Christian Altitude (Part A)

When you have a Christian that's not sober minded sloppiness your carelessness. Yet recklessness gives something that does not bring glory to God regardless of how much they may insist it does not. So how do we keep it sobriety. How do we share it out of how do we have it rub off on others and others. I would rub off on us out.

How we benefit from this word be sold were premature. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Ricky is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of first Peter chapter 1 as he begins a new message called Christian altitude. If you have your Bibles please turn to first Peter chapter 1 first Peter chapter 1, we will take verses 13 through 21 therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to form a lust as in your ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in your conduct because it is written, be holy, for I am holy. And if you call on the father, who, without partiality, judges according to each one's work, conduct yourself throughout the time of your stay here in fear, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who through him believe in God raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Peter is well aware of the persecution that is going on and I'll probably say that every time we open the study introduced that to reintroduce it to us over and over again because it is critical is important understand his realize real people just like we have real lives. We are real people and be aware of their persecution having himself witnessed the deaths of his Lord Jesus on the cross of his friend James the brother of John and of a fellow servant, Stephen. He understood fully the threats, the severity of what they were facing and he will eventually face it himself to the point of death, but he tells these persecuted believers that they must rise above their circumstances. What's the benefit of Christ does not help us to rise above that which we are faced with.

Regardless of how unpleasant or how successful we may be because success can bring us down from Christ's, so I've entitled this consideration this morning.

Christian altitude because that's what Peter is trying to do with these beloved Saints is trying to get them to go higher, and his own faith shines very brightly. So were going to now move to verse 13 where it's going to be safer, how many times or how much of the Bible. We exposed to is Christians in such passages as I just read when we stood a moment ago and yet refuse to act upon what we learn in here. May we always be working to act upon things that God is showing us from his word and not reduce them from to mere philosophy. It is supposed to be lived out allies and Pete is going to hammer that point home. Verse 13 therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, while at joins what he is saying with what he is already said in the earlier verses speaking about their salvation mentioning that the Angels would love to look into these things.

The walk that we have in Christ. He saying because of all that Christ has done for us because of that, gird up the loins of your mind will be forthcoming on the gird up part I want to go back just briefly to the therefore verse 13 reading from Hebrews 12 now therefore we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. And so the same. Therefore, that the writer of Hebrews uses in Hebrews 12 Peter is using herein. Verse 13 do something with what you have no chest. Sort of a just take it in and that said it dies is the fruit comes as no fruit coming out of it. There's no further result is gird up the loins. It's an Eastern expression where they would take the long robes, and pull it up and tied up or wrap it under their belt when they wanted to get down to business. Get busy at work, or to engage in some physical struggle what he is saying here is pull it together your thoughts, your mind, how you think and in the light of Christ in the faith that you have therefore because of all the things I said, you pull it together. This shows up in Exodus chapter 12 at the Passover of the Jews.

Having that final meal in Egypt before they were to depart, told by God through Moses.

You shall eat the Passover with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand so you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. There is, is expressing a sense of urgency, a readiness and is not far from what Peter is saying. Also, there needs to be a sense of urgency and readiness about the things we do in Christ. They're not things to be taken with a nonchalant attitude. Be ready be busy mandate on the Christian, but I think this Peter is speaking is were these words knowing what we know about him all the things he experience of Esau will Jesus walk on water can't top that it can even come close to with anything else. With these things shape the man who made a movie became. I believe that he is saying these things therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober in a fatherly tone, not the tone of horror, a drill instructor located together in arsenic or consequences will be on you.

I think again it's a fatherly tone and if you receive it that way may not be wasted.

May we not waste the things that we hear when he says, be sober, not somber, sober sobriety, as in self-control uninfluenced by things that take away from us the sense of reality and and control what is left of the person who is not sober what you have. You have a Christian that's not sober minded if sloppiness your carelessness you have or recklessness. If something that does not bring glory to God regardless of how much they may insist it does does not. So how do we keep it sobriety. How do we share it out of how do we have it rub off on others and others have it rub off on us out. How we benefit from this word be sober, be mature. Paul writes in Titus about the same things. I think he helps us even further with he says for the grace of God. Titus two that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. Right now we are supposed to live this way, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. That's what he says who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good work. Wanting to do good, that is eager to do things that are helpful and then he says to Titus, who is a pastor.

