Anticipating Conduct

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Father, thank you for this night. Thank you for your word. I Pray, it’s Jonathan that you would go forth and help us to understand it. Give us instruction. Help us to apply that May you strengthen us as you have called us to be your people and may we do these things In honor of you for your honor and glory and I pray all that in Jesus name. Amen So tonight We are back in First Peter. The title of my message is Anticipating conduct or how should a Christian prepare for his return?

If you would open your Bibles to First Peter 4 I am going to read verses 1 through 11 First Peter 4 1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking For whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. For the time that is passed suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, for they will malign you, but they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel is preached even to those who are dead, that those judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. The end of all things is at hand, therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep

loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to the one without grumbling, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. Whoever speaks is one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” So here Peter gives us much encouragement and tools to help us live the good life that Jonathan called us to in his last message from 1st Peter 3, 8 through 17. Because we are sinners, we will get things wrong or out of balance. And more than just a good word, we must find time to think and meditate on these truths that Peter packs in this section of 1st Peter. We must get wisdom and apply it to our hearts first. Jesus is coming back and each of us will meet him face to face. The Bible tells us that there is a way Christians should conduct themselves in anticipating his return. The Bible

teaches that anticipating his return is not passive. There is a conduct that the Lord calls us to as we wait for him. Consider 1 John 3-3. I love this verse. Think about it often. It says, “…and everyone who thus hopes in himself purifies himself as he is pure. There is an expectation that everyone who hopes in Jesus will deal with their sins in a heart purifying way. We seek to uproot the sin in our hearts and to be ready to see him who is holy and has saved us from our sins. Jesus has given each of us talents and he expects expects us to do something with them. He expects us to turn them into something valuable.

Consider the response in the parable of the talents of the servant who was passive and did nothing with his talent. For those who are faithful, they will hear well done good and faithful servant. It is active obedience. Jim Martin has said, if you want to know what you love, look at what you spend your money on. Think about that. Think about how you spent the last week. And just like our bank accounts, our choices and actions in this life tell us what our hope is in. It shows us if our love is wrapped up in fleshly things or God’s will.

In his commentary on 1st Peter, Edmund Hebert said, a life of Christian holiness is a happy life, but it is very costly. I couldn’t help but be reminded of our reading in Men to Men from Godly Man’s picture where Thomas Watson encouraged his readers to think to themselves what it would cost to be godly. Christians should count the cost before they build, he said. He goes on and says, why are people so hasty and abandoning religion if not because they were so hasty in taking it up. This brings me to my first point, the call to be armed with a godly attitude, verses 1 and 2. Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. Peter here brings a good word to help us live a life in anticipation of Christ’s return. That therefore points us back to Christ’s suffering in his flesh for sins he didn’t commit. 1 Peter 3 18 tells us, for Christ also suffered once for sins,

the righteous for the unrighteous. Christ is our example of what it looks like to have victory in suffering. Jesus Christ shows us how to suffer for righteousness’ sake. Peter is appealing his readers to look to Christ and to have the same mind that He did. What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Christ did not live a life of pleasure and comfort, but a life spent and poured out for others.

He gave up His life for His enemies. Christ willingly took responsibility for our sins, even when we were dead in our sins. If we have the mind of Jesus Christ, it will lead us to live in a life that is directed in God’s will rather than the passions of our flesh. To have the mind of Christ is to love what God loves. We must have this attitude and mindset if we will suffer willingly for righteousness sake. The blessing that comes with arming yourselves with the same way of thinking as Christ is that it will teach you to beat your flesh into submission to God’s will. It will also strengthen you to be the kind of disciple that seeks the welfare of the Christian community. To have the same mind of Christ would be to lay down your life for the brothers. Peter knows that trouble is coming and he wants to make sure that his readers are equipped to make war on their sin and without having the same attitude as Christ they would not find victory. Peter says that whoever has suffered in the flesh has

ceased from sin. Who is Peter talking about here? It has to be the Christian because Jesus never sinned and because of that he would not have to cease from sin. The idea I believe Peter is giving is that suffering for righteousness has a purifying effect. So when a Christian suffers for righteousness sake, they are being purified and sanctified. While sin will never cease for the Christian in this life, there is a progress of more and more holiness in the life of their as a believer. Consider Romans 6 16 through 18 it says do you not know that if you present yourselves anyone as obedient slaves you are slaves of the one whom you obey either of sin which leads to death or of obedience which leads to righteousness but thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient to the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed having been set free from sin have you have become slaves of righteousness when God saves a sinner He gives them a new heart and wants to no longer live for the passions of the flesh, but the will of God.

