2020-08-26 1 Peter 5.6-7
Notes
Transcript
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
I. Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand.
I. Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
A. No matter the storm, the answer is submission to God.
A. No matter the storm, the answer is submission to God.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
Illus: The book of 1 peter is a book written to believers walking through persecution and distress.
One of the major themes of the book is humility and submission. Often to unjust authorities.
The book begins by speaking to the hope of believers, the resurrection of the dead.
It quickly moves to the call of holiness and obedience, submission to, God and his commands.
Under girding this theme is that life is temporal and that we should live for the eternal.
Chapter two calls us to rid ourselves of the petty ways of life towards our fellow man because we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood to God.
It calls us to submit to all governing authorities because of God. It calls us to honor everyone because of God.
Chapter two calls us as well to submit to those in positional authority over us following the example of Christ to this world.
Chapter three calls for submission in the home. Whether to wives in submission or to husbands in showing honor.
Within chapter three we are called to not pay back evil for evil, but instead love people being compassionate and humble towards them.
Chapter three comes to a climax when we are called we respond to the world hopefully with gentleness.
Chapter 4 continues the theme commanding us to maintain a constant love for each other showing hospitality and not complaining.
1 Peter is honest teaching that the firery ordeal will com upon us but calls to to rejoice as we share in the sufferings of christ.
When we are tempted to be busy bodies, we turn to God.
HOW ON EARTH can we do such things in our world today. In truth the book of 1 peter is written to a people who lived in a much more wicked day, and faced far greater persecution than we do.
All of the these things from submitting to governing authorities to responding to the world in gentleness, to rejoicing in suffering come from a heart that so submits to God that it responds in godliness to the world.
Let me put this as plain as can be: the way you respond to the broken world shows how genuinely devoted to God you are.
7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
B. Biblical submission in the world is driven from a humble submission to God.
B. Biblical submission in the world is driven from a humble submission to God.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
Illus: the book of 1 peter is really a book about hoe Christians respond.
it is a book written to a church under severe persecution. The believers reading this letter in the first century genuinely knew what it was like to live in a godless society.
Yet, the theme of the letter teaches the audacious approach of submission to the government with gentleness and love towards their fellow man.
How on earth can you embraces such a “weak” position. How can you submit to a wicked authority, or not fight back against men who mean you harm?
Friends, the way you respond to the broken world shows how genuinely devoted to God you are.
If your eyes, heart, and and life are fixed on God so much so that you humble yourself before him, you willing embrace his way over the worlds.
Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand.
Understanding the strength of God’s hand lets you see the strength of the worlds.
Understanding the strength of God’s hand placed in your heart a hope that God has everything under control.
Understanding the strength of God’s hand helps you see your place in humility and response as obedience to him and not capitulation to the world.
13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority
14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.
15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.
16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
II. Cast all of your cares on God.
II. Cast all of your cares on God.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
A. We think far too much of our problems and far too little of our God.
A. We think far too much of our problems and far too little of our God.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
Illus: I don’t know if you heard, but there is a hurricane heading our direction.
For the last few days the weather channel has been reporting non stop with the hurricane growing closer.
They show the horrific damage of storms in the past, as well as giving moment by moment updates. They thrive on our fear, as our fear keeps us watching.
I know in days past that I have obsessed over the weather channel allowing it to stoke the fears in me.
It is not just the weather channel. We live in a world that peddles fear for clicks and watches.
News shows, internet articles, and social media posts pull at your fears so much so that you focus solely on the content which scares you.
Life does that too.
In this you allow you fear to grow larger and larger in your life till it is all that you see.
In many ways your fear grows to a level that it becomes an idol you worship.
You worship what you fear.
Sadly our addiction to fear shows how little faith we have in God. The more we allow fears to grow the less we see the mighty hand of God.
The solution to fear is faith. Take your eyes off your fears and place them back on God. The greater God becomes in your life, the lesser fear will has in its foothold on you.
5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
B. Anxiety comes from a lack of faith in the sovereign God.
B. Anxiety comes from a lack of faith in the sovereign God.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
Illus: Hear me. There is such a thing as a healthy fear
For people on the coasts in front of this storm, they do not need to sit in their lawn chairs on their front porch saying, I have faith in God therefore this storm surge wont overtake me.
That said, lets talk about the world we have embraced. We have embraced a life of constant anxiety. We have allowed our view of God diminish. We don’t see him in control.
When you place your faith in God first, you can respond to the real world around you.
With this storm, you can take it seriously without cowering.
With politics you can care about our nation without living in panic.
With the virus, you can believe it is real without being paralyzed by fear.
With whatever is in front of you… your faith will change the way you view your fears.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
III. He will exalt you. He cares for you.
III. He will exalt you. He cares for you.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
A. Set your heart and faith on the providence of God.
A. Set your heart and faith on the providence of God.
Illus: Two big things. 1. God is sovereign. 2. God cares for you.
The way we life should be directed by those two facts. God is sovereign and God cares for you.
In life no matter what comes our way our foundation is in the power and love of God.
We endure hardship because God will exalt us because he cares for us.
Tonight, place your faith back into a good and powerful God.
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?