The End of All Things

Introduction

Whatever is done for God, without respect of its comparative character as related to other acts, is service, and only that is service. Service is, comprehensively speaking, doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Hence, even the humblest act of humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him.

The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all....If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him."

A.T. Pierson wrote, The Truth.

1 Peter 4:7-11

We need a perspective on serving that will survive the world’s empty ideals and goals. We need an elevated view of service that keeps God at the forefront.

1 Peter 4:7-11 gives us that elevated perspective.

Outline

Big Idea: The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service for the glory of God.

1 Peter 4:7-11

The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service…

Be self controlled and sober-minded - 1 Peter 4:7

Love one another earnestly - 1 Peter 4:8

Show hospitality - 1 Peter 4:9

Serve One another - 1 Peter 4:10-11

…for the glory of God.

...FOR the sake of your prayers

...IN ORDER that God may be glorified

When the end of all things comes, it is not about us but about God

Sermon Body

Big Idea: The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service for the glory of God.

1 Peter 4:7-11

The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service…

Be self controlled and sober-minded. - 1 Peter 4:7

To be well balanced, self controlled, sound minded…thinking correctly and accurately.

It is key to note that self controlled and sober minded fall in the same sentence, the same thought.

We must be SELF CONTROLLED IN OUR THINKING.

We must be disciplined in our thinking.

Here is a startling reality, we have become weak and lazy in our thinking today. We have chosen to let others think for us. We have chosen to drown ourselves in a sea of entertainment, amusement, and frivolity.

The life of a follower of Jesus demands a life of SELF CONTROLLED, DISCIPLINED, CORRECT THINKING.

That means not being lazy in our thinking or accepting whatever we are fed, but studying the truth of God’s word and choosing to stand solidly upon it.

Not distracted or deceived by vain or empty philosophy.

To think rightly, diligently, wisely.

This dictates knowing truth and being convinced of it. John 8:31-32

Listen, the first task of a believer is to be properly grounded in truth and committed to His word

Until we root out the false philosophies of the world, until we learn to think rightly, to not be distracted by vain or empty philosophies, we will never act rightly. Right acting follows right thinking.

EVER and ALWAYS ought we to be disciplined and self controlled in our thinking. But the reality of the end of all things being at hand, mandates that we be ever more diligent to discern truth from error and to think rightly in all things.

Listen, follower of Jesus, be disciplined in your thinking. Be self controlled. Be sober minded. Eternity and the end of all things demands it.

Love one another earnestly - 1 Peter 4:8

Above all

Put out in front

Make first place

Make preeminent — highest priority.

It all comes back to love.

Love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good. CS LEWIS

Love - Agape

Unconditional, unbreakable love.

Covenantal love. Binding. Eternal.

Our relationships are in shambles today because instead of living with a covenantal, agape love for one another, we are living with a consumeristic, contractual type of emotional love that breaks when stretched.

We expect man to satisfy our needs in relationships instead of looking primarily to Christ alone.

Unconditional love - When we learn to accept people who disappoint us by no longer requiring them to satisfy us, then we’re free to love them, to teach toward them for their sake without having to protect ourselves from feeling disappointed by their response to us.” Dr. Larry Crabb

We are called, because the end of all things is at hand, to LOVE (to unselfishly choose for another’s highest good) those around us. Period.

And we are to do so EARNESTLY.

Earnestly - To being persevering with implication that one does not waver in one’s display of interest or devotion.

With great passion and care.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE OVERLOOK SIN OR NEVER DO HARD THINGS, never speak hard truths into another’s life, or never rebuke or admonish.

Truth is, these things MUST be done at times and they can and should rise out of unconditional love. It is not loving to withhold rebuke and correction, admonishment or instruction. It is not loving to shield from all point, discomfort, or guilt. These have their place and their role in God’s work of transforming us into His image and into His likeness.

We are to love earnestly BECAUSE, he says...

