Sermon for 5/1/2005
1 Peter 4:1-5
Introduction:
Napoleon—when he conquered Europe took his family and he sat them every one in great places over the many kingdoms and states and nations of Europe that he’d conquered. Whenever he’d conquered a country, he’d put his relative over it to be ruler. He took his entire family and spread them around over all of those conquered nations of Europe. Well, in the days of his glory, Napoleon heard of an uncle that he had never known. He was a humble preacher of little church miles from Florence and the town in which he ministered had less than a hundred people in it.
And when Napoleon heard of that humble preacher, his uncle, in that little place, he called his general in and sent him, with twenty men, to that little town and said, “When you see him, you tell him that no kinsmen of Napoleon Bonaparte ever is to be in a humble ministry, but he’s to be the leader, to walk in aristocracy and in pride and in glory. And when you see my uncle, you bring him to Paris and you tell him we will make of him a bishop. In time we will make of him a cardinal in the church.”
So the general went, with his twenty men, and came up to this humble place, this humble cottage where that preacher lived in a little town of a hundred people, and said to him, “The great Napoleon has asked me to come to you and to bring you to Paris. You can be a bishop of any diocese that you choose. In time we shall make you a cardinal and give you a cardinal’s hat.”
And the humble preacher replied, “No. These are my people and I am their shepherd and I’ll not leave them.”
The general pressed it upon him and the humble preacher said, “No. These are my people, my sheep, and I’m their shepherd.”
And the great general said, “Then I shall take you by force. We’ll take you to Paris and make you a bishop or a cardinal against your will.”
And the humble man replied, “Sir, if you do that, what would these dear people think and what would the Lord think? That against my will you forced me into this exalted place when the Lord wants me to be a shepherd with these people?”
Crestfallen, the general returned to Paris and made his report to Napoleon. Napoleon thought him a fool but that humble uncle stayed at that church until he died.
WBTU:
A. Last week we said that we need to take time to exercise! (1 Tim 4:7 NIV) Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.(1 Tim 4:8 NIV) For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
B. Many people are embarrassed to exercise physically and spiritually. What will other people think?
B. 1 Peter 4:1-5
C. Who controls your time?
Thesis: Let’s talk about persecution this morning.
For instances:
1. We are different, strange.
A. As Christians, WE do not live for fleshly concerns. Peter tells us that the time for that is past.
B. We do not live for:
1. Detestable or abominable idolatry- This is referring to the worship services for a god or goddess in the pagan or Gentile world. It sums it all up. In each Gentile city they would have feast days for specific gods and goddesses. This would be a holiday for the whole city. This worship would consist of a feast full of food and wine and women. The men of the city would get drunk and then engage in wild sexual immorality. Many times after a few hours of drinking and eating the temple priest would hire prostitutes, loose women to come in and entertain the men and then they would engage in sexual activities. And this was the worship service. If someone in the city did not engage in this worship service then they were an outcast.
2. Not only did the whole Gentile city have feast days for specific gods but many times unions and trade guilds would have their own days to worship their own gods. Let’s say that you were in the construction union. There would be a god to protect the workers in the construction union. You had to pay dues to this god. One day out of the year there would be a feast day for your union to worship your god. This worship would basically consist of food and wine and women. If you did not participate in this worship service, then you were not part of the union. If you were not part of the union, then you would get past up on many construction jobs.
3. What did the Christians do? Many did not attend these worship services; these feast days because it was too big of a temptation for them. After all Paul said in (1 Cor 10:20 NRSV) No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
4. Those who did attend did not participate in the worship service and so they were outcasts as well. They used it as an opportunity to witness about Christ and many times they came to physical harm.
5. Peter here is mainly talking to Gentiles who had become Christians. The Jewish people never attended these pagan feasts.
6. I love how Bill Cosby in Bill Cosby Himself described this kind of activity. Get back to work on Monday morning and say, Boy am I glad to be back here. Feel terrible from hangover, maybe got beat up; don’t know what woman is next to you in the morning, any kind of trouble the day after.
7. Some people today could match the worst scenes in Rome or Ephesus, and perhaps would not be far behind Sodom and Gomorrah. Indeed, as wealth has increased and material comforts more common, we see more and more drunkenness and carousing. As Christians we need to carry high the flag of self control and temperance in all things belonging to the flesh.
