How Are We to Live?

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1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 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.

The End is Drawing Near

Peter reminds us here of a very sobering truth...

The end of all things is at hand

Peter just spoke of God’s judgment coming...

And, that is not good news for those who are not in Christ.

It is a very fearful thought for an unbeliever...

Especially in light of what they know through Creation, Conscience and any biblical teaching they may have heard in their lifetime.

It should cause them to tremble and evaluate their life...

And, turn to Jesus before it everlastingly too late.

But, it does not cause the same reaction in the heart of a Christian as we think of ourselves.

For the believer this is not news that should cause us to tremble...

This is news that should cause us joy...

In that, in the end…WE WILL GAIN.

It’s not over for us...

It is the start of the best for us, as Christians.

So, we don’t thing if the end drawing near in dread or fear...

We think if it with joy...

And, say…even so come Lord Jesus.

So, how do those two truths intermingle in our hearts and minds?

It should cause us to rejoice in our good standing with God through our union with JC.

And, based on our good standing it should cause us to want to obey Him...

Out of a motive of love for Him.

And, at the same time it should stir our hearts to want the same thing for the unbelievers that we know...

That God has placed in our lives.

So there’s two emotions that are stirring in our hearts...

When we think about the end of all things drawing near...

Joy…for our future in JC.

Hope…for our opportunity to speak the gospel into the lives of the people God has placed in our lives.

In light of these truths and the emotions that are stirred in us...

How must we live?

Peter says we need to have two characteristics that will serve a greater purpose...

1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded

Self-controlled to be sensible, to be in the right mind.

This word is used when the gospels speak of the demon-possessed man being freed and in his right mind.

This is interesting since Peter just commanded us to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ.

So, what is an expression of thinking like Christ?

Being in the right mind…to think wisely according to Scripture.

And to be, Sober-minded to be careful about what is influencing your thinking.

Someone who is self-controlled & sober-minded is a person who...

Takes ideas, plans, thoughts, emotions…everything is processed through Scripture.

Is this idea or behavior helpful to me and others or is it sinful?

What does God say about this?

It is someone who weighs what they allow to influence them...

Is it harmful, helpful more of one than the other?

Is it worth the time I’m giving it?

Am I getting out of it what I’m having to put into it…more or less?

Is it necessary?

This kind of person, a self-controlled & sober-minded person knows that life is to be lived in a way that is helpful in conforming us into the image of JC.

Paul calls this bringing every thought captive for our obedience to JC.

Peter tells us that these are important characteristics for a very good purpose...

And, the purpose and behavior is an act of worship.

What act of worship do these two characteristics serve?

Prayer

1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

Peter says that these two characteristics...

That are expressions of thinking like Christ aid you in your prayer life.

So, here’s a wonderful truth...

If we are thinking like Christ...

That means we are evaluating life through the lens of Scripture...

And it is enabling us to know how to pray for certain circumstances.

Prayer, it has been said, is the life blood of the Christian life.

Thomas Brooks said this of prayer, A family without prayer is like a house without a roof, open and exposed to all the storms of heaven.

John Bunyan said, You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.

Oswald Chambers said, Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.

Matin Lloyd-Jones said, When a man is speaking to God he is at his very acme. It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer.

John MacArthur said In prayer, human impotence casts itself at the feet of divine omnipotence, thus the duty of prayer is not to modify God’s power but to glorify it. We’re not trying to change God’s plan, we’re just trying to get in line with it.

Andrew Murray said, Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God’s messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us.

The power, privilege, and priority of prayer was exemplified in the life of Christ.

Arming ourselves with the mind of Christ causes us to think rightly, with biblical wisdom

And, it allows us to guard our hearts and minds from unedifying influences.

The flip side to that…not arming ourselves with the mind of Christ:

Causes us to walk through life haphazardly.

To not care about what we do & how it impacts others for the Kingdom of God.

It causes us to allow influences into our life that will lead us astray.

And will, most certainly, cause others to stumble as well.

And, that kind of thinking...

