Peter's Description Of The Victorious Christian Life. Series

1 Peter 4:1-6 (Peter’s description of the victorious Christian Life)

August 7, 2012

Introduction:

Prayer:

Well I hope that you all had a wonderful week and I hope that as we look at this passage this morning that you would be ever the better.

We have been studying through 1 Peter now for 18 weeks and now we come to a new chapter within Peter’s first epistle chapter 4.

How many of you were able to see the great support that Chic-Fil-A received there on August 1st. My family and I had plans to drive to Idaho Falls to support them, but with Lyla’s toe being about cut off we decided that we wouldn’t put her through the struggle of driving 4.5 hours to support the Chic-Fil-A. My heart was encouraged as many Christians took a stand all across America flooding chic-fil-a buying their food and standing on the Biblical view of Marriage. One Women and One Man!

You Know Chic-Fil-A took a stance on Biblical marriage and now will suffer the cost for their beliefs, but when we look at today’s message it fits right into place as we see Peters description of the victorious Christian life.

So without delay let us get right into the Word of God this Morning:

If you will turn your bibles with to the 4th chapter of 1 Peter.

Those that are new to the Bible go all the way to the book Revelation and thumb backwards and you will soon find 1st Peter and turn with me to Chapter 4. Today will be reading verses 1-6

1 Peter 4:1-6

1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; 5but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

Remember Peter is writing to Christians that are going through sufferings and they being killed for their faith and so much of this letter is to encourage and to admonish these followers of Jesus and for us as well today.

Today we see both, we see encouragement and admonishment all in the same passage it’s Like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Three things that I want for you to take home and think about this week are:

1. We should desire the Attitude of Jesus! (4:1)

2. We should desire the Will of God! (4:2)

3. We should desire the Eternal Hope! (4:3-6)

These three points are something that all Christians should desire, they should desire to copy, reflect or mimic the Attitude of Jesus Christ, they should desire to follow, know and understand the Will of God in their lives and they should desire to have, take or inherit our Eternal Hope! Now eternal Hope is for the Believer and Eternal destructions for those unbelievers and today I pray you will move from darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God.

This morning I want to take just a little time in each one of these things that we as Believers should desire. That brings us to Point #1

1. We should desire the Attitude of Jesus! (4:1)

Well we have seen a lot about what Christ has done through out our study on 1 Peter. I hope that you have seen those things and have pondered on them, because if you remember in

1 Peter 2:21 it says “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,”

we are called as Christians to suffer for Christ sake.

He says in verse 1 “1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Now you know the proper way or at least I hope should know how to handle the word therefore when it appears at the beginning of the sentence.

When we see the word therefore, we need to ask ourselves “What’s it there for?”