Since love covers a multitude of sins

Love - again, agape

Covers - To cause to be covered in some physical way (e.g. bury) To cause something not to be known, hide, conceal, keep secret. OVERLOOK

Not make a big deal about

After having just stated that it is not loving to without rebuke, correction, or admonishment, this statement balances truth without love, without grace.

Truth and Grace are inseparable. Truth without grace turns into harshness. Grace without truth turns into sentimentality. The two, grace and truth MUST BE AS INSEPARABLE as Air and Life.

When we must speak truth, WE MUST DO SO IN GRACE. When we extend grace, WE MUST DO SO IN TRUTH. They are inseparable companions.

Again, this does not mean to ignore sins. We are explicitly told in other texts to confront sin and call to repentance.

DOES MEAN that not every sin needs to be addressed every time. It means to extend grace, to forgive, to let some things go for the time being

The end is near, church. Our time is short. Will be speak truth with grace and show grace with truth in order that some may yet be saved, that the church may be built up, and the name of our God is heralded and worshipped?

Further, because the end of all things is at hand, we are told to show hospitality.

Show hospitality - 1 Peter 4:9

To serve one another through the use of one’s own resources

To open up your lives to each other and invite intimate, personal relationship.

WITHOUT grumbling - Utterance made in a low tone of voice, behind the scenes talk.

We are to show hospitality WITH JOY because it is flowing out of our genuine, authentic love for God and others. It is done without grumbling because it is done willingly, not out of expectation but out of eagerness.

We are living in dark times. We are living in hostile environments. We are moving further into isolation and separation from one another.

People are not as open to the gospel as they used to be.

We have to change our approach. There is nothing more disarming then the comfort of one’s own home.

How many of you know an unbeliever?

How many of you have had that unbeliever into your home for a meal, a game, a conversation?

When was the last time your home became a mission field as it was opened to those in need of Christ?

The same truths for building relationships with one another in the church.

How many of you know a believer?

How many of you have (or have regularly) another believer into your house to share a meal, a conversation, prayer, encouragement?

How many of you have a believer NOT of your generational age in your home? Younger, do you invite older into your home with the desire to learn from them and finding ways to serve and encourage them? Older, when was the last time you invited a younger generational believer into your home to get to know them, to encourage them, to influence them, to disciple/mentor them and find ways to encourage their walk with God?

Church, let us know buy into or follow the pattern of the world that is moving toward self isolation and separation, that is moving more and more to privatizing our lives and refusing to allow others access. All we have been given is from God FOR THE PURPOSE OF KINGDOM WORK of proclaiming the gospel and building his church. Doesn’t it NOT ONLY make sense to use our greatest assets (our homes and resources) to accomplish this, but since scripture commands and admonishes it, it is expected and ought to be used to its greatest degree.

Finally, because the end of all things is at hand, we are called to serve one another.

Serve One another - 1 Peter 4:10-11

Diakoneo - Basic meaning to serve, as in tables; to perform a duty and function. However, it is not limited to that idea and is often used to depict that of sacrificial giving to another. It bears the idea of acting as an intermediary, as a go between; to be at one’s service.

We are called to serve, to act on the best interests of others, to sacrifice and give to put the needs of others in a place of high priority. We are to as as an intermediary on behalf of others supplying for an identified need in their life. We are called to perform a duty or function on behalf of others.

And whether or not they COULD perform that duty themselves IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE. Sometimes they may be able to and other times, not. That is not the point. The point is selflessly serving one another with the grace that has been supplied to us SO THAT their highest good is accomplished.

Why are we called to serve? Why are we expected to do so, especially when they have the ability to do it for themselves?

Because love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good

Because doing so is the fruit of our love for God and his grace that has been visited upon our lives

Love serves. That is what love does.

Love puts the needs of others in a place of priority and importance.

LOVE IS UNSELFISHLY CHOOSING FOR ANOTHER’S HIGHEST GOOD.

