Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: 1 Peter 4:1-11

Theme: Believers honor God by living for Him in all circumstances.

Date: 10/31/2022 File Name: 1_Peter_12 Code: NT21-04

The New Testament makes clear that Christians are engaged in a cosmic conflict far greater than wars between nations and ongoing combat against terrorism, crime and violence.

Believers are involved in a life-and-death struggle against evil “in high places.”

Because of this titanic conflict, we must equip ourselves for battle; we must avail ourselves of the equipment God provides.

The conflict is severe, and ill-equipped Christians swiftly become casualties.

This section of Peter’s letter stresses the need for believers to equip themselves with the determination to follow God’s will.

It means

Living for God

Answering for the Gospel

Redeeming the Time

I. LIVING FOR GOD

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.

4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;” (1 Peter 4:1–4, ESV)

1. the term therefore in vs. 1, connects this section of Peter’s letter to 3:18-22 — Christ’s undeserved, vicarious suffering

a. Christ suffered a humiliating and excruciating death by crucifixion

1) he suffered that humiliating and excruciating death on our behalf — literally in our place

2) that’s what vicarious means — it means to experience an event through the life of another person

ILLUS.

If your daughter becomes a Prima ballerina or your son becomes a star Major League Baseball pitcher, you might have a vicarious experience of stardom yourself.

When the other dance-moms tell you how wonderful a dancer your daughter is, or when the fellow little-league dads praise your son’s wicked slider, the parent may bask in the glory of their child.

3) the word vicarious is a Latin word and means substitute, and works two ways in Christian theology

b.

Peter helps us understand this when he writes, “For Christ also suffered once for sin, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God ... “ (1 Peter 3:18)

1) Jesus vicariously experienced our sin on the cross when he became sin for us

a) it’s something he had never known, and it forced the Father to turn His face away from the Son, and Jesus came to understand the sinner’s experience and then died in our place

2) sinners vicariously experience Christ’s righteousness in their lives as our sin becomes Christ’s and his righteousness becomes ours

a) it’s something we’ve never known, and it causes the Father to turn His face toward the sinner, and the sinner comes to understand the Savior’s oneness with the Father

2. Christ resolved to do this for the Father’s glory, and for the sinners salvation

A. BELIEVERS MUST RESOLVE TO LIVE SACRIFICIAL LIVES

1.

Peter writes, “ ... arm yourselves with the same way of thinking ... “

a. the word arm yourselves in vs. 1 means to equip yourself for a fight

1) it was used of a soldier taking up arms, and all the military equipment needed for the battle to come

2. believers are in a war against evil, and we must equip ourselves for the battle

a. what are we to are ourselves with?

b. in the context of this passage, we are to arm ourselves with the same resolve that Jesus had

1) resolve here means that we think about suffering and respond to suffering the same way that Jesus thought about it and responded to it

a) 1st, acceptance because unjust suffering is something Jesus experienced, and therefore is something we will experience

“and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

(Matthew 10:22–25, ESV)

b) 2nd, abundance because, like Jesus, we know that there is joy on the other side of hardship and suffering

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

c) 3rd, assurance, believing that if we suffer unto death, we know that death provides the greatest victory for the believer

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55, ESV)

3. such suffering purifies us

“ ... for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1–2, ESV)

a. there is some debate among biblical scholars as to exactly what Peter means when he writes, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin

1) total sanctification in this life just is an impossibility (Sorry, Mr. Wesley — ya got that wrong)

2) vs. 2 helps explain what he means

b. the meaning is not that a believer who has suffered persecution with the resolve that Jesus exhibited will no longer sin

1) unless, of course, Peter is referring to martyrdom, in which case, yes, they’ll not sin any more

2) but I don’t think that Peter is referring to martyrdom

c. rather, Peter means that sin no longer dominates the believer’s life because suffering has been like a fire purging their life of impurities

1) the will of God becomes more important to them

4. Peter reminds us that there was a time when our passions were more important to us

“For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”

(1 Peter 4:3, ESV)

ILLUS.

That is true of us whether we were saved at five of fifty.

The five-year-old has passions.

Their just not the same as a fifty-year-old’s passions.

a. we should not be surprised when the lost man lives for sensual pleasures with reckless abandon

ILLUS.

Four generations of Americans have had a radical sexual agenda foisted upon them.

It reaches all the was back into the 1960's with “free love” and “make love, not war.”

and has culminated in our era with an even more radical LGBTQ agenda.

This over-sexualization of the culture had reaped horrific consequences.

One-in-four women will be sexually abused before they turn 18.

For boys, it’s one in six.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases are at epidemic proportions with one in five Americans living with an STD.

The psychological and emotional scars resulting from uncommitted sexual relationships precipitate anxiety, low self-esteem, suicidal tendencies, divorce, and family breakdown.

b. we should be surprised when confessing Christians live for sensual pleasures with reckless abandon

1) Peter tells his readers, “Look.

You spent more than enough time in that lifestyle before you were a Christian.

Now that you’re a believer ... STOP IT!”

5. our changed lives ought to shock the lost

“With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;” (1 Peter 4:4, ESV)

a. these believers had left paganism’s wild, unrestrained, and excessively immoral conduct

b. as a result, the pagans among whom the Christians lived were shocked that their neighbors, who used to participate in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry, no longer did so

1) the word surprised in vs. 4 means staggered or struck with a sense of strangeness

c. because believers did not join the pagans around them in ungodly living, those pagans constantly slandered them — they defamed their character

d. how do we respond when we are slandered for righteousness sake?

1) Commit your reputation to the Lord

a) Jesus says, “Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Matt.

10:26)

2) Gently confront the slanderer (not by email or twitter)

a) it’s awkward and scary to confront someone, but of you don’t, you’re not loving the person who’s slandered you, and you aren’t “overcoming evil with good” (Rom.

12:21)

3) Honestly evaluate your life

a) we may need to consider, “Was I slandered because I’m faithfully living for Christ?”

Or, “Was I slandered because I was playing the hypocrite and being a jerk?”

ILLUS.

Charles H. Spurgeon once said, “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him; for you are worse than he thinks you to be.”

4) Share the Gospel, and be ready to forgive