1 Peter Chapter 4 Verses 10 – 11
• Be in prayer. Verse 7. Walk with the Lord and get into a right and close relationship with God through the grace of Jesus Christ. And then take care of the people around that have been entrusted to you. Attack grumbling. It’s just there to take your joy, and make you take for granted the gifts God has given you! Use your gifts and talents and heart’s desires to bless your family, your workplaces, your church and your neighbors.
• Speak life and build people up. Encourage and love on them with your words and check in on them with care. Talk less about yourself and more about them. Minister to one another and shore up the wounds that others have inflicted…and in that, God will be glorified who actually is glorified already.
• Which means, the real Jesus Christ will show up in your life and through your life to this dark and hurting world… You’ll be armed, equipped with weapons of righteousness, happiness, joy, peace, purpose and power…and even if living for the Lord and living as a superhero saint causes you to suffer personally, being in the will of God, you will receive the comfort and approval and close communication of God…which is my/your foundational need in the first place.
1 Peter Chapter 4 Verses 12 – 13
• The context of these statements of Peter is loving others. I mean, you can certainly take this at face value and on its own, but in context, that’s where we are at. Peter just says, “love covers a multitude of sins,” and honestly, that’s not as easy statement as we make it out to be. Covering sin with love can be very difficult and cost greatly. Peter uses the word, “fiery,” here which literally means, “burning.”
• And its interesting, being born again, filled and led by the Spirit of God, because/realizing what has been done for you, you will naturally desire peace and grace and to forgive and all of that. And you will. And then you’ll find yourself alone, suffering…burning inside with the sting of it all…and that’s when grumbling comes knocking… Peter says, “Don’t think it strange.” We begin to think how this is wrong, they’re getting away with it, they don’t care…
• Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t try me!?” Or, “Try me like I’m playing?” Well, this is that moment…you’re being “tried,” as it were by the flesh and even the enemy because you are actually honoring the Lord and choosing, at your own expense, to walk in the Spirit.
• So, check this out…in that moment, think upon what Jesus has done. Who He is. What is His counsel for the situation? And remind yourself that in the end, no one gets away with anything… but for the sake of Jesus and His great name, His glory, what He’s done in and through and for you, you take the loss…and it burns. All that Jesus has done through and will and can do through you, the enemy would like nothing more than for you to become an unloving, unforgiving, disgraceful bearer of the name of Christ…so that the loss you already are taking becomes exceedingly greater.
• Peter gives us some help and I believe there is a pattern here… When you find yourself in a situation of the fiery trial, whatever it may be and for whatever reason…, remember, it’s there to try you…so how do you prevail? TRY. Step one. TRY. A journey of a million miles begins with the first step. Then Peter suggests we rejoice. We could have a pity party, we could say the things to ourselves and about others in our hearts that are not helpful…but instead, against even your current emotions, revisit your joy.
• Then Peter talks about when Jesus is revealed… Next step, eyes on Jesus. You ever stare at someone? Like weirdly stare at them? Ha! Especially someone you know….what happens? They TALK TO YOU! Eyes on Jesus. Bible verses say this odd phrase, “Seek His face…” Weird, huh? But that simply means, stare at the Lord and engage Him! Now you’re trying, you’re rejoicing, and you’re staring, eyes fixed on Jesus and what happens? Peter says then….exceeding joy! And now, on to the next one. Well done, good and faithful servant!
• Ok, let’s play this out… Hard days, hard people, hard circumstances, hard life… BUT, you are one who is a habitual step-taker towards doing what is good and right. You take thoughts captive that seek to steal kill and destroy your joy and whatever things are good, noble, worthy of praise, you set your mind on these things and you re-visit your joy. You seek the Lord and keep your eyes on Him. There is zero doubt in my mind that you will not only be a person of ferocious mighty character but you will definitely be marked by exceeding joy and nothing can stop you. Pretty soon you are leading and excelling and succeeding and thriving, why? Peter’s pattern. Ain’t nobody gonna breaka your stride, can’t nobody hold you down, oh no, you just keep on moving!! And this becomes your public and private identity….