The power of sin no longer grips our hearts. The old self has been put to death, and God has given us a new self. Think about 2 Corinthians 5, 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. Amen. As Hebert puts it, a life loop for the will of God will mean His will is our law, His word our rule, His Son’s life our example, His spirit rather than our own soul the guide of our actions.

We must trust Him in all circumstances, even if that includes suffering for righteousness sake. I will finish this point with Titus 2 11 through 14 which says, For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. This is what Jesus is working in us.

Every day is a training opportunity to live our time for the will of God rather than in the flesh for our human passions. There is a difference between living in the flesh and living for the will of God. And in order to live in the will of God we have to have the same mind that Christ had where we are focused on what the Father wants for us and not what our passions may desire. This brings me to my second point, a call for Christian conduct, verses 3 through 6.

For the time that is passed suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised that you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you, but they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel is preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the Spirit the way God does. There is no better way to waste this life than to live like a pagan. That would be out of step with the Spirit who called us to and saved us to be children of light.

Ephesians 5 6 through 10 says, let no one deceive you with empty words for because of this, because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partakers with them, for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found, and all that is good and right and true. And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. The audience Peter was writing to more than likely were saved in their adult life. They were Gentiles, not Jews, and Peter reminded them of their past ways. Regardless of how wretched your past is, God saved each of us to a life of obedience. I think I can be profitable to remember where you came from, but not to let that drag you in the mud. When I consider my past life before Christ interrupted it, I lived a fruitless and selfish life, and the enemy wants to convince each of us that we are not worthy of our calling in the Lord Jesus. We must remember that Christ, we have forgiveness, and that forgiveness does not depend on

what we did or what we did not do, but on the finished work of our resurrected Lord. Peter reminds his readers of the things that they would have repented of. We must remember that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. The life of a Christian must be a life of continued repentance. It is not a once and done, but we must keep a close watch on our hearts and make progress and repent as needed. Some of the things Peter reminded the readers of are sensuality. Think in terms of debauchery. This would imply excesses of all kinds of evil. It would involve a lack of personal self-restraint. The main idea here is shameless conduct.

The next would be passions. This would include depraved cravings and inner desires that drive men to what is forbidden. The next was drunkenness, which is with alcohol or wine in excess like too much or too frequently. Drunkenness would be the ideal. But then the next would be orgies. In Peter’s day there would be festive gatherings and merry-making and honor of a god, particularly Bacchus, and these parties would end with parading the streets and indulging in whatever or folly or wickedness suggested itself.

Drinking parties, this was the next one, and this is where people had excess food and drink. It seemed like the idea of spinning and using things wastefully. And the last thing he mentioned was lawless idolatry, practices and such that would hinder the worship of God and pervert his ways and the loyalty to his name.

It seems like the first three are more like personal, and then the last three are more like corporate. Peter is highlighting the difference between what pagans choose to do and the will of God. While the pagan’s lifestyle revolves around indulging one’s appetite, the Christian lifestyle revolves around bridal passions, purity, and a good conscience. When you understand what Jesus has done for sinners, you will no longer be able to walk in the same manner that you did before salvation. You will stop playing with nails in your pockets and remember that Jesus died for sins, for the sins that we would be doing.

Why partake in something that he died for, let alone something that requires repentance? For a Christian, it is out of conduct to do that. There should be an obvious character change in your life, and this is not once and done, but always having a working effect on your soul. A rapper that I know once said, If you didn’t know Christ, would your life look the same? If it would, then you would be having to question that. Because our lives should look drastically different from before Christ to after Christ. And Peter here is calling us to walk as Christians and to put aside anything that is in us that would not honor the Lord.

