Being Holy Means Forsaking the World
I Peter 4:1-11
Introduction:
1. ILL: “Where are you with the Lord? Answer: Well, we go to the ______________ church.
2. The Lord said, No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matt 6:24)
3. You can’t commit yourself to Jesus as Lord without changing your life to conform to His will!
I. v1-2 - Is a Definite Choice Necessary?
A. If you don’t make a definite choice you are a hypocrite.
1. Hypocrite (ὑποκριτής) = lit. one who answers back, an actor, a mask wearer.
2. Hypocrites try to live both orientations; they join the church, profess the faith, but live a sin oriented life.
3. They try to benefit from both orientations - they plant a foot in both arenas.
B. v1 - A decision for the Lord may be a decision to suffer for Him.
1. The Lord gave us His example. I Pet 2:21 - To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
a. He suffered ridicule. Lk 23:35 - The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Cho- sen One.”
b. He suffered torture. Matt 27:26 - Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flog- ged, and handed him over to be crucified.
c. He suffered death. (Lk 24:20)
2. When you suffer for the Lord (3:17 - suffer for doing good) it’s a symbol that you have forsaken the world - the sin oriented life.
II. v3-6 - What Do You Mean by the Sin Oriented Life?
A. ILL: “Sin” in I John.
B. v2 - It’s evil human desires.
1. Desires (ἐπιθυμία) = lust, a longing for what is forbidden.
2. v3 - It’s what pagans choose to do.
3. The way of the world is the human way, our natural bent, our sinful inclination
C. v3 - The Illicit List.
1. The personal garbage:
a. Debauchery (ἀσέλγεια) = KJV “lasciviousness”, drunkenness & excesses of all kinds, no self restraint.
b. Lust = (same word as “desires” in v2), longing or desire for what is forbidden.
c. Drunkenness (οἰνοφλυγία) = lit. the over indulgence of wine.
2. The social garbage:
a. Orgies (κῶμος) = a village festival, merry making to the extreme, (like mob thinking).
b. Carousing (πότος) = lit. a drinking bout.
c. Detestable idolatry (ἀθεμίτοις εἰδωλολατρίαις) = lawless image worship.
D. This is a self centered life - one that focuses on personal gratification.
III. v7-11 - What Do You Mean by the God Oriented Life?
A. v2 - Staying or living within the will of God.
1. This is what is meant by being “filled with the Spirit” or being Spirit controlled.
2. ILL: Difference between being “indwelt with the Spirit” (Act 2:38) & “filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18)
3. ILL: Spiritual Breathing - I Jn 1:9 & Lk 11:13.
B. Signs of the God Oriented Life:
1. v7 - Prayer.
a. This is accomplished by being clear minded (σωφρονέω) = lit. “a wise mind”, being of sound mind, seeing things in proper proportions. We get our word “sophisticated” from it.
b. This is accomplished by being self controlled (νήφω) = lit. abstain from wine, be sober; here probably being responsible.
2. v8 - Love.
a. Love needs to be deep (ἐκτενής) = intense, probably here, consistent.
b. It “covers a multitude of sins” because if you love someone, it’s easier to forgive them (Prov 10:12).
c. The more you live the life of love for others, the more mercy God says He will show you (Matt 5:7).
3. v9 - Hospitality (φιλόξενος) = lit. loving strangers - so, go out of your way to make them feel special.
a. “One another” means brothers & sisters in the Lord.
b. Do so without grumbling. ILL: “Is it my turn to clean the church kitchen again?”
4. v10 - Service - administering God’s grace.
a. You discover what your gift of service is & then you use it faithfully.
b. v11 - Your reason for serving others is to honor God!
Being in Christ means being free from the world! When you were baptized, you died to the old life so that you could be resurrected into a new one. Seize your new life & live it!
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