Serving, Suffering and Faith (Part A)

Have you ever met Christian or attended church with the people are not sound minded but saw no one behave this way anywhere else. Try behaving that way: the grocery store. The gas station why you do this thing can you picture Christ behaving this way. So I think many times is sound mind is not there think that the emotions take over that we are to be of course are emotional in our worship.

Worship involves adoration feeling fervent feeling. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of first Peter chapter 4 as he begins his message serving, suffering, and faith first Peter chapter 4, we will begin at verse seven, but the end of all things is at hand. Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another. Love will cover a multitude of sins be hospitable to one another without grumbling as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the Oracle of God. If anyone ministers let him do it. As with the ability which God supplies that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing has happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings when his glory is revealed.

You may also be glad with exceeding joy.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief in evildoer or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel. Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear, therefore, that those suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator as I was reading up again.

The thing that's cutting in my preaching time serving suffering and faith will these things belong to the Christian life. Peter is writing to those who were suffering persecution at the time and he is just to give you a full review is saying them yet you suffering persecution. But you're still supposed to live like Christians you get a pass this matter is are elements of behavior under persecution and if there is no persecution going on was still expected to serve in faith, suffering in a faithful way when we were going to Romans the letter of Romans that was about the victory we have as Christians to salvation in Jesus Christ and Corinthians, Paul was writing to an unstable church to churchgoers who are not stable. Many of them, not all, but a great many enough of them cause problems and he was correcting them that can be a hard letter to listen to or have received sermons from exists. Oh, much correction going on in Galatians. It was faith against ritual, Judaism in to be precise, but it expands beyond that of anything that is ritual salvation is through the cross through old religions or new religions. And then there was Ephesians, Philippians, which addressed, of course, the life in Christ. Colossians dealt with heresies looking to invade the church. Philemon told us about freedom in Christ and friendship.

Hebrews said there's no other acceptable place to serve and sacrifice God except in Christ Jesus. Then James laid down rules of obedience to those sincere in the faith versus heroes only.

Now we come to this letter from Peter. Now if you are stunted in your growth of your immature. If you're an immature churchgoer and you're uncomfortable with these things Peter. He is dealing with mold mostly with the persecution under Nero that is escalating it will cost him his life.

When it's all said and done, probably last about four years and yet he says suffering servant have faith simultaneously suffering the very thing I hate to do serving the very thing that becomes hard to do. We have such expectations. When we start serve. Yes, God Ludwig, where should I serve in the church… I want you to serve here and you serve that gallantry you go out with it and then you start meeting with ulcerative oppositional unpleasant things and it can become very difficult. Don't be surprised that that is not that is not your cue to quit Enron plow through it God will bless and faith.

Of course the very thing that empowers us to do everything that we do our trust in Christ and so that's an overview of what's happening here or for us this morning considering this passage we begin at verse seven. Again, but the end of all things is at hand.

Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

The reality of Christ's return, which was a reality to all of those apostles. Many of the believers if not all of them. The reality of his imminent return, he could come back at any minute, and they thought things were getting so bad that he would come back very soon though Peter knew he would die a martyr's death.

First, yet this is something that is supposed to excite us to this day, no matter what were going through and I suppose it was been 2000 years and I don't have to be excited. We should be excited about his return or the prospect of going to see him first all things in order his order so he says to them. The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious.

Sound mind. It is the Greek word, have you ever met a Christian or attended a church where the people are not sound minded, but bizarre. No one behaves this way anywhere else.

Try behaving that way at home in the grocery store and gas station.

Why do you do this thing can you picture Christ behaving this way. So I think many times is sound mind is not there.

I think that the emotions take over and that we are to be of course emotional in our worship. Worship involves adoration feeling fervent feelings but not at the price of loss of control. So he says be serious habitual immaturity and silliness. It's a serious thing because it's not being serious, watchful on guard all you had to be serious to be effective as a guard if you're on duty, you're either going to be negligent or not and hostile times we tend to be very alert when it comes to guarding our own interest was of value to us covered this a few weeks ago. In the book of Nehemiah Nehemiah after the wall was completed. He said guards around the city because he knew the threat was still there and he appointed guards in various places and from their own houses because he knew that we get very serious about guarding our own interest. Nehemiah 7 verse three point guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem one at his watch station and another in front of his own house. There is a picture of what what should be found with us when it comes to being attentive paying attention. Doing our duty, standing watch.

