How Should We Live When Suffering for Christ (Part 1 of 6)

The following is the unedited text (in six parts) for a sermon I will preach this Sunday.

Introduction
Last week we looked at Peter’s encouragement and instruction regarding how we should live in light of Christ’s imminent return. In doing so, we considered what the Christian’s perspective, duty, and goal should be as he or she anticipates the Lord’s return, which can come at any moment.

This morning, as we study 1 Peter 4:12-19, we will try to answer the question of how we should live when suffering for Christ. I enter into this message and this subject fully aware that many of the concepts we will discuss this morning are utterly foreign to the vast majority of American Christians. We do not define suffering the way Christians do in most parts of this sin-stained world. I believe many (not all) American Christians have a rather shallow, self-centered, privileged, even wimpy view of Christian suffering.

Now, this is not to say that maybe many of you here this morning have not suffered in various ways. The likelihood is that at least some of you have suffered physically and emotionally at sometime in your life. Many of you have suffered personal loss, having experienced the death of a friend or loved one. Some of you may have lost a job during your life because of unfair treatment by a co-worker or employer.

Nothing I say this morning will minimize or trivialize these kinds of suffering. But our focus this morning is going to be on a different kind of suffering. This morning we are going to focus all of our attention on suffering real persecution as a result of living a life and speaking truth that brings attention, honor, and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why do most American Christians not face this kind of persecution (at least not yet)? The reason is that they don’t live their lives or open their mouths in such away as to bring about the rancor and negative attention of a lost and dying, Christ-denying world. Most American Christians pose no threat to this present society’s sinful, headlong, downward spiral because they are not living lives that are truly set apart for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since those of us here who profess to have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ should be living lives that bring glory to Christ, we should continue to live in such a way, even in the face of the worst kinds of persecution. So, how should we live when suffering for Christ?

For one, we should not be surprised when persecution and suffering comes our way. We should live with an attitude of authentic joy, seeing the suffering as a blessing from God. We should continually practice self-examination to make sure our suffering is a result of right Christian living and not a result of the sin in our lives. And, we should commend ourselves to the wonderful, matchless care of God.

Don’t Be Surprised When Persecution Comes
Let’s begin by taking a look at the very first word Peter utters in this morning’s passage. He refers to his readers as “beloved.” This word “beloved” comes from a Greek word we talked about last week—agape. Peter used the word “beloved” earlier in his letter. In 1 Peter 2:11 we read: “Beloved, I urge you as strangers and aliens to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.”

Before Peter launches into yet another difficult teaching, he reassures his readers that what he is about to say to them, he says with a deep, “other-minded,” abiding, sacrificial love for them. He assures them that he loves them with a genuine, Christ-like love. Every word Peter pens in this passage is underlined with a love that is motivated by a sincere desire to seek God’s very best for his readers—his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Having reaffirmed and asserted his love for his readers, he immediately gives them a command. He tells them not to be surprised at the fiery ordeal among them. Peter’s words are somewhat prophetic. It is likely that Peter wrote this letter not long before the Emperor Nero began his brutal persecution of Christians, throughout the Roman Empire. A particularly gruesome and evil aspect of the persecution is Nero’s use of live Christians as human torches to light his gardens at night.

Peter’s message is, sadly, opposite of what many Christians will hear from pulpits in America. Today, millions of Americans are being told that they should be surprised if they suffer for the name of Christ. They are being told that if they do suffer it is because they lack faith. They are being told that instead of expecting times of suffering, they should expect God to abundantly bless them with their every desire—with health, wealth, and prosperity. Such false teachers are crippling Christians, not only in the United States, but also around the world—particularly Christians on the African continent.

Ten-Four Ministries supports a missionary and evangelist in Liberia. His name is John Wright. John has told me, on several occasions, that itinerant preachers, pushing an unbiblical “health, wealth, and prosperity” message are literally robbing the people in his country—taking their money while leaving them with false hope.

