Faithful to the Very End

Introduction

We have been discussing the idea of faithfulness. Living faithful lives, doing what it is that is needed to do to represent Christ even in a chaotic, broken, fallen world.

We know that the Christian life is a journey. A journey that begins the moment you accept Christ as Savior and ends, or is fulfilled, when you stand before your Savior face to face and hear him say well done.

The apostle Paul sums it up in

2 Timothy 4:6–7 ESV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

In other words, what he is saying to timothy is that he has finished his work, he has been found to be faithful to the end, and here he is. But we know that the enemy of our souls do not want that. He wants nothing more than to see us fail and falter and make a shipwreck of our lives.

And so the challenge is to live faithful lives, even to the very end. This passage of Scripture gives us help on how to live those faithful lives.

So, how do we live faithful to the end?

I. We can Remain Faithful by Living a Life of Humility. v.5-7

A life of humility. Understanding that you don’t have all the answers, you haven’t figured it all out, you might wish for leading and guiding on your journey.

look at verse 5.

1 Peter 5:5 ESV

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

We talked last week about Peter’s exhortation to the elders, or pastors, leaders of the church. They were to lead, to shepherd the flock of God that is in their care.

Along that line, Peter now turns his attention to the those who are younger in the church. There seems to be some debate as to whether or not Peter is talking to young people in the church and older people in the church, or young people in the faith with the elders or leaders in the church. Whatever the case might be, the principle applies. There should be an attitude of humility, of understanding that God has placed individuals in our lives who are older, wiser, in positions of authority for a reason. And, whether it is elders of a church, pastoral leaders, or simply older men and women who have lived life and can share wisdom from us, we need to adopt a posture that says I will listen, I will be subject, I will heed the advice and direction you can provide for me.

In fact, he takes it a step further. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. In other words, it’s not just that our teenagers should listen to us old fogies, or to us as pastoral leaders, but we as older people should demonstrate and attitude of listening and humility to our teenagers.

After all, Jesus said these words.

Matthew 20:26–27 ESV

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

And I thought it was interesting that the cross references listed in my Bible on this verse included these words from

John 13:3–5 ESV

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

John 13:14 ESV

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

And notice what he says here, and I’ll be honest, I have probably misinterpreted this verse before in my life. WE often act like those who are proud against God, who stand against God are the ones God opposes, but Peter says this in context of demonstrating humility towards each other. In other words, if I am professing that Christ is Lord of my life, and yet, demonstrate arrogance and pride towards you, I am still being resisted by God. God hates pride, whether demonstrated towards you or Him.

Proverbs 3:34 ESV

Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.

James 4:6 ESV

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The point is simple, and verse 6 further elaborates it.

1 Peter 5:6 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

You notice the word therefore. If God is opposed to the proud, whether in our arrogance to each other or to Him, He also then gives grace to those who humble themselves. So, what is the answer? What is the logical outcome, what is the takeaway action item? Humble yourself under God’s Mighty hand.

Trust God, lean upon God, understand that you don’t know it all, that He knows better than you, and allow Him to lead and guide and direct your life.

the result of this action, this humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand is that He will exalt you. Now, let’s be clear. God, at times, brings honor and exaltation in this life. An athlete is humble, loves God, and suddenly is given a spotlight on the stage in his athletic field.

But for everyone who is exalted in such a manner, there are those who, at least in this life, at least in our world’s eyes, never see such a promotion.

I think of the end of Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus tells the story of the ones who are separated, the sheep and the goats. The sheep are those who served the least, and in doing so, served Christ. The goats said we never saw you hungry without feeding you. And Jesus said, if you didn’t do it for the least, you didn’t do it for Him.

But, what I want you to see is when this happens.

Matthew 25:31–32 ESV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

In other words, those who were exalted at the end of time were those who were faithful to serve the least among us without a claim for fanfare, without a claim for attention, simply a humble person wanting to serve God with all their hearts.

My point is this, be faithful to serve God. Don’t worry about why I’m not being highlighted, why I’m not being exalted. Be faithful where you are. God will take care of you in the end.

Now part of being faithful, part of remaining humble is verse 7

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Do you realize that when you refuse to let God care for you, when you refuse to allow God to shoulder your burdens, you are actually demonstrating a measure of pride. You’re telling God that you’re so important, you’re big enough to handle on your own and you don’t need his help.

Peter’s words echo David’s in

Psalm 55:22 ESV

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

I like the words of the old song.

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!