He says speak these things exhort and rebuke with all authority.

Let no one despise you go in the authority of God and preach sobriety and righteousness and godliness right now in this present age was for him and it is for us.

Peter continues here in verse 13. Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you again nippy in facing persecution all that that means he is telling them rest your hope fully that word fully in the Greek telling us where the Jesus spoke from the cross, when he said it is finished. It means just that it's it's finished completely without wavering to the end. Rest your hope to the end upon the grace that is to be brought to you difficult to do impossible in the flesh to do in Christ you can do it outside of the flesh, the world has its way of making itself brave in the face of things that are terrifying. The just not righteous things we are supposed to behave as though we are an example of what Christ is and who he is and his work in us. This is not easy. So when he says upon the grace that is to be brought to you as many meanings. One I like about this as I look at it is the kindness of Christ that awaits me in paradise. I won't be here forever and I'm looking forward to it. I cannot rush the event.

I'll take it when it comes.

I want to be ready. Luke 23 verse 43 Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. You know that thief that outlawed did not say then get me off of here if you got all that power. If you are all who you say you are then stop my suffering doesn't do it, he receives he rests his hope fully on the grace of God go order your life to do this you can't do. You can't just you know call down to the union hall and get a dose of righteousness.

When you needed for the job. It's got to be there by life that is ordered in this direction. Yep, you're gonna fall you going to fail that again up said in a fatherly tone. I would say this to my child. You take hits for Christ flesh stumbles to backup keep going all the way to paradise. That's how far you and I are to take this ambition to be useful to crisis is at the revelation of Jesus Christ is not talking about the book of Revelation talk about the appearing of Christ is the same word we get our word apocalypse is the appearing, the appearance of Christ. And so he's lifting their thoughts beyond the troubles focus on Christ brothers and sisters look at him. If you look at him and you say, I'm looking at him, but I'm still suffering and you not really getting you looking at him and you just saying yes Lord, whatever it is, the Lord gives Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. That is the attitude that we have to have them is repeated often off of often enough. I hope so this phrase at the revelation of Jesus Christ at the appearing at the coming Peter uses it in his writing, Paul uses that same phrase in his writings. John uses that same phrase in his writing. The Bible is the revelation, the making of a parent of God, God the son, father, the Holy Spirit connection to mankind. That is the important part is not just his spiritual platitudes that are referred for the Angels is for us again, regardless of what you going to life got a lot of junk to throw at us.

You don't get the right altitude, you won't get over the mountains. Sometimes, as Adm. Byrd had to do when he was flying to the South Pole. Sometimes you gotta get rid of some fuel and cargo. If you're going to get to the altitude you need not to crash. So verse 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the formal loss is in your ignorance Peter. This that's a low blow.

Breaux did telling them that Christians now don't get to act as a used to behave before they came to Christ and get a pass using as obedient children, you once were.

Not that you are now to be obedient children were to live lives which reveal that if not transformed, we are at least pursuing it.

Righteousness is conformity to God in action not lipservice. That's what righteousness is it not to know. I went to church. I love the message and that it will you do it now, you may be the one that says I've heard these kind of sermons time and time again and I've not made a step forward. Have you tried walking on your knees because if you haven't you any gonna take that step that you been courted by something in life it's me power that is going to get you through it in Christ is contact with the drone deliberate contact with the throne, no matter what is happening. That's how we gain altitude. One of the pros for this is when you are in dire straits. You call out to God.

God is been trying to send you calling out to me before you see the dangers I needed to be in the way you live life the way you roll through this life.

Romans chapter 12 do not be conformed to this world pause there, Paul.

Have you tried this yourself. You know the stuff the world throws at us.

That is so pitilessly appealing to our lower self yes yes I mean a man like Paul, have you know, he struggled with pride points in his life looking down at people who were dumb within him and held put up with these kind of people. Many comes to Christ and everything changes. He spends his life pulling people up, not dragging them down.

It's easier to pull somebody down than it is to pull them up. Anyone can pull someone down.

