No Turning Back, No Time to Waste

1 Peter 4:1-11

Good morning, Church. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, go ahead and make your way to 1 Peter 4. That is where we are going spend our time together today.

I don’t know about you, but I am excited for tomorrow. I am excited for the children, for the families, who will be on this campus. I am excited for the children to hear about the good news of the gospel through teaching, through songs, through dancing, through crafts. Even through games and running around. I am excited about that.

I’m even excited about seeing the scoff marks on the floor, some marks on the walls, because that is a sign that ministry is being done for the most important generation.

The next generation is always the most important generation.

I’m already praising God for all of the children that will be here throughout the week.

There are children who will be on this campus who will go on to be deacons, elders, pastors, missionaries for the glory of God. Those children- Lord willing- will one day go one and get married, have children of there own and Lord willing they will grow up in the faith.

That’s the best testimony by the way- my parents brought me to church, I saw that they lived out their faith, and I knew I needed to make that faith my own by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

You don’t have to have some unreal crazy past for God to give you a testimony.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6

Proverbs 22:6 ESV

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

While I was preparing for the sermon this week, I came across an interesting statistic when it came to children growing up and continuing their walk with Jesus.

The number one indicator that a child will continue in the faith, according to research conducted by Dr. Christian Smith (notably in the National Study of Youth and Religion), is the authenticity of their parents’ faith—and a key expression of that authenticity is whether parents admit when they are wrong.

In particular:

Children are more likely to internalize and continue in the faith when they see their parents live it out authentically—including admitting when they’re wrong, seeking forgiveness, and modeling repentance.

While many factors play a role, this specific insight is highlighted in a widely quoted paraphrase from research findings:

“The most important social influence in shaping young people’s religious lives is the religious life modeled and taught to them by their parents.” — Dr. Christian Smith

And when that faith is lived with humility—not perfection—it tends to stick. A home where grace is lived, not just preached, makes the Gospel believable.

So, parents admit when you mess up with your kids. We aren’t perfect. Ask them for forgiveness when we do mess up. Model that to your children.

And this what Peter is getting at in these 11 verses we are about to read together.

We’re not just called to talk about our faith—we’re called to live it. This isn’t just a Sunday thing. It’s a Monday morning thing. It’s a Friday night thing.

Because here’s the truth: a lot of folks out there aren’t walking into a church. They’re not opening up a Bible.

But they are watching you.

Billy Graham said it like this: “We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding.”

So the question is—what kind of sermon is your life preaching?

Are we living lives that show a lost and dying world that Jesus changes everything about everything?

Or do our lives just blend in with the rest of the Bible Belt—God, family, country, and SEC football, in that order?

But hear me on this—Jesus was never meant to be just the first thing on some list of priorities.

Jesus is the paper the whole list is written on.

He doesn’t just want a piece of your life. He wants all of it.

And what Peter’s doing here—he’s writing to these elect exiles, these believers scattered all over the map—and he’s telling them how to be good stewards of God’s grace.

A stweard is someone who doesn’t own the thing, but they’ve been entrusted to manage it.

and God has entrusted us, as Christians, as elect elixes, to demonstrate His grace to this depraved world.

And in these 11 verses Peter is mapping out for us how we are to be good stewards of God’s grace.

So, let’s read these 11 verses together

1 Peter 4:1–11 ESV

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, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 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. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Lets pray

There is a lot to unpack here but I want us to focus in on three things the Lord has placed on my heart- 3 ways Peter was encouraging the Christian exiles to be good Stewards of God’s Grace.

the 1st way was with a

1. Mind of Christ

1 Peter 4:1 says, “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.”

Peter is calling believers to be mentally prepared to suffer—just like Jesus was. He says, “arm yourselves,” which is military language.

And what kind of mindset are we supposed to have? The same one Christ had when He faced the cross. Jesus didn’t suffer because He had no other choice—He chose the path of suffering for the sake of obedience.

He didn’t run from the pain. He walked into it, eyes wide open, because He knew what it would accomplish.

