Rest of Your Time, pt 2

1Pe 4:1 (KJV) Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1. A Militant Attitude toward Sin (1 Peter 4:1-3)

a. Think of what sin did to Jesus (v. 1).

b. Enjoy the will of God (v. 2).

c. Remember what you were before you met Christ (v. 3).

2. A Patient Attitude toward the Lost (vs. 4-6)

3. An Expectant attitude toward Christ (v. 7) 10 commandments of a balanced service to our Lord.

4. A Fervent Attitude toward the Saints (vs 8-11)

An Expectant Attitude toward Christ (1 Peter 4:7)

Christians in the early church expected Jesus to return in their lifetime.

Ro 13:12 (KJV) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

1Jo 2:18 (KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

We should have this same expectant attitude that Christ will return any day.

The fact that He did not return does not invalidate His promise.

2Pe 3:1 (KJV) This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

No matter what interpretation we give to the prophetic Scriptures, we must all live in expectancy. The important thing is that we shall see the Lord one day and stand before Him.

How we live and serve today will determine how we are judged and rewarded on that day.

Let’s return to 1 Peter Chapter 4

Peter gave "ten commandments" to his readers to keep them in balance as far as the Lord's return was concerned:

10 commandments of a balanced service to our Lord

Be sober—v. 7

1Pe 4:7 (KJV) But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

The phrase "be sober" means "be sober-minded, keep your mind steady and clear."

It was a warning against wild thinking about prophecy that could lead to an unbalanced life and ministry.

Often we hear of sincere people who go "off balance" because of an unbiblical emphasis on prophecy or a misinterpretation of prophecy.

There are people who set dates for Christ's return, contrary to His warning Matt. 25:13.

I have books in my library, written by sincere and godly men, in which all sorts of claims are made, only to the embarrassment of the writers.

The opposite of "be sober-minded" is "frenzy, madness."

If we are sober-minded, we will be intellectually sound and not be off on a tangent because of some "new" interpretation of the Scriptures.

We will also face things realistically and be free from delusions.

The sober-minded saint will have a purposeful life and not be drifting, and he will exercise restraint and not be impulsive.

He will have "sound judgment" not only about doctrinal matters, but also about the practical affairs of life.

Ten times in the Pastoral Epistles, Paul admonished people to "be sober-minded."

It is one of the qualifications for me as a pastor and for the members of the church (Titus 2:1-6). In a world that is susceptible to wild thinking, the church must be sober-minded.

If you want to make the best use of "the rest of your time," live in the light of the return of Jesus Christ.

All Christians may not agree on the details of the event, but we can agree on the demands of the experience.

We shall stand before the Lord!

Watch unto prayer—v. 7

1Pe 4:7 (KJV) But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

If we are sober-minded, we will "watch unto prayer."

If our prayer life is confused, it is because the mind is confused.

The word "watch" carries with it the idea of alertness and self-control.

It is the opposite of being drunk or asleep.

1Th 5:6 (KJV) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

This admonition had special meaning to Peter, because he went to sleep when he should have been "watching unto prayer" when he was with Christ Gethsemane.

You find the phrase "watch and pray" in the Bible.(Mark 13:33; 14:38; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2).

It simply means to "be alert in our praying, to be controlled."

There is no place in the Christian life for lazy, listless routine praying.

An expectant attitude toward Christ's return involves a serious, balanced mind and an alert, awake prayer life.

The test of our commitment to the doctrine of Christ's return is not our ability to draw charts or discern signs, but our thinking and praying.

If our thinking and praying are right, our living should be right.

Have fervent love—v. 8

1Pe 4:8 (KJV) And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

If we really look for the return of Christ, then we shall think of others and properly relate to them.

Love for the saints is important, "above [before] all things." Love is the badge of a believer in this world (John 13:34-35).

Joh 13:34 (KJV) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Especially in times of testing and persecution, Christians need to love one another and be united in heart.

This love should be "fervent."

The word pictures an athlete straining to reach the goal.

It speaks of eagerness and intensity.

Christian love is something we have to work at, just the way an athlete works on his skills.

It is not a matter of emotional feeling, though that is included, but of dedicated will.

Christian love means that we treat others the way God treats us, obeying His commandments in the Word.

Guess what… it is even possible to love people that we do not like!

Christian love is forgiving.

Peter quoted from Proverbs 10:12—"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

This verse is alluded to in James 5:20 and 1 Corinthians 13:4 and 7.

Love does not condone sin; for, if we love somebody, we will be grieved to see him sin and hurt himself and others.

Rather, love covers sin in that love motivates us to deal with the sin in our life.

Sometimes we try to make our gossip sound "spiritual" by telling people things "so they might pray more intelligently."

Our Christian love should not only be fervent and forgiving, but it should also be practical.

Use hospitality—v. 9

1Pe 4:9 (KJV) Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

In New Testament times hospitality was an important thing, because there were few inns and poor Christians could not afford to stay at them anyway.

Persecuted saints in particular would need places to stay where they could be assisted and encouraged.

Hospitality is a virtue that is commanded and commended throughout the Scriptures.

We help to promote the truth when we open our homes to God's servants (3 John 5-8).

3Jo 5 (KJV) Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

We should not open our homes to others just so that others will invite us over (Luke 14:12-14).

Lu 14:12 (KJV) Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

We should do it to glorify the Lord.

Minister your spiritual gifts—vv. 10-11

1Pe 4:10 (KJV) As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Christian love must result in service.

Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift that he must use to the glory of God and the building up of the church (see Rom. 12:1-13; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:1-16).

We are stewards.

God has entrusted these gifts to us that we might use them for the good of His church.

He even gives us the spiritual ability to develop our gifts and be faithful servants of the church.

Not everybody is a teacher or preacher, though all can be witnesses for Christ.

There are those "behind-the-scenes" ministries that help to make the public ministries possible.

God gives us the gifts, the abilities, and the opportunities to use the gifts, and He alone must get the glory.

The phrase "oracles of God" in 1 Peter 4:11 does not suggest that everything a preacher or teacher says today is God's truth, because human speakers are fallible.

In the early church, there were prophets who had the special gift of uttering God's Word, but we do not have this gift today since the Word of God has been completed.

1. An Expectant attitude toward Christ (v. 7) 10 commandments of a balanced service to our Lord.

Be sober Watch unto prayer Have Fervent love Use Hospitality Minister Your Spiritual Gifts Next week:

Think it not strange Rejoice Do not be ashamed Glorify God Commit your self to God