What shall the end be?

 

1Pe 4:12-17 

 

Intro: As we begin tonight I have a little story to tell; "An American tourist in Paris who purchased an inexpensive amber necklace in a trinket shop was shocked when he had to pay quite a high duty on it to clear customs in New York. This aroused his curiosity, so he had it appraised. After looking at the object under a powerful magnifying glass, the jeweler said, "I'll give you $25,000 for it." Greatly surprised, the man decided to have another expert examine it. When he did, he was offered $10,000 more!

"What do you see that's so valuable about this old necklace," asked the astonished man.

"Look through this glass," replied the jeweler. There before his eyes was an inscription: "From Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine." The value of the necklace came from its identification with a famous person.

As Christians, we are in union with one who is far more important than any human being. It is from this union that the Christian finds his true identity and worth.

So in an age when man is searching for his past and discovering his potentials, the Christian can rejoice that his true worth comes from God and his identity is found in Jesus Christ." Our scripture takes us to a time in the church when persecution was severe. I Peter was written somewhere around 65 A.D., that’s just 5 years before the fall of Jerusalem to Titus. In light of this persecution I feel Peter remembers a time when he the other disciples and Christ stood on the Mt. of Olives, looked at the temple, discussing its beauty, heard Christ say "not one stone will be left on another."

 

Have you ever ask the question "when are they going to get what they deserve?" As a child of God you felt like giving up. It’s just too difficult, too aggravating, too many battles; too many people are trying to trip me up. Well the church was going through this very thing. Lets look at how Peter addressed these things and how we can apply them to our struggles today.

 

Bad things do happen to people, its sad but a fact of life.

 

     A. Fiery Ordeal

            Peter tells us of a fiery ordeal, or better known today as a trial. Something God allows upon us in order to refine us.

 

Ills. The silver smith uses fire to refine his product, not just melting down the silver, but getting it so hot the impurities rise to the top. He then skips off the impurities and begins the process all over, each time needing a hotter fire that the on before.

 

God has a purpose behind our trials, we may not know it, most of the time its probably best If we didn’t. We would  only try to interfere and change Gods will and direction for our lives. Not knowing God’s purpose requires us to:

  1. live by faith
  2. Grow through obedience
  3. model by example.

 

B. The reward of endurance

            Having patience and enduring the trials set before us has its rewards.

1.      Strength V13

2.      Spiritual fulfillment

3.      Spiritual power

 

C. Don’t confuse Correction and Conviction

            It’s usually pretty easy to get Baptists to agree were not perfect. Since we can probably agree on this tonight we need to make sure were clear on something. Un confessed and un repentant sin in the life of a believer will bring about chastisement on that person. God will punish the one He loves.

            These unfair things of life also affect the lives of unbelievers. However as they struggle thru, and don’t fool yourself one moment it thinking they don’t. There is no reward for:

  1. Endurance
  2. Growth
  3. Obedience
  4. Faith

 

the loneliness that comes from getting thru one defeat only to survive until the next. Facing life without God is facing life this way.

 

D. Judgment in Gods House

            Lets not get carried away with the word Judgment, Peter is simply telling us that as God deals with the people of the world He will begin with His own. God does this for a reason:

1        For a testimony

2        For a preparation

3        For a commission

 

 

 

 

 

E. Those that obey not

            For every effort God puts forth there will be some that refuse His Grace. That’s a sad fact. They have a miserable life ahead. An eternal death, Jesus said he came to have life and have it more abundantly

           

     

 

Conc. Take opportunity to reflect on the introduction story of the necklace and its worth. Remind the congregation of the worth of salvation and its need in our day. As closing illustration use a discussion of Vance Havners sermon "playing marbles with diamonds" to drive home the reminder of how precious salvation and the things of God are and the place they should have in our hearts.