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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/david-oliver/oracles-of-god/
1 Peter chapter 4, and we'll begin our reading at verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, fervent love, for love shall cover the multitude of sins. Verse 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth. That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise or glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen. Now the words that were quoted already tonight from verse 11 have been coming to my mind quite often in thinking about the conference and in thinking about the meeting tonight actually. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.
And when something comes to you forcefully like that, sometimes you can make a great mistake and think it's for others and all the time it's for yourself. But taking this for myself, let me pass it on to others perhaps for the help of each one of us and for the help of the conference in general.
Because it is a wonderful privilege, isn't it, to be among the people of God. And it's a wonderful privilege to have the occasion of serving the people of God. Whether you serve them from here or on your knees or in the kitchen.
It's a great privilege to serve the people redeemed with precious blood. It is an expression of our love one for another when we serve. But I'm reminded of this too. It's a tremendous responsibility. And so I just want to think about four things relative to speaking particularly.
But this could have relevance for the conference platform, but it could have relevance to every aspect of our lives as well. So maybe we can take it in that light too. But I want to think first of all about the reason for speaking.
That's why I began our reading even though I had verse 10 and 11 primarily in mind. That's why I began the reading at verse 8. And the reality is that what the apostle is bringing before us is that the first thing, what comes before anything else, what has a higher priority than anything else, that's the impact of this.
When he says in verse 8, above all things, before anything else is taken care of, make sure this is taken care of. That you try to attempt to be loving is not what it says. But that there be this fervent love one for the other.
That is the standard. That's the model that's given to us. This is not now the love of what we see in others and the love of friends. This is the love that is a divine character. God is love. And this is the very expression of God to be seen when it comes to any service that there is existing among us as the people of God.
In fact, there's to be great care given that this will be maintained. I like one of the other translations of this particular expression. It is maintain an extreme love for each other. Maintain it. Make this a high priority.
That in my heart and in the hearts of all of us, there will be this that causes love for one another to burn, to shine, to exceed. And it will be expressed in our ministry one for another. So it's not really an idea of how can I get at my brother.
How can I secretly take a detour around what's obvious, but get him in the end or her? How can I express my frustration with the things of the assembly? How can I, having maintained a fervent and extreme affection for the people of God, serve them?
The reason for speaking is the maintenance of this in our own souls from which service to others flows. And I may say it as well. Will what I say contribute to the maintaining of that extreme love among ourselves?
Did you ever sense that sometimes when we speak, we polarize our listeners? I can so speak that there'll be some of the folks here that like what I say. And they'll be saying, amen. I thought that in fact, this verse, while I think of it now, the most amens, I didn't really take an applause meter, but I think the most amens that I heard tonight were to the statement from 1 Peter 4.
I noted it because it was on my mind. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. But I can so speak that I can get some people to say amen. And that'll maybe just give a little voice to the rest of the people in the meeting.
But the responsibility is this, that there may be this maintenance of love, this extreme love, one for another, and there's a magnanimity. That's the word I wanted. There's a magnanimity to this love that's expressed through service.
Love shall cover a multitude of sins. That does not mean that love overlooks sin. It doesn't mean that love covers rightful consequences of sin. Abhor that which is evil is spoken in the same setting as loving that which is good.
It's a master stroke of the perfection of the Lord Jesus that he loved righteousness and hated iniquity. But this is an insurance policy. Extreme love will cover the sins of others. It's not our business to try to highlight the sins of others.
It's not our business to try to somehow or other bring others down because they have done this. But it is rather not so much taking account of evil as it is finding a way by love to overcome the failings of others.
I feel like I'm strumming on the same string so often, but I love what it says in Isaiah 40 about the Lord Jesus. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench. Just the flax for the moment.
So I take it that the most of that flax is black and burned out, and there's just a little, somewhere in there, somewhere, there's just a little bit of smoke. It's not even flaming, just a little bit of smoke.
And I would look at the large piece, I'm exaggerating a little bit. I look at the large part that's burned out and not doing what's of any value. And the Lord looks at the minuscule potential, and he develops that potential until it burns and flames and is a full zeal that characterized him.
How wonderful when love sees the possibilities and fans those possibilities for the glory of God, the reason for speaking. And then the responsibility of speaking is actually given to us in three pictures in what we have read.
