Rev. David Holwick T
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
June 1, 1997
1 Peter 2:11-12,15
|
I. It's never easy. 2:11
A. Alien status.
1) Christians should always feel a little out of place.
2) People should notice that we are different.
Sometimes we wish they wouldn't.
Becky Brodin is a nurse and works in a Cardiac Unit on the
midnight shift.
This night she only had 2 patients and both were sleeping.
She settled in to stare at the monotonous blips on the monitors.
The other nurse on duty that night interrupted Becky's
day-dreaming.
"Can I talk to you about something?"
Her tone of voice snapped Becky to attention.
"Sure, what is it?"
She cleared her throat and began.
"I've noticed you bring your Bible to work every day, and I
know you are a Christian, but..."
She paused - "As a nurse you are dispensable.
You have a lot of potential, but the discrepancy between
what you could be and what you are is disappointing.
Let me give you some advice whether you want it or not.
If I were you I'd become indispensable.
Maybe then someone will listen to your religion."
Becky was shocked, but not offended - she knew the nurse was
right.
Becky had learned what she needed to do in order to get by,
but hadn't progressed any further.
She was eager to share her faith, but had become blind to the
laziness that clouded any chance to witness effectively.
#1566
B. Abstain from sinful desires.
1) Peter begins by stressing negative - our private conflict.
2) Morality should be the clearest sign setting us apart.
3) Morality requires effort.
C. War of the soul.
1) Soul seen as "higher" spiritual self?
2) Romans 7 and inner struggle of spiritual people. Rom 7:23
a) Sinful desires (KJV - Flesh) is not just sexual. Gal 5
3) We may be aliens, but we don't let alien desires control us.
II. Surrounded by critics. 2:12
A. Early Christians lived in a hostile environment.
1) We often feel same way. (We are considered dangerous)
2) How do we respond? Take offensive!
a) Negative and private, gives way to public and positive.
B. The way we live is as important as what we say.
On October 14, 1994, Southern Baptist missionary Stanley Stamps
was driving down a road in Honduras.
His headlights picked up the vague form of a man walking along
the highway's center stripe.
He hit the brakes but the man staggered into his lane.
He was so close the missionary couldn't avoid him.
The car's windshield splintered as the victim struck it.
The car screeched to a halt, the motor dead.
The old man's body was sprawled in the middle of the highway.
Stunned, Stanley got out of his car.
The man was dead.
The car was badly dented and the windshield heaved in.
The last two passing vehicles had ignored his appeals for help.
It was late and the highway was abandoned.
What was he to do?
Many in Honduras would have driven on, and the newspapers would
have reported yet another hit-and-run death.
In the daylight, a driver might be killed by infuriated family
or neighbors - especially if the driver was a foreigner.
It was considered a family's obligation to get retribution.
If he turned himself in, what would the authorities do?
Stanley fought the urge to run.
Suddenly, he felt calm.
He knew the Lord was beside him, and he knew he had to report
the accident.
After pulling the body to the side of the road, he drove to the
police station.
The officer on duty was reading a Bible.
Stanley explained what had happened, and the officer investigated.
The victim, a 65-year-old widower, was a peasant who had been
seen earlier staggering - apparently drunk - down the middle
of the road.
Stanley was put in a cell and slept on a wooden plank bench.
He did not sleep too well.
In the morning a procession of church groups and fellow
missionaries came to visit him.
A local pastor Stanley was training offered to act as his
lawyer.
The local electrician, who was a friend of Stanley's but not a
believer, helped the family buy a casket and paid for the
man's burial.
What impressed the visitors the most was that Stanley had
turned himself in to the police.
Every one of them knew most people would have driven away from
the accident.
The fact he had done the right thing said more to them than any
number of sermons or lessons could have.
#3513
III. How to live an impressive life. #1566
A. Be wholehearted at work.
B. Be clean in your speech and positive in your attitude.
1) People notice your words.
2) Nobody respects a back-biter.
C. Be a servant to everyone, not just friends.
1) Rise above "loving your own."
D. Admit your sinfulness.
1) Accused of doing wrong = "criminal."
a) "48 Hours" - black preacher lived a ten year lie.
(murder)
1> Victim's wife: "If he was a real preacher, wouldn't
he confess his crime?"
b) Accusations against early Christians: cannibalism; incest.
2) People may question our motives.
a) Ask if it is justified.
b) We are not perfect, but we can be honest.
IV. Making an eternal impression. 2:15
A. Our integrity should draw attention to God, not us.
1) "Glorify God" suggests they themselves become Christians.
2) We should always try to make a SPIRITUAL impact.
B. Preach your life.
Laying his hand on the shoulder of a young monk one day,
St. Francis of Assisi said,
"Brother, let us go down to the town and preach."
So they went out together.
They talked with each other as they went along the road.
They walked down main streets, round the lowly alleys and lanes,
and on to the edge of the village beyond.
Finally they turned back, and entered the monastery again.
In surprise, the young monk asked, "Father, when are we going
to begin preaching?"
St. Francis looked kindly upon the young man and said:
"My child, we have been preaching; we were preaching while
we were walking.
We have been seen - looked at; our behavior has been noticed;
and so we have delivered a morning's sermon.
It is of no use that we walk anywhere to preach unless we
preach as we walk.
#4091
C. Where do you need to shape up?
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Easily create PDF Help documents