1 Peter Chapter 4 Verse 14
• Ok, the Spirit of God we are familiar with, but what is the Spirit of glory? Could be the same thing, no doubt and I’m fine with that but this is the only place in all of scripture we find this phrase, “The Spirit of Glory,” and that intrigues me! What does or what could it mean!?
• Boxers battle for the glory of the title. UFC fighters fight for the glory of being the champion. The Colorado Avalanche played for and became victors unto the glory of the Stanley Cup. There’s great glory in victory and the absolute overwhelm of achievement, accomplishment, attainment, performance and success!
• It’s awesome! Just like Nacho said, “A little taste of the glory!” HA! But this…what Peter is talking about here…its that but not that…because this glory isn’t yours, it’s the Lord’s…and so as you are being filled with this great greatness, overcoming, achieving, character building, joy increasing…there is this reality that all of what you’ve done or what you’re proud of is all because of the goodness and grace of God…
• And so, you add to the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of God and on top of all that great greatness, you add gratefulness! (Nothing better than a GREAT person that is GRATEFUL!) And man, that is sweet humbling right there! The only thing better than glorifying God on this planet and in your life is glorifying God in the privacy of your heart of hearts! So good!
1 Peter Chapter 4 Verses 15 – 16
• This one is really simple. Christians, don’t kill. Christians, don’t take other peoples’ things. Like their cars, cell phones…spouses…you know, stuff like that. Now, these other two are a bit more complicated. Evil doers and busy bodies in other peoples’ matters. Here’s a hard truth, if you’re not involved directly and if you’re not ministering to them, you shouldn’t talk about or even know the business of someone else. That’s called gossip and it gives rise to all sorts of problems…
• But, there is a 100% chance that everyone of us are going to go off and do either of these two things very soon… That’s just reality… So, when damage is caused by you being in the flesh or in someone else’s business where you have no business, Peter says work that shame out really quickly through humility, accountability and rectification. By the way, those are the elements of repentance. And repentance, choosing God over ego, brings Him glory.
1 Peter Chapter 4 Verse 17
• Let’s never ask of someone else what we are not willing to do first ourselves. First individually, and second corporately. If we don’t embrace that, that’s called hypocrisy and there’s not much of anything else…folks, (including me, including you, including us), …hate more. Just rubs us wrong and leaves a terrible taste in our mouths.
• Now, this statement is in context to Peter talking about fiery trials…and suffering as a Christian in a way that brings glory to God. We don’t find out who someone is by what they say or even how they treat those that compliment them… It’s in difficulty that the Christian should really shine and if not, allow yourself to be judged by your own actions, not by anyone else, but by you…and work out what needs to be worked out in your own heart of hearts…because ultimately you and I are supposed to be examples and teachers of Jesus of Christ to a lost world… How can I be that when I myself can’t apply my own lessons?
1 Peter 4 Verses 18 – 19
• Let’s answer that question. Peter asks, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, what about the sinner? The answer is Matthew 7:14, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” The answer is, with difficulty and with hardship. It takes real grit to follow Jesus. To take up your cross and although times are entirely hard on you, you have the faith to trust God, commit your soul to Him in doing good, believing He is the faithful Creator…. That takes great difficulty and intense grit…
• I saw a quote this week that I’d like to share with you. “Be so confident in God’s plan that you don’t even get upset anymore when things don’t go your way.” Hard to believe sometimes but God is working all angles, at all times, in every and all possible ways, to bring you to the greatest version of your story…
• He sealed Noah’s boat…He protected Moses with Pharoah…He parted a sea to protect His people…He downed the Giant Goliath…He defeated the grave. He is faithful, just, powerful and paramountly concerned with you, your situation and your life… And so even today if you are suffering, please suffer with a bit more hope… Because I know this is true of me and its probably true of you as well, God is a far bit more faithful and more graceful and more loving than I think He is…