Here it is!! That special time of the week when we gather together to praise and worship our Loving, Merciful, Heavenly Father!! What a joyous and beautiful day is!! God is Great, God is Good, God is All The Time, God is God!! As always, may God richly bless you today!! H Trent!
“How to Live While the End is Near”
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11
Introduction: The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. It also instructs us as to how we should be living our lives. In our text today, Peter is cautioning us that the end is near and are we living in the right way? You know, Christ could come at any moment. His return is inevitable. He could come before I finish this sentence. For this reason, it is urgent that we Christians practice our calling, displaying self-control, mutual love, and a diligent stewardship of the gifts God has given to us. This is the life that will bring Glory to God and Peter is going to sum up for us how to live near the end of all things. Please open your Bibles to 1 Peter 4 starting at verse 7 and listen as I read:
1. Prepare Yourself to Hear from God (v7).
Right at the start of this passage Peter is going to let all believers know what the most important thing in our life should be. That should be our relationship to God. Listen to what he says. (read) We should be clear minded and self-controlled. We should be characterized by reason, be able to make wise, mature decisions, and have a clearly defined, decisive purpose in life. But, not only this friends, also to remain in touch with God even in the midst of fears and uncertainty. Have you ever seen an uncontrolled, not in their right mind person? I mean, they don’t know if they are coming or going and the decisions they make are usually horrendous and end badly. You know, a good example of what Peter is telling us can be found in (1 Kings 18-19). Elijah, the perfect example of how to be in right communion with God, and also how to be in wrong communion with God. Peter says we are to do these things so we can pray. So we can speak, and hear from, God! Look at Elijah for a moment. At first he communions with God. He does as God instructs, And God displays His Glory and Majesty and Elijah defeats the prophets of baal. But then look what happens, he gets a letter of dire news and becomes clouded in his mind and looses his self control. He becomes unable to pray. Unable to hear from God. Unable to see God working. We need to remain clear minded about all things. The only way I know how to do that is through the Word of God and our discipline to remain in the Word. Listen to what (Prv.4:5) says. We also need to be in control of ourselves. Not only in anger, but in all things. So that we can pray. So that we can commune with God. Listen to me now, when we allow things in our lives to take control of us, it’s like putting up a wall between us and God. God wants to speak and do things for us, but if we allow sin, in the form of disobedience to God, into our lives, we won’t hear Him and we will be unable to see Him working in our lives. Being clear-minded and practicing self control not only helps us in our relationship with God, but also helps us with all things in our life and that brings us to our second point:
2. Prepare Yourself to Show God to Others (v8-9).
I want you to listen to (1 John 4:12). Scripture teaches us that God is love. Peter tells us to love others above all else. John is telling us that the fact that Christ lives in us, and since our love has it’s source in God, His love is made complete when we love others. Thus the God whom “no one has ever seen” is seen in those who love, because God lives in them. And Peter says that we are to love because. Because what? Because while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Love forgives again and again and again. (Matt 18:21-22). Here’s where we need to ask a question. How do you know for sure that Jesus has forgiven you? By His unconditional love for all of us demonstrated by His taking upon Himself our sin and dying on a wretched cross. The death of a criminal. Peter is telling us that we are to demonstrate that same kind of love to others around us. Listen to (1 Cor. 13:4-8). Do we hold grudges or are we forgiving? Do we cast others out and ignore them because of the poor choices they have made? Did Christ cast you out because of your poor choices? Just as we were and are, Jesus accepted us with arms open wide. Jesus does not want that any should perish, how are the hurting, the addicted, the poor, the lost to know that if we, through the love of Christ, do not ourselves love them and show them that God loves them and wants them just as much as He wants us? Through our love we are also able to offer hospitality without complaining. Do you need that blanket that badly or could you spare it for someone who has none? What about our money? Imagine what our world would look like if we practiced doing the things Jesus instructed us to do.
3. Prepare Yourself to Be Used by God. (v10-11).
People usually grumble when they hear that God wants to use them and I don’t understand that. It’s almost as if our needs and desires are more important than what God wants for us. You know we have been called. We have been called to salvation and we have been called to go. Our verses here tell us that we have been gifted in certain ways to serve. And that service can take place in many ways. When you hear service, most think that they have to run out and get involved with anything and everything in their local church. Well, that is okay, however, service should take place wherever and whenever you are. At your job, at your home, at your social places such as grocery stores and doctor’s offices God has gifted us with gifts we are to use wherever we are, not just in church. And these gifts are not money or power or anything like that. They are Spiritual gifts. Consider (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinth. Chpt 12). These are passages in the Bible that teach us about our Spiritual gifts. There are other passages, but for the sake of time, I have only mentioned these two. Here’s the point, we live in a very sick, and hurting world. People everywhere are in dire straits about where to turn, or what to look for, for help. How do we help? We show them the love of Christ through our love, our service. There are innumerable ways to serve others. Verse 11 says to do it all with the strength and wisdom of God. We do that by applying the first two points of this message to prepare us to do this third point. If you wonder what gifts you have, or how you can serve, I cannot answer that. This if for you to discover with Jesus. Search the Scriptures and talk with Him, and then listen. He will tell you all you need to know. Don’t trust me, trust God through the promises of His Word.
Conclusion:
Friends, the end of this world gets closer with each passing day. We have been looking for the return of Jesus, since he ascended. The Bible tells us to look for His return because it can come when ourselves, and many others, might not be prepared for it. The best thing we can do is to be obedient children and do what our Lord asks us. To practice being in relationship with Him, to love others, and to allow God to use us for His purposes. Remember, we CAN do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. Amen.
