ILLUSTRATION: JUDGE NOT . . .
A small-town prosecuting attorney called his first potential juror to the stand in a trial -- a grand-motherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know me?"
She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Bryant. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you will never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?" She replied, "Why, yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to babysit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!"
Today, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFESTYLE – particularly The Nature in Which You Live. Peter breaks out the different natures of each other in the letter he is writing to the small, scattered churches:
Verses 1-3 - The Nature of the Believer
Verses 4-6 - The Nature of the Un-Believer
Verses 7-11 - The Nature of the Church
1. THE NATURE OF A BELIEVER - Verses 1-3
1) ‘therefore since Christ suffered in the body’
- Going back to 3:18
1) ‘arm yourselves with the same attitude’
- Phrase “the same attitude” translates the same thought in Phil 2:5 - (READ)
- Attitude we are called to have is that described in Phil 2:5-8 - READ
- Notice Phil 2:12b-13 - READ
1) ‘he who suffered in his body is done with sin’
? Done With Sin ?
The Thought of the Verse is this:
- The Spirit of God using the Word of God will produce a son of God.
- And the son of God, because of the work of God, develops a new nature.
- That new nature will not LIVE in sin. (doesn’t mean one will not sin but will not live in it.
ILLUSTRATION USING THE PRODIGAL SON from Luke 15
- The son got down in the pigpen – but he wasn’t a pig.
- He had the nature of his father who lived in the beautiful mansion with servants
- Having the nature of his father, he didn’t like eating out of a trough.
- He enjoyed sitting down at a nice table with steak, prime rib, all the delicacies.
- He didn’t care for the pigpen b/c he had the nature of his father.
- Likewise, being born again, we are given a new nature
- Having the nature of God, we will now CEASE to LIVE in sin.
YOU CAN’T BE A CHILD OF GOD WITH HIS NATURE – AND LIVE IN THE PIG PEN. If you do, you are still PIGS. Pigs live in pig pens doing what pigs do, but SONS OF GOD do NOT continue to live in the PIG PEN but instead … (VERSE 2)
2) ‘but rather for the will of God’ – WHATEVER THAT WILL IS!
3) Peter get’s very specific on the PIG PEN
- ‘debauchery’ – no regard for control regarding sexual appetites
- ‘lusts’ – a longing for what is forbidden
- ‘drunkenness’ – excessive intake of wine (loss of control)
- ‘orgies’ & ‘carousing’ – wild parties that are completely out of control sexually, drinking, etc.
- ‘abominable idolatries’ – disgusting idolatry
While we are no longer under the PUNISHMENT of the LAW, we are NOT to TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FREEDOM!
1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV)
12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.
WEDNESDAY: ‘BEING FRIENDS WITH GOD’
One of the questions asked was this: Would Christ look at your ‘lifestyle’ and be able to call you His Friend?
ILLUSTRATION – YOUR LIFESTYLE
A Sunday school teacher was trying to impress on a class of young boys the importance of living a Christian. In talking about a Christian’s lifestyle, He asked, “Why do you think people call me a Christian?” One boy replied back, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.”
Is your nature that of a pig in the pig pen OR that of the Heavenly Father? As BELIEVERS, we are called to be a DIFFERENT PEOPLE – a people with a NEW NATURE. So often, because we fail to grow, many never really understand the blessings behind DEVELOPING THAT NATURE!
2. THE NATURE OF AN UN-BELIEVER - Verses 4-6
Moving from talking of the Nature of a Believer, Peter moves to talking about the Nature of the UnBeliever. Those with a Worldly Nature do not understand the Change that takes place when one meets the Savior – they think it Strange!
4-5) ‘they think it strange’ (word is so appropriate)
- It’s not considered strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their families, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another!
- But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure because they have met the Savior or b/come serious about their commitment, and the family thinks he has lost his mind!
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE
While we must be concerned and non-judging towards the lost, we cannot live their lives for them. Paul in Rom. 1:20 says that ‘men are without excuse.’ (Verse 5)
6) ‘for this reason’
- b/c of God’s coming judgment
6) ‘even to those who are now dead’
- Like last week’s 3.19 – could take it many ways
- Keep in context of suffering
- Most believe Peter is referencing those who gave their lives defending the nature of God
- In the flesh - they were ‘judged according to man in regard to the body’
- Now much MORE in the spirit –‘live according to God in regard to the spirit’
APPLICATION: Until The Lord returns, the gospel will be preached.
One will either accept the Word or reject the Word.
- Those that accept the word will live with God throughout eternity.
- Those who reject the Word will be dead to God throughout eternity with no relationship
3. THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH - Verses 7-11
Peter used verses 1-6 to encourage the believers that God’s judgment was coming. Now, for the first time, he talks to the group as a whole – the CHURCH – the FAMILY offering a REMINDER (vs. 7) as well as 4 Points of Advice (8-11) to help EACH OTHER PREPARE FOR THE DAY!
READ VERSE 7 - The ASV has a better rendering of the original text:
1 Peter 4:7 (ASV)
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer:
7) ‘the end of all things is near’
- One Sees that phrase & says ‘warning has been given ever since just before Christ was crucified’
- Maybe that’s why there is no sense of urgency in the church
- Reputable Writers are writing of this day – REGARDELSS – IT IS COMING
7) ‘be clear minded & self controlled so that you can pray’
- Lit.: “Be sober & watchful unto prayer”
- be cautious of all you possess and pray for God’s hand to guide you for GOOD OF ALL
- i.e. Ask God’s help in showing you your part in the overall good of others
Making it Simple Would Simply Say: - KEEP LIFE BALANCED WITH SERVICE
4 POINTS OF ADVICE – READ VERSES 8-11
1. 8) ‘love each other’ (overlooks a lot of faults)
2. 9) ‘offer hospitality’ (be fond of guests) – develop relationship amongst each other
Q: do you believe you were called into this family?
-- when is the last time you invited another member of the church?
3. 10) ‘use whatever gift he has received to serve others’
4. 11) ‘speaking the very words of God’ – work as though you being instructed by God
- uses teaching but applies to all
- to work as inspired by the Spirit of God
11) ‘in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ’
- Whatever you do, do it in a way that brings praise and honor to God through Christ
- Guitar, bass, sing, teach, deacon, finances, giving, etc. ON AND ON AND ON – in a way that God be praised through Jesus Christ.
SUMMARY
What is Your Nature?
- The Nature of the Believer
- The Nature of the Unbeliever
- The Nature of the Church
Which nature fits you best? Not realizing the two would go hand in hand, Wednesday night’s question really fits:
If Christ looked at your lifestyle, would He call you His friend or His enemy?
