fully on the grace to be given us when Jesus Christ is revealed, and be holy as God is holy. I know we will be.

Come and let's pray for each other as well as for the whole church. Come and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Love them.

Love in Christ,
Dean

PS: If you absolutely can't make it to the prayer meeting, send your prayer requests back to me by e-mail and we'll pray for them.