Minister to One Another

Suffering in the Flesh and Living for the Will of God

Says therefore since Christ has suffered in the flesh arm yourselves also with the same purpose because He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live the rest of his the rest of the rest of his Life and the time in the flesh no longer for the lust of men, but for the will of God.

For the time already passed is sufficient for you to have carried out the desires of the Gentiles having Pursued a course of sensuality and lust and drunkenness and carousing Drinking party drinking parties and abominable idolatries and all this.

They are surprised that you do not run with them and the same excesses of dissipation They malign you but they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead for the gospel.

After this purpose been preached. Even to those who are dead and those who are judged in the flesh as man. That they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. Says the end of all things is near.

Love Covering Sin, Hospitality, and Stewarding Gifts

Therefore be of a sound judgment Sober spirit for the purpose of prayer and above all keep fervent in your love for one another because love covered a multitude of sins be hospitable to one another without grumbling or complaining as Each one has received a special gift employed.

It is serving one another as a good steward and a manifold grace of God and whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God and whoever serves is to serve as one who is serving by the Strength which God supplies so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen. So that we love and do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you. For testing as though some strange thing has happened to you. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ keep on.

Rejoicing so that also in the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exaltation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ. You are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rest on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer or thief or an evildoer or a troublesome meddler.

But if anyone suffers as a Christian He is not to be ashamed. But is to glorify God and in his name for it is time for the judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us first What will be the outcome for those who don't obey the gospel of God?

And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved. What will it become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore those who will suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls as a faithful creator and doing what is right.

Peter’s Audience, the Diaspora, and the End of All Things

All right, we're getting to we're gonna wrap up with one another's today. And we're going to look at the the focal verses is going to be verse 9 and verse 10. First Peter was primarily James was primarily written to Was a Jewish book, you know.

We've talked about that when when he was in when Andy was in James as we get to Peter. He has this intertwining of who he's talking to. James specifically says in beginning that he is writing this to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Being a Jewish book when you get to Peter, although it's very buddy. Although it's it's Jewish in nature. He is speaking to both Jew and Gentile and we made that conclusion. First of all when he says in chapter 1 he says Peter an apostle the Lord Jesus Christ to those who reside as Aliens who are scattered abroad and some of your translations may say the DS for and that's actually in the original language.

Does your say DS for Mike? No, it is yours. Hey, did you what do you have? ESB. And what's that and yes, yep some of them say DS for and that's actually in the original language and DS for was the Was pertaining to the Jews who had been scattered abroad at the dispersion of the Babylonian Empire.

But as you go on into into James. You get to chapter 2 and he begins to talk about not only those who had been scattered abroad. But those who were aliens in a strange land and then he goes in verse Gets in verse 14 14 I'm sorry in verse 10.

It says and you are this is a quote from the Old Testament. He says but you are chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for God's own possession. So when that was written, who would that originally been written to?

The Old Testament it would have been the Jews, right? Here's what he says. He says so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who was called out of darkness. Into his marvelous for you once were not a people of God, but now you are a people of God.

You have received mercy when there was no mercy for you. I mean he goes on to say beloved. I urge you as aliens and strangers. So the aliens and strangers has to do with both Jew and Gentile people of God one time not a people of God.

Now a people of God. They follow me. Correct. But he is making this so you know that he's not only talking us to where when James is speaking primarily to a Jewish group Of people now Peter speaking to both so he wants to make it very clear.

I'm not just speaking to the Jewish people Christians. I'm speaking to the Gentile Christians, too. So He is he is talking about great persecution in the in the book of Peter that's coming. Okay, and we remember that this Was the fountain by which all the one and others came through, correct?

So when we get to verse 7 of chapter 4 it talks about I'm sorry chapter 4 talks about perfect Love. You get to verse 7 and here is the perspective of Peter of things the end of all things is near. Why would Peter say that?

Anybody have any idea why Peter would say the end of all things is near? The reason why Peter would say that's the same reason why John would say that from the time that Jesus resurrected and ascended and was Enthroned as the king of kings and Lord of lords and was seated at the right hand of the father.