There's the picture, first of all, of those that are stewards. Those who speak are actually stewards of the grace of God. Now, if I take the grace of God to be in keeping with what Paul says in Ephesians chapter four, ministering grace to the hearers, no corrupt words coming out of our mouths, but words that communicate grace to the hearers.
And we have quoted it already tonight, collectively, that we may find grace to help in time of need. This grace, I take it to be a supply to meet a present need. Whatever the need may be, there is provision in divine truth to meet every need.
The grace of God sufficient to address—we were reminded of it—needs 87 years ago. And in some ways, if we—I don't know anything about this, but I think it'd be this way—if we just could all transport ourselves back 87 years, we would think we were living in a different world, if not a different universe.
And the Word of God is as relevant today as it was then. And whatever needs the people of God had then were addressed by the same book, and not by some different part of the same book, as our needs today are addressed by this same book.
In fact, I think maybe—can I just say this for younger folks? Now, I think it is—it's wise of us to recognize that the world has a tremendous tug, a tremendous power for a young generation, and it arrays itself in the most finely-tuned ways that it has ever been able to do.
We all right with that? But I want to remind us all that it's no different than the world has always been. You are not somehow or other fighting battles that no one else has ever fought before. Whatever you are meeting is again what others in generations past have met.
The way in which it's presented may be different, and the power of its—skill of its presentation may be different. It's the same. What the devil did in Genesis chapter 3, he's been doing ever since, and he's still doing in the world to the present time.
I don't want to convey why we speak with sympathy and concern for young believers and recognize the tremendous extremes of danger in the world in which we live. I think that's why you gave out that hymn, wasn't it?
This world's a wilderness. Why? While we recognize that, let us never give the idea that somehow or other that opens the door for greater license to just be a little closer to that world and a little less concerned about being preserved from it.
But the manifold grace of God—here's the responsibility of those that speak—that every need will be met by the grace of God that is ministered. Another way to talk about that would be to use the expression that Paul gives in Acts chapter 20, and that is the whole counsel of God.
Is there any part of the Word of God? Are there any truths from the Word of God that are really irrelevant to be considered this weekend? Now, I know we're not going to be able to consider them all, but those who speak will be responsible.
As stewards are, they don't have anything of their own that they're presenting. We are presenting, and our responsibility is to present what is entrusted to us. What hast thou that thou hast not received?
And we're just stewards who own nothing, just slaves, but they had the Master's goods, and they were accountable to the Master for how they distributed the goods that He had placed in their hands. The manifold, the many-faceted, the varied grace of God.
I better not say more about that, but not only stewards, but they are servants, ministers, servants. And the point of this, when it's given to us in verse 11, is that those ministers have adequate strength entrusted or imparted to them.
They can speak with confidence that what God has given them to do, He gives them the strength to do it. Maybe that should be a word of encouragement to so many of us who feel a need that something needs to be done.
I understand this is what the Word of God says, and this will be a help, but I don't know that I can really express it all that well. Well, find the best way to express it that you know, and trust God to guide you by His strength.
That's the word that's actually here, the ability, the strength, the tremendous latent power that there is with God is at the disposal of those who serve the needs of others. But the third thing, and this is really where my mind has been coming mostly, and that is not only stewards and servants, but seers, and the way that that's used in the Old Testament relative to a prophet, to one who speaks actually expressing what God has given him to speak.
I think that's what it is. It's not likely that this expression means to speak as though scriptures speak with authority and finality. I think it is to speak with a consciousness that this is what God would have said.
Remember the Lord Jesus? The Father hath given me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. Now you know how we who speak do it. We figure that the first time we say it, it's not going to be very effective, so we'll say it with another word that's a synonym, and hopefully if you didn't get it the first time, you get it the second time.
And then sometimes we just like it because we can spin the words off and they all start with S, and we just say it some more and some more. There is absolutely no needless repetition in what the Lord Jesus said.
The Father has given me a commandment as to the truths that He wants me to impart, and as to the very vehicle of words that He wants me to use to impart it. Now I'm not going to tell you that it's the responsibility of men who speak to speak by inspiration, because that's divine inspiration, the exact words.
But I think maybe there are two things you can put alongside of this. You can think about this because you're going to think I'm hitting at somebody, but think about it. What is said should be said as being the very mind of God, and what is said should be said in a way that is consistent with the character of God.
I'm not asking you to speak like people in a past generation and borrow majestic language that nobody understands, because I think when I read the writers through the Word of God, they speak in relative terms.