C. As Christians we died to this stuff. Vs. 1 and (Rom 6:11 NRSV) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
D. We are done with sin. (Rom 6:2 NIV) We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
E. Baptism and how we die to our old life and are raised to a new life. Christ washes away our sins and he comes and lives in us to give us power to live a different life.
F. We need to arm ourselves with Christ’s attitude who had a saner mind than everyone else. He was not given to excesses in regards to his body. We need to walk with him in holy living.
G. Many people live like animals without self control in regards to sex and food and drink.
H. Turn to Titus 3:3- My friend Larry Morris was a drunkard and he would spend many evenings at the local bar. We have the show Cheers and it looks like such a great place where everybody knows your name. However, when Larry Morris ended up in the hospital, did anybody from that bar come and visit him? No. However, people from the church did.
I. Titus 3:4-6
J. Many people became Christians in the first century (and even today) because of two reasons. They saw that the Christians lived differently, they were holy. They saw that the Christians really loved one another.
K. (1 Th 4:7) For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
L. I am reminded of my neighbor and friend from high school, Jimmy. We would often walk to the bus stop together. We got to know each other. I never spent time with Jimmy on the weekends because he was often involved with many parties. As we were walking and talking from the bus stop, he said to me, “Why are you so happy?” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “You don’t take drugs, you don’t drink, you don’t smoke, you don’t go to wild parties, but you are so happy. Why?”
2. Envy is the root cause of persecution.
A. VS. 4
B. When we become Christians, many laugh at us and pelt us with nicknames.
C. Many want to pressure us to engage in their sensual pursuits.
D. Why do they do this? Because they know that they are not doing right and misery loves company so they try to get us to do the same things.
E. They think it strange. Everybody is doing it. You are no different than me and how dare you imply that you are better than me.
F. Now I would like to say here that we do not need to be self righteous. We do not need to look down on others with a self righteous attitude. This is what the Pharisees did.
G. However, it will become evident in just a little time, who knows Christ and who doesn’t. It will be evident in actions, attitudes, and behaviors. Over time this can make a non-Christian uncomfortable.
H. This kind of envy, jealousy and then hatred started not long after the Fall. (1 John 3:12 NIV) Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.(1 John 3:13 NIV) Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
I. Vs. 1- Christ suffered in his body for three reasons
1) He did not gratify his fleshly desires
2) Because of this he lived a higher life than others. This set him at odds with others and it brought many pains.
3) Because of this hatred from others, he suffered the ultimate sacrifice of being crucified on a cross.
J. Scripture is clear on why they crucified Jesus. (Mat 27:17 NIV) So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"(Mat 27:18 NIV) For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
K. Out of envy. This was the main reason that they put Jesus on the cross.
L. Imagine one that was without sin. He taught as no one else had taught with authority. He went around healing and doing good. Everything about him was righteous. What would we do with one? Out of envy we would also be in the crowd saying Crucify Him. The world could not tolerate one who was sinless and so good. Out of envy they put him there.
M. I wouldn’t do that. I nailed Him there This Child of peace and mercy I nailed Him there I am the guilty man I nailed Him there With my sins and my transgressions I cried Oh my God now I understand When I turned and saw that hammer… In my hand!
N. As Jesus’ followers it will be no different for us. (John 15:18 NIV) "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (John 15:20 NIV) Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
O. (2 Tim 3:12 NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
3. Who controls your time?
A. Let’s say that my time, my life is a machine like a computer. Whoever owns that machine controls what it does? Who are we going to give that machine to? Are we going to give it to the world, try to please people, and do what people want us to do or are we going to give it to the Lord, try to please the Lord, and do what the Lord wants us to do?
B. Many give it to other people, the world, and they try to please others. What an impossible job! People will never be pleased no matter how much we try to do of what we think will make them happy. Many try to be popular and just get along with others.
C. Abraham Lincoln said, “you can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”
D. Many know that becoming a Christian will mean trouble and that they cannot please others so they don’t become a Christian.
E. Had a lady call me and her husband wanted her to do something immoral. Preacher is this right? He is the head of the household. No, according to the Bible it is not right. The husband was there and he got on the phone and said that a preacher told him that the wife had to do everything that the husband said whether right or wrong.
F. Vs. 5 puts an end to such ideas.
Conclusion:
(Rev 21:8 NIV) But the cowardly, --their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
