+1 Peter 1:13-2513 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. the grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

+

The Immaculate SoulHow the story of Jesus reveals the way to God

+Well, now what?

Previous passage talked about the nature of hope

This one talks about what to do with it (V. 13)

Literally means GIRD Picture a man with loose

fitting clothes getting ready to work or run

Notice he starts with THINKING, not doing

+Revelation?!

Meaning of the word is “unveiling” or “revealing”

Notice Peter is speaking of the future, but he’s also talking about Jesus

So there’s something that HAS BEEN revealed and something that WILL BE revealed

This has to do with the nature of God who is HIDDEN yet OBVIOUS

+General Revelation

God is revealed in some ways to all people

3 ways 1. Ethical (Kant, Lewis) 2. Sense of Dependence

( Luck, chance, frailty) 3. Openness to

transcendence(Beauty) Acts 17:22-31

+Special Revelation

A further knowledge of God revealed to those who seek Him

Personal Experience Miracles Prophecy The Earthly Life of Jesus Christ The Scriptures All these are ways in which

knowledge of God is UNVEILED

+Who God is.

Genesis 1:1-8, Rev. 21:1, Rev. 22:1-5

No sea or night God allows the sea (a place of

chaos in the Hebrew mind) and the darkness to play a part from the beginning

Creation is good, but not finished (Gen. 1:28)

God invites humans to join Him in pushing back the darkness

+Why?

Why does God do this? Something going on here that

tells us about what God wants for us

What God wants for us is more than just a life without pain

He wants us to reign To CHOOSE Him This explains why EVIL could

even get into the garden

+Practically speaking…

This explains we have such problems with change

“He or she changed!” Neo-platonic idea that

change is less than perfect Augustine (4th century)

influenced our thinking on pre-fall earth as perfect

The darkness is under God’s control (Jesus stills storms)

+Biblically speaking…

The story of Israel

“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” (Exodus 19:4-6)

Joshua 24:15, 1 Samuel 8:5

Notice how Peter draws us into Israel’s story

God WANTS us to choose to join Him in what He’s doing.

+The Clean Soul

The human life is the story of the soul

The deepest part of us all and what we choose to do with it

Choice is how we cultivate it

Verse 22 (connected to what you know)

Choices determine whether we step into the darkness or into the light

CS Lewis

Baby steps of obedience

Do the next right thing you know you should do

+The Word Brings Light

Verse 23-25

The Bible tells a story in which the Word of God penetrates the darkness and will eventually destroy it

Our choice is if we believe the GOOD NEWS

What is the GOOD NEWS?

YOU CAN TRUST JESUS!

With your life and your eternity!

Look to the cross and see the God who is both hidden and obvious