The Way - Aug 31, 2014

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SERMON:

On April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left from Springfield, Illinois on their way to California. They followed a route that had been recently published in a book called, “The Emigrant’s Guide to Oregon and California” by Landsford W. Hastings. They chose to follow Hasting’s route instead of the regular path because it promised to save them 350-400 miles of travel. The only problem was, Hasting’s shortcut had never actually been tried.

On the way, these poor immigrants discovered their mistake in the hardest way. On the flats wagons were bogged down in deep, moist sand. Hostile natives attacked with poison tipped arrows. As winter closed in they were still in the mountains. Pioneers lost toes to frostbite. They died of infection, starvation, disease, and in violent conflict with one other. As the food ran out some even turned to cannibalism just to survive.

On paper Hasting’s way had promise, but in reality it lead 41 people from the Donner party to horrible suffering, grief, and death. In the end it was clear that Hasting’s way, was the wrong way.

When it comes to crossing 2,500 miles of wild country, you can’t just draw a line on a map and follow your instincts. The same is true when it comes to safely negotiating the wilderness of our lives today.

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Today, as we continue our study of the apostle Peter’s first letter, Peter will contrast two different ways. A life lived to self, and a life lived to God. The way of the world, and the way of Christ.

1 Peter 4:1-11 (NASB)

¹Therefore, 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, ²so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. ⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; ⁵but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

⁷The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. ⁸Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Be hospitable to one another without complaint. ¹⁰As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so 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.

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Jesus once said,

“…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 ESV).

In other words, what you treasure most, you will serve from the heart. What you cherish most, you will love.

Born into this world as sinners, we treasure ourselves most.

As lovers of self, we instinctually avoid suffering at all costs.

Without God to guide us in the right way, we do what our natural urges and desires lead us to do.

This is the human way, both today, and back in Peter’s time. As Peter wrote his letter of encouragement to his fellow Christians, he reminded them of what they were like before they met Jesus. They were just like the rest of the world—lost in love of self.

Many of the Christians in Asia Minor were from Gentile families. They hadn’t grown up knowing the Lord. They had lived sensual lives. They hadn’t cared about doing what was right so much as doing what felt good. If they had a deep desire for something, or someone, they followed that lust. They indulged in alcohol to the point of drunkenness, because that brought a level of happiness into their lives. And it deadened any lingering pangs of conscience, enabling them to follow their lusts more fully.

Peter describes drinking parties that turned into raves. Apparently some of these parties were associated with pagan temples. Drunken, carousing, worship parties. Peter reminds his fellow Christians that they used to participate in such “abominable idolatries.”

But when the Gospel of Christ reached them, they learned what sin is, and what it’s consequences are before God. And they learned that even though they deserved condemnation, God was reaching out to them to save them. He had sent his own Son to suffer in their place, and to earn them salvation from sin and freedom from eternal condemnation.  

When some of these Gentiles came to faith in Christ, they began to stop doing what they used to do. The way they lived their lives began to change. And when this happened, their friends didn’t understand. Their friends and neighbors were surprised, and puzzled. Why the change? And then they grew defensive and began to make fun of those who had “gone Christian.”

But Peter reminds his fellow Christians in Asia Minor that in the end, the pagan party-goers, the idol-worshippers, and the self-worshippers—they would all have to stand before God. And they would have to explain their behavior to their Holy and Almighty Creator.

In the end it would be clear that the way of the world, was the wrong way. Sure, it promised relief and good times, but it would end in judgment, and separation from God forever.

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This was the very thing that Jesus had come to prevent. Look at verse 6 again. There Peter writes…

“⁶For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God” (1 Peter 4:6 NASB).

This verse may sound a bit odd in the English. It helps if we add the word “now” before the word “dead”:

“For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are [NOW] dead” (1 Peter 4:6 NASB).

Peter isn’t saying that after you die someone appears and preaches the Gospel to you. What he’s saying is that the message of sins forgiven through Jesus was preached to people who then later died. And the purpose of the Gospel being preached was so that when those people stood before God in the end, by faith in the Savior they would be given LIFE instead of the condemnation that they deserved.

We’re all going to be judged one day—BY GOD. According to HIS standards. Only through the gift of Christ’s sin-covering righteousness can any of us hope to obtain a good verdict in GOD’S courtroom.

Like it says in Romans 3,

“²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:23-24 NKJV).

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In the book of Acts, we learn about a man named Saul who was hunting Christians in the first century. He would go from place to place and try to gather up anyone who was preaching forgiveness through Christ because he thought it was a lie. In Acts 9 we read…

“Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2 NKJV).

Did you catch the interesting way that Saul referes to Christ’s followers? He doesn’t call them “Christians”, he calls them people of “The Way.” This title probably came from the fact that Jesus taught that as the Messiah sent from God, he was “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 NASB). The only way to the Father.

The Christian congregations that Peter wrote to were also people of “The Way.” And as such, their way in life was to be different than the way of the world.

In the second half of our reading for today, Peter gives his fellow Christians a few pointers. This is how you are to live now that you know your Savior.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NASB)

⁷The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. ⁸Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Be hospitable to one another without complaint. ¹⁰As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so 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.

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No longer are you to live to serve self, now you are to live to serve God.

No longer are you to just follow your sinful instincts. Instead you are called to exercise sound judgment and a sober spirit. You are called to weigh and judge each choice in life according to God’s will for you as revealed in the Bible. Instead of calling on your instincts, you’re to call on God for direction through prayer.

Instead of loving self, love one another deeply, from the heart. And this will lead to an attitude of forgiveness toward those who sin against you. Instead of drawing attention to every slight and sin committed against you, you will cover the sins of others with Christ’s forgiveness and move on.

Instead of serving self, be hospitable to one another. Not because you have to, complaining all the way, but with a genuine and humble desire to simply care for the needs of others.

Instead of using your gifts to serve yourself, use the talents and abilities that you have been given to serve one another. Instead of wasting your time and energy running after new experiences and excessive pleasures, use what you have been given as a good steward—distributing blessing on others in God’s name.

Peter has a word for the spiritual leaders in the Asian congregations too. He says that when they speak, they shouldn’t be telling everyone what THEY think. If they’re speaking as God’s mouthpiece, then they should be saying what GOD has revealed in the Bible, and nothing else.

And anyone who wishes to serve their fellow Christians is to do knowing full well that God is the source of their strength. They are to draw on the strength that God provides.

This is the way that Christians are to follow. Christ’s way. Instead of leading to condemnation at the final judgment, this way leads to God being glorified as the true treasure that every sinner needs.

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When it comes to crossing 2,500 miles of wild country, you can’t just draw a line on a map and follow your instincts. The same is true when it comes to safely negotiating the wilderness of life.

Because we’re born into this world as sinners, our natural instincts are faulty. If we follow them we won’t glorify God, we’ll glorify ourselves. And in the end we’ll have to explain our self centered lives to God.

But if we listen instead to the Savior who died to erase the record of our sins, then things will be different. Then the path laid out before us in life will be filled with peace, forgiveness, and safety. And at the end of this path we will find eternal safety in God’s country.

Jesus once said,

“…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 ESV).

Dear Christians, let us not treasure self, but the Savior who washed away our ugly sins by his blood. And may the same Lord who rescued us from a horrible end, continue to guide and teach us on HIS WAY.

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts, and your minds, in Christ Jesus.