Series: Live Well [#8]
LIVE IN CHRIST
1 Peter 4:1-11
Introduction:
We live in a time when people work very hard at telling us how to think. The World tells us to be passive and tolerant. Businesses tell us to think about their product and they do that with advertisements that sometimes should never be seen. Schools tell our children to think like the world. Even many pastors, teachers, and congregations tell us to think like the world. What does the Bible tell us?
1 Peter 4:1-7
1. Think like Jesus.
In order for us to live in godliness, we must think like Jesus. When we were saved, we died to the old self and was born again. Now I know we won’t be perfect, but we are to strive towards perfection. We should give up our “old ways” of living. We have wasted way too much time living for the devil. We should spend the rest of our days on this earth living for God.
We must not allow “peer pressure” to hold us back. In the end, each person will have to stand before God and give an account of their life. If that person was a Christian, their sins have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus and they will be judged for the things they did that counted for Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
The rewards that are referred to here are crowns. There are several types of crowns you can receive. Believers will cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus. What a wonderful way to worship Jesus Christ. Let’s look at some of the crowns that believers in Jesus Christ could receive.
1 Corinthians 9:25
* The Victor’s Crown.
Revelation 2:10
* Martyr’s Crown.
1 Peter 5:2-4
* Pastor’s Crown.
2 Timothy 4:8
* Crown for those who love His appearing.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
* Soul Winner’s Crown.
We are to think like Jesus. The results of thinking and living like Jesus did are crowns that we will receive in Heaven. There are some days that living for Christ seem like a waste of time, but the end is near.
1 Peter 4:7-11
2. Think clearly.
If we are not careful, we can allow Satan to trick us into believing we are defeated, while in fact through Jesus Christ we have the victory. Notice we are to bathe everything in prayer; but even more important than prayer is to love one another. Notice that when we love others with the love of Christ, that some of our problems seem unnoticeable. God has allowed us so many ways to show others His love. God has gifted each one of us as His children in certain ways so that we can more effectively witness to a lost and dying world. See, we have all of the resources and therefore we have no valid excuses for not serving God.
Christians, are you thinking like Jesus and are you thinking clearly? The victory has already been won through Jesus Christ, now it is time for God’s children to “step up to the plate” and start serving God as He has intended us to.
