2010-10-10
1 Peter - The Fertile Soil of Discipleship
Steve Lane

A. Review
Victorious living from Romans 6: truth, faith, feeling (Identification by faith)
The power of the sin nature has been broken. By faith, you can live it out
Core to victorious living is that we live this life for the will of God, rather than our own desires

B. Love One Another Deeply

1 Peter 4: 8
Above all, love each other deeply
1 Peter 1: 22 Have sincere love for your brothers. Love one another deeply from the heart.
Deeply or fervently means stretched out. Picture a horse stretched out at full speed
Love is the primary Christian virtue and is what set us apart. It should be on our minds to obey.
Accountability is a part of love, but love is the driving force.

Fervently loving one another from the heart produces fertile soil for spiritual growth.
When you understand accountability you are much more free to offer mercy and love, and shield your eyes from their shortcomings, and forgive offenses toward yourself.
Proverbs 10: 12, 1 Corinthians 13: 5

Like a target with ever smaller circles, with a person's heart at the center. As we move toward another person, we will run into barriers—things we find offensive.
Another reason relationships take place within the context of a body
Is anyone speaking the words of God into your life?
Love covers... A critical spirit denies us the joy of loving one another
These relationships are not about meeting my own needs, socially or emotionally
"If you rake the surface, you get leaves. If you dig deep, you get gold."

C. Hospitality: Open Hearts, Open Homes

1 Peter 4: 9
The rest of the statements of the passage are also relational
This keeps you honest. "I really love those guys" (but no sacrifice, no heart relationships)
Many applications of the scriptural admonishment of hospitality
But wait! Do not try this in your own strength, or we will just end up with cliques
Without heart relationships and hospitality, a leader could drift toward armchair quarterbacking

D. Faithfully Administering God's Grace in its Various Forms—Putting Your Gifts to Work

1 Peter 4: 10
Faithfully administering is what a good steward does
Two broad categories of gifts: speaking and serving
Is it something Jesus would do? (2 Corinthians 5: 20)

1 Peter 4: 11
As one speaking the very words of God
Serving in the strength of God. We really are God's hand and mouth and feet and...
You should not think it strange if your service requires the same of you
What is our motive in all of this? Read the rest of verse 11

E. Conclusion
Continued growth requires an inner humility that welcomes input and a true sharing of your life. Mix in "loving deeply from the heart" (1 Peter 1: 22 and 4: 8) and hospitality and you will have relationships... this concoction breeds discipleship!