Your conduct could be different than your un-saved… Your conduct should be different from your unsaid family members and neighbors. Your character should give a picture of what fruitful repentance looks like. I love what Matthew Henry said in his commentary. It is a quote, it is a Christian’s duty not only to abstain from what is grossly wicked, but also from those things that are generally the occasion for sin, or carry the appearance of evil. And I think it’s a good word. We have to consider what we’re doing and what kind of picture is that portraying to the people, not only within the community, but your neighbors who live across the street.

It kind of reminded me, like in terms of 1 Peter 1, 14 through 15, which says, as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Peter then proceeds to warn his readers that people around them will be surprised when they see someone who will not join them or support them in the debauchery and they will malign them.

This means to speak harmful or in slanderous ways in one way to call what is good to call evil. They want to paint a bad name for Christians. They will want to make you look like the problem rather than their own hearts, which are the problem. I was reminded of Romans 1, 32, which Paul says, though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them. God made us to know what is right and wrong. Sinners learn real quick how to suppress the truth and unrighteousness. Many who do evil and approve of those who practice sin will slander and speak against those who do not participate with them.

If you want to watch a recent story on what this might look like, I would recommend watching the documentary Paint the Wall Black, the story of Nene’s Deli. It’s a story about a business in Chicago that stood up against Black Lives Matters, wanting them to post like a black square. And they just kind of went ballistic on them. And they ended up closing their business down because of the persecution that was happening to the business because they would not stand with that organization. In our day and age, the pressure comes thick and to persuade others to align with what God condemns. People and businesses are being canceled and shut down.

But no matter what the cost, we must stand up against the culture’s values, the murdering of babies, same-sex marriage, transgenderism, Black Lives Matters, and such. If something undermines God’s word, we must be willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake. We must be willing to call those in our lives who practice and participate in such things to repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Here Peter wants us to remember that those who abuse God’s people will have to give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

The Gospel of Matthew reminds us, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. We must fear the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. There is a coming judgment where none can evade the fearful judgment of God. Hebrews 10.31 tells us it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. We do not have anything to fear if our conduct is faithful to the Lord. Peter finishes this section with the reason why the gospel is preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh by the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

Verse 6 here is an interesting passage and one that comes with difficulty. Some, I mean there’s a lot of things that people throw out there. I only am going to bring a few of what I read. Some believe this represents the early unit of Christian, creedal confession. I was not able to determine which one, but if you think about the Apostles Creed, many do not agree with what it means that Jesus descended in the Hades. My take on verse 6 is that the preaching of the gospel was to all mankind and that there are those who are now dead, but who when they heard the gospel, repented of their sins and are now alive in Christ.

I don’t think there is some kind of preaching to dead people as Hebrews 9, 27-28 tells us, as it is appointed for man to die once, and after this comes judgment. So Christ, having been offered once to bear sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly awaiting Him.” And so like that would be the idea of like to think that there’s some preaching going on to dead people, it just seems weird to me. But as one of the commentaries that I was reading put it, people will be judged according to how they respond to the gospel, the good news of Christ. The gospel was preached that many would be saved according to the power of God.

And so that God is saving people, and ultimately all of us are dead before God saves us. So in that sense, yeah, we do need to preach the gospel so that way God can raise dead people and give them life. And then this brings me to my last point, a call to Christian community, verses seven through 11.

“’The end of all things is at hand. Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. Whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Christians are called to live a life with eternal perspective.

How one thinks, acts, and serves others is essential to honoring God in this life. The end of all things is at hand. I think this is more of a way to encourage Christian conduct. If you think like 1 John 2.28 which says, And now little children abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame of his coming. The only reason one would shrink from him is because they don’t belong to him. They never knew the way of holiness. But that kind of verse, and there’s another one I wanted to share, but they really are there to encourage holiness, not to make you afraid of God, but to realize that there is a reward on the other end of actually honoring him.

And so it’s to kick you in the pants and get you going. It’s a longer passage, but 2 Peter 1, 3 through 11, which says, his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escape from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, They keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall. For in this way, there will be richly supplied for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Like that’s encouraging, that is telling you like, hey, like these qualities should be actively in your life.

