Peter’s Pen 1st Peter 1:13-16 (B)

1Pe 1:13-16  Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (14)  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,  (15)  but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  (16)  since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Now, “and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Sober-minded can well apply to physical drunkenness but here, not so much.  Here it has the meaning of being watchful or circumspect. 

John Gill writes about this:

being inebriated with the cares of this life, which choke the word, and make it unfruitful, and lead men into temptation, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, and from the faith of Christ; and likewise to a being intoxicated with errors, and false doctrine, which lull men asleep, and render them incapable of serving Christ, and his church;

Ok – been there, done that and may be again.  The cares we have for those around us, the circumstance we are in, our needs and our fears as well as our hopes and dreams can easily “inebriate” us.  Peter is Not telling us to just blow them off, rather he’s telling us to keep them in their proper perspective – under God’s sovereignty.  It isn’t easy – we all know that – but we can work on it. 

How can we work on “sober mindedness”?  Peter answers that.

“set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Notice, it’s about where we put our hope.  Our hope is in His grace and in His return.  The words here are directing our gaze to Him and His return.  That’s the biggy.  He will come.

Peter wants us to hang on to the very Words of Jesus, Himself:

Joh 14:1-3  "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

This is a great verse to commit to memory.  It is the all encompassing promise, the fulfillment of all God labors for us.  It can and will help us, “set our hope,” and be “sober-minded.”

Oops – did I say commit to memory?  Yes, I did – but not all of us are really good at that, so jot it down on a card and stick it in your wallet – God bless you and keep you all!