Preached June 21, 2009
from
1 Peter 1:13
Theme: This passage teaches followers of Jesus how to set their minds for faithful living in tough times.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
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 (1 Peter 1:13).
* * * * * * * * * *
Read those words again. Let them sink in. They are words that were meant to encourage Christians who were suffering.
Peter wrote them to people whom he calls—in the opening words of his letter—”the pilgrims of the Dispersion”. He called them that because they were “dispersed” from their homeland. They were Jewish Christians who were under persecution for their faith in Jesus. They were forced to flee from the nation of their birth—far away from the security of their homes and business and family ties—and were made to take refuge in other lands as “pilgrims”.
They were under great stress, and were experiencing difficult times. Much about the immediate future was uncertain for them. But nevertheless, Peter’s letter to them is filled to the brim with hope and encouragement. Whatever it may have been that they were experiencing and suffering at the time, their ultimate future was bright beyond description. He told these suffering Christians;
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (vv. 3-5).
Peter, as a good pastor, wanted them to keep all this in mind during the times they were undergoing. He wanted them to grasp hold of that glorious future with both hands, place their hope in it fully, and allow it to transform them during the temporary hard-times they were then undergoing. He goes on to say;
In this [that is, in their glorious inheritance that is secured for the future in Christ] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls (vv. 6-9).
And please note how important their thinking is in all this. Peter tells them that, even though they were going through tough times, he takes it for granted that they “greatly rejoice” in something that God has for them in the future. He takes it for granted that they understand that God is testing them and refining their faith, through the present tough-times, for that glorious future. He takes it for granted that, though they have not seen Jesus, they nevertheless know about Him and greatly love Him.
He takes it for granted that, if they have the right ‘mindset’ about the glorious future that is theirs in Christ, they will stand faithful during the tough times of trial. And so, he writes to them, “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.”
Those words have been a mainstay to me over the last week. I believe the Holy Spirit may also mean for them to be the mainstay of someone here this morning.
* * * * * * * * * *
Back when I was in seminary, a fellow student was sharing with us in class about an experience he had while training for hospital chaplaincy.
He had to deal with people in various stages of life; and even ministered to people who’s days were numbered and whose lives were about to come to an end. One lady that he had been seeking to minister to was a particular frustration to him.
“This lady,” he said, “is in the terminal stages of her disease. There’s no cure. There’s no way around it. She’s about to die. She’s about to step into eternity. She can practically draw a circle on the day of the calendar; and has only a few weeks left.
“Now what would you do,” he asked us, “if you were in her situation? What would you do with your last few days on earth—knowing you are about to meet God? Wouldn’t you be making the best use of your short time of suffering? Wouldn’t you be much in prayer? Wouldn’t you be making peace with the people in your life? Wouldn’t you be reading your Bible passionately? Wouldn’t you do all that you could to get ready for eternity while you could? Well; I’ve tried to talk with her about it; but she wont listen to me. And do you know what she’s doing right now? She has a big pile of old copies of The National Enquirer next to her hospital bed; and she’s spending her last few days on earth going through every one of them!”
That was many years ago; and that woman has long since gone. But the image of her in a hospital bed—spending her last, few, precious days on earth going through the tabloids—has never left me. She has become, in my thinking, a human ‘proverb’.
And yet, do you know one of the great, practical differences between her situation and ours? She could put a date on the calendar with a pretty fair measure of accuracy. We can’t. Maybe she could estimate her time up to a day; and maybe we could estimate our time up to a decade. But just like her, you and I are only a few, short steps away from our eternal destiny.
And so, the words of this morning’s passage are very important. They help us keep our focus. They help us to set our minds in the right direction during our short stay on earth. They help us to keep thinking right, so that we end the race victorious. They tell us, “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.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Do you notice that first word “Therefore”? That points us back to the context for these words. Let’s take the time to look at what precedes them.
Peter’s theme is the glorious salvation that is ours through faith in Jesus. In verse ten, He says,
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you . . . (v. 10).
God didn’t bring about our salvation in Christ without, first, making it known well in advance. He caused the prophets—whose writings we have in the Scriptures of the Old Testament—to prophecy of this grace centuries before it was fulfilled in Christ’s coming; and to write it down for our edification and instruction.
And apparently, even though they didn’t fully understand the implications of all that was being given to them, they were fascinated and thrilled with it all. They weren’t passive and indifferent about it. We’re told that they “inquired” and “searched carefully” about it . . .
. . . searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who as in them was indicating when He testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow (v. 11).
You and I often take for granted the great doctrines of the Bible regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ and our salvation in Him. But they didn’t! It was a cause for great searching and inquiry. They wondered and marveled at the tiny ‘hints’ of these things that the Holy Spirit was giving them.
