Session 3: Gracious Hospitality

Joseph Duerr

Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

1 Peter 4:7–11

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Background

Peter was a leader in the early church and eventually martyred under the Roman emperor Nero around AD 64. A few years earlier, Peter wrote the letter we call 1 Peter to a group of churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Peter encouraged them to stand strong and realize the hope they had in Jesus Christ, even as they faced persecution and suffering.

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1 Peter 4:7 ESV

7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

Prayer needs to be a priority in our lives

If you knew the day and time Christ was returning, would your prayer life look differently?

B. Living for the Will of God in the Church (vv. 7–11).

SUPPORTING IDEA: Since the end is near, live in love toward others. Minister to them with your spiritual gifts. As you serve others, God will be praised.

4:7–11. Marshall summarizes well the big picture of this paragraph:

In the church where there is a lack of love and common purpose and where the spiritual lifeline of communication to God is broken, the forces of opposition will weaken and eventually destroy the church. In these verses Peter emphasizes how crucial it is that local churches be strong in fellowship with firm links of life and loyalty between the members and also between the members and God (Marshall, 140).

Living in adversity makes us tend to focus inward instead of outward, True or false?

First on this list of priorities is purposeful prayer. Such prayer must be clear minded and self-controlled. To “be clear minded” suggests that believers pray intelligently or that they think about and evaluate their situations in life maturely and correctly as they begin to pray about them. In light of the context, perhaps Peter was cautioning them against giving way to eschatological frenzy and panic. To be “self-controlled” as one comes to prayer suggests that believers are to pray with a mind that is focused and alert. In other words, prayer should not be practiced nonchalantly or flippantly. Believers are to take prayer seriously.

Cross References

| Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

| Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

| You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

| Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

Look at

1 Peter 4:8–9 ESV

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Constant love leads to a lifestyle of hospitality

When Peter says “love covers a multitude of sins, is he saying love atones for your sins?

“Covers” means “willing to forgive.”

The goal of agape love is always to seek the good of the other person. The evidence of agape love is action, not words. The extent of agape love is sacrifice. Thus, believers are to love each other “deeply.” This word means “to be stretched.”

True agape love is constantly being stretched to the limit by the demands made on it. This is precisely where agape love shines, because it is not exhausted when it becomes difficult or inconvenient.

One of the most difficult and inconvenient times to extend love is when someone in the church has hurt or wronged us. We must demonstrate a love that is willing to be stretched because love covers over a multitude of sins. “Covers” means “willing to forgive.” The present tense indicates that which is to be constantly true in the life of the believer.

Love does not ignore the reality of personal sin any more than it justifies or condones sin. Confrontation of sin is appropriate and necessary, especially when we demonstrate love. However, it is just as important to demonstrate a willingness to forgive and then to move on.

Forgiveness, like love, is an act of the will, a personal choice. A person chooses either to forgive or not to forgive. According to Grudem, “Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offenses, and even some large ones, are overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts abound” (Grudem, 174).

Verse 8

| Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

| Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

| or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

| it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

| let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

4:9. Believers should put action into the love command. Hospitality among Christians is an important and tangible expression of love. In the first century, hospitality was a common courtesy that even nonbelievers extended to others.

What do you think of today’s culture regarding hospitality?

Scripture lifts Christian hospitality to a higher level. A believer’s attitude toward the necessity and courtesy of hospitality should be without grumbling. This expression speaks of murmuring and of repeated words of complaint. Such words were often spoken, not quietly to themselves, but to others. Obviously, the arrival of guests in any century can be inconvenient for a variety of reasons. Even the best-behaved guests can overstay their welcome. Therefore, Christians are to provide hospitality without complaining or whining about the time and expense involved. This is an expression of agape love.

In the NT Jesus relies on the general practice of hospitality in sending out the disciples () and in his own travels. As the gospel was spread by traveling missionaries, Christians were commended for entertaining them in their homes ). Church leaders must not exempt themselves from this ministry ; to do so is grounds for judgment ().

