1 Peter 4.7-11
Theme: Holy Living (1:13-5:11):
1:13-2:3 Standard of Holiness
2:4-12 Function and Position of the church
2:13-3:7 Honor Authority
3:8-17 Duties of All Believers
3:18-4:6 Christ’s Example
4:7-11 The End of All Things
4:7 The end of all things is near—a common theme in the New Testament
--Romans 13:12 (NIV) The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
--1 Cor 7:29-31 (NIV) What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. . . . For this world in its present form is passing away.
--Philippians 4:5b (NIV) The Lord is near.
--Heb 10:25 (NIV) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
--James 5:8 (NIV) You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
--1 John 2:18 (NIV) Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
--Rev 1:3 (NIV) Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
--Rev 22:20 (NIV) He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
--the obvious questions are:
--“Why hasn’t the end come?”
--“What did the apostles mean by “the end is near?”
--“2000 years have passed since this was written—how do we reconcile the actual time passed with the idea of the nearness of the end?”
--“Were the apostles wrong?”
--“Are we living in the last days today, or could we be wrong when we believe that?”
--the early church believed that because Christ had come the last days had begun. God’s rule on earth had been established and the end is near.
--Luke 11:20 (NIV) “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.”
--Acts 2: 16-17 (NIV) No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. . . .(Day of Pentecost)
--Heb 1:1-2 (NIV) In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son. . .
--Therefore, how should we live in whatever time we have left on earth?
--Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Be of sound mind, reasonable.
--Knowledge that the end is near could cause us to become overly excited and act irrationally (e.g. “88 Reasons for why Jesus will return in 1988”--go live on a mountain and wait for His return)
--we must live a balanced life—like Jesus could return any moment, yet planning for the future
--so we keep praying for God’s kingdom to come in the lives of those around us. Otherwise, we would give up praying because Christ was coming soon.
4:8 --Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
--love is the highest priority of the believer—it is not a warm feeling towards each other, but the determination to place the rights and welfare of others ahead of ourselves
--love each other deeply—with intensity and sincerity—this is why we need to be a part of a local body. Only as we spend time together and get to know each other can we get past the superficiality and get to true genuine love
--when you love someone like that you can overlook their shortcomings and failures
4:9 --Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
--in a time of persecution there was real danger in hiding a Christian in that it could cause you to be arrested or killed (e.g. Nazi Germany).
--Also there could be a short supply of food, so it would be easy to hoard and not give to others
--hospitality is spoken of in Rom 12:13 actually the word used means to love strangers, how much more should the same kind of love be given to the body of Christ
--Heb 13.2 Do not forget to entertain (to show hospitality to–NASB) strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (e.g. Abraham Gen 18:1)
4:10--Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
--we must be a channel or conduit to let the grace of God flow—which we do by using our gift to serve others
4:11 --If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
--whether we speak or do anything for others we must remember that God is the one who gives us the gift and the strength, therefore we don’t get prideful and boast upon our abilities, but give God all the praise