You know the person Digital's snide, snarky remark, then walks away the bottom in the back of their head. They never do that again to you that would be sin. Don't be that person takes you little cheap shots and walks on her hurt somebody so you feel better. That kind of stuff comes right out of hell. You can smell the sulfur on that kind of behavior. First Thessalonians has a verse that's not in a lot of Christians Bibles. I'm convinced God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness, uncleanness of attitude. Also, not just the moral sins of you and all stealing and lust of various sorts. Not just bozos do you talk to other people, how you view them saved and unsaved expect to see something from us that matches Jesus. Other Christians hope to see something in you that resembles Christ and so is the world. Imagine working in a place for 10 years and no one knew you were Christian. That's a spooky thought verse 15, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Again, this is written from this is a letter from a moderate to be because he's going to die a violent death for Christ. So he is not stopping him from pursuing the ideal is not saying you know what I tried to reach this ideal and just can't do it. He does not take that approach, we are told to be harmless and separate his best we can. We are told to be kind to one another, which seems to be a forbidden commandment with some who claim Christ as Lord. We are told to be diligent with spiritual things. How many of you have don't answer. But how many have kept up your personal devotion time, even when you don't want to. Even when you think it doesn't matter when it doesn't count.

It's not bringing the results you want so you discontinued it. Your from your theological schools. The rabbit foot school just put the rabbit's foot in your pocket and you'll be okay.

Just read the Bible and you'll be okay.

Where is that in the Scripture, you'll be okay.

Spiritually, you will be your right and have peace with God. You will be effective you will be a witness that will be a Christ likeness about you more than there otherwise would be had you not adhered to the word of God. So again verse 15 but he who called you is holy, and he goes on, of course, to say he who called you is holy, you also be holy.

I'm glad he did not say be odd. God is holy, you will be an oddball UB abrasive UB foul mouth and ill tempered. He doesn't tell us that quite the other way around.

Never does God encourage the lowlife in the Christian always ceases llama standards are very high.

I don't lower them you won't reach all of all of it in this life, but the pursuit of righteousness has so much fruit in it so much interested in going after righteousness.

That alone makes it worth it to not like hearing this is a silent admission of guilt satellite to be told I'm snarky and I'm good I'm graceless and I'm Vista and I'm back with, you know, I hearing it is because you are those things in the goddesses. I'm trying to get you out of it but you being too thickheaded. Well you going to be dumb in the presence of God. You better be tough is going to be a hard road. God has one determined and from mankind, and that is holiness and that is what will get fully when we arrived in that paradise that he has promised in the eight Tiger coat in man will not die in this life.

Those beastly characteristics will be with us and will have to engage them and resist them. We will not evolve into perfection in this life we can fight for large tracts of territory that otherwise would not be ours left to ourselves as human beings go, we will construct and then we will deconstruct we will build tools to build and then build and then build weapons to destroy it all. How many large cities have been bombed into rubble.

Since men have been making bombs so we accept that this is the battlefield we live on where not excused from being called to holiness, a Christ like life. Verse 16 he says, because it is written, be holy, for I am holy because, as the Scripture says that the Bible says it is telling the believers he brings them back to the Scripture is quoting Leviticus chapter 11 verse 44 for I am Yahweh your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves and you shall be holy, for I am holy.

I like it. Even after all these years of struggling and failures. I still like it I love it.

It is still not distill nothing like this and he would be found. This verse removes from the believer. Any idea that we can find sin acceptable was holiness cancels out send them is purity utter purity uncreated purity in God. Developed large degrees in our own lives. We will put our hands to the plow.

This destroys any notion that I'm good enough for God when he says be holy.

Just try to do it. You'll find out that there are things about us that will allow that to be so ours is to be an attitude of altitude works well in the English and I would say it in some other language that I know how to say it in English, and I know what it means. You know sometimes almost every time on a Monday sometime Monday will and mowing the lawn, the leaf blowing war trying something I don't like parts of the sermon come back to me and I don't really care for that because I know I make points under the anointing of the Holy Spirit that otherwise would not make and I know I am accountable to him to live them out and to practice as best I can. What has been preached.

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