SERMON OUTLINE:
(a). An Aggressive Attitude Toward Sin (vs 1-3)
• An illustration (vs 1).
• An instruction (vs 1-2)
• A reminder (vs 3)
(b). A Patient Attitude With The Lost (vs 4-6):
• We Confuse Pagans (Vs 4-5):
• We Die In Christ (Vs 6):
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• You have probably seen this sign:
• “Ladies, If a man says he will fix it he will, there is no need to remind him every 6 months”
• When It comes to D.I.Y. some people,
• Just never get around to starting it and others never get around to finishing it.
• I know people who have half-a-dozen jobs on the go – all unfinished!
• TRANSITION: Many Christians have unfinished business,
• Not with D.I.Y. projects, but with sin.
• Now, no Christian is perfect and each one of us has their daily struggles,
• And what I struggle with may not be a problem to you;
• And what you struggle with may not be a tricky to me.
• But all Christians at times struggle,
• Because all Christians are a “work in progress”,
• Not a single one of us is perfect,
• But we should all be progressing toward that goal.
• Our desire as Christians is live lives that please Christ!
The title I have been asked to speak on is ‘Finished with sin.’:
• That is taken from the end of verse 1.
• So, let’s look together at the passage and break it down.
• For me these verses break into two groupings.
• Verses 1-3: An aggressive attitude toward sin.
• Verses 4-6: A patient attitude with the lost.
(a). An Aggressive Attitude Toward Sin (vs 1-3)
Ill:
• A man made an appointment to see his doctor.
• "Doctor," he complained, "everywhere I touch seems to hurt lately.
• Am I getting old or just senile?”
• He continued;
• “If I push on my knees here, I hurt,
• If I push on my stomach I hurt!
• If I press on my head right here by my temple, that hurts too!
• What's going on?"
• The doctor called for a full body X-ray.
• An hour passed and after evaluating the X-rays carefully,
• The doctor returned to speak to the patient.
• The doctor looked him in the eye and said:
• "I think I've found the reason why everything you touch hurts."
• The man anxious to know, replied; "Well, tell me!".
• The doctor pointed to the X-ray and said:
• "Your body is fine, but your finger is broken."
• TRANSITION:
• The man’s finger was broken and so everything he touched felt broken,
• If our attitude is wrong, then everything we do will also be wrong!
• The apostle Peter talks to these Christians concerning their attitude,
• And he starts off with…
(1). An Illustration.
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin”.
• Little words in Greek often have big meanings.
• Verse 1 starts with the word; "therefore,"
• This term connects chapter 4 to chapter 3
• (Remember chapter divisions are not in the original letter).
• The apostle Peter is connecting his thoughts,
• To the themes that he has presented in chapter 3,
• Quote: Chapter 3 verse 18 and 22:
Quote:
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit”.
“Who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him”.
C.E.V:
18Christ died once for our sins.
An innocent person died
for those who are guilty.
Christ did this
to bring you to God,
when his body
was put to death
and his spirit
was made alive”.
“Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.”
• In these verses the apostle Peter uses Jesus as an example and an illustration;
• And shows his readers some important lessons.
FIRST: the apostle Peter mentions the ‘body’ of Jesus and his sufferings.
• He mentions it at the end of chapter 3,
• And here at the start of chapter 4.
• Chapter 3 verse 18; “He was put to death in the body”.
• Chapter 4 verse 1: “Christ suffered in his body”.
• He is reminding his readers that Jesus suffered physically;
• He knows what it means to feel pain, to be in discomfort, and to hurt!
• The apostle Peter tells his readers) that when they face persecution,
• When they feel pain, when they are in discomfort, when they hurt!
• Then remember Jesus has already been there and experienced all that for us.
Quote: Attributed to Vance Havner - One historian has written:
• “At the Nicene Council, an important church meeting in the 4th century A.D.,
• Of the 318 delegates attending,
• Fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or lost a hand;
• Or did not limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith.”
• For most of the world, suffering and Christianity are Siamese twins.
• Suffering for Christ is part of the package.
• In our times and our country (UK), we get off lightly.
• But that may well change in the next few decades.
SECOND: The apostle Peter reminds them that Christ’s sufferings were purposeful;
• Once again there is the connection with chapter 3.
• Where we were told Christ suffered and died to achieve something.
• e.g. Chapter 3 verse 18; “Christ died for our sins” - to reconcile us to God!
• The apostle Peter takes that fact, and continues the thought in chapter 4 verse 1:
• By reminding his readers that their suffering is also purposeful;
• If they and we bear it or ‘arm’ themselves with the same attitude Christ had.
Ill:
• The term ‘Arm’ is a military word used throughout the New Testament;
• It refers to a soldier putting on armour.
• The apostle Peter tells these Christians to use the same kind of determination and care,
• That a soldier in conflict might use when he or she puts on their body armour.
• I can guarantee that you would put it on more carefully;
• If you are expecting someone to shoot at you!
• Than you might do for a routine training exercise.
• Believers are to equip themselves with the attitude of Christ.
• Because we are in a battle!