Peter’s saying, “Don’t be surprised when suffering comes. Don’t think something’s gone wrong.”

Then he adds, “whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” That doesn’t mean you’ll never sin again if you suffer—it means suffering has a refining effect. It cuts off the fluff. It reveals what really matters. It gets to the heart of the matter.

When you suffer for Christ, you’re no longer living for comfort or convenience—you’re living for obedience. The more you follow Jesus in suffering, the less appeal sin starts to have.

So Peter is challenging believers: if you want to follow Christ, you’ve got to embrace the cross-shaped path He walked. That means choosing obedience—even when it costs you something.

Be ready to suffer in the flesh. Have the same mindset Jesus had: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

Because the Christian life isn’t about avoiding pain.

Its about picking our cross daily and following Jesus.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Notice He didn’t say, “Take up your comfort,” or “Take up your plans,” or “Take up your self-image.” He said, “Take up your cross.”

Deny. Yourself. And pick up the cross DAILY. and follow Jesus.

The cross was a death sentence. It wasn’t a piece of jewelry or a bumper sticker. It was the symbol of surrender, of sacrifice, of dying to self so that you can fully live in Him.

So what does that mean for us today?

It means following Jesus might cost you something. It might cost you popularity. It might cost you comfort. It might cost you a relationship or a promotion or your sense of control.

But whatever it is or whatever it will be is worth it.

And we live in a society where it really doesn’t cost much, if anything at all really, to be a Christ-follower. Lets be real. Its 2025 in the United States.

Some dorks on the internet might mock you and try to ridicule your beliefs. But, right now, no one is going to say anything to you to your face. That would require them to come out of there rooms and interact in society.

But there may very come a time when you will have to count the cost. Where it may require you to make the hard decisions. The decisions some of our brothers and sisters in the faith overseas make when they decide to follow Jesus.

But here’s the thing- when you lay down your life, you actually find the life you were made for. When you suffer for Christ, sin starts to lose its grip on you. And when you follow Him daily—even when it’s hard—you start looking more like Him every step of the way.

So don’t be surprised when following Jesus feels like a battle. Peter says, arm yourself. Jesus says, take up your cross.

This isn’t the easy way. It’s the eternal way.

and some self proclaimed Christians need to start living like this matters. Like their are actually eternal consequences to this life we live.

You remember those WWJD bracelets from back in the day? What would Jesus do? That wasn’t such a bad idea. More self-proclaimed Christians should be walking around asking themselves What would Jesus Do?

Because a lot of things self-proclaimed Christians do today- Christ called out.

Now, somebody always chimes in, “Well, Jesus ate with sinners.”

And yep—He absolutely did. But don’t miss this: He never sinned with the sinners.

He sat at their table, but He didn’t compromise truth to be liked.

He loved them enough to say, “Go and sin no more.”

You sitting down with unbelievers and looking and acting like them does nothing to advance the kingdom of God. In fact, you are hindering them coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

I believe Satan has lulled too many Christ followers into believing there loved ones are safe in the saviors hands because they prayed a prayer and got dunked by a pastor when they were Seven.

And you can ask them- are you a Christian?

Yea, I love Jesus.

What do you love about him?

I love that He died for my sins.

Do you spend anytime in His Word?

Well, I work a lot and the family...no not really.

Do you ever pray to him?

When I eat and late to work.

Do you ever go to a church?

I went for Easter.

And you believe your a christian?

I said a prayer and I was baptized when I was 7.

How are you following Christ?

I’ve taught my kids to be good kids and to always do their best.

You think that’s what Christianity is?

Let me tell you, Church. Christianity is not morality. There are going to be a lot of nice, a lot of good, a lot moral people in hell.

Too many people have bought into the lie.

That they go to work, love their family, do the right thing, they pay there taxes, they will go to heaven because they said a prayer and were dunked 25 years ago.

But for the last 25 years they wanted absolutely nothing to do with God. They might have a cross tattoo- cross necklace- and don’t cuss but they don’t get it because they havent been transformed by the goodnews of the gospel.

