On a physical level, life is prospered and lengthened by holiness. Summary of 3:8-4:6 On a physical level, life is prospered and lengthened by holiness. (3:8-12) On a spiritual level, even in suffering, life is blessed when it is lived in the Spirit to the will of God. (3:13-4:6)

Who are you living for? 1. Christ died to sins and lives to God. 2. We are joined to His death and resurrection. 3. We should remember that and for God's will - Romans 6:1-11

We are to consider Christ's suffering ours! Who are you living for? We are to consider Christ's suffering ours!

Suffering can bring a different attitude toward sin. Who are you living for? Suffering can bring a different attitude toward sin.

Notice now the reality of 1 P. 3:17! Who are you living for? Notice now the reality of 1 P. 3:17! It is better to suffer while doing good, if it is the will of God BECAUSE...

Who are you living for? ...through the baptism of the Spirit we have suffered death and judgment to sin, and no longer live with reference to anything but the will of God. This is the essence of our lives and saves us from this world and brings us into an amazing eternity!

Who are you living for? 1 Pet. 4:4 Our failure to join with unbelievers in sin disappoints and confuses them. They literally think believers are strange for not doing what they do.

Who are you living for? 1 Pet. 4:4-5 They actually criticize you for not sinning with them. But, like all of us, they will answer for their choices.

"dead" = metaphorical or spiritual Who are you living for? 1 Peter 4:5 "dead" = literal 1 Peter 4:6 "dead" = metaphorical or spiritual

The key is believer's link with Christ. Who are you living for? The key is believer's link with Christ. ________________________________________ Just as those who are dead will shortly be judged, so those who were spiritually dead and now saved have been from the flesh and live to God in the Spirit. Romans 8:9

Through service to glory 1 Peter 4:7-11 How to live in reality Through service to glory 1 Peter 4:7-11

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:7 The nearness of the end gripped early Christians. Whoever is not gripped by this conviction cannot truly live the Christian life.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:7 The reality of how near the end is will be a motivation for almost every good and basic quality of the Christian life.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:7 1. Seriousness and prayer (v. 7) 2. Love and hospitality (vv. 8-9) 3. God-honoring service (vv. 10-11)

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:7 Saving your lives involves a realization of what is going on in the world. There is no guarantee that we have tomorrow.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:7 To live in reality and save our lives we have to understand the seriousness of the world. We need to watch over life with prayer.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:8 Love is to get our highest attention. Love is to be "boiling", "fervent". Love doesn't stir up problems, but instead covers sins. Pr. 10:12

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:9 We should welcome others into our homes and make them feel welcome. That can create a type of pressure. Hospitality involves personal sacrifice and should come without complaining.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:10-11 The primary focus of this section is the use of our gifts.

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:10-11 Peter assumes every believer has a gift. 1 Cor. 12:7

How to live in reality - 1 Peter 4:10-11 There are two basic kinds of gifts; speaking gifts and serving or "doing" gifts.

Speaking gifts - 1 Peter 4:11 The idea in vs. 11 was used of "short sayings originating from a divinity". The idea of the speaking gift is to speak with divine authority as God's mouthpiece.

Serving gifts - 1 Peter 4:11 The word "supplies" originally meant "to lead a chorus" or "to pay expenses for training a chorus". Then, generally, it was used "to defray expenses of something", "to provide, to supply in abundance"

Serving gifts - 1 Peter 4:11 If we expend energy in serving God, he takes care of the expenditure by providing the strength.

The ultimate aim of all ministry is to glorify God. God's Glory The ultimate aim of all ministry is to glorify God. His glory and rule will last forever and ever. Now THAT is an investment worth making!

We serve, not for personal glory, but for His! Serving gifts - 1 Peter 4:11 We serve, not for personal glory, but for His!