Enduring Grace: Love and Community in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Enduring Word Versus Fading Glory

All human glory and achievement fade, but God's Word endures forever.

The world is filled with things that seem permanent—empires, achievements, even our own carefully tended homes and relationships. Yet, like cut flowers, all these things inevitably wither and fade. The Word of God, however, is imperishable; it is the seed that gives new birth and living hope, a hope that does not fade even as the world around us changes or crumbles. This enduring Word is what sets believers apart, giving them a foundation that cannot be shaken by the passing glories or tragedies of the world. [30:45]

1 Peter 1:24-25 (ESV):
“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.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are tempted to seek lasting security or identity in something that will eventually fade? How can you intentionally anchor your hope in God’s enduring Word today?

Day 2: Born Again Into a Community of Love

Salvation in Christ births us into a family called to love.

To be born again is not just a personal, individual experience; it is an entrance into a new family, the body of Christ. This new birth by the imperishable Word draws us into a covenant community where love is the defining mark. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation, but in deep, sacrificial relationship with others who have also received this new life. The goal of salvation is not just personal holiness, but a community transformed by sincere, earnest love for one another—a love that stretches across differences and makes outsiders insiders. [41:33]

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.”

Reflection: Who in your church family or Christian community do you find it hardest to love right now? What is one practical way you can stretch yourself to show them Christlike love this week?

Day 3: Putting Off What Kills Love

Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander destroy community and must be put away.

When under pressure or facing suffering, the temptation is to let frustration and fear turn inward, poisoning relationships within the church. Peter names the specific attitudes and behaviors—malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander—that act like toxins, tearing apart the fabric of Christian community. These are not minor flaws but community killers, and they must be stripped away like dirty clothes from the old life. Only by intentionally putting off these destructive habits can the church survive and love endure through hardship. [50:35]

1 Peter 2:1 (ESV):
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”

Reflection: Which of these five poisons—malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, or slander—are you most prone to? What is one step you can take today to “take it off” and pursue reconciliation or honesty in your relationships?

Day 4: Craving the Pure Spiritual Milk

Long for the pure spiritual nourishment of the gospel to grow in love.

Just as newborn infants crave pure milk for growth and health, Christians are called to crave the pure spiritual milk of the gospel. This nourishment is essential for thriving in faith and for sustaining the kind of sacrificial love to which we are called. The gospel is not just the starting point but the ongoing sustenance for the Christian life. Regularly feeding on the Word—through preaching, personal meditation, and mutual encouragement—rouses us from spiritual lethargy and enables us to grow up into salvation, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. [54:46]

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV):
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally “drink deeply” of the gospel today—through Scripture, prayer, or community—so that you are nourished to love others more fully?

Day 5: Dangerous Grace and the Call to Risky Love

God’s wild, unpredictable grace calls us to risky, sacrificial love.

Grace is not tame or predictable; it is wild and free, calling us out of comfort and into the risky work of loving others—even those who are hard to love or who have hurt us. This grace is both our refuge and our challenge, inviting us to taste and see that the Lord is good, and then to pour out that goodness in love to others. True comfort and security are found not in self-protection or control, but in taking refuge in God and letting His grace move us toward forgiveness, reconciliation, and courageous acts of love. [01:00:28]

Psalm 34:8 (ESV):
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

Reflection: Where is God calling you to take a risk in love—perhaps by forgiving, reaching out, or serving someone who feels unsafe or undeserving? What would it look like to trust His grace and take that step today?

Sermon Summary

Grace is not a fleeting thing, like the fresh flowers that quickly fade or the empires that rise and fall. The Word of God, the imperishable seed, is planted in us and endures forever. This new birth by the Word is not just a private spiritual event, but a radical reorientation of our lives and our community. We are not only saved from something, but saved for something: to love one another earnestly, at full stretch, even when it is difficult, even when the world around us is unraveling.

The world is full of perishable things—glory, power, even our own best efforts. Peter reminds us that the DNA of the world always wears down, but the life God gives is different. It is a life that cannot fade, a hope that cannot die, a love that stretches across differences and makes outsiders insiders. This is not a love that comes naturally or easily. It is a love that is only possible because God has planted his imperishable Word in us, and that Word is Jesus Christ crucified and risen.

In times of suffering, tragedy, and division, the temptation is to draw hard lines, to self-protect, to let the pressures of the world bleed into our relationships. But Peter calls us to put away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander—those poisons that kill community and love. Instead, we are to crave the pure spiritual milk of the gospel, to be nourished by the Word, so that we might grow up into salvation—a salvation that flowers into sacrificial love.

This love is not optional or an accessory to faith. It is the very purpose for which we have been set apart. It is a love that is patient, kind, and self-giving, even when we are stretched to our limits. And when we find ourselves unable to love, we are called to return again and again to the source: to taste and see that the Lord is good, to take refuge in him, to be roused and nourished by the gospel, and to pour out that grace in love for one another.

