Part 11 1 Peter 4:1–11
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1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Intro
Intro
This passage before us today is similar to what is said in chapter 3 about enduring suffering and how these days are like the days of Noah – at the same time we are told not to be afraid of people but be afraid of God. When we get a right perspective of God then we will start to live right for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and of wisdom.
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We have to be ready to suffer for Christ. Are we ready? Anyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. We will not escape it here in the West if we hold to the truth of God’s Word and testify accordingly. We will be hated by all nations for our stand for God and against sin. It may be that we will go to prison as those who are destructive to society. These things often come in little by little: The Christian Institute reported last month:
An academic has challenged a decision by Bath Spa University to refuse him permission to research trans regret.
Psychotherapist James Caspian wanted to study people who had undergone “sex-change” operations only to later regret their decision and seek to reverse their transition.
His research proposal was rejected by the university for being “politically incorrect.” Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, he said, “I was shocked, but immediately knew I was in the eye of a storm.”
Caspian believes that his case demonstrates that the fear and sensitivity surrounding trans issues is stifling public debate and preventing them from being “critically examined.”
There are proposals in government to bring in legislation for positive tolerance. This is not the kind of tolerance that we understand – that is, the ability to accept others despite their differing beliefs - it means if we speak against Islam, if we speak against homosexuality, if we say evolution is not true, if we do not join with the view that anyone’s truth is up to them we will not be tolerated; we will be classed as right-wing fundamentalist extremists and will go to jail.
They will tolerate any belief system except one that is saying Jesus is the only way. Is anyone here willing to go to jail? Well, you do get room and board I suppose, even a TV but we will not get a bible as there is another proposal to put the Bible on a hate list of banned books because of its language. We only need to read the history of past Christians even here in the UK that went to jail for their faith and we are surprised it may be coming back? Most of what John Bunyan wrote was in prison – you know, the one who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress.
This is the society we are living in and it is coming to our doorstep. The Church of Scotland will have no problem with the authorities accepting practicing homosexuals for ministers – it just makes those of us who say no look bigoted, The Anglican Church is following suit for they say all ways lead to God. Welby, the Archbishop said this week: 'Let us never be guilty of demeaning the light that others have, just show them something of the light you know,' he said. 'Let's tell people about Jesus and witness to what he has done for us, without feeling the need to presume to tell others what is wrong with their faith.' This is not a biblical standpoint. He went on to say: 'We are not contradicting any of the claims we make about the centrality of Jesus Christ to the whole of creation, our commitment to him as the source of all salvation, by recognising that other traditions offer people encouragement, community and even deep wells of spirituality'. These thoughts lead to there being an acceptance of others faiths as being of equal value to Christianity and faith in Christ alone. The Pope is also speaking of these things meeting with Muslims and Mormons this week and speaking of their shared goals.
We are already being called extremists and some are already calling us terrorists in line with ISIS or Al-Qaeda – actually we are considered to be a greater threat! This is no joke – the political and academic language is already lending itself to this. The persecution that we see around the world can soon very easily come to us – I have some video which is very disturbing at home of such persecution where Christians, our brothers in Christ are beaten to death for their faith and where a Pastor escaped with his life.
If we suffer we can remember that Christ also suffered for us – and He is worth it. We can never suffer as Jesus. Here in the NIV it says we are done with sin. It has that sense but much more - it means we have been released from sin.
Thru the Bible Vol. 54: The Epistles (1 Peter) Suffering Produces Obedience to the Will of God
That means that God has made an adequate provision for you and me to live the Christian life.
We have been given a new nature as Christians and that nature can never sin.
Thru the Bible Vol. 54: The Epistles (1 Peter) Suffering Produces Obedience to the Will of God
The Bible’s illustration of this truth, which I use a great deal, is the story of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11–32). The Prodigal Son got down in the pigpen, but, you see, he wasn’t a pig. He had the nature of his father who lived down the road in that wonderful mansion. Because that boy had the nature of his father, he didn’t like eating out of a trough. He didn’t like eating the swill that the swine ate. He enjoyed sitting down at a table covered with a white linen tablecloth and eating with a knife and fork. He liked having a nice steak or prime rib before him, with all the other delicacies, topped off with ice cream. That boy didn’t care for the pigpen for he had the nature of his father.
Peter says you are now identified with Christ. When you came to the Lord Jesus and were born again, the Spirit of God baptized you, that is, He identified you with Christ. Now let that mind, that thought, be in you which is in Christ
How then can we keep on sinning?
The Old Man keeps rearing his head in our lives but when we consider the sufferings of Jesus for us we should no longer have time for the things of this world. If we suffer for Jesus this becomes an ever present reality. We need to be those who are wholly devoted to God.
