This morning, we continue with our study of First Peter. As a reminder, 1 Peter is a general epistle, written in the first century to believers in several Roman provinces, in what today is the country of Turkey. Peter’s main purpose in writing the letter was to encourage them to maintain a Christ-centered and God-honoring way of life, in the midst of a culture that was at best, indifferent, and at worst, openly hostile to their faith.
As we saw last week, as these believers faced the challenges of following Christ in a pagan culture, Peter instructed them not to assimilate completely, by engaging in sinful practices, nor to withdraw, but to engage with their non-Christian neighbors in a humble and respectful way. They were to arm themselves for their battle against sin by adopting the same attitude in their own minds and hearts which was demonstrated by Christ when going to the cross: that is, to be willing to suffer, if that should be God’s will, rather than to sin by disobeying God. They were to choose suffering over sinning. We further saw that doing so was not optional, because sin wages war against our souls, and we will all will stand before the judgement seat of God. However, we are not alone in our struggle, because Christ was made like us in every way, and he himself endured temptation, so that he is able to strengthen us to endure suffering. That is 1 Peter 4:1-6, the Cliff Notes version.
This morning, Peter brings out another way in which our view of the world, and our approach to daily life, differs from that of our culture and our unbelieving neighbors. Here’s it is: We are living in light of eternity. We see this present age as being limited in duration, not just going on forever but having an end point, when human history as we know it will come to a close, the end of this story will be written, and the real story, the eternal story, will begin. I like the way that C. S. Lewis phrases it in the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia:
“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” ? C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle
This morning, we’re going to talk about what that means, and what it means for how we live now. But first, I’d like to pose a question, the same question you considered in the discussion time. If you knew that the world was going to end in thirty days, what would you do? If you knew that in one month all life on earth would come to a sudden and unavoidable end, how would you spend that time?
Hollywood has given us some possible answers to that question; the destruction of the world is a theme that has been treated in dramas, and action films, and even comedies. And in those movies, you have the gamut of human responses. Some people are indifferent or in denial; they decide to go on with their lives just as before, as if nothing was happening. Others run wild, killing, setting fires, looting, destroying property. Some fall into depression. Or they decide to engage in every kind of immorality and self-indulgence. Others are more heroic, doing what they can to maintain their humanity until the end.
But this is not just an academic question, or a plot device for movies. This world really is going to end. Christians know this. Human history will come to a conclusion. And the question for us is: so what? How should we live, as followers of Christ, in light of that sure and certain knowledge, that this world, all of it, is all going to come to a screeching halt?
Let’s start by reading today’s passage, 1 Peter 4:7-11
Peter begins this passage by telling us that “The end of all things is near”. So right off the bat, we have an interpretive issue. What did he mean? If Peter meant this in a strictly chronological sense, that Christ would return in the next few years, then of course he was wrong, because this letter was written almost two thousand years ago. We reject that interpretation, because all Scripture is inspired by God, and God doesn’t make mistakes.
I could go into all of the theological arguments for Biblical inerrancy, but that’s basically what they boil down to. All Scripture is inspired by God, and God doesn’t make mistakes.
But that’s not the only reason. We see throughout the New Testament that the idea of “nearness” does not have an exclusively chronological, or time-based, sense; it has a range of meanings. For example, in the gospels, Jesus proclaimed that “the kingdom of heaven has come near”, meaning that his hearers were in the presence of God’s power; they were witnessing the manifestation of God’s rule and dominion over his creation. When Christ sends out his disciples, he gives them these instructions:
“7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8)
“8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” (Luke 10:9-10)
“Nearness”, in these passages, has to do with nearness to God’s power and his kingdom. It indicates that, in the birth and the ministry of Christ, events had been set in motion which would inevitably lead to the end of the present age. That is what the Bible means when it says that we are living in the “last days”. The present age, the time between Christ’s first coming and his second coming, are the last days, the final act of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. And we have been in the “last days” since New Testament times. Let me give you some examples:
On the day of Pentecost, we read this:
“14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:14-17)
“This”, Peter says, “is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” when he prophesied about the last days. In other words, Peter is saying, the last days have begun. What you are witnessing is evidence of that prophecy being fulfilled. The things that God said would happen in the last days are beginning to happen now, right before your eyes.
And in the letter to the Hebrews, we read this:
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)
“In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”. We are now in the last days, the final era of human history. And because of that, as Peter writes, “The end of all things is near”. It was near for Peter and those to whom he wrote this letter, and it is near for us. We are in the last days, the final chapter of human history, and so “the end of all things is near”.
