Do You Desire God?

So again if you open your Bibles to first Peter first Peter, I know, for those who are normally in the Sunday school class at the privilege of teaching in that sound strange normally were in the book songs so I'm going to begin by just reading three verses first Peter chapter 2 Sue put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy in in the Auslander like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual work milk by you may grow up into salvation. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good again. Let's look to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you for the privilege that you have provided for us to assemble together to honor and blessing and praise your name. We thank you for the ministry of music that has ministered to our hearts already for those things proclaim to the reading of your work with. Thank you that you have given us your spirit to teach us and guide us in all truth, we thank you for how you continually remind us of our need of yourself and of the grace you have provided for us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's awareness that you would be pleased at this time to meet with us. Enable us to comprehend effectively those things that you have for us and help us to be not simply hearers of the word doers in such a way that you are honored and magnified to the lassie you have given us as we walk this Pilgrim pathway in Jesus name we pray, like say thank you. First of all, for all those who encourage me by way of saying I've prayed for you because I have felt the need for their was telling Thad this morning and said have you ever had preparers block you. You know where it is you're supposed to be going and you see it right in front of you to just not sure how you going to get there and I said that this morning. That's after knowing that this was coming up for nearly a month now. There's actually been the somewhat not totally sleepless nights but I'm reminded how the Lord does teach us sometimes even in our sleep concerning the things that we had need to know and especially if it's things that he might use to affect or empower or encourage or even at times used to rebuke so when I was looking at this passage. Understanding that I believe that this was the direction Lord had for me. I can't tell you how many times a question that this is the way I should go tell my wife to be much easier just to go back to something that I'm doing all the time from the Psalms and yet here we are, and then to start out with a verse that says Sue put away all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy and empty and all slander to start with that. On top of everything after the message we heard this morning, and yet when pondering a title for the message and actually had thought of the title is being a manifestation of desiring God.

My wife said no that you can't do that because everybody knows about desiring God and John Piper will come to my and perhaps a better way to say this is a maybe.

Do you desire God because what we have in front of us are indications of those things which God places within his people that manifests both to them and to whether anybody else sees it or not, that you do indeed desire God. In chapter 1, of course, we understand that Peter was writing to what was referred to in the ESV as the electric exiles of the dispersion. These were Jewish people who are were resident for time among strangers in those areas that mention of which might be more readily understood in our day is what would now be called turkey was also a part of what was the old Babylonian Empire, and that comes more into play.

You might say.

When we understand that these people had lost their homes, they were not where they wanted to be and just by way of sharing a little bit of what the Lord uses to encourage me in these places that I go that's what you have in many of these assisted-living facilities, and the senior homes and places that that kind is many of these people who were there or maybe not many but some are believers who have pretty much lost everything that they have they have been displaced and they do not have a means of regular attendance in a church service. I told others. I hope you don't mind to share little personal here that I see that what I do is being much like what the Wesley brothers did back in the 1700, you have little areas or pockets of believers who are living in these areas, and much like in the 1700s there were areas that didn't have a full-time pastor so the Wesley brothers would get on the horse and they would ride off into these areas and the people would get together and they would have church than they did get on the horse and they ride on to another area and they would have church and they didn't care exactly what your denominational title was if you were preaching the word.

And they love the Lord. That's what they wanted to hear but it also provides in many cases, an opportunity for the gospel among the lost in relation to the employees that dinner there and sometimes even college students are coming there to get credit for courses are taking over the lungs. So it's it's not just going into someplace and there's a bunch of old people when you're trying to germ up. I mentioned that somebody one day in them I was coming out of facility and and actually I had some things written on a piece of paper in my pocket and they said well I bet you write songs to don't you said. Well, actually I do just wrote when you want to hear, but here in this passage chapter 1 he is encourage them in relation to both who they are in Christ and how they have been brought to this place of being in Christ, and he mentions on at least three different occasions here. Verse three says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again. So right off the bat you had the understanding it was not something that they had to do it was something that God did surely help of his mercy, he says also in verse 20. Speaking of Christ. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. So we have the understanding that God the father was involved in the salvation of these people, God the son through his sacrifice was involved in the salvation of these people, and God the Spirit was likewise involved because he speaks of him in verses 10 and 11 concerning the salvation prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories and thus also as he closes out the chapter we find a direct quote that was given by the prophet Isaiah. During the time of Hezekiah. You could read of this in second Kings chapter 20 and Isaiah chapter 38 to 40 somewhere around 686 BC.

These words were spoken as God had pronounced judgment on Israel and Babylon was getting ready to come and take them away even though Hezekiah had the attitude will release is not deadly in my day and sometimes I think we can have that attitude about what's going on in our country as well. You can almost see what's coming down the pipe and we can beat so comfortable in our own things that we had the attitude will at least it's not conveying our day. Part of what he spoke as a means of encouragement.