So we have the first key to remaining faithful which is humility, and then the second key which is

II. We Can Remain Faithful by Being Alert. v.8-9

faithfulness will only come as we are constantly alert, constantly paying attention, constantly understanding what we are up against. Look at verse 8

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The challenge to be sober minded is along the line of what is stated in chapter 1.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Again, Peter challenges us that as believers we must be on guard, we must be aware, we must understand what we are up against.

We don’t talk a lot about it, but the simple truth is, there is a real enemy who wants nothing more than to destroy your family, destroy the church, destroy your dreams and hopes that you have. he wants destruction in your life. And I’ve mentioned it before, I don’t know if Satan is out there, throwing roofing nails in your path in order to give you a flat tire. But I guarantee you, there is nothing more he wants than to use that to get you to get angry at your family, to scream and yell and lose your cool. You have to be on guard.

Charles Spurgeon preached a message on this text, and he mentioned how Satan is

Full of perpetual activity (walking around and around). He will always seek to destroy, He is ever busy.

His perpetual roarings. He is a roaring lion, constantly charging and accusing, and striving to knock you over and down.

He is seeking to devour. To destroy. He wants nothing more than to destroy your life.

But notice that Peter does not just tell us about an enemy desirous to destroy us. He also gives us a way to over come.

1 Peter 5:9 ESV

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

The answer is not to allow the enemy to destroy and defeat us, but rather to stand firm, stand strong, stand assured in the grace and love of God in your life.

Let me quote Spurgeon again. The conflict may be long, but the victory is absolutely sure. Oh poor soul! do but keep near to the cross and thou art safe. Throw thine arms around the dying Saviour. Let the droppings of his blood fall on thy sins, and even if thou canst not see him, still believe him. Still say, “I know that he came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief,” and I will cling to the sinner’s Saviour as my only hope and trust. Then let Satan roar, he cannot hurt; let him rage, his fury is vain; he may but show his teeth, for he certainly cannot bite. “Whom resist, stedfast in the faith.”

Notice the words in this verse. We are not alone. We are not the only ones suffering. We are not the only people under attack from the enemy.

I went to persecution.org, the website of the International christian Concern, who tries to watch what is happening to the Church around the world. Listen to some headlines from Thursday and Wednesday of this last week.

“Filthy Christians” Denied Residence in Pakistani Muslim Neighborhood

Algeria Loosens COVID Restrictions but Continues to Restricts Religious Freedom

China Silences Persecuted Priest Ahead of Vatican Deal Renewal

Gunmen Killed Four Christians in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

This is the plight of those around the world. And it doesn’t even touch on the multitudes who have succumbed to the Coronavirus, those who have lost jobs in the worldwide depression, on and on we can go.

I quoted What a Friend we Have in Jesus. Matt Maher has made a career of rewriting hymns wrote a version of this song.

Everybody has trials and temptations Everybody knows heart break, isolation

But we can lay our burdens down Lay our burdens down

What a friend we have in Jesus East to west my sins are gone I see grace on every horizon And forever and ever His heart is my home

Everybody has fears, everybody got worries Everybody knows sorrow, devastation.

We remain faithful by practicing humility, by remaining alert and focused, and then by keeping our eyes on the prize.

III. We Remain Faithful by Keeping our Eyes on the Prize. v.10-11

Look at verse 10.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

After you have suffered, the one who provides grace in every situation. The one whom Paul said told Him,

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 ESV

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

That God, and the God who has called you to eternal glory. Not temporal, not does anyone remember who won the Super Bowl ten years ago, but eternal glory. Guess what He does. He strengthens and restores and confirms and establishes us. He will take care of us.

I like these words from

Revelation 21:3–4 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

God Himself will dwell with us and will wipe every tear from our eyes. God Himself will dwell with His people. God Himself, in the person of Christ, will take away all mourning, crying, pain, and everything that the enemy throws at us. We need to simply remain faithful.

Conclusion

I like how this book ends.

1 Peter 5:12–14 ESV

By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Silvanus is listed as a faithful brother. He’s faithful. Mark, who if you remember, had issue with Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15 because he walked away from them and Paul did not want to take him back, but Barnabas did. And yet, Peter has found him faithful.

But notice the church at Babylon is found faithful. Babylon is a symbolic name in the Bible for the world, the evil city that opposes God. Most scholars believe he is referring to Rome. And yet, Peter says that even in the midst of the godless city of Rome, there is a group of faithful people.

What about us?