They loved the idea of a savior.

They love the idea that someone died for there sins- because that means they can just keep sinning and doing what they want- because they said the prayer- they were dunked in the water.

Hell is hot- forever is a long time- so who wouldn’t want a get out of hell free card.

But if you never talk to Jesus in prayer- if you never seek His Word- if you don’t seek to be around other like minded men and women of faith- also known as the church- then let me tell you- you have an idol on the throne of your life and not God.

Well, the thief on the cross never did any of those things

You are absolutely right. he didn’t do those things- but if He would have gotten off that cross alive, there is zero doubt in my mind he would have.

You show me one example in scripture of a person surrendering their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and then going and living the way they want. Going and never being part of the family of God. Going and having nothing to do with the Lord.

Show me one example. You can’t because its not in there.

Every person- who came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior went away from Him forever Changed.

When folks truly encounter Jesus—not just hear about Him, but see Him for who He really is—they don’t walk away the same.

There is no neutral when it comes to Jesus. We aren’t switzerland. He is either Lord of all or not at all. You either crown Him or you kill Him.

And the ones who saw Him rightly? Their whole lives got flipped upside down in the best way. Let me show you four examples:

1. Peter: From Fisherman to Follower (Luke 5:1–11)

Peter’s out on the water, doing what he knows best—fishing. Jesus borrows his boat, preaches a sermon, then tells him to cast out the nets one more time. And suddenly, those empty nets start breaking from the weight of the fish. Peter falls at Jesus' knees and says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” And what does Jesus say? “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Peter drops the nets, walks away from the boats, and starts following the One who just redefined his purpose.

2. The Woman at the Well: From Ashamed to Evangelist (John 4:1–30)

She comes to the well at noon—when no one else is there—because shame will make you sneak around like that. But Jesus is already there, waiting. He tells her everything she ever did. And He doesn’t flinch. She came for water, but she left with Living Water. She runs back to her town shouting, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” And the whole town comes out to meet Jesus—because one changed woman couldn’t stay quiet.

4. Saul: From Persecutor to Preacher (Acts 9:1–22)

Saul’s marching down to Damascus with murder in his heart and authority in his hand—until a blinding light knocks him flat. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” That moment changed everything. The one who had been hunting Christians becomes the man who writes half the New Testament. He gets up, gets baptized, and starts preaching the gospel he tried to destroy.

Why? Because when you meet Jesus, the real Jesus—you don’t stay the same.

When you realize Jesus isn’t just a good teacher or miracle worker or a get out of hell free card—but Lord of all—you don’t just add Him to your life like a side dish.

You lay everything down.

When you come to Christ, you are made new—not just improved or upgraded.

The Bible says it plain in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” That’s not poetic fluff. That’s a spiritual reality.

But here’s the thing… while your heart is made new, your mind still needs work. You’re given a new identity, but that doesn’t mean you automatically think in line with that identity. That’s why Romans 12:2 says:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

When you got saved, God didn’t give you a spiritual lobotomy. You didn’t forget your past. You still remembered how to sin. You still remembered the lies you believed. You still had old patterns, old ways of thinking, old wounds that shaped your worldview.

But now? You’ve got a new heart that beats for the things of God—and the Holy Spirit moves in, turns the lights on, and starts remodeling. And how does He do that? By renewing your mind with truth. Day by day. Verse by verse. Lie by lie.

The world says, “You’re not enough.” God’s Word says, “In Christ, you’re chosen, redeemed, and sealed.”

The enemy says, “You’ll never change.” Scripture says, “He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion.”

Your flesh says, “Just do what feels good.” Jesus says, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.”

So yes—your position changed the moment you trusted Christ. But your perspective changes over time.

Billy Graham once put it like this- “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion—it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more like Christ.”

That’s sanctification.

You got a new heart in an instant. But a renewed mind? That’s a lifelong process.

And the good news is—He’s faithful to finish what He started.

and we align our minds, our thoughts, to the Lord so while we are on this earth we can follow the will of God.

and Charles Spurgeon said “When your will is God’s will, you will have your will.”

