THE END
1 PETER 4:7
INTRODUCTION… Post Apocalyptic Movies (p)
Planet of the Apes (1968). The Terminator (1984). Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). 12 Monkeys (1995). Waterworld (1995). The Postman (1997). The Day After Tomorrow (2004). Wall-E (2008). The Book of Eli (2010). Oblivion (2013).
What do these movies all have in common? All of these are movies that center on a world after a great cataclysm has happened. They give a fictional peek at what life could be life after some sort of mass worldwide disaster. Some officially call them dystopian post-apocalyptic film. I call them “lots of fun.” I think my love of post-apocalyptic movies started when I was a kid when my dad introduced me to Charelton Heston and Roddy McDowall in the movie Planet of the Apes. In this movie, we are introduced to astronauts on a strange planet ruled by thinking and talking apes only to find out at the end of the movie the astronauts are on Earth! Then when I was older I saw The Terminator which shows life after machines take over the world. When I got into college I saw Waterworld and The Postman, both starring Kevin Costner and both are the exact same movie just one in the water and one on land. In case you are wondering what my all time favorite dystopian post-apocalyptic movie is (and I have seen many of them), it would be The Hughes Brothers 2010 film “The Book of Eli” starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.
Why do I like these types of movies? To be honest, I am not sure. I love science-fiction and many of them fall into that broad category. I love wonderful stories and most of them are wonderful creative and thoughtful stories. Many of the movies also comment on human beings and our character, values, and problems in such a world. Many of these movies make the viewer think about how we would act in such dire circumstances.
This morning we are going to talk about how to live our lives with the end in mind. Now I know that sounds a lot like a Steven Covey book, but it is not. We are going to reflect on one verse from 1 Peter chapter 4. It is unusual that we have just one verse to read. Since we do, I would like to read it several times from different translations to cement it into our hearts.
READ 1 PETER 4:7
(NIV) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
(RSV) “The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers.”
(ESV) “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.”
(HWP) “Da time wen everyting goin pau goin come pretty soon. So you guys, use yoa head, an watch out how you make, so you can pray good.”
(MSG) “Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer.”
The basics of this verse are not difficult. The Apostle Peter directs believers in Jesus in some important attitudes as we move through our lives. He instructs us to understand the end, be intentional how we use our time, and encourages us in the practice of prayer.
I. UNDERSTAND THE END
As we think about 1 Peter 4:7, we have the option of two types of “ending.” Is Peter talking about the end of the world, as my favorite movies often describe, or something else?
First, it is possible that the Apostle Peter is thinking about the end of time and the Judgement Day of God when he uses the word “the end of all things.” In the Old Testament, “the end of all things” is called “The Day of the Lord” in books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, and Zephaniah. In the New Testament, “the end of all things” is called The Second Coming of Christ. It is the same event. When the “the end of all things” happens according to the Book of Revelation: war, famine, sickness, meteor showers, 100 pound hailstones falling on people, huge earthquakes, loss of all ocean life, a third of trees and all plant life dies, cities are toppled, fresh water is poisoned, daylight becomes scarce, and plagues of insects kill people. Peter could be thinking about such things when he says “the end of all things” is near.
Second, he could also be thinking about catastrophes that would soon be felt by all people in his time. In 70AD, about eight years after 1 Peter was probably written, the Roman military machine would destroy the temple in Jerusalem, kill thousands, and enslave many more. Josepus, a historian of the time, wrote: “The Temple Mount was everywhere enveloped in flames. It seemed to be boiling over from its base; yet the blood seemed more abundant than the flames and the numbers of the slain greater than those of the slayers. The soldiers climbed over heaps of bodies as they chased the fugitives." Many of the Jewish people would again be dispersed from the Promised Land. Peter could be commenting about the near future he had divinely seen when he says “the end of all things” is near.
I happen to think that the Apostle Peter is referencing the first meaning. “The end of all things” does not seem to reference the destruction of one city, but rather the ending of all of creation as we know it. You might say to yourself, “hey, the end hasn’t come yet so no big deal!” I think even though the “the end of all things” may seem unreal to us or far off, the basic principle of thinking about “the end of all things” still exists. We need to realize that this physical life we live is temporary. The Bible is full of verses which try and teach us not to anchor ourselves in this life. This physical life we live is temporary. The stuff we buy is temporary. The plans we make from day to day and in the future are all temporary.
* 1 Chronicles 29:15b: “Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.”
* Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
* Psalm 144:4: “Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.”
* Ephesians 5:15-16: “Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
* James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
In light of our lives being temporary, what are we supposed to do? In light of Judgment Day on the horizon or even our unexpected departure from this earth, what should be our attitude? What Peter offers in this verse is encouragement to every believer in Jesus Christ. We who live for Eternity have a specific mindset that is set by God. We who have been adopted into the family of God by the blood of Jesus live a certain way commanded by Him. We who know this world and its passions are passing away follow a certain pattern of life that is different.
II. INTENTIONAL USE OF TIME
The word "therefore” in the second phrase of the verse ties what Peter is about to say to “the end of all things” thoughts.
If we believe that Jesus could return at any moment…
If we believe Scripture which tells us Jesus will return when we least expect it…
If we believe our physical life could end at any moment…
If we believe meaning in our lives comes from God and not our stuff…
If we believe that on the last day all things will end…
… then we need to be clear-minded (watchful) and self-controlled (sober).
I looked at all the different ways different translations used these words and I believe I can summarize them both as “intentional.” There are two verbs in this part of the verse. One is the word translated "clear minded” (NIV) and the other is “self-controlled” (NIV). They are words close in meaning that has the flavor of living intentionally. We cannot be clear-minded, watchful, or sane on accident. We cannot be self-controlled, sober, or wide awake on accident.
