1 Peter 2:11-4:11 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 13, 2012


 *MAY 17 - 1 PETER 2:11-4:11 - THE PILGRIM LIFE*


 *1. 2:11 (2:11-12) PILGRIMS: SEPARATE FROM WORLDLY LUSTS. “Beloved, I
beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul” (NNT).* Good works springing from our love of
Christ: our most effective witness to unbelievers! It’s not what we say
that counts: it’s the life that backs up our words, that speaks! Show us
Father, that *this* is real Kingdom living! *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *2. 2:21 (2:13-25) PILGRIMS: OBEY LAWS, MASTERS AND CHRIST’S EXAMPLE. “For
unto this were you called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving
you an example, that you should follow his :steps.” *Your will Father, is
that we put to silence our accusers, by a life following the copy of *Jesus*!
Jesus before His accusers, is our example, Father. We bless You for Your
Son again, and pledge to walk in these truths. *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 3:7 (3:1-7) PILGRIMS: WIVES AND HUSBANDS. You, the husbands, mete out
honor to the female vessel as weaker and dwelling with her according to
knowledge, as being joint-heirs of the grace of life; that your :prayers be
not hindered.” *There is a *mutual* responsibility to one another here. We
thank You for Your wisdom in this, Father. *Your :will be done, As in
heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 3:8-9 (3:8-12) PILGRIMS: WALK IN SERMON ON MOUNT. “:Finally, be all
likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:
9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise
blessing; for unto this were you called, that you should inherit a
blessing.” *A good heart, good words and noble actions to one another: *
these* glorify Your Name, Father. Only in Christ can this be done. O
forgive us that we so often fall short of this standard! *Our :daily :bread
Give us this day.*


 *5. 3:15 (3:13-22) PILGRIMS: SUFFER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE. “But sanctify
in your :hearts the Christ as Lord: ready always with an answer to every
one that asks you a reason concerning the hope in you, yet with meekness
and fear.” *In the midst of blessing or persecution, *this* is our high
privilege and potential in Christ. *You* make it possible of us in Christ,
Father! Yes, and when we are tempted to depart from Your way, You
strengthen us, and keep us on the strait and narrow! *And forgive us our
:debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 4:1-2 (4:1-6) PILGRIMS: ABSTAIN FROM GENTILE EXCESSES. “Christ
therefore having suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same
mind; for who has suffered in the flesh has ceased unto sins; 2 to live the
rest of the time in the flesh no longer to men’s lusts, but to God’s will.”
*A walk in the flesh can only be fully broken by suffering in the flesh! In
this way we take *ground* from Satan. *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 4:11 (4:7-11) PILGRIMS: LIVE IN LIGHT OF JESUS’ RETURN! “If any speaks
- as if oracles of God; if any ministers - as of the strength which :God
supplies: that in all things :God be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose
is the glory and the dominion unto the ages of the ages. Amen.” *We walk
Father, in the hope that purifies: the Presence of Your Son in our hearts *
now*; and His soon coming to set up His Kingdom! *But deliver us from the
evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 2:24 (2:13-25) **PILGRIMS: TRUST IN CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK! “Who
himself carried our :sins in his :body up to the tree, that we, having died
to sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose bruise you were
healed.” *Father,
we love Christ, for *He* first love us!


 Centuries ago John Bunyan wrote “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Even to this day it
is a Classic!


 Bunyan received this in a night Vision! When God Himself gives us a word
such as this - even when it comes through a human channel - yet the
heavenly anointing upon it *grips* us - and we sense we are not only
receiving a human word - but a *divine insight* straight from the Throne of
God.


 It is very parallel to this when we hear a sermon from a man of God who
waited on the Lord for *His Word* for the people - and for *His
anointing*to deliver
*His Word*! George Whitefield was such a preacher. Tens of thousands
gathered out of doors to hear this man of God preach. Those that came to
the Lord through his invitation, for the most part - *stuck*. In the days
of Charles Finney, 80% of such converts were still usefully engaged in the
work of the Lord two years following their conversion. *Few* evangelists
have had such extraordinary results.


 I would expect that the converts that came from Peter’s preaching -
likewise stood in the days that followed. Think of the 3000 who responded
and were baptized on the day of Pentecost. And the secret of abiding fruit?
None other than Acts 2:38. The early church held out for a
*full*repentance from dead works - a
*full* faith in God and Christ’s *Finished Work*; a public baptism
signifying this inward heart change as set forth in Romans 6; and last but
not least - but following baptism through the laying on of hands, they
received the *Gift* (d*o*-reA) of the Holy Spirit.


 Look at Acts 8, when Philip successfully brought the Gospel of the Kingdom
of God to Samaria. Seeing the signs and wonders produced through his faith,
they repented, believed the Gospel, and were baptized. But Jerusalem knew
that these Samaritans needed the same thing as the Jews on the day of
Pentecost. So they sent Peter and John to finish in Samaria what Philip
started.


 *This* was the apostolic pattern, which was repeated for Paul in Acts 9,
and the Ephesian believers in Acts 19:1-7. In the case of Cornelius with
his family and friends in Acts 10 & 11, the order was changed. Baptism here
followed the receiving of the *Gift* of the Holy Spirit. Peter and his
Jewish friends from Joppa would *not* have baptized Gentiles, except *God*di
d something extraordinary. So while Peter was still preaching - the Holy
Spirit fell on these Romans. Peter challenged his 6 Joppa friends - as to
why they shouldn’t baptize Gentiles, seeing they had received the Holy
Spirit just as the 3000 Jews on the Day of Pentecost! So he baptized them
in a 1-3-2 order - instead of the normal 1-2-3 order.


 So Peter’s challenge here on “The Pilgrim Life” confirmed and encouraged
Jewish believers of that day - with perhaps a sprinkling of Gentiles - to
continue on in an overcoming Christian life. There is certainly a parallel
here with that of John Bunyan!


 Our Psalm for the day: *137:4-5 HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD’S SONG? “How
shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O
Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill” (ESV). *As Israel had her
land for security, so do we in the Church have *You*, O Christ, as our
possession! We drive out our spiritual Canaanites - that we might possess
You!



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