1 Pet 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
1 Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
1 Pet 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
1 Pet 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Pet 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Last time we took our message from the epistle of 1st Peter where Peter encourages his readers how to respond as they lived in a world that hated them because it hated their Savior.
In this letter, the Apostle Peter is addressing Jewish Christians who had been persecuted and fled their homes and lands. In this letter, Peter attempts to provide an explanation for their "fiery trial" (1 Pet. 4:12).
Peter wanted his readers to know that they should view their suffering through the agonies of Jesus.
Peter wanted his readers to know that there was a divine purpose in their suffering.
He wanted his readers to know that there was a proper response the Christian should have to suffering.
Peter wanted his readers to know that Christians suffer so that they might become more like their Savior, Jesus Christ.
It happens more often that we would like to admit it that when we suffer, when we are in pain, we take it out on the people who are the closest to us. The pressures of “not enough money” transform mom or dad into a walking time bomb ready to go off when the most innocent of statements are made, “Can we go to McDonalds” or “My shoes are getting too tight.”
So it was in the church, that when the world came against it and persecuted it, the tendency for Christians under pressure to attack one another increased.
As the eschatological calendar comes to an end and Satan realizes his time is up, he will increase his attack against the beloved ones of Christ and rather than coming together to “resist the devil” the saints of God will bite and devour one another. (Gal 5:15)
So Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:7-8, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins.”
(1) …therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
The word serious (NKJV) or sober(KJV) or clear-minded (NIV) comes from the Greek word, sophroneo, so-fron-eh'-o and means to be of sound mind, i.e. sane, or to be in right mind.
You can break the word sophroneo down and find two Greek words. One that means “to save” and another that has to do with the mind. And I suppose we could extrapolate from this that the basic idea is to keep your mind safe, save your mind, guard it, protect it, and keep it clear. Another way to put that would be to fix it on spiritual priorities, fix it on holy things. To borrow Paul's statement to the Colossians, "Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth."
It also could imply here that the Christian is not to be swept away by emotion, not to be swept away by passion. It is the same word used in Mark 5:15 where it talks about the maniac, whom Jesus delivered from the legion of demons and it says he was clothed and in his right mind.
It is used in Romans 12:3, "We are not to think more highly than we ought to think but to think sanely...to think soundly, to bring our mind, as it were, captive to divine truth."
Everything proceeds out of the mind. The Bible says, "As a man thinks, so he acts." A sound mind, sound judgment is reflective of a holy orientation. The sinful, self-indulgent, deceiving, demonically influenced world in which we live, is a very easy place to lose your spiritual mind! It's a great place to lose your mental and moral balance. And so Peter says be spiritually sane. Think on God, think on spiritual things, think on holy things, think God's thoughts.
But Peter is not done. Look again at verse 7. He says, "Be of sound judgment," and then adds, "and sober spirit." The NIV says, “Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
The KJV tells us to be watchful.
This means basically to keep a clear head, to take serious things seriously, to be vigilant, to be alert. In Matthew 24:42 it's translated "be on the alert." In Matthew 26:40 and 41, "Be watching."
Putting these two terms together in 1st Peter we learn that, "Having sound judgment or thinking God’s thoughts leads to spiritual alertness...spiritual watchfulness." It leads to the ability to view things in the eternal perspective, in the divine perspective and to establish right responses.”
It is so easy for us to “spaz out” or “freak out” when the world around us is falling apart, when the world is so unholy and ungodly and so sinful but God wants us to be clear minded and self controlled. He wants us to be of sound judgment and alert. Why?
Sound judgment and sober spirit are for the purpose of prayer. Why? Because holiness flows out of direct communion with a holy God. And when the Christian’s communion is hindered by a cluttered mind, an imbalanced mind, a confused mind, a self-centered mind, a mind knocked out of balance by worldly lusts and pursuits, a mind victimized by emotion or passion out of control, a mind that is ignorant of God's truth, a mind that is indifferent to God's purposes…when our communion is hindered by these things, we cannot possibly commune with God in prayer.
