sunday sermon 22nd february 2015

“RIsing above challenges” 22nd february 2015

Recap: Write shortly after the burning of Rome in AD 64 Nero wanted to build more so he had to burn his own city to clear the land Conveniently pin the blame on Christians This resulted in widespread persecution all over the Roman Empire

1 Peter 4:1-5 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin…they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do.…They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

Learn the Right Lessons in life Since Christ suffered and died and had such great triumph in his death, then arm yourselves also with the same purpose… “Arm” = putting on armour (Ephesians 6:11 ‘the armour of God) We ARM ourselves with the idea that even in suffering we can come out victorious

Learn the Right Lessons in life 1 Peter 4: 14-16 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. We are to view suffering differently because Christ suffered for us

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

Cockpit voice recording of adam air flight 574

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality ( philoxenos literally means "love of strangers”) to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

V. 7-11 The end of all things is near…be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ…

1 Peter 5: 5-11 We have an enemy… ‘diablos’ (Greek) means ‘one prone to slander; to falsely accuse’. All warnings (and there are many) to Christians show we are in real danger of being devoured by Satan if we are not watchful!

The Bible sometimes portray evil metaphorically as a lion… Lions can weigh up to 500 lbs and take down a prey 3 times its own size… Their roar can be hear up to 5 miles away…it instils fear and confuses the prey… How can we NOT be confused by Satan’s roar?

We need to MUFFLE the lion’s roar… Car mufflers work by making the loud sound coming from the exhaust cancel itself out so it becomes a low hum in the end

2) Muffle the lion’s roar a. “You don’t need anyone” v. 5 “…clothe yourselves with humility towards one another…” v.6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up…

2) Muffle the lion’s roar b. “Prayer doesn't help” v. 7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you” “Casting” means to throw upon, to deposit with…like a man who carried a heavy burden and threw it upon a camel’s back. God wants us to have a target to which we direct our anxiety. That target is Him.

“Be self-controlled and alert” (v. 8). 2) Muffle the lion’s roar c. “God won’t look out for us if we don’t look out for ourselves” “Be self-controlled and alert” (v. 8). The devil would like to paralyze our faith with too many things. We have to turn the chair on him.

2) Muffle the lion’s roar d. “No one knows what you are going through” “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, for you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (v. 9) Suffering is UNIVERSAL. But what we need to keep in mind is the PLAN.

e. “God has forgotten YOU” 2) Muffle the lion’s roar e. “God has forgotten YOU” “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore and make you strong, firm and steadfast…” (V. 10) In the midst of our trials we must have faith that WE are an important component of God’s glory

Conclusion: If we try to: Learn the Right lessons Muffle the lion’s roar we will surely be able to rise above the challenges in our lives!