Pastor Harold Trent.
“How to Live While the End is Near”
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11
Introduction: The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. It also instructs us as to how we should be living our lives. In our text today, Peter is cautioning us that the end is near and are we living in the right way? You know, Christ could come at any moment. His return is inevitable. He could come before I finish this sentence. For this reason, it is urgent that we Christians practice our calling, displaying self-control, mutual love, and a diligent stewardship of the gifts God has given to us. This is the life that will bring Glory to God and Peter is going to sum up for us how to live near the end of all things. Please open your Bibles to 1 Peter 4 starting at verse 7 and listen as I read:
1. Prepare Yourself to Hear from God (v7).
Right at the start of this passage Peter is going to let all believers know what the most important thing in our life should be. That should be our relationship to God. Listen to what he says. (read) We should be clear minded and self-controlled. We should be characterized by reason, be able to make wise, mature decisions, and have a clearly defined, decisive purpose in life. But, not only this friends, also to remain in touch with God even in the midst of fears and uncertainty. Have you ever seen an uncontrolled, not in their right mind person? I mean, they don’t know if they are coming or going and the decisions they make are usually horrendous and end badly. You know, a good example of what Peter is telling us can be found in (1 Kings 18-19). Elijah, the perfect example of how to be in right communion with God, and also how to be in wrong communion with God. Peter says we are to do these things so we can pray. So we can speak, and hear from, God! Look at Elijah for a moment. At first he communions with God. He does as God instructs, And God displays His Glory and Majesty and Elijah defeats the prophets of baal. But then look what happens, he gets a letter of dire news and becomes clouded in his mind and looses his self control. He becomes unable to pray. Unable to hear from God. Unable to see God working. We need to remain clear minded about all things. The only way I know how to do that is through the Word of God and our discipline to remain in the Word. Listen to what (Prv.4:5) says. We also need to be in control of ourselves. Not only in anger, but in all things. So that we can pray. So that we can commune with God. Listen to me now, when we allow things in our lives to take control of us, it’s like putting up a wall between us and God. God wants to speak and do things for us, but if we allow sin, in the form of disobedience to God, into our lives, we won’t hear Him and we will be unable to see Him working in our lives. Being clear-minded and practicing self control not only helps us in our relationship with God, but also helps us with all things in our life and that brings us to our second point:
2. Prepare Yourself to Show God to Others (v8-9).
I want you to listen to (1 John 4:12). Scripture teaches us that God is love. Peter tells us to love others above all else. John is telling us that the fact that Christ lives in us, and since our love has it’s source in God, His love is made complete when we love others. Thus the God whom “no one has ever seen” is seen in those who love, because God lives in them. And Peter says that we are to love because. Because what? Because while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Love forgives again and again and again. (Matt 18:21-22). Here’s where we need to ask a question. How do you know for sure that Jesus has forgiven you? By His unconditional love for all of us demonstrated by His taking upon Himself our sin and dying on a wretched cross. The death of a criminal. Peter is telling us that we are to demonstrate that same kind of love to others around us. Listen to (1 Cor. 13:4-8). Do we hold grudges or are we forgiving? Do we cast others out and ignore them because of the poor choices they have made? Did Christ cast you out because of your poor choices? Just as we were and are, Jesus accepted us with arms open wide. Jesus does not want that any should perish, how are the hurting, the addicted, the poor, the lost to know that if we, through the love of Christ, do not ourselves love them and show them that God loves them and wants them just as much as He wants us? Through our love we are also able to offer hospitality without complaining. Do you need that blanket that badly or could you spare it for someone who has none? What about our money? Imagine what our world would look like if we practiced doing the things Jesus instructed us to do.
3. Prepare Yourself to Be Used by God. (v10-11).
People usually grumble when they hear that God wants to use them and I don’t understand that. It’s almost as if our needs and desires are more important than what God wants for us. You know we have been called. We have been called to salvation and we have been called to go. Our verses here tell us that we have been gifted in certain ways to serve. And that service can take place in many ways. When you hear service, most think that they have to run out and get involved with anything and everything in their local church. Well, that is okay, however, service should take place wherever and whenever you are. At your job, at your home, at your social places such as grocery stores and doctor’s offices God has gifted us with gifts we are to use wherever we are, not just in church. And these gifts are not money or power or anything like that. They are Spiritual gifts. Consider (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinth. Chpt 12). These are passages in the Bible that teach us about our Spiritual gifts. There are other passages, but for the sake of time, I have only mentioned these two. Here’s the point, we live in a very sick, and hurting world. People everywhere are in dire straits about where to turn, or what to look for, for help. How do we help? We show them the love of Christ through our love, our service. There are innumerable ways to serve others. Verse 11 says to do it all with the strength and wisdom of God. We do that by applying the first two points of this message to prepare us to do this third point. If you wonder what gifts you have, or how you can serve, I cannot answer that. This if for you to discover with Jesus. Search the Scriptures and talk with Him, and then listen. He will tell you all you need to know. Don’t trust me, trust God through the promises of His Word.
Conclusion:
Friends, the end of this world gets closer with each passing day. We have been looking for the return of Jesus, since he ascended. The Bible tells us to look for His return because it can come when ourselves, and many others, might not be prepared for it. The best thing we can do is to be obedient children and do what our Lord asks us. To practice being in relationship with Him, to love others, and to allow God to use us for His purposes. Remember, we CAN do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. Amen.
Pastor Harold Trent.
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