What’s more, we’re told that the Holy Spirit also made it clear that it was for our benefit today that they were recording these things back then. As verse 12 says,
To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us [or, as some translations have it, “to you”] they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven . . . (v. 12a).
And do you see that we’re informed of someone else that the Holy Spirit used? Not only did the Spirit indicate to the prophets of the Old Testament the spiritual realities of our salvation in Christ—realities that those prophets were fascinated with and searched diligently to understand; but He also gave a clearer light—after Jesus came and died on the cross—to the apostles. The same Holy Spirit that “hinted” of these things in the Old Testament times has also given a clearer revelation of them to the apostles, and guided them as they wrote those things down and preached them to the world. Just as the Old Testament prophets were fascinated to inquire of our salvation in Christ, the apostles were thrilled to proclaim it!
And finally, look at yet one more group that we’re told is fascinated with our salvation—fascinated even as we speak!. We’re told at the end of verse 12 that these are
—things which angels desire to look into (v. 12b).
The word that is used is one that means that they, as it were, ‘stoop down’ in an earnest desire to gaze upon the wonders of our salvation in Christ. They cannot partake of it! They can only look at it as spectators and glorify God for what they see. But just think of it! Mighty angels—who are far above us in power and glory and wisdom—long to look into the things that God has done for us in Christ! They “desire” to look into the matters of our salvation!
And brothers and sisters in Christ: if the prophets of old “inquired” and “searched” after these things that they were ministering for us; and if the apostles rejoiced lay down their lives in order to “report” them to us; and if the very angels in heavenly glory long to look into what God our Savior has done for us; how can it be, then, that we are so indifferent to them? How can it be that we aren’t the most fascinated and motivated of them all over these things?
Do you suppose that the saints who have gone on before us into glory, and even the very angels of heaven, ever look upon us with frustration and say, “What’s the matter with these people? Don’t they realize what God has done for them? Why aren’t they thinking about it all the time? Why aren’t they grasping hold of it all with both hands?”
Do you suppose they ever look at us in the same way we’d look at that tragically wasteful woman who was spending her precious time reading The National Enquirer?
* * * * * * * * * *
The glorious truths of our salvation—as Peter wrote about them—deserve our proper response to them! That’s why Peter says, “Therefore . . .”
And it’s then, in our verse this morning, that Peter gives us three “disciplines of the mind” that will help us keep these things ever before us and to live fervently in the light of them all our days on earth. The first of these disciplines that he mentions is . . .
1. ‘GIRD UP THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND’.
Back in the days in which Peter wrote, people commonly wore loose, flowing garments for their every-day clothing. And if anyone had hard, laborious work to do, they would usually not wear their loosely fitting garments that day.
But if there ever came a time, in the midst of everyday life, that someone had to do some laborious task, they would simply tuck the loose portions of their garments up into a belt or girdle—thus freeing their arms and legs from any hindrance. Thus, “girding their loins” was a figure of speech for preparing one’s self to engage in a serious task. Today, we would use the phrase “to roll up your sleeves” to communicate the same idea.
And that’s the kind of idea that Peter is communicating to us—that in light of the glorious truths of our salvation that God has communicated to us through His word, we should “gird our loins”, or “roll up our sleeves”—but in this case, he says we’re to do this with respect to our “minds” or “thinking” or “intellect”. As the English Standard Version has it, we should be “preparing” our “minds for action”.
One of the great areas of work we do with respect to our salvation has to do with our minds. All that is required for our salvation has already been fully accomplished for us by Christ; and there’s nothing we can do to add to it. But there is much we need to do in order to personally ‘grasp hold’ of it in our daily lives; and the primary place where that occurs is in the realm of mind. The Bible tells us, with respect to our response to the message of the gospel;
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).
I believe that to “gird up the loins of our mind” would mean that we are not lazy in our thinking as Christians. I certainly don’t think that it means that we have to be “scholars”; because that’s not how God has equipped all of us. But I do think that it would mean that we are willing to do the hard work that it takes to grow in our understanding of the great salvation God has brought about for us in Christ. I believe it would mean that we are people who study and carefully think-through what our salvation means in everyday experience.
And let me get even more specific. I believe Peter gives us a very clear sense of what he means in his second letter. He wanted the believers to labor hard to make their calling and election in Christ “sure”. And so, he told them,
For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease (2 Peter 1:12-15).
His chief concern was not that the believers sit down and “think” new thoughts for themselves. Rather, his chief concern was that they “remember” what they had already been taught. That’s why he wrote the second letter. He didn’t want them to forget the truths that they had been taught; so, he ensured that they’d always have a reminder of those things—even after he would be gone—by the fact that he wrote them down!
He gets even more specific in the third chapter. He tells them;
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:1-2).
