1 Peter 4 verses 7-11 are our text for today. Hear God's word. The end of all things is near. Therefore be solemn and sober so you can pray. Above all things have unfailing love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining. As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies. so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Amen. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. I would title this morning's message, How Now Shall We Live? Peter has walked his readers. He has walked us through a number of facets of life as a believer in a time of suffering, in a time of persecution, in a time of chaos, in a time of fear. And last time he He dealt with those who would judge us because we don't enter into the same sinful things that we maybe once would have, or that they would prefer us to be involved in, and they will say mean things about us. And now He is reminding the covenant community of what we ought to be doing in times when we would rather be distracted by fear. You know that when you're facing a stressful time as an individual or as a family, that tensions can run high. And the external pressures begin to cause internal unraveling. And that is what Peter is addressing for the covenant community today. As that judgment comes, as those mean things are said, as motives are questioned, as righteous acts are called unrighteous, as the church lives with this stress and this tension, how are we to be functioning internally? So I want to encourage you today with right fear, with right fear, be faithful in prayer, love, hospitality, and service. With right fear, be faithful in prayer, love, hospitality, and service. Peter begins by reminding us the end of all things is near. He is calling us to have a right fear of God. He has just reminded us that those who judge the church as unrighteous, by their unrighteous standards, will someday stand before God. He will judge the living and the dead. And the idea of judgment should strike fear into us in one of two ways. And this text has both of those. One at the beginning and one at the end. The first kind of fear is that fear that comes from just the stark reality that one might stand before the eternal, all-knowing, perfectly holy God of the universe and be judged for the thoughts, words, and deeds of our lives. The fear that comes with the mighty power of the end of the eschaton, the end of the age, when Christ returns and brings all things to their appointed end, and stands as judge, judging the nations with equity. Matthew 24, Christ reminds us, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. This coming, this return of Christ, is the only step left in redemptive history. Creation, the fall, the flood, Abraham, Moses, David, the Gospel era, all of this has been unfolding, and Peter puts on these the history of redemption glasses when he looks at the events going on around him. He's not fretting if This person is elected president or that person is elected president. He's not fretting over what happens with this policy or that policy. What happens if this nation rises or that nation falls? What happens if the whole thing comes unraveled? What he sees when he looks at the history unfolding around him is redemptive history. And he sees that the next event is Christ's return. Near. And as Calvin points out, some might wonder how near it is when it's been quite some time. And this is Calvin writing hundreds of years ago. And here we are hundreds of years after that. Well, how is it near? And Calvin's wisdom comes that we should compare it to eternity. Compare it to that time when we will be in the presence of our Our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ. Compare it to that time when all promises will be fulfilled and all blessings had. For the believer, there is nothing left for us but Christ's return. It is near to our hearts, for it is next. And we know not the day or the hour. That's the first kind of fear. that might stand because of judgment, but when we understand that we are in Christ, we understand that that fear shifts from one of dread to one of desire. That fear shifts to what verse 11 speaks about, desiring that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion Forever and ever, amen. And amen. Some of you have let me know that you think it's a trick when I encourage you to say amen during a worship service. It is never a trick, but just in case you were keeping track at home, that would have been a great time to say amen. And everyone who has raised Baptist said amen. Did you hear that? You don't have a problem. Hallelujah. We'll work on that later. That's probably years in the making to get a hallelujah, but we might get there. So this fear, having this right fear of God that is involved in understanding what it means that the end of all things is near. Judgment is coming. That might strike a certain chord of fear in your heart if you have not done the business that you need to do with Jesus Christ. If you have repented of your sin, if you have turned to Him and received Him and are resting in Him by faith, then you can say, judgment has come. And so now I work for the glory of God as His judgment for me was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross. And this fear then drives us in a certain direction, this direction of solemnity and sobriety in our spiritual disciplines. Paul tells Timothy, Be self-controlled in all things. Endure afflictions. Well, it sounds like Peter there almost a minute. Peter and Paul must have been emailing that week. We have similar ideas here. But be self-controlled in all things. Endure afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist. Improve your ministry. Paul is saying to Timothy exactly what Peter is saying to us today. Where this sobriety, this self-control, this enduring of hostility should drive us to do what we ought to do. Perhaps you've heard this idea before that people in our day worship their work, they work at their play, and they play at their worship. That should not be the style of living and the approach of the Christian. We ought to do the appropriate things appropriately. And that is what Peter is calling us to in this text. That as we live in what can be a fearful time, as we can begin to get frayed on the edges, or maybe even at our core, personally, corporately as the church. That we can be tempted to do so many other things but what Christ has called us to do. And what we are to do in these moments when we are afraid, we are to be faithful. We're to be faithful in prayer. Therefore, be solemn and sober so you can pray. Calvin points out that the cares of the world can dull our senses spiritually. And how true that is when we face angsty situations, when we face shepherding our young people through difficult times, when life is different than any of us have ever experienced, when we can face persecution from the state trying to control the church and her worship, when we can face all of these various realities, we can begin to have a heaviness, we can begin to be dragged down And we think, and we think, and we think, but we never pray. We can have conversation after conversation with that person that we want to say all these things to, and boy, if I said it to them like this, they'd get it, and then that would fix that, and then everything would be right with the world. But we don't have the conversation with the one person that we need to converse with our heavenly father and our spiritual senses begin to be dulled. Calvin didn't say this, but I'll say it all work and no prey. makes Jack a dull boy. We are to have a seriousness about our spiritual disciplines in moments like we are in today. First Thessalonians five or six. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert. and sober. As Christ said to His disciples, watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. But brothers and sisters, I have to be honest, I have to ask myself sometimes, how willing indeed is the Spirit? How willing are we to watch and pray so that we don't enter into temptation? We ought to, as Paul says in Colossians 4, continue in prayer and be watchful with thanksgiving. You don't understand, I have a lot going on. Pastor, I can't just stop. I can't just take that time. I can't be at prayer meeting, even by Zoom. There's just so much going on. Brothers and sisters, let me remind you the title of a book probably about 30 years ago now. Too busy not to pray. There's nothing wrong with busyness if we are about the Lord's work. But if we are too busy to stop and pray, that's a problem. And we don't just need to Declare, oh, there's a problem. We need to fix that problem. And prioritize prayer for ourselves, for our families, for our church. Be faithful in prayer. Be faithful in love. Above all things. have pristine doctrinal orthodoxy, is not what this text says. Not that we don't want pristine doctrinal orthodoxy, but that orthodoxy, that right belief, works its way out relationally. Above all things, have unfailing love. Fervent love, some translations say, because love covers A multitude of sins. Above all things. And we will see the importance of this priority. Let me ask you, what is your priority in the church? Is it to always be right? Or to love? To always have conflict follow you around like the dust cloud over pig pen in the Peanuts comic strip? Everywhere you go, there's strife. There's argumentation. There's frustration on the part of others. Or is it to love? We should be struck by the intensity of love, this unfailing, fervent love. And the intention of the love, because love covers a multitude of sins. This intensity of love, how much do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? How well do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? How do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Friends, if our love is unfailing, fervent. This will involve work. This will involve intentionality. This will involve purpose. This will involve knowledge. This will involve time. This will involve intimacy. If we are to have unfailing love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, if we are to live out toward them that second table of the law in which the Lord clearly tells us how we are to love one another. And then this intention of love. Peter here is quoting from the Old Testament. I know, surprise, surprise. Peter's quoting Old Testament Scriptures, but he's quoting this time from Proverbs 10, verse 12, which says, Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins. Now, those of us who are Christ-centered, Gospel-centered, grace-oriented, might be tempted to look at that verse and say, yes, God's love for us covers our sins. And while that is true, that's not what the writer of the Proverbs is speaking of, and that's not what Peter is talking about. He is not speaking in the vertical between us and the Lord. He is speaking in the horizontal between us and one another. And how striking when we hear that first part of Proverbs 10 verse 12. Hatred stirs up strife. Friends, if you can find a bucket of strife, I'll tell you what put it there. Hatred. On some level, hatred put it there. When we hate one another, we are constantly accusing. We are constantly looking for that opportunity to bring out what someone has done that is wrong. We stir up strife. The apostles' words ring loud here. Do not bite and devour one another. I love this. This is such simple logic. Do not bite and devour one another. or you will be consumed. Friends, is seeing one another in worship a life-giving moment for you or a soul-sucking pain to be endured? D.A. Carson says, the love that Peter has in mind is the patient forbearance that nips in the bud wrong actions and attitudes that, if allowed to fester, will attract retaliation, virulent animosity, and ultimately dissension and division. It is the kind of love that does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. In other words, Peter is not making a theological statement about sins being forgiven by God, covered in that sense. Still less is he saying it is alright to cover up sins by refusing to deal with offenses that must on occasion be confronted. This is the love that breaks the downward spiral of wounded sensibilities, hard feelings, nurtured bitterness, dissension, and vendetta. Brothers and sisters, how do we love one another? And why do we love one another? May we love one another with a great, fervent, unfailing love that will stop at nothing to build one another up in the most holy faith. And may we do so. So that we might know the peace and unity and purity of Christ's church in its fullness. One thing I love about D.A. Carson, a brilliant evangelical scholar, is that he uses phrases like nips in the bud in scholarly works. He was a pastor, a church planter, a missionary before he was known as a scholar. And that practical wording still comes out. May our love nip in the bud. Wrong actions and attitudes. that might ultimately end in division within the body. We ought to be faithful in hospitality. Show hospitality to one another without complaining. Hospitality, that giving of yourself through tangible means to others. having a welcoming spirit. It does us no good if we welcome hundreds and thousands of people in our home over the years. If we don't welcome our brothers and sisters in the church, in love, in humility, in desire to spend and be spent for their sake. We need to be faithful in this ministry that can minister grace and healing to others. We need to desire that