When we serve, we reveal that love is present. When we love, serving is the FRUIT of that. It WILL happen and won’t have to be forced or coerced.

Because doing so displays what grace and love look like

Because doing so displays the glory and person of God to the world and to the church.

Because doing so fulfills our created purpose. We are created in the image of God. God serves because God is love. We were made in his image to reflect his person and glory, albeit in as small, insignificant, and incomplete manner as that is. When we serve, when we love, we reflect God and point glory to His name.

So, we are told to serve as stewards of His grace.

Serve as good stewards of God’s varied grace

We are caretakers of God’s grace.

It is not for us to use as we see fit. It is for us to use as HE dictates and expects.

We own nothing. We are entrusted with everything.

And that which we are entrusted with has a very distinct and clear purpose, to be used for God to draw others to intimacy with Him.

Therefore...

Whoever speaks - as if it were the very words of God (This elevates our speech)

Whoever serves - not in our own might and way but in GOD’s! When we serve AS GOD DIRECTS and IN HIS STRENGTH, not our own, GOD GETS THE GLORY, not us It is not about us!

When men serve in their own might for their own purpose, they get the glory. They have their reward, James says.

When we serve in God’s might and refuse to take glory for ourselves, God is lifted up. He is proclaimed. And that is the point.

There is so much that can be said about both of these areas but I want to focus purely on one....they are to be done FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

…for the glory of God.

...FOR the sake of your prayers

...IN ORDER that God may be glorified

When the end of all things comes, it is not about us but about God

…for the glory of God.

...FOR the sake of your prayers - 1 Peter 4:7

We are told here to be self controlled and sober minded for the sake of our prayers.

I believe the warning here is there is a very real danger of falling into temptation and being led astray from truth, from Christ, and into error and sin of all kinds.

Matthew 26:41

The disciples failed to be self controlled. They failed to gain mastery over their weary bodies and stand watch with Christ in prayer as he requested.

They failed to be sober minded. They failed to understand the seriousness of his message that night in the upper room and therefore failed to be self controlled and stand watch in prayer.

We would be wise to heed the warning and avoid the same mistake.

When we fail to be self controlled and sober minded, our prayers and our intimacy with Christ is deeply affected and we become vulnerable to the attacks of the adversary.

And when that happens, the glory of God’s name tarnished and damaged.

We are to be self controlled and sober minded that our intimacy with Christ is protected, guarded, and strengthened, so that HIS GLORY IS untarnished and displayed for all to see!

...IN ORDER that God may be glorified; to HIM belong glory!- 1 Peter 4:11

Because the end of all things is near, because time is short, it is even more critical that we stand firm for Him, that we do all to proclaim his worth and glory in order that the lost would have every opportunity to be saved and the church would be built up and purified in preparation for his coming.

When the end of all things comes, it is not about us but about God

It is not about us.

It is not about our lives

It is not about comfort

It is not about our “destiny” or our future.

IT IS ABOUT THE PERSON AND GLORY OF GOD.

Conclusion

Big Idea: The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service for the glory of God.

1 Peter 4:7-11

The demanded response of the truth that the end of all things is at hand calls for selfless and sacrificial service…

Be self controlled and sober-minded - 1 Peter 4:7

Love one another earnestly - 1 Peter 4:8

Show hospitality - 1 Peter 4:9

Serve One another - 1 Peter 4:10-11

…for the glory of God.

...FOR the sake of your prayers

...IN ORDER that God may be glorified

When the end of all things comes, it is not about us but about God

Nothing else but the habitual and predominant devotion and dedication of soul, and body, and life, and all that we have to God; and esteeming and loving, and serving, and seeking Him, before all the pleasures and prosperity of the flesh.

A Puritan Golden Treasury, compiled by I.D.E. Thomas, by permission of Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 2000, p. 139. Richard Baxter

May we all display the same commitment and devotion, keeping the person of God always and ever in focus as we embrace this call to serve in his strength and grace for His glory alone in order that we may all be growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God.