Let me repeat this. Peter’s statement that “the end of all things is near,” was true for him and his contemporaries, and it is also true for us, because they were in the last days, just as we are in the last days. The last days are the time that began with Jesus birth and ministry, and which will conclude with his return. And Christ’s return is imminent, meaning that it could happen at any time, because we are in the last days. Does that make sense to you?
Now, does that mean there is no chronological aspect to that nearness at all? No, certainly not. In fact, we should be mindful of the fact that the day of Christ’s return is getting closer all the time. As Paul writes in Romans 13:11-13,
“11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” (Romans 13:11-13)
Paul in Romans is making a similar point as Peter does in this letter. Because we are living in the last days, because Christ’s return and the conclusion of human history is near, because the time of God’s judgment is bearing down on us, we ought to live in a certain way. Not as unbelievers do, but in a way that is distinctive, and holy, and which honors God. And Peter is now going to tell us what that looks like. Let’s look at verse 7:
“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” (1 Peter 4:7)
“Therefore”. In light of what we know is coming, we should “be alert and of sober mind”. And what did we just read in Romans? What did Paul tell them to do? Wake up! “wake up from your slumber”! What does that tell us? It tells us that being awake and alert are not our natural state. So we have to be intentional about it. We have to choose to be alert to spiritual things, or else our hearts and minds will naturally become dull and inattentive.
What does the author of Hebrews say?
“11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” (Hebrews 5:11, ESV)
That’s what can happen to us. Over time, if we don’t discipline ourselves and take steps to avoid it, we can become “dull of hearing”, so that God’s voice just becomes background noise, something we barely notice. And we can’t allow that to happen.
When you think about, Satan doesn’t have to deceive us to keep us from hearing and obeying God. He just has to distract us. All he needs to do is keep us so focused on the daily minutiae of this life that we come to the end of the week and realize that we’ve given little or no thought to the things of God. Or worse yet, we don’t realize it. The days and weeks pass, and our minds are wholly occupied with this life and this world. Do you ever feel that’s the case? That you’re so caught up in this decision, and that decision, and what’s going on at work, and at home, and with our country, and with the Kardashians . . .
The Kardashians? Yes, because it’s not just our own affairs that we get caught up in, but the absolutely trivial stuff that we find on Facebook, and Instagram, and Twitter (or X), and the internet in general. Now, is there a place for that stuff? Perhaps. A very small place. We all need a little break sometimes. But if you pause and look down at your phone, and half an hour later you’re still scrolling, because you went down a rabbit hole, and now you’re reading all about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, and their wedding, and where it’s going to be, and who they’re inviting, and who they’re not inviting, and who’s mad that they’re not being invited . . . then that habit of looking at social media is completely opposed to being “alert and of sober mind”, as Peter is telling us we need to be. Because our time is limited. And the more we invest it in trivial things, the less we have for what matters.
Let me share a few more verses on this topic. I want to drive this home, because I think that distraction is one of the main ways that Satan keeps God’s people away from God. And we need to think about what it means to have the spiritual alertness and mental sobriety that the Scriptures call us to.
First of all, Peter emphasizes this in this letter:
“13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (1 Peter 1:13)
“8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
The importance of being awake and alert is also repeated elsewhere. Christ tells us in the gospel of Mark:
“32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33)
And Paul writes,
“18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18)
5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6)
Modern life, with all of its distractions, is the enemy of spiritual alertness and mental self-control or sobriety. It’s not all your fault. But you do have to do something about it. Let me give you a couple of suggestions.
Here’s one. It’s a bit radical. Turn your phone off for while. I don’t mean just turning off the display, I mean power it off entirely. For some of you, that’s like a Scuba diver disconnecting their air hose. Why turn it off? Because a phone that is on, even if you’re not looking at it, can beep at you to tell you a text came in that you absolutely have to check right now. Or an email. Or a notification from some app. And so you look at the text or the notification, and while you are looking at your phone you might as well check the score of the Guardians game, and an hour later . . . Right? So just turn it off. Maybe for an hour to start with.
