The Greatest Instructions ever given

Introduction

Have you ever been asked to do something and gotten the worst instructions possible, It can leave you frustrated, hopeless, and may cause you to quit.

This frustration often leads us toward failure, but when it comes to the word of God, he has left us with the instruction manual in order to live our lives in a Christ glorifying, kingdom multiplying way.

You don’t have to guess with God.

Will you read God’s instructions?

Today as we continue our series in 1 Peter 4 we will be discussing this exact thing.

The Greatest instructions ever given to us.

In the context of these Christians in Asia, they were being persecuted against in ways we don’t really grasp here in our churches today.

Peter here is encouraging them in this portion of the passage, I want each of you to notice in this passage a few important things.

Peter mentions the coming of Christ and also the calling for Christians today to live in unity with one another for the sake of the glory of God.

The second thing I want you to notice is the specific form of love that Peter is mentioning in this passage and how the priorities that he talks about in the passage all build up to speak volumes of this form of love.

Transition:

Don’t miss in this passage today the instructions that God has set for each of us on how to live that speaks of his glory.

Point 1 - The End Is Near

1 Peter 4:7 CSB

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.

Don’t miss when he says therefore in this passage, you see the reason that we take hope today as Christians is because we know that all the major events in God’s plan for redemption have occurred and at this point we are simply ready for Christ to return and rule.

Now scripture does tell us that we don’t know the day nor the hour that Christ will return

But in this Peter gives us an exact response that we should do now, in response to knowing that Christ is returning

I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude B. Living for the Will of God in the Church (vv. 7–11)

One of the proofs of being a Christian is not simply having a hope for the future; the proof is having a hope that makes a difference in our lives today, in the present.

That is to say that as a Christian your hope for eternity should LITERALLY affect every part of how you live your life.

It should affect your bible study time

It should affect the way you act around your friends

It should affect EVERYTHING

Stick with me here in this passage though and notice that after it says therefore Peter gives his first piece of instruction on how we should live NOW in preparation for the End.

Point 2 - Sober Minded In Prayer

This idea of sober minded prayer is so crucial for each of us in this room.

Sober-minded could also be translated as self-controlled or even purposeful prayer.

That is to say that we don’t pray just to hear ourselves talk, we pray to a powerful God with faith in our heart that he will work in his own way through our prayer.

Prayer is meant to be serious, not just something you do.

That is a conversation with the living God, you’re heavenly father who wants to hear your honest heart cries.

How is your prayer life?

Is it just something you do?

Is it something you set your timer on and don’t do if it inconveniences you?

Or are you praying purposefully with the intend of being used by God for his glory?

Transition:

The way you pray has a direct impact on the way you act in any and all situations, are you praying purposefully or are you praying passively?

Stick with me here in the passage

Point 3 - Agape Love

1 Peter 4:8–10 CSB

8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

Agape Love - God’s unconditional love

When your prayer life is sober minded and faithful, it helps you begin to show agape love.

It begins to show the unchanging, never ending, love of God when you commit your life to Christ.

Do you love like Christ?

I’m not saying that you ever will be able to be perfect like Christ, but you should seek everyday to be more Christlike in your words and in your actions.

and the beginning of becoming more Christlike in that is to devote your time to him.

This unconditional love covers over a multitude of sins.

It shows the love of Christ with a hurting world.

It gives you the opportunity to witness of God’s love.

1 Peter 4:11 CSB

11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

This is why we do it.

If we speak it should be Godly, If we should serve it should be through God’s power, we do this and we devote ourselves to love and to pray for this one reason listed right here.

God is glorified through Christ, that’s why we seek Christ and to be Christlike, because we know that if we reflect Christ, we will also be shining a light to the world.

Are you reflecting Christ?

Will you read God’s Instructions to love others and to love Christ?