Serving for God's Glory
Notes
Transcript
Good morning Church, take your copy of God’s Word turn to 1 Peter 4:7-11
In today's message, we will explore what it means to serve for God’s glory.
1 Peter 4:7 (NKJV)
7 But the end of all things is at hand;
Lets stop right there. What does Peter mean by saying this?
Serve God with the End in Mind
Serve God with the End in Mind
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Look here is the truth of it - the coming of the LORD is at hand, meaning His coming is sooner than later.
8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
So how do we know that we are in the last day, the final chapter in world history. Does the Bible give us any clues that helps us know for sure?
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
As believers in Christ we need to live out the Christian faith in such a way that Christ is at the door.
Illustration: Don’t get caught trying to clean your house up when unexpected company has already arrived.
Lets keep reading
1 Peter 4:7–8 (NKJV)
7therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
What we have here is this
Serve God with a Fervent Love
Serve God with a Fervent Love
The word “fervent” means, eager, earnest, constant, it is unfailing love
then when he says for “love will cover a multitude of sins”
1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary (i) Pray More and Love Each Other More (4:7–9)
Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offences, and even some large ones, are readily overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts abound—to Satan’s perverse delight
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
It is this kind of earnest love, which seeks the good of others before one’s own, and finds practical expressions of hospitality…that leads us to the next verse.
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
Serve God with a Hospitable Heart
Serve God with a Hospitable Heart
Hospitality, though a Christian duty, is to be done without grumbling about it, in other words, don’t use repeated words of complaint, often spoken to others with the result of stirring up rebellion.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
Such grumbling is ultimately a complaint against the LORD and His sovereign will being worked out in our lives, and all grumbling does is drive out faith, thanksgiving, and joy.
and so,
Galatians 6:10 (NKJV)
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Next we come to 1 Peter 4:10-11
1 Peter 4:10–11 (NKJV)
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies,
We are instructed to...
Serve God with the Gifts you have Received
Serve God with the Gifts you have Received
Within the fellowship and body of Christ, fervent love for one another will find expressions of the use of spiritual gifts, that are not intended to benefit us in some self advancement or to draw attention to ourselves, no, these gifts that God give freely to all are for the purpose of benefiting others
1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary (ii) Glorify God in Using Your Gifts (4:10–11)
Each implies that every person in the fellowship of believers—in every church to which Peter was writing—had received a ‘spiritual gift’ (charisma) for use in the life of the church (Paul teaches this explicitly: 1 Cor. 12:7–11
The gifts God gives are meant to serve Him by serving others with those gifts.
A spiritual gift is any talent or ability which is empowered by the Holy Spirit and able to be used in the ministry of the church
Lastly Peter brings this thought to the reason for which we serve God through fervent love, hospitality and gift sharing in the later part of v. 11
1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV)
11 that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Serve God in All things for the Glory of God
Serve God in All things for the Glory of God
It is all for His glory, that is the will of God for our life. All things are to bring Glory to God.
How do you know if something you are doing is God’s will?
Ask yourself this, is what you are doing through out the day the Lord has given you, something you can honestly say is worthy to be called “for the Glory of God”
1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary (ii) Glorify God in Using Your Gifts (4:10–11)
While service is directed to helping fellow believers (and others) and to building up the church, its ultimate purpose is that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Finally, Peter closes this section with his own doxology.
“To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Now as we prepare to partake of Communion in light of the text we have just read, we come to the Lord’s table to REMEMBER in the Living Hope we have in Christ Jesus. We are reminded that Chris’s coming is just over the horizon.
As we gather around the Lord’s table let us be reminded that we the church should glorify God through prayer, love, and service.
These verses are sandwiched in a context dealing with the persecution Peter’s readers were facing.
In both the preceding and following sections, Peter brings in the certainty that Jesus Christ will return to judge all people (4:5, 17).
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Now let us draw near to Christ who suffered for us all that we may not forget the body and blood that was given for us.
Knowing that Christ rose again, ascended to the Father in Heaven and will return soon.
Acts 1:11 (NKJV)
11 “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
If the those who are going to help in serving this communion this morning would please come.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”