Living For God's Will Series

Living for God’s Will

1 Peter Sermon Series, Part 10

1 Peter 4:1-6

Introduction

- Following our Easter service, we see Peter make a small directional turn

-- His words of encouragement to live FULLY for Christ are still critical for us

• Do not fear (v3:14) – God is in control

• Revere Christ (v3:15) – He is Holy

• Be prepared with gentleness and respect (v3:15b) – Don’t be a jerk

• Be clear minded, no malice, letting the judgment be God’s (v3:16) – Live intentional

- HUGE: It is a symbol you have been redeemed because Christ is alive today!

-- We are saved because of HIS resurrection, not because we are so awesome

-- We were special enough for God to send His Son to die for us …

-- But at no time were we awesome enough to be consulted on what He should do

- It has always been about what Christ did. And what has he done? (Read v3:22)

• HE HAS GONE INTO HEAVEN!!!!

• HE IS AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND!!!!

• (and) ALL IN HEAVEN ARE IN SUBMISSION OF HIM!!!!

- From here, we see Peter really just go right at us where we live

-- It is a definite instruction for the church, and one that we would be wise to heed

- Read 1 Peter 4:1-6

∆ Point 1 – Live for God

- Peter now ties these two chapters (sufferings of Christ and living for Him)

-- There is a huge implication here about adopting the same attitude as He did

-- He suffered, was broken, and died because of the things we had done

-- APP: Implication is: Are we living to serve others in a like-manner?

- We should be willing to suffer because of the example we have before us

- FARMER AND PIG STORY

- The cross was not convenient, it was not easy, and it was not minimal

- We should be willing to suffer because we’ve chosen to live righteous

-- Command here is to think about obedience the same way that Jesus did

-- APP: We should be convinced that it is better to do right than wrong

-- IMP: And, if doing right means suffering, so be it! See 1 Peter 2:20

- Because Jesus suffered in the body and did no wrong, he suffered for sin

-- We too should be done with sin, to choose to live righteous before God

-- This is what v2 is driving at: We live with God’s desires first in our lives

- What Peter is driving at is simple: We take our struggles with sin seriously

-- Why? Because Christ paid for our sin so that we can follow His example

-- So, we demonstrate that obeying God is more important than our desires

- To be crucified with sin (Paul writes about) is really exemplified in these verses

-- We take on ourselves Christ’s attitude and press forward showing God to all

- Amplified Bible quotes these verses: So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God], So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.

- TRANS: It’s a heavy decision to choose; but with eternal rewards

∆ Point 2 – Abandon Sin

- Our past experience of sin is sufficient (to convince us of how to act) (v3)

-- We’ve spent enough time giving into sin that we should no longer choose it

-- APP: That part of our life should be OVER … we should be done with sin

- What Peter does not do is spend a lot of time explaining what these sins mean

-- Why? Because they are pretty self-explanatory and need no entertaining info

-- “debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry”

-- APP: We were doing the things that God disapproves of to please our flesh

-- Peter says, “It’s time to give it up, and move onto Godly things.”

- Now, what is the world’s reaction to our choice? Simple (v4)

-- They are surprised! How many times have you gotten this reaction?

-- “Why would you want to stay home on Sat to go to church on Sunday?”

- It’s like their intention becomes to injure (mentally) the Christian

-- They defame, they lie on, and they degrade any decision to exalt Christ

-- Non-believers see Christ-like behavior as strange and unusual; to be mocked

- But why? Why does this continually happen? The Bible addresses it: