That God In All Things Is Glorified

1 Peter 4:7-11

In this chapter we see Peter going from Christ’s suffering to our suffering for Christ’s name sake.

In the midst of this, Peter gives an exhortation to use the gifts that has been given to serve one another.

Let’s look into this.......In verses 5-6 Peter mentions the judgement and he begins this part with “the end of all things is at hand”.......

These early Christians lived a life of expectation.........Jesus told them in John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

They lived in constant expectant hope for the coming of Jesus our Lord!

Just because Jesus did not come during Peter’s day, doesn’t mean that Peter is wrong, it just means that we are leaving in the last opportunity for salvation!

The final days of Grace!

In reality, Jesus has come for Peter and all expectant Christians....2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Continuing in verse 7, you might would think that in light of Peter’s mentioning the end of all things is at hand , he would go into some great big thing that we are to do, but he just begins to tell us to live the Christian life.....

To be sober and watch unto prayer.....Some call this a vertical exhortation.....

This is that we approach God, for guidance and strength to carry out a Godly life!

I heard a preacher speak about this.......It is tending to our new life......we talk a lot about salvation being forgiven from sins, but it is also salvation because it has brought us into the new life which is in Christ Jesus!

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

We are living a new life, created in Christ Jesus, now we are still in the flesh and the Spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another.....so, we must be sober and watch unto prayer!

Sober......meaning not carried away with the earthly, fleshly desires, but looking to God!

Remember Eve.......the fruit looked good and the presentation was to know like God knows

This was forbidden by God......but she did it anyway, because she was deceived.

Our only defense is to not get carried away by the worldly/fleshly things and be clear minded and seek God in prayer!

That was the vertical, now the Christian life is one of loving and serving.......

Loving one another.....you can say that Peter has dealt with the vertical and now the horizontal!

Godly love is fervent.....continuous.....1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love never fails!

This charity/love covers a multitude of sins....

We know it does from God to mankind, right?

But also from Christian to Christian........humans cannot forgive sins as God does, but we can be ready to not hold anything over our brother or sister!

We are ready to forgive, in that fashion, always be ready to restore the relationship or not to even have it broken at all!

Instead help the one that has offended you!

James 5:20 “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Use hospitality........be hospitable to one another......Showing care to strangers or taking care of those in need.

Kindness given to all, especially strangers......

Sharing of food, drink, lodging, etc.......

Without grudging.....without complaint...

In other words......happy to be hospitable or maybe even ready to be hospitable!

Now this last part is interesting......verse 10 tells us that each one of us has a special gift....

If you have come to believe the true Christ and you are saved, in this new life, we all have a gift......some translations have it as a special gift.

Something God has given to us a graciously without merit, just a gift to everyone.

I believe some add the word special, because any gift given by God is special or mainly it is supernatural!

This supernatural gift is used to minister/serve one another, being a good steward/manager of this gift!

God has given this gift freely to you and you use it properly in service toward one another!

A call to be faithful for what God has bestowed on you!

The next verse tells us in the 1st part that these gifts are speaking gifts and serving gifts.....

Let’s press pause here and look at 1 Corinthians 12........This is a long chapter but we will hit the high parts........

To understand this better, we must know context.....these Corinthians was misusing “gifts”....

There were some that was bringing the dramatic pagan practices in the church, mimicking those things that they were formerly apart of.

Really bad stuff, that involved hypnotic chanting and ceremonies......

It was really out of control! Paul spends the next 3 chapters bringing order to this!

Verse 4-11.........There are many types of gifts.....

Some believe this list of gifts is all the gifts, but I do not believe that this list is not exhaustive.

Romans 12:3-8 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

This is the same thought as 1 Cor. 12..........all the gifts listed are either mentioned in 1 Cor 12 or not......so the list is not exhaustive, given more in an example fashion.....

However, the main part of spiritual gifts is that there are many different gifts, but the same Spirit!

These gifts will work the same outcome, that everyone will be edified in Christ Jesus!

In verses 4-6.....points this out in a powerful...

diversities of gifts/many different gifts but the same Spirit

differences of administration/ministries but the same Lord/Jesus

Many different affects but the same God

There is the trinity right there, all of these gifts will work the same essence!

John 6:40 tells us the will of God and that would be important to give here so that we get an idea of what these gifts will be doing.......John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Many different gifts, but one purpose! Every child of God has a gift!

Verse 12-31.....as we read, you get the idea, that is not one more than the other!

They are all working the same TRUTH........

No one gift is meaningless or not awesome....they are all powerful and most importantly are used in servanthood! To serve one another!!

Because you are not a hand (which would be cleaner than the foot) I am not apart of the body?

The body is formed together by different parts all cannot be the same part......if are body was all eyes.....well, that would be weird!

Each member has a purpose and it is to serve Christ and His body!

The unity of the church is in Christ! That is the purpose of the body of Christ!

If we are not the most seen or heard doesn’t mean we are not useful!

Different with One Purpose!

It is beautiful that way!

Understand at the end of the chapter Paul seems to say to them to earnestly desire the best gifts, but right after that he tells them that he will show them a more excellent way

he asked them in the previous verses, are all apostles, teachers, prophets, miracles, tongues, etc.........

So why does he tell them to desire the better gifts?

It seems that this can be interpreted that Paul is telling them, you desire greatly the better gifts, but I will show a more excellent way and then he begins the love chapter!

All of chapter 12 he is exhorting them....1 Corinthians 12:23 “And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.”

So, why would he tell them to earnestly desire to be a more comely part?

The more excellent way is LOVE/Charity.........which God is and which His gift will be!

Now, back to 1 Peter 4...........

Peter tells them if any man uses his speaking gift, let be from God’s Word and not your own thoughts!

If you serve let it be with that gift you have been given of God, with it’s source being love!

Why? What is the outcome of all of the gifts?

That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, for it is Him that is worthy to be praised and no one else....’

He alone has dominion/authority for ever!

This most powerful when the truth enters.......This entire world is subject to God, everything!

Our only hope is in God the Son......The same essence as the Father, but a different person, that displays everything about God the Father, but yet humbled Himself as a man......Philippians 2:8-9 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

Everything for the Glory of the Father......every gift given is used for His Glory not ours, in so doing we reveal the Glory of the Father and the Son and build each one is us up in Jesus Christ and the new life promised through Him!