1 Peter 4:1-11 Having the mind of Christ

READ V.1-6

Intro: We have noted already that The theme of 1 Peter is suffering – Peter is writing to people who were going thru great Persecution

A)But w/ suffering there can come the temptation to go back again into the world / thinking things were easier before I became a Christian

B) There is the temptation to remember all the “good times” of the past,

And forget the times of pain and fear and emptiness.

C) Israel in the wilderness – We had it so good in Egypt –

but they were slaves – they were in bondage / now they had been set free

Peter is writing to encourage these believers – Don’t look back – but look to Christ – Sanctify …..hearts – theme of last study

A) Ch. 4 Begins w/ the words therefore –which points us back to Ch. 3:18 –See what Christ did for us – He suffered for us -

B) The Reason? That He might bring us to God – to save us from our sins In / Place us in Him the way that Noah was placed in the Ark –

1) protected from the Judgment of God !!! ( Focus of study last time)

¹Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh,( Since He did that for us) arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

A)According to Wuest – Brilliant Grk scholar on the N.T. – the phrase has ceased from sin = he has obtained a release from sins power

1) That is what happened – the moment we were saved – placed in Christ sins power in our lives was broken

B)The Phrase Arm yourself – is Obviously a military term – that describes – taking up your weapons

1) Roman foot solider soldier – who carried a spear & this huge shield

This is basically an exhortation to see the Reason for their suffering – A)Christ endured the Cross & suffered to saved you & bring you to God / place you in Him / That was the reason for HIS SUFFERING

B) Arm your self w/ the same mind – See the reason for your suffering – it is because you have been placed in Christ – He saved you

1) That is why sins power in your life has been broken

B) That is why Your desires have changed & the result of Christ work in your life is v.2 You are not living after the flesh any more –lust of men

but for the will of God

C) And that is why you look back on those old days differently v.3

Waste of time

1) spent enough time – trying to satisfy the flesh in worldly pursuits

Isn’t it interesting after coming to Christ – You see your old life thru a different lens

A)What you used to think was so cool & so fun / now you are embarrassed by – see the aimlessness in it

B) I hear people talk all the time – I wish I would have come to Christ sooner – yrs wasted in partying – living for the flesh / restore yrs locust…

The fact that they had changed was part of the reason for their suffering v. 4 In regard to these, The Gentiles – they partied w/ they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

A) Flood speaks of EXCESS / Dissipation of Wastefulness

1) NIV /NCV They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into

the many wild and wasteful things they do, and so they heap abuse on you.

B)So that was the reason that they were being persecuted – because they were no longer living for the flesh / but after the spirit / for the will of God

C)Now we don’t experience the same type of persecution that they were

Worried about death ( Church group in San Mateo – gangs)

1)but experienced friends shun you Conversation stops when you come

into the room / Whispers behind your back / the looks

D) things that you used to get invited to at one time – no longer do

( kids get ostracized from certain friends )

Now in v.5 Peter says – they the ones who are giving you such a bad time are going to be Judged by the Lord

A)Peter’s heart here is not vindictive – Hey they are going to get theirs / but compassionate – which is clearly seen in the next verse

⁶For this reason the gospel was preached - There is a Judgment that is coming & people are going to have to stand before God

A)But there is another way – people can avoid having to stand before God in judgment – by receiving the gospel ……. Christ

B) The dead that Peter is referring to here is not those who are dead in sin – he is speaking past tense- the gospel WAS preached / NOT IS

1) he is speaking of those who have died – those who were martyred –

C) The gospel was preached to them – they received the Lord / they ceased to live to please their flesh & were judged by men – martyred

1) But are now living w/ God in Heaven !!!!

D) There is the Contrast – You can live for the lust of the flesh now & be judged later by God – eternal Judgment

1) OR – You can live for the will of God now – which might mean that you are persecuted by men here / difficulty here / Live w/ God in eternity

So Peter says Arm yourself w/ the same mind as Christ – Then He points out that having that mind will mark OUR lives in 3 ways

A)Watchfulness / Love & Service v.7-11

B)The end of all things is at hand ? What mean ?

1) Is he talking about the end of their persecution

2) Is he talking about the End of their lives physically – many more Killed

3) Is he talking about the coming of Christ ?

