Peter’s Description Of The Christian’s Life Style Series

1 Peter 4:7-11 (Peter’s Description of the Christian’s life Style)

August 12, 2012

Hit the Record Button on the camera.

Introduction:

Prayer:

Well again we come to the book of 1 Peter where we encounter Peter speaking to Christians that are going through hard times because of their faith. These Christians were being burned alive for their faith, beaten, verbally abused and many killed for sport. Now while we don’t really understand this, we need to grasp this context in order to understand just what Peter means when he offers encouragement to these people and to us as Christians today.

My hope and desire is to simply give you the Word of God and just what Peter is communicating to these people and how that relates to us today.

Last week we built on our outline as we looked at

a. Peter’s description of the Victorious Christian life (4:1-6)

We saw that we as Christians:

i. We should desire the Attitude of Jesus! (4:1)

ii. We should desire the Will of God! (4:2)

iii. We should desire the Eternal Hope! (4:3-6)

This week we are going to be looking at:

b. Peter’s description of the Christian’s Life Style (4:7-11)

i. The End times should bring about Christian Urgency! (4:7a)

ii. The End times should bring about Christian Living! (7b-11)

So being we have a lot of ground to cover let us dig right into the text this morning. I want to also say before we get into this text, there are a lot of imperatives and this will be a challenging message for all of us, I know it was for me, but listen , don’t sign me out when God begins to convict your heart, hold on to that conviction, write it down, because God wants to change you more into the image of Christ. While there are many imperatives there are some great promises to claim in these passages as well.

Well let us get to it.

If you will turn with me to 1 Peter 4:7-11

1 Peter 4:7-11

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I think that as we read this passage of scripture Its helpful to evaluate the churches across America. Today many churches lack love and a common purpose and in many churches the very the pipeline that leads to the Lord is broken. As we approach the last of the last days, which I believe we are in. The enemy that brings forth opposition and this can weaken and eventually destroy many churches. Now I want everyone here today to understand that I don’t want that to be the case for our church. I want us to see the importance of what Peter is saying about Christians living and how it’s vital to our growth as a group of Christians to be strong in our fellowship with one another and that we have s special loyalty between each other as members of this church. The End is near and so this commitment to each other and our commitment unto the Lord is vital in what Peter is saying here in this passage.

There are two things that I think will help us understand this passage and how this can benefit our walk with Jesus Christ and our fellowship with other believers. The first point that I want to look at today is:

1. The End times should bring about Christian Urgency! (4:7a)

Explain: You know the end times or the second coming of Christ has been a major theme all through out our study on the book of first Peter. Peter has held this time in which Jesus would return in high regard and has point us to this moment several times He talks about it in

1:4 as he mentions to us about obtaining an inheritance, which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

1:5 talks about a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1:6 so that you faith even tested by fire will have a result at the revelation of Jesus Christ;