I’m sure you have heard of or even seen a programme called ‘Gogglebox’ which videos people watching TV! Then the viewers watch the people watching TV! Two things about this: one: just how much TV are these people watching? And two: we think it entertainment to watch others watch TV – how crazy this has become? – soon we will be watching people watching TV watching other people watching TV! Now, just how useful is this? Did people before TV simply stare at the corner of the living room or did they find other things to do?
I’m not daft – we all have TVs – and it is useful for keeping up-to-date with the world – but when we miss a programme that we wanted to see are we any worse off for not seeing it?! And so the point is let us reduce our intake of TV bit by bit and instead do things of more value – watching TV is always passive – we simply take in – it has no interaction – the interaction comes when we do something. Do something better like reading – especially reading the Bible if we have not already done so that day – remember – the one who meditates on His word day and night are blessed. This will also give us the discernment we need to handle everyday situations:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What we cannot say is that All TV is given by inspiration of God and is profitable – only Scripture is that!
Peter goes on to describe what he says was in our past lifetime which are apt descriptions of the things that go on in the world: lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. It goes without saying that these things should be in our past. And in fact the world hates the fact that we do not join with them in all these things and so speak against us among one another, hate giving birth to hate. Remember that these are people who want to be approved for what they do not disapproved or rejected as it says in:
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
This is the new tolerance we spoke of earlier – we have to say we agree with their behaviour. Even if we do things that are wrong we acknowledge that they are wrong and would not expect others to congratulate us on doing wrong. But we are in an upside down world in morality today. Today you will congratulated for wrong - the good is bad and the bad is good.
Here this description of the world we are living in:
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Whilst we are in the world we cannot avoid such people as far as witnessing to them but darkness and light cannot have fellowship with one another.
One day these same people, who are consumed with this life forgetting deliberately that God will judge the living and the dead, will have to account to their Creator as to why they have lived in such a way. God created the world good but it has been marred by anyone who has ever lived by sin and rebellion – even as Christians we have been found to sin even after we know all that Jesus has done for us – yet we are in the privileged situation that we will not be judged with the world in this regard but still we will have to give an account – even then we have the promise that our lawless deeds He will remember no more.
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And this Jesus is coming soon – the end of all things is upon us – the end is nigh! Indeed it is so much, much closer than it was – this is no joke – we are to be serious and watchful in prayer. My dog watches out the window for anyone who passes by and gives a warning growl – always ready, always alert at the window for anyone who might come to the door and barks when they do – or when he sees a cat. This alertness is needed in the Church – most are asleep not watching – but here Peter says we need to watch and pray. We are not to have our heads in the sand not knowing what is going on in our world.
There have been a number of recent reports of rivers turning blood red in Indonesia, China and Malawi, also the sea has turned red off Australia’s Bondi beach and seas off Florida. There have been explanations of these phenomena relating to chemical pollution, abnormal amounts of sand in the water or algae, but others say it is a foretaste of the biblical prophecy of Revelation 16.3-4 ‘Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.’
Other events also reminiscent of the biblical plagues of Egypt and Revelation 8.7, 16.21 have been happening. Extreme hail storms, with hail stones the size of golf balls, have hit Saudi Arabia, smashing cars and leaving a layer of hail in the desert. Then, an infestation of biblical proportions struck Mecca, as a plague of locusts covered Islam’s holiest site, the Great Mosque. The Mecca Municipality confirmed the phenomenon which residents claim has never been seen before.
The study of lasts things is a subject so neglected in the Church, so much so that it may even catch it unawares.
People are headed for hell and we are called to witness and to pray – we have no time for petty struggles – no time for complaining – no time not to love one another for love for love will cover a multitude of sins – this is how God is towards us. He is merciful, He loves us, He forgives our many trespasses and this is exactly how we should be towards one another. We have no time for sin, no time for ourselves.
We need to be serious – the time for petty things is over. It is much what Paul says in:
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
We all have gifts and we should all be using them for each other in the household of faith – if your gift is making meals for people and making people feel welcome then this activity should increase. If anyone is good at singing they should use it for Christ to bless others. If God has given you a heart to pray on behalf of the persecuted then pray and so on and so forth. Each person has at least one gift – these gifts are not to be neglected but worked on – all so that God gets the glory in Christ Jesus. Why should He get the glory? Silly question, I know, but He gave us the gift – all our abilities both natural and spiritual come from God in the first place – even if you wanted to argue on this point – He gave you your life and He gave you His life setting the greatest example of all.
Jesus came once, He lived, He died, was resurrected, ascended, and will come back again. Are we ready? Are we looking forward to it or is there some fear? Time is too short to be living for ourselves. The signs of the times are coming thick and fast – the end of all things is near:
28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
All glory and honour and praise and worship and power belong to God forever and ever. Amen.
Benediction
Benediction
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Bibliography
Bibliography
McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.