• We are not tourists simply passing through life to observe and take pictures.
• We are soldiers at war fighting for Christ, for justice and righteousness!
• The goal of the Christian life is not just to go to church,
• But to make a difference in a dark world.
• Someone described evangelism as:
• ‘Preaching treason in the devils kingdom’.
• So expect casualties, people get hurt inwarfare (ill: Look at the news on TV);
THIRD: The apostle Peter says, suffering leads to glory:
• Once again the link to the previous chapter (3 verse 22):
• “Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God.
• All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.”
• In other words, he was victorious!
• In chapter 4 verse 1 we are told that the believer has, “Finished with sin”
• We too are to experience victory in our faith and not live in constant defeat.
• This is something Peter has already touched on;
• Throughout this letter – suffering leads to glory.
• So, having presented Jesus to his readers via an illustration as the perfect example:
• Peter now gets personal and practical:
• By telling his readers how these truths should affect them!
(2). An Instruction (vs 1-2):
• The Lord has not left us without encouragement for our battle:
• Verses 1-2:
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”
The Message:
“Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.”
• Note: The apostle Peter is not laying a guilt trip on these Christians,
• Instead he lists three benefits for those who are "in Christ”:
• Quote: “He dangles the carrot and does not hit them with the stick”
FIRST:
• Verse 1b: The Christian “is done with sin”.
• Sin no longer has mastery over the believer.
Quote: One of the earliest Church leaders Augustine:
• Said he experienced three stages with sin:
• (1). “Lord, make me good, but not yet”.
• (2). “Lord, make me good, but not entirely.”
• (3). “Lord, make me good.”
Peter is saying that every Christian ought to be desiring that third stage:
• “Lord make me good”,
• I am finished with my old way of living.
• I don’t want it anymore, my desires are elsewhere!
SECOND:
• Verse 2b: “Does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires”.
• Every Christian should, ‘live to the beat of another drum,’
• One that is different to the unbeliever.
Ill:
• In Africa, the Zulus are great hunters in the jungle,
• One animal that is agile and would be very difficult to catch is the ringtailed monkey.
• But for the Zulus can catch this agile creature is very easy,
• Because they use a method based on knowledge of the animal.
• Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine.
• The seeds of this melon are a favourite of the monkey.
• Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon,
• Just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside.
• The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can,
• Then start to withdraw it.
• This he cannot do. Because his fist is now larger than the hole.
• The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours.
• But he can't get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds,
• Which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.
• TRANSITION: When a person becomes a Christian:
• God helps that person to break free from the prison of their sinful desires.
• He gives to that person new appetites;
• These new appetites can start replacing the bad and sinful desires and habits;
• And in their place create good and beneficial desires and habits.
• And although at times a Christian may commit individual acts of sin,
• The Christian does not have to live as a slave to sin.
THIRD:
• Verse 2c: “But rather for the will of God.”
• We have the opportunity to fulfil God's will.
• God’s will is very clear in the Bible;
• Peter has already referred to it in chapter 1 verse 15: “Be holy for I am holy”.
Ill:
• The word ‘Holy’, simply means ‘different’.
• The Temple was ‘Holy’ because it was different from other buildings.
• The Sabbath was ‘Holy’ because it was different from other days.
• The Christian is ‘Holy’ because he or she is different from other people.
(c). A Reminder (vs 3):
“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.”
C.E.V:
“You have already lived long enough like people who don't know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols”.
• Another encouragement for living God’s way;
• Is because we have already wasted a great part of our lives.
Ill:
• Maybe you have a testimony similar to the person who said:
• “Before I was converted life seemed hollow and empty,
• It seemed to be one long merry-go-round of drink, drugs, parties and girls.
• Things were going from bad to worse;
• But then two weeks before my 8th birthday; I found the Lord and was saved!”
• TRANSITION:
• I would imagine that some of you reading this verse were born on a Saturday;
• And almost squirming in the pew the next day at church.
• For you, the church has provided a hedge of protection throughout your life.
• You began your relationship with Christ early;
• And have followed Him fervently.
• If that is you, then consider yourself blessed!
But for others of us here tonight:
• Reading this verse takes you back to the scene of the crime.
• You remember the brief "highs" of pleasure;
• Followed by the ‘lows’ of practicing a sinful life-style.
Peter highlights three areas of sin that are still very relevant to our own day:
• Misuse of sex; “debauchery, lust, orgies, and carousing”.
• Misuse of alcohol: “drunkenness”,
• Idols (things that take God’s place in our lives): “detestable idolatry.”
• Though Peter was referring to pagan customs in the first century,
• He could have been peering through a window at modern times.
• Misuse of sex;
• Misuse of alcohol:
• Idols (things that take God’s place in our lives).
• Are ripe in the world in which we live,
• And sadly,
• We see them also in the lives of some people who claim to be followers of Jesus.
What is so liberating about our relationship with Christ is that;
• He fills the void in our lives that so many of us we once tried to fill with the above.
• But like Peter when he famously walked on the water,
• If we take our eyes off Jesus and look around us,
• We will start to sink, to be pulled back into foolish ways of living.
