Preperation For Easter Revival

1 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. 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

I like for us to take a look in this chapter this evening, and grasp the direction given to us on verse 7.

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

Peter and the Christians physically alive during his time were living in light of the Lord Jesus Christ’s imminent return.

He states there in verse 7, “the end of all things is at hand...”

When we look at this passage we discover that centers around this right perspective concerning the Christian life.

You see, Peter did not see the Lord’s second coming in his life here on this earth, though he lived in light of it.

Peter spoke being moved by the Holy Ghost and gives us an imperative that gets at the heart of revival.

That imperative is found in verse 17.

Peter tells us, not only is Jesus coming, not only are we to live in light of that sure fact, but “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God...”

And certainly what is meant by this, is with the people of God.

I would like to give you really quickly these areas of judgement. For surely if we approach this revival week with a closed off heart and a closed off mind, no spiritual growth or reviving will take place.

We have first

I. Suffer in the flesh and cease from Sin. vs. 1-6

“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.”

We might capture this thought by stating; we are to live holy lives.

This is the battle within. This is the battle with self.

Not as we measure one another, comparing ourselves amongst ourselves, but as we look at our pure wonderful perfect Savior and see our selves in light of Him.

As we open up the pages of Scripture our lives are revealed unto us.

And so without giving a total list of all that is wrong with humanity, we have these specific sins of the former life spelled out. They are called here by Peter “the will or way of the Gentiles.”

In verse 3

Lasciviousness - unbridled lust with no shame

Excess wine - drunkeness

Revelings

Banquetings - drunken parties

Idolatries

In verse 15

a murderer

a theif

an evildoer

busybody in other men’s matters

All of these particular sins were rampant in that time in the lives of unsaved Gentiles.

But Peter again moved by the Holy Ghost says in verse 2, that we we should “no longer live the rest of [our] …time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”

Please, this night, as we pray shortly do not give glory to those sins you are caught up in, or have had trouble with in times past, but rather confess them to the Lord and forsake them.

Charles Spurgeon said it this way, “some fellows will get up and, under the pretense that they are going to glorify God, will tell of all manner of filthiness and vice that cannot do any good to anybody. Stand up and cry, brother; that is the best thing you can do. Or else sit down and cover your face and say, “Concerning those things of which I am now ashamed, I only pray God, as He has blotted them out of His memory, to put them out of my own also.”

Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: 1 Peter, ed. Elliot Ritzema and Jessi Strong, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Perhaps your suffering in this current state is not due to these named sins, but perhaps those that “man” considers less offensive.

Let me be the first to tell you, that according to the Bible our sin is exceedingly sinful.

Pride

Selfishness

Indifference/apathy

A judgmental spirit

A loose tongue

Evil Speaking

Gossip

Variance and Division

Unholy anger

A lack of grace

A lack of mercy — unforgiving Spirit

A lack of care and concern

A lack of love toward the brethren/ toward those without

Lying

Stealing of any sorts

Hypocrisy

Gluttony

Lack of Stewardship

And the list unfortunately could go on… lest any one of us dare to approach God saying I have no sin.

II. Submit Ourselves Fully to the Lord vs. 7-11

A. We are called to live serious lives (sober) in verse 7

B. We are called to prayer in verse 7

So many of us could say our praying is not where it should be,

C. We are called to Fervent love among the brethren in verse 8

Again, look out and see where it is your love has waned for the brethren.

D. We are called to Hospitality without grudging in verse 9

We could ask the question, is it a noose around my neck to minister to others.

E. We are called to Ministering to others using our spiritual gifts in verse 10

F. In that same verse we are called to be “good stewards of the manifold grace of God”

G. We are called to witness to others and give glory to God with all of our ability in verse 11

III. Surrender to the Will of God vs 12-19

All that the Christian life entails is linked to the will of God.

According to these final verses, besides the suffering of the internal (the flesh), we may be very well subjected to external suffering, suffering from without.

This is not an abnormal part of the Christian experience, but in fact serves a purpose for you and I.

This suffering can range from chastisement to reproach for the name of Christ.

If we are willing reckon these two prior points to be true, than no doubt according to the Scriptures, we will walk the path of reproach for the Lord.

But all of this begins at our own doorsteps.

The Bible says, ““the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God...”

“It is right that where there is a high calling and an honored name there should be a life proving the accuracy of these two things. So, when God begins to test that which professes to be gold and silver, who can say that He does not begin His testing at the right place, and with the right material?”

Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: 1 Peter, ed. Elliot Ritzema and Jessi Strong, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 1 Pe 4:17.

By way of illustration, “Where does a man begin cleansing and reforming? Why, in his own house, of course. He might perhaps feel that he must have some filth in the farmyard, but not in his own sitting room. There may be much evil abroad that he cannot remove, yet he can begin cleaning up at home. If we want to do any good in reforming the world, the very first duty for each of us is to begin reforming at home. The Lord, when He means to clear away the dross, begins at home by setting up His fire in Zion and His furnace in Jerusalem (Isa 31:9).”

Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: 1 Peter, ed. Elliot Ritzema and Jessi Strong, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

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