Luke 10:7 ESV

7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

3 John 5–8 ESV

5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

Matthew 25:43 ESV

43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

Same word use of hospitality: ;

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV

2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Titus 1:8 ESV

8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

4:9 Peter may have urged his audience to show hospitality to one another in light of the unfriendly and even hostile treatment they experienced from non-believers (compare ; ).

Hebrews 13:2 ESV

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3 John 5–8 ESV

| Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

| Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

Let’s go to

| Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Peter 4:10–11 ESV

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 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.

| but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

God enables us to love and serve others

| Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

4:10–11. One final priority remains for believers who live in the light of Christ’s second coming and who wish to demonstrate agape love toward one another. This priority can best be summarized as intense serving. Every believer is to heed this injunction. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

Every believer in every church has received a spiritual gift from God for use in the life of the church.

Within the body of Christ, love for each other finds expression in the use of spiritual gifts, not for self-advancement or as an attention-getter, but for the benefit of others. Every Christian, then, is capable of ministering to others within the body of Christ.

“Gift” (charisma) literally means “a gift of grace.” When Christians receive God’s grace in this way, we have the responsibility to share this gift with other Christians.

Through such sharing we are faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. What has been given to the individual as a gift of grace has also been given for the benefit of the body as a whole. Believers are agents of God in passing on the benefits of his grace in our life.

God does not grant us gifts of grace for our personal use; he gives them for the benefit of the body of Christ.

4:10 This is the only use of the Greek word charisma in the nt outside of Paul’s writings (see ; ).

Romans 12:6 ESV

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

1 Corinthians 12:28–31 ESV

28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Elsewhere, Paul discusses spiritual gifts in detail (see and note), emphasizing their purpose to serve and build up the body of Christ ().

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Peter’s exhortation reflects the same concern here, though he may also have in mind God’s gift of salvation (see ; ).

Romans 12:6 ESV

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

1 Corinthians 12:28–31 ESV

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 ESV

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Romans 5:15–16 ESV

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In your PSG there is a good question: What’s the difference between acts of hospitality and a lifestyle of hospitality?

Verse 10

| “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

| Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

| if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;

| This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

| Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Verse 11 illustrates this point by dividing the many gifts of grace into two broad categories: speaking and serving.

Peter mentions two areas of giftedness: speaking and serving. His list is not intended to be exhaustive, merely illustrative. The purpose of gifts is to serve the Church in a way that brings glory to God.

Speaking includes not simply preaching or teaching, but many kinds of gifts involving speech, such as evangelism, speaking in tongues, prophecy, encouragement, and leadership.

Serving includes any type of assisting or encouraging ministry that directly targets the benefit of others within the body of Christ, such as contributing to the needs of others, healing, miraculous powers, showing mercy, and encouragement.

Believers are to take these gifts seriously and to exercise them with an attitude of dependence on God (speak the very words of God, do it with the strength of God). When the gifts of grace are applied in this way, the attention and praise shift from the individual believer to God, the one who has gifted the believer in the first place.

4:7 Peter is certain of Jesus’ return (see 1:5, 7). Believers are called to live in confidence and anticipation of the consummation of God’s work in Christ (this is referred to as eschatological hope).

4:8 Peter draws on to affirm the power of Christian love; it can result in forgiveness and reconciliation when people have been harmed or wronged (). In this way, love overcomes sin.

Early Christianity regarded love as the foundational ethic for the community of believers (; ; ; ).

Spiritual Gifts ISBE

4:11 May refer to the gift of prophecy (see note on ) or to any type of speaking about God and the truth of the gospel. However the next line seems to imply that Peter is referring to speaking and serving gifts in a broad sense, not to specific gifts (compare ). Either way, Peter urges believers to act with extreme care when speaking on God’s behalf and conveying truths about His will.

This verse likely addresses the manner in which believers offer service to each other, since the same Greek word is used in to speak of serving others in a general sense. Peter’s point is that God will supply the strength to serve and act hospitably toward other people.

This verse may also refer to the office of the “deacon” or “servant” since the Greek verb diakoneō used here is related to the Greek noun diakonos, which is applied to the church office of “deacon” or “servant” (see and note).

Cross References

Verse 11

| Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

| Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

| for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.