Jeremiah 44-46, Song of Solomon 1, John 5:16-30, 1 Peter 2:1-8

1 Peter 2:1-8:

Given that these Christians are in exile – scattered, it seems, throughout the world, alienated from the surrounding culture, and under pressure to conform – how should they then live? Peter here gives them instructions on how to live, and a motivation to live that way.  

First, he instructs them to be active in getting rid of negative, nasty, malicious attitudes and speech. How easy it is when under pressure to cave into the temptation to rail and rave against life and other people! Instead, let us “rid ourselves of all malice.” Just because the culture around is angry and malicious, does not mean that we should be! Far from it, we should model ourselves after Christ and his call to us to be “in the world but not of the world.” But how are we to do this? We must, like newborn babies who crave milk, similarly crave God’s Word. If you have ever been awoken in the middle of the night by a baby wanting to be fed, you will know the determination, persistence, and volume with which a baby can demand to be fed! In a somewhat similar way, we are to crave God’s Word. In some countries people will walk for miles to hear God’s Word preached. Can we not get out of bed on time to hear the Bible preached? Can we not rearrange our schedule to be in church each and every Sunday? And can we not put God’s Word ahead of any other desire – craving the Word of God like a baby craves milk! 

Second, he gives them motivation. What is the motivation? It is that the one they serve, Jesus Christ, was also rejected. And yet he was established by God. He died, and yet he rose again. We too may be rejected by men, but by God’s power we are being built into a spiritual house, the church. Others will not see this; they will reject the message, as they were destined. But those of us who obey Christ, trust him and follow him, we are built into this new temple, living stones, not a temple of bricks and mortar, but the living body of Christ! What a motivation! Even in exile, this Christ is building us into his house!