Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 Peter (Pray, 1 Peter 4:7-11)(Pray, 1 Peter 4:7-11)

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……arm yourselves with the arm yourselves with the same way of thinking…same way of thinking…

−Christ's suffering is a pattern Christ's suffering is a pattern and an honor that has purposeand an honor that has purpose

In identifying with Christ, my In identifying with Christ, my desires begin to become his desires begin to become his desires for medesires for me

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Those who would call me to Those who would call me to account for living the gospel account for living the gospel will one day stand and give will one day stand and give account to Jesusaccount to Jesus

Therefore, I live for the Therefore, I live for the approval of Christ, not menapproval of Christ, not men

The end of all things is at The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. for the sake of your prayers.

Above all, keep loving one Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of love covers a multitude of sins.sins.

Show hospitality to one Show hospitality to one another without another without grumblinggrumbling

As each has received a As each has received a gift, use it to serve one gift, use it to serve one another, as good another, as good stewards of God’s varied stewards of God’s varied grace:grace:

……whoever speaks, as one who whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be in everything God may be glorified through Jesus glorified through Jesus Christ. Christ.

To him belong glory and To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. dominion forever and ever. Amen.Amen.

The end of all things is at The end of all things is at hand; hand;

ConfusedChristiansayswhat?ConfusedChristiansayswhat?

The end of all things is at hand; The end of all things is at hand;

Imminent ReturnImminent Return: By God's : By God's design, believers are meant design, believers are meant to live informed by Christ's to live informed by Christ's imminent returnimminent return

We We areare living in the last days- living in the last days- and have been since Christ's and have been since Christ's resurrection and ascension resurrection and ascension

The end of all things is at hand; The end of all things is at hand;

The point of The point of "the end" "the end" is never is never the end, but Gthe end, but God'sod's d desireesire to to see us live in light of the see us live in light of the coming end of the agecoming end of the age

The point of The point of "the end" "the end" is never is never the end, but Gthe end, but God'sod's d desireesire to to see us live in light of the see us live in light of the coming end of the agecoming end of the age

Since all these things are thus Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, to be dissolved, what sort of what sort of people ought you to bepeople ought you to be in in lives of holiness and lives of holiness and godliness- 2 Peter 3:11godliness- 2 Peter 3:11

ThereforeTherefore be self-controlled be self-controlled and sober-minded and sober-minded for the sake for the sake of of your prayersyour prayers

Big Glass of Warm SpitBig Glass of Warm Spit

Jesus: Jesus: "Pray that you may "Pray that you may not enter into temptationnot enter into temptation…Why …Why are you sleeping? Rise are you sleeping? Rise and pray that and pray that you you may may not not enter into temptationenter into temptation."."

Peter: Peter: "Man, I do not know what "Man, I do not know what you are talking about"- Luke 22you are talking about"- Luke 22

−Jesus knew Peter wouldn’t pray- Jesus knew Peter wouldn’t pray- and would fail. But…what if he and would fail. But…what if he had prayed?had prayed?

Therefore be self-controlled Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. sake of your prayers.

When faced with trials and When faced with trials and suffering- esp. from without- suffering- esp. from without- we are tempted to become:we are tempted to become:

−Full of aFull of anxietynxiety−EEscapistscapist

Therefore be self-controlled…Therefore be self-controlled…

• Anxiety:Anxiety:

−Overwhelming and controlling fOverwhelming and controlling fear ear −Feeling out of control because I Feeling out of control because I

think I have to be in control= think I have to be in control= iillusionllusion

−Concentrating on things I can do Concentrating on things I can do nnothingothing about about

−CoreCore: An unwillingness to t: An unwillingness to trustrust GodGod

• Anxiety:Anxiety:

−Is both the result of not Is both the result of not trusting God and trusting God and will keep me will keep me fromfrom trusting God in prayer trusting God in prayer

−Answer: RAnswer: Releaseelease to God my to God my illusion of controlillusion of control

……casting all your anxieties on casting all your anxieties on him, him, becausebecause he cares for he cares for you- 1 Peter 5:7you- 1 Peter 5:7

Therefore be self-controlled…Therefore be self-controlled…

• Anxiety- focuses on and Anxiety- focuses on and magnifies the pmagnifies the problemroblem

• To be self-controlled is to To be self-controlled is to reign in anxiety and rreign in anxiety and releaseelease control to God- focusing on control to God- focusing on himhim

……sober-minded…sober-minded…

EEscapismscapism

• DDenialenial and D and Distractionistraction

−RRefusingefusing to acknowledge the to acknowledge the problem (not sober and problem (not sober and serious about it)serious about it)

−Not taking action, esp. Not taking action, esp. pprayingraying/ releasing it to God/ releasing it to God

Therefore be self-controlled Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded and sober-minded for the for the sake ofsake of your prayers your prayers

Why does God care if we Why does God care if we pray?pray?

