I have a friend down South who loves cars. He and his dad have spent the last seven years rebuilding an old Nova from the inside out. They have spent tons of time installing new interior, a new sound system, fresh paint job and brand new chrome rims (African American colloquialism for shiny wheels). This old car looked like it was just driven off the showroom floor.

People would often see the car sitting in his front yard, and offer him cash money on site. However, he would never think of selling the car he had invested so much time, money and energy in. The funny thing about my friend and his car is that after all of this time and investment the car doesn’t run.

I spoke with him recently and I asked how was he enjoying driving it around and that’s when he informed that the motor in the car was bad. He said that it would probably be a while before he could get it up and running again. In that moment, I thought to myself, how could something so beautiful on the outside have that much damage under the hood?

In our text this week Peter is warning against the very thing that we see with my friend and his car, the danger of investing in external things at the expense of the internal. This week as we gather for our intergenerational services I would like for you to think about “what’s under your hood.”Now there are many other issues that arise in this text and I will attempt to unpack most of them. However, please know above all else, this passage is about adornment. Are we adorned with the glory of God that flows from within? Or are we just an empty frame, shiny wheels, with a broken motor under the hood?

As we come together with all of our students and children, I pray for God to help us see the beauty of His glory — may we wear it well!.

To His Glory,

Albert Tate
Intergenerational Pastor