Peter has already told us in the first part of this chapter that we who live according to the will of God do not live to fulfill the desires of the flesh. The reality is that as long as we live in this fleshly body, we are going to have to struggle with temptation. Temptation is a part of the life of every believer. Lots of folks call themselves Christians and simply are not. Christianity is not a faith that can be lived on accident or on a whim and is not a way of life that can be committed to lightly. Christianity is not…
... something inherited or synonymous with American culture
… something claimed for expediency on the campaign trail
… a desirable moral code to be passed on to kids and grandkids
The Christian faith is intentional faith in God rooted in grace found in the blood of Jesus Christ and lived out through a personal relationship with Jesus. A true believer in Jesus Christ, who holds his or her faith as important…
… Intentionally worships with fellow believers weekly
… Intentionally reads the Bible by themselves and with other believers on a regular basis
… Intentionally prays, fasts, and observes religious rituals for the purpose of drawing close to God
… Intentionally shares faith with someone who does not know
… Intentionally manages TV, movies, and music intake to reflect God-given values
… Intentionally controls the words that come out of our mouths
… Intentionally acts in a way that brings God and Jesus Christ glory and credit
As a believer in Jesus Christ, we should not wander through life with no direction. We should not live our lives reacting to what happens to us. We should not live as victims of circumstance or the will of other people. We are called to be disciplined in our lives, intentional about all aspects of our spiritual life, and live determined to make God proud of us.
The Apostle Peter is not the only one who shares such Truth. The Scriptures are packed with words that command us to intentionally follow after God. Let’s just take one book, Ephesians, and see that every single one of these verses uses terms about this life that are done with great “intention.” Nothing in the Christian life is accomplished by spiritual laziness which infects so many of us. We must chase the light with full intention:
* Ephesians 4:1: “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
* Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
* Ephesians 5:1-2: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
* Ephesians 5:8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
* Ephesians 5:15-16: “Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
* Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”
III. THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER
What the Apostle Peter said about intentional living ties directly into our prayer life. The sense of the verse here is that we should live properly, intentionally, and faithfully so that we can pray powerfully. Prayer is the manner in which we as believers can have a conversation with the God of the Universe. Prayer is intentional communication. Prayer is also something that has to be intentionally practiced if we want to be good at it.
Prayer is an essential intentional part of our relationships with God. So why might we not pray? Why might you state that you do not pray as often as you should? Why was the movie “War Room” so powerful for many of us and not simply a ho-hum example of life?
We do not pray because of pride. We like to think that we can do things on our own and are inclined to ask God for help only when it appears things are beyond our control. If any of us understood how helpless we are and how powerful prayer is, we would not attempt anything without first going to the throne of God.
We do not pray because of our view of how the world works. We feel like there is the physical world and there is the spiritual world and the two are separate. This is simply a mistake. Our physical word and the spiritual world are interconnected and when we pray we can radically change our lives.
We do not pray because we fool ourselves that we have a relationship with God. Prayer, as I mentioned before, is communication with the God of the Universe. Why talk to someone you don’t really know? Why communicate with someone you don’t have a relationship with? May I suggest that a huge reason we lack a prayer life is because in our heart of hearts we know we don’t actually have a relationship with God. We might go long stretches of time without talking to Him and we wonder why our faith stinks, why we are physically ill, or why we have bad attitudes. The depth of your relationship with God will always be defined by your prayer life. The more prayer the deeper the relationship. The less prayer the more shallow the relationship. Like it or not, that is simply the bottom line.
Lastly we do not pray because we have a serious issue with faith. We lack it. While we are told that God will hear and answer our prayers, we really don't believe it. If we truly believed it, the evidence of that belief would be that we would pray more.
The obvious question then, if we agree with such things, is how do we pray more? How do we increase our communication with God? How do we become people whose prayers are powerful and effective? [Well, I got to tell ya, it ain’t gonna happen on accident.] What did Peter already tell us in this verse? He already told us that we must bring intentionality into our relationship with God.
You have to intentionally set aside time to pray.
You have to intentionally set aside a quiet space to pray.
You have to intentionally set aside brain energy and willingness to pray.
You have to intentionally pray about specific people and situations.
Intentionally. Intentionally. Intentionally. Intentionally. It ain’t gonna happen on accident.
SUMMARY/APPLICATION
Let’s say you wake up and the whole world is run by apes and chimpanzees. How will you act?
What if the whole world is taken over by machines? How will you live your life?
Let’s say atomic bombs drop and the whole world is a desert. What will you find most important?
What if a disease sweeps through the whole world. What will your morals be like?
What if Al Gore is right and the ice caps melt and the whole world floods? Don’t worry, Genesis 8:21 says that is impossible and the world will not flood. Another verse says Al Gore is never right.
What if war happens and the world is left lawless? What would be your guide for right and wrong?
Let’s say the whole world ends up on a space cruise ship and we forget how to live. How will you act?
The post-apocalyptic movies I love so much are fun to watch and are imaginative stories. They show us in a fictional way that this world we live in is so very temporary. Our live is temporary. Houses, cars, boats, clothes, clean water, fresh food, and other luxuries are honestly so temporary.
One thing is absolutely certain. This world is not all there is and one day it will come to a crashing end and we will have had to make a choice by then. Your life may come to an end in death. Your life may come to an end when Jesus comes back.
Either way, how will you live while you wait?
Either way, how will you raise your family as days pass?
Either way, what type of person will you be?
READ 1 PETER 4:7
(NIV) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
CONCLUSION