How do we know the Will of God? By prayer, reading His Word.

Is the Bible going to tell you, if you should take the new job- or to make a career change or buy a new house. No, Not necessarily. God may give you His answer through prayer or you may just need to do it the way I heard one preacher say it “Ask yourself, what will give God the most glory?” And whatever answer does, go do that thing.

or you can do it the way I do it: I prayer- I guess- then I go. I pray to God and I always emphasize to Him, I am not a smart man and that He needs to be make it abundantly clear this is or is not what He wants me to do- and that He will need to close the door if this isn’t what He has in store for me.

And so pray, guess, and go. I’m like a toddler or an inside dog when I see an open door- as soon as I see an open door, I take off after it if I think that door was opened for me to go through- if the Lord doesn’t want me to run through that door- He is going to shut it in my face. It may hurt in the short term when the door is closed but I know without a doubt its not what He wants for my life.

and I do that because I want His will to be my will.

I’m going to leave this first truth with a Quote from Justin Martyr- “The greatest glory is not to follow your own desires, but to do the will of the Father, even unto death.”

and that is exactly what Justin did.

His last name wasn’t "Martyr"—that’s a title the church gave him after his death. “Martyr” is from the Greek martys, which means “witness.” In the early church, it became a title of honor for those who bore witness to Christ by dying for their faith.

And that’s exactly what Justin did.

He moved to Rome, opened a school of Christian philosophy, and wrote boldly in defense of the faith—most notably in his Apologies and Dialogue with Trypho. These writings were addressed to Roman emperors and skeptical Jews, arguing that Christians were not enemies of the state but people who lived with integrity, virtue, and loyalty to Christ.

But his boldness got him into trouble.

Around AD 165, during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Justin was arrested with a group of his students. They were brought before the Roman prefect Rusticus and ordered to renounce Christ and offer sacrifices to the Roman gods.

Justin refused.

When threatened with torture, he replied:

“No one in his right mind gives up piety for impiety.”

Rusticus ordered him to be scourged and beheaded. He and six others were executed. From then on, the church remembered him as Justin Martyr—one who bore witness to Christ with his life and sealed it with his death.

So just like Justin Martyr we keep our mind on Christ no matter the cost.

Secondly.

2. Our Past Life is Behind Us.

Listen—if you belong to Jesus, then your past doesn’t get the final word.

1 Peter 4:3 says, “The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do…”

In other words, Peter’s saying: “That life you used to live? That was enough. That chapter’s over.”

And now—because of Christ—you’ve been given a brand-new identity. You’re not who you used to be. You’ve been rescued, redeemed, and redefined.

But here’s the thing: grace isn’t just about where we came from—it’s about where we’re going.

That’s why 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6 says, “For this is the will of God: your sanctification…”

You really want to get down to the nuts and bolts of what is God’s will look like in your life. That’s it. You sanctification. You looking, acting, thinking, speaking more and more and more like Jesus day after day.

It’s about learning to say no to the old stuff—sexual sin, selfish desires, bitterness, gossip- which Christians don’t gossip- we just make it a prayer request with all the information we wanted to share in it, compromise—and learning to say yes to a life that honors Him.

And what does that actually look like in everyday life?

It looks like a teenager choosing purity in a world that makes fun of it.

It looks like a husband praying with his wife instead of just watching TV.

It looks like a believer walking away from shady business deals because integrity matters more than money.

It looks like forgiveness when everything in you wants revenge.

It looks like joy in the middle of suffering, peace when everything’s shaking, and love when you feel like giving up.

Sanctification isn’t perfection—it’s direction.

It’s not about cleaning yourself up—it’s about walking with the One who already made you clean.

So yeah, you’ve got a past. So what? We all do.

Adrian Rogers used to say “The church is not a showcase for saints, but a hospital for sinners.”

We are all a bunch of black hearted wretched sinners in need of a savior.

But if you’re in Christ, then that past is covered. Buried. Forgotten.

You’ve got a new name, a new purpose, and a new path—so walk in it.

