Craving God's Word: A Journey of Spiritual Growth
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth of God's goodness and how it is demonstrated in our lives through what we put away and what we long for. We delved into 1 Peter 2:1-3, where Peter encourages believers to rid themselves of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander, and instead, to crave pure spiritual milk, which is the Word of God. This passage challenges us to move beyond merely proclaiming God's goodness to actively practicing it in our daily lives.
Peter's exhortation to "put away" certain behaviors is akin to a spiritual cleansing, much like the concept of "Swedish death cleaning," where one clears out unnecessary clutter. In our spiritual lives, this means removing sinful attitudes and actions that hinder our growth and community. These sins, such as malice and deceit, are like weeds that can choke out the good in our lives if left unchecked. By putting these away, we make room for love, kindness, honesty, and sincerity to flourish.
Furthermore, Peter calls us to long for the Word of God as newborn infants crave milk. This longing is not passive but an active pursuit of spiritual nourishment that leads to growth and maturity. Just as breast milk is perfectly designed to nourish a baby, God's Word is perfectly designed to nourish our souls. A genuine love for and delight in God's Word is a hallmark of true faith and spiritual maturity.
The challenge for many believers is to not only come to faith but to continue growing in it. This involves a commitment to learning and living out the teachings of Scripture. It's not enough to simply attend church or participate in religious activities; we must engage with God's Word personally and in community with others. This engagement leads to a deeper understanding of God's goodness and a more profound experience of His grace.
In conclusion, as we reflect on our own spiritual journeys, let us be diligent in removing the sins that hinder our growth and fervently pursue the nourishment found in God's Word. By doing so, we will not only proclaim God's goodness but also practice it, becoming a powerful witness to the world around us.
Key Takeaways:
1. Spiritual Cleansing: Just as Swedish death cleaning involves removing unnecessary clutter, spiritual cleansing requires us to rid ourselves of sinful attitudes and actions that hinder our growth and community. These sins, like malice and deceit, are weeds that can choke out the good in our lives if left unchecked. By putting these away, we make room for love, kindness, honesty, and sincerity to flourish. [09:54]
2. Longing for God's Word: Peter encourages us to crave the Word of God as newborn infants crave milk. This longing is an active pursuit of spiritual nourishment that leads to growth and maturity. A genuine love for and delight in God's Word is a hallmark of true faith and spiritual maturity. [29:53]
3. Community and Accountability: Engaging with God's Word should be done both personally and in community with others. This engagement leads to a deeper understanding of God's goodness and a more profound experience of His grace. Involving others in our spiritual journey provides accountability and encouragement. [23:37]
4. Practicing God's Goodness: Moving beyond merely proclaiming God's goodness to actively practicing it in our daily lives is essential. This involves a commitment to learning and living out the teachings of Scripture, which leads to a deeper understanding of God's goodness and a more profound experience of His grace. [33:09]
5. Witnessing Through Love: By removing sins that hinder our growth and fervently pursuing the nourishment found in God's Word, we become a powerful witness to the world around us. A community characterized by sincere brotherly love and a love for God's Word is a testament to God's goodness and grace. [34:47]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:43] - Introduction to God's Goodness
- [01:54] - Context of 1 Peter
- [03:00] - The Word of God as a Theme
- [04:16] - Born Again Through the Word
- [05:37] - Tasting the Lord's Goodness
- [08:18] - Reflection on Salvation
- [09:54] - Christian Death Cleaning
- [12:11] - Putting Away Sinful Attitudes
- [14:49] - The Concept of Swedish Death Cleaning
- [17:30] - Interpersonal Communication Sins
- [21:03] - The Danger of Envy
- [23:37] - Slander and Community Weeds
- [26:49] - Christian Life Maturing
- [29:53] - Longing for Spiritual Milk
- [33:09] - Growing in Salvation
- [34:47] - Practicing God's Goodness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Peter 2:1-3
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific behaviors does Peter instruct believers to "put away" in 1 Peter 2:1? How are these behaviors described in the sermon? [09:54]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of longing for "pure spiritual milk" as described in 1 Peter 2:2? [29:53]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "Swedish death cleaning" in relation to spiritual cleansing? [14:49]
4. What role does the Word of God play in the growth and maturity of a believer, according to 1 Peter 2:2-3 and the sermon? [33:09]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the act of "putting away" sinful behaviors relate to the concept of spiritual growth and community health as discussed in the sermon? [10:46]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that longing for God's Word is similar to a newborn's craving for milk? How does this analogy deepen our understanding of spiritual nourishment? [29:53]
3. The sermon mentions "community and accountability" as essential for engaging with God's Word. How might this look in a practical sense within a church community? [23:37]
4. How does the sermon challenge believers to move from merely proclaiming God's goodness to actively practicing it in their daily lives? [33:09]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there any "weeds" such as malice, deceit, or envy that you need to "put away"? How can you begin this process of spiritual cleansing this week? [09:54]
2. How can you cultivate a deeper longing for God's Word in your daily routine? What practical steps can you take to ensure you are spiritually nourished? [29:53]
3. Consider your involvement in your church community. How can you contribute to a culture of accountability and encouragement in engaging with God's Word? [23:37]
4. Think about a recent situation where you had the opportunity to practice God's goodness. How did you respond, and what might you do differently next time to better reflect His grace? [33:09]
5. Identify one specific way you can witness God's goodness to those around you this week. How can your actions serve as a testament to His grace and love? [34:47]
6. How can you involve others in your spiritual journey to help you grow in integrity and love? Consider discussing this with a trusted friend or family member. [23:37]
7. Reflect on your current spiritual maturity. What is one area where you feel God is calling you to grow, and what steps will you take to pursue this growth? [33:09]
Devotional
Day 1: Spiritual Cleansing for Growth
In the journey of faith, spiritual cleansing is essential for growth and community. Just as Swedish death cleaning involves removing unnecessary clutter, believers are called to rid themselves of sinful attitudes and actions that hinder their spiritual development. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander are like weeds that can choke out the good in our lives if left unchecked. By putting these away, we make room for love, kindness, honesty, and sincerity to flourish. This process of cleansing is not a one-time event but a continual practice that allows us to experience God's goodness more fully. [09:54]
Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
Reflection: What specific sinful attitude or action do you need to "put away" today to make room for God's love and kindness in your life?