And so the fact that the end is at hand is the fact that God is coming back, like it’s a thief in the night, we do not know when he will return, but we ought to be doing the things that should be preparing us to meet him. And these are only two passages, But they would be worth spending time meditating on them and helping you get on fire for some Christian conduct. While we do not know when Christ will return, it is the hope on which all Christians stand. It should ground us to be self-controlled and sober-minded so that we can be alert and present in the moment. Like, in this day and age, you can get lost in just a whole bunch of stuff, like from Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, whatever.

Like you can waste a lot of time and then get bogged down with wasting it in a way that is not profitable for you or for your Christian community. We must be diligent to pay attention for the sake of praying and encouraging one another. The one who lacks self-control and sober-mindedness will not be a good neighbor, because when the need arises, they won’t be in a position to pray or to serve one another. You never know when the need for prayer will arise, let alone find your brother in trouble. This is why we must be growing in self-control and sober mindedness. Those are things that are actually pantsed to wear to get you ready for action.

Like if you are self-controlled, living a self-controlled life, and you are sober minded, you’re thinking clearly, it will only allow you to be ready for what the Lord has for you, rather than be surprised and then end up not being able to help your brother out. Peter then tells his readers, “‘Above all, keep loving one another earnestly.’ Some of us would do well to meditate on 1 Corinthians 13, 4-8. It says, “‘Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. who does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” I love this word that Hebert gives in his commentary. Peter insisted that they must love deeply, stretched out, and up to full capacity. This requires a love that is both constant and intense. If you are not able to cover a multitude of sins, it is because we have weak-hearted love. We need hearts that are full of Christ’s love for us. This kind of love will not let others overgrow your heart with weeds. The idea of overgrowing your heart is something I’ve really been thinking about. From Failure of Nerve, we’ve been reading that book.

And in the context of the book, he’s talking about parenting and how, you know, if you want your kids to grow, You need to get out of the way, first thing. And then the second thing is to not let your kids overgrow your heart. And so in a community of believers where we’re all sinners, it’s probably easy to overgrow one another’s hearts. And so we need to learn to be able to cultivate our own hearts to where we don’t allow people to overgrow them, but we continue to have joy in the Lord and where He has us. If our heart is full of love for others, It is a way to keep others from taking our joy, and it is a way that will help us to not be passive with our relationships.

Oftentimes, when our hearts are overgrown, we just don’t care or we give less effort to it. And so the love that Peter is calling us to, a fervent love, is one that will not allow you to be passive. It will cause you to be active and to go after those things that are worth going after. This kind of love will benefit us as the next thing Peter wants to address is hospitality. Peter instructs us to show hospitality to one another without grumbling. He keeps pushing buttons to see if he can trigger someone. Something beautiful and glorious happens when a saint opens their home or invites someone over for fellowship.

It has a heart-nitting effect and can increase mutual love for one another. Peter adds, without grumbling, because hospitality is not easy and it can be inconvenient. I think the elders would agree our body does a really good job of hospitality. Many of us are opening up our homes and inviting people in and sharing that fellowship. And that is encouraging.

And for those of you who aren’t participating in those things, like you’re missing out, I think for the most part, most of our people are, but clearly there’s always ways to be growing and to be allowing that to be a more blessing of a time when you’re together with God’s people. You know oftentimes we can we come together which is great, but what are we doing with those minutes? How are we using those conversations to stir each other up to make progress in the faith? Without love, hospitality can be challenging, challenging costly, burdensome, and irritating. We need to keep in mind that these are opportunities that we can be a blessing to one another. Peter now exhorts his readers to know that each has received a gift and to use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. It is interesting that Paul says we are serving one another as good stewards. Like these aren’t like our gifts, we don’t make them up. God has given each of us a gift for the sake of using it to bless his people, to bless

the community. And so I don’t know if you know sometimes it’s hard to figure out what your giftedness is but oftentimes if you will just you know start engaging, being active and present where you’re at, you’ll figure out what what God may be gifted you in or what you keep going.