We don’t do what the gentiles- just one of way Scripture identifies non-Christians- do.

and what do the gentiles do?

Lets go back to the verse and just break it down.

1 Peter 4:3 says: “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do…”

Translation? Enough is enough.

Peter is looking at these believers and saying, “Y’all have already spent more than enough time living like the world.” You had your fill of that old life. You don’t need to go back. You don’t need one more night out. One more regret. One more “just this once.” That chapter’s over.

And then Peter lists out what that life looked like:

"Living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry."

Now, those are heavy words—but don’t let the language throw you off. He’s talking about chasing after whatever feels good in the moment, with no thought about what honors God.

It’s the kind of life that says, “I do what I want, with who I want, whenever I want.”

It’s the party scene. It’s the hookup culture. It’s using people instead of loving them. It’s numbing the pain instead of bringing it to Jesus.

And Peter’s saying, “That’s not who you are anymore.”

You’ve been called out of that mess—not to live in shame, but to walk in freedom. That’s what grace does. It doesn’t just forgive you—it changes you.

So when temptation comes knocking—and it will—you don’t have to answer the door.

You can say, “No thanks. I’ve already been there. I’ve got something better now.”

That’s sanctification. That’s the Spirit of God doing His work in you.

Because Jesus didn’t save you so you could keep swimming in the same mud He pulled you out of.

He saved you to walk in a brand-new life.

So if the old life is behind you, what now?

Paul gives us the answer in Colossians 1:10, where he says that we are to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

In other words, if you’ve been rescued by grace, then your life should start reflecting the One who rescued you.

Walking worthy doesn’t mean walking perfectly—it means walking faithfully.

It means striving, day by day, to live in a way that brings honor to the Lord. It means your actions, your words, your priorities, and your relationships are starting to reflect the character of Christ. You don’t live to earn God’s love—you live in response to it.

But maybe you’re thinking, “Yeah, but I’ve messed up too bad. There’s no way I could ever walk worthy.”

If that’s you, let me remind you of Peter. He knew what it was like to fail big. This is the same Peter who walked on water and then sank. The same Peter who said, “I’ll never deny You,” and then denied Jesus three times before the rooster even finished crowing. He wept bitterly over his failure. If anyone had reason to believe his story was over, it was Peter.

But Jesus didn’t leave Peter in his shame. After the resurrection, Jesus met Peter on the shore, cooked him breakfast, and restored him with grace. He asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”—not to shame him, but to reaffirm his calling.

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” essentially saying, “Peter, I’m not finished with you. Get back up and walk with Me.”

And Peter did. He preached boldly at Pentecost, led the early church, and wrote letters like 1 Peter to encourage believers just like us. Peter didn’t walk worthy because he was flawless—he walked worthy because he finally understood grace.

So you may have a past. You may have some regrets. But that doesn’t disqualify you. In Christ, you are not your failure. You are not your worst moment. You are not stuck in who you used to be. You are who Jesus says you are and He says that one is mine.

So walk worthy. Not because you’ve earned it, but because He is worthy. And the One who saved you is the same One who walks with you, every step of the way.

and this is what cheap grace fails to understand- people who think that Christ is nothing but a get out of hell free card, they fail to understand why its important to walk worthy-

now jump down to verse 6 and I want you to understand what the non-believers fail to understand, Peter says 1 Peter 4:6

1 Peter 4:6 ESV

For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

He’s saying that the gospel was preached to believers who are now physically dead—people who heard the good news while they were alive, trusted in Christ, and have since passed away.

To the world, it may look like they were “judged in the flesh”—in other words, they still died like everyone else.

But the difference is, though their bodies died, their spirits now live with God. Death didn’t have the final say. The gospel did. So Peter is reminding us: death is not defeat for the believer—it’s actually the doorway into eternal life.

Then in verse 7, Peter shifts gears and says, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.”