C) In the immediate context, I think it is clear that Peter has been talking about the coming judgment & the Judge who is ready to judge the living and the dead- which would take place at the 2^nd coming

D) Most of the N.T. references that speak of the end coming are in ref. To Christ 2^nd coming – setting up His Kingdom

1) The early Church lived w/ an expectation that Christ – could come today

Which is why they were so Powerful

E) THEY WERE LIVING FOR HEAVEN !!!!!!

Yea they were living for Heaven – they were thinking that Christ was going to come back any moment – but He didn’t / hasn’t / 2000yrs past

A)But I can assure you – that – they don’t regret for a second the sacrifices that they made the effort that they put forth for the Kingdom

B) Bummer we missed out on – more vacations / bummer we could have went to that event / or made more money

1) See here is the awesome thing : All that they were doing here – was storing up Treasure in Heaven – Now they are enjoying it

C) They are with Jesus & they heard him say – Well done my good & faithful servant !!!!- Good Job – enter in the Joy of the Lord

D) That is how the Lord wants us to live !!!! The End of all things is at Hand - See the urgency – live w/ an Expectancy

So realizing the Lord could come at any time / Lives marked by 3 things

A)1^st – Be serious & watchful in your Prayers

Mark 13: 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. ³⁴It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ³⁵Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—³⁶lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. ³⁷And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

B)People express their concepts of life with various figures of speech. Life is a journey. Life is a race. Life is a war. Life is a party.

C)Jesus said; your concept of life should be: life is like a servant waiting for his lord. That 's what your life should be about

1) Like a servant who is waiting & watching for his lord, for his lord may appear unannounced at any time.

D) To be Serious & Watchful speaks of the attitude that we are to have in Prayer - Put it this way – Be SERIOUS about Prayer

Prayer is important : M.Luther As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.

A)Prayer aligns our heart w/ the Lords – “Not our moving God but reporting for duty”

B) Prayer expresses our dependency upon the Lord – Lord we need you

C) Prayer puts us in the Place to receive God’s Power – H.S. those who ask

D) Prayer helps us to resist temptation : Mark 14:38

³⁸Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

E) Prayer helps to fight against the enemy – Listed in Eph. 6 as the last piece of our weaponry in Standing against the enemy !!!!

¹⁸praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

Get SERIOUS ABOUT PRAYER – Praying for the lost / Praying for the Body / Praying to stand strong against temptation

2^ND Having the mind of Christ means – Lives will be marked by Love

A)Fervent love = Love that is marked by an Earnestness it is real & and Intensity - Intense love

B) Above all - Jesus also said this was the Key – Love like He did

1) That is how the world will know that you belong to me !!!

Love not just in words but in deeds –

C) Suffering & difficulty usually results in two reactions in God’s People

1) Bind together or Bite each other

D)Think about in marriage – Problem – bind together – we are going to get thru this – mutual encouragement that is going on

1) Or – there is that Biting of each other - This is all your fault – we wouldn’t be in this mess if you would have done such & such

Peter says – above all else – Love each other – Love covers a multitude of sins – how many ? A MULTITUDE

A)How many of us have loved a person that much – our love has covered a multitude of sins

B) DON’T GIVE UP ON PEOPLE

1) Def. Of ministry – Counseling … opposite – being there to pick up each

other in the process

3^rd Lives marked by service - Peter says, use your spiritual gifts

A) Now Peter declares something here that many of us often forget /

that is : we have been gifted by the Lord

B) He says - Each one has received a gift – the fact that it is a gift means I didn’t work for it – I didn’t earn it – but God in His love Gave it to me

1) But All of us have been gifted by the Lord - STEWARD OF IT

C) So Peter says – You have a gift – minister it – or use it – the gift that God has given to you was designed to be used

1) How is it to be used ? In serving one another

D) Listen your gift is not for you to put in a glass case or framed – it is not to promote or even gratify you - it is to serve the body

1) Bless the Body of Christ

That is where a lot of people get mixed up – they think I have this gift this gift is why I exist – this gift is my calling

A)That gift is not for you – so you can say hey look at my gift isn’t it beautiful – give me opportunities to showcase my gift

B) Maybe you are gifted in singing – so you think – I need to be a part of the worship team – on the stage

1) But maybe the Lord wants you to use your gift w/ the kids in the children’s Ministry / Convalescent home / at the Jail

C) But you fight that – Lord I need to be on the big stage – Problem is you are focused on what you perceive your need to be –

1) instead of God’s intended use

Another person says – I have the gift of teaching – I need to express my views – Great there are a lot of needs / Children’s ministry

A)One on one discipleship - / Vista Jail/ home group

B) Yea but I was kind of wanting your Job – Rob – or I want to be one of the lady teachers -

C) See when the motivation is love & when my focus is on others / My heart says where are the needs – that is where I will use my gifts

1) So understand the gift is not for you – but it has been given to you to use to Bless the body of Christ

D) And when you use that gift / You have the opportunity to be a Living illustration of the Manifold grace of God

1) To put it another way – it gives you the opportunity to illustrate the grace of God in it’s various forms

EXAMPLE Amanda analogy - what would be your reaction ?

