Aug. 11, 2009 - Living as a Child of God
This Sunday we visited a new church, and I liked what the speaker had to say on a certain passage, 1 Peter 2:13 - 3:12.
The passage is somewhat long, so I won't post it here, but I would encourage you to go read it on your own, think on it, and come back and share what you thought!
What I gleaned from the message was this. In the passage previous to the one that I have mentioned, Peter tells us to "Live as the people of God". How should we do this? The passage gives us a list of things that we can do that we might live as the people of God.
This passage is easily applicable to both individuals and churches. I won't get into the churches bit right now, though.
So, all this leads me to wonder, am I living as a child of God?
- Submit to Government
- Submit to Masters
- Submit to Husbands
- Husbands honor your wives
- Christians have one mind
- Have compassion
- Love as brothers
- Be tenderhearted
- Be courteous
- Don't return evil for evil, or railing for railing, but rather bless those that curse you.
This passage is easily applicable to both individuals and churches. I won't get into the churches bit right now, though.
So, all this leads me to wonder, am I living as a child of God?
- At this point in my life, my masters are my parents. How often do I disobey or complain about commands they have given me? How often do I roll my eyes in disrespect? To honor them, as God calls us to do, would show that I appreciate what they have done for me, and their wisdom and experience.
- How often to I persist in and create arguments between my siblings and myself? Granted, this isn't exactly what being of "One Mind" means, but dissension of any kind is undesirable.
- How often do I scoff at the pains of my brothers as being fancied or exaggerated? It wouldn't take much to tell them I am sorry they were hurt or don't feel good, and wouldn't that help ease the ache?
- How often do I desire to distance myself even from those of my own family? God loved me, even though I don't think I have many hobbies in common with him (Can you imagine God knitting? Or being rude? I am rude often enough it could probably count as a hobby!). Even if I think I don't want to be with certain people, I should love them, and try to be with them anyway. That's what God did for us.
- Although being tenderhearted is similar to being compassionate, it is not quite the same. How often have I had a hard heart to those things which should easily move me?
- How often have I been rude to those around me? My life would be so much easier if I slowed myself down and spoke and behaved cheerfully rather than aggrieved.
- Finally, how often have I replied spitefully when someone was rude to me? The Bible calls us to bless those who curse us. How can we influence those who do evil things if we are mean right back?
Copyright 2009 Defective Compositions
Comments
Aug. 11, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmartyJones
Sounds like it was a good sermon! You certainly give one a lot to think about! =)
~SmartyJones
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