Here, Peter is reminding his readers—then and now—that time is short. Whether Jesus returns soon or our own time on earth runs out, the point is the same: live like eternity is real, because it is. So he tells them to be self-controlled and clear-headed—not panicked or distracted. Why? So their prayers won't be hindered. Because when your mind is clouded by sin, stress, or selfishness, your prayer life dries up. But when you're focused on Christ, your prayers become powerful and effective.

Peter is calling believers to live with urgency, clarity, and eternal perspective. Don’t waste your life chasing what doesn’t last. Don’t get numb or distracted by the noise of the world. Stay awake, stay prayerful, and live like someone who actually believes Jesus is coming back—because He is.

And walking worthy requires us to Love Deeply and Serve Faithfully.

third truth.

3. Love Deeply and Serve Faithfully

In 1 Peter 4:8, Peter says, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” That phrase “above all” means this is top priority—it’s not just something we do when it’s convenient. The word “earnestly” means to love with effort, with intention, with a kind of love that keeps going even when it’s hard.

When Peter says that love “covers a multitude of sins,” he doesn’t mean we ignore sin or sweep it under the rug. He means that real love has a way of absorbing offense instead of escalating it. It chooses forgiveness over grudges. It seeks restoration over retaliation. This kind of love says, “Even if you hurt me, I’m still going to show up. I’m still going to serve you. I’m not keeping score.”

That’s exactly what Jesus modeled when He knelt down and washed the disciples’ feet. Think about it—this is the Son of God, scrubbing the dirt off the feet of the very men who would betray Him, deny Him, and abandon Him.

And He didn’t do it with an eye-roll or a sigh. He did it with love. He looked Judas in the eyes and washed his feet too. That’s the kind of love Peter’s calling us to.

Then in verse 9, Peter says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” In other words, open your home, your heart, and your life to others—and do it gladly. Don’t just tolerate people. Don’t sigh when you’re interrupted. Love people in a way that’s generous and joyful.

A strong modern example of this kind of love and hospitality is Tim Tebow. Sure, he’s a Heisman winner and a former NFL quarterback—but more than that, he’s a man who uses his platform to serve the forgotten. Through the Tim Tebow Foundation, he’s thrown "Night to Shine" proms for people with special needs all over the world. He’s shown up in hospitals, sat beside sick kids, hugged the hurting, and used his time, resources, and influence not to promote himself—but to love others like Jesus does. And he doesn’t do it with complaint—he does it with joy.

Tebow once said, “We have a choice. Every single day that we live, we can choose to be kind, to love, to serve, and to make a difference.”

That’s what Peter is calling us to. So men—this isn’t weak. This is strength under control. It’s Christlike. Love hard. Serve well.

And open your life to others without grumbling—because that’s what Jesus did for you. and that grumbling thing- thats hard aint it?

1 Peter 4:9 says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

Now let’s be honest—that last part is what gets us. Without grumbling? That’s tough. Because showing hospitality is easy to talk about... until someone actually needs something.

It’s one thing to open your door. It’s another thing when they stay too long, don’t offer to help clean up, and your kid just spilled juice on the one part of the couch you liked.

But Scripture says: don’t just be hospitable—do it gladly. Don’t slam a smile on your face while you're complaining under your breath. That’s not hospitality. That’s acting.

Think back to Genesis 18, when Abraham is sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. The man is pushing 100. He’s earned a little nap time. But when three strangers walk up—what does he do?

He jumps up, runs to them, and says, “Let me get you some water. Sit here and rest. I’ll bring you a meal.” Then he runs into the tent, tells Sarah to start baking, rushes to pick out a calf, gets the young man to prepare it—it’s like Chick-fil-A meets NASCAR. The guy is moving.

And what you don’t see? You don’t see Abraham grumbling. You don’t hear him saying, “Really, God? Right now? It’s triple digits out here and I just sat down!”

No. He serves them with energy, joy, and urgency—and he didn’t even know at first that one of those guests was the Lord Himself.

That’s the beauty of hospitality. You never know what God is doing through a simple act of kindness. Hebrews 13:2 even says some have “entertained angels unaware.” You might think you’re just making tacos—but God might be using that meal to open a heart, heal a wound, or build a bridge.