Since Christians are being told to expect health, wealth, and prosperity; since Christian are being told to expect their best life now; is it any wonder that they avoid suffering at any cost? And the best way to avoid the suffering that comes as a result of persecution is to keep your mouth shut about Jesus Christ and to do whatever you can to blend in with a fallen, sin-stained world. Sadly, Christians, particularly in America, have become quite good at this.

Again, Peter does not simply suggest that his readers ought not be surprised when they face fiery trials. He commands them not to be surprised. Why? It is because if they are truly living sold-out, unashamed, authentic, joyful lives for Christ, they should expect a negative reaction from an unbelieving world. Peter could make such a loving demand of his readers because it is what he was taught by His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus taught Peter this:

“From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’

“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.’

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” ~ Matthew 16:21-26

Jesus also taught Peter this:

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” ~ Luke 6:22-28

And let’s not forget what Peter wrote earlier in verse four of this chapter. “In all this, they [unbelievers] are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you” (1 Peter 4:4). The word “malign” is translated from the Greek word blasphemeo. The word literally means to blaspheme, to slander or defame someone, to speak evil of them.

John MacArthur adds:

“Ancient sources, both Christian and non-Christian, provide ample evidence that it was Christians’ reluctance to participate in many conventionally accepted amusements and ungodly civic ceremonies, and their refusal to engage in idolatrous, immoral functions that caused unbelievers to hate and revile them. That led to unjust persecution and suffering for righteousness sake.”[1]

Peter does not mince words, here. The trial Peter is talking about, the persecution to which Peter is referring, will, at times, make you feel like you are being burned alive. The Greek word translated as “fiery” was also used to describe the smelting process, in which metals are repeatedly melted and skimmed in order to remove impurities.

Trust me, if you are boldly proclaiming the Law and the Gospel, and if you try to live your life in such a way as to make no effort to be a “closet Christian,” there are times when you are going to feel the heat.

[1] MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary—1 Peter. Chicago : Moody Publishers., 2004, pp. 229-30.

Behind the Scenes of Way of the Master Radio (07-17-07)

Since I was "fishing" today in a "no photo zone" (my local mall), I decided to share a photo (dated 09/06) of the newest member of my family, Jay Joseph. Jay was recently adopted by Ian and Cheryl (my brother-in-law and sister). Jay is 3-years-old and from Uganda. My sister and niece (Allison) travelled to Uganda and returned home with Jay last Friday.

I met Jay for the first time, today. I watched him play at a local park, with his brother, sisters, and new friends. When I arrived at the park, my sister introduced us. He took my hand and gave me a good, manly shake. "Hi, Uncle Tony." His favorite color is green (smart kid). So, naturally, I gave him sheriff's department uniform patch.

Cheryl took a respite from her now-busier-than-ever home (Jay is Ian and Cheryl's fifth child, with two of their daughters being adopted from Liberia.), and joined me for today's "street fishing." It was a blessing to have her with me, today. Not only was the fellowship special (as it always is), but she proved to be an asset, helping me to land our "fish" for the second hour of the show.

Our guest for the first hour of the show was a young man named Giancarlo. Giancarlo and his friend, Martin, were leaving a restaurant when I asked them if either one of them wanted to be on the radio.

Giancarlo considered himself to be a good person and believed he would go to heaven if he lived a good life here, on earth. He also made mention, without providing details, that he was in the midst of some difficulties in his life.

Todd Friel took Giancarlo through the Law and the Gospel. I spent about five minutes talking to Giancarlo after his time with Todd. Although the conversation was short, it was good. Giancarlo said that his conversations with me and Todd were helpful to him. Seeds were planted. We left Giancarlo and Martin each with a copy of Ray Comfort's book, How To Live Forever Without Being Religious.

We walked around the mall complex for the next twenty minutes, looking for a guest for the second hour of the show. As so often happens, we got within 30 seconds of my scheduled call-in time before the Lord provided the person. His name was John.

John grew up attending a Christian church, but left the church for unspecified reasons. When we met him he believed that he was a good person and that he would go to heaven, along with his friends and loved one.

When I handed John my phone, his demeanor was lighthearted and confident. But as Todd took John through the Law and the Gospel, his demeanor changed. He became more serious, and maybe even a bit nervous. The reason I say this is when Todd began to take John through the Law (and I can tell by what the person is saying on my phone), John began to rapidly tap his right heel on the ground, beneath the table where we were sitting.

John had told me before the interview that he only had a few minutes before he had to return to work. So, I wasn't surprised when he tried to make a quick exit, after ending his conversation with Todd. John gave me just enough time to ask a couple of quick questions.

I asked John if he had ever heard the Gospel presented the way Todd presented it to him. He said, "No." He went on to say that Todd's analogies helped to drive the points home, and it was making him think. More seeds planted.

Sitting at the table, quietly listening to John on the phone, were Margarita and Ora. These nice ladies were John's co-workers. Margarita volunteered the information that she was raised in a Jehovah's Witness home, but she no longer practiced the religion. However, as you will here in our conversation, she was still holding on to some of the false teaching of the religion. Ora, on the other hand, did not volunteer anything about her spiritual beliefs.

I asked the ladies if they were curious about John's conversation. They said that they were. I explained to them that John had been taken through what's called the "Good Person Test." I asked them if they would like to take the test. They both said yes. What followed was a great conversation with two ladies who seemed humbled by the Law and appreciative of the conversation. In fact, after Cheryl and I said good-bye to Margarita and Ora, and started to walk away, I heard one of the ladies whisper, "That was nice." The other replied, "Yeah. I wasn't expecting that."

Please pray for Giancarlo, Martin, John, Margarita, and Ora. Pray that all of them will receive the free gift of eternal life that only Jesus Christ can give.

Another good day of fishing!

Jump or Perish!

Here is the artwork for my soon-to-be published gospel tract, "Jump or Perish." Special thanks to artist Maurice Morgan II for his beautiful, original design*.

For those of you who have not read the text for this tract, here it is.

It was shortly after 2:00 p.m. on December 1, 1958. More than 1,700 children were attending classes at Our Lady of Angels School on Chicago’s west side. Three girls returning from an errand encountered smoke in a stairwell, and rushed to their classroom to tell their teacher. At about the same time, a janitor walking by the building looked in the window of the furnace room and saw a reddish glow.

The school was on fire. The flames quickly spread, trapping 329 children and five nuns on the second floor. Among the trapped children was nine-year-old Mark Stachura.

As people noticed smoke rising from the area of the school and saw fire trucks racing in that direction, parents rushed to the school, hoping and praying that their children were safe. One of those parents was Mark Stachura’s dad, Max.

Max arrived at the school to find a scene of chaos and panic. Children were frantically fleeing the building, their skin dirtied by smoke and soot. Other students, with their clothes on fire, were making the deadly 25' jump from second-floor windows to the concrete below.

Max looked upward. To his horror, he saw his son, Mark, standing at a window with flames roaring behind him.

Max begged his son to jump. He assured his beloved child that he would catch him. Seeing Max below the window, twelve other children saw their means of rescue from the flames. They jumped into Max’s arms and survived what would have been a fiery death. But Mark refused to jump. He refused to take the only way of escape from the fire. Unlike twelve of his classmates, Mark did not trust his father to save him. Young Mark Stachura, along with 94 others, perished in the flames.

If you found yourself in this tragic situation, what would you do? Would you try to save yourself, if the only thing to break your fall was solid concrete, 25 feet below? Would you refuse to jump into someone’s arms because you didn’t trust the word or the ability of the person beneath the window? Would you choose a fiery death over rescue? Or would you entrust your life to someone who offered you the only way of escape? What would you do?

While you may never find yourself trapped in a burning building, is it possible you will one-day face an even more horrific fiery fate? To find out, honestly answer the following questions.

Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you, no matter how insignificant it may be? Have you ever hated anyone? The Bible says, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Have you ever look at another person with lust? Jesus said, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). If you answered honestly, then according to God’s holy Moral Law, and by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, murdering, adulterer at heart. And these are only four of the Ten Commandments.

If you have broken God’s Law, the Ten Commandments, the just penalty for your sins against God is eternity in hell--a very real place of everlasting flames and torment.

But God doesn’t want you to perish. He doesn’t want you to go to hell. So, He sent His sinless Son, Jesus Christ--God in the flesh&mdashto pay the penalty for your sins. He did this by taking your place of punishment when He shed His innocent blood and died on the cross. Three days later, He defeated death when He rose from the grave. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

So, what must you do to be saved? You must recognize that you cannot save yourself. To jump into eternity, trusting in your own abilities (good deeds, spirituality, etc.), will lead to certain death. Instead, you must confess your sins against God, repent (turn away from your sins), and put your trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation.

You must either jump or perish. You will either spend eternity in the lake of fire or entrust your life into the arms of the only One who can save you--Jesus Christ. Please, repent and place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, right now. When you do you will pass from death into life and receive the free gift of eternal life. What will you do? Will you jump or perish?

* (C) 2007, Maurice Morgan II

Behind the Scenes of Way of the Master Radio (07-10-07)

Today, my daughter, Michelle, and I spent the afternoon at the Los Angeles Zoo. We thought we would try out a new "street fishing" pond, today. As is the case with any new fishing hole, you never really know how good the fishing is until you throw your line in the water.

We made our way to the chimpanzee exhibit, which maintained the largest crowd in the zoo. I approached a young man named Jose. Jose (24) works for the Department of Transportation. His function is parking enforcement and impounding illegally parked and abandoned vehicles.

Before I put Jose on the phone with Todd Friel, I asked him if he believed in evolution or intelligent design. He said, "Evolution."

"Why?" I asked.

Jose thought for a moment (as most people do when asked that little, disarming, one-word question). "Well," he said while motioning with his head toward the chimpanzees, "they sure do act a lot like us."

Todd Friel took Jose through the Law and the Gospel. Click here to listen to their conversation. Once Jose was off the phone, he did not appear to be the light-hearted, jovial man I encountered just a few short minutes earlier. The look on his face was that of a man who had some important questions on his mind.

"So, how did it go?" I asked.

"It was good." He said. "He asked me some questions that made me realize I need to repent because I'm probably going to hell."

"Let me ask you this. Were you at all offended by the conversation?"

"No. He just asked me questions that really made me think."

I took Jose through the courtroom and parachute analogies, which helped to drive home his need to repent. It also helped to show him the difference between an intellectual belief in Jesus Christ and saving faith.

Always trying to be aware of my surroundings (it's the cop in me), I noticed two ladies who were sitting nearby as I shared the gospel with Jose. One lady soon said to the other, "Let's go. Do you want to listen to this stuff!"

Another couple sitting behind Jose in the amphitheater didn't leave. They seemed to be listening intently to the conversation.

I heard Jose answer one of Todd's questions, which led me to believe he did not have a Bible. So, I asked Jose if he had one. When he said that he didn't, I gave him a copy of Ray Comfort's book, How To Live Forever Without Being Religious. I also gave him an Evolution--The Evidence For and Against gospel tract. I explained to him that the book contained the gospel of John and that that would be a good place for him to start reading the Bible.

My follow-up conversation with Jose left us about fifteen minutes to find a guest for the next hour's street fishing segment. Now having older children, I discovered that I had forgotten something about trips to the zoo. Every adult has at least one child clinging to his or her ankle. And many of those same children are not happy people.

We couldn't find anyone to put on the phone. I came close near the Howling Monkey exhibit, but it didn't work out. I thought it would be nice to have screaming monkeys going off in the background as Todd shared the Law and the Gospel with someone.

My attire for the day (which you can see in the above photo) drew the attention of at least one zoo patron. "Excuse me. Can you tell me when the next chimpanzee show is?"

She was a little embarrassed when I told her I didn't work at the zoo. I would later use my attire to help me hand out tracts. I simply walked up to people, handed them a Billion-Dollar Bill, and thanked them for visiting the zoo today. Nobody refused the tracts. I guess they thought that I worked for the zoo and the tracts were part of a zoo promotion. Oh, well. :-)

Since I couldn't find someone to put on the phone during the second hour, Todd asked me if I had a "Cop Tale" I could tell. I thought for a second and said that I could do it. Click here to listen to the show. Here is a more detailed account of the story I shared with Todd.

An Unseen Enemy

In many other situations, criminals have lured officers into an ambush during foot pursuits or by making false calls for assistance to the police department. When criminals know that the police are on their way, they have ample time to conceal themselves and to assume an advantageous tactical position so they can “get the drop” on the responding officers.

I remember answering a “918/417” call several years ago (“918” is the radio code for a mentally disturbed person, and “417” indicates “a man with a gun”). The caller reported that a man was standing in front of his house, yelling and holding a shotgun.

The call came from a semi-rural area of our jurisdiction, where the roads were dirt and there were no streetlights. My partner and I approached the location in our patrol car as cautiously as possible. We couldn’t see the suspect, nor could we hear him yelling. I remember both of us drawing our weapons and holding them on our laps as we drove past a tall, thick hedgerow. I remarked to my partner that the suspect could be anywhere, and if the suspect was on the opposite side of the bushes, we were sitting ducks.

A short time later, we located the suspect in his home and took him into custody without incident. And we found his shotgun, loaded with rifle slugs—a large, solid ball of lead that could penetrate a concrete block wall.

Although this particular call ended well, as my partner and I talked to one of the suspect’s neighbors, the hair on the back of our necks stood on end. The neighbor told us that he heard us drive down the road. When he looked outside, he could see the suspect standing behind the hedgerow, pointing his shotgun at our patrol car on the opposite side of the bushes. The neighbor could hear the suspect say, “Pow, pow, pow,” as we drove by. It was only by God’s grace that the suspect didn’t fire the shotgun into our patrol car. Because of the devastating nature of the round—which could penetrate a car door like a warm knife cuts through butter—the suspect could have killed us both with one shot.

We need to remain alert because—whether we are aware he exists or not—our spiritual enemy is constantly looking for an opportunity to attack. He is well versed in disarming us. He is not above lying in wait to ambush us. So we must always be prepared. The battlefield is closer than the world around you. It is even closer than the peaceful confines of your own home. You are part of the battlefield. Don’t go into battle unarmed. Don’t take to the field poorly equipped. Take up the full armor of God so you can stand firm against the enemy’s attacks. Get suited and armed for battle. Be alert!

Although everything did not go as planned, it was another good day of fishing.

Spiritual Warfare on Venice Beach

No, the people pictured above are not members of our team. More about them later.

Our team on Saturday consisted of me; my brother-in-law, Ian; three of Ian's kids; Mike (a friend from church); Chris, from Adventures in Christianity; Leon, from Evangelism Team; and Leon's little brother. Our fishing hole that day was the boardwalk on Venice Beach.

The marine layer was thick, so we didn't see the sun until later in the afternoon. The boardwalk was packed with people from all over the world. At one point, I counted at least six foreign languages that I heard--none of which I could identify.

During our four hours on the boardwalk, we distributed hundreds, if not thousands of gospel tracts. Leon and I conducted four open-air preaching sessions (Click here to listen my first and second session.), and the team enjoyed numerous one-to-one conversations. The gospel went forth, in spoken and written form, to thousands of people. It was a great day.

To a person living in Southern California, Venice Beach is just another beach community. To the visitor from out of state or out of the country, Venice Beach is, well, a strange place. Street vendors lined the boardwalk. Psychics, artists, musicians, salesmen, con artists, vagrants, drug dealers and users--you name it, Venice Beach has it. Add to that the steroid stallions of Muscle Beach; the beach bums, surf rats, and skaters; tourists from all over the world; and the only people who can really afford to live along the beach--the wealthy, and you have a very diverse and eclectic community.

Leon and I alternated open-air preaching. During Leon's second open-air session, he had a heckler who served as evidence of the reality that the American Church has a false convert problem. As Leon succinctly and biblically spoke to the crowd about the Law, a lady standing behind him continually shook her head and took verbal shots at Leon and his message. The intoxicated woman standing at the heckler's mic claimed to be a Christian. Yet her demeanor, language, and answers to Leon's questions suggested anything but a born again follower of Jesus Christ. Even so, the woman standing behind Leon continually supported the other woman's profession of faith. And, like so many professing Christian hecklers, she seemed to be getting angry with Leon.

Finally, Leon asked the woman to step up to the microphone and stand for her convictions. She accepted the challenge and immediately challenged what Leon was saying about repentance and judgment. She also tried to take Leon to task for quoting Scripture instead of reading directly from the Bible.

The woman asserted that all someone has to do is ask Jesus into their heart to be saved. When Leon rightly asserted that the Bible doesn't say that, the woman became even more indignant. So, Leon handed the woman his Bible and asked the woman (pictured to the left) to show him where it says in the Bible that a person should ask Jesus into their heart.

Although it took her a while, as expected the woman turned to Romans 10:9, which says, "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." As you can see, the verse does not say, "Ask Jesus into your heart."

During the conversation, the woman declared that she was a Christian, in part, because of the church she attended. When she named the church and the pastor, I had even more concern for the woman's spiritual well-being. Her "pastor," who leads a megachurch in Southern California, is known for his heretical teachings.

Once the woman took the mic and began to "preach a different gospel," the crowd soon took her side. After the woman had her say, she marched away, taking most of the crowd with her. She served as yet another example of how quickly a false convert can disrupt the preaching of the gospel.

But all was certainly not lost. Leon kept preaching. People listened. And the real gospel went forth!

Earlier in the day, I handed a tract to a man and watched him walk away. Moments later, he and the person with whom he was walking stopped, turned around, and approached me. The older of the two men looked at me and said, "Will you preach the Word to this man?"

I thought the man was kidding, at first. I smiled at the two men. "No. I mean it. Will you preach the Word to this man?" The older man said.

He was serious. So, I shared the Law and the Gospel with the the younger man. Click here to listen to the conversation.

As I talked to the younger man (his name was Marcus), I learned that the older man was his father, James. When I had finished sharing the gospel with Marcus, James said, "I just picked up my son from the airport. Just this morning I was praying, asking God to help me to get through to my son."

James was wearing dark sunglasses, so I couldn't see his eyes. But there was a quiver in his voice, which told me that had James removed his sunglasses I would have seen the tears of a father, weeping for a lost son.

I assured Marcus that, with God, there are no coincidences. I told him that I believed our conversation was a divine appointment--possibly an answer to his father's prayer. I begged him not to waste the opportunity he was being given to get right with God. I also asked him to think about how much his father loved him. I told Marcus that neither I nor his father wanted him to spend eternity in hell.

I gave both men copies of my books, and copies of the "Hell's Best Kept Secret" and "True & False Conversion" CD's.

Please pray for Marcus. Pray that he will come to genuine repentance and faith, in our Lord Jesus Christ.

As my last open-air preaching session drew to a close, Ian noticed a group of Hare Krishnas making their way to our location. Just moments after I finished preaching, without saying a word or acknowledging our presence, the band of cultists simply gathered in front of our "heckler's mic" and began to play music, chant, sing, and dance. Occasionally, one or more of the group would look back at us with a sarcastic smirk on their face.

We had already begun to pack up, so I didn't see the point in confronting them about their rudeness. Instead, I made my way through the crowd and simply asked people if they had any idea what message the Krishnas were trying to get across. Their answers did not surprise me. Click here to listen to the audio.

I wept more than once Saturday as I looked back on my conversation with Marcus, and with the other people I met throughout the afternoon. Every witnessing opportunity is a blessing and a gift from God. But I readily admit that thinking about a father (a stranger) bringing his son to me and asking me to share the gospel with him is overwhelming. What a privilege while, at the same time, a sobering responsibility. I know I am not responsible for Marcus' salvation. But as an evangelist, I am a steward of the gospel. I must share it right. I must share it often. I must be ready in season and out of season. I must share it with love and compassion. I must always keep in mind that proclaiming the gospel is a privilege and a gift, not a right. I must remember that Christ is returning at any moment (1 Peter 4:7).

Lord Jesus, until you decide to take me home, please fill