presence of people in our lives, in our space, so that we might minister that cup of cold water in Christ's name. Faithful in service. As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Brothers and sisters, I want to encourage you to fulfill your role in the body of Christ. Do what you have been gifted to do. And you might be sitting there and think, but you know what, I'm not sure I have a gift. Justin? I'm not sure I have a gift. I'm not sure if I have something that I can give others. Well, let me draw your attention to that second word, at least in the MEV, in verse 10. Everyone, in case you're wondering, that includes you. You have been given a gift. You have been shaped to serve Christ's body in a particular way. Your attention to detail. Or your ability to dream big. Your desire to reach out. Or your desire to build up fellowship within the house of God. Your desire to see the church grow wider, your desire to see the church grow deeper, whatever it is, hospitality, being able to smile at anybody, no matter who they are, no matter what they've just said to you, you have a gift and you fulfill a role in the body of Christ. Peter goes on to give some specific, what we might consider more official gifts. If anyone speaks, let them speak as the oracles of God. And we're reminded of Ephesians 4, 11 to 16. He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ. And so we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God into a complete man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so we may no longer be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, by craftiness, with deceitful scheming." That was the first sentence. But speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ Himself, from whom the whole body is joined together and connected by every joint and ligament, as every part effectively does its work and grows, building itself up in love. And you'll remember when we made our way through Ephesians, how much Paul uses that imagery of the body and the interconnectedness of the body to bring gospel truths to bear on us as believers. That we are a body built up. We need to speak the truth in love. We need to communicate effectively from body part to body part. We need to work in unity. And again, that doesn't mean everyone is doing the exact same thing. You know I'm not a runner, even though I should be, I'm sure. But when you see that beautiful reality of someone who knows how to run, and they can run fast, and they can run for a long time, nobody looks at them as they're running the race, biblical language there, and says, what is wrong with them? What do you mean what's wrong with them? I would say they're running. That's what's wrong with them. But look at them. All their body parts are doing different things. In fact, sometimes they're going in opposite directions to each other. Why are they so disorganized? No. You see the body working together, each part doing what it should. And you say, that is beautiful. This God created machine works that way. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12, now you are the body of Christ. And members individually. God has put these in the church. first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret, but earnestly covet the greater gifts? Yet I show you a more excellent way." And then he goes into that great chapter on love. on love. Brothers and sisters, if anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies. If you are not serving the church in some capacity, you ought to be. You are a member of it. And if we are to run the race well together, we need each part doing its part. And that means you. How will you serve the church? We've established that you have a gift because you are part of the body of Christ. Now, you ought to use that gift with the strength that God supplies. Access the power of the Holy Spirit to enact your gift. Perhaps you don't know what your gift is. Ask the Lord to show you. Serve in various ways and find out what it is. You might volunteer to help in the nursery and find out quickly, that is not my gift. You might help set up elements for communion when we get back to that. You might come early and help set up to worship outdoors. You might decide to go door to door and pray with people and talk to them about their faith and about Christ. You might help to get involved with things online to have one more person who can help upload things and create content and all these things that can be done. Serve in various ways and find out what your gift is. Or maybe you know what your gift is and you're living in fear. What if somebody doesn't like what my gift is? What if it's something that has never been done at Trinity before and you think, boy, if I step up and bring up this idea, I'll be laughed out of town. Bring it. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the power that you need in Christ Jesus. To use your gift. to bless the church. So it talks about speaking, speaking the oracles of God that can easily point toward preaching, but for each one here, that is, how do we speak to one another? Are we counseling and caring for one another with God's word, with the message of the gospel? Are we speaking the truth in love to them? And as we think then about service, if anyone serves, we think about the diaconal ministry. But you don't have to be a deacon to serve. And all the deacons said, Amen, help a few brothers out for crying out loud. There's trust me, if you approach them, they will find something for you to do. There's plenty to do to help in the service of the church. But you must You have received a gift. Even so, serve one another. It is consequential here. You have a gift, so you must use it, Peter is saying. And why? Well, as we said in the beginning, this other aspect of fear, this one of desire and desiring the glory of God, so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom praise, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Let it be that with right fear, we are faithful in prayer, in love, in hospitality, and in service. Stand with me as we pray. Father, if there are any here today who are in fear of that last judgment day, I pray, Lord, that you would grant them new hearts. Grant them faith and repentance that they might live in the appropriate fear of desiring your glory to shine in the church in Jesus Christ. Grant that they might turn from their sin and cling to Him as their only hope in this life. and the life to come. Father, I pray that we in the church would be faithful, faithful in prayer, faithful in love, faithful in hospitality, and faithful in service. May we be known by these things. We pray in Jesus' name. And church, let us pray together. Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.