Scripture: 1 Peter
4:7-11
Listen link: www.lcepc.org then look for the sermons tab.
(Also, last week was another of our spirit led worship services, so no sermon. The message came from members. If you would like to hear that, it is on the front page click on “spirit led worship.”)
I start with a quote I found, “In nearly every time-travel story, show, or movie, a character travels to the past and everyone in the show worries obsessively about how even the smallest action in the past might radically change the present. Isn’t it interesting, in that light, how rarely those of us living in the present think about how radically we might change the future [that really is coming] by doing something small today?”
In response to that quote I tell you, do something. But remember that whatever you do today, you are inevitably and irretrievably shaping the future. The future we live into will be caused by the things that are being done today. So, when you do something, do something good. And I hope you were moved by the words in the song about “do something”: “If I Said, “God, why don’t You do something?” He’d say, “I did, yeah, I created you!” So, it’s time for us to do something. We are God’s hands and feet, but it’s easier to say than to be. And Yet, I do want to be one of those who stands up and says, “I’m gonna do something.” That’s the essence of Christian service and ministry.
You were made for ministry, designed to make a difference, created to make a contribution. You were put here for a purpose. If we are to reflect the character of Christ, then we must live as he lived, and exist on the earth not to be served, but to serve. The fourth purpose for which we were created was to serve, to serve God by serving humanity. This is why Jesus pointed out, in Matthew 25:34-40 “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Jesus told the story as if the true Christians would be surprised, but that was just to make his point and let all of us in on the “secret.” We serve God by serving humanity. And this is not the basis for salvation, which is the free gift that brings us to life so that we can serve God. No, but this serving is the basis of a reward that is ours to enjoy: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
That reward will be hearing the expressions of thanks and gratitude from the people you blessed! This is what otherish love looks like. It is loving service offered up to God as we care about his people and creation. Otherish love is acted out by serving in ministry. The need to do so is becoming more and more urgent as time goes by. Think of what it meant when Peter first wrote down these words, “The end of all things is near.” Well, after 2,000 years the end is certainly nearer now than ever! Could be tomorrow. “Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” Notice that prayer is the priority! Everything we do for God, every act of service that we take up, ought to be the result of our prayerful consideration of the world in which we live and our worshipful adoration of the God who put us to work in it as his ambassadors.
Then comes the primary motivation for all we do: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Jesus’ love covered over all the sins of the whole world, so that all humanity could be forgiven, even though only those who believe this gospel will be. Do you personally know any individuals who do not yet believe this gospel? By all means, be the loving one who cares enough about them to warn them of the danger they are in! Pray for the Lord of the harvest to use you to lead them to Christ!
Verse 9 of our text gives some specific ways to do the work of ministry. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Frankly, I think we’re pretty good at that! So, let’s move on.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” And that right there is what Rick Warren has been unpacking in so much detail all last week. Each one of you has a unique SHAPE for ministry. Remember the illustration of the jigsaw puzzle piece? Each piece fits into only one spot in the puzzle. Each piece is needed for its unique contribution to the completed work.
“SHAPE” is an acronym for 5 aspects of your being. Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. I won’t go into those details, because it’s well done in the book. I’m just focused on the imperative in our verse, “Each of you should!” Did you know that there are commandments in the New Testament? It’s not about Law either. It’s about our responsibility as citizens of God’s Kingdom. We are saved by grace through faith, so I’ll probably see you in heaven even if you don’t do what you should. But, really, a true Christian wants to serve and doesn’t really need to be told they should. Pray every day, “Use me Lord.”
The only questions in a Christian’s mind should be, “What may I do for you Lord? How can I best use my SHAPE to serve? Where can I put my gifts and experiences to their best, most fruitful use?” And not having the answers to those questions does not excuse you from serving! It compels you to go on seeking; through prayer, in your relationship with Jesus, by listening to what other people ask you to do, and what they tell you you’re good at, thinking about what you like to do and even by doing whatever you find to do as ways of learning what you’re best suited for and what brings you the most joy and greatest fruitfulness! There is no such thing as failure, except the failure to try. But whatever you do try ought to be thought of as an experiment. Worth the effort, and if it doesn’t work out or bear fruit, lesson learned.
