1 Peter 4:7-11: Working in the Kingdom

I. Base Text: 1 Peter 4:7-11

II. Understanding the Text
   A. Background
      1. 1 Peter 1: great encouragement based in rebirth through 
         resurrection and hope of salvation; value of salvation; 
         imperatives to holiness, love
      2. 1 Peter 2: sustained by God's message; Christians as Temple,
         spiritual Israel; honorable conduct before all people; call 
         to suffer for doing right, as Christ has set forth as an 
         example
      3. 1 Peter 3: appropriate conduct of husbands and wives; 
         Christians as living representatives of Christ, doing good 
         and suffering for it if necessary; defending the faith with 
         gentleness and respect; saved through baptism
      4. 1 Peter 4:1-6: as Christ suffered, so we are to suffer and 
         cease from sin; not to walk as Gentiles do; they malign us; 
         God will bring all under judgment 
   B. "The end of all things is at hand" (1 Peter 4:7a)
      1. Declarative statement
      2. Multitude of verses that show that God's next direct 
         intervention on Earth will bring the end (Matthew 25, 
         1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Peter 3:10-12)
      3. The message underscores what can be seen before in 1 Peter
      4. Establishes what we see to follow
   C. "Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of 
      your prayers" (1 Peter 4:7b)
      1. Principle also seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8
      2. What does it mean to be of sound mind and to be sober?
      3. Why would we want to be this way "for the sake of our 
         prayers?"  
         a. Prayer is our way of communicating with God-- Matthew 6:4
         b. How can we pray unless we are of sound mind?
         c. How can we expect God to hear our prayer if we are 
            physically and mentally unstable (cf. 1 Peter 3:12, 
            James 1:5-8)?
   D. "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers
      a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8)
      1. 1 Peter 1:22, 3:8
      2. 1 Corinthians 13: general principle of what love is
      3. 1 John 4:7-21
         a. What is Christianity without love?
         b. Why would we want to go to Heaven with those we do not 
            love?
         c. This only makes sense!
      4. Our love for Christ can only be seen through loving those 
         for whom He died
      5. This love is exceedingly important in these times
         a. are other groups known for their love?
         b. Will this make us stand out and help us to be the lights 
            that we ought to be?
      6. Love covers sins-- not the idea of penance or that anything 
         but the blood of Christ can forgive sin (cf. 1 John 1:9), but
         the idea that through love we can restore and build up what 
         was formerly broken down
   E. "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling" 
      (1 Peter 4:9)
      1. What ever is this doing here?
      2. Spoken of as a tendency of Christians in Romans 12:13
      3. Required of elders (Titus 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:2) and widows 
         (1 Timothy 5:10)
      4. Hebrews 13:12- for some have entertained angels unawares 
         (cf. Genesis 18)
      5. Why is this so important?  
         a. part of building one another up, expecting the Day of the
            Lord
         b. a need for this!
      6. Without murmuring— i.e. without complaint
         a. would you complain about entertaining God?
         b. Then why complain about entertaining His children?
   F. "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another" 
      (1 Peter 4:10ab)
      1. Romans 12:6-8
      2. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
      3. Recognition that God has given everyone gifts
      4. Expectation that they are used, not set aside 
         (cf. Matthew 25:14-30)
      5. Used to serve one another-- show brotherly love, a tender 
         heart (cf. 1 Peter 3:8)
   G. "As good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:10c)
      1. Matthew 24:45-51
      2. "God's varied grace"
         a. God's gifts are varied, or different
         b. We must be found to be good stewards of them as He has 
            given them to us!
   H. "Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God" 
      (1 Peter 4:11a)
      1. What are the oracles of God?
      2. His Gospel, the message with which we have been entrusted 
         (Romans 1:16)
      3. Just as important of a charge to keep as the prophets of 
         Israel
   I. "Whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God 
      supplies" (1 Peter 4:11b)
      1. John 13:12-16
      2. Service preeminent
      3. cf. Philippians 2:1-11
      4. Who supplies our strength?  God (cf. 1 Peter 5:10)!

III. Conclusion
   A. As Peter ends this discussion, "that in all things God may be 
      glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the 
      dominion for ever and ever" (cf. Matthew 5:13-16, 
      1 Peter 1:3-9)
   B. We have a charge to keep, for the time is drawing near
   C. We must constantly work to glorify our God and proclaim His 
      name to all
   D. We must stay the course and maintain the purity of the faith
   E. Love and hospitality must be always named amongst us
   F. We must use our gifts to His glory and to the edification of 
      the church
   G. This is the only way to salvation
   H. Let us be working in the Kingdom and prepared for the end!
   I. Invitation/songbook