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1 Peter 1:1, 2
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. One of the hardest things for Christians to do is to return good for evil. It’s not so hard to practice that when things are going good, but when we are the one on the receiving end, it seems impossible. Peter wrote this little letter to people who were on the receiving end of Nero’s demented tortures. We start with a foundational truth that we must learn before we can make sense of the rest of the letter.
- GOD’S ELECT ARE SACRED! Do you see yourself as sacred? If you are a real Christian, you should! The word sacred is defined by one writer as “that which belongs to, is closely related to God, with no question of human action.” In other words being chosen or elected by God always starts and ends with Him, never us! Read from Ex. 24 through Lev, and Deut. You will see how everything, including the people, was sanctified (made sacred) by blood. In Heb. 9 we read Christians are made sacred through the blood of Christ. Here’s the point – because God has made us clean or sacred, we never have the right –ever- to defile ourselves making us filthy in even the slightest degree by contaminating ourselves with anything from the world.
- GOD EXTENDS HIS INVITATION TO US! Read Matt. 22:1-14. Here the salvation invitation is extended to everyone everywhere. Notice that not only does God (the King) extend the invitation, He has also prepared the banquet with the very best. That means nothing God offers us will ever harm us. All of what God offers is designed for our highest good. IF you believe that, what is keeping you from accepting God’s invitation to you to be set apart in salvation, or to be further sanctified in your daily walk?
- GOD EXAMINES OUR PREPARATION! This whole picture is so descriptive of God’s infinite love for us. Not only were those invited who could never hope to reach such a social level without the King’s grace, they were given the very best that could be offered. In the midst of all this is one man (v. 11) who refused the King’s robe. His egotistical arrogance made him refuse the offer to cover his rags with the royal robe for the banquet. Don’t miss his response to the question of the King (v. 12). Where was his ego and arrogance then? The same place yours will be when you stand before The Lord God Almighty at the BEMA! Here is the lesson: The invitation was extended, but it was only effective to those who actually responded to it. Those who made no response didn’t get to go into the banquet. Second, once the choice was made to enter the banquet hall, EVERY person had to put on the robe offered by the King. The one who didn’t wasn’t just escorted out, he was bound and thrown into worse torment than he ever imagined possible. So the question is: “In whose company do you want to spend eternity, the King’s—or the man who refused the robe?
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
