1 Peter 4:10-11 - Glorify

Introduction

Emmanuel Baptist Church is a church built on the Word of God so we might know Jesus, abide in Jesus, and glorify Jesus.

Know. Abide. Glorify.

It’s through the Word of God that we know Jesus.

Through the Word of God, we draw near to Him to find mercy and forgiveness.

Through the Word of God, we come to know Him as He is (and not as we want Him to be).

And through the Word of God, we come to understand that Jesus is Lord; He’s the boss, the one we must obey.

It’s through the Word that we abide in Jesus and bear much spiritual fruit.

It’s through the Word that we are cleansed and grafted into God’s people.

And it’s through the Word that we are pruned so that we bear even more spiritual fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc.

Today we focus on the ‘glorify’ in “Know. Abide. Glorify.”

The Word of God tells us that we must love to the glory of God, and it tells how to live so that God is glorified in our living.

Think about that word ‘living’ for just a moment.

The people that Peter wrote to in 1 Peter were concerned about living.

They were being persecuted and had questions about how to live faithfully in the midst of persecution.

Peter, who was likely living in the midst of persecution himself, gave them many different commands.

Prepare your minds for action.

Keep sober in spirit.

Fix your hope completely on Jesus and His second coming.

Fervently love one another.

...and so on.

But perhaps it would surprise us to read everything that Peter wrote and never hear him say to this persecuted people, “Take care of yourself.”

Instead he says, “Serve one another.”

Listen to 1 Peter 4:10-11...

1 Peter 4:10–11 NASB95

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.

[ILLUS] It’s the end of your life. You breathe your last breath. You step into eternity and stand before God.

If you are glad in that moment, it will be because…

…you know Jesus...

…you’ve been abiding in Jesus...

…you’ve been glorifying Jesus by serving His people.

Then you will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Don’t you want to hear that?

The alternative is, “Away from Me, I never knew you,” so you should want to hear, “Well done,” and if you do, then you have to glorify God through Jesus Christ as 1 Peter 4:10-11 makes clear.

This passage presents to a REALITY, a RESPONSIBILITY, and a REASON.

Major Ideas

REALITY: You have RECEIVED a special gift (1 Pet. 4:10a)

1 Peter 4:10 NASB95

10 As each one has received a special gift...

The Bible tells us that God is one God in three different Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

God the Father ordained our salvation.

God the Son accomplished our salvation

And God the Holy Spirit applies salvation to us.

The Holy Spirit fills, reveals, and seals.

He fills us.

He reveals Jesus to us.

He seals us for the day of redemption.

He also comforts us and guides us into all truth…

…and the Holy Spirit gives us special gifts.

THAT’S THE REALITY: IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN (meaning you’ve trusted in Jesus to save you from your sins) THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS GIVEN YOU AT LEAST ONE SPIRITUAL GIFT.

Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:7-11…

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 NASB95

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

We know this list is not exhaustive because Paul mentions different gifts in Romans 12...

Romans 12:6–8 NASB95

6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

You have received a spiritual gift.

[ILLUS] Birthday party with birthday boy or girl receiving many gifts, but every child receiving a little gift or a “happy”.

The Spirit seems to give some people many gifts, but He has given all of us at least one gift.

[APP] You have been gifted, and you discover your gift by trying and listening.

NOT by a spiritual gifts inventory...

...but perhaps you try a foreign language and discover that you have a knack for it.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ say to you, “God seems to have wired you for this.”

Perhaps you’ll try something else, and you know that you are not wired for it.

In fact, you might have people say, “Brother, do you think that’s your gift?”

But you try things out and you listen to God’s people because God has given you at least one spiritual gift—that is the REALITY.

[TS]…

RESPONSIBILITY: You must EMPLOY it in serving one another (1 Pet. 4:10b).

1 Peter 4:10 NASB95

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

[EXP] We receive salvation by grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

And we have received spiritual gifts and the opportunities to exercise those gifts by grace.

Ephesians 2:10 NASB95

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Peter calls us good steward of God’s grace if we employ (or ‘put to work’) our spiritual gifts in serving one another.

