Living Good Lives – Part 2

This newest series of messages on Internet Pastor is called “Living Good Lives”.

We are talking about living good lives that will have an impact not only on us, but on the lives of people around us. This series is coming primarily out of 1 Peter with our underlining verse being

1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

As we continue on in our series we are being challenged by Peter to be different. Different than we use to be in the way that we lived before we knew Christ. Peter is calling us into a new way of living, living a good life.

1) You have been made new.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Don’t go back to the old way of doing things, to living life the way we did before Christ. He goes a step further and uses the word “holy”.

Sometimes, we might get a little unsettled by the word holy or holiness. But, in reality, being holy actually means to be “set apart”. To be set apart from the ways of darkness, from the ways of the world, from the ways of the flesh.

In essence what Peter is saying is, “You’ve been made new, now be holy, be set apart.” Choose to be different.

2) Choose to be different.

Choose to live life as the new creation you are. Get prepared for all that this new life entails, including the battle that we are now engaged in against the Evil One.

WHY?

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV)
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Our motive is found in what Christ did for us at the cross. Making a way for us to experience real life now and forever.

HOW?

3) Be different by having:

a) Discipline with your love.

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

You’ve been made new, prepare yourself, now he gives us an action step — love one another.

Love is the display of holiness. Holiness isn’t displayed by a strict observance to a bunch of rules and regulations, it is displayed in loving well and extravagantly the way Jesus does.

Jesus preached this same message. One of the last times He was with His followers in John 13:35

John 13:35 (NIV)
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

b) Discipline with your mouth.

1 Peter 2:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

This new way of life should also impact what we say about other people. Will we continue to criticize and judge with our words, to tear people down, or will we use our words to build up, to encourage, to bless. Living with love should change the way we think and speak about others.

c) Discipline with your desires for God’s Word.

1 Peter 2:2-3 (NIV)
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Circle “crave”. I love that image of having a craving for the Word of God. Most of you know what it feels like to have a craving for a bowl of ice cream or something. But this new life should cause in us a hunger and thirst for the Word of God. Feed that craving by making time every day for God and His word.

To live this life as set apart, holy, and making a difference we need to know His love letter to us. Discipline yourself for God’s Word. Read it, memorize it, meditate on it.

My prayer is that we will be challenged to be people that live God’s way, live in pursuit of holiness, set apart in how they live their lives.

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