But we are not the owner of the gift and have nothing to do with developing that gift. It is by God’s grace that we have these gifts and that we can use them to honor Him. And it’s given so that way we can bless and serve each other. Sometimes people can get stuck on figuring that out, but the key to learning that is just to figure out what opportunities are before you that you can go and serve and to try to be a blessing to other people. If you need, yeah, if you see a need, meet a need, but in doing that, you will gain some wisdom as to what your gift might be. Be willing to learn new things. You never know what it might open up for you.

First, I love Galatians 5, 13 through 14, and I believe this would need to be at the fore, at least it’s at the forefront of my thinking when I’m considering like how I am using my giftedness to serve other people. For you were called the Freedom Brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And Peter, he does give us directions on the two categories of gifts. One is speaking and the other is serving. Some of us have the gift of speaking. Some of us have the gift of serving.

Some of us may have a few of those gifts, but no matter what, God has at least given you one gift that is unique to you and where you will be able to use that and serve the body in a way that no one else can. So don’t be afraid of being who you are and asking God to help you know where are you gifted. I was telling Jolie, I don’t think when you’re using your gift in this, I don’t think it’s a burdensome. I guess it could be. She would say, yeah, maybe. But I mean, I do feel like there are times where it can be hard. But if you are, if God has gifted you to that way, it should come out of a heart that actually enjoys that, meaning it’s not complicated.

You’re not trying to do something that you weren’t called to do. In regards to the speaking gifts, that can come in a few different forms. Maybe you’re gifted in encouraging others. It could be exhorting others. Maybe it is giving wisdom.

could be giving knowledge or even discernment. The list is not exhaustive but should give you enough to think about. We must remember that Peter tells us that whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, so whatever we bring to others, this giftedness is grounded in God’s Word, not our opinions. When it comes to the serving gifts, that would encompass things like service, prayer, administration, helping others, and serving them for the sake of their welfare and in a way that would bless them with their need. The goal of any of the of these speaking or serving gifts is that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. If you use those gifts to promote self rather than God’s glory, we abuse the gift given to us and we will lack the strength to fulfill it’s calling in our life. Whatever gift God has graced you with, it could cause you to, you know, it should cause us to put on humility and to remember that you are only God’s steward in whatever you do.

I love 1 Corinthians 10.31. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. And we must remember that anticipating conduct is a means to bring God glory through Jesus Christ. This is what Christian living is all about. If we desire to hear well done good and faithful servant, we must seek his help and strength to be the Christian he has called us to be. And Peter ends like to him belong to glory and dominion forever and ever like a doxology it I mean God is working in and through our lives and it is amazing to to watch that and to see how he intertwines relationships and bring think brings things about that you never would have expected and Heaven will be a glorious day for those who are running after his glory and so So, you know, we do need to consider, are we being like-minded like Christ?

Do we have the same, you know, mindset when it comes to the suffering that we will endure? Like, he did it for the joy of the, you know, for the cross, for our salvation. We could be doing it for the joy of our people flourishing and growing. So, thank you, I will pray.

Father, thank you for tonight. I just pray that you would continue to allow this message to cultivate seeds, help us to consider what you would want us to do with it. And I’m thankful for our body. I’m thankful for the many souls you have here and just the way that you have gifted them and the way that they are exercising their giftedness. And I just pray that you would continue to strengthen us more and more, that you would allow us to have the same mind that your son has, that you would allow us to consider our conduct and what we are doing with the lives that you have given us, and to remember that our time is short and the end is near, and you have called us to conduct ourselves in in a way that shows that we are anticipating your return and eager to see you face to face.

Just pray that you would continue to cause our love for one another to be fervent. I pray that you would cause us to even grow more and more in our hospitality to one another. And we would just consider your honor and glory and all the things that we would do and put our hands to. And I thank you for this upcoming week. And just pray that you would give us many opportunities to apply what was taught by Peter in this passage, and that you would strengthen us by your spirit to be people that fear you and honor you and do all that we do so that way you are glorified and the world will see how good you are. So allow our neighbors and our unsafe family members to taste that you are good and may that come through just the lives that we live and may we have much thanks and joy because of who you are and what you’ve done for us in Christ and it’s in his name we pray, amen.