I don’t know how to put it more simply than this: Peter is telling us as believers to “roll up the sleeves of our minds”, so that we can do the hard work of studying the Bible; because it’s in the Scriptures that we’re given the reminders we need of what God has done for us in Christ! Read the Bible every day! And don’t just read it ‘passively’. Study it! Look up the words that you don’t understand! Consult maps and concordances! Use a Bible dictionary!
All of these things take work; but it’s work with respect to something that the prophets of old “searched” and “inquired” after; and that the apostles rejoiced to “reveal”; and that the very angels of heaven long to look into! There isn’t anything greater to study than the great truths of your salvation! So, “gird up the loins of your mind!”
* * * * * * * * * *
Another discipline of the mind that Peter calls us to embrace is to . . .
2. ‘BE SOBER’.
Whenever we think of being “sober”, we automatically tend to think of “not being drunk”. It’s the idea of not allowing some drug or chemical to seize control us; but rather of making sure that our minds are clear and undistracted.
And in a sense, that’s what Peter means. But he means much more than our not letting alcohol or a drug control us and muddy-up our minds. He intends for us to not allow ourselves be controlled by even such things as our emotions, or circumstances, or the love of things, or the fear of other people. He means for us to be free from the control of anything else, so that we are utterly undistracted in our obedience to the Holy Spirit through the instruction of the word.
Again, some things that Peter says elsewhere in his letter helps us understand what he means. Later on, for example, he speaks of the matter of how we should behave in light of the coming ‘end times’. He says,
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers (1 Peter 4:7).
The word that’s translated “watchful” is the same word that is found in the phrase, “Be sober.” It’s the idea of being careful, or attentive, or circumspect, or vigilant. It’s the idea of paying careful attention to what’s going on around you, so that you’ll know how to pray effectively.
And later on in the letter, he speaks of how we must be on guard against the threats of the devil. And he says,
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Here, the same word “sober” is combined with the idea of being “watchful” or “alert”. Its much more than just a matter of having a clear head. It’s a matter of having one’s head clear for a purpose! Its having a clear head so that we can be alert to what’s going on around us, and be prepared to respond to every situation in obedience to God in a biblically-informed way.
Many people believe that becoming a Christian means checking your brains in at the door. And sadly, many professing Christians act as if this is exactly what they did! But the exact opposite is supposed to be the case. Being a faithful follower of Jesus means being sharp, being aware, being clear-headed, having our heads always in gear and our minds always on the job—alert to the attacks of the devil; alert to the needs of prayer; alert to what God has said about what is going on around us, and to what it is He wants us to do about it!
Dear brothers and sisters—in the light of the great truths of our salvation which God has revealed to us in His sure word, stop being distracted! Stop being dull-minded! Be watchful! Be alert! Be sober!
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So; one discipline that Peter calls us to is that of “girding up the loins of our mind”. Another is that of “being sober”. And now here’s a third . . .
3. ‘REST YOUR HOPE FULLY UPON’ FUTURE GRACE.
Peter here calls us to look ahead to the glorious results that God purposes to bring about in us through our salvation. God doesn’t intend to simply save us from our sins and then leave us. Rather, His work of salvation in us is not complete until He has made us to be completely conformed to the glory of His Son Jesus Christ! As it says in Romans 8:29-30,
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).
We’re not to forget what it is that God has purposed to do in us. We’re to keep it in our minds that, when God is finished with us, we will be as glorified as His precious Son Jesus! We’re to make that our “hope”—that is, our solid expectation!
And literally, Peter writes that we are to “perfectly hope” in this. There is to be no partial commitment to this as our hope. Rather, we’re to hope in it all the way. It’s something that we are to hope for so perfectly, that we would be willing to lay down our lives for Jesus in the confident expectation that we will be raised in glory with Him on the day that He returns!
And just notice how that kind of a “perfect hope” would change our lives! Peter goes on to say in the next few verses that we are to hope fully in the grace that is to be brought about in us at the revelation of Jesus
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16).
This is exactly what the apostle John tells us in one of his letters. He wrote;
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3).
Dear brother or sister; if we keep our eyes and our hopes on what it is that God intends to accomplish in us in Christ; if we keep our focus on the future grace of being fully conformed to the image of Jesus Himself at His return; then we will never be idle in our Christian lives! We’ll have a passion to keep on growing to be what God has promised to make us!
* * * * * * * * * *
These three things are the things that we should do in response to the great truths of salvation. And may I close with one more observation? These three things deal marvelously with the past, present and future.
The command to “gird up our loins” sets our minds rightly in the past; because it calls us to “remember” the things that God has already told us about what He has already done! The command to “be sober” sets our minds rightly in the present; because it calls us to take the things that God has already told us and apply them to what is going on around us. And the command to “hope fully” in the future grace God has for us—obviously—sets our minds rightly in the future; because it motivates us to live faithfully now in the light of what we will one day be.
So, dear brothers and sisters; let’s follow this instruction from the Holy Spirit that has been given through Peter: “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”.