Therefore be self-controlled Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. sake of your prayers.

Why does God care if we pray?Why does God care if we pray?

Prayer moves the hand of Prayer moves the hand of God. It reminds us who's in God. It reminds us who's in charge and centers our faith charge and centers our faith on our Godon our God

Prayer keeps us from the Prayer keeps us from the temptation to fall when temptation to fall when suffering and hardship suffering and hardship comescomes

−DisillusionmentDisillusionment−Bitterness and ComparisonBitterness and Comparison−Accusing GodAccusing God−Denial of the faithDenial of the faith

"End is near…know that "End is near…know that suffering will come…don't suffering will come…don't give in to fear or denial. give in to fear or denial. Instead, seek God in Instead, seek God in prayer…"prayer…"

Above all, Above all, keepkeep loving one loving one another earnestly, since love another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sinscovers a multitude of sins

Anxiety and fear cause us to Anxiety and fear cause us to strike out at one another, strike out at one another, dividing us so we that we dividing us so we that we become weaker rather than become weaker rather than strongerstronger

Above all, keep loving one Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, another earnestly, since love since love covers covers a multitude of sins.a multitude of sins.

Christ's love took away our Christ's love took away our sins. Our love for one another sins. Our love for one another causes us to scauses us to seeee p pastast each each other's flaws and failures other's flaws and failures rather than crather than centerenter on them on them

Above all, keep loving one Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sinscovers a multitude of sins

Love is the mark of a believer: Love is the mark of a believer: only a Christian can really only a Christian can really forgive the faults in others forgive the faults in others becausebecause he knows God's he knows God's forgiveness in his own lifeforgiveness in his own life

If I know Jesus and my life is If I know Jesus and my life is not marked by this kind of not marked by this kind of love right now:love right now:

−Fruit (time with Jesus)Fruit (time with Jesus)

−Deep awareness of my own Deep awareness of my own sins- and God's complete sins- and God's complete forgivenessforgiveness

Show hospitality to one Show hospitality to one another without grumblinganother without grumbling

−When When I have problems I have problems and and people come to me with people come to me with their problemstheir problems, they are , they are bringing a gbringing a giftift

−My ultimate healing comes My ultimate healing comes from from God working through God working through me me in the lives of othersin the lives of others

As each has received a gift, As each has received a gift, use it to use it to serve one anotherserve one another, , as good stewards of God’s as good stewards of God’s varied grace:varied grace:

−We all have spiritual giftsWe all have spiritual gifts

−Each gift contains an Each gift contains an assignment, a passignment, a placelace among among God's people (the ekklesia= God's people (the ekklesia= church)church)

As each has received a gift, use As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied good stewards of God’s varied grace:grace:

−We're managers We're managers (stewards)(stewards) of of what belongs to Godwhat belongs to God

−Managers are accountable to Managers are accountable to the ownerthe owner

−The purpose of our gifts is The purpose of our gifts is ministry to one anotherministry to one another

……whoever speaks, as one who whoever speaks, as one who speaks speaks oraclesoracles of God; of God; whoever serves, as one who whoever serves, as one who serves by the serves by the strengthstrength that that God supplies—in order that in God supplies—in order that in everything God may be everything God may be glorifiedglorified through Jesus Christ through Jesus Christ

Whatever we do, we ultimately Whatever we do, we ultimately do for and because of Christ do for and because of Christ in the strength he providesin the strength he provides

What's the job of a minister?What's the job of a minister?

What's the job of a minister?What's the job of a minister?

How many ministers should a How many ministers should a church have?church have?

To him belong glory and To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. dominion forever and ever. AmenAmen

Our goal and purpose is to Our goal and purpose is to glorify God. He alone is in glorify God. He alone is in charge- and can handle what charge- and can handle what we'll face as we follow him we'll face as we follow him

Sharpen Your AxeSharpen Your Axe

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• How am I responding to life How am I responding to life right now?right now?−Faith and prayer?Faith and prayer?−Anxiety and fear?Anxiety and fear?−Denial and distraction?Denial and distraction?

• What do I need to do? Will What do I need to do? Will I?I?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• Am I seeing flaws, failure Am I seeing flaws, failure and sin in people? and sin in people?

• Or do I have a desire to love Or do I have a desire to love and serve?and serve?−Why?Why?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

Whoever has the Son has life; Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the whoever does not have the Son of God does not have Son of God does not have life. I write these things to life. I write these things to you…so that you may you…so that you may knowknow that you have eternal life- 1 that you have eternal life- 1 John 5:12-13John 5:12-13