We are in the last days. I Know we go. Wow, man, that's really a long time. But you understand there's only one thing we're waiting on and that's for Jesus to come and split that eastern sky and to consummate his kingdom.

That's why he says the all the end of all things is near. Because hey, it could happen at any any moment and we're not talking about the secret rapture. Nonsense, we're talking about Jesus could return at any moment and and and make every wrong right and make every right perfectly just.

Love, Reconciliation, and Hospitality to Strangers

So you get to he says the end of all things is near be of a be of sound Judgment and of sober spirit for the purpose of prayer and above all keep fervent in your love for one another. Because love covers a multitude of sins.

How does love cover a multitude of sins? Remember we talked about that covering a multitude of sins if you love your brother. You will be what We're gonna be forgiving to one another right. In this grid in the scripture say that love covers a multitude of sins by doing what it says when you can't forgive your brother.

What if you have an offense that can't be covered under love? What do you have to go do? Be reconciled which means there will be a process that takes place to do so and he's saying here love covers a multitude of sins.

Violations against one another and then he says here be hospitable to one another without complaining. What does it mean to be hospitable to one another that is partially true. The Greek word for that is a very interesting word.

It's it's it's philo Xeno's and if anybody knows what xenophobia is here on TV all the time it means terrified of strangers so when you see philo and xeno a together and this here it actually means Loving member philo meaning brotherly love having brotherly love to strangers.

So we would show that we would have hospitality to one another like this wouldn't we that's really in this context he's saying you should have hospitality and brotherly love to someone you don't know and Why is Peter saying that?

Because persecution is coming and as they are scattered abroad the diaspora and they're coming into the Christian Church and people are trying to Not be persecuted. We're gonna have to accept those who don't have the same cultural and and Ideas of life that we all have look there's about a bunch of different people in this room, didn't there?

Think about how much we don't have in common with one another. But what brings us here to today together in commonality? What is it the gospel because we have one thing in common that Jesus Christ has transformed us by the personal work Of the Spirit and has made us newness of life giving us the community of worshiping God together and learning his word.

So it says to be hospitable to one another so we should it certainly is. Would you say it was inviting people into your home? Okay I think that is a major one considering those people being persecuted if they lost their homes, where would they have to go?

I hope if I lost my house got burned down or we got persecution I had to go. I hope one of y 'all would at least take me and my family in for a night and send me on to Somebody else the next day. After I ate all your food.

What else is it besides inviting into the home? What can it be? That's certainly that is primarily yes.

What else? Meeting other needs. So could be you know, maybe some financial needs or said meeting meeting needs.

Yeah, you know there's a physical needs my finger is not working today. And you said that could be financial. Food what else? What's that. Sure. Could be the gospel. What else? Would you say what was that encouragement actually those two actually go together.

Encouragement. Do you remember right? Encouragement and admonish sometimes was used. I'm getting too far away Anna. Encouragement admonish sometimes used as translated as the same word so that certainly could be true.

How do we encourage and or admonish one another for the purpose of hospitality? I'm not saying that's right. I'm just saying how would you do that? How would that being shown being hospitable? I'm sure any gospel is one of them.

Encouragement through the Word of God for sure. So in order I agree. Can we encourage someone or admonish somebody based on our own opinion? No, you said it you said it second against the Word of God.

So if we're going to do this all of this Should come as a come out of first our love for God love for our neighbor. And then we should do it under the authority of Scripture going away. We don't give our own Opinions on how you should do something to Scripture gives us instructions on how to do that.

And then it tells us right in the next verse. So don't do it with Complaining who else says something different anybody says grudging, right? This is grudgingly grudging grudging. Grumble, it's a funny word.

If you read that in the Greek, it's called goon gizmo. Sorry, it just sounds funny. So I have the right if you start complaining to call you a goon gizmo. Means don't don't complain. You remember a few weeks ago Andy's did one on grudging you remember don't grumble against one another don't be grudging and it was a different word, but it came the eye it was the idea of Chitter chatter and complaining behind one another's back.

So if we're going to be hospitable to one another and And to do it with one another without complaining. Why would you complain about somebody being hospitable or why would you complain about being hospitable?

I guess if y 'all did let me in your house I came and ate all your pantry then you would complain but but really think about it at all. But you you go and okay. What's it somebody say something? Yeah.

So if it's here it says here Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Why wouldn't Peter say that? Because the motivation once again, we're back to the what is the fountainhead it wouldn't be motivated by love.

It wouldn't be motivated by love. Is there a time that we should complain? Sure. Yeah, if you've been wrong, yeah, sure. But if we're being hospitable and we're putting being hospitable is putting others more important than yourself.

And what did it say in in any in Philippians were to have that mind in us? That was in Christ Jesus that did what? That he did not grasp his equality with God but took on the form of a servant and made and it goes on to say That he made himself of no reputation and put others before himself.

Hey, if anybody had the right to say look at me I am God bow down and worship me. It was the king of kings and the Lord of lords. But that's not what Jesus did. He put those prerogatives of deity aside and he humbled himself and he did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Serving One Another as Deacons and Ministers

Okay, nay. Yeah, okay, and then we go on to verse 10 and Actually when we get to verse 9 that was the last of the one another's and on your piece of paper. You have we had verse 10 As serving one another or and your papers is ministering to one another but the Greek word Elelelos is not in the original language.

So when it was translated It's because how are you going to serve someone if you're not serving one another? So when it is it is an implication of the one another and the word there in the original is Actually the word where we get deacon from you remember Andy did one.

That was served one another so we had served one another. If you remember Andy's was with do loss. Y 'all remember that came from the original word do loss. Well this one Mike is your say Smith. Did you ever say minister or minister?

Minister. This one comes from the word we get deacon the Akina. Okay. And they have a little different nuance one. You can't minister someone if you're not serving and you can't serve if you're not ministering to one another they come hand in hand.

But it's interesting That the the original language uses two different words to to convey the same idea. So if you look at when we installed Mike as a deacon. He is actually a minister to the body. Would y 'all agree?

Yes, he is. He's a deacon. He's a servant. He's doing what Gary as well. He is to serve the body, but does that mean that because they are The men that the body has appointed to serve me. Does that mean y 'all are Exempt from doing these things.

No. How how are we to come alongside Gary and Mike in these areas. Well, certainly your wife support you. Yeah. Yeah.

People coming around. Stuff that we had to get done in the church church served and minister to each other In the aspect of cleaning our shirts that we work in. Sure.

And those that came and helped yesterday, thank you very much. But it was those men right there that set that up and y 'all came along and helped minister to the body by doing that. Hey serving a minister.

Don't don't help serve by complaining. Don't don't help serve by complaining all the time and don't complain about serving don't complain about ministering. But it's not it's it's not beneficial to the body one.

Grumbling against one another it causes division causes division it says. Then in verse 10, it says as we're serving you're supposed to be a serving one another as good stewards. But you go back up it says as each one has received a special gift.

So if we're to serve one another Minister to one another and the deacons the primary Examples of that within the body think of special gifts that we have. From one that we've been given to help minister to the body.

That's what it says president. It says you've been given a special gift. Each one has received a special gift and he is to employ it in Ministering to one another how do we do that? And what are the gifts.

Make some gifts. God's grace. Okay, that would be one that allows us and empowers us to do that. Sure, and that would be part of the mercy Ministries, okay. Administration the gift administration. What does it do organize?

Okay. What else does it do? Yep. We can't and something can't be organized if we don't have somebody to help the head that up, that's right. What are some other gifts? And we get that from our teacher is is this is this a Spiritual gift or is this a talent that is given or just a normal talent who said two spirits?

Oh, I say it's both. Because there are people that are gifted in teaching. The gift of a good explaining things, but they may not be gifted in teaching God's Word, so I would say Both spiritual gift and a talent.

But hey, even your talents are to be used for the glory of God. Everyone. I mean you got a guy that can be a good carpenter. And if that's a gift from God not a spiritual gift, but a gift to be used. He should use that to do what to minister to the body when needed what other?

Gifts spiritual gifts or special gifts as it is going to the scripture. Who? Serving is one. What else is it encouragement? That's a gift. Yep matter of fact. We actually have someone in scripture who had the gift of encouragement who was that you may remember Barnabas.

Barnabas that was actually his name was son of encouragement. What else? What's that preaching preaching could be one. Yes, would you consider a like language studies because like in the.

First Corinthians 12 it talks about you know knowing the difference in Interpretations of tongues and those sort of things which I don't know how you'd use tongues. But would you see that like language studies.

Someone gonna have that like translating God's Word. Sure I would say for someone like Jenny.

Phillips our missionary. Because I'm not saying this. Because this is not. This is exactly what Scott would tell you. He'd say he would say he's a dummy. His wife's the smart one. She's the one that knows three or well one two three four or five languages.

And she's the translator. So is that. Is. Does she have the gift of interpretation? I would say no and we can talk about that if you want. Because we do have some time but I do believe that God's gifted her with a talent to be able to To understand and retain knowledge in order to translate.

Be kind of one of those like spiritual and.

Natural talents if you will. Yes, but it but the gift the the gift of interpretation based on the Tongues was actual someone being able to hear someone speak in tongues here. And they're in the language that they did not know and understand it and then translated or convey that message to someone.

She actually went and learned Hebrew learned Greek then learned the dialect that was in That the trade language in Indonesia and then as they were learning that trade language then taking that trade language going into the jungle to have a little bit of bits and pieces to learn to talk to and then they learned their language and then Made a written language.

So I would that hers wasn't a spiritual gift, but a talent that God gave her in order to further the kingdom of God. Yes. Would I say that? Someone like her and Scott at the did they have that desire before their conversion.

I would say no because he would tell you I had no desire to do that. All he wanted to do was run this little skateboard. All right, but once once they came became converted. God gave them a desire to take the gospel to the nations.

I'd say prayer because this is one it talks about up in up in Verse 7. It says the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound judgment and a sober mind for the purpose of prayer. Every one of us has been given The grace and a mercy of God that we can come to him in prayer to pray for those that do all of these things and Only they do we pray for them, but pray that we can help those that do all these things.

Accomplish these things that's part of the one another's in the community together that we have to live in. Not in the sense of living in the same home. But we're all in the household of God and we've got to learn to get along with one another.

Don't want I to say it. I mean we always don't get along with one another so this is these are important for us to have a community of believers that come together that get together and worship together and have community together for us to be a a Yes, sir.

Oh Yeah, and so it was. It's an interesting that you mentioned that under the What we're actually studying here. It's actually fits right along.

Yeah, they didn't want anything to do with Paul. Why. Because Paul was a murderer and terrorist. And here it is now this man supposedly converted and they needed someone to To come along and affirm that he had certainly been transformed.

I did Paul know everything at the time. No. He did he certainly I would say he might know a little bit more Than what we knew at our conversion because he came face to face with the Son of God and knocked him off his horse.

Anybody here knocked off a horse? And it says each one of this verse 10 as each one has received a special gift employed as serving where as As good stewards in the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks he is to do it as he is speaking the utterances of God.

So we would say as we were talking about teaching and as that being a gift or as Encouraging we should do that. It says right here. Why are we to do it? And if we're speaking with for God. That's what it says.

So we're going to open the Word of God. We're going to encourage somebody by the Word of God. You better do it in such a way that you're doing it under the authority of the scripture not under your own volition.

Understand or not? Okay, everybody sleepy. I Know you are. This isn't whoever serves he is to do it as he as one who serves by the strengths which God supplies. It's interesting that Peter says that. Because you know, we we as Calvinists know that we don't do nothing on our own.

