1 Pet 2:21-23
INTRO: In some of the psychology books one may read these days there is a concept described as modeling. Although I am sure there are many very complex or detailed bits of information involved with the concept, it really says that a good way to change our behavior for the better is find a model of the behavior we want and copy it. There is great value and validity in that idea. Indeed, our text talks about just such a thing. There is Jesus...the perfect model. Now model yourself after what you see. That is what Peter is telling us.
I. JESUSTHE EXAMPLE 1 Pet 2:21
A. The copyhead of perfection, the ideal
1. word example comes from a word describing how children were taught to write (and still are)
2. the ideal or perfect letter is shown to the student
3. he is then told to copy that ideal to perfection
B. Jesus is that copyhead of perfection
1. in moral, ethical and spiritual matters Hes the ideal
2. we look at Him, study Him, think about Him
3.then, we begin to copy-to perfection-the Ideal
C. Oh, I could never be like Jesus
1. after all, He is the Son of God
2.an excuse which forgets Jesus could have sinned
3. Heb 4:15 if one can be tempted, He can sin...certainly we will not copy His example without great concern and effort and therein lies the root of our failure! (Heb 12:4)
II. SOME SPECIFIC POINTS? 1 Pet 2:22,23
A. Jesus did not sinv.22a
1. we have already commented He could have sinned
Jesus knew what we need to know...sin is ruinous!
3. Jas 1:15 this truth is well demonstrated in scripture and experience...sin ruins what it touches
4. now, true enough, guilt for sin can be forgiven by our loving, compassionate God, but often, the mark of sin will remain as hurts we will long feel
5. so, dont sin! the Bible, Christs example will help to keep from sinning
B. He was completely honest and sincere-v. 22b
1. He was truthful, open, straightforward
2. His speech was always gracious, beneficial (Col 4:6)
3. our mouths can be serious problems to usThe most frequent thing opened by mistake is the human mouth
4. Ps 141:3 what a wise, comprehending prayer
C. He sought no revenge-v. 23a & b
1. Jesus was a marvel of patience and self-control
2. certainly, the things done to Him were unfairbut the world is seldom a fair place
3. it is learning to live with & in spite of injustice which makes us to be successfulWell, Im only human; I cant help losing my temper... Jno 1:12; 2 Pet 1:4 such an excuse may mean something is very wrong in our relationship with God
4. Ps 37:8; Eccl 7:9; Prov 24:29
D. He trusted the outcome of his affairs to God - v.23c
1. let me point out that this context does not deal with mountain top experiencesrather, they are the hard things of Jesus life
2. He first decided to do His fathers will Jno 4:34
3. He then was able to continue in it-though the suffering came-because He trusted the outcome of all things to God
4. the immediate outcome was not what Jesus personally wanted (Lk 22:42) but the ultimate outcome was so beneficial
5. how much better would life be if we could copy this example of Christ! easy? no! practical? yes! beneficial? indeed!
CLOSE: There is something I at least want to mention. That is the truth that each Christian is potentially a model which someone is going to copy. Do we want others to be Christian like we are Christians?
Cecil A. Hutson
09 September 2001
You Must Hear the Gospel
Romans 10:17
You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
You Must Believe
Hebrews 11:6
You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)
You Must Repent
Acts 3:19
You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)
You Must Confess
Romans 10:9
You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)
You Must Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!
You Must Be Faithful Unto Death
Revelation 2:10
Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)