Earnest Love From the Heart
Sermon Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Spiritual Vitality
1 Peter 1:22-2:3 (ESV)
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.
2:1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Sermon Outline
Whole hearted, authentic Christianity arises from the work God does in us and expresses itself in a life reflecting God and God’s way of love.
1. A New Possibility
v22 “having purified your souls… for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart”
2. The Old Probability
2:1 “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”
v23 “perishable seed”; v24 “all flesh is like grass”
3. A Better Reality
v23 “since you have been born again”
v23 “imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (v25 “remains forever”)
v25 “this word is the good news”
v22 “obedience to the truth”
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and merciful God, we give thanks that you are not like us. You love because of who you are, not because we are lovely. Your love is a love that pardons sinners and makes peace with your enemies. We confess we have lived as your enemies. We are guilty of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, and many sins which proceed from our corrupted hearts. We have not loved you or one another. Forgive us all of our sins, and continue your work of sanctification in us. As Jesus laid down his life to purify us and give us new life, so we commit to putting away our old ways and taking hold of the new. Help us with these things, we ask, in Jesus name. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
Why do we associate love with the heart? What is the “heart” in the Bible? Is it more than our emotional selves?
Do you find Jesus’ standard of love appealing (see Matt 5:43-48 for more information)? When Jesus speaks of a thorough love that extends even to enemies, are you troubled, confused, or do you have reservations? If so, what are your concerns?
Are you able to fully put away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander? If not, what do you still hold on to and why?
How do sinful desires lead to death? Aside from literal death, where do you observe sinful actions as causing a break down and stripping life in some way?
What are some implications of God’s “word” being eternal? What is God’s word?
How does the good news change us? What affects should we expect if the message of who Jesus was, what he did, and how it makes a radical difference for us is believed?
How does God’s love for you – a love that comes from God because God is love, not because you deserved or earned it – re-direct how you love the people in your life?
Is there anyone you are currently failing to love? Why? What is keeping you from imitating the love of Christ? What help do you need?
Do you have confidence in the truth of having a whole new identity if you have been born again? Why not? What do you need to get grounded and grow? What in your life needs to be realigned with that?