1 Peter 4
September Memory Verse: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
Read: 1 Peter 4
There are many problems that I have seen occur in the American church, but two major problems are conforming to culture and Christians living comfortable lives. We see this in many ways:
But 1 Peter 4 shows us that Christians are called to live countercultural and uncomfortable lives for the sake of the Gospel.
We see this clearly in verse 2. Peter writes, “You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.” Are you anxious to do the will of God? Does the idea of evangelism and discipleship excite you or does it discourage you because it is just another thing to add to the list?
The Christians who Peter wrote this letter to were under heavy persecution, and this letter was probably so encouraging to them. They understood that living for Jesus possibly meant death. And yet, the church exploded with growth. These Christians took the Gospel seriously. They did not conform to the culture around them and they did not live with comfort, because they knew the Gospel called them to live differently.
And what I love about this chapter is how Peter talks about persecution. First, persecution is expected as a Christian (v. 12). Second, persecution is a blessing (v. 14, 16). But when we worship comfort and culture, we don’t see persecution as Peter talks about it.
So for all of us: What do you worship? Is it culture? Is it comfort? Or is it God? And if the people around you examined your life, what would they say you worship?
By: Brice Stockton
Read: 1 Peter 4
There are many problems that I have seen occur in the American church, but two major problems are conforming to culture and Christians living comfortable lives. We see this in many ways:
- Conforming – Church is more of a show than it is about worshiping God. Acceptance of things that the Bible goes against. Allowing politics to become the major talking point instead of the Word of God.
- Comfort – Christians not evangelizing because they are scared of what people will think. Christians not discipling because there is no time in their busy life for that. Christians spending all day at practice or the ball field and not going to church. Christians not discipling their kids because it is “too awkward” to talk about.
But 1 Peter 4 shows us that Christians are called to live countercultural and uncomfortable lives for the sake of the Gospel.
We see this clearly in verse 2. Peter writes, “You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.” Are you anxious to do the will of God? Does the idea of evangelism and discipleship excite you or does it discourage you because it is just another thing to add to the list?
The Christians who Peter wrote this letter to were under heavy persecution, and this letter was probably so encouraging to them. They understood that living for Jesus possibly meant death. And yet, the church exploded with growth. These Christians took the Gospel seriously. They did not conform to the culture around them and they did not live with comfort, because they knew the Gospel called them to live differently.
And what I love about this chapter is how Peter talks about persecution. First, persecution is expected as a Christian (v. 12). Second, persecution is a blessing (v. 14, 16). But when we worship comfort and culture, we don’t see persecution as Peter talks about it.
So for all of us: What do you worship? Is it culture? Is it comfort? Or is it God? And if the people around you examined your life, what would they say you worship?
By: Brice Stockton
4 Comments
This is so good Brice. Been listening to a message from Charles Stanley on biblical meditation and he says that we all worship something and typically it is whatever we are taking in daily. I’ve been taking in way too much news, social media, etc. I have been convicted by your message and by Stanley’s that I need to take in more of the Word of God and less of everything else. The Word is where I can get all my answers to life’s complexity and better guide myself and my family.
Spot on, Brice!
We hate discomfort, let alone suffering. We here in the US seem to be inching toward finding out what taking up our cross and following actually looks like. Perhaps it starts with just embracing the uncomfortable as you said!
For a little extra spice, I read this attitude-adjusting gem yesterday, in 1 Tim 5:6:
“…she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” :-0
Nailed it, Brice. Subscribing to comfort and conformity bring with it an indifference, perhaps a lukewarm attitude to God and the Bible. The comfortable Christian "doesn't have time" to read the whole Bible, but does have plenty of time for ball games, as you point out. My back-of-the-envelope calculations tells me that the average Kentuckian spends more time watching BBN basketball each year than the time it takes to read the entire Bible—72 hours. Someone who has been a Christian for 12 years, by that same calculation, has not taken 60 seconds out of their day to read through God's Word. Little wonder then that our minds are not being transformed daily, but instead are conformed to the thinking of the world.
One common theme that stood out from Chuck's memorial service was that he encouraged young people to regularly spend time in God's Word. There can't be a better investment of our time in an age when we need to be counter-cultural for the sake of the Gospel, as you rightly put it.
Ouch! I think I need to be more anxious to do the will of God! Thanks Brice!