Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday December 27, 2009

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The End is Near

1 Peter 4:7-11

The end of all things is at hand.  2P3:8 – Peter wrote this two days ago! The end of the earth has been the theme of many movies lately.  Knowing /The Day the Earth Stood Still/2012.  The destruction of the earth is due either to chance physical events – meteors from above/earthquakes from below– or the moral decay/corruption of humans who have treated one another or the planet w/ disregard.  When our moral corruption is in view, the focus isn’t on the earth being destroyed, but humanity being destroyed.  It’s not a chance physical event that has triggered destruction, but the judgment of a galactic civilization that humans are not worthy enough to remain in existence.  Ouch!  

But this is not what Peter means when he tells us that the end is near.  He’s not telling us to watch out for falling meteors from above/earthquakes from below/morally superior galactic civilization – he’s telling us to watch out for God.  The return of Jesus Christ is near.  

…He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.  Acts 17:31

In light of all things ending and our standing b4 God 2b judged, how should we then live?  7-11 is sandwiched between 1-6, 12-19.  Both of these passages speak of suffering and 7-11 speaks of praying/ loving/serving – all of this while suffering.  Suffering isn’t to sideline you.  I’ve heard that every professional football player plays hurt.  There is always something throbbing/aching/hurting.  Don’t allow your suffering to sideline you.  4 things Peter calls us to do - 

Pray

In light of the end of all things ur2 pray.  But you can only pray if your are of sound judgment/sober.  

Be of sound judgment – Gr. = ‘saved mind’/Sober (to abstain from wine).  Both these verbs are imperatives: think with a saved mind/don’t let any stimulant/mood altering substance/relationship/influence cloud the thinking of your saved mind.  Remain sober/think sanely.  Remain fully alert/in possession of your faculties/feelings. Samson/Delilah.

    * What should you be praying about?
    * Pray to not enter into temptation -

Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Matthew 26:41

They were to pray that they would not give n2 temptation of running away in fear.  The pressure of the enemy becomes greater toward the end.  At end of Lord of the Rings all the enemy gathered against the forces of the west.  So today.  One of the reasons you don’t pray as you should is due to your lack of sobriety.  No, you’re not intoxicated, but ur under the influence of “go here/do that/ watch this…”  

    * Pray for the blessing/ministry of the saints -

…you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.    2 Corinthians 1:11

Favor = charisma.  When you pray for others, grace is theirs.  

    * Pray for people’s salvation

 
King Edward VII of England was well known for his drinking/immorality/debauchery. He became the King of England in 1901/reigned for 9 years before dying in 1910. In 1910 a Christian named Joe Evans/a man of prayer. One morning he arose with a strange burden to pray for King Edward. The burden increased through the day/by the end of the day Joe was praying with great agony of soul for the King’s conversion. Finally a sense of peace/ release came/he grew convinced that God had heard his prayer. The following day came the sudden news, “King Edward is dead.”

   Years passed, and Joe Evans was one day sharing dinner with Dr. J. Gregory Mantle of England, who was one of the most influential/prominent evangelical ministers in England in the early 1900’s. During their conversation, Dr. Mantle said, “Joe, did you know that Edward VII was saved on his deathbed?” There was hope that he might recover. However, there came a turn for the worse. At that time the King ordered one of his servants to go and find a copy of a tract that his mother, Queen Victoria, had given to him when he was a boy. It was entitled The Sinner’s Friend. Upon reading it, King Edward VII earnestly repented/received the Lord Jesus as his Savior.1

Love

The love of many will grow cold toward the end.  B4 all have fervent love 41 another.  Love covers (future tense) a multitude of sins.  It doesn’t condone sin, but neither does it drag the sin of others into the open and expose that person.  Whose sins are being covered?

    * Love covers the sins of others.  Pr. 10:12  Two of Noah’s sons covered up his sin.
          o Even in the most highly cultivated countries there are sections of land that have never been brought under the plough; so it is w/ the character of some men – perhaps of most men; there are patches of waste ground lying here/there utterly useless/offensive to the eye/covered, not with wholesome corn, but w/ briars/ nettles/weeds of poisonous quality.  In FB Meyer

          o Love covers the sins of the one loving.  The church fathers generally agree - love covers the sins of those who exercise it. 

Be hospitable

Literally: be a lover of strangers.  We have a hard time loving our acquaintances.  Hospitable, in English it makes us think of a hospital.  Is your home a hospital?  No, my home is a wrecking yard.  How do I make my home a hospital?  Make your heart a hospital – a place of healing for the broken/wounded.  

Karen Mains distinguishes between Hospitality/Entertaining: Entertaining says, "I want to impress you with my home/my clever decorating/my cooking." Hospitality says, "I want to bless you…This home is a gift from my Master. I use it as He desires." Hospitality aims to serve.  Entertaining puts things before people. "As soon as I get the house finished, the living room decorated, my house cleaning done - then I will start inviting people." Hospitality puts people first. "No furniture - we'll eat on the floor! The decorating may never get done—you come anyway. The house is a mess - but you are friends - come home with us."  Entertaining subtly declares, "This home is mine, an expression of my personality. Look, please, and admire." Hospitality whispers, "What is mine is yours."

“Without complaint” is a frank recognition that the practice of hospitality could become costly/burdensome/irritating. The Greek term denotes a muttering or low speaking as a sign of displeasure. It is the opposite of cheerfulness. 

Serve

Your gift brings the grace of God to others/as in prayer - 2C1:11.

There is no complete list of gifts in the NT, but this passage makes a fundamental distinction between types of gifts – speaking/ serving.  Speaking: pastor/teacher/evangelist | Serving: mercy/ helps.  Gifts: to distribute the grace of God.  A steward was one to whom property/wealth was entrusted to be used according to the owner’s will/direction. 

The purpose for it all – to bring glory to God.

The end is near.  Do you know Jesus.  Do you serve Jesus?