I mean think of this the very. Where did that come from? That was a gift from God to be enjoyed. I mean every time we drink some water eat something man. It's a gift from God that was given to us. And I mean it was empowered by God for us to enjoy that.

So everything that we do were to do because God has supplied us the strength so that and all things God may get the glory. One of the souls of the Reformation was to God alone be the glory. And here's one of our proof texts for that.

Everything that would do to be done by the power of God and for the glory of God. To whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever amen. Jesus Christ has given us these one another's and there are many more.

I think we counted 70. Thank me and Andy it was like 76 of them and some of them do overlap and intertwine with one another. But we're to do it for the glory of God for the worship of our Savior and for the benefit of each other.

That's the reason. That's the reason so we have almost 13 minutes for protest demonstrations or riots.

Using Gifts for God’s Glory, Not Christian Duty Alone

Where it says a good steward can make more grace to God. It kind of harkens back to that parable about the good steward you know the Steward the one guy went and hid his talent and the other guy went and used it and bought and sold and traded it.

Yeah, it's interesting to kind of think of that in the aspect of these gifts that God's given the body. You know, are we hiding them or are we bringing them out to be used?

Yeah. Are we using those and there I remember a preacher one time had taught that that passage means that hey. If you don't use a talent or a gift that God has given you he's going to take it away. First of all, that's erroneous.

If you have a talent or a gift that God's given you and you're not using it. The only thing that's gonna happen is you're gonna be standing the count on the day of judgment. What did you do with that talent that God's gonna give you because it's very clear in the book of Romans chapter 11.

I think it's in verse 29 30 31 somewhere around there that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. God's not gonna remove it but you're gonna be held accountable. And if you do have a gift and talent that God's given you and you know that God has Given you a gift or talent to use and you're not using it.

The question is why? And we we as parents cannot stand. Every every five seconds when your kids were little or why why why why why right? You know, the best question to ask as a believer is why and what's the purpose?

That's the best question. I'm first don't don't question God. Why is he doing what he is doing? But Lord, what's the purpose that you have a you have orchestrated this into my life to teach me something?

Why is a good question? It's a it's an investigative question that we should ask. We should ask it about what's going on in our life and we should ask it when we're reading Scripture. So yeah, you're right.

We we are we have gifts and talents as talents to be used. Yes. What is what have y 'all learned? And we'll list some of them over the last. What is it in 33 weeks? Or what didn't you learn? How did me and Andy fail?

And if you I'm open to hearing that by the way.

Certainly that. If we think that we've got all this covered and we're deceiving ourselves because I've been convicted that. At least for myself, but I'm not one another and you know.

Not arrived. Not nobody in this room has done all of those to the glory of God. I'll even say this sometimes we serve one another or do things with one another. Sometimes we just do it because it's our duty.

Now is there a time and place to say, you know what this is my Christian duty and I'd say yeah. There is there is a time and place that is time to white knuckle it and you got to put your head to the plow.

And you got to move forward, but that should not be the consistent pattern of a Christian's life. The consistent pattern of a Christian's life should be to serve in Whatever capacity that is one and the one and others out of love for each other.

Look, if you don't love God's people, you can't say you love Jesus. And I say that with no apology. And you can't say that you love God's people and never want to spend time with God's people. That'd be what worked real good.

And everybody knows this if I told my wife how much I loved her. But I did not spend any time with her or if one of you if we say, you know, what? Well, I love Jesus, but I really don't like his church.

Well, that'll work real good. If you tell me you like me, but you don't like my wife. See the analogy is the same that's not going to work our friendship would be very quickly dissipate.

The church and the people of the church and not doing it because of the task that needs to be done. Sure, right. And so that's simple and like you said I've been getting convicted about that lately.

Yeah, I would say this right here at times it's very difficult for us to decide can you see that our motive. Yeah, and sometimes we don't know. You know, sometimes we don't know we don't will. Once again, we should ask that question.

