2. Today we will focus on
1 Peter 4:7-19

3. We want to pick up with
a reminder of where we
were last week…

4. The end of all things
is at hand;
therefore be…(7)

5. Peter tells the believers, that because they know that everyone
will soon be held accountable to God for their lives on earth...they should earnestly live a certain kind of life!

6. Peter says many different times; that because the end is near & because we will soon stand before God…

7. We should be a certain kind
of people. And we should be characterized by certain kinds of actions.

8. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be dissolved in the fire…

9. Since everything will be dissolved in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness…2 Peter 3:10-11

10. with Peter’s plea to the church to be fervent in these
Today we will continue
with Peter’s plea to the church to be fervent in these
final days…

11. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (7)

12. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (8-9)

13. Peter mentions four very important characteristics of an alert, faithful, believer…

14. Self-Controlled
Sober-Minded
Earnest-Loving
Happy-Hospitality

15. By Self-Controlled we mean someone who is able to manage their mindset, attitudes and actions according to their spiritual desires & God’s will.

16. Talk to the Lord
before making a decision take time to carefully determine how this choice reflects or rejects God’s will & design.

17. By Sober-Minded we mean someone whose mentality and outlook on life is centered on reality, the imminent return of Christ and the end of all things.

18. Orient yourself daily. That is; remind yourself that you are a child of God, living on a planet that will soon be destroyed, and you will be held accountable for your life. Etc.

19. By Earnest-Loving we mean someone whose entire demeanor is could be characterize by an endless and reckless love for anyone and everyone.

20. self-centered tendencies
Dive in & die to self.
Ask the Lord to help
you overcome your
self-centered tendencies
and when opportunities to get uncomfortable occur; dive in!

21. By Happy-Hospitality we mean someone who can’t help but constantly display the
‘others-centered’ nature of God through a glad gathering of people in their homes and activities.

22. Bring them with you!
Whatever you are doing… walking, driving, biking, exercising, praying, studying, playing, cleaning…
Bring someone with you!

23. If we’re ever confused
about what God’s will is for us in these final days, we should remind ourselves of these traits!

24. Peter continues to instruct us on what we should be doing while we wait for the return of Christ…

25. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God;

26. …whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (10-11)

27. Peter challenges the believers to use whatever spiritual gifts they have been given to glorify God and edify the believers.

28. #1 We must determine what our spiritual gifts & natural abilities are.

29. #2 Ask your spouse, your spiritual advisor, your elders to help you identify your gifts.

30. #3 Be aware of needs in your church, your community & your sphere of influence that coincide with your gifting.

31. #4 Get busy using your gifts to help meet those needs
#4 Get busy using your gifts to help meet those needs. Always be prayerfully relying on God’s power, through His Spirit.

32. Peter shifts gears slightly
and warns the believers that they should expect great difficulties while they live eagerly for the end.

33. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes
upon you to test you, as
though something strange
were happening to you. (12)

34. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings,
that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (13)

35. Peter says that believer can be, should be and will be glad when they know that their suffering through obedience is bringing the Lord glory!

36. Let’s look at this verse
a little closer…

37. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings,
that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (13)

38. There are only 18 words in this verse in the original Greek.

39. 3 of them point to the same idea of true happiness, lasting joy, real satisfaction & fulfillment.

40. to delight in, to be glad in
#1-2 Rejoice: chairó
to delight in, to be glad in

41. to be full of joy, to exult
#3 Be glad: agalliaó
to be full of joy, to exult

42. Remember how many times we have been saying that believers should be the happiest of all people because God is our God and what He promises us is of greater reward & satisfaction than anything that the world offers?

43. Once again we are told
that even in the midst of great suffering, while obeying the Lord, there is more joy to be found.

44. but very important point on this particular verse.
I want to make one final,
but very important point
on this particular verse.

45. or our gladness, relates
Notice how our joy,
or our gladness, relates
to God’s glory.

46. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings,
that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (13)

47. The core motivator, or foundational source, of the believer’s joy in the midst of suffering is that one day they will see and partake of the glory of God!

48. The only way that this fact
will be a motivator or daily sustainer to you and I in the midst of obedient suffering…

49. Is if God’s glory being revealed & experienced in our lives is of more reward, more value and of more joy to us than whatever else the world offers.

50. If we perceive the world as holding out more joy & reward to us than what God and His glory holds out to us… there will be little joy, if any, in suffering for God’s name.

51. In fact, we will flee from risk and suffering, in obedience to God for His glory sake, because we perceive that it promises no or little joy & reward.

52. Most likely,
we will run towards
the world and what it offers us because we perceive that it promises a great amount of joy & reward.

53. Peter implies, to a great degree,
that the believer will have greater joy, a greater reward and/or a greater experience of God’s glory in the future based on how much they were willing to endure on earth on behalf of His glory/name.

54. If you are insulted for the
name of Christ, you are blessed, because the
Spirit of glory and of God
rests upon you. (14)

55. Again we see the exact same concept on display…

56. The word blessed makarios means; happy, to be envied,
to be a benefactor of…

57. Notice again how our happiness and our benefit, relates to God’s glory.

58. If you are insulted for the
name of Christ, you are blessed, because the
Spirit of glory and of God
rests upon you. (14)

59. “If you suffer for the name of Christ, you will be happy, and should be envied, because you are a great benefactor…because the Spirit of God’s glory is upon you…and God’s glory is the most joyous, most rewarding, most beneficial thing in
all of the world!”

60. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or
an evildoer or as a meddler. (15)

61. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. (16)

62. Peter says that everyone will suffer in this lifetime.
Some for doing wicked and evil deeds of the flesh…and others will suffer for righteousness &
the will of God.

63. A Christian should only suffer for the sake of doing the will of God… not for the folly of seeking to fulfill their flesh.

64. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel
of God? (17)

65. is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and
And “If the righteous
is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and
the sinner?” (18)

66. figurative interpretation of
Peter confirms our
figurative interpretation of
The Living & The Dead
from last week in
1 Peter 4:4-6

67. …but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (4-5)

68. …this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. (6)

69. both the living (saint) and the dead (sinner)
Last week we concluded that God will
hold all of humanity accountable…
both the living (saint)
and the dead (sinner)
And not that the gospel will be somehow preached to the already dead & judged.

70. Here Peter says the exact same thing in another way.

71. Instead of using “The Living” he uses “The Household of God”
And “the righteous” to describe the believers.

72. And instead of using “The Dead” he uses “Those who do not obey”
“the ungodly” and “sinner” to describe the unbelievers.

73. And his conclusion is the same, both groups will stand accountable to God.

74. Therefore let those who suffer according to God's
will entrust their souls to
a faithful Creator while
doing good. (19)

75. In this beautiful closing verse, Peter pulls everything
together for us.

76. #1 Believers should get
busy living godly lives, characterize by certain actions; because the end is near and God will judge all mankind!

77. #2 Believers should focus on the most important things such as being; self-controlled, sober-minded, earnest-loving and happy-hospitality.

78. #3 Believers should also eagerly use their spiritual gifts, as well as natural talents and physical resources to help others and bring glory to God.

79. in the midst of hardship
#4 Believers should expect trails and suffering along the way…but they can be assured that their obedience
in the midst of hardship
will be worth it!

80. #5 Believers need to believe that God being glorified in their lives, even in the midst of suffering, is the most rewarding thing that they can ever be involved in.

81. #6 Believers need to trust
God for the result and for the reward… as they get busy doing good for the glory of God.

82. Therefore let those who suffer according to God's
will entrust their souls to
a faithful Creator while
doing good. (19)