The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:7-11
We always have a choice. We can either retreat into our place of safety (which is really not safe but puts off the inevitable). Or we can be servants of the kingdom of God and risk. In reality, the greater risk is to retreat. Retreat results in isolation, and none of us does well alone. We are social creatures, and as believers in Jesus, we are members of his body. Have you ever known of a severed hand prospering? How about an eye-ball removed from its socket? Does it see well? Severed body parts die. So, according to the analogy, members of the body of Christ that retreat are effectively severed from the body and die. I’m not saying that they lose their salvation and go to hell. I am saying they will shrivel up and be of no value to the kingdom of God.
Peter, in this passage, gives us a few admonitions because the “end of all things is at hand.” We are living in the end times. Technically, the end times as an epoch in God’s plan began with the ascension of Jesus and will continue until he returns to finalize the end of all things in this order and ushers in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Be self-controlled and sober-minded
The first admonition is concerning our life of prayer. It is to our benefit to be self-controlled and sober-minded. These are qualities of character that enable us to have a more effective prayer life. Self-control keeps us from foolishness and sin, both of which inhibit our communication with the Father. Sober-mindedness allows us to assess life’s circumstances with greater accuracy. I have a friend who uses the term “situational awareness.” That is another way of saying sober-mindedness from the perspective of a military man.
We all want to see our prayers answered. How often do you see that happen? If it is not often, maybe it is because you are not living with self-control and sober-mindedness. As the old saying goes, “If the shoe fits, wear it.” And, in this case, repent and live in self-control by the Spirit and be sober-minded.
Keep loving one another earnestly
I love the way Peter approaches this most essential quality of life. He simply says to keep doing what you are doing, loving one another earnestly. There are many ways we can see that people are loving one another earnestly. Peter points out the most important fact about earnest love; it covers a multitude of sins. We, the body of Christ, must be able to live in forgiveness toward one another. This is the only way we can stick together and overcome the difficulties that we face together. Way too many times, petty differences grow into church splits and lost influence in the community because we failed to love one another earnestly and forgive one another.
Peter’s example of loving one another earnestly is in hospitality. He isn’t talking about hosting potlucks or dinner parties. I am sure that in the context, he refers to situations where one family needs to take another into their home for a while. It is genuine hospitality. When we do this with earnest love, we do it without grumbling.
Use it to serve one another
Peter acknowledges that every believer has a contribution to make, “As each has received a gift.” No one is left out. I love this. Everybody gets to play! Way too many believers see themselves as worthless to the body of Christ. They are wrong. They have immense value.
These gifts are described as the varied grace of God; that is, there are many expressions of God’s gracious gifting to his kids. Peter breaks it down into two broad categories, the categories of speaking gifts and serving gifts. This should be fantastic news to the introverts among us who fear nothing more than having to speak to other people, especially “public speaking.” If that is you, your gifting most likely is in the “serving” category rather than the “speaking” category, Whoo, you are off the hook!
To each of these categories, Peter adds an exhortation. To speakers, he says to speak as one who speaks the oracles of God, that is, as a prophet. Don’t just yammer on about nothing. We who are in the speaking category usually don’t have a problem talking. Our problem is shutting up when we need to. When we are speaking to encourage our brothers and sisters, we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to speak what we hear the Father saying and not spout our learned formulaic solutions. Those who serve can be tempted to work on their own energy and wear themselves out. Jesus made it clear that without abiding in him, we can do nothing. That includes the physical efforts to serve others. Obviously, we can do things for people without being “in the Spirit,” but it will just be another work of the flesh and an attempt to make God happy with our efforts.
In everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ
Our self-control, sober-mindedness, earnest love for one another, and serving of one another with our gifts are all pointed to one thing: the glorification of God through Jesus Christ. That is the point of it all. We are living in an unstable time, and men’s hearts are failing them for fear. Even among some of God’s people, there is fear and a sense of desperation. There should not be. When we seek first the kingdom of God, he adds all things that we need to our lives. Don’t worry, be happy, as the song goes. Only the song doesn’t give a reason not to worry. God does.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