Key Takeaways

1. The Enduring Word Versus Fading Glory All human glory—whether empires, achievements, or even our own best efforts—will inevitably fade, just like cut flowers. But the Word of God, the imperishable seed, endures forever and gives us a new kind of life that cannot be diminished by the passing of time or the shifting of circumstances. This is the foundation for our hope and our identity, especially when everything else feels fragile or uncertain. [30:45]
2. New Birth Means New Community To be born again is not just a personal spiritual experience; it is an entrance into a new family, the body of Christ. Salvation is covenantal, drawing us into a community where love is the defining mark. The Christian life cannot be lived in isolation; it is always “Jesus and us,” and the world will know we belong to God by the way we love one another, not by our politics, aesthetics, or even our morality. [41:33]
3. Love at Full Stretch Biblical love is not a feeling or mere friendliness, but a call to give ourselves away for others, even when it is costly or uncomfortable. Peter’s command to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” means loving at full stretch—extending ourselves beyond what feels possible, and growing in our capacity to love as we practice it. This kind of love is only possible because it is rooted in the imperishable seed of the gospel. [46:16]
4. Removing the Poisons That Kill Community Peter names malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander as the toxins that destroy love and community, especially under pressure. These are not just personal vices, but community killers that must be stripped away like dirty clothes from our old life. The health and endurance of the church depend on our willingness to put these things off, so that love can flourish even in times of suffering and stress. [49:58]
5. Craving the Nourishment of the Gospel Just as a newborn craves pure milk to thrive, we must continually crave the pure spiritual milk of the gospel to grow up into salvation. This means returning again and again to the Word, to the preached gospel, to the grace of Christ, especially when we feel worn down or unable to love. The gospel is not just the starting point, but the ongoing nourishment that enables us to love at full stretch and to taste and see that the Lord is good. [54:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:22] - Grace in Baptism and Community
[29:21] - Fading Glory: Flowers, Empires, and Our Lives
[30:45] - The Perishable and Imperishable Seed
[32:32] - Living Hope in Trials
[34:47] - The World’s Weariness and Christian Response
[36:38] - The Jesus Way: A New Way to Love
[38:05] - Words That Shape Our Identity
[39:09] - The Imperishable Seed and Sacrificial Love
[40:38] - Standing on God’s Promises in Exile
[41:33] - Salvation Draws Us Into Community
[42:43] - The Goal: Love One Another Earnestly
[45:13] - Love at Full Stretch: The Golf Analogy
[47:24] - The Challenge of Sustaining Love
[48:51] - Craving Pure Spiritual Milk
[49:58] - Removing Community Killers
[52:18] - The Destructive Power of Gossip
[54:46] - Nourished by the Preached Word
[57:23] - The Fearful Appetite and the Need for Grace
[59:22] - Taking Refuge in God’s Goodness
[61:31] - Grace Must Be Imbibed and Poured Out
[62:34] - Prayer and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Peter 1:22–2:3 (ESV) — 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Isaiah 40:6–8 (ESV) — 6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

Psalm 34:8 (ESV) — Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Observation Questions

According to 1 Peter 1:22–23, what is the source of the new birth for believers, and how is it described in contrast to the things of this world?
What specific behaviors does Peter instruct the church to “put away” in 1 Peter 2:1, and why might these be especially dangerous for a community under pressure? [49:58]
In the sermon, what does “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” mean, and how does the preacher explain the idea of “full stretch” love? [46:16]
What does Peter compare the nourishment of the gospel to, and what does he say will happen if believers crave and receive it? [54:46]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that all human glory fades, but the Word of God endures. Why is this distinction important for Christians living in uncertain or difficult times? [30:45]
The preacher emphasizes that salvation is not just a private event but brings us into a new community. How does this challenge the idea of “me and Jesus” Christianity? [41:33]
Peter lists malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander as “community killers.” Why do you think these particular attitudes and actions are so destructive to church life, especially during times of stress or suffering? [49:58]
The sermon describes biblical love as “at full stretch”—not just friendliness, but self-giving, sacrificial love. Why is this kind of love only possible because of the “imperishable seed” of the gospel? [46:16]

Application Questions

The sermon compares the fading of flowers and empires to the fading of our own achievements and efforts. Is there something in your life right now that you are tempted to put your hope in, even though you know it will not last? How can you shift your hope to the enduring Word of God this week? [30:45]
Peter says that being born again means being brought into a new family, not just having a private faith. In what ways do you find it easy or hard to live out your faith in community? Is there a specific relationship in the church where you sense God calling you to “love at full stretch”? [41:33]
The sermon calls us to “put away” malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Which of these do you struggle with most, especially when you feel stressed or misunderstood? What is one practical step you can take this week to “strip off” that old behavior? [49:58]
The preacher says that love is not optional for Christians—it is the very purpose for which we have been set apart. When was the last time you felt “stretched” in your love for someone? How did you respond, and what might it look like to lean into that stretch with God’s help? [46:16]
Peter urges us to “crave the pure spiritual milk” of the gospel. What are some ways you can return to the Word and be nourished by the gospel this week, especially if you feel worn down or unable to love? [54:46]
The sermon mentions that when we find ourselves unable to love, we are called to “taste and see that the Lord is good” and take refuge in him. What does it look like for you to take refuge in God’s goodness when you are struggling to love others? [59:22]
The preacher warns that gossip and slander are like “poisons” that kill community. Have you ever seen the effects of gossip in a church or group? What boundaries or habits can you put in place to avoid participating in or spreading gossip? [52:18]

