Rising Above a Fallen World - 1 Peter 1

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Living Faithfully in a Broken Creation

Today, I’ve entitled our message “Rising Above a Fallen World.” We live in a world tainted by moral decay, loss of hope, violence and rampant selfishness. These realities confront us daily and can weigh heavily on our hearts and minds. As believers, we must learn how to live faithfully in the middle of such brokenness.

Why do we call the world we live in a fallen world? The answer is that the world we live in was not the world that God created for us to live in. God created the beautiful, perfect garden of Eden for the first people to live in. But Adam and Eve sinned and were expelled from that garden.

Not only did their sin impact their lives, it impacted all of God’s creation. So, now all of us live in a fallen world, in which both the people and the very creation itself have fallen from what God created them to be.

Romans 8:22-23 (ESV) For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

All of creation groans to be released from the curse of the fall. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us, yet we still look ahead to Jesus’ return. At Jesus’ return, our bodies will be transformed into eternal bodies, and God will create a new heavens and new earth for us to live in.

But until then we are living in this fallen world, which causes us to groan. How can we rise above a fallen world? To help us visualize today’s message, let’s imagine a chameleon living in a rain forest.

This fascinating creature can change its colors to blend into its environment for survival. If it’s sitting among the leaves of the tree, it will be green. If it’s crawling up the brown trunk of a tree, it will be brown. While this behavior helps the chameleon survive, it’s a dangerous way for us as humans and as believers to navigate life.

We often are tempted to adapt our colors, so to speak, to fit in with the crowd. We adjust our beliefs, behaviors, and even our values to match our surroundings. This compromises our identity as children of God, because we are supposed to be different than the people in this fallen world.

Romans 12:2a (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

The word conformed in the Greek means to imitate or adopt the behavior of this fallen world. Rather, we are to allow God to transform our lives to imitate Jesus as God renews our minds. So, today, we’re going to learn to refuse to be chameleons and instead stand out as we rise above a fallen world.

Focus Your Mind on Jesus’ Return

1 Peter 1:13 (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.

To rise above a fallen world, we need to prepare our minds for action. Our hope must fully be focused on the future return of Jesus Christ. This focus gives clarity, endurance, and direction in a world that is confused and unstable.

Why focus on the return of Jesus? Because that’s when everything, and I mean everything, changes. At the instant of Jesus’ return, everyone’s eternal destiny is sealed, either heaven or hell. At that same moment, the entire universe will be transformed.

A new heavens and a new earth will instantly replace the current heavens and earth. Paradise will return, where God will walk and talk with His family of believers. To rise above a fallen world, you must focus your mind on Jesus’ return.

Living with an Eternal Focus Shapes Every Direction

You see, what you focus on is where you’re going to go in life. What you focus on will determine your eternal destiny. People focus on all kinds of things in life as their primary focus, including money, possessions, prestige, pleasure, careers, and family.

While we do need to pay attention to many of those things, they must be in line with our primary eternal focus. What you focus on in life will determine whether you fulfill God’s purpose. What you focus on in life will determine where you lead those around you.

Those who focus on Jesus’ return will lead their families, friends and neighbors to heaven. Those who focus on the fallen world will lead those close to them in the opposite direction. Focus your mind on Jesus’ return, and when you do, you will rise above a fallen world.

Pursue a Life of Holiness

1 Peter 1:14 (ESV) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

As believers, we have become children of God, not just children but obedient children. As believers, we are to have a passion for God. We must not be conformed to the sinful passions which rule the fallen world.

We are not to be chameleons that live like the fallen around us. Instead, we are called to live differently, shaped by obedience and devotion to God. This obedience is a mark of true spiritual transformation.

1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV) 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.”

God has called each of His children to be holy in everything we do. To be holy is to be morally pure and to be separated from the ignorant ways of the world around us. Rather than being conformed to the fallen world, we are to be conformed to God.

As God is holy, so we are to be holy. We are to be separated from the sin around us and joined to a holy God. We are to follow Jesus and pursue a life of holiness.

Obedience to God Shapes a Holy Life

How do we live holy lives? You are to be obedient to God. Where do we find God’s instructions and commands? We find them in God’s Word.