1) What a cluts! Let someone else deal w/ that !

B) Prophecy " Watch your step , pitfalls in life watch out

1) Ministry "Where is the broom ? "

2) Giving " How much was that glass ? Write a check"

C) Teaching " When carry glass wipe condensation / right amount

of pressure w/ each hand!

1) Exhorter - " Come on Amanda- you can do this go & get another

glass / I'm pulling for you sweat heart

D) Leads " Who designed these steps that way

1) Mercy "Come here honey / I know just how you feel I Did the

same thing when I was your age ."

Now Each one responding as the Lord has gifted them ! She takes all of it in and learns what God is like – He fixes my messes

A) He encourages me in my blunders / He gives me 2^nd Chances / he instructs me in how to get it right

B) When Everyone using their gift – God’s grace is seen

C) In v. 11 – We are told How we are to Minister ? & what the Purpose of our service is

HOW ? If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability OR STRENGTH which God supplies,

A) Ability & Strength given by the Spirit vs. Flesh

B) Purpose – Glorify God – that is the bottom line – as it relates to Ministry

GOD GETS THE GLORY !!!!!!

C) Jesus was a great example of this – Matt. 5:14 Let light shine – so see Good works & glorify your father who is in Heaven

D) The focus isn’t supposed to be on your gift – but your gift is supposed to point people to Jesus

So the end of all things is at Hand – So whether that means that Christ could return tomorrow or 100 yrs from now

A)Our lives are marked by an Urgency – that is going to be seen

B) In How we Pray – Are we serious about Prayer

1) Sat. night –

C) How we love – Fervent in our love / Forgiving -/ Coming along side of others – opening up our lives

D) How we serve – A lot of Churches resemble a football – game – 22 guys on the field and 20,000 in the stands – cheering on

Listen if you are born again & have been in fellowship here for 6 months or more you need to be serving – use your gifts

A)Make an appt. w/ a Pastor –or come up after Church – these are what I think my gifts are – so how can I be used

B) Share w/ us what is on your heart – what is God showing you

1) If you are not using your gifts – You are robbing the Body

C) Arm decided – I am going on vacation – call that being deformed – paralyzed

D) But it is not my time – after this is over - You will be saying that until the Lord comes back – after this – that is when

You know what – I would love to see every person here get the opportunity to lead some one to Christ

A)Experience the blessing in knowing that God just used you to impact another persons life for eternity / From Hell to Heaven – Awesome

B) I would also like to see Everyone here – get the Chance to Disciple someone – come along side – some younger in the faith

1) Walk w/ them for a while – helping them to learn how to walk / how to trust in the Lord – watching God grow them up

C) So that a year or so down the road – they are walking / standing strong

Serving Christ

D) Like to see everyone of you experience what one teacher did in the 3^rd grade class on Wed. night – Little girl asked

1) Can you tell us how to be saved !!!!

E) Or simply what it is like to see Kids not yet in Kindergarten get excited about God’s word & worshipping Jesus – because of your influence

F) Or what it is like to see a group of Prisoners – come out – anxious to hear you talk to them about Jesus / MEXICO

1) Or what it is like to take on some project that is behind the scenes – no one else sees – sense the satisfaction of doing what God called you to

Now I know that not everyone is going to be able to do all of those things

A)But I wonder how many won’t do any of them -

B) Listen 3 types of people here today – Those who don’t serve – because they want to do something that – God says not Now

1) So they pout and don’t do anything

C) Then there are those – who don’t serve – because they feel unqualified & Inadequate – ( I feel that way every day) God can’t use me

1) He says : Just give me a Chance –

D) And then there are those – who too often are the ones who are few & rare

1) Lord I am reporting for duty – Show me the need – I will go for it – trusting that you will supply the ability

E) Too often – those people do more than they Probably should – get spread a little too thin – but they are used tremendously