Remember Jesus said to the apostles, the three of them could you not watch with me for an hour flesh is willing. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Flesh is never willing to do anything would gobble up whatever thinks it's going to satisfy itself no matter what the spirit is better, and so is not a casual word when it where he says therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers in your prayers.

You don't have to stay on your knees for long hours to be one who prays you just have to be in constant touch with heaven with the throne of God and pray anywhere at any time in verse eight he says. And above all things have fervent love for one another, the love will cover a multitude of sins. How many Christians get tired of trying to love other Christians and sort of get numb sound of such verses above all things.

This is the high thing. Don't be caught without love.

That's what he is saying don't be caught without this, in the midst of persecution or otherwise as as you read Peter there are great goals of Paul's writings in.

We know what Paul said about love who is up who was up to Corinthians 13, Paul says love is who says I get 100 on that test, I maxed that out all the time.

I know someone who could say that his name is Jesus Christ's name is Jesus.

He is the Christ, fervent love how difficult, impossible, in the flesh talking about loving people you like, he means the ones that just rub you the wrong way. Also, that's when you know your entering into love and I think some people have they enjoy telling other people, you know I don't love you like I should an innocent age is best not to go there. Just take it to the Lord and say Lord I'm not I'm not good with this loveless in this thing in me. One of the best ways the hip is this reminds him couple things.

One of the best ways to love more is to pray more for the one you don't love.

I don't mean pray that you know they break a toll or something. Pray that God would bless them minister to them.

This is the straight and narrow. Are you going to have to squeeze through because it's not pleasant. God will accept your righteous will, even though using your feelings on it.

Thank God you're well is in it that's what counts Alan Redpath. For those of you don't know the great men of God. We have many of his books in the bookstore and he pastored in Chicago for some time there and in his writings he talks about some of the some particular individuals that were just not very pleasant impede mentions one time that he was so fed up with one individual that is going to write that person. The letter and he wrote the letter and he left on his desk and he did something and his wife came across it on his desk and she read it and she said let's pray and so they prayed and she prayed for her husband, not the villain. Mom telling the story to someone outside, not the other person. She prayed for her husband and he said I never forgot that it broke my heart. She was right. That's what fervent love is his wife exhibited that love for the one that messing with her dude husband. Persecution did not excuse them from being love anymore than your hard times in my hard times excuse us from loving this.

So I'm sorry you are having a bad day. You've been sick or you you have to deal with the courts or you've got car problems or whatever it is you don't have the love today is never that way is the opposite. We double down with love and justify a loveless ministry tell geez, why love that guy.

Because there can be no fervent love for the sinner until there is fervent love for the Savior. If you don't love and adore Jesus Christ you got no chance at agape love towards others love the Lord. I just hate people, these believers when in a world that hated them. Why would you want to go to a church when they hate you to or you hating on them towards each other. There must be love. I don't, I won't read the many Bible verses, especially in first John the deal with this because you know them you know of them and we have time constraints.

First, they had a 19 versus a more 15 minutes into this for level cover a multitude of sins and a multitude of ways but we don't give it a chance. Do we wait we don't I and there are times that I have shown love and I have set myself doing it would look at me. I can't believe I'm writing this beast, but that does not guarantee that the next time with the same person or someone else.

The love is going to be there better fight for it is doable. I can say that I could say this, I would like to say this, characterizing my Christian walk. I have sought to love everyone course people think loving the means doing it their way and that's not the meaning. Proverbs 10 hatred stirs up strife, yeah man, it does, but love covers all sins profound in Christ.

The greatest attribute of God is the same love is to be worked out in our lives. Verse nine be hospitable to one another without grumbling the ever call someone on the phone and did what kind of is hospitable small hello manacled at the wrong time. Sorry, I was going the house of a Christian hanger form know sometimes that yesterday I got a call. I thought it was a telemarketer return call and so I was a little bit on edge. I felt little conviction not a lot because I didn't go overboard with her but my tone was not the usual loving phone that I always have and you all know that stop before make you go anyway be hospitable. The word there final Zeno's in the Greek and means literally love strangers course we understand what is meant here. You can make jokes about that but seriously speaking. It doesn't take much to be nice. It really doesn't. It takes more energy to to be a grumpy Christian verse 10 as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold graces of God.

The manifold graces, RT Robinson, one of the long gone. Great Greek scholars said that word manifold is multicolored and it's overworked.

