Viewpoints

08 Jun 2019

A sermon on 1 Peter 4 given at chapel. One big idea is the contrast Peter paints between the Christian worldview and the Pagan one which his audience are surronded by. I found his call to see things are they are as applicable now as it was way back then.

This term we have been looking at 1 Peter in morning chapel- Peter is writing to Christians under pressure from their circumstances. And this pressure has given him a great excuse to expound upon what an amazing work God has done in Christ- calling a people who were living empty and hollow lives into a new identity as God’s very own people, redeemed- that is rescued from the chains of our guilt and sin- by the death of his only Son Jesus If you are trusting in Christ this morning then that includes you too!!

We’ve seen that this new identity carries with it a new purpose – to be the holy priesthood of God offering spiritual sacrifices through Jesus. A rich metaphor for us giving our whole lives to God’s cause, as those who have received every spiritual blessing in Christ. The rest of his letter focuses on practically living out this new identity, in the challenges of everyday life. Peter is calling these Christians to live in a way that pleases God- showing their love and trust by obedience.

Today’s passage is full of practical exhortation in many different situations, but in all of them the root issue is similar: Do you reason like a Christian? What is the narrative that holds sway over your thinking? When push comes to shove, do we think and act like Christians, standing firm on the solid promises of God or do we conform to a kind of functional atheism? Being moulded like jelly into an effectively pagan life.

I’d like to go through the passage, drawing out the dichotomies between what the pagan world believes, and the truth that Peter points us to. Hopefully through this, you and I will be 1) more savvy to the lies of sin the world and the devil, ready to fight them with the truth. And 2) more ready to live out what we have been saved for: making known the glory of God, both in the church and the world.

So at this point it would be ideal to have the passage open in front of you- page ### of the pew bibles. Let’s kick off in v1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

Peter continues his letter by going back to Jesus’ suffering, which he mentioned in 3:18. Christ’s death in our place “the righteous for the unrighteous” is the foundation for all we will be called to do in this passage. Wonderfully God has reached out to us and redeemed us, while we were his enemies. Nothing we can do will earn his favour, but God wants us to be changed. Christ died that we might live! Live like He lived, not in the tragic excuse for life that is living only for ourselves and our passions.

And so, we are called to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus, specifically to arm ourselves against suffering with trust in the promises of God. Infact, Peter argues that enduring unjust suffering acts to strengthen the Christian’s resolve to live for what is good and truly worthwhile. And so they have nothing to do with the excesses and debauchery of those around them mentioned in verse 3. To put it bluntly in our context, the Christian isn’t pulling at Cindies, downing port on high table …. [Greed/ exploiting status example??]

The follower of Jesus rightly sees those things as detestable and actively avoid what they might have once been involved with. But not everyone thinks that way! V4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. And so, we come to our first fork in the road. Who will you believe? The gospel narrative is clear that many things our culture condones are just plain wrong. But then and now, these same acts are celebrated, even revered as sacred by the world around us. Often our culture is not only surprised we don’t join them, but hurl abuse at us for not doing so. When that happens what will you do? …

Peter is clear- there is a truth you need to remember when facing this opposition to your faith. V5 they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. That’s the bottom line. You, them, all people will have to give account to God. And our only hope is to plead Christ’s righteousness in our place. Can we really claim that righteousness if we wilfully and consistently live in rejection of Jesus by following our own passions? The prospect of the final judgement of God should sober us and strengthen us to stand for what we know to be true and right. (6mins)

This leads Peter neatly on to another sticking point between paganism and the gospel: Death. The pagans in Peter’s day viewed death as a “get out of jail free card” In their narrative, and the secular narrative of today, a person escapes from responsibility and accountability when their consciousness passes out of existence.

But for the Christian the harsh reality of the final judgment of God Almighty is also the ground of our sweetest hope. That even though we will die, the faithful people of God will be raised together on that last day to live in perfect peace and joy with our God, a peace bought by Christ’s own merit. In the words of verse 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Peter changes tack in the next section- we’re now thinking about how we live as Christians within the church: the gathered believers. Again, the focus is on having a Christlike attitude, this time in our service. The church, as the work of God, is unlike any human institution. This is not built on ambition, or the power of clever management- but on the greater power of the spirit working through the love. We know the truth that we are family with those in the church, so in v8 we love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins i.e., we are willing to forgive others as we have been forgiven. And so we serve each other abundantly with the many gifts God has entrusted to us, always with the strength God provides not boosting our pride, so that Jesus may be glorified in all things. Whether that be through your words or your actions.

The world sees the church as at best a harmless social club, or at worst an evil to be purged. But Peter is urging us to see the church for what really is, the Holy dwelling of God. Only with that mind will we be able to function as the body of Christ. Otherwise we will just treat church as another extracurricular we do, and there will be no spirit given power or substance in our service.

In today’s last section Peter comes back to the area of suffering. Arguably this is where the contrast between the two narratives is most keenly felt. To the pagans around our 1st century brothers and sisters, there was nothing more shameful than being mocked, slandered, even martyred for the sake of Jesus of Nazareth. But Peter tells us that if we are insulted for the name of Christ we are blessed. Why? Two reasons. 1) We trust a sovereign God, who works all things for the good of those who love him. Peter describes the suffering we face as “the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you” This is the same fire as in ch1v7 that tests the genuineness of our faith, as fire that refines precious metal. Peter longs for us to see the good purpose of God behind our persecution, that we would be strengthened in our faith. This testing fire is a part of God’s sifting through the people of God, and is for our good.

2) Our suffering confirms our union with Christ. “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed The argument is simple: if you are ridiculed for the same things that Jesus was, then we can be more sure that we are following in his pattern- being conformed to his image. If we face Calvary road with Jesus, then how much more certain we can be that we will rejoice in new resurrection life with Him too. This is one reason why Peter is so keen to stress that we don’t suffer for our own sin or folly: If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. The pagan world rightly shamed such behaviour, yet it had no basis to shame those in Christ for their submission to God, and so Peter makes it clear: If you suffer as a Christian, don’t be ashamed, but keep on seeking to glorify God.