INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1
• We have talked about how difficult it can be to maintain a strong faith. It gets more difficult when we experience suffering because of our faith.
• I cannot imagine what it would be like to have to really suffer for my faith, to literally put my life on the line because I am a Christian.
• As of now most of us will not face this type of pressure on our faith.
• We face more common difficulties in life that if we are not careful can drain the life and faith right out of us.
• What do we do when things are not going well at home or on the job?
• What do we do when we feel like we are the only one serving Jesus, when we are taking heat from people because we are trying to live for Jesus? Isn’t God supposed to keep the bad things in life from happening to us?
• Standing firm for Jesus is not hard when things are going well and when we are with others who are standing firm for Jesus.
Standing firm for Jesus in the midst of trials is a real challenge that most of us face at some point in our walk with Jesus.
• Today we are going to look at what we can do to stand firm for Jesus even when times get tough for us. There are some things we can do to make standing firm for Jesus much easier.
• Let’s open with 1 Peter 4:1
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Peter 4:1(ESV) 1Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,£ arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Standing firm for Jesus requires...
I. The determination to follow Jesus.
• One thing we need to have if we are succeed at something is determination. We must have the resolve to complete the task at hand.
• Have you ever faced a task that looked hard but you were determined to do it? BASEBALL PITCHING.
• When we have determination to do something more times than not we can do it. We have to have the determination to walk with Jesus no matter what life throws at us because we know in Christ is where we belong.
• From verse one we see three things concerning this issue of determination.
• SLIDE #4
A. Jesus was determined to follow the will of the Father.
• In verse 1 we are reminded that Jesus suffered in the flesh. When Jesus lived as a man, He suffered at the hand of man. This suffering was a past action with continuing results
• What was it that helped Jesus complete His mission?
• SLIDE #5
• John 4:34(ESV) 34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
• John 17:4(ESV) 4I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
• The phrase “same way of thinking” reminds us of the resolve Jesus had. Jesus made up His mind to do the will of God. His mind to do it.
• If you are going to do something even when it is tough, you must make up your mind you are going to do it!
• Jesus was so focused on doing what He was called to do; He would not allow ANYTHING to take Him off course.
• His resolve help keep Him focused on the big picture. It would have been easy to lose focus in the midst of all the difficulties He faced.
• Jesus gave us an example to follow. What would have happened if Jesus would have quit at the first sign of trouble? We would all be in trouble!
• SLIDE #6
B. You are called to arm yourself with the same resolve.
• The picture we should get from the phrase “arm yourselves” is one of a heavily armed Greek soldier putting on his armor and taking up his weapons ready to fight.
• Today we would have a picture of one of our troops in Iraq or Afghanistan putting on their body armor and picking up their weapons, ready to do battle with the insurgents. Not only is the soldier armed, but he is prepared to do battle.
• We are to arm ourselves with the same state of mind Jesus displayed as He carried out the will of the Father in His life.
• We must be willing to go the distance for Jesus.
• SLIDE #7
• Revelation 2:10(ESV) 10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• This passage does not tell us to quit when it gets tough and we will receive the crown of life, we are to be faithful until death!
• We must be prepared and motivated to stay in the fight.
• SLIDE #8
C. Your determination to follow Jesus will benefit you.
• Verse one also tells us that the one who has suffered in the flesh has cease from sin.
• When we are determined to stay strong, it will help us to be able to deal with sin and temptation.
• The phrase “arm yourself” means we are to arm ourselves for our own benefit.
• We have a personal responsibility and a person interest in developing the same Holy resolve Jesus displayed.
• The issue of ceasing from sin is one of the reasons given for us to arm ourselves.
• What does it mean when Peter says, “because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin”?
• After we are immersed, Romans 6 tells us we are no longer slaves to sin, the same chapter in Romans tells us we are dead to sin. This is part of the equation.
• The statement does not mean we will never sin again, but the logic is this. If you have suffered for your faith, if you have paid a price to follow Jesus, you are not going to easily fall prey to temptation or sin.
• Why would you easily give in after paying the price of suffering for staying with Jesus?
• When you resolve to follow Jesus, you will find it much easier to say no to sin and temptation.
• Let us turn to verses 2-4
• SLIDE #9
• 1 Peter 4:2-4(ESV) 2so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;
• SLIDE #10
Standing firm for Jesus requires you to…
II. Walk on a different path than that of the world.
• If we are going to be determined to follow Jesus, we must understand that the direction Jesus wants us to go, the path He wants us to walk is not going to be the same one the rest of the world follows or walks.