I guess around certain equipment you have things a manifold. There are many ports and an it's a motley kind of a thing and so we're here we are at the manifold graces got there so many parts and colors and shapes and tones to God's grace that are supposed to show up in our lives. The gifts are supposed to be used not saved.

I'm saving myself for the big moment when you're wasting yourself. Those of you who step forward and serve you. You understand this and those of you who don't step forward and serve well when occupant not chastening you but keep that before the Lord, don't be too comfortable with that. Second Timothy Paul, I love that second Timothy letter anyway.

Chapter 1 verse six processor Timothy. Therefore, I remind you stir up the gift of God which is in you stir it up.

Timothy was saying to Timothy you not doing it.

He was just adding to easy keep it moving. The word minister here diaconal's means to run errands for someone an errand boy. That's what we are. We ministers and don't not just pastors we Christians as ministers. All Christians are to fall under the title of diaconal's that the errand runner where office servants were told go there we go. Remember Philip felt goddesses moving Philip around to his notice to the desert with the Ethiopian was a he was a minister of the gospel. Verse 11 if anyone speaks, let them speak as the oracles of God of anyone. Ministers let him do it.

As with the ability which God supplies that all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. So he sort of has this poetic outburst is as of though he has a flashback to those days and Capernaum Galilee, the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem and all the places he was with Jesus, Jesus of anyone speaks is he's, even sees their them speak the oracles of God you know of God that would God gives him anyone ministers. He goes on, and then he says that in all things God may be glorified is building up through Jesus Christ. He loved to say that name to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Such electric and it is course in outburst of his own faith. They were picked up on that having it read to them in the congregation.

So were going to speak the word of God. Let's remember it's his word.

One of the difficult things about preparing to preach from the pulpit is God what you want to say I like any doesn't take much to read a commentary come up and repeat what you've read that's not preaching you want to you want to emerge from your time with the Lord something to say and that is from him and I hope the people of God come to church so they can hear something from God. The man he has ordained is appointed to that position. When Moses came down from the mountain he has something to say and the people were often not ready they should of been going to serve the people of God, we have to remember whose people they are and why it is with serving those of you who serve why, why do you do it was to be an easy answer. I love the Lord. I serve him and many of us are very very grateful for this. So what is the objective. The objective of the Christian life. What's the target when we in this for what is our motivation. Jesus Christ will of God to honor him with verse 11 tells us if you go to speak speak as though God is spoken to you.

You want to minister do so in the billability that God blesses you what he is imparted to you, believing that God is in touch with his people.

Verse 12 stayover still have a long guys can heated up there beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing is happening to you.

Spoken like a man who gets it. Spoken like a man who understands the Christian life that when Jesus said, and were you going to have a lot of tribulation, be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. I don't know about you but I wrestled with joy in the Christian life is. It just so many things in this world that do not stir up joy. It takes joy from Rob's joy. So what I've noticed okay joy is not easy because were in a cursed world is not God's will, but what is God's will is that we press through we overcome.

So my conclusion for myself is this I'm not given up because joy is such an elusive place in the mind and heart of the believer.

I'm not giving up I'm going to go ahead.

It was so much easier in the early days of Christianity, but as the years have gone by and things of piled up, you know, it becomes when you you when you're young and you face these things again facing the Dragon but when you allow him facing McCann and again and again and then when I face him. It doesn't mean that I just take up my sword and slay him to take hits hurt. Stick with me flashbacks of them unpleasant things well how my going to have grace in the midst of these things gotta stay clear in my keeping clear my head that this is the will of God, that in the world you will have much tribulation and after this world you will have none for now it's on and so what are you going to do Christian man what are you going to do Christian woman, child of Christ, will you going to do in this life. I am going to give it my best to comply with every single thing I'm told in Scripture by my Lord. And so here he is in a world where people were living against the Christians suffering as a Christian is not abnormal is expected of people that are Christian suffer. The difference is supposed to be that our discounts in eternity. Stephen and Paul. They suffered they didn't think it was strange. Paul Stephen when they were stoning him and he you know he set them off at the end. Which of the prophets.

Did you not killed in or you just like Stephen you might want to say that, but he was not the appeasing mood when he gave that last sermon and when they started throwing rocks and sell at 114 people even doing this is why you boneheads didn't do that. He never saw the rocks as they were crashing into him. He saw the throne of God.

We are so glad you tuned in today to study the book of first Peter on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we are blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you'd like more information about this program or want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program.

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