How do you exercise sound judgment? How do you stay alert? You do these things by getting in the Word of God. Studying the Word of God, meditating on the Word of God, hiding the Word of God in your heart so as the world turns, you won’t get knocked off balance. When the guiding light of this world shines, you will recognize it as a false light. If you take heed to the Word of truth, though you may be young, you won’t be restless.
So Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:7-8, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins.”
(2) And above all things have fervent love for one another…
In verse 8 Peter says, "Above all." What he is saying is that first in importance in terms of relationships is love.
The word "fervent," ektenes is an anatomical word. It means to be stretched, to be strained. It is used of a runner who is running at maximum output with taut muscles straining and stretching to the limit. It is used in some extra-biblical literature of a horse straining the great muscles in running full speed. It means intense, strenuous, reaching as far as you can reach to the limit of your capacity.
This is not the first time Peter uses this word. Back in chapter 1:22 he uses it: "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren," in other words, since you've become a Christian and since being a Christian means you love the brethren, he goes on to say, "fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again.”
It's as if he's saying, “Now that you're a Christian and have been born again, the obvious reaction is to love one another and to love one another not complacently, not marginally, not minimally, but stretched and strained, intensely.” This is a fundamental Christian truth. He is not calling for a mushy kind of sentimentalism which some used to call sloppy agape. He's talking about a demanding love. He's talking about an intense love. He's talking about a sacrificial love.
Peter says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." (1 Pet 4:8) And right after this command he issues another: “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (1 Pet 4:9)
Peter makes this statement because there is a correlation between fervent love and hospitality.
The word “hospitable” literally means “to love strangers.” But the word “strangers” here does not refer to “bad people.” We teach our children not to talk to strangers and our children think of strangers as being bad people.
Strangers are not always “bad people.” You are a “stranger” to someone who doesn’t know you. Strangers are people who are unfamiliar. Many times they are people who appear to be different than you are because you do not know them.
Most who study the New Testament background understand that traveling Christians, traveling ministers and preachers couldn't stay in the inns of those days which were a little more than houses of ill repute. The early Christian ministers probably couldn't have existed if there wasn't the hospitality that was offered by the church.
If GraceWay Church is going to grow we are going to have to obey this passage of Scripture. We cannot say we are doing the will of God if we choose only to love those we know.
The early church had this problem too or else Peter would not have had a need to exhort them to “be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”
The hospitality Peter had in mind was Christians opening their homes to people they were unfamiliar with, very much like we are doing with our LIFE Groups. We are expected to open our homes so that we can assemble together for teaching, fellowship, meals and prayer (Acts 2:42).
Do you remember that the book of Hebrews says, "Be careful how you treat a stranger, you might be dealing with an angel?" The writer wants us to think back to the book of Genesis when God and a couple of angels visited Abraham and Sarah. Hospitality was commanded in Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 14:28 and 29.
Jesus spoke of hospitality when He encouraged His followers to give a cup of cold water to the least of His in His name. And in Luke 14 we find Jesus telling His followers to go out into the highways and call the poor and the blind and the lame and bring them into their homes and feed them.
But the whole spirit of this is bigger than just providing a meal and opening a door, it's embracing the fact that we are to love people outside our normal circle and to do it without grumbling, without murmuring, without grudging and without the attitude contained in what the Poor Richard's Almanac says, "Fish and visitors smell in three days."
But then Christian hospitality isn’t just receiving people into your home but it is also having an attitude of charity toward the person who opens their home to you. In other words, if a family is going through the expense of preparing for your arrival, you ought to arrive. You ought to arrive with something in your hand.
If the teacher is spending hours of time needed to prepare to teach you, you ought to come with an open heart for the Word of God and you ought to come on time and without grumbling.
It is hard enough living in a world that hates your guts but to have to hang around people who act like they do not like you or appreciate you…sometimes that can be even more painful.
Peter continues in verse ten:
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Pet 4:10).
(1) Be serious and watchful in your prayers.
