1 Peter 1:13-23
I included vs. 3 in our reading because everything the Apostle has to say in this epistle depends on the good news of that one verse. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Everything that follows is based on that good news. So, notice what he says (vs.13), “Therefore (in other words: because of that good news) prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves…” Prepare your minds for action.
It might come as a surprise to find how much emphasis the New Testament writers place on our minds and on our thinking. Just to give you a sense of how prevalent it is, in Phil. 2 we’re told, “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy…Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:5-6, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Colossians 3:1-2, “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is…Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
And,
again from Philippians 4:8, “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever
is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things.” There are others, but hopefully those examples
will make the point of how much emphasis the New Testament writers place on our
minds and what we think about.
The mind is a powerful thing. Just to give you an idea of how powerful our minds are, our emotions can’t always tell the difference between if we are actually experiencing something right now or if what we are just thinking about something right now. We’ve all probably had the experience of being in some kind of confrontation with another person, some kind of argument, and in that moment, we may feel frustration and maybe even anger. Those feelings are happening in the moment of that experience.
But then, the next day, or a week later, when we think back to what happened we may begin to feel those exact same emotions again. But now, those same emotions are happening, not because in this moment I am having that same confrontation or argument, but because I am simply thinking about it. Our emotions don’t always differentiate between what is happening right now and what we are just thinking about right now. If I start thinking about something, my emotions may begin to react as if what I am thinking about is actually happening right now, when of course it isn’t. That’s just one example of how our minds can affect our experience.
Last year I was driving into work, it was early but the sun was out. A big truck was coming around this sharp curve and it was in my lane. I could see that the driver saw me, and was trying to get back over into his own lane, but the trailer was starting to lean. He couldn’t just jerk it back into his lane without dumping the whole thing right in front of me. So, I hit the ditch on my side, went around him, and got safely back onto the road. It all happened to quickly that I hardly had time to think, much less feel anything. But once I was past the truck, then I started to think about what had just happened and I began to feel these feelings of panic and “Oh my goodness, I almost became a hood ornament on that truck.” But I remember saying to myself, “Well, there’s no need to freak out now. It’s over.” And so, I said a prayer of thanksgiving and then focused on driving. Who knows what’s coming around the next corner? Focus.
But that experience captures so nicely part of what I want to say today. When I was in that moment, I was so focused on driving that I wasn’t thinking, I wasn’t even feeling, I was just driving. It wasn’t until after that moment that I started to think and then feel the fear as I thought back to what happened. And one thing I want to say is this: Sometimes we lose our peace in the moment, not because of what is happening right now, but because of what we are thinking about now. And what we are thinking about may have absolutely nothing to do with what’s happening right now. Sometimes, not always, but sometimes if I am feeling down, or feeling fearful, it’s not because of what is happening right now. It’s because I am dwelling on the past or I am anticipating what may or may not be in the future.
What goes on in our minds and what we think about has a significant impact on our experience and on what we do. The New Testament writers understood this and so they are constantly reminded us to focus our attention and to refocus our attention. So, the Apostle says, “Prepare your minds for action. Discipline yourselves.” Part of what makes the process of Christian growth a process is that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we have to rework and reframe the way we think. “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” “Set your minds on the things of the Spirit.” “Let the same mind be in your that was in Christ Jesus.” “Prepare your minds for action.” We are encouraged over and over to be intentional about reframing the way we think about God, reframing the way we think about people, reframing the way we see our experience in this world. And, that takes discipline. Just like any other habit, we have mental habits and it takes time to reframe the way we think about things.
I have this book by Andrew B. McGowen titled, Ancient Christian Worship. If you’re curious about worship in the early church, this is a fantastic resource. But one thing that becomes clear as you study the early church is that very early on these Christians formed a habit of getting up every morning to worship and pray, so that the first thing on their minds when they got out of bed was Christ and the faith. In a very literal way, they were preparing their minds for action each and every day. All that to say, the were very intentional about forming that habit.
Or again from today’s passage. Twice in today’s reading the Apostle reminds the reader of the resurrection of our Lord. Why does the Apostle feel the need to do this? No doubt, he wants to keep it in the forefront of their minds. It is true that because of the resurrection his readers have been reborn into a living hope. It is true (vs.23) that they have been born anew by the imperishable seed of the living and enduring word of God. All of that is true, by he keeps reminded them so that it will always be in their minds.
In 2 Peter 1:12 the Apostle comes right out and says, “Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth…I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory…so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.” The Apostle keeps reminding them so that these truths will become the framework through which they think about and see the world. And why? Why is that so important? The Apostle wants them to be mentally prepared for action.
Prepare your minds for action. Be disciplined. Well, what action are we talking about? Essentially, to do as Christ. Be holy as he is holy. Or again, vs. 22, “Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth…have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.” In other words, get your minds ready for action, get your minds ready to love as we have been loved. And, it is by a habitual feeding on the Living Word that transforms us into vessels of love who know what to do and when to do it. That’s the idea.
Faith is a whole life orientation. It’s not just about what we believe, it’s about what we do and why we do it. But, those two are connected. The things I allow my mind to dwell upon are going to have an affect how I feel and how I act and what I do. And so, the Apostle says: Because of the resurrection, we have been reborn into a living hope. Therefore, prepare your minds for actions. Discipline yourselves to love one another deeply from the heart.
Ancient Christian Worship
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