Why am I doing? What am I doing? Am I has it become the the consistent pattern of just Christian duty or am I doing this because this is my job? I'm not beating up on deacons. Anyway, a lot of times as deacons or someone that serves in the body like that it winds up being well.

This is my role and that's true. Okay, that is true. But you're in that role because of your love for God and love for God's people same thing for a minister of the God of God's Word. No I'm standing here ministering God's Word one because this is what God's called me to do but I do it because I love God and I want people to under.

I want you to understand God's Word and there are gonna be times when I fail to explain that in such a way that it goes from the pages of Scripture into Your mind and when I do fail at doing that y 'all need to let me know that.

Asked you that same question yesterday. Do I do that? I did didn't I. I Said I'm a failure aren't I? We need to add because sometimes when we're We're in the Scriptures trying to convey a message or convey what's in here and we've been in it for weeks and sometimes It comes to y 'all on a blank sheet of paper.

We've already been in it and sometimes what's going on in here don't come out of here. And we need to know that at times. And if somebody even says they don't need to be told that in their teacher of God's Word.

He doesn't need to stand up and open to God's Word. Because we're opening up the inexhaustible riches of God's Word. And we we don't do it perfectly. What else. That's good, Gary. Good. Appreciate that.

So how does like how do y 'all keep yourselves those that aren't deacons ministers? How do you keep yourselves in check those that aren't in this room? Keep yourselves in check with your motive? What's that?

Sure. Yeah, certainly need to be in God's Word. Yeah, you're fixing to say something miss Rosanna. I've seen your mouth. They said I've seen a deep breath. Sure. Yeah, yeah and put ourself under the Word of God not beside the Word of God.

And why do we why do we spend time with one another that's a good question for us to ask and we're not gonna go around The room and ask that that's a good question to ask yourself. Are we here today at a Christian duty?

Are you here today because you've come and you want to be with God's people on the Lord's Day and here's God's Word opened up. It's a good question to ask. Forever and ever. But boy, I'll be perfect and you you'll like me better than I.

Won't be so hard-headed then will I. That's true and if you don't like being with God's people. Now and what who's to say you're gonna it's all of a sudden going to change. I With God's done something.

I'm not saying you're lost. I'm not saying hey the Grim Reaper's coming. He's dragging you to hell and I'm saying you should check yourself. He could be. Sure. Hey, that's true. Hey, but we need to measure everybody don't hang out with everybody the same amount of time.

And I think that is sometimes where it gets a little bit cloudy as well. So and so spends more time with this person or that time. I mean we all look and all y 'all don't want to get in their fast cars and fly down the street all the time.

That's right. Yeah, like I said at one time before that church I've planted back in 2009 or 10. It was just a very unique situation. We were all so tightly knit when we planted that church. I mean like I said, we'd have there was 65 80 people and we might say hey.

We're gonna have beach. We're gonna go to the beach after church 55 people show up. Well, that's that's not normal. You know, that's not normal. I mean, I don't think there's gonna be. I don't think Sovereign Grace is driving to the beach to hang out with us this afternoon if we decided to do that.

So there is some that was some abnormality about that, but there was part of that we go. Hey, man, these people had a desire to be with one another. To spend time with one another you fix to say something.

Lee. All right.

Is that it? Yes, sir. And you're in the world. The world today is very awesome and I do not get Good vibes from the world at all. It's going to burn jerk and come into this church and meet with all so many different people from so many different backgrounds that we can agree on the Holy Word of God and we can.

Different background but still read the same scripture and it speaks this the same way to me. That's encouraging knowing that I'm on the same path that we're not alone, even though we can never be alone.

We are weak in our minds and we like to be able to be with people. Sure we're not an army of one. And if you remember some.

Years ago it was The army of one movement and I know it was a it was a secular movement that that just doesn't even make sense. And how do you have an army? You know, you'd be a single person. Well how a person is not going to make it through this Christian life on their own.

There's no such thing as a lone survivor Christian. God did not. He didn't structure the Christian walk to be that way. He structured the Christian walk to be within community the covenant with one another so that we could walk through this life together.