Grumbling, on the other hand, robs hospitality of its power. When we complain, we make it about us. But when we serve with gladness, it becomes about Him.

So next time someone shows up at your door, or needs a ride, or just wants to talk when you’re tired—remember Abraham. Remember that joy in serving reflects the heart of our God.

Peter is painting a picture here of what it looks like to live as a faithful follower of Jesus in everyday life in verse 9.

True hospitality flows from love, not obligation. It says, “You’re welcome here,” even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable—because that’s how Christ welcomed us.

Then in verse 10, Peter shifts to spiritual gifts. He says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

Notice—everyone has received a gift. If you belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit has equipped you with something specific—not for your own benefit, but to build up the body of Christ.

Your gift might be teaching, encouraging, giving, serving, leading, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, it’s not yours to hoard—it’s yours to steward. That means you’re managing something that belongs to God. He’s entrusted you with it so that you can make Him known through it.

In verse 11, Peter gives two examples: those who speak and those who serve. If your gift is speaking—whether that’s preaching, teaching, counseling, or encouraging—Peter says to do it “as one who speaks oracles of God.” In other words, treat it seriously. Don’t speak to impress or entertain. Speak truth, grounded in Scripture, as if God Himself entrusted you with His words—because He has.

And if your gift is serving—whether that’s behind the scenes, hands-on, practical ministry—Peter says to do it “by the strength that God supplies.” Why? Because when you serve in your own strength, you’ll burn out. But when you serve out of the overflow of God's strength and grace, He’ll sustain you.

And here’s the reason behind it all: “In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” That’s the goal. That’s the win.

That’s the reason we speak, serve, give, and show up for others—not to get credit, but to point people to Christ. Thats the reason behind VBS- the upcoming back to school bash- the car show- pouring into the community-its all to point people to Christ

We had a dance studio here yesterday where 15 little girls performed the musicial Annie. I wondered how many of the people sitting in the audience and the kids themselves would have never stepped foot in a church for any other reason. But before they began, they heard the gospel, they were invited, and they were prayed for. That is what being a community church for the community means. Being a resource for the community and in doing so pointing them to Jesus along the way.

So that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Thats the goal.

Peter ends with a doxology- A doxology is a short, powerful statement of praise to God: “To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” It’s his way of saying: Jesus is the point. He gets the spotlight. He deserves the glory.

So whether you're opening your home, opening your mouth, or opening your hands to serve—do it with joy, do it with purpose, and do it with the strength God provides, so that in everything, He gets the glory.

Because that’s what this whole thing is about. Not your comfort. Not your convenience. Not your name being known.

It’s about Christ being magnified.

Every gift you’ve been given—every breath in your lungs—is meant to serve one purpose: that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

So here’s the question as we close: What is God calling you to do?

For some of you, it’s time to open your home—to live on mission right where you are. For others, it’s time to stop sitting on that gift God’s given you. You’ve been hiding it, maybe out of fear or busyness—but God gave it for a reason. And for some, you already know what God’s been whispering to your heart—but you’ve been putting it off.

Hear me—delayed obedience is disobedience.

God’s not calling you because He’s short on help. He’s calling you because He loves you. Because He wants to use you to show His grace, His power, and His glory to the world.

And the good news? You’re not expected to do it in your own strength. That’s what the song we’re about to sing is all about: “Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me.”

That’s the anthem of the Christian life. Not “Look what I did,” but “Look what Christ did through me.” Not “I’ve got this,” but “He is my strength.” Not “I’ll try harder,” but “I’ll trust deeper.”

So this moment right here—this is your invitation. A moment of consecration. To say, “God, whatever You want—my time, my gifts, my plans, my life—it’s Yours.”

As we sing, the altar is open. If you need to pray, come. If you need to surrender something, come. If you need someone to pray with you, there are people ready.

Let’s not rush past this. Let’s not miss what God might be doing.

So don’t wait. Don’t hesitate. Come. Respond.

Let’s stand, lets pray and respond: