1 Peter 4-1-6

4 1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God.

3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.

4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you;

5 but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

Sermon in a Sentence

Living For God’s Will

Fallen Condition Focus

The wrong mindset leads to living for the world instead of God.

Redemptive Solution

Joyfully take on the same mindset as Christ towards suffering for God’s Will knowing an account will be given on the final day.

Welcome

My name is Eric and I’m the worship pastor here at CBC.

Pastor Brad is in his second week of sabbatical so please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers.

INTRO

**What is the believers response - in a world opposed to God**

I hope to answer that question for us this morning.

But first - let’s go to the Father in Prayer.

Father, we are desperate to hear from You this morning. You have gathered Your people into this time and space for Your glory and honor and praise. We believe that Your Word is perfect without any mixture of error. Help us to understand what You have for us this morning so that it can be applied to our lives. Lead us this morning into a closer relationship with You. Tear down the lies that the enemy has fed us and replace it with Your truth. Have Your way with us this morning. AMEN

As you turn to 1 Peter chapter 4, I’d like to set the tone for the text by asking a few questions.

Are you living in God’s Will or yours?

Have you joyfully accepted the cost of following Jesus?

Do you ‘greatly rejoice’ as Peter puts it - when distressed by various trials?

What level of suffering are you willing to endure for your faith?

By a show of hands - who here this morning likes to suffer?

The year was 320 AD, about 260 years after Peter wrote this letter.

Constantine, the Roman emperor of the West had pressured Licinius, the emperor of the East to legalize Christianity.

Licinius conceded but later, due to a fear of treason among the troops, he decides to eliminate Christianity from his territory.

He orders a Roman Commander named, Agricola in the Armenian town of Sebaste to assist.

Agricola knew of 40 skilled soldiers who were devout Cristians and gives them an ultimatum - renounce your faith and worship the gods or be stripped of your rank and fall into disgrace.

They refuse and are thrown in to prison.

The next day, Agricola try’s flattery as a way to get them to renounce their faith. They refuse and are put back into prison.

The next morning after one more failed attempt to get the 40 men to renounce their faith; they are stripped of their clothing, their rank, and marched out onto a frozen lake.

Guards stand by on shore where warm baths, fire, hot food, and blankets await anyone who would deny Christ.

After some time, one soldier runs to shore and renounces his faith in Christ. He jumps into the warm bath and dies.

The 40 were broken. But one of the guards, so moved by their resolve, strips himself and joins the 39 once again making them 40 strong.

At some point, given the harsh conditions, all 40 die.

I sincerely hope that none of you are ever placed in a similar situation - But if forces us to ask the question..

How do we respond as a Christian to suffering in a world opposed to God?

And what king of suffering are we talking about? Well don’t go anywhere if you want to find out.

If you’ve missed the last few weeks, it’s ok because you could sum up Peter’s first letter like this:

“An encouragement for believers to joyfully hold fast as they endure suffering and various trials knowing that a future glory awaits and that all things will come under a final judgement.”

He tells us back in Chapter 1 v.6

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.

In Chapter 2 v.19

For this finds favor, for if the sake of conscience toward God a person endures grief when suffering unjustly.

And there’s no shortage of bible verses that encourage the believer in times of trial or suffering.

Acts 14:22

“It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Romans 8:17

“and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Jesus says in Matthew 16:25

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

And we could spend the entire morning reading similar verses.

We continue our “Set Apart” series this morning, 1 Peter 4 v.1-6

1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God.

4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you;

5 but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

It’s important to point out that the “suffering” Peter’s referring to in v. 1 isn’t torture or death. That level of persecution wasn’t prevalent for the gentile believer, in 62-63 AD. But it would come soon with Nero’s persecution of Christians.

Christ - being fully God and fully man - suffered in the flesh.

Jesus knew what it felt like to suffer; Isaiah wrote:

“He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

And yet Jesus being perfect without any sin is ridiculed, mocked, humiliated, beaten, stricken, reviled, abandoned by his closest friends.

One commentator brought up how, “Jesus knows what it’s like to ask your closest friends to pray for you, only to discover they’d rather just sleep.”

Jesus didn’t skip the suffering and go straight to glory - so don’t think it’s gonna happen for us.

Therefore - suffering shouldn’t surprise us.

Jesus says John 15,

“If the world hates you, you know that is has hated Me before it hated you.”

And in Chapter 17

He says,

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Church the reason this world is hostile to you is because it’s in opposition to God - who you now serve over the world.

So Peter says our response to this should be to “arm yourselves”, or to mentally prepare for battle. This phrasing has a military connotation.

We see similar terminology in Eph 6: when Pauls says to “Put on the full armor of God”.

The Christian life is akin to war - not against flesh or other people, but against the demonic realm - the forces of darkness - or the spiritual forces of wickedness as Paul describes it.

Peter says the devil continues to prowl around looking for those to devour.

Who is he looking to devour? The unrepentant sinner or the believer?

Church he wants to destroy you. He wants your marriage, your kids, your work, your friends, your home…

Do not make the mistake of thinking that this is some future war that’s coming when things get really bad. It’s already here. We’re right in the middle of it.

So Peter is telling us since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourself with the same purpose.

A mindset that says I’m fully prepared to suffer in order to accomplish God’s Will for my life -

The level of persecution doesn’t dictate our response to it..

No mater what, no matter the cost, no matter the degree of suffering - I’ve set my mind to trust in God.

And then Peter says, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

We’re reminded that back in

Chapter 3 v.20

Peter said, “for what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.”

Church, what if our suffering accomplishes God’s purpose because it exposes who we are and who we place our trust in?

And what if that suffering provides us with a platform to share our testimony with others so that God would be glorified?

So then shouldn’t our mindset be to greatly rejoice in times of suffering?

We’ve already read the first part of chapter 1 v.6

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.

Look at what it says in v.7

"so that the proof of your faith, […] may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

One author says it like this, “Righteous suffering is not a sign of God’s disfavor. It is an indication that we are following Christ.”

Because we choose to follow Christ instead of the world, sin has ceased from us.

He’s not saying that we won’t sin, he’s saying our willingness to suffer for doing God’s Will is an indication that we no longer desire serve the will of man.

Or as v.2 puts it,

2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God.

At the beginning of my sermon, I asked who’s will are you living for? Are we living for our will or God’s?

Maybe we could think about it like this..

What if we assembled a team of researchers who knew nothing about Christianity and sent them to live with you.

Go to work, hang out with your friends - shadowed your life for 6 months.

Then we gave them a copy of the NT,

asked them to study and compare it to their observations of your life - how well would you do?

You know, as scary as that sounds, what do you think God is doing? He’s with you every moment - He knows what you’re gonna think before you think it. So what does God say about your life?

I’ll tell you what He says about mine… Holy Spirit Speak

Why do you speak to my daughter/your wife in any sort of way that’s not gentle or loving?

V. 3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.

“For the time already past is sufficient.”

If you were saved later in life - raise your hand.

- You spent enough time outside of God’s Will.

If you were saved at a young age - raise your hand.

- You spent enough time outside of God’s Will.

Even if God chose to reveal Himself to you, the moment you were born, the 9 months you spent living in your mom’s womb was enough time to live outside of God’s Will.

You ever heard someone say the reason I don’t want to be is Christian is because I don’t want to have to give up my friends, my job depending on how you’re making money, give up my drunkenness and partying. I love my music… Being a Christian is boring…

You see what they’re really saying is - I don’t want to exchange the 'will of me' for the 'will of He’.. Or my ‘will is better.’ “It’s my life”, “My goals”, “My dreams”.

Church we need to remove that vocabulary from our mouths because the day you surrendered your life to Christ you said:

Not my will; but Your Will be done.

This is Your life; not mine.

Your goals; not mine.

This is your career…

Your marriage…

Your calling…

Your children, not mine.

I serve You, not me.

Joshua says in 24:15,

But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve… the gods of this world… “like the god of self”

Well Joshua says as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

And in v.16

The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we would abandon the LORD to serve other gods.”

