More than a story

This is a short recap of Sunday's message, which can be heard here: bit.ly/MoreThanStory

1. More than words
1 Peter 1:17 "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,"

Your right to call God father is coupled with the responsibility to live obediently to His standards.
A child of God is compelled toward obedience because they are in a relationship with God through Christ.
As a result of that relationship, God gives the Holy Spirit to guide in obedience and equip for obedience.
Therefore, if you claim to be a child of God yet have no desire to live obediently to God’s word, you are either ignoring the Holy Spirit or you are making a false claim.

Why would you choose to honor God in the difficult times?
Your circumstances do not determine your behavior, your relationship does!

2. More than a sacrifice
1 Peter 1:18-19 "knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."

Here, we see God as one who pays a ransom.
To be ransomed is to be set free, or liberated.  Circumstantially, the Christians of Peter’s day were not living in freedom.
That was a temporary circumstance.
Spiritually, they had been liberated by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
That is an eternal truth.

Based on that statement, listen to its impact on us…
Focusing on the eternal will get you through the temporary if you are in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Neglecting the eternal will render you powerless as you try to endure the circumstances of this life.

How do you show your appreciation and love for His sacrifice?
Showing up a couple of times per month is nice, but does that describe someone who has been rescued from an eternal hell?
Since experiencing salvation, your life may have changed, but have you changed the way you live life?

3. More than a story
1 Peter 1:20-21 "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."

Before the world and its surroundings came to be, Jesus was.  He is eternal, with no beginning and no end.
The plan of redemption was established before creation, knowing God himself would have to die in our place to save us from ourselves.
Yet, He created us and loved us in spite of our rebellious nature.
The perfect judge became the perfect sacrifice to satisfy His perfect judgment for us.
It is through His life, death and resurrection…
Jesus brought us to Faith.
He led us to Repentance.
And He gave us Hope with His promise of salvation.

The reality of His death is that it is not just a religious story. It is not just good material for a movie.

The one, true, living God came to this world to personally experience your death.
He bore your sin.
He paid your penalty.
He suffered.
He felt pain.
He was rejected.
He was separated from God the Father.
He took His last breath.

Some would say, he was thinking of you.
I would say He was thinking of eternal matters.
He was thinking of obedience to the Father to the point of death.
He was thinking of completing the Father’s mission.

Since it is more than a story, He must impact our lives in spite of our circumstances.
Scripture says,
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”