SERIES: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH (3 OF 10)

NOTE: This sermon is part 5 and 6 of a 20 part sermon series. Two sermons outlines are included in this download.

PREVIEWS:

Part 5: Be Holy
Series: When The Going Gets Tough
Stuart Briscoe
1 Peter 1:13-16

All the ethical demands of God upon His people can be summarized in the call to "Be holy." Despite its obvious simplicity, the command has been greeted with great confusion, neglect and apprehension by believers and derision by unbelievers. Nevertheless the word is still operative, "Be holy because I am holy."

I. Holiness Defined.

A. Original meaning-"separation" or "cutting off."

B. Special meaning-God's autobiographical description.
"I am holy…" Psalm 99:3; Joshua 24:19; Isaiah 6:1-3

C. Practical meaning-people and things set apart for God.
E.g. Sabbath. Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:8-11

D. Ethical meaning.
E.g. Old Testament development from ceremonial to ethical. Leviticus 19

E.g. New Testament development of internal from external. v. 2

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Part 6: A Sense of Value
Series: When The Going Gets Tough
Stuart Briscoe
1 Peter 1:17-25

Surrounded by the might and glory of the Empire and threatened by the rage and fury of the Emperor, Peter and his fellow believers might have been intimidated. The Apostle, however, gets everything in perspective by outlining some basic values.

I. Things that Must Be Underlined.

A. External appearances are deceptive. v. 17
1. "Impartiality" related to "prosopon" = "mask."

2. Peter's hard lesson in Caesarea. Acts 10:34

B. Financial resources are perishable. v. 18a
1. Fluctuating real value.

2. Negligible redemptive value. cf. Matthew 6:19ff

C. Traditional norms are suspect. v. 18b
1. The forefathers were not infallible.