FAMOUSyouthGROUP*

Step 5: die to sin.

1. Introduction

• Last week, we talked about the forth step of our purpose as Christians which was?… Maturity- and what it means to be mature in Christ.
• Does anyone remember what maturity is, or can anyone describe the important aspects about maturity?
• If you had already forgotten… One of the key points of last week’s lesson was the fact that maturity is a constant, on going process.
• Another thing about maturity, is that spiritually mature Christians are easily recognized in any group. Basically the cat in the crowd who isn’t taking the hit from the bong or taking shots, or playing beer pong.  Or the guy or girl who isn’t saying the F or N word in between every other syllable.  It’s that person in the crowd who’s showing God’s love through his or her lifestyle.
• But what does it mean to be spiritually mature in Christ?  We know that it’s a constant process, we know what a spiritually mature person looks like, but what does it mean to be mature in Christ?
• It means that you’re able to stand your ground in this world that is always looking for new ways to tear you down.  Spiritually mature Christians stand their ground.  When God is telling us that our fourth purpose on this planet is to become mature in Christ, he means that we have we need to become strong, equipped, and mature Christ followers who are always growing in the knowledge of Christ, always learning from past mistakes, and always making right decisions.  That is who we are called to be.
• Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food (or the bread of life) is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:13-14)
• How do we become mature?

Grow in the Knowledge of Christ

• • Don’t be stupid when it comes to the very thing you live your life by!
  • II Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  this is the first step to our purpose.

Allow God to renew your mind (everyday; maturity is an ongoing process- our minds constantly need renewal)

• • Romans 12:2  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
  • We mess up everyday, therefore we must start anew everyday.

Be obedient in what you learn.  Practice what you preach (Where is the Love?)

• • Practice what you preach.

1. 1 Peter 2:21-25

Today, we will be going over the 5th step of our purpose.  But in order to do that, we are going to critically analyze a verse in the bible.

1 Peter 2:21-25

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

• Tonight, we are going to spend a bunch of time analyzing this verse.  If you’re into English or Lit, you may enjoy this

1. “For you have been called for this purpose.”

• Let’s take a brief minute to talk about this one line.  As you all know, we’re going through a series that explains six steps of our purpose on this planet as Christians.  Basically, this one line introduces the fifth step of our purpose which is: dying to sin.  God is basically saying, “Yo, Famous Youth, this is your fifth purpose!  So listen up!”

1. “… Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return”

• It says here in this verse that Christ suffered for us so that we may live like Him.
• And how did Christ live?
• It says here that Christ “committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to him who judges righteously.”
• Have you ever sinned?
• Have you talked crap about someone behind their back?
• Have you ever gotten into a fight with someone?  Have you ever returned insults?
• Has someone ever made you feel so bad, that you threatened to do something harmful to that person?
• If we paraphrased this segment of the verse into our modern day American slang it would sound something like this:  Christ got owned for you- leaving you an example to follow his pro lifestyle.  He never committed sin- he never hated or talked crap about anyone- and even when the world hated Him for his pro lifestyle, he didn’t hate them back.
• Christ lived and suffered for us, leaving us an example to pattern our life by.  Christ’s lifestyle had no sin.  Likewise, we must strive to live a life without sin also. This is our 5th purpose in life.

1. “… But kept entrusting Himself to one who judges righteously.”

• So right now we’re talking about how God lived a life without sin.  And the following verse covers a very important element in his life devoid of sin; no matter what Christ went through during his mission on earth- no matter how much the world hated Him, he continued to entrust Himself to one who judges righteously.
• Have you ever felt like life was out of control?  (Share testimony about summer)
• Now lets shift gears for a minute… Have you ever judged someone?  I know I have.
• But before I get into my point, I would like to add that we do not have the right to judge anyone.  In Matthew 7:1-2, God states, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” In Romans 2:1 it states, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.”
• When we strive to live a life without sin, believe me, our heads tend to get a little big.  Sometimes, we as Christians view ourselves as “superior” to the world.  I know I have.  If you know me, I have this thing… That I really should stop doing.  But hypebeasts and people who do that “jerking” thing and people who just try too hard to be someone they’re not… They piss me off a lot.  And believe it or not, but that is a covert way of judging others.  Yet the bible clearly states in John 13:34-35 to “Love one another as I loved you.  By this will all men know that you are my disciples.” (paraphrased.)
• While the whole world seems to be talking crap about each other… We need to set ourselves apart and revolutionize the way we live… By loving each other as God loved us.  Being a Christian is being a revolutionary.
• But my point is, when we strive to live a life without sin, we must not judge others with pride.

1. “… He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness”

• Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death.  But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• What is the consequence of sin?  Death.
• He bore our sins in His death so that we do not have to pay the consequences for our sins which IS death.  This is the hope of our faith!
• But what does this last line say?  “That we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”
• This may not be an accurate interpretation, but the way I see it… Christ died on the cross for us with the hopes that we might live a life of righteousness.  You see, I think Christ knew that not everyone would follow Him.  It does say in the Bible that God knows who is going to heaven and who is going to hell.  But in this verse, I truly feel that Christ died in order to provide humanity with the option of living a righteous life- although He knew that not everyone would take that option.  Therefore the bible states, “he bore our sins on the cross.. So that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”
• But this verse in a nutshell basically describes that Christ died for our sins so that we may die to our sins. And once again, dying to sin is one of our purposes in life.  God took away our sin- every sin so that we do not have to bear it anymore because Christ already bore it for us.  This is extremely important you guys.  If we choose to accept it, we do not have to bear the guilt of our sins anymore.  All the crap we’ve done in the past- even if the world no longer accepts you, God will always be there.  We simply must give it up to God, because he has already payed the ultimate price.  Christ died for our sins so that we may die to our sins and live in righteousness.

1. “for by His wounds you were healed”

• Often times I feel extremely guilty for the sins I’ve committed in the past, and even in the recent past.  That guilt and pain are sometimes unbearable.  Sleepless nights.
• I quote from an article on DesiringGod.com, “The cross does not merely create new possibilities, it creates new people…”
• But by God dying on the cross for our sin, and by us dying to sin, our wounds are healed. (Name examples)
• You do not need to suffer from sin anymore, you guys.  By dying to sin, Christ will heal our bodies.

VIII. “for you were continually straying like sheep…”

• “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” This is the healing Peter has in mind: the return of straying, perishing sheep to their Guide and Provider and Keeper.
• So far, we’ve learned that God died so that we may follow in his footsteps.  Second, we learned that Christ died so we may live in righteousness.  And the last thing is summed in this verse… “Christ died so that he might bring straying sheep home to the green pastures of the Good Shepherd.”
• “For you were continually straying like sheep.”
• Who here is a perfect Christian?  Every single one of us strays away from God, some of us more often than others… But we must be constantly reminded of this important point- that through dying to sin, repenting, asking for forgiveness, and humbling ourselves, God will put us back on the right path.
• God died for us so that we may follow in His footsteps.  We are like the sheep in His pasture, and according to the bible, God knows what’s best for us.  Therefore, we must follow in the footsteps of the Shepherd.

1. Why must we die to sin?

• To put it simply, is because sin separates us from God.  We are continually straying like sheep because of our sin.
• When we die to sin, we are more able to:
  • Follow Christ’s example through our lifestyle
  • Live righteously
  • Receive healing for our wounds
  • Get direction from God
  • And ultimately, fulfilling our purpose on this planet.