(2) Have fervent love for one another…
(3) Put your Spiritual Gift to Work
The Greek word for "gift" is charisma, khar'-is-mah; which is a (divine) benefit or a (spiritual) endowment. It is a supernatural ability from God given to each believer for ministry.
Charisma is often thought to be charm or magnetism, but the Greek word is actually a combination of two other words. "Charis" is the Greek word for "grace." This denotes that the gift is something that is freely and graciously given. Breaking the word down further we see the word "Char" which is the Greek word for "joy." This introduces the dimension of motivation, desire, incentive, or burden.
Putting these together, the spiritual gift is a supernatural ability from God given to each believer for ministry.
People who know their spiritual gift and are using it in a ministry have a drive and zeal and burden and joy that has total disregard for weariness.
I can remember the many times when I have come home from work tired and have had to go right back out to do a visitation. There is something about doing ministry that refreshes me and sends me home happy and full of energy. It is the joy of the Lord that comes from doing ministry.
Spiritual gifts are not natural gifts or talents. People who have mental, athletic, artistic, or musical abilities have either inherited these from their parents or developed them by rigorous training and practice.
Spiritual gifts are given by God, independent of our parents. Peter says, “As each one has received a special gift…” Each person who has surrendered their life to Jesus Christ has been given a special gift.
"Each" - hekatos – This word stands emphatically at the beginning of the sentence. It emphasizes that the duties and the function of a steward have been assigned to every believer. Every believer is responsible to be a steward of his gift.
"Received" - The word "received" is in the aorist tense (a snapshot of an event in time) and indicates a definite bestowal of the gift in the past…at the moment of salvation.
"Employ it" - Peter says that these gifts were to be employed in serving "ourselves"? NO! The Christian is to use his or her gift to serve one another and to build up one another.
There are principals that we can draw from this verse:
Each believer has been given at least one spiritual gift.
Each believer has been given at least one spiritual gift at the moment he or she trusted Jesus Christ.
Each believer should know his spiritual gift.
Each believer should exercise his spiritual gift.
Last time we learned from Ephesians chapter four that when Jesus was crucified, He descended into the lower parts of the earth and then ascended leading captive a host of those who had been captive and then He gave gifts to men (4:7-8).
The picture was a king returning from war parading down “Main Street” with those who had been prisoners of the enemy. But not only did he have the prisoners who had been set free, he had the spoils of war taken from the enemy as part of the victory. He would fling the gold, silver and precious stones to his subjects.
The Bible says that when Jesus ascended from the grave, He gave gifts to His followers!
Why would Jesus go through the pain and the expense of giving gifts that were not to be used? Have you ever spent a large sum of money for a gift only to discover it collecting dust on a shelf, in a closet or under a bed?
When you are not exercising your spiritual gift on a regular basis in the local assembly, you are disabling the body.
Illustration from Aesop
One day it occurred to the members of the body that they were doing all the work and that the belly was having all the food. So they held a meeting and after a long discussion decided to strike and stop working in order to force the belly to take its proper share of the work.
So for a day or two the hands refused to take the food, the mouth refused to receive it and the teeth had no work to do.
But after a day or two the members began to get lethargic. The hands could hardly move, the mouth was all parched and dry, while the legs were unable to support the rest of the body.
Thus they found that even the belly in its unexciting, quiet way, was doing necessary work for the body and that all must work together or the body would go to pieces.
When you are not exercising your spiritual gift on a regular basis in the local assembly, you are disabling the body. The entire ministry of the church suffers when one member doesn’t contribute. We all work together, sharing our gifts so that the body of Christ might be built up.
Peter continues in our text with the word "serving."
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Pet 4:10).
(4) Put your gift to work in serving one another…
"Serving" - This word denotes ministering. In its broadest sense it can mean beneficial service that is freely rendered to another.
In 1st Peter 4:10 it is used in its narrow sense to denote "the exercise of your gift in a formal ministry."
In other words, Peter isn’t just referring to serving wherever and with whomever and whenever you deem necessary. I’ve talked to some who say things like, “I serve at my kid’s school” or “I serve at the local fire station” or “I serve at the local mission.”
