Spiritual Gifts
Ministering in Difficult Times (1 Pet. 4:7-11)

The Believer and Difficult Times

Difficult times demand a renewed commitment to the Christian fellowship and to Christian service!

The Background of 1 Peter
Its Author
Its Recipients
Its Circumstance
Its Message

The Context of 1 Peter 4:7-11

● The Believer’s Expected Suffering (4:1-19)
○ The Purpose of Our Suffering (4:1-6)
○ The Service in Our Suffering (4:7-11)
○ The Reward for Our Suffering (4:12-19)

I. Christian Expectation (4:7a)
● end intended purpose (expected result); aftermath (consequence)
II. Christian Fellowship (4:7b-9)
A. A Praying Community (4:7b)
1. The Disposition of Prayer (4:7b1-7)
● sound judgement clear-mindedness, sensibility, seriousness
● sober unaffected by wine
2. The Practice of Prayer (4:7b8-12)
● prayer the sacred act of prayer
B. A Loving Community (4:8)
1. The Priority of Love (4:8a1-2)
2. The Intensity of Love (4:8a3-10)
● fervent stretch out
3. The Purpose of Love (4:8b)
● cover hide, conceal
C. A Hospitable Community (4:9)
1. The Act of Hospitality (4:91-5)
● hospitable (philoxenos) friendly love towards strangers
2. The Disposition of Hospitality (4:96-7)
● complaint to speak in hushed tones, to mummer
III. Christian Ministry (4:10-11)
A. The Ubiquity of Its Provision (4:10a)
B. The Determination of Its Practice (4:10b-c)
1. Its Intent (4:10b)
● employ...serving to humble serve or help, to take care of
2. Its Responsibility (4:10c)
● good healthy, beautiful, attractive, good morally
C. The Design of Its Practice (4:11)
1. Done in Dependency (4:11a-b)
● utterances speaking
● strength ability
● supplies provide for
2. Done for God’s Glory (4:11c-d)