Acceptance - 7

Text: 1 Peter 1: 14-16, 4:7-14

1 Peter 1:15-16 “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” NASB

How does one become accepted by God? Isn’t that the age-old question?

Some ask it again and again in their lifetimes. Maybe you have learned the answer already. Maybe you’ve looked into different solutions yourself?

Here’s one thing I’d like to say. No matter your journey, there’s only one answer. One. Simple, huh?

Jesus.

There you go – mystery solved.

But here’s another question. Once you’re a Christian – you have accepted Jesus – how do we please Him?

It’s one thing to be adopted into His family; have all the “paperwork” done and finalized, but it’s another to have Him, all-holy eternal Creator, perfect God to be pleased with you.

Release that breath you’ve been holding and let’s dig in to what God’s word says. I will preface this by saying that I have by no means got this thing figured out. By no means. And yet, we are here to learn, to shape one another.

Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” NASB

And to love each other through the process.

 Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times,And a brother is born for adversity.” NASB

1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” NASB

So, together, let’s grow a little today and learn what will please our Abba Father.

Please read our text from 1 Peter 1.

Tall order, huh? Be holy. For me, an American, that’s about as impossible as trying to be Asian, or if someone told me to be 6’ tall, or to be older. There may be a way to fake it, rig it, or become someday, but I can’t just wiggle my nose and “be holy”.

But the blessing is, God knows that. And that’s why we need Christ. And that’s why He provided Christ. Why He gives grace.

Do you see? To be accepted by and to please God is to accept, imitate and strive to be like Him.

The more like Him we are, the more pleasure we bring Him.

Read through 1 Peter 4:7-14. Concentrate on verse 11.

1 Peter 4:11 “Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” NLT

Also look at 1 Peter 5:5-6.

In being like Christ, for some reason it’s easy to get the mindset of being somehow better. But look at verse 5, and also James 4:6, which both reference Proverbs 3:34.

1 Peter 5:5 “In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for“God opposes the proud    but favors the humble.”” NLT

James 4:6 “But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,“God opposes the proud    but favors the humble.”” NLT

God draws near and gives grace when we are humble.

We will close today with a handful of things for you to ponder and pray about. Use your journal and don’t rush through these questions.

Q: In 1 Peter 4:11 whose words should be coming from our mouths?

Q: In the same verse, whose strength do we rely on to do that?

Q: Do you think that id we are relying on God’s strength to be like God, is there any room whatsoever for our own glory or our own agenda?

Are you worried that you will somehow be unhappy if you surrender your own agendas to God?

DO: Please write out 1 Peter 4:19 and 1 Peter 5:10.

1 Peter 5:10 “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” NLT

Acceptance - 1

Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” NIV

Sometimes it seems intangible. Sometimes it seems alluring. Some spend their lives fighting for it. Some are blessed to have always known it.

Acceptance.

In this segment we will be looking at different facets of acceptance: toward others, others’ acceptance of us (or lack of it), acceptance by God, acceptance of God, and acceptance of His plan and will for us.

I would like for you to spend some time in prayer, asking God to open your mind to areas in your life that need sharpened, matured, mended or healed. Maybe they’re hidden; maybe they are obvious, bleeding, raw. Maybe there are some from both categories.

Please read our text Romans 15:1-13 and let’s dig in.

Zoom in on verses 2-3:

Romans 15:2-3 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” NKJV

Christ took all our reproaches – the ones we lash on each other, the ones we earned when we sinned and acted apart from God’s commandment, causing our rejection and lack of Holy acceptance – that is, without intervention.

Read Psalm 69:9-12

And He knew this was coming because of us, and loved, gave, died anyway.

Psalm 69:11 “I wore sackcloth as my clothing,and I was a joke to them.” HCSB

Q:  From Psalm 69:11-12 Christ humbled Himself for us, and how did we respond?

Sheer ridicule.

How could we? How dare we?

And we who did this to Him – yes, willingly – He accepts us. Chose us. Loves us.

What I’d love for you to notice in this is that He is our example.

1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” NIV

 1 Peter 2:21 “For you were called to this,because Christ also suffered for you,leaving you an example,so that you should follow in His steps.” HCSB emphasis mine

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” NKJV

Philippians 2:5 “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus” HCSB

I would like to encourage you this: there has never been or ever will be any hurt greater than that which Christ took because of us. And we have His example to follow – so it is time to lay aside our pride and realize that even if we’ve been hurt, we too can forgive, as Christ forgave us.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” NKJV

Only after that forgiveness and by following His example of pure grace can we even begin to practice acceptance toward one another. Even toward those who do not accept us.

Turn back to our text in Romans 15.

Romans 15:1 “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” NIV

And we are commanded to accept one another.

Romans 15:7 “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [a]us to the glory of God.”  NASB

Only through God will we ever be able to do this.

Whenever we see a ‘therefore’ in a text, we ought to look at the preceding verses. So glance back at verses 5-6.

Romans 15:5 “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,” NASB

The ESB says it this way “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.”