Day 2: Craving Spiritual Nourishment
Longing for God's Word is an active pursuit of spiritual nourishment that leads to growth and maturity. Just as newborn infants crave milk, believers are encouraged to crave the Word of God. This longing is not passive but requires a genuine love for and delight in God's Word, which is a hallmark of true faith and spiritual maturity. Engaging with Scripture allows us to grow in our understanding of God's goodness and experience His grace more profoundly. [29:53]
Psalm 119:103-105 (ESV): "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Reflection: How can you actively pursue a deeper craving for God's Word today, and what steps will you take to engage with it more consistently?
Day 3: Community and Accountability
Engaging with God's Word should be done both personally and in community with others. This engagement leads to a deeper understanding of God's goodness and a more profound experience of His grace. Involving others in our spiritual journey provides accountability and encouragement, helping us to grow in faith and maturity. Community is essential for spiritual growth, as it allows us to learn from one another and support each other in our walk with Christ. [23:37]
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to for spiritual accountability and encouragement, and how can you support them in their faith journey?
Day 4: Practicing God's Goodness
Moving beyond merely proclaiming God's goodness to actively practicing it in our daily lives is essential. This involves a commitment to learning and living out the teachings of Scripture, which leads to a deeper understanding of God's goodness and a more profound experience of His grace. By practicing God's goodness, we become a powerful witness to the world around us, demonstrating His love and grace through our actions. [33:09]
James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can practice God's goodness in your daily life today, and how will you commit to making it a regular habit?
Day 5: Witnessing Through Love
By removing sins that hinder our growth and fervently pursuing the nourishment found in God's Word, we become a powerful witness to the world around us. A community characterized by sincere brotherly love and a love for God's Word is a testament to God's goodness and grace. Our lives should reflect the transformative power of God's love, drawing others to Him through our actions and words. [34:47]
1 John 4:11-12 (ESV): "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
Reflection: How can you demonstrate sincere brotherly love to someone in your life today, and what impact do you hope it will have on them?
Quotes
I want to take that phrase, which has some history, depending on the tradition you come from, and I want to take it from what does it mean to proclaim it, to what does it actually mean to practice it? To actually say it and actually show by what you do, you is good. [00:55:36]
God's goodness is demonstrated by what we put away and what we long for. Now, I like to often give us a running start here to give context, so we're not just parachuting into the text without an understanding of where we have been and where we are and where we are going. [02:15:36]
He goes on to say that he was angry. That after the service, I was too busy talking to visitors. I was not talking to members, and that they had hired me to be their pastor as members, so I should be talking to the members and not the visitors. [22:00:88]
Peter is saying listen if you're going to be a community of Christians these sins they're congregational weeds they start small under the surface but they start to grow and they grow alongside other virtuous acts but they eventually choke out anything good and right that's why he says here [24:27:45]
Perhaps this week you can spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal and help you if there are yet still any remove sinful attitudes of these things referenced here perhaps it's not a regular practice people wide perhaps it's a occasional practice with a particular person to bring that to the Lord [24:51:04]
You think about a hungry infant crying out persistently until it's fed. Similarly, God intends Christians to be hungering for God's word. You should have a love for and a longing for it. Saying it differently, perhaps provocatively, a love for and a delight in God's word always marks the truly saved. [29:53:46]
The prophet Jeremiah, who was just seeing his entire city of Jerusalem being waylaid by an opposing, overruling army, held fast to God's revelation in a difficult time and he says, your words were found and I ate them and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart. [30:52:27]
Christian maturity is directly tied to how much of the Word of God you've been learning and living out. One of the great goals of Grace Church is not to organize another class. It is for you to attend. So let's continue. [34:13:29]
I pray that we as a people as the spirit of God moves here would in humility by the Holy Spirit's prompting instruct him from his word would identify the sins that will tear us apart in our community and that we would remove those persistently prayerfully remove those and put on a sincere brotherly love [36:19:95]
Imagine the people who did that consistently and imagine young man young woman older man older woman if you help contribute to that what a witness that church would have in the city for the glory of Jesus Christ [37:21:79]
I mean, you see what it says there in verse two, like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk that by it, you may grow up into salvation. So notice what Peter's doing here. He's like, hey, you're not just putting these things away. You're actually consuming and you're bringing these things into you. [29:22:78]
It's a church that's deeply rooted in and repetitively being reminded of the gospel in their life and applying that and how they interact with each other. I wonder how many of you by show of hands have heard of Swedish death cleaning. [13:04:84]
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