You need to read the Bible every day. If you have never regularly read the Bible, start in the New Testament, not the Old. In addition, you need to regularly be in Sunday service and small group Bible study to learn from others.

Next, we need to resist conforming to the lifestyles of the fallen world. We learn what is right and what is wrong from studying and being taught God’s Word. Pursue a life of holiness and don’t be afraid to be different than those around you.

Live in the Fear of God

1 Peter 1:17 (ESV) And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

A lot of people try to explain this away, but to fear God is to fear God. He is the all-powerful Creator who holds your life in His hands and will determine your eternal destiny on judgment day. This truth should shape how we live each day.

Jesus put it this way in Matthew 10:28, where He explained that we should not fear those who can only harm the body. Instead, we are to fear the One who has authority over both body and soul. Living in the fear of God keeps our lives aligned with eternity.

Matthew 10:28 (ESV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

In order to keep your mind focused on eternity and pursue a life of holiness, you need to live in the fear of God. God will judge each and every person according to their deeds. While we are saved by faith, true saving faith always produces a holy life.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV) knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

To live in the fear of God, we need to remember that we were saved through the blood of Jesus. Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins so that we could be forgiven and saved. This truth should deeply shape how we live.

Not only do we need to look to the future of Christ’s return, but we also need to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross. He paid the ultimate price so that we could become holy children of God.

1 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV) He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Jesus, as part of the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, has always existed. He was the one through whom the universe was created. In the last days of earth’s history, Jesus entered our world as fully God and fully man.

He died on the cross and was raised from the dead and is alive forevermore. Our faith and hope are not in ourselves, but in God alone. Therefore, we live with no fear except the fear of God.

Freedom from Fear Comes Through Reverence for God

The most common mental disorders in the United States are anxiety disorders, affecting about twenty percent of the population. In the last year alone, anxiety disorders have increased twenty-five percent across the world. Anxiety is defined as persistent, excessive fear or worry.

As we grow in our understanding of and fear of God, we will be healed of our other fears. Jesus commanded us not to worry, and worrying is a sin that needs to be eliminated. Fear and worry do not come from God but from Satan, who wants to destroy you.

If you are battling fear of any kind, Jesus wants to set you free. If you need to be delivered from fear and worry, come forward for prayer during our prayer time and God will set you free. To rise above a fallen world, we must live in the fear of God alone.

Love One Another Earnestly

1 Peter 1:22 (ESV) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

As we grow in obedience to the truth of God, we must live it out in our relationships with others. Loving others deeply requires pure lives, obedient hearts, and sincere faith. This kind of love flows from a transformed life.

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love God with all we have and then love our neighbor as ourselves. People will recognize that we are different from the world by the love we have for one another. This love is to be earnest and deep, not superficial.

1 Peter 1:23-25 (ESV) since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Peter reminds us how we were born again through the imperishable seed of the Word of God. Someone preached the good news of Jesus to us, and we believed. When we believed, we were born again into the family of God.

Our eternal destiny changed from hell to heaven. We became part of the kingdom of God and part of a global family of believers. This truth shapes how we love and relate to one another, especially within the local church.

Growing Together as God’s Family

You cannot rise above a fallen world on your own. Being part of a local church family is not optional for believers. The command to love one another can only be lived out within a committed church family.

Within the church family, we learn, grow, and are encouraged. Others have spiritual gifts that God uses to bless our lives in powerful ways. Together as a church family, we can rise above a fallen world.

As we do, we will rescue many from that fallen world and bring them into the family of God. This is how God’s light shines through His people. Together, we reflect His love to a broken world.

Conclusion: Standing Out in a World That Blends In

As we come to the close of this message, let’s revisit the chameleon in the forest, changing its colors to blend in with its surroundings. It is easy and tempting to adopt this chameleon effect in our own lives. We can slowly alter our beliefs and behaviors to fit into a fallen world.

Today, we have been challenged by God’s Word to be different and to stand out. We rise above a fallen world by focusing our minds on eternity, pursuing a life of holiness, living in the fear of God, and loving one another earnestly. These choices mark us as followers of Jesus.

As we live this way, we become shining lights in the darkness. We stand out boldly and call others to follow us as we follow Jesus. May God help each of us to rise above our fallen world.

📘 Continue the Journey

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