And here’s why:

Romans 15:6 “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” NIV

It brings Him glory. This. This is how He wants His children to behave. This is how He wants His ambassadors and representatives to act.

DO: In your journal, take the time to write out Romans 15:5-7. I believe there is such value in physically writing it out.

DO: Now take a highlighter or a different color pen and highlight important words – such as God’s character (we are, after all, to follow His example) and our commands.

Q: What were the characteristics you pulled out?

Q: Do you believe that the characteristics you underlined or circled in verse 5 give us a clue as to how to live in harmony? Why or why not?

Do not be discouraged. Be encouraged. God will enable you to act as He desires. Surrender to His control and enjoy the harmony He brings.

A Bride Ready

Text: Matthew 25:1-46

Give me oil in my lamp

Keep it burning

Oh, Lord don’t let the fire go out

Give me oil in my lamp

Keep me praising

You are what I am about

Keep me praising Hosanna

Keep me singing

Help me praise in a way that You love

Keep me praising Hosanna:

“O Lord save me,”

And find me faithful when You come

-NR 6-30-13

Read our text Matthew 25, especially taking a look at verses 1-13; then we will take a look at a little background for this story. It is likely familiar to most of you and I’d like you to dig a little deeper with me.

There were 3 stages to a Jewish wedding in that day: engagement, betrothal, and marriage. The engagement stage was a formal agreement between the fathers of the guy and the girl. Betrothal was a ceremony where mutual promises were made.

Source

These two stages have already passed in our parable in this passage from Matthew. We are ready for the third called marriage. This took place approximately a year later, (source) when the bridegroom came at an unexpected time for his bride.

She would wait with her bridal party until they received the signal to go – that the bridegroom is coming.

The procession would then begin – with 10 lamps, each carried by one of the bridesmaids.

In our parable, although all appeared ready, only half were truly ready. The girls who were not ready had no oil when it was time to go, and their lamps could not be lit, which would keep them from joining the procession and the wedding party. They wanted to borrow from the ones who were prepared.

But sisters, it doesn’t work that way, does it? Not here.

David Guzlik draws out the parallel to depict the oil in the lamps as a representation of the Holy Spirit (received at the moment of salvation: Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:9).

We can’t depend on someone else’s preparedness for our own salvation.

The girls who did not have oil in their lamps were caught unprepared – and while they slept, their lamps went out, because they did not bring enough oil with them. These same girls thought they could go get some oil just before the wedding, once they heard the signal to go, but by the time they returned, it was too late and they were not admitted into the wedding celebration.

Ladies, we don’t know when our Groom is coming. Let’s be ready.

The groom said to them “I don’t know you.” (See also Matthew 7:21-23)

I like the way Spurgeon put it:

"The foolish virgins had professed to be the bridegroom's friends, yet they were proved to be not even his acquaintances." (Spurgeon)"When that door is once shut, it will never be opened. There are some who dote and dream about an opening of that door, after death, for those who have died impenitent; but there is nothing in the Scriptures to warrant such an expectation. Any 'larger hope' than that revealed in the Word of God is a delusion and a snare." (Spurgeon)

You get one chance at your second chance. Brides, understand this. Any chance at all is a second chance. We were born sinners. Every last one of us.

Psalm 51:5 “For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” NLT

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” ESV

Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.” NLT

He forgives and offers a second chance, but now is the time!

2 Corinthians 6:2b “…Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” NLT

Don’t be one of the foolish bridesmaids who waited until it was too late.

What are you waiting for anyway? A life with our Groom may not always be easy, but you will always be accepted, you will always be loved, and sister, you will always be forgiven. What better life is there?

Please take the time to look at these verses.

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” NLT

Acts 16:31a “…Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…” NLT

John 11:26 “And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ESV

John 6:47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” NLT

Are you already a child of God? Are you reading this, already a saved soul, holding the glorious promise of new life in Heaven? I’m so glad! Me too – and I can’t wait to meet you there. Glory! Won’t that be glory to meet all the sisters from across the world in faith on that wondrous day? I can’t express to you how that gives me excited chills. I love you so much.

So for a bride already prepared, what is the call to action here?

I see one- more clearly laid out in the rest of Matthew 25, especially verses 14-30.

You get one life, what are you going to do with it? How do you want your Groom to find you upon His arrival?

Good. Faithful. Responsible. (Mt 25:14-30)

Active. Compassionate. Hospitable. Attentive. (Mt 25:31-46)

Christlike.

Isn’t this the point? Living it out? What would be the benefit of saving people who never changed? Since our purpose on earth is to bring God glory, then why would He want to save and preserve those who do not?

In Matthew 25:41-43 all I see is self-centeredness. And isn’t that what we are saved from?

I want to close with these verses from 2 Peter.

2 Peter 3:9-11 “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live…” NLT

You ought to live holy and godly {Christlike.} lives.

You do not know when your Groom returns (2 Peter 3:10).

Give me oil in my lamp and let me always be ready, burning, warming, lighting my world.

Let me be ready for my Groom’s return.