Set Apart | 1 Peter 1:13-25 | Called to Be Holy, United in Love
Watch This Sermon on 1 Peter 1:13-25
In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:13–25, Pastor Mark continues the Living Hope series by showing how the gospel shapes our identity, our conduct, and our relationships. Peter calls believers to live holy lives, walk in reverent fear, and love one another earnestly—all grounded in the imperishable Word of God. This message invites us to remember who we belong to, and what story truly defines our lives.
You can find five days of short devotions on this sermon here.
📖 Click to Show the Transcript of this Sermon
Thank you for joining us for this week's sermon from First Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Each week, we dig into God's word, trusting that the Holy Spirit will continue the good work of sanctification in us.
I have learned over the years that even though I am a fan of a particular baseball team that plays primarily in Cleveland, and you all, wonderful people, are fans of this team known as the Twins, we have something in common: a distaste for the New York Yankees. In fact, one of you present here today sent me a text just a few weeks ago saying, "I guess I'm a Cleveland Guardians fan for the next three days." Let's be honest, we'll cheer for just about anyone playing against the Yankees. But if I'm being honest, I do have to say there is one thing I genuinely appreciate about their team: they don't put names on the back of their jerseys. This tradition, dating back to the nineteen teens, says something. When you wear a Yankee uniform, it's not about individual glory or making your name great—it's about the team. You represent something bigger than yourself, and that means something.
That's the kind of mindset that Peter is calling us to in the passage we're looking at today. We wear the name of Christ. We've been brought into a new identity, a new way of living, and that changes everything because we have been united to Christ. That is our identity. It influences how we think, how we act, and how we treat each other. It's not about us anymore. As we look at this passage this morning, we're going to see a call to holiness, a charge to live in reverent fear, and a call to love one another deeply.
Right away, as we look at verses 13 through 16, the call to holiness is readily apparent. The first observation we need to make is that this section begins with the word "therefore," meaning what comes after is contingent on what came before. Last week, we looked at verses one through 12, where we were reminded that our identity is grounded in a living hope, secured by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even as exiles in a broken world, we can live with confidence because our salvation comes from God. We have an inheritance, a salvation guarded by God. We read that we are to prepare our minds for action, meaning we need to be ready for the task set before us. Peter is saying that because we are children of God, we have something to do, and we need to be ready to do it.
The obstacles we face as children of God are not small or trivial. The world is against us, and the forces of darkness wish to see us fail. That's why Peter calls us to be sober-minded, because the journey we are on needs to be considered. For example, as Jason mentioned, we just returned from a long trip to a suburb of Detroit for General Assembly. We didn't just get in the car, attend meetings for three days, and return without planning. We had to plot out when to leave, where to stay, and what route to take, considering obstacles like a large body of water and Chicago's traffic. We had to think about construction, food, and necessary breaks. If we don't fly by the seat of our pants for a simple trip, we most certainly shouldn't take our journey through life as children of God lightly either.
This truth can feel daunting, but Peter simplifies the preparation for our journey by telling us to set our hope on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, keep the destination in mind. You've all been on a long car trip that feels endless, but then you see a green sign on the freeway indicating your destination is less than 100 miles away, and suddenly you have hope. As Christians, we have something better than a green sign—we have sure salvation in Christ, spoken of in His Word and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. That truth keeps our heads up and helps us press on to the goal.
As we journey, Peter tells us to be obedient children, called to live a different type of life. The grace we look to is secure, purchased by Jesus' work on our behalf, but that doesn't mean we can be lax in how we live. Just because we have a guarantee of reaching our destination doesn't mean we can drive haphazardly. If you're headed east, you shouldn't get on the westbound lane and expect your trip to go well. If our living hope guides us to our destination, we should focus on where we're headed instead of the things of this world. Peter tells us to put away our former ignorance, as his audience was once bogged down in worldly things. Now, they are called to be holy in conduct, just as the One who called them is holy. He is our destination, and as we make our way to Him, we are to reflect His nature.
