living in the Already/Not Yet.

Intro: During an American football game, the teams get a “two minute warning” at the end of each half of play. A whistle sounds and it often seems that both teams put forth an extra effort when the end of the half is near; the offense tries desperately to score points and the defense is especially cautious in not giving ground to their opposition. Years ago while a friend and I were watching a team make a noticeable surge after the two minute warning, my friend asked, “Why don't they always play like there’s two minutes left?”

End of all things. Already/not Yet

a. To understand what exactly what Peter is meaning. We need to understand the already/not yet

b. Mark 1:15 “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

1.2. the term kingdom and gospel are military terms in the times of the bible.

a. Kingdom: means a people, land, and a King.

b. Jesus throughout the gospels and foretold in the OT. Refers that Jesus will be this established King (Christ) that His people will not only be the Jewish people, but will also include the gentile (non jewish), and that His kingdom i.e. land will be wherever His people reside and reflect the character of Christ throughout their lives.

c. Jesus says that in the text that all of these things are here in the now!

d. He says the same about the term gospel. This term has transliterated into meaning “good news”. But within the ancient world it has taken on several different meanings; 1. to deliver good news. 2. To declare that a kingdom has been overthrown and a new one stands in its place.

c. So essentially Jesus says the Kingdom has arrived and the power of darkness has been overthrown. The good King (Jesus) has come and established His rule.

1.5. This is part of the Already.

a. But according to 1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is at hand”. Peter is awaiting and warning His readers that the kingdom has not been FULLY established. We await for the culmination of all things.

2. When the “Not Yet” occurs.

a. The suffering of Peters audience will end.

3. End of all things is near.

a. Peter urges us to live with the end in view, to live like Christ our King lived and calls for us to live. We are to live our life cross-shaped.

b. Christ return will be soon. the term near; denotes a nearness in proximity like two objects coming closer together. It does not suggest nearness as in time.

c. What peter wants us to understand the heaven and earth are close to being one. Romans 8:20-22 “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

Application.

4. Therefore be alert: Vertical living

a. the greek word here for “alert” describes the ability to see things clearly for what they are, and hence to act in way appropriate to the prevailing circumstances.

b. Essentially the word helps us to understand our calling in the midst of evil. natural, and man made disasters.

c. We are not to wonder in the midst of these tragic events whether God is will soon be here, or that we are under judgement and in need of repentance (Covid-19, Tornado in Wynne, School shooting in Nashville, ect..) But for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. To show that God will bring light to darkness.

d. N.T. Wright says: What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that in Jesus and through His death and resurrection, the God who made the world has redeemed the world; and through His Spirit, He is redeeming the world; and one day He will finally redeem the world from all that corrupts and enslaves it, making the new heavens and new earth which He has promised. In other words, the gospel is that the crucified and risen Jesus is the Lord of the world. Hallelujah!” And how is this good news? “God is in the process of putting the world right; and He is now recruiting by His Spirit, through the proclamation of Jesus, people who will join in this project where they have to be put right themselves in order to be part of God’s putting-right-movement for the world. And this obviously involves believing; it involves joining and being plunged into the family of Jesus’ followers. And it involves then, inevitably, having one’s life turned upside-down, inside-out by the Holy Spirit working in someone’s life.”

5. Therefore be Sober: Horizontal living

a. Referring back to his conversation in 4:3-5. He is reminding us of where our allegiance lies. Not to our former lives and the gods that we served.

b. But instead our loyalty goes to the true and living God. For his original audience. Their former lives were full of lust, drunkeness, idolatry, ect… He then tells us that not our lives.

6. Our motivation for our prayers.

a. We now know that God will set right this evil world. We live in a world of brokenness,shame, death, and disease.

b. Therefore we must pray that God will bring to end this suffering and make it right once more. i.e. our own suffering.

7. For the sake of prayer. NET.

a. We cannot pray and act accordingly if we have our former lives plaguing our minds. We must have in view that Christ will set the world right at His return.

b. 7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer