1 Peter 4:7-11
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Introduction
Introduction
[READING]
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] Peter called his readers to live faithfully as they suffered for Christ and looked forward to the return of Christ.
“The end of all things” (v. 7) is not just the end of all the bad things but the fulfillment of all the good things that God intends for His people at the return of Christ.
Peter says His return is near or imminent. Other Scriptures say the same...
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Christ has come in the flesh.
He has died on the cross.
He has risen from the dead.
He has ascended to Heaven pouring out His Holy Spirit.
All that remains is His return.
[INTER] Here’s a good question: are you looking forward to His return? Here’s a better question: are you presently living for His return?
[CIT] In this passage doesn’t just call his readers to look forward to Christ’s return but to presently live for Christ’s return by watchful prayer, fervent love, hospitality, and service.
[TURN] It’s been roughly 2,000 years since Peter penned these words, but Christ’s return is even more imminent now than it was then.
[PROP] This means that it’s just as important for us to, not only look forward to Christ’s return, but to presently live for it in the ways commanded in this passage.
[TS] Let’s look at the COMMANDS…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
COMMAND #1: Be of Sound Judgment and Sober Spirit (vv. 7)
COMMAND #1: Be of Sound Judgment and Sober Spirit (vv. 7)
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
[EXP] There are some slight differences in our English translations of this verse…
NKJV But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
NLT The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
NIV84 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
To be of sound judgment and sober spirit is the opposite of being intoxicated by the spirit of the age or the cares of the world. It is to prayerfully maintain a proper focus on eternity to come.
That proper focus includes a focus on holy living, maintaining a pilgrim’s perspective, and living for eternal (rather than earthly) reward.
[ILLUS] In John Bunyan’s Piligrim’s Progress, his main character, Pilgrim, and Pilgrim’s believing friend, Faithful, pass through ‘Vanity Fair’
It is not possible to reach the Celestial City without passing through Vanity Fair. Even Christ passed through it, and Beelzebub offered to make him Lord of the Fair in exchange for Christ’s worship of him, but Christ resisted this temptation.
The fair runs throughout the year and is quite ancient—almost 5,000 years old. At that time, Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, seeing many pilgrims passing through Vanity on their way to the Celestial City, decided to set up a fair selling all sorts of merchandise—lands, titles, kingdoms, jewels, and even people. Every kind of sin and crime also happens here. The wares of many different nations are promoted in the streets of the Fair.
[DISCUSSION] What do you think Bunyan represents with Vanity Fair?
What makes Vanity Fair so intoxicating?
How do we open ourselves up to Vanity Fair’s intoxications?
How does what Peter writes in v. 7 call us away from those intoxications?
As followers of Jesus, we don’t live for this world and all of its allurements. We live for the new heavens and the new earth.
To do that we will have to have sound-judgment and be sober-spirited as pass through Vanity Fair.
Prayer will help us pass through faithfully.
[TS]...
COMMAND #2: Keep Fervent in Love (v. 8)
COMMAND #2: Keep Fervent in Love (v. 8)
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
[EXP] Again, some different English translations may help us to think differently...
CSB Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.
NIV84 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
NLT Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
[ILLUS] “I told you I loved you the day we got married. If that changes, I’ll let you know.”
Not good in marriage
Not good in the church
But also not enough to just say, “I love you.”
We must strive to constantly show our deep love for one another.
[APP] ‘Fervent’ refers to stretching and straining like someone running as hard as they can.
The character of love
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
What does Paul tell us about love in this passage?
The witness of love
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What does Jesus say about our love one another in this passage?
The practicality of love
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
What stands out to you about what John says regarding love in this passage?
Peter says, “(love) covers a multitude of sins,” which is quote from Proverbs 19:11. What do you think he means by that?
11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
The covering of a multitude of sins is the overlooking of transgressions; it’s forgiving others when they insult or offend us.
Why is this so difficult to do?
Even when our fleshy desires make it difficult, our spiritual desire should be to fervently love one another.
Remembering Christ’s love for us and depending on Christ’s Spirit in us will us help to love one another as we should.
[TS]...
COMMAND #3: Be Hospitable (v. 9)
COMMAND #3: Be Hospitable (v. 9)
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
[EXP] Being persecuted or suffering hardships in general may tempt us to give up hospitality, or we may tempted to complain about the hospitality we do show, saying something like...
“I had to cook for everyone with everything else I have going on!”
“I can’t believe they asked me for a ride when I already have enough to do!”
ESV Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
KJV 1900 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
NLT Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
NIV84 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
[DISCUCSSION] What makes us hesitant to show hospitality?
How do we overcome our reluctance to show hospitality?
[ILLUS] Someone recently told me about a couple with a big, nice house. Although they only had two sons, they had a big pool and a big dining table because they loved to entertain - but do we have to have nice things to show hospitality? And is entertaining the same thing as showing hospitality?
Listen to this note from the Life Application Bible on hospitality…
Life Application Bible Notes Chapter 12
Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host: The home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests’ needs, such as a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or just acceptance. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.
[TS]...
COMMAND #4: Serve One Another (vv. 10-11)
COMMAND #4: Serve One Another (vv. 10-11)
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
[EXP]
ESV (10) As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace...
NLT (10) God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Do you have a spiritual gift?
How did you get your spiritual gift?
What is the reason for your spiritual gift?
How do we discover our spiritual gift(s)?
On spiritual gifts we could also look at Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, but listen for the two categories of gifts that Peter mentions in 1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV)…
NKJV (11) If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers (i.e., serves), let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
What are a couple of examples of speaking gifts?
Preaching/ Teaching
Singing
What are a couple of examples serving gifts?
Running sound/slides
Cleaning up after fellowships
Does this mean that is we speak we never serve or if we serve we never speak? By no means!
Think about Stephen in the book of Acts
[ILLUS] Pipe Organ diagram - both the server and the player are equally important
[APP]
[TS]...
Conclusion
Conclusion
[ILLUS] Emmett, “I am Mars.”
This not only what we are called to do, but who we were made to be.
In Christ, we were made to be wise and prayerful.
We were made to be fervent in love.
We were made to be hospitable.
We were made to be servants.
[PRAYER]
