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Forged – Week 2: Holy Living

Forged – Week 2: Holy Living

Family Time

Last week: We started a series called forged where Patrick gave us a great picture of the Christian journey and how it’s a lot like being heated up in a crucible for refinement. That God uses the heat of life’s circumstances to purify us to reflect the image of Jesus. So that the world sees Jesus through our lives.

This week: We are going to talk about the holy living and its application in our church. Peter exhorts us to live lives set apart for God’s purposes – to be holy.

1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV) Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

• We are to prepare our minds for action – that action is to:
o Live holy lives (to be set apart) in our spheres of influence, with eternity in mind.
o Remember our old way of life, old metal has been heated up, refined and purified for His purposes, to be holy.

1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV) As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

• If you are a follower of Christ, you are a living stone.
• We are to be a spiritual house in which God lives, in each of our hearts – not a physical building.
• Holy Priesthood – like the O.T. priest were a type but incomplete. But because of Christ, we are called to be His holy priesthood and to offer sacrifices of a different kind.
1. We are consecrated and separated for God by our faith and baptism – not the law
2. We are to offer sacrifices that please God by worship, love, forgiveness and service.

The only way this becomes reality is if we:
• Are truly disciples/followers of Christ (Matthew 4:19)
• Are committed to loving God and others with all that we are. (Matthew 22:37-40)
• As a church, a spiritual house, we are to go make disciples, followers of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20)
• Do this the way Jesus did it with His disciples, He discipled them in relational environments. (Acts 2:42,47)

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS

Passages: 1 Peter 1:13-2:12
Ice Breaker: What is something you ‘crave’?
Sermon Reflection – What insight do you hear from the sermon?
Questions to discuss:
1. Read 1 Peter 1:13-2:3. What are the reasons Peter calls Jesus followers to strive toward being holy? How would you define holiness?
2. What did Jesus do for us? What is our part in following him?
3. What are you in the processes of putting off and putting on as you choose Jesus to lead you? What helps you crave – seek out – things of God?
4. Read 1 Peter 2:4 – 9. What does this passage tell us, following Jesus, about who we are?
5. As summer approaches and rhythms change what is your plan to stay connected to the ‘corner stone’, Jesus, and the other ‘living stones’ – fellow believers?
6. How have you seen people stumble over who Jesus says he is? Share together who you are concerned for. Pray together over those who you have concerns about stumbling over Jesus.
7. What praises about God would you declare? Who needs to hear them?

Preparation for Next week: Focus for next week is 1 Peter 2:11-3:7. Read through 1 Peter at least once – try a chapter a day.