1 Peter 4:1-6...Holy conduct, holy words, holy ________________

 


Little Hills Lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin on a very still and unseasonably warm October evening.  No fish this evening but so thankful to be on the water in this borrowed row boat with my "navigator."  Not sure about my expression at the moment but it was not a representation of the my mood on this beautiful little lake.  
Here is another from that night.


Before heading into something about Sunday's sermon in 1 Peter 4, I want to post a link to a great playlist to copy and paste somewhere for future listening.  It is the newest "Together for the Gospel Live V."  Some great songs to listen to and ponder over the words of these songs so God-centered.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kWzstsR_0JnABrvVA_74pnoPTgCSymE8s

Peter keeps pouring it on to these 1st century Christians who are being heavily persecuted.  He is speaking to those who are still alive but most likely have seen some of their Christians friends actually "die for the faith."  The temptation would be great to "cut bait and run" but Peter keeps pushing them to even greater commitment.

They have been instructed to have holy conduct in the world they live in.  They have also been instructed to have holy words that are given of their defense of the hope that is within them.  Now Peter instructed them to have a holy death if necessary like their friends before them and its impact upon others will be just as much as their conduct and words.  Death means being with Him but it also is not a stop of the witness of the One who is being proclaimed even unto death.

1 Peter 4.6a - "...they might live in the spirit the way God does." (LSB)  "They might" is the phrase that caught my eye last week.  Peter continues to keep their minds upon what is the most important thing these who are maligning you (v.4) need to know by deed, defense, and even death.  May they glorify God (2.12); may they be silenced (2.15); may they be won (3.1); may they be heirs with you (3.7); may they be shamed from above (3.16); and may they brought safety through God's wrath (3.20).

I finished with this graphic that shows the difference between those who believe and those who do not believe and how important the message of the cross of Christ is from us in our conduct, words and even death to those who yet know of God's great love given through His Son, Jesus Christ.

physically alive ---------------------- spiritually dead
the Cross - conversion
spiritually alive ---------------------- physically alive
physically dead ----------------- still spiritually alive

_______________________________________________________

physically alive --------------------- spiritually dead
no Cross - no conversion
physically dead ---------------- still spiritually dead

The stark difference that should propel us forward to keep telling the world with our conduct, our words, and if need be even our death to point them to Jesus.  Check out the sermon below if you have the time.  --Adam--



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life - Spurgeon

     I heard this phrase today along with another that if you connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life, it will end up effecting all of your life.  This came up in my study of the book of James and specifically the verses dealing with not just being a hearer of the Word but also be a doer of the Word.  It is all about application.  I can't look at preaching the Word without giving steps of applying the Word.  It really is an incomplete sermon if I don't.      Many times I think it has to be big and many points and given cute aliteration that makes it snappy and I think easy to remember and fun to write down.  Reality is, if I would make it a bit of Scripture connected to a bit of life and just that it would probably accomplish much more.  How much time I spend on the opening statement and lame joke and research and introductions and how many points and the closing statement and so little time on connecting the bit of Scripture to the bit of life.      So I guess I ha
Read more

Galatians #15 - Galatians 6:11-18 - "On The Road Again..."

Image
  Another week closer and it involves some more travel for the Wolfgangs.  I feel like the Willy Nelson song, " On the road again... "  I don't know if I agree with the next line though. " ...I can't wait to get on the road again. " One of the members of the church in Wisconsin calculated that I will travel well over 10,000 miles to make this transition.  Traveling mercies prayers please. Last Sunday we will look at Paul's final words to the churches in Galatia.  He brought them the gospel (good news) message of Jesus and what resulted were churches forming throughout the region.  The letter is to defend that message that our salvation comes from and is in Christ alone.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  The summary statement of the letter is found in  Galatians 6:15 (LSB) .  " For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. "  Translated another way earlier in  Ga
Read more

Sermon prep and maybe a video...

     James 4 has brought up some interesting study.  First, "the quarrels and fights among you."  Those are usually worse than you think even though we try to minimize them.  The source is simpler than you think because it is coming from within you.  The solution is easier than you think because the solution that James gives is that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Any sincere resolution is specific and brief.  Beware of lengthy resolutions that usually include explaining it away or excusing some of the behavior.      As I have seen before, the words are a sign of the heart.  I read this week that if we have a critical heart we usually start by speaking evil of another to ourselves.  Then we progress to speaking evil of another to that person with a running tally in our heads of all their wrongs.  Finally, we speak evil of another to others and broadcast in a way that we are thinking that we are helping.  Giving judgment is always easier than giving mercy.  I
Read more