The idea of holiness means to be set apart, to be different. These verses are convicting, prompting a heart check: Is your mind prepared for action? Are you sober-minded and aware that the journey calls you to obedience? Are you seeking to be holy as the One who saved you is holy, or are you enamored with conforming to the world? These are tough, humbling questions, but Peter reminds us to set our hope fully on God's grace. Do not despair. The grace of God not only saves us but sets our minds on the destination, guiding us to holiness. This is true not just for the verses we've covered but as we move to verses 17 through 21, where we see a call to reverent fear.
This reverent fear is not about getting in line to avoid being crushed. It flows from understanding the grace of God and grasping the cost of our salvation—the blood of Jesus poured out to rescue us from sin, death, and hell. Peter says that if we call God Father, this Holy God we are to reflect is not distant but knowable. Because we are united to Christ, the Son, we can call the mighty Creator of the Universe our Father. This is a great privilege but also a reminder not to take it lightly. Peter notes that God judges us according to our deeds, not meaning we can lose grace or be demoted in the Kingdom, but like children disciplined by loving parents, we are guided to correct our path. Reverent fear keeps us on the right path, calling us away from a futile way of life.
Peter stresses that we weren't bought with silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. The price paid was not earthly currency but the death of Jesus, who lived a perfect life as a spotless sacrifice in our flesh. When we understand this, obedience becomes the right response to God's mercy. Peter goes deeper, reminding us that our redemption was planned before the foundation of the world, not as a Plan B but as God's ordained way to glorify Himself through the salvation of His people. This calls us to a life set apart, a holy life, consistently mindful of our calling. The gospel assures us of salvation and pushes us toward holy living.
Holiness shapes how we live before God, reverent fear molds how we walk through the world, and now, as we conclude our passage, we see how this forms how we love one another. We are saved by God's grace individually, but as children of God, we are part of a family, and families love each other. United to Christ, we are united to each other. A substantial part of living in holiness and reverent fear is loving one another sincerely. Peter knows people might fake this, so he calls for sincere brotherly love. When we understand the gospel and God's love shown through Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension, we are moved to care for others because God first cared for us.
The family analogy is helpful: our first friends are siblings and cousins, and while friends come and go, family is always there. This is the idea of the church. Peter calls us to love one another earnestly from a pure heart, not with surface-level politeness but with sacrificial love that bears others' burdens. The family of the church is worth investing in. When we understand the gospel, loving each other isn't an obligation but an outflow of knowing God loves those next to us as He loves us. While we are individuals in God's family, we are bound together by our identity in Christ. We don't play for the name on the back of the jersey but for His name on the front. We belong to Him and to each other.
As our passage concludes, we are reminded that the good news grounding all this comes from God's unfailing Word. Unlike the things of this world, which wither and fade like grass, the Word of God remains forever. We see this daily in lost loved ones or material possessions that end up in landfills. The gospel, meaning "good news," is the unfailing anchor for our souls as we journey through life. This week, consider: What story defines how you understand yourself? Do you define yourself by the world's story—that your worth lies in performance, possessions, or status, playing for the name on the back of the jersey? Or are you defined by Peter's story of living hope, born again by God's grace, bought by Christ's precious blood, calling us to holiness, reverent fear, and love for one another—a story that never fades?
That's the story to live by as God's people, the gospel of His grace and salvation in Christ. As we journey in that hope, may we faithfully serve God in holiness and love one another. Amen.
Let us pray. Great and merciful God, we praise You for the gift of Your Word, not only unfailing but telling an unfailing story. Despite what we see or feel in the world, the truth of Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension never fades. It stands as a beacon of hope, guiding us confidently toward our destination so we might glorify You. May this story lead us to holiness, that Christ might be glorified for who He is and what He has done. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Thank you for joining us for this week's sermon. For more information about First Reformed Church, head to our Facebook page or website, edgertonfrc.org.
Want to explore more from 1 Peter?
Visit our Living Hope series page for all sermons, themes, and resources as we walk verse by verse through this powerful letter of hope and holiness.
