Yesterday, God led me to preach a message entitled, “It’s Time to Grow Up” today from I Peter 2.
Peter encourages us to grow up in our salvation in at least four ways in this chapter.
1. We are to put childish things away-I Peter 2:1 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”
Peter said we are to get rid of “malice.” “Malice” is a desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another person. Reduced to its childhood form, perhaps we could say malice is the attitude that if someone hits us we are going to hit them back. It is rooted in the idea of not only getting even with someone but making them pay. As one author I read this week suggested, Jesus wants us to grow up away from malice and into mercy.
We need to move from malice to mercy. Jesus came not to make us pay for what we have done, but to pay the price for us. We also have to get rid of deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. All are rooted in immaturity and self.
2. Second, Peter tells us we need to develop the right appetites. Look at Peter’s admonition in verse 2: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk.” We are to develop an appetite for spiritual things.
I have learned, when you give in to a desire, any desire, you give it some kind of power and position in your life. It will tempt you to pursue more of whatever it is and often in greater quantities with more intensity.
Desires are a natural part of life. What we do with our desires will either be natural and lead to the natural consequences or will be godly and will produce the supernatural blessings that will result from making the right choice.
3. Third, Peter suggests we need to possess a teachable spirit Look at verse 5: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
God is doing some work on you in order to do His work through you. We need to let the Builder do His work. The word “disciple” means a learner. You can’t be a good disciple without being a learner.
4. Finally, Peter tells us from this passage that in order to grow up in our salvation we need to embrace our spiritual identity. In verses 9-12 Peter says we basically need to show people who God is through your worship and your works.
God is asking for us to grow up in Him by putting childish things away. He wants us to develop the right appetites. Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? If you do, you will be filled (Mt. 5:6). If not, you will chase more and more of that which will never satisfy and cause heartbreak and sorrow. Are you teachable? Are you willing to learn to be a better dad, a better wife, a better friend, a better son or daughter, a better employee, a better learner of Jesus? Are you willing to grow as a worshiper and worker in the Kingdom of God? God is calling us to “grow up” in Him today.
Let’s commit to growing up in Christ and growing by living out our salvation through our lives!
Pastor Melissa