The people to whom they speak understand what they're speaking about, and Paul can speak about the games that people know and use that as an illustration. It's contemporary, but there is a dignity that comes with speaking on behalf of God, and everybody's personality is going to be different, but the whole issue is conveying what saith the Lord.
So if you think I'm having a good time up here telling all my good brothers how they're supposed to behave themselves this weekend, then I haven't come across right. I haven't come across the way it impresses me.
I tremble. I shiver. What's the word I want? I quiver in my soul when I'm reminded of these words. If any man speak, let him speak as though God himself were communicating the truth, because that's what he has to do.
It's not a matter of approximating. That is the responsibility of speaking. But what really drew me to this expression, and I don't know whether you'll follow me all right or not, but you know one of the things in 1 Peter, and we'll be looking at that tomorrow, Lord willing, but one of the things in Peter is that you so often see Peter in his writings, don't you?
I better not get distracted into this, but there's some men I listen to, and I can, if I know them well enough, I know where they're coming from. I know their experience that they're thinking about, and some men, they're different.
They're more like Paul, or they're quite Never mind. All right. But Peter, you know, he's just reflecting on his own experiences, and I thought to myself, wait a minute, Peter. Like some of the other things, this is something you learned by experience, isn't it?
Because you didn't always speak as though it was coming from God, did you, Peter? Remember? Now, if you listen, I tried to list just for myself things that Peter said. Some of them come under the heading of clarification.
If anybody was going to ask the Lord what he meant, it would be Peter that would be first to ask, to clarify and open up the subject. And then there were times that Peter said some wonderful things, didn't he?
And then there were some of Peter's likenesses to you and me. And the Lord says, Peter, that was not the voice of God that I just heard. That was the voice of Satan. Get thee behind me, Satan. Anything that comes across with self-pity, just hold back from giving all to the Lord.
Just think about what it's going to cost you and spare yourself. Let him speak as the oracles of God. That's not the voice of God. The voice of God calls to us to pour ourselves out without reserve. What shall we give to thee who give us all?
But I think I hear, see this, you can just follow this down through Matthew 16 and into Matthew 17. I hear Peter say, oh, this is a great environment here. Let us build here three tabernacles, one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elijah.
Wow, that's quite a company. Moses and Elijah. A prophet like unto me shall the Lord your God raise up unto you. Him shall you hear. Moses and Jesus and Elijah. Tremendous miracles and tremendous power.
And perhaps one of the most one of the most telling moments in the history of Israel on Mount Carmel when fire comes down from God out of heaven and a complete display of the futility of the gods that they'd gone after.
What a moment. And the cloud overshadows the very presence of God. This is my beloved son in whom is all my delight. Hear ye him. Let there be no peer put beside my son. Let there be no other voice that rivals the voice of my son.
But what does Bucket or something? What explanation is there for Peter saying that? He didn't know what to say. Had to say something. And so he just get up and read a few scriptures. And there's a man one time and it was a little pause at the ministry meeting.
So he got up. I was there. He got up. And well, he told us after he was up for a little while, he says, talk about praying. He says, I believe in spontaneous praying. I believe in spontaneous witnessing.
I believe in another spontaneous thing before he told us. And I believe in spontaneous preaching. And I thought to myself, that's the whole explanation. Just whatever comes to the top. No, I'm not saying anybody's going to do that.
But I mean, it's not a matter that I've got to somehow or other let you know what I know. Somehow or other, I've just got to maintain my projecting an image. Is that what you said in your prayer? I've got to maintain my image.
I've got to somehow or other make sure that I'm rated among the preachers, Peter, as the oracles of God. Does not your master pay tribute? And of course, I mean, I'm not going to be on the outs with these people that come from the temple and ask questions.
Sure, I can get along with you folks just fine. Yeah, my master pays tribute. Not a problem, Peter. Anything that brings the Lord Jesus down is not as the oracles of God. But you remember, the Lord said, Peter, you're going to deny me three times before the cock crows.
Lord, I'll never deny you. And I believe he meant it with all his heart. But the problem is he didn't know all his heart. And neither do I. And neither do you. Anything that comes across as self-confident, self-exalting, not as of the oracles of God.
Now, if I were to take the time, I could give you some of the, well, I will. I'll just quote them quickly for you. There are some times when he said tremendous things. I think at these moments, he was just speaking exactly what God wanted him to speak as God himself thought.
Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. And I think it's not in the Bible, but I think all the disabled should have all said, Amen. Amen, Peter. You've said it well. It's exactly what God himself thinks of his beloved son, the loftiness of Christ.
What will be as of the oracles that God speaketh, as of the oracles of God, excuse me, what will be as of the oracles of God is what will express the loftiness of Christ, not bringing him down to our level somehow, not somehow or other bringing him down to the level of the greatest of men, not bringing him down to the place where he pays taxes, just like all the other subjects.
The loftiness of Christ, unique. Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. As far as Peter in John chapter six, he says, to whom shall we go? We've got no other resource. Thou hast the words of eternal life, the lordship of Christ.
There is only one word to guide us. There is only one word that's sufficient for us. If any man speak, let him speak of the loftiness of Christ. Let him speak of the lordship of Christ and let him speak of the loveliness of Christ.
Maybe, well, for me, I'd say it's the most touching thing I've ever heard Peter say. Maybe it's the most touching thing I've ever heard anybody say. Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee.
When's the last time you told the Lord that? Would it make any difference in your life or mine if we left the conference and we couldn't get it out of our minds for a month? I love thee because thou hast first loved me and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree.
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow. Tis thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus, tis thou, if any man speak. Let it be love to Christ that is stirred by what he speaks. Just this in closing, the result of speaking.
So what is the intended result of love functioning and men speaking and ministering the manifold grace of God and with divine help to speak, with divine power to speak and to speak as from God himself?
What's the result? There's no higher result than this. God being glorified. The exaltation of God. How many times was there a prayer uttered this evening that God would be glorified in the conference?
And if nothing else is accomplished in the conference but God is glorified, would that be sufficient? Would it be worth your coming? Well, I don't know what I got out of it. Wait a minute. If God was glorified, is it worth your coming?
And you see what I said, an utter impossibility. If God's glorified, that cannot be alone what takes place. If God is glorified, then the people of God will be blessed. If God is glorified, then there will be branches reaching over the walls to those who are outside of Christ.
But the first thing, the preeminent thing, the exaltation of God himself. But not only that, you think of the extent of that. Listen to what it says, that in all things, this is the purpose. In order that, in all things.
You know, sometimes you listen to that guy, David, and you have to weed through what he says. And you hope that you come up with something that was worth, it's worth a minute in the middle of 30. That was a good message.
I got a minute's worth of something in all things. In every realm of service, in every aspect of that service, that in all things, God may be glorified. But I thought about this, and I wonder, through Jesus Christ.
Because the way by which God is glorified ultimately, is through Jesus Christ. And there is one means by which God will receive all the glory. He will receive that glory through Jesus Christ. So, now just a minute, and see if I can get this across to you.
So, then the next thing that said, to whom be glory and power, praise and dominion, glory and power forever and ever. Now, wait a minute. Peter, why did you just suddenly get off subject? And as soon as you mentioned Jesus Christ, all of a sudden you said, to whom be power and dominion forever and ever.
Why did you say that? Well, let me start with the dominion part, the power part. And you have that coming up in Revelation chapter 5, don't you? It's actually relative to his coming kingdom. I think that has a great bearing on 1 Peter, looking onward to that coming kingdom.
And so, Peter is transporting our minds to a coming day, to a coming kingdom. And in that kingdom, he is the one who will have the dominion, the right to rule, the power to rule. To whom be glory and power.
And that will be the day of his glory. Is that right? That he's coming in power and great glory? So, now wait a minute, Peter. Why did you put these things together? Now, I might make a big leap here, and maybe it's going to be too big a leap for you to follow, and maybe it's not even connected, except in my mind.
But I'm going to suggest to you that what Peter is saying is this, that the result of ministry today is not to be judged by today. It is to be judged by its results in an eternal kingdom. It's not just to get past the present moment.
It's not just somehow or other to entertain us and keep us happy so we don't go to sleep. The purpose of ministry is this, that in all things, God will have glory through Jesus Christ, and he will have the power and dominion forever and ever.
Amen. There is an eternal result of every word that you and I speak. There will be an eternal result of loss or glory for God through Jesus Christ, who will have glory and power forever and ever. May the Lord help us to listen, because really I want to get across to us to listen with this in view.
What will this mean? What will what I hear at this conference mean? In a coming kingdom, when the Lord Jesus reigns, will there be glory for God then through Jesus Christ, who rightfully has the glory and the power that will never, never end?
May the Lord help us to see the future and live for that future and listen for that future in this conference.