How Are We to Live? – Pt. 2

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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.

Last week we looked at the character traits that are essential for Christian living...

God calls us to be self-controlled & sober-minded.

Those two traits mean to think rightly/to think biblically...

And, to be careful what you allow to influence your thinking.

IOW, you need to think biblically and evaluate influences to your thinking with Scripture.

But, that is not the end of these traits...

They serve an even greater purpose...

They are critical for the effectiveness of our prayers.

When we are thinking biblically…thinking like Christ...

We are more likely to discern God’s will...

And, then have the ability to pray in God’s will...

And, see God answering prayers.

And, remember from last week...

It is not as if prayer changes God’s will as much as it gets us in line with His will.

However, at the same time we do not have because we do not ask.

And, we do not have because we ask amiss.

And, the effective prayer of the righteous man avails much.

So, we want to have because we ask...

We don’t want to ask amiss.

And, we want our prayers to be effective.

And, the path for that to happen is being self-controlled & sober-minded.

Those two character traits and habits are critical for our prayer life.

You’ll remember also from last week...

Loving One Another is No Small Task

It takes the power of prayer, the work of the HS in us...

And the Word of God in our minds/hearts...

Because the Word of God is what the HS uses to work in us.

The love that Christians express it to be different from worldly love.

The love that were called to is to be earnest love.

In our natural condition, our love is self-centered.

Now, let me raise a question against that statement...

Doesn’t our daily experience tell us that many good deeds are performed by unbelievers?

And aren’t good deeds expressions of love?

We acknowledge that sinners in their fallen state are still capable of performing what the Reformers called civil virtue.

Civil virtue refers to deeds that conform outwardly to the law of God.

Fallen sinners can:

Refrain from stealing

Perform acts of charity

Not deemed good in the ultimate sense because God measures the heart.

God looks at the motives and the motive required for everything we do is the love of God!

The 1st & Greatest command is To love the Lord your God with all your heart...

That carries with it that all you do is to be done out of love for God.

Jonathan Edwards said civic virtue in the natural man is motivated by “enlightened self-interest.”

These outwardly acts are motivated, not by a desire to please or honor God, but by a desire to protect our own interests.

So, the natural man can:

Restrain from speeding to avoid a ticket

We may learn that crime does not pay

We are restrained from sinning to our full potential by law, culture, and the prospect of conflict with other sinful people.

IOW, we can be restrained from doing bad because of the negative payment that we would receive from the world.

On the positive side, we might even do virtuous deeds, but we are motivated by a desire for the applause of others.

Companies give to Charities for publicity, tax breaks, etc.

Here the opposite assumption is made, that certain “virtues” actually pay in this world, and this plays a role in our doing them.

However, absent in both of these situations is the motive of a heart-felt love for God!

So, true love is always motivated, first, out of a love for God.

Anything less, or love motivated, first, by anything else falls short of true, biblical love.

Which is why the 1st & Greatest command states that we are to...

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

So, what Peter has in mind here is that instead of living a self-centered life...

Live a life of giving of yourself for the good of others.

And, that kind of life can only be motivated, ultimately, by a love for God.

As Christians we are commanded to love one another earnestly...

And, we have been enabled to love one another earnestly...

By being freed from the bondage of sin...

And by the gift of the indwelling of the HS in us.

But, there’s work to do in order for us to accomplish this command.

We must be, as we looked last week...

Armed with the mind of Christ.

We must be self-controlled & sober-minded & praying for such love to fill our hearts in such a way that it overflows in loving action towards one another.

Now, Peter gives us another way to express love for one another...

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

Being Hospitable to one another

Hospitality is actually a compound word

philo = friendly & xenos = strangers

So, the root meaning is to be friendly to strangers.

Showing hospitality is to receive strangers with friendliness.

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.

So, we should be willing to go out of our way to help each other.

We should be willing to stretch ourselves thin for good of one another.

We should be willing to be uncomfortable...

If it helps alleviate the discomfort of a brother or sister in Christ.

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?!

If the Lord of Creation and King of Glory can stoop to wash His disciples feet...

Can we not humble ourselves to serve others for the sake of Christ?!

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

Stir us to be hospitable to one another without grumbling…without complaint.

Hospitality is not the only way we can serve one another...

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...

We’re to be good managers with the gift(s) that God has given us...

He’s given them to us to serve one another.

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...

11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies

What makes a spiritual gift powerful is that it is not a natural ability...

But a means by which God manifests his grace-filled presence through the gifted believer to others.

Those who are exercising gifts of speaking, like teaching, preaching, words of encouragement, and evangelism...

Should realize that they are speaking words from God.

Peter is not speaking here of the inerrant Word of God.

He’s spoken on that previously and he uses different words.

He’s not saying when we speak we speak inerrantly the words of God.

What Peter is saying that we should speak the things of God...

For the purpose of edifying the hearer.

So, we’re speaking from God’s Word.

Pulling principles and truths from God’s Word for the good of the hearer.

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

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

Your speech should be edifying.

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

Some have been gifted in hospitality, mercy, visiting others, giving…ministering to people.

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.

So we serve one another by/through using the gifts that God has given us.

It is to be our mission in life to serve one another with the giftedness that God has given us...

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.

While giving the credit for our giftedness...

And, the strength by which we serve to God.

We are to...

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.

Why through Jesus Christ?

Because He is who we claim as Savior & Lord.

He is our means of reconciliation to God...

And adoption into the family of God.

So, our lives glorify Christ...

And, 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.

Let me Wrap It Up By Saying

We go back to verse 8...

It says Above all, keep loving one another earnestly

Without love:

Sins are gossiped rather than covered.

Hospitality is about self-interest rather than the interest and benefit of the one being served.

Serving others is about ROI rather than investing in others for their benefit.

Speaking is about my image being increased rather than the image of God increasing in the hearers.

If we are not serving in the Spirit of God:

God will not be glorified in our service.

Christ will not be honored in our service.

The treasure that we seek will be received in this life and not the next.

So, let us serve in the Spirit of God through the love of God poured into our hearts.

Let us think like Christ

Love like Christ

Show hospitality like Christ

Serve one another like Christ

To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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