October 21st

The Rest of Your Time!

I Peter 4:1-11

Peter has a lot to say about time in this passage.  If you and I REALLY believe in eternity, we should have a constant awareness of making the best use of our remaining earthly time.  If we REALLY believe that Jesus is coming, we should desire to live PREPARED lives.  Whether the LORD comes first or death comes first, we want to make the “rest of our time” count for HIM. 

Peter gives us four attitudes that a Christian can cultivate in his lifetime if he desires to make his life all that God want it to be:

1.      V. 1-3 Have a militant attitude toward sin.  A soldier has proper equipment and arms himself for battle.  Our attitudes are weapons and weak or wrong attitudes will lead us to defeat.  Outlook determines outcome, and a believer must have the right attitudes if he is to live a right live. 

Have you ever been in a dark room but within a few minutes could see images in the room and actually read a paper in front of you?  “Yes, it is amazing that it does not take us long to get accustomed to the darkness.”

If we do not have a militant attitude toward sin, we will find it easy to become accustomed to sin.  The one thing that can destroy the ‘rest of our time’ is sin.  A believer living in sin is a terrible weapon in the hands of Satan.  Peter presents arguments to convince us to oppose sin in our lives…

 

*Think of what sin did to Jesus…He had to SUFFER because of sin. 

“There are no roses without thorns, nor victories without battles.”

Suffering in and of itself will not cause a person to stop sinning.  It is SUFFERING PLUS CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.  We are identified with Christ in His suffering and death and therefore can have victory over sin.  As we yield to God and have the same attitude toward sin that Jesus had, we can overcome the old patterns of sin – the principle of sin and manifest HIS life through us.

 *Enjoy the will of God v.2 The will of God is not a burden that the Father places on us.  Rather it is the divine enjoyment and enablement that makes all burdens light.  We may not always understand what He is doing, but we know that He is doing what is best for us.  We do not live on explanations; we live on promises.

 *Remember what you were before you met Christ v.3  There are times when looking back at your past life would be wrong, because Satan could use those memories to discourage you.  Sometimes we forget the bondage of sin and remember only the passing pleasure of sin.

We may not personally be guilty of gross sins in our pre-conversion days, but we were still sinners—and our sins helped to crucify Christ.  How foolish of us to go back to that kind of life!

 

      2.     A Patient Attitude toward the Lost v. 4-6

People most often think that Christians are – as Festus said about Paul, “You are out of your mind.”  And people thought the Lord was crazy!!!

We must be patient toward the lost, even though we do not agree with their life behaviors or participate in their activities…they are blind to truth and dead to spiritual enjoyment.  When we are attacked, this is our opportunity to witness to them.  (3:15)

The unsaved will judge us, but one day God will judge them.  Instead of arguing with them, we should pray for them.  And be prepared to answer their questions, to give them the Good News of the Gospel – Jesus and allow the LORD to love them through us.

3.     An Expectant Attitude toward Christ v. 7

Christians in the early church expected Jesus to return in their lifetime.  Altho He did not return then does not invalidate His promise to return.  No matter what interpretation we give to the prophetic Scriptures, we must all live in expectancy.  WE SHALL SEE THE LORD ONE DAY AND STAND BEFORE HIM.  As a Christian, how we live and serve today – HIS life yielded to through us -- will determine how we are judged and rewarded at the BEMA.

Be sober means to be soberminded, keep your mind steady and clear.  In today’s words we might say “keep cool.”  It is a warning against wild thinking about prophecy that could lead to an unbalanced life and ministry. 

The opposite is “frenzy, madness.”   If we are sober-minded, we will be intellectually sound and not off on a tangent because of some NEW interpretation of the Scriptures.  We will face things realistically and be free from delusions…have a purposeful life and not be drifting…exercise restraint and not be impulsive…have ‘sound judgment’ not only about doctrinal matters, but also about the practical affairs of life. 

Let us be on the LORD’s welcoming committee rather than HIS planning committee…He has the plan and we are merely the participants!!!

Yes, we should not avoid studying prophecy, but we must not allow ourselves to get out of balance because of an abuse of prophecy.  There is a practical application to the prophetic Scriptures.  Peter’s emphasis on hope and the glory of God ought to encourage us to be faithful TODAY in whatever work God has given us to do. 

An expectant attitude toward Christ’ return involves a serious, balanced mind and an alert, awake prayer life.  If our thinking and praying are right, our living should be right!

4.      A fervent Attitude toward the Saints v. 8-11

Love is the badge of a believer in this world.  John 13:34-35.  Christians need to love one another and be united in heart.  Fervent love…eager, intense, not a matter of emotional feeling, tho that is included, but of dedicated will.  It is possible to love those that we don’t even like!!!!

Christian love is forgiving.  Peter quoted from Prov. 10:12 in verse 8.  Love does not condone sin, for if we love somebody we will be grieved to see him sin and hurt himself and others.  Love COVERS sin in that love …not to spread abroad…leads to gossip and slander. 

No sin is hid from God…but we should cover one another’s sins.  The unsaved world uses such against us and the LORD.  As Ham’s sons covered his nakedness. 

Scriptures in Matthew and Corinthians give instructions as how to deal with another brother or sister regarding their sin – we go to them directly and not broadcast their sins to others! 

Our Christian love should not only be fervent and forgiving, but it should also be practical.  V. 9  We should share our homes with others in generous and uncomplaining hospitality and we should use our spiritual gifts in ministry to one another.  Hospitality is a virtue that is commanded and commended through the Scriptures.  (I have taught the practical aspects of how to be hospitable for years.)  Human hospitality is a reflection of God’s hospitality to us…Christian leaders in particular should be “given to hospitality” …PURPOSE: to glorify the LORD.

[such a blessing to be shown hospitality in others’ homes, but also to give hospitality to others…blesses everyone in the household!]

Your love expressed toward others must result in service.  Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift (the motivational gift – Romans 12).  We must exercise our gifts that the Lord may use them to His glory and the building up of the church.  We are stewards … God has entrusted these gifts to us that we might use them for His good and the good of the church. 

There are speaking gifts and there are serving gifts, and both are of great value and important to the church.  Tho all may not be a teach or preacher, all are witnesses for Christ.  God gives us the gifts, the abilities and the opportunities to use the gifts…to learn from one another to practice all the gifts as an activity…in other words knowing your gifts is not a limitation of what the LORD may ask you to do.  It is only that your WHY will remain the same regardless of what activity He may lead you to participate in.  

Whoever shares the Word must be careful about what he says and how he says it…all must conform to the written Word of God.  

How long is the rest of your life?  Only the LORD knows.  Don’t waste it! Invest it by doing the will of God!!!