Become Who You Are

Mar 13, 2016 • Zach Albanese • 1 Peter, 1 Peter Series, Sermon, 2016

REFLECTION QUOTES

“There is something deeper than obedience because of duty, and that is obedience because of devotion.”

~W. W. Wiersbe (1929-present), American pastor

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

~Ephesians 2:19-22

“The experience and destiny of those who come to Christ are bound up with the experience and destiny of Christ himself.”

~Karen Jobes, Wheaton College professor

“One must know oneself. If this does not serve to discover truth, it at least serves as a rule of life and there is nothing better.”

~ Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), French mathematician & Christian philosopher

“Role models are only of limited use. For no-one is as important, potentially powerful and as key in your life and world as you.”

~Rasheed Ogunlaru (1970-present), British author

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

~Aristotle (384-322 BC), Greek philosopher

SERMON PASSAGE

1 Peter 2:4-12 (ESV)

4 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. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.