Be Fervent In Your Love

Be Fervent in your Love!

Prayer

Open with prayer … 1 Ki 4:29

As God gave to Solomon …

(wisdom, great discernment, breadth of mind)

Introduction

We will be looking at 1 Pet 4:1-11 …

1Pet 4:1-2

Jews- believed suffering was a great purifier.

Suffering tends to distract our focus from the many frivolous things we allow to occupy our lives.

It helps us to focus on what is really important, which hopefully is God and His Kingdom- doing His will

End of Chp 3- Peter is talking about water baptism.

Water baptism is a picture of …

-identifying w/Christ in His suffering/death, -

-being buried in a watery tomb, and

-then being resurrected into newness of life.

The end result being a life no longer lived for ourselves, but for God and His Kingdom.

1 Pet 4:3-5

All men will give- account to God for how they lived.

The time will come when- treasures that are eternal will be more important than- pleasures of this life.

We must adjust our perspective this side of the grave.

Eph 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

We might ask ourselves this question …

Do the things we are involved in and the way we use/expend our time, have value and purpose?

Time-limited (valuable) commodity we are expending

Take time to judge- how are we expending our time?

2Ti 2:20-21

20 In a wealthy home there are dishes made of gold and silver as well as some made from wood and clay. The expensive dishes are used for guests, and the cheap ones are used in the kitchen or to put garbage in. 21 If you stay away from sin you will be like one of these dishes made of purest gold-the very best in the house-so that Christ himself can use you for his highest purposes. TLB

We can choose what type of vessel we want to be.

1 Pet 4:6

Bible- clear- all have sinned/fall short of God’s glory.

Bible- says-because of sin, death entered the world …

-death is a penalty for sin

-it is a form of God’s judgment

Jesus Christ has come to take away the sting of death and give us eternal life (1 Cor 15:56).

1 Pet 4:7

The end of all things is near

There is no doubt- we are living in the end-times.

The second coming- may be just around the corner.

1 Jn 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

However, for each of us, regardless of when Christ is going to return, the end is near …

Heb 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

When we compare our life span against- thousands of years of human history- the end is of time is near.

Each of us needs to be examining how we are living our lives now, because the days are short.

Sound judgment …

-to be in your right mind, (wrong mind?)

-to have understanding about practical matters of life so you can live/act sensibly.

To live sensibly is to live w/our senses tuned to God-not so consumed w/life that- cannot hear His voice

Sober …

-to abstain from wine,

-to be free from the influence of intoxicants, therefore able to be watchful/aware.

Alcoholic- lives in major self-deception/gratification.

Like an alcoholic, we often engage in self-deception and justify the way we live our lives …

-I have worked all day, I am tired, I deserve to be able to sit back, relax, watch TV

-I have a right to be angry, bitter, unforgiving because of what someone did to me

We justify a lack of sobriety so we do not have to face life on God’s terms.

For the purpose of prayer

Purpose of having sound judgment/being sober- is so we can pray and hear God’s voice for our lives.

Do not allow- river life-sweep you along in its current and later look back/regret- having wasted your life.

Live your life with intent and purpose …

Eragon- young man- thrown in an adventure where he is suddenly thrust into a prominent role in his nation. At first he is living purely for himself/own personal desires. Even in his pursuit of those who killed his uncle, he is following his own purposes/desires.

As he faces difficulty, suffering, and loss, he begins to get a larger understanding of life. He shifts from living for himself to living for a greater purpose- for the sake of his people. He accepts that he been chosen as a dragon Rider to fight against the evil empire. As with Eragon, we have been chosen by God for purposes larger than our own small world/desires.