Not thinking like Christ

Peter implies will hinder our prayers, the focus of our prayers, the frequency of our prayers, and the efficacy of our prayers.

Some helpful ways to aid us in our prayer life is a Journal.

If you appreciate technology there’s an APP called PrayerMate.

Peter continues with behavior that should be expressed in the Christian life...

In light of the end drawing near...

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Love One Another

Why is Peter addressing this?

The reality of it is that we are not naturally very loving at all.

Most of our kindness and love are expressions that are rooted in selfishness.

Let’s admit that we have no problem loving as long as we feel loved...

As soon as we no longer feel loved...

We lose a feeling of love towards that person.

That is selfish, self-centered love.

That’s why we struggle loving people that disagree with us, think differently than us, enjoy things that we don’t enjoy, or don’t enjoy what we enjoy.

Our love is rooted in selfishness…outside of a continual work of God in our lives...

And, that continual work is done by the power of God attached to the word of God...

Which is the mind of Christ.

And, we’re to love one another earnestly

IOW, it’s not supposed to be a lip-service kind of love.

We are legitimately supposed to love one another...

And pray through, talk through, and grow through the areas in which we are abrasive to one another.

We’re not supposed to just say we love one another and then negate the expressions of loving one another, like...

Spending time together.

Praying for and with each other.

Bearing burdens for/with each other.

Our words of love should be sincere and proven in action.

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Peter is telling us that this kind of love has power...

He says, love covers a multitude of sins.

How can we stand one another when we’re all sinners?

By loving one another because that love allows us to not only put up with each other...

But enjoy one another in love. (Family is a great example of this)

Peter adds to loving one another with...

1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Being Hospitable to one another

Being hospitable is to receive people with a brotherly love.

In these early days of Christianity there were no church buildings, yet.

Christians met in homes.

They hosted Christians that were fleeing persecution.

They hosted the Apostles, Evangelists, & Missionaries.

It was an expense and effort that was rarely reimbursed.

But, love for one another allows for expending ourselves and our resources for one another.

As James says, What good is it if you say you have faith, but send a brother to someone else when their in need and you can meet the need.

Right?

Love for our fellow Christians induces hospitality towards each other.

The greatest discomfort on behalf of others is seen in the cross of JC.

If Christ was so willing to empty Himself for us...

Can we not empty ourselves for His Bride?!

May our love for Christ and our thinking like Christ...

Stir us to be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:10-11 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.

In Giftedness

So, Peter tells us that we are to use the gift(s) that God has equipped us with for the good of His people...

And, if we are not using them then we are not being good managers of the gifts that God has given.

And, we’re hurting ourselves and others by not serving one another with that gift(s).

Whatever gift God has given you…the list Peter gives in not exhaustive...

We’re to use in the measure that God has given them.

If you’ve been given the gift of teaching then teach with the seriousness of knowing that you’re supposed to represent what God says in what you say.

If you’ve been given the gift of service then serve with the strength that God gives you to serve.

God always gives us power beyond our natural ability.

The point is that we should be excited about using our gifts for the benefit of others.

That is an expression of loving one another.

And, we’re to do everything we do, Peter says...

1 Peter 4:11 ...in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Serve For God’s Glory

It is not only for each other do we serve.

It is, also, not ultimately for each other that we serve.

It is ultimately for the glory of God...

Through Jesus Christ.

Our allegiance is to Christ...

And, our allegiance to Christ glorifies God.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

To them only is glory due.

For they are the only One worthy of glory.

And in God’s omnipotence to bring to pass all that He promises...

We are to serve God with joy...

And one another in love.

What Now?

Taking our fallen condition into account...

How can we apply this sermon to better ourselves and our church family?

Let’s ask ourselves some questions...

Who are you praying with and for in this Church?

Who are you expressing biblical love to in this Church?

Who are you being biblically hospitable to in this Church?

How are you using your gift(s) to bless the members of this Church?

In what ways can you improve in these areas?

We can glorify God by pursuing to do better in our pursuit of Him.

Closing Prayer