Even with the coming judgment with the understanding that whatever had been accomplished up to that time because Israel had already reached its apex in a gone way beyond that was on the downhill slide.

Babylon was getting ready to come to power and so Isaiah proclaims all flesh is like grass in all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers and the flower fails the word of the Lord remains forever, and this word is the good news that was preached to you. Isaiah was preaching the gospel to the people who were there in his day, and they did not understand totally what was being proclaimed because I didn't know that this savior would be called Jesus. We've been given a great privilege with what has been revealed to us through the Scriptures that we now have this wording is the good news that was preached to you, it is that which has proceeded from his mouth and has come to us. So if we find ourselves in. He goes on to say later on that in declaring who they have the coming crisis is they are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation of people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, now you are God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul so that if we are in Christ were exiles as well. There's a famous country song comes to mind. I will sing with verse. The courses this world is not my home, I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue the angels beckon me by heavens open door and I can't feel at home in this world anymore don't get to comfortable down here.

If you are is then he also speaks to us as obedient children, 11 of the song choices tonight as well, including children, song is funny how you can be six nearly 65 years old and suddenly it means something that you never even thought about all those years because that's exactly what he's talking about.

As he goes in to these next verses obedience is the very best way to show that you believe doing exactly as the Lord commands doing it happily. OBE the Iranian city.

Yes, we were singing. Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe and I think maybe one of the difficulties in researching this out is I wanted to bypass the first verse here and get right to verse two, as he says. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy in MB and Auslander. If we are children of God we are to be involved in doing these things. This is a principle this is not the only place that shows up were not going to look at all of them but you can find in Ephesians 417 252 Colossians 332 14 and James 119 to 25. This idea of putting off and putting on these things listed here are not a complete list.

Just like the rest of them are not completely as so as we go through these very briefly here. I don't want to get to the end of it and you go like in get mine because when I was going through them I had to go get mine put away all malice malice in general was all sorts of wickedness more confined. It refers to anger resting in the bosom of fools settled overgrown anger retained till it inflames a million to design mischief to do mischief or to delight in any mischief that follows another put away all malice and all deceit or is the King James is guile that would be the quality of cheating or lying or deceiving, and in a manner it is someone craftily imposing upon another's ignorance or weakness to his damage.

It can also be represented by imposters pretending to be someone else in order to deceive others, we can deceive ourselves as well or circumventing finding a way around overcome a problem or difficulty, typically in a clever Surette. This way, which is kept secret, especially because it would not be approved. I thought about how we should do this kids with their parents. You go to dad and you ask him for something that says no. So when dad's not looking to go tomorrow and sometimes we can do that in with if were not careful we don't grow out of that except does not dad and mom anymore.

We can do that in relation to trying to get approval for something at a job or something of that nature and you don't get the answer that you want soaked from the person you thinking get it from.

So you go try to work somebody else. But often times are a lot smarter than what we give them credit for, and you can get yourself in a whole lot of trouble when you get caught, put away malice and all deceit and hypocrisy's that's all flattering and counterfeiting friendships showing love in words and outward carriage when the heart is otherwise affected in these grieving it other men's welfare their abilities, their prosperity, their fame or their successful labors and all evil speaking, all kind of detraction, the lessening of reputation were steam, especially by envious militias or petty criticism, belittling, disparagement and active making unflattering against something or someone else put away all of these things all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, and in the and Auslander was toughest. One thing is we have to admit that we have a problem before we can do anything with it and then if we find that the problem is so significant and there's a lot of things we can question their if it's habitual and we don't seem to mind it, then we might need to question whether were even say, but if we have a problem and it keeps coming back again and again and again and would probably need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us as we face the problem and we give ourselves to asking the Lord asking for the Holy Spirit to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He says put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy in NP and Auslander then says like newborn infants or newborn babes long for the pure spiritual milk that I you may grow up in the salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good out if we do not work on taking care of these others were going to find it difficult to enjoy the word of God were going to find it difficult to desire the word of God, or to desire God himself because were not willing to confront the things that we have issue with within ourselves that are of the flesh that we need to be putting off newborn babes or newborn infants. This is one of those places that, for some it may seem problematic because we find there were other places in Scripture, such as in first Corinthians 3 where Paul is reproving the Corinthians 20 says, but I brothers could not address.

She was spiritual people but as people of the flashes infants in Christ, I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Even now you're not rigid.

It's also not the same as the reprimand given to the Hebrews chapter 5 uses for though by this time you ought to be teachers need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness since he is a child. Solid food is for the mature, those who had the powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

It's one of those words. You have to understand the context to understand the meaning and in this particular pay place as newborn babes or newborn infants. They were already put in mind of their regeneration so that they were to understand that if any man be in Christ he is a new creation, and thus if he is a new creation must have new designers so what are newborn babes like in their design. First thought about that and it had a newborn baby in my arms lately, but I've seen them around here. I remember when newborn babes. They are perfect about their feeding. He says like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that I you may grow up in the salvation they are fervent in their desire.