Sermon Clips

Now, Peter is saying that the perishable seed, the DNA of the world, always wears down. Whether it's empires, the things of the world that we pursue, our bodies, the old life that we're tempted to return to when under the pressure of a trial, it fades, it wears down, it can't satisfy. It fails us. This is point one. this morning, but there is this new birth by the imperishable word or seed. The word of God, Peter says, that word does not fade, that word endures. This word is an imperishable seed. [00:33:04] (46 seconds) #SacrificialLoveDNA

He says, just like those flowers and that clean house and the Roman empire and your old life, it will fade, but not the life God embedded into you by the word. And then he adds, this word has been preached to you. The word has done something in you that nothing else can do. It has planted an imperishable seed into you. It has given you new birth into a living hope. It has made you holy, set apart. And it came to you by grace. You didn't merit it. [00:33:55] (32 seconds) #AnchorInGodsPromises

``Christ gave us a new way to deal with offenders by loving them, a new way to deal with violence by our own suffering. Christ gave us a new way to deal with sinners by eating with them, a new way to deal with money by sharing it, a new way to deal with debt by forgiving it, a new way to deal with enemies by dying for them. Christ gave us a new way to deal with our perishable society by embodying the new age within it, not smashing it, not warring against it, not retreating from it, not to lose our distinctiveness from it altogether, not avoiding it, but to lightly cast off these prior authorities and to... what? To love. This is what holiness looks like for Peter. It's being set apart to love, and this is imperishable. It creates a life that cannot fade, a hope that cannot die, a love that stretches across difference and makes outsiders insiders. [00:36:59] (62 seconds) #LoveAtFullStretch

In weeks like this one, Redeemer, it is important to anchor your hope in the imperishable words and promises of our God. Peter takes that same promise and says to his readers, exile in Asia Minor, misunderstood, marginalized, tempted to despair. You too have been given new life. You too can stand on God's promises. Just like the children of Israel in exile, you too. And Redeemer, I say to you this morning, you too. You can stand on God's promises. Empires fade. The gospel endures. Rome will not last, but the word planted in you will. [00:40:43] (51 seconds) #CraveSpiritualMilk

So if the imperishable word plants new life in us, what does that life look like? Peter tells us plainly in verse 22, having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love. Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. Our salvation flowers into love. Peter doesn't mince words. He doesn't say, now that you've been born again, consider the possibility of being nice to each other. No, he gives the imperative. Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. This love is not optional. It's not an accessory to our Christianity. It's what happens when God plants his imperishable seed in you. [00:42:22] (43 seconds)

Love is giving yourself away for another. It's sacrificial. It's patient and kind when you least feel it. It's refusing deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and gossip. Love is what happens when your life is no longer your own because you belong to Christ and you belong to his people. [00:44:11] (16 seconds)

So how are Christians set apart from the world? By love. Not by our politics, not by our aesthetics, not even by our morality. As important as holiness is, Peter says the world will know you are God's people if you love one another earnestly from a pure heart. This is the transformation event of salvation. To be chosen and redeemed is to be chosen and redeemed for love. [00:44:39] (27 seconds)

Slander. Speaking against one another. In a world already speaking against Christians, the last thing the church could afford was to echo those accusations inside. Nothing crushes love like gossip and backbiting. Nothing erodes trust like words meant to wound. One pastor said it like this, gossip is pornography of the mouth. A cheap thrill that offers zero commitment to the person being objectified. It seeks cheap thrills at another person's expense while making zero commitment to the other person. It creates false intimacy with the person you share it with. Contrary to love, gossip objects and depersonifies. Gossip offers an illusion of closeness while actually stripping others of their dignity. It turns people into objects. And in a suffering in church, it does the devil's work. Instead of binding us together in love, it pulls us apart into suspicion and contempt. So Peter says, take it off. Like dirty clothes from your old life, strip it away. Don't bring this into the family of God. If your church is going to survive exile, if love is going to endure suffering, these poisons have to go. [00:52:14] (80 seconds)

Peter is saying, crave Christ. Crave his word. Crave his grace. Keep coming back and again to the only nourishment that will grow you up into salvation. Keep availing yourself to the preached word. Preach to yourself the gospel. Preach to one another the gospel. You are in a community to encourage and exhort one another over the grace that has been given to you. The superfluous grace that covers all our failures to live this out in our life and community. [00:56:37] (32 seconds)

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