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Call to worship: Isaiah 40:1-9

Text: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Sermon Outline:

1. The conversion enabling this love, 1:22a, 23-25, 2:3c.
2. The command to love based upon it, 1:22b.
3. The character of this love, 1:22.
   • It is sincere.
   • It is brotherly.
   • It is earnest.
   • It is pure.
4. The conditions that make it grow, 2:1-3.
• Relational evil exiled, put away, 2:1.
• The Lord spiritually, earnestly ingested, 2:2-3.

Prepare

Questions:

1. Read 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 this week. As an encouragement to family worship and personal heart preparation, use the questions that follow:
2. Not a question, but it seems that as Peter reflects on the trials of the Christian life and the faithful Christian life in general, he has two OT texts in mind: Psalm 34 and Isaiah 40. Sit in those before Sunday.
3. The passage centers on a command to love one another, and that command is given two rationales, which are really two sides of the same coin we call conversion. There is the new birth (through the effectual preaching of the Gospel), 1:23-25, and there is our immediate response to it, 1:22. How does this ground the command to love one another?
4. What is the character of this love? Is it like the world's version? I see at least four descriptors. What are they? And how do they set this love apart?
5. As Christians, we've been converted to love, and to love one another, the church. We then want to grow in this love. We want to keep it healthy and strong. What conditions does Peter give in 2:1-3 to meet this desire? What are we to 'put away'? What are we to 'take in'? Let's examine ourselves on this critical characteristic of every real Christian and Christian church: how is our love for one another? Does that say something about our love and longing for Christ?