Peter isn’t speaking of “community service.” He is speaking of the exercise or employment of your gift or gifts in a formal ministry at your local church.” He says, referring to your gift, “employ it in serving one another…”
The Bible says that we are not to be ignorant of the devil's schemes or devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Let me share with you just one of the ways the devil is scheming against the church in the 21st century. He is keeping the body of Christ busy doing things that will not reap eternal dividends.
Christians are extremely involved in programs and projects and activities that rob them of their time and energy needed to do the work of God. Not only is their time and energy going into these things but their passion and finances are being poured into these things and depleting the physical and financial resources needed to build the kingdom of God.
One area where Christians are particularly busy is the arena of extra curricular activities like little league sports and other after school activities.
Please do not think I am picking on you who have children involved in these things. I use after school activities, especially sports, as an example because this topic is currently in the news.
In his keynote address at the International Youth Sports Conference, called, Harvard, Soccer, Over-Scheduled Families, Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, MD said:
As sports administrators, you are working hard to make sports a constructive part of kids' lives. But you know better than I, your your job is often made harder because children's athletics are being professionalized. Many kids are enticed into organized leagues where the joy of playing sports with friends is not the goal; the goal is winning big, perhaps getting to the Little League World Series, an oxymoron if ever there was one. This development is connected to hyper-parenting and over-scheduling families, concerns that … I share.
Something about raising kids has changed; parenting is now America's most competitive adult sport. Once upon a time there was a children's world … where kids … could do what they wanted to. Playing fields used to be part of this children's world, even for parents who loved sports. Today, many have become places where adults congregate to see how their children measure up in the early phases of the race to Harvard.
Consider with me the escalating violence in kid’s sports. The parents of athletes occasionally become violent. Some taunt or hit coaches, players, and other parents. Others bully their own children, lashing out as punishment or misguided encouragement.
I did a search on “violence in kid’s sports” and it returned over three million hits. Violence in sports, particularly the after school sports kind, is on the rise.
Let me share with you a solution that was published by the Associated Press on October 9, 2006:
CHICAGO - Here’s some soothing medicine for stressed-out parents and overscheduled kids: The American Academy of Pediatrics says what children really need for healthy development is more good, old-fashioned playtime.
Many parents load their children’s schedules with get-smart videos, enrichment activities and lots of classes in a drive to help them excel. The efforts often begin as early as infancy.
Spontaneous, free play — whether it’s chasing butterflies, playing with “true toys” like blocks and dolls, or just romping on the floor with mom and dad — often is sacrificed in the shuffle, a new academy report says.
It might be obvious by this time why I bring all this up. It used to be said that Christians were about five to ten years behind the world. In other words, when a sinful fad or fashion came out Christians would initially label it as “sinful” but within five to ten years would be doing it or wearing it or imitating it themselves. Today, it is often hard to tell the difference between those who profess to follow Christ and those who don’t.
When it comes to after school activities, Christians are running their children to and fro and when it comes to doing ministry they are either too busy to get involved, too exhausted or too broke to do any good for Jesus.
Please don’t walk away thinking “Pastor Chuck thinks that having my children in little league is sin.”
I would not say this is sin but when I think of the busyness that hinders the ministry I cannot help but think of Hebrews 12:1 where the writer says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”
In this verse “weight” is the thing that slows us down and hinders us but sin is the thing that entangles us, keeping us from running the race.
The devil has duped many Christians into an extreme involvement in activities to the point where they are “weighed down” and cannot run the Christian race with endurance. In other words, we are just too busy.
The funny thing is that our busyness comes at a time when we live with or use things that are designed to free up our time. We have fast food, instant hot cereal, waffles, biscuits and Jimmy Dean sausages that are already cooked. We have microwave popcorn and microwave macaroni and cheese.
Microwave ovens and other modern gadgets are advertised as time-savers. Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) guide to our next destination fast. We have robot vacuums that work so we can have time to do something else. Our clothes are wash and wear. Car commercials convince potential buyers of their speed-“zoom, zoom, zoom.” We hurry, we rush, and we run. We’re busy, busy, busy; living life in the fast lane.