They have a will not be denied added to. They may not be able to tell you verbally and yet they can and they did.

They are not only fervent but they are frequent edit and this is arising from an inpatient sense of hunger, accompanied with the best endeavors and infant is capable of existence newborn babes design the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby there are obviously various degrees in means per individual or about this can be addressed. You may have a person that actually cannot read but can they hear we live in the day you have all kinds of access to the word of God. In fact were even current encouraged by that passage in Romans 1017. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God or hearing by the word of Christ is through hearing the word that we hear Christ give yourself to reading study to show yourself approved under God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And just in case you say will that's for preachers.

Remember, Timothy was told to be an example to the believer meditate upon these things give thyself wholly to them that the high profiting mate. For all just one night since in case you think this is just for New Testament times.

This was for Old Testament times, and the principle that is carried throughout time until Jesus comes again. He says this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth without show, meditate therein day and night, that thou may us observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then you will have good success and that success is whatever the Lord deems to be success, not what we put on it or someone one Blessed is amended to bring blank welcome to nearly 65 Blessed is a man walking not in the counsel of the ungodly North stand at the in the way of sinners or sit at the in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law or the instruction of the Lord, do you delight in God's instruction in any way that you can receive it. This is an evidence of new life. One author that I read said it's the lowest evidence with certain it is the primary means by which we come to know Christ better.

The apostle Paul said in his letter to the Philippians he said whatever gain I had I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything is lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law with that which comes to faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death it wasn't that the apostle did not already know, but he wanted to know him more and this is part of the idea when he speaking here and he says like newborn inputs long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. It is likewise the primary means by which we are enabled by the spirit to grow. He mentions in his second letter is a close's analysis grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is a command and in growing in this manner, it actually glorifies him. You are being responsible to take up your cross and follow Christ grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and thereby you are magnifying him as he is displaying his work both in you and through you to a dying world. The last of the verse from second Peter 318 he said to him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

A man because first Corinthians 1031 is whether therefore you eat. I thought that was interesting because he says like newborn inputs long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. And Paul says whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God and might be even helpful when we open our Bible say Lord I want to do this for your glory. I don't do this just to fill my head with information she can do that you can fill your head with information you can take a test with 400 questions and make an A+ on miss the reality of the person speaking like doing I mindful that my grandma once asked me what is it mean to whom much is given much is required. So that's pretty simple. Grandma, to whom much is given much is required and there still people in this world do not have a copy of the Scriptures in their own language and thus God requires far more of us than he does the whole of the people in this world is given us pastors who love us to pray for us. No doubt weep for us time are the perfect note or any of us know, but we should be giving thanks for one another and what is taking place when the word of God is being opened in this place and receiving, and desiring it like the sincere milk of Calvin says of this world milk milk here is not elementary doctrine which one perpetually learns and never comes to the knowledge of the truth, but a mode of living which has the Sabre of the new birth when we surrender ourselves to be brought up by God, our English language.

This was not his.

This was somebody else's. Our English language renders it in our Bible milk of the word, and yet a better understanding might be. In this context, the word which is milk like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow all of it from cover to cover all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works substance with which the spiritual mind and not the body is nourished and strengthened.

That's what this milk is referring to.

It is sincere is not adulterated by the mixtures of men. It is pure. As Paul said in second Corinthians 217 for we are not like so many peddlers of God's word but is meant to sincerity as commissioned by God in the side of God we speak in Christ, so that the words that we are given through the apostle Paul through the apostle Peter and James and John was so forth are the very words of God as though he spoke them directly to us him self and if we don't desire that we really need a question with a where is not. He says like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual work milk by you may grow up into salvation.

If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. You might say I'm thankful that he put the words in that way, because what it should do is cause us to stop and think for just a minute. He says if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, or the Lord is good. But if you know it can change that to sense you have tasted the Lord is gracious to taste. Supposes are being united to Christ by faith. Then we taste of him through the word, we taste of him in our providences in our spiritual concerns our fears and our temptations and in his word and his worship every day. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy in Indian Auslander like newborn infants long.

The pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation left out one.

This is the matter in which we must glorify him as well. To him be the glory.

I didn't leave it that I discussed and they directly to him be the glory both now and forever more.

Probably thank you for your kindness that you're so much better to us than we could ever be to you with. Thank you for how you continually amazes with thank you for how you refreshes, we asked you be pleased to enable us more and more to take up the whole armor that you provided for us that we might stand against the wiles of the devil and that you may be glorified, thereby as we continue this Pilgrim pathway until we see Jesus and become like him.

When we see him as he is forcing his name we pray. Amen