This importance of serving is also unpacked in Rick’s identification of the four attitudes that make our Christian service or ministry possible. Real servants are available, grateful, faithful and generous. Available doesn’t just mean where ministry fits into your predetermined schedule. I have to keep a close eye on my calendar. Kathy has to keep a close eye on my schedule! But, even so, available also means sometimes being willing to be interrupted from my plans, to do a good deed that just shows up. I really appreciated hearing Rick point out that all of Jesus’ miracles happened when Jesus stopped to care for someone else, or when Jesus was interrupted from what he was doing, such as when those guys lowered a lame man on a mat through the roof where Jesus was teaching. So be available, like Isaiah, “Here am I Lord, send me.”
Available also can mean, be attentive. That means be on the look for opportunities to be helpful. I like this one. I Think I’m pretty good at it, like the time I was walking past a car when the person inside started reaching out the window to grab the outside door handle. I guessed the door handle inside wasn’t working. He was a total stranger to me, but I was right there, so I opened the door for him from the outside where I was located anyway, thus preserving his arm from getting wrenched.
To me, it’s really fun to say things like, “Here let me get that for you.” As in, when the lady in the line in front of me was emptying her cart from the front, but there’s still 2 gallons of milk on the lower rack, in the back where I was standing. And, let me tell you why that happened. I have to thank Mike Klein and Ron McIntyre for inspiring me to use the checkouts where the cashiers are, for more personal interaction opportunities, even though I’m actually really good at self-checkout!
But best of all, as a volunteer driver for the DHHS, I get to meet new people and talk with them for hours sometimes as I am taking them to a Dr.s appointment. I get to talk about my faith and theirs, and sometimes pray with them right there in the car.
Another proper attitude for Christian service is Gratefulness. It’s not about obligation, as in, “Oh man, do I really have to do that?” God loves a cheerful giver, and nothing makes you more cheerful than gratitude. It’s, “Thank You Lord! I get to do this for you!”
Also, be faithful, which includes dedicated and humble. 1 Cor. 4:2 says, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” The trust we have been given is God’s trust in us to spread the gospel. We can only prove faithful in that trust if we are indeed seeking opportunities to share the gospel and speaking up for Jesus at every opportunity.
Very often, we will find that our best opportunity to share the gospel in words will come about as we are serving others in ministry to them. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” And most often, you will be asked to explain yourself when you are serving others otherishly. So, as Col. 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That’s faithfully, dedicated, and humbly, with gentleness and respect.
And the fourth attitude mentioned was generosity. Rick’s quote is, “You can give without loving. But you can’t love, without giving.” Luke 6:38 says with good reason, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Generosity is encouraged and Jesus didn’t mind incentivizing that with the prospect of reward. And 2 Cor. 9:13 says the same, with an additional hint that the rewards we can expect may not be material but rather more spiritual in nature, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
That’s the kind of treasure we are laying up in heaven, the eternal relationships with the people we cared about and ministered too, accompanied by their gratitude for, and appreciation of, our Christian service that helped them find their way.
So, now going on in our text, verse 11 1 Peter 4 says, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” Filled with the Holy Spirit, with awe and reverence, let us be careful that we speak the truth in love, always aware that we are talking about God’s amazing grace and love for all sinners, even the worst of them. Next the verse says, “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides.” Let us always remember that we cannot do anything for God in our own strength, but only as we abide in Christ Jesus, the way he put in in John 15:4-5, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Once we acknowledge that, then Jesus gets all the credit for any of the good works we do. When we receive communion, the Lord’s supper, that employs the fruit of the vine we cling to and so speaks of our abiding in Christ. And the bread we break together signifies our unity of many parts or members in the one body, of which Christ is the head. Therefore, as we receive communion today, let us again remember that if it were not for Jesus, we would not be here or able to do what God has called us to do. “So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Listen link: www.lcepc.org then look for the sermons tab.