I know it’s possible to live without being constantly connected to the internet, to the cell network, the electronic “ether”. Because I’ve done it. Most of us in this room have done it. We lived significant portions of our lives during a time when no one had constant access to information and communication. And we survived. For the younger folks you’ll have to take my word for it. There was a time when no one had cell phones. If we wanted to talk to someone, we had to hitch up the horse and buggy and ride over to their house and talk to them. So try that. Same things goes for the computer, and the television. Just turn them off.
And do what? Pick up this book, for one. Read it. Read through 1 Peter. Maybe a couple of times. Take notes. Write down questions. Look up the answers. Think about what it means. Think about how to apply it. Review your notes from last week’s sermon. Be spiritually alert. And do what Peter says we should do, with minds that are alert and sober. What is that? Pray.
“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” (1 Peter 4:7)
Pray. What’s the connection between a clear mind and prayer? Again, the enemy of prayer is distraction. As soon as you begin to pray, everything on your to-do list immediately comes to mind. What am I going to do about this situation, that situation? What about those issues at work? Your mind starts to swirl, and you just give up. Here’s a suggestion. When you pray, keep a notebook handy. As soon as some thought enters your mind, some decision you need to make, some task you need to complete, write it down so that you can deal with it later. Writing it down gets it out of your mind and on to the paper. And then you can get back to praying. Just a little trick that you may find helpful.
All right. What else does Peter tell us? What else should we do, because we know that the end of all things is coming?
“8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
“Above all” do what? This is so important, so critically important that Peter puts it it before everything else. That we love one another. Jesus told us that our love for one another would be the one thing that would set Christians apart from everyone else:
“34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-5)
This is vitally important, not only because of our witness to the world, but also because this is how a church holds together in the midst of a hostile culture — or doesn’t. When a church is under pressure, it will survive or perish based on whether its members love one another. It’s that simple.
But thankfully, that’s not a problem, because all Christians are loveable, and easy to get along with, and well behaved, at all times. Right? Well, if that were true, then Peter wouldn’t have told us that love is needed to cover a “multitude” of sins. A “multitude”. Do you know what a “multitude” is? It’s a whole lot. You will need to love deeply to be in fellowship with other Christians, because you (and they) will need to “cover over” a “multitude of sins”. What does that mean? To “cover over” sins doesn’t mean to conceal, or hide them, but to forgive them. And just as God’s love covered over, or forgave, a multitude of sins in us, we also will need to cover over, or forgive, a multitude of sins in our brothers and sisters in Christ. As well as they, in us. As Paul writes in Ephesians and Colossians:
“31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
“12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14)
We are to forgive one another as God in Christ forgave us. And how did Christ forgive us? He forgave us completely, without any lingering bitterness or resentment. He forgave us willingly and gladly, rather than grudgingly or reluctantly. He forgave us without demanding that we pay for our sins, because we were unable to do so. He sacrificed what was rightfully his in order to forgive us. And most of all, he forgave us because he loved us. And that is what Peter is saying we are to do for one another. To forgive one another in this way, to “cover over” one another’s sins, not because they or we deserve it, but because we love them. And we are able to do that because we know that we needed, and we received, that kind of love and forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Amen?
Is this easy? No, it is not. Anyone who has tried it knows that. It isn’t easy, and it isn’t necessarily quick. It is hard. Sometimes very hard. And it can take a long time to fully forgive. Which is why we need to be “alert and of sober mind,” as Peter tells us. Because if we are distracted, and our minds are set on worldly things, we will not have the spiritual strength and stamina to do the hard work of forgiving one another. Which is probably why true forgiveness is not as common among Christians as it should be.
All right, that’s too convicting. Let’s move on. What else are we to do, as those who are living in light of the end of all things?
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9)
“Offer hospitality?” So we’re giving parties? Well, no. Hospitality and entertaining are two different things. What’s in view here isn’t big gatherings, or feasts. It’s the regular practice of opening your home and your life to others in the church. Why is that important?
First of all, it’s a way of supporting those who are in financial difficulty. Remember, in the first century there was no public assistance, no food stamps. And any Christians who refused to participate in the sinful practices of their culture, as we discussed last week, could find it difficult to survive economically. They could be shunned, or discriminated against. They could lose their jobs. Hospitality was a way of providing practical support to believers who were suffering economic distress, so that they wouldn’t be tempted to compromise their morals in order to earn a living. So hospitality is way of supporting other believers when they find it challenging to put food on the table — for whatever reason, job loss, sickness, lots of mouths to feed, personal trauma, whatever. And often it’s the caring, as much as the food, that ministers to them, that tells them they’re not alone.
