Bible Text: 1 Peter | Pastor: Pastor Lance | Series: Engage: Do All In The Name Of The Lord Jesus | Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)​ He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
The church’s mission: is to equip YOU for the work of ministry.
NOWHERE: does it say in the Bible that the mission of the church is to FEED THE PEOPLE.. It says EQUIP the PEOPLE

1 Peter 1:3 (NLT)​ All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead.

1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)​ These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
Peter then tells them “How” to walk out their faith
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NLT)​ So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. Obey God because you are his children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God—who chose you to be his children—is holy. For he himself has said, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
How to Re-Engage the mission:

Think clearly and exercise self-control 1 Peter 1:13a (NLT)​ So think clearly and exercise self-control.

Original Greek says this a little differently instead of “Think clearly…”

“Gird up the loins of your mind”

Gird up the loins: the gathering up ones robe when needing to move in a hurry

This “Girding” was a metaphor applied ones thought life

Pull in all the loose ends of your thinking

IOW: Prepare your minds for action!!!

Romans 12:2 (NLT)​ Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

If you don’t take control of your thoughts your thoughts will take control of you every time!
How to Re-Engage the mission:

Look forward not backward 1 Peter 1:13b (NLT)​ … Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.

“Rest”, your hope fully…

(teleiōs):completely setting of hope w/o wavering AT ALL

Re-Engage to mission: Is a life of (teleiōs) w/o wavering

Resting hope in Christ
How to Re-Engage the mission:

Obey God when no one is looking 1 Peter 1:14a (NLT)​ Obey God because you are his children.

QUESTION: What was the last thing the Lord told you to do?

He wants obedience to that thing

BTW: He won’t give you the “Next thing” until

You finish the last thing

You can try and force the “Next thing”…. Seldom works out
How to Re-Engage the mission:

Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil 1 Peter 1:14b (NLT)​ … Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn’t know any better then.

How can you NOT slip back

You need to do something different than you used to do
How to Re-Engage the mission:

Be holy in everything you do 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NLT)​ But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God—who chose you to be his children—is holy. For he himself has said, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (MSG)​ Don’t be quick to fly of the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head.

Proverbs 15:18 (NLT)​ A hothead starts fights; a cool-tempered person tries to stop them.

Proverbs 20:3 (NLT)​ Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Questions to ask yourself before posting on social media:

Would Jesus post this?
Am I reflecting God through this post?
Could this post hurt some people?
Would I want this post to become tomorrow’s headline in the Kitsap Sun?