The Design for Growth

Introduction

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NAS)

1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. S

While I pastored in California a young Naval officer wanted to join our church. When we talked about membership it became clear he had not been scripturally baptized. Our church required him to be baptized by immersion as one who was a believer. This young man said "to this point I have refused to do that but I now believe I should." He did and later gave the testimony of how that experience broke loose some areas of rebellion in his life.

Simon tell us in the text if we are to grow there are some things to put Aside, Put Inside, and Prove. Follow as the Lord opens these principals.

I. The Design for Growth Includes Some things to Put Aside.

Verse1 - Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

A. Put Aside Malice. v 1 a

2549 kakia (kak-ee'-ah); - from 2556; badness, i.e. (subjectively) depravity, or (actively) malignity, or (passively) trouble

KJV - evil, malice (-iousness), naughtiness, wickedness.

2556 kakos (kak-os'); - apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas

KJV-- bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.

Titus 3:3 - For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. (NAS)

B. Put Aside Guile. v 1 b

1388 dolos (dol'-os); - from an obsolete primary verb, dello (probably meant to decoy; compare 1185); a trick (bait), i.e. (figuratively) wile: KJV-- craft, deceit, guile, subtilty.

AT Robertson Old word (from |delô|, to catch with bait),

John 1:47 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (NAS)

Object Illustration: I have in my hand a roll of toilet paper. On one occasion more that 25 years ago I went to get a roll of toilet paper. I put my fingers inside the roll and felt something crawl of my fingers. It was a cockroach. He was deceitful. He was not supposed to be there. My point is this every time I put my finger in a roll of toilet paper I think of that experience. I usually look into the hole before I put my finger into the opening.

The next time you fisherman bait a hook remember you are trying to be deceitful to the fish. Ask yourself it there is any guile in you. Let that fish hook be a reminder to you.

C. Put Aside Hypocrisy. v 1 c

5272 hupokrisis (hoop-ok'-ree-sis); - from 5271; acting under a false part, i.e. (figuratively) deceit ("hypocrisy"): KJV-- condemnation, dissimulation, hypocrisy.

Mr 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

D. Put Aside Envy. v 1 d

5355 phthonos (fthon'-os); probably akin to the base of 5351;  ill-will (as detraction), i.e. jealousy (spite): KJV-- envy.

5351 phtheiro (fthi'-ro);  probably strengthened from phthio (to pine or waste); properly, to shrivel or wither, i.e. to spoil (by any process) or (generally) to ruin (especially figuratively, by moral influences, to deprave):   KJV-- corrupt (self), defile, destroy.

Phil 1:15 - Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; (NAS)

Illustration - F. B. Meyer was pastor of Christ's Church in London at the same time that G. Campbell Morgan was pastor of Westminister Chapel and Charles H. Spurgeon was pastor of the Metropolitan Chapel. Both Morgan and Spurgeon often had much larger audiences than did Meyer.

Troubled by envy, Meyer confessed that not until he began praying for his colleagues did he have peace of heart. "When I prayed for their success," said Meyer, "the result was that God filled their churches so full that the overflow filled mine, and it has been full since."

E. Put Aside Slander. v 1 e

2636 katalalia (kat-al-al-ee'-ah); from 2637; defamation:

KJV-- backbiting, evil speaking.

2637 katalalos (kat-al'-al-os); from 2596 and the base of 2980; talkative against, i.e. a slanderer: KJV-- backbiter.

Illustration - Did you hear about Cornerstone Church were John Hagge pastors? The had some refinishing done in the church by a contractor named Bare. It got out that they were striping bare at the church.

Application - We must constantly seek to put off the characteristics of the old nature.

II. The Design to Grow Includes Some things to Put Inside. v 2

2 - like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

Introduction: Simon Peter is writing to many Christians who are new in the faith.

AT Robertson ". . . probably meaning that they were recent converts, . . . "

A. The Serious Desire to Grow

Intense. v 2 a -   ". . . like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word,"

A T Robertson Peter uses the word of God as the food for growth, especially for babes in Christ, . . . ".

Illustration - We had our 1-year old grandson with us for a few days this week. Teri was also here. Stephen is not a fussy baby, but he was being fussy. I ask Teri what's wrong with him. At the same time, she had a jar of food in her hands. When he saw that he stopped fussing. Babies have a desire for food. They will let you know.

B. The Sincere Desire to Grow. v 2 b

   ". . . long for the pure milk of the word, . . . "

A T Robertson First aorist (constative) active imperative of |epipotheô|, old verb for intense yearning (#Php 2:26). {The spiritual milk which is without guile}

C. The Saving Desire to Grow. v 2 c

   ". . . that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, . . . "

Illustration  - Some of you will remember Ray and Kay Brown. They taught a Lay Evangelism School in the late summer of 1990. Kent DePee's team went visiting to Dwain, and Marie Hockman. Soon after that Dwain , and Marie joined this church.

Ray, and Kay were among the first people I trained in an Evangelism Explosion Class. Ray owned some apartment buildings, and one was rented to a man with the last name of leisure. Some of you might remember he was convicted of murder as he planted as bomb in a car for the Mofia.

He owed Ray money on his rent. Ray was a little reluctant to try to collect it. But ____ Leisure called Ray and told him he wanted to pay his rent but he also wanted to talk to him. Ray went with a great deal of reluctance. In the course of the meeting Ray ask this hit man of the Mofia family if he knew the Lord, and shared the gospel with him. ___ said no and I would like to talk with you more sometime.

Ray had grown in his Christian life in respect to salvation, and he desired to share the gospel with this man

Application - Are you growing? Do you have a desire to grow. God has a Design for Growth.

Object Illustration - This baseball was given to me by one of the students in my New Testament Class. It has written on it these words; "Dr McCullen you taught me more than you'll ever know." At the same time in this class I have one of the most obnixious students I ever had. The other day I said the Bible says and he answered who cares what the Bible says. My point is this there must be a desire to grow before their will be growth.

III. The Design To Grow Includes Some things to Prove. v 3

3 ". . . if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord."

A T Robertson "A taste excites the appetite" (Bengel).

A. Proving that you have Tasted. v 3 a

   ". . . if you have tasted . . . "

B. Proving that you have Trusted. v 3 b

   ". . . the kindness of the Lord.. . . "

Rom 2:4 4 -  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (NAS)

Titus 3:4-5 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and {His} love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, (NAS)

Conclusion

Illustration - One Sunday on their way home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the preacher's sermon this morning confused me. The mother said, "Oh? Why is that?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?" The mother replied, "Yes, that's true, honey." "And he also said that God lives in us? Is that true Mommy?" Again the mother replied, "Yes." "Well," said the little girl, "if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"

Application - Is Jesus showing in our lives? If we are growing there will be proof.