• Here are a few observations from verse 2-4 that can be a blessing to us.
• SLIDE #11
A. The time to follow the path of the world has passed.
• Verses 2 and 3 tell us know that the time to pursue the course of the world is over.
• The time for doing that is over. The old way of life should be dead and gone. It gives us another reason why we should be determined to follow God’s path for our lives.
• 1 Peter 1:18 calls the old life futile way of life.
• Peter tells us we have had plenty of time to carry out the desires of the lost.
• In Verse 2 we are encouraged not to live in the sphere of the lusts of man, but we are to live in the sphere of doing the will of God as long as we have breath!
• God wants man to do is to stop responding to the old stuff that used to drive us.
• We are to present ourselves over to God for His service. Once you give your life over to Jesus, doing what God wants us to do is a matter of personal determination!
• Just like in life there comes a time to move on, Peter says concerning our old way of life, it is time to move on.
• SLIDE #12
B. The path the world follows leads to a dead end.
• The way of the world is described in terms of a pursuit in verse 3. We are told it is a pursuit of sensuality, or maybe put another way, it is a pursuit of pleasing self.
• The phrase “living in” denotes a regular path of conduct.
• Verse 3 lists a whole host of pursuits that we ought not to be involved in if we are going to live for Jesus.
• Verse 4 says this pursuit is a “flood of debauchery.”
• The phrase “flood of debauchery” is the same phrase that was used of the life the prodigal son lived when he took his inheritance and lead the “wild life”, a life of no restraint.
• Peter mentions sensuality which unbridled pursuit of lusts, which manifest themselves outwardly.
• Lusts are hidden sins that find fertile ground in the theater of mind. We see drunkenness, carousing, we may use the word “clubbing” for that one.
• Drinking parties would be something like today’s “Happy Hour” where drinking is the essential part of the party.
• Lawless idolatries was a reference to the excesses the idol worship of the time involved such as prostitution, excessive drinking among other things. For us it is something that may violate our conviction of what is right.
• The thing you need to ask yourself as you pursue the course of the world is this, “Where does it lead you?”
• All pun intended, the pursuits of the world lead to a “DEAD END.”
• SLIDE #13
• 1 John 2:16-17(ESV) 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
• SLIDE #14
C. Walking on a different path will cause you some grief in this world.
• When you do not walk the same path as the rest of the world you will face opposition and grief.
• Verse 4 reminds us “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;”
• People will be surprised that you do not run with them to the same excesses.
• I have know people who used to be alcoholics who when they would quit would have their “friends” try to encourage them to “just have one drink”.
• When I gave my life to Christ, I had been working at the factory for a year or two.
• When Jesus started to change my life, people were wondering why I was not cursing, why I was not involved in the dirty jokes among other things.
• SLIDE #15
• Let us finish with a couple of thoughts from verses 5-6.
• 1 Peter 4:5-6(ESV) 5but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For 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.
• SLIDE #16
Standing firm for Jesus is easier when you…
III. Know who you ultimately answer to.
• Please raise your hand if you like to be made fun of be maligned because of your faith? How many of us like the peer pressure to do what is wrong? One thing that will help us to endure is knowing that:
• SLIDE #17
A. Everyone will answer to God!
• Those people who would put undue pressure on you to join the gang are not the ones we have to stand before.
• It is like a young person who has a curfew of 11:00 p.m. Their friend tries to get them to stay out later saying it is no big deal.
• Well they do not have to face the parent!
• God see what is happening. Those who malign you will have to answer to God!
• Verse 5 tells us that Jesus is holding Himself in readiness, He is prepared to judge, all the arrangements have been made in reference to judging.
• The dead and living are the spiritually living and dead. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10
• SLIDE #18
B. God desires that time to be joyful for all!
• As we go through the tough times, as we are being mistreated and made fun of, we need to realize the person doing these things is an object of God’s love.
• Verse 6 tells us the gospel is preached to those who are spiritually dead so that they can be spiritually alive with God!
• We are all going to serve a death sentence in the physical sense because of the sin of Adam. We will all serve a spiritual death sentence as a result of our own sin.
• God did not provide a way to avoid the physical death, but He did provide a way to be born again after we die spiritually. The gospel is preached so dead could be alive spiritually with God and this is what God wills.
CONCLUSION
• Are you still following the path of the world? Today you can change that. I do not care how bad you think you are, I do not care what you have done, God loves you and He wants to have you spend eternity with Him.
• Are you ready to join Him through Jesus?
• Jesus is the only way. When those who are saved are going through problems, we need to remember that.