And second, hospitality is a way of deepening fellowship, even when financial need isn’t a factor. It’s one thing to come here on Sunday morning, and enjoy being with other believers. And we treasure that fellowship. But having people into your home, or going to someone else’s home, for a Bible study, or a meal, or just to share your lives with them, is another level of fellowship. You really get to know someone when you spend time with them in their home. It breaks down the barriers between people. And we are to do this cheerfully and gladly, without grumbling about the cost, or the inconvenience, or whether they ever invite us over in return. We are to do this gladly, even those of us who are proud members of the introvert club, who would rather just sit at home and eat Chinese takeout while watching TV. Have you heard about the introvert club? They never meet.
Why is it important that we do the things Peter is talking about? Because if we don’t do them, the world will. The world will offer a kind of fellowship, a kind of acceptance, a kind of love, a kind of support. But that fellowship, and acceptance, and love, and support will come attached to a lifestyle that isn’t honoring to God, that isn’t devoted to serving him. And over time, if the world is offering something that the church isn’t, then people will be drawn away from the church and back into the world. It’s really that simple. We do these things for our survival, as the people of God. We really do need one another. Amen?
All right. There’s one more thing Peter tells us we need to do, as those who are living in anticipation of the end of all things.
“10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
We need to serve one another with the gifts, that we have received from God. The first thing we need to note is how verse ten begins: “Each of you”. Each of you should use your gifts to serve others. And by “others”, Peter means primarily your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. So look around you. You should be serving these people, somehow. Because God has gifted you for that purpose. Why? For the building up of the church, HIS church. As Paul writes,
“Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12).
That’s the purpose of serving one another. To build up Christ’s church. So we all have a job to do. Well, you might ask, what is it? What is my gift? Here’s the answer. Very simple. Whatever you can do is your gift. There are several lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. But those lists are just examples. They aren’t all-inclusive. Churches sometimes make this complicated and scientific, with lists, and definitions, and inventories — and those can be helpful, if they get people off the couch and serving. But they can also be a hindrance, if people focus on “discovering” their gifts instead of serving. The truth is that it’s really not complicated at all. As Peter tells us, there are speaking gifts — having to do primarily with studying and talking, and there are serving gifts — which primarily involve doing. That’s it. Whatever you can do to serve God’s people and God’s church falls into one or both of those categories. And those are your spiritual gifts. So do those things. As Peter instructs us, if your gift involves speaking, then labor to make sure that what you are saying reflects the truth of God’s Word. And if it’s serving, or doing, then work at it, diligently, with all the strength he gives you. It’s that simple.
OK, so what about music? Is music a gift? It’s not in any of the lists. Let me ask you a question: can you use music to serve God’s people and God’s church? Yes? Then it’s a gift! What about art? Is art a spiritual gift? Same question: can you use art to serve God’s people and God’s church? Yes? Then it’s a spiritual gift! It’s an ability given to you by the Holy Spirit to serve His church. So what about [counting on fingers] — auto repair, or cooking, or wedding planning, or carpentry, or accounting, or writing? Are those gifts? Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes. Again, whatever you are able to do to serve God’s people and God’s church is a gift from God for that purpose, a gift of the Holy Spirit, a spiritual gift. So do that.
What a privilege it is to serve God’s people and to see him work through us, to see what great and wonderful things he will accomplish through our simple, faithful, obedient service, as we each do what he has made us to do. Yes, it’s an obligation, but more than that, it’s a privilege and a joy. Amen?
I’ll conclude this morning with this: Perhaps you don’t think that what you do or say, or how you spend your time, is all that important. The devil would like you to think that. But nothing could be further from the truth. You were chosen by God, for a purpose:
“4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1:4-6)
God chose you to be his, before you were ever born. And he has a purpose for you that extends beyond this life into eternity. He chose you to lavish his love on you, forever; and he chose you to actively participate in the most important enterprise of all time, the building up of Christ’s church. You matter. What you do as you go about your daily life, every day, matters. It matters that you shun distractions so that you can be alert and sober-minded.
It matters that you pray. It matters that you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, and that you forgive them when they sin. It matters that you reach out to one another to offer fellowship and hospitality. It matters that you serve God’s people with the gifts he has given you for that purpose. It all matters, far more than we realize. And God has given us his Spirit to enable us to do these things, for his glory. What a privilege it is to belong to Christ and to serve him with all of our heart, and soul, and mind, and strength! Amen?