There is no time for the kind of prayer and communion with the Lord we were talking about earlier.
There is no time to get into the Word of God in order to exercise sound judgment and be alert.
There is no time to discover one’s spiritual giftedness and put it to work in serving one another in the body of Christ.
The devil has duped us into being busy doing things that have some profit here but little or no profit in eternity. This is exactly what Jesus warns us against in Mark 8:
Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Mark 8:35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Mark 8:37 "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus says that His disciples should seek the kingdom first. He says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” What does that mean?
* It means that the list of priorities is headed by seeking His rule in your life.
* It means that no matter how fast you’re going, you better slow down enough to make sure you’re going in the right direction.
* It means that you should make sure your heart is right before you go running around life.
If your physical activities are running into your spiritual priorities, it’s time to stop—yes, stop—long enough to re-examine where it is that you’re going.
Peter continues…“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Pet 4:10).
How do we do the will of God in a world that hates the Savior and His people?
(1) Be serious and watchful in your prayers.
(2) Have fervent love for one another…
(3) Put your Spiritual Gift to Work
(4) Put your gift to work in serving one another…
(5) Be a good steward of the manifold grace of God.
"Good Stewards" - A steward is one to whom property or wealth was entrusted to be administered according to the owner's will and direction. Stewardship is not ownership.
The Holy Spirit has entrusted each believer with a spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says. "In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful." In other words, poor stewardship is sin.
What are believers to be good stewards of? Believers are to be good stewards of the "manifold grace of God." "Manifold" refers to a "many-colored" or "multifaceted" or many dimensional gift that we possess.
The same word is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament when used in connection with Joseph's coat of many colors (Genesis 37:3).
In other words the Christian is a spiritual snowflake. Two Christians may have the same spiritual gift for ministry, but the way that gift works its way out is unique to every individual.
Both Pastor John and Pastor Jim may have the gift of teaching but this gift is given to each of them according to the multifaceted grace of God.
Both Sister Arlene and Sister Beverly may have the gift of serving, but this gift is given to each of them with shades that are unique to them according to the multi-colored grace of God.
The blessing is that when we all come together and use our gifts there will be a beautiful rainbow of ministry that reflects much glory to God.
(6) Give God the glory by using your gift
1 Pet 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The word “glory” is doxa, dox'-ah; from which we get our English word doxology. It means glory (as very apparent), dignity, glory (-ious), honor, praise, and worship.
The verb thus often comes to mean, “give weight to, honor”
It is like a person who works for several hours on his car. He washes it; vacuums it; details it; simonizes it; buffs it and sprays that good smelling stuff in it. When you and I walk past it we look at it and say, "Look how that car shines!” “That’s a nice car!” “He really loves that car!” “I want a car like that!”
Glory is that side of God which humans recognize and to which humans respond in confession, worship, and praise.
Peter is saying in verse 11 that as we serve the Lord we are glorifying Him—God begins to “shine” in our lives. How does God shine through our ministry?
* God shines when people are delivered from sin
* God shines when lives are changed
* God shines when people who were once enslaved to various lusts and pleasures like drug addiction and sexual promiscuity are set free;
* When those who once had nasty attitudes become gentle men and women;
* God shines when unruly children are obedient to their parents
* When the hateful are loving and the bitter have sweet spirits
* God shines when marriages are restored
* God shines when families that are torn apart by strife experience reconciliation
When people behold the results of our service—God shines! God gets all the glory!
Folk will say: “What an awesome God!” “I want their God in my life!” “Tell me more about this Jesus.” “I need what they have.” “I need Jesus!” “Jesus save me!” “Jesus deliver me!”
As we serve we are "giving weight to" or honoring our Lord. As we serve, God is glorified!
(1) Be serious and watchful in your prayers.
(2) Have fervent love for one another…
(3) Put your Spiritual Gift to Work
(4) Put your gift to work in serving one another…
(5) Be a good steward of the manifold grace of God.
(6) Give God the glory by using your gift