Quote: C. S. Lewis said:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased!”
• We settle for so much less than what God wants for us.
• So, Peter tells us to ‘arm’ our selves and choose the things of God – ‘His will’.
(b). A Patient Attitude With The Lost (vs 4-6):
“They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
• In verses 1-3:
• The apostle Peter has been speaking to Christians e.g. ‘You’.
• In verses 4-5
• The apostle Peter now focuses the Christians attention on the ‘Pagans’ – ‘They’:
• ‘Pagans’ – the word referred to non-Jews or Gentiles.
• They are sometimes spoke of very positively in the N.T.
• (e.g. 1 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1);
• However, most of the time the word is used negatively:
• Pagans were usually very materialistic, immoral & also idolaters.
(a). We Confuse Pagans (Vs 4-5):
• N.I.V: “They think it strange”
• N.L.T: “Of course, your former friends are very surprised”
• Non-Christians cannot understand Christians;
• We don’t make sense:
• They cannot understand why we don’t blame God for our sufferings.
• They cannot understand why we don’t want to enjoy the pleasures of the world!
Quote: In his book 'The root of the righteous' A.W. Tozer says;
"A real christian is an odd number anyway.
He feels supreme love for one whom he has not seen,
talks familiarly every day to someone he cannot see,
expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another,
empties himself in order to be full,
admits he is wrong so he can be declared right,
goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest,
richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst.
He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have,
gives away so he can keep,
sees the invisible, hears the inaudible,
and knows that which passeth knowledge".
Christians must seem like an oxymoron to non-Christians:
• We talk about joy & life;
• But we don’t partake in what they think brings joy & life!
• We don’t make sense to most non-Christians:
• We certainly don’t make sense when it comes to the problems of life:
• They cannot understand why we don’t blame God for our sufferings.
• They cannot understand why we don’t want to enjoy the pleasures of the world!
• The apostle Peter picks up on this (vs 4a_:
• N.I.V: “They think it strange”
• N.L.T: “Of course, your former friends are very surprised”
• But that shock and confusion concerning a believer's conversion;
• Can at times quickly turn into something more dangerous:
• N.I.V: “They heap abuse on you.”
• N.L.T: “They say evil things about you”.
Ill:
• The Fifth Special Forces Group, a unit of the United States Army,
• Arrived in Somalia in 1992 to provide protection for a humanitarian mission.
• Though under the banner of peace, they meticulously armed themselves daily;
• Because hostile warlords ravaged the surrounding regions.
• Some of the people welcomed the liberators;
• Others met them with weapons.
• The destitute treated them like heroes;
• The defiant treated them like enemies.
• Eventually, on one fateful raid,
• Nineteen American soldiers died on the streets of Mogadishu.
• They died carrying out a mission and fulfilling the group's unique motto:
• "Liberate the Oppressed."
In the same way:
• Jesus sent us to bring a message of liberation to those oppressed by sin's stranglehold.
• When you become a believer in Christ,
• Some people will be pleasantly surprised by your transformation,
• And your offer of new life will be met with open arms.
• Others' shock may turn into chagrin or malice.
• Though Christians may be hounded by hostility from others,
Notice:
• Men may seem to win the battle, but God will always win the war;
• Verse 5:
• “But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
• The apostle Peter reminds us that non-Christians may judge us;
• But one day God will judge them!
• So instead of arguing or getting mad at non-Christians;
• We should pray for them.
• Because we know that the final judgement is with God.
Ill:
• This was the attitude Jesus took! e.g. Chapter 2 verses 23.
• We looked at that in more detail, in an earlier study.
(2). We Die In Christ (Vs 6):
“For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.”
• I think that this verse must be interpreted in the context of suffering
• Otherwise you might get the idea of a second chance of salvation after death.
Another translation makes it a bit clearer:
• I think this verse refers to Christians who had been martyred for the faith:
• “That is why the Good News was preached even to those who have died;”
• The verse goes on to say, that is these believers had been falsely judged by sinful men.
• “So that although their bodies were punished with death”,
• Their reward;
• They are now in the presence of God; they have received their true judgement.
• “They could still live in the spirit as God does.”
Quote:
• Just before his appearance before the Council of Constance in 1414;
• Jan Huss, the reformer who was martyred for his faith, wrote to one of his friends.
“I shall not be led astray by them to the side of evil, though I suffer at His will temptations, revellings, imprisonments, and deaths – as indeed He too suffered, and hath subjected his loved servants to the same trials, leaving us an example that we may suffer for His sake and our salvation. If he suffered, being what He was, why should not we?”
We need to be patient with non-Christians, for they do not realise that:
• While we are in these human bodies;
• We are judged by human standards.
• One day we shall be with the Lord (“in the Spirit”):
• And then we will receive the true and final judgement.
Quote:
• To those Christians who are always in a hurry,
• Here’s some good advice from the 19th-century preacher A. B. Simpson:
“Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you,
or anyone to vex you again?
There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience,
forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.”
• Yes, each day affords countless opportunities to learn patience.
• Let’s not waste them.