A steward is not an owner of his master’s property but an overseer or administrator of his master’s property.

If he uses his master’s property faithfully, then he is a good steward…

...but if he fails to use his master’s property unfaithfully, then he is a bad steward.

Our spiritual gifts are not ours technically speaking; they are God’s gifts entrusted to us that we are to use to serve His people.

[ILLUS] Baby sitter, entrusting with money, food, and home to care for children but uses it to care for herself (gorges herself, has a party, uses the money to buy ‘refreshments’ for her and her friends

Would you say that she was a good babysitter?

No, because she did not employ the resources entrusted to her faithfully.

No, because she did not care for the children entrusted to her.

[APP] In the same, the God has entrusted to gifts meant to exercised in the care of His children.

When we fail to use those gifts faithfully—or when we refuse to use them at all—we are bad stewards of the manifold grace of God.

[TS]…

REASON: You must use it to GLORIFY God through Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 4:11).

1 Peter 4:11 NASB95

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] There are two categories of gifts that Peter mentions in this verse—gifts of speaking and gifts of service.

Gifts of speaking would include preaching, teaching, singing, translating, etc.

Gifts of serving would include all those other gifts that don’t include speaking in public—gifts like administration, decorating, building and grounds; 1 Corinthians 12:28 even mentions the gift of helps...

...but no matter what kind of gift we have, it is meant to be used for God’s glory.

[ILLUS] Pipe Organ diagram - both the server and the player are equally important—and both gifts glorify God.

[APP] Our gifts glorify God when…

… we use our gifts in response to God’s grace.

… we use them to serve God’s people.

…we use them in the strength which God supplies.

[ILLUS] There’s an old story about a young preacher who was preaching his first sermon.

He was proud of how well he had prepared.

He was proud of his sermon outline.

He was proud of his creative illustrations.

When it was time for him to step behind the pulpit, he did so with a spring in his step, but then everything fell apart.

His mind couldn’t recall any of his preparation.

He stumbled over his sermon outline.

And his illustrations seemed dull and pointless.

After he said his prayer at the end, he hung his head in humiliation as he descended the pulpit.

Afterwards an old minister put an arm around him and said, “If you gone up like you came down, things would’ve gone a lot better.”

What did he mean?

He meant the young man should have gone up to the pulpit—gone up to exercise his gift— in humble dependence on God.

He should have gone up in the strength which God supplies.

[APP] No matter our spiritual gifts, we must use them in the strength which God supplies.

We never use them trusting in ourselves for their effectiveness.

Every step along the way, we use them in humble dependence on God to make the use of them effective.

[TS]

Conclusion

[ILLUS] A preacher I once listened to said that he was contacted by a corporation. This preacher had developed a reputation as a great story teller and the CEO of the corporation asked if he would come to their event, tell some stories, make everyone laugh, and get paid.

The preacher knew he could tell a good story and keep people entertained, so he said he would do it.

He went, told his stories, made everyone laugh, and got paid a handsome amount…

...but he said as soon as the check hit his hand, he knew that he had used his gift in an unfaithful way.

God had saved by His grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the preacher had never said anything about Jesus.

God had gifted him with the ability to preach the Word of God so that God’s people could be edified and prepared for the work of the ministry, but the preacher didn’t preach the Word to God’s people; he told humorous stories to businessmen and businesswomen.

And preacher didn’t use his gift in the strength which God supplies; no, he trusted his own storytelling talents to rake in a big payday.

This preacher said that He knew he had been unfaithful, he confessed his sin, gave the money to the church, and committed to never using his gift in such an unfaithful way again.

You have been gifted. (REALITY)

You have been gifted to serve God’s people. (RESPONSIBILITY)

You must use your gift in the strength which God supplies.

If you do, you will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ… (REASON)

...and when you step into eternity, you will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

[PRAYER]

——————

Response

Lord, Be Glorified, #542 All 3 vs

In our lives, Lord, be glorified…

In our homes, Lord, be glorified…

In our church, Lord, be glorified…

As we exercise our spiritual gifts in all these places, Lord, be glorified!