(Also, last week was another of our spirit led worship services, so no sermon. The message came from members. If you would like to hear that, it is on the front page click on “spirit led worship.”)
I start with a quote I found, “In nearly every time-travel story, show, or movie, a character travels to the past and everyone in the show worries obsessively about how even the smallest action in the past might radically change the present. Isn’t it interesting, in that light, how rarely those of us living in the present think about how radically we might change the future [that really is coming] by doing something small today?”
In response to that quote I tell you, do something. But remember that whatever you do today, you are inevitably and irretrievably shaping the future. The future we live into will be caused by the things that are being done today. So, when you do something, do something good. And I hope you were moved by the words in the song about “do something”: “If I Said, “God, why don’t You do something?” He’d say, “I did, yeah, I created you!” So, it’s time for us to do something. We are God’s hands and feet, but it’s easier to say than to be. And Yet, I do want to be one of those who stands up and says, “I’m gonna do something.” That’s the essence of Christian service and ministry.
You were made for ministry, designed to make a difference, created to make a contribution. You were put here for a purpose. If we are to reflect the character of Christ, then we must live as he lived, and exist on the earth not to be served, but to serve. The fourth purpose for which we were created was to serve, to serve God by serving humanity. This is why Jesus pointed out, in Matthew 25:34-40 “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Jesus told the story as if the true Christians would be surprised, but that was just to make his point and let all of us in on the “secret.” We serve God by serving humanity. And this is not the basis for salvation, which is the free gift that brings us to life so that we can serve God. No, but this serving is the basis of a reward that is ours to enjoy: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
That reward will be hearing the expressions of thanks and gratitude from the people you blessed! This is what otherish love looks like. It is loving service offered up to God as we care about his people and creation. Otherish love is acted out by serving in ministry. The need to do so is becoming more and more urgent as time goes by. Think of what it meant when Peter first wrote down these words, “The end of all things is near.” Well, after 2,000 years the end is certainly nearer now than ever! Could be tomorrow. “Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” Notice that prayer is the priority! Everything we do for God, every act of service that we take up, ought to be the result of our prayerful consideration of the world in which we live and our worshipful adoration of the God who put us to work in it as his ambassadors.
Then comes the primary motivation for all we do: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Jesus’ love covered over all the sins of the whole world, so that all humanity could be forgiven, even though only those who believe this gospel will be. Do you personally know any individuals who do not yet believe this gospel? By all means, be the loving one who cares enough about them to warn them of the danger they are in! Pray for the Lord of the harvest to use you to lead them to Christ!
Verse 9 of our text gives some specific ways to do the work of ministry. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Frankly, I think we’re pretty good at that! So, let’s move on.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” And that right there is what Rick Warren has been unpacking in so much detail all last week. Each one of you has a unique SHAPE for ministry. Remember the illustration of the jigsaw puzzle piece? Each piece fits into only one spot in the puzzle. Each piece is needed for its unique contribution to the completed work.
“SHAPE” is an acronym for 5 aspects of your being. Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. I won’t go into those details, because it’s well done in the book. I’m just focused on the imperative in our verse, “Each of you should!” Did you know that there are commandments in the New Testament? It’s not about Law either. It’s about our responsibility as citizens of God’s Kingdom. We are saved by grace through faith, so I’ll probably see you in heaven even if you don’t do what you should. But, really, a true Christian wants to serve and doesn’t really need to be told they should. Pray every day, “Use me Lord.”
The only questions in a Christian’s mind should be, “What may I do for you Lord? How can I best use my SHAPE to serve? Where can I put my gifts and experiences to their best, most fruitful use?” And not having the answers to those questions does not excuse you from serving! It compels you to go on seeking; through prayer, in your relationship with Jesus, by listening to what other people ask you to do, and what they tell you you’re good at, thinking about what you like to do and even by doing whatever you find to do as ways of learning what you’re best suited for and what brings you the most joy and greatest fruitfulness! There is no such thing as failure, except the failure to try. But whatever you do try ought to be thought of as an experiment. Worth the effort, and if it doesn’t work out or bear fruit, lesson learned.
This importance of serving is also unpacked in Rick’s identification of the four attitudes that make our Christian service or ministry possible. Real servants are available, grateful, faithful and generous. Available doesn’t just mean where ministry fits into your predetermined schedule. I have to keep a close eye on my calendar. Kathy has to keep a close eye on my schedule! But, even so, available also means sometimes being willing to be interrupted from my plans, to do a good deed that just shows up. I really appreciated hearing Rick point out that all of Jesus’ miracles happened when Jesus stopped to care for someone else, or when Jesus was interrupted from what he was doing, such as when those guys lowered a lame man on a mat through the roof where Jesus was teaching. So be available, like Isaiah, “Here am I Lord, send me.”
Available also can mean, be attentive. That means be on the look for opportunities to be helpful. I like this one. I Think I’m pretty good at it, like the time I was walking past a car when the person inside started reaching out the window to grab the outside door handle. I guessed the door handle inside wasn’t working. He was a total stranger to me, but I was right there, so I opened the door for him from the outside where I was located anyway, thus preserving his arm from getting wrenched.
To me, it’s really fun to say things like, “Here let me get that for you.” As in, when the lady in the line in front of me was emptying her cart from the front, but there’s still 2 gallons of milk on the lower rack, in the back where I was standing. And, let me tell you why that happened. I have to thank Mike Klein and Ron McIntyre for inspiring me to use the checkouts where the cashiers are, for more personal interaction opportunities, even though I’m actually really good at self-checkout!
But best of all, as a volunteer driver for the DHHS, I get to meet new people and talk with them for hours sometimes as I am taking them to a Dr.s appointment. I get to talk about my faith and theirs, and sometimes pray with them right there in the car.
Another proper attitude for Christian service is Gratefulness. It’s not about obligation, as in, “Oh man, do I really have to do that?” God loves a cheerful giver, and nothing makes you more cheerful than gratitude. It’s, “Thank You Lord! I get to do this for you!”
Also, be faithful, which includes dedicated and humble. 1 Cor. 4:2 says, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” The trust we have been given is God’s trust in us to spread the gospel. We can only prove faithful in that trust if we are indeed seeking opportunities to share the gospel and speaking up for Jesus at every opportunity.
Very often, we will find that our best opportunity to share the gospel in words will come about as we are serving others in ministry to them. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” And most often, you will be asked to explain yourself when you are serving others otherishly. So, as Col. 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That’s faithfully, dedicated, and humbly, with gentleness and respect.
And the fourth attitude mentioned was generosity. Rick’s quote is, “You can give without loving. But you can’t love, without giving.” Luke 6:38 says with good reason, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Generosity is encouraged and Jesus didn’t mind incentivizing that with the prospect of reward. And 2 Cor. 9:13 says the same, with an additional hint that the rewards we can expect may not be material but rather more spiritual in nature, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
That’s the kind of treasure we are laying up in heaven, the eternal relationships with the people we cared about and ministered too, accompanied by their gratitude for, and appreciation of, our Christian service that helped them find their way.
So, now going on in our text, verse 11 1 Peter 4 says, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” Filled with the Holy Spirit, with awe and reverence, let us be careful that we speak the truth in love, always aware that we are talking about God’s amazing grace and love for all sinners, even the worst of them. Next the verse says, “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides.” Let us always remember that we cannot do anything for God in our own strength, but only as we abide in Christ Jesus, the way he put in in John 15:4-5, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Once we acknowledge that, then Jesus gets all the credit for any of the good works we do. When we receive communion, the Lord’s supper, that employs the fruit of the vine we cling to and so speaks of our abiding in Christ. And the bread we break together signifies our unity of many parts or members in the one body, of which Christ is the head. Therefore, as we receive communion today, let us again remember that if it were not for Jesus, we would not be here or able to do what God has called us to do. “So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
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