Sermon Tone Analysis

Well, we had the privilege this morning is studying the word of God and in doing so I'd like to invite you to take your Bibles and turn to 1st Peter, chapter 4.

Last Lord's day.

We began chapter 4 and we looked at the first two verses and today.

We're continuing with verses 3 through 6. I'll six versus serve as one unit of thought.

Listen, as I begin reading at verse 1.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered In the Flesh arm yourselves, also with the same purpose.

Because he who has suffered in the flesh is ceased from sin.

So as to live the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for the lust of men, but for the will of God.

The time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles.

Having pursued, a course of sensuality less drunkenness, Corrales drinking parties in abominable idolatries in all this.

They are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation and they malign you.

But they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

For the gospel has for this purpose, been preached even to those who are dead.

Though, they are judged In the Flesh as men.

They may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

The last time together, we saw in the first two verses Peters, command to arm yourself against suffering and he began verse one.

Would that very familiar term that we've seen many times and it's the word therefore and that took his back, the chapter 3 and verse 18 with the example of Christ.

He says, for Christ also died for sins, once for all the just for the unjust so that he might bring us to God having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.

Weird terms that speak of his death.

His physical death says that he died.

He was put to Death In the Flesh.

He suffered In the Flesh.

All refer to physical death on the cross.

Jesus died.

And he rose again.

And he offers to all persecuted.

Believers, an example of suffering.

And since that is the case, we are to arm ourselves.

We saw that word arm.

We saw that.

It's a military term is speaks of preparation in a battle.

The noun form of the word occurs in 2nd Corinthians 10:4, and that speaks of weapons and other form occurs in Ephesians 6:11 to speak of armor.

I said, Peter is saying that they are to arm themselves with weapons or they are to put on Armor.

Eddie tells us.

In the next phrase, what those weapons are?

And he says, to arm yourself with the same purpose.

The weapons are the armor is the noi, which is translated, attitude in the NIV, but it's literally means the same mind or yourself with the same mind, or the same idea, or even the same principle or same thought as Christ suffered and died.

They needed to prepare themselves to suffer.

And possibly die.

That is the ultimate of persecution.

None of us are promised an easy life.

None of us are promised that we will not suffer in any way for our faith, in Jesus.

But here they needed to have the same mind that Christ had.

He had a mind of humility according to Philippians chapter 2 and in his humility.

He humbled himself to the point of death even death on the cross.

So he was willing to die.

John 10:11 tells us that he lay down his life for the Sheep.

So his willingness to die gives us an example of how we are to arm ourselves.

That is the same idea that we are to have.

I said the greatest weapon or the greatest armor that you possessed.

Is that willingness to die if God so chooses for that to take place?

So when you're suffering for persecution, you're suffering for Christ.

If you have this willingness to die than you have armed yourself with the same idea that Christ had.

Killing, you would be the worst thing that they could do to you.

But in your mind, that's the best thing that they could do to you.

Why is that?

Because where you going to be when you die?

Instant heaven.

Would you have that kind of mindset?

You have actually forwarded your persecutors?

Peter mentions, if you'll notice what happens at the end of verse one, when you physically died, he says, you have ceased from sin.

That is your ultimate Triumph.

It's so with that thought you live the hearing now, according to verse, to no longer for the last of men, but for the will of God.

And now in verses 3 through 6.

He continues to elaborate.

On the hearing now.

By first mentioning inverse 32 passed.

If you'll notice in verse 3, this is how they used to live before they believed in Christ.

He says, for the time is already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles.

Having pursued a course of sensuality less drunkenness carousing drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

If you'll notice there in that first, the past tense language time already past having carried out, having pursued.

cities that are sins that Jesus died for right and many more

This is also what they repented from.

This describes their life before Christ.

You, and I have different things.

Different sins of our past, that describe us before Christ.

It should not Mark us now being in Christ.

Because we are new creatures.

But this is now in the past and Peter said that, the time has already passed was sufficient the word.

Sufficient means more than enough.

You had more than enough time to have carried out these sins in your life.

They're done.

They're full Duty.

And it doesn't even more in their service of sin.

And the word that he uses for past it occurs in the perfect tense to denote that their past life is now a closed chapter.

Is completed.

And a present life shows it.

We don't find that just there.

We find out another places in scripture where you see the past tense, use of a former life.

And a present tense shows a change life.

For example, 1st Corinthians, 6:11.

He's just giving a list of sins.

And he says that such were some of you.

But you were washed, but you were Sanctified.

But you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And in the spirit of our God.

You used to be this, but you're not dissing anymore.

You're now in Christ.

You're now a new creature.

You now live a life, this Mark by Holiness instead of Life marked by sin.