Church when we choose to sin, we’re not just committing some act that God doesn’t like - we are literally serving another god…

gods like indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and lawless idolatries.

These were things interwoven into the Greco-Roman world and engrained into their society. And not just in the private rooms of the home - but openly during festivals.

Commentators say that drunkenness, sexual immorality and partying went hand in hand and they all did well to “serve the god of self.”

It was so rampant and excepted that you were crazy if you didn’t participate in it!

We experience some of that now don’t we?

Make a social media post about what God defines marriage as and see what happens.

And so in v.4 Peter continues..

In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of debauchery, and they slander you;

If you were here last week, you got to see 8 teenagers stand up here in the front because they gave their life to Christ.

Can I tell you when your friends or kids at school find out you made a decision to follow God instead of following the world - you might be ridiculed, mocked, humiliated, abandoned by your closest friends…

You will be hated by world because they are opposed to God and you are not.

Peter understood this.. He was there. He had a front row seat to the abuse and suffering that Christ endured.

Church, if we’re more concerned with what the world thinks then God; We’re in trouble.

You want to know why it’s worth it…

This past Friday was the year anniversary that my mother-in-law, Marsha went to be with the Lord. She was sick, suffered in this life, abused, mocked, ridiculed throughout times in her life, just like we are.

But in the moment her eyes closed, something happened. She was in the fullness that is the presence of the Lord. Face to face in full glory.

Y’all remember back in Exodus 33 when Moses asked to see the presence of God? *****Read and remember story*******

Moses said in v.18, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’

And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

And in verse 29

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

He face had beams of light projecting from it. and the people were afraid to come near him!

Let me tell you - in that moment when we see God face to face - the fullness of His glory will not be withheld from you.

If you take all the joy, happiness, excitement, peace, you’ve ever experienced in this life and add it all up - it’s nothing - it’s incomparable to the joy that awaits you.

But it this is true and I believe with all my heart it is, then the opposite is true.

All the hurt, all the pain, all the brokenness, suffering, sickness, abuse, terror you’ve ever faced is nothing compared to what being separated from the presence of God for all of eternity will be like for those who aren’t saved.

Friend, this should scare you, keep you up at night….

Peter says:

5 but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Each deed, each thought, each word, each life completely accounted for.

Church when you suffer for living out God’s Will and the world brings suffering upon you - there not doing it to the servant- but the one whom we serve.

The account is for what they’ve done to him - not you..

6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God

If you’re here this morning and have never confessed with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believed in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then I would encourage you to choose this day whom you will serve?

I can tell you that the Lord radically changed my life and He wants to do the same for you this morning. Don’ wait - it’s not worth it.

Here in a little bit, the worship team is going to come up and sing a song of response called, “Lord I Need You”.

If you know in your heart that you need the life-giving joy that only Christ can provide, please come down and speak to one of our leaders in the front or come find me after or Pastor Klinton.

Christ died for you so that you could be brought back into a right relationship with the Father. Not just here and now, but for all of eternity.

Church,

Our bodies will die just like the rest of the unbelieving world - but though are flesh is giving way, may we determine in our minds to live in the spirit - not according to our will, but for God’s.

And if our suffering in some way can bring glory to God, may we suffer well and often.

If our suffering gives us a platform to Glorify our God to the world, give us the biggest stage possible.

That’s the mindset Peter is encouraging us to have.

Are you living in God’s Will or yours?

Have you joyfully accepted the cost of following Jesus?

Do you ‘greatly rejoice’ as Peter puts it - when distressed by various trials?

What level of suffering are you willing to endure for your faith?

Christ withheld nothing from the Father, may it be our joy to do the same.

Can I encourage you this week, as various trials come your way - greatly rejoice so that the world will see who you serve and hopefully provide you with an opportunity to share the hope that you have in Christ.

Prayer

Father, our thoughts are not your thoughts, our ways are not Your ways… but we are desperate for You. We are desperate to hear from You and be lead by Your Spirit. —-

**LONG ENOUGH FOR THE WORSHIP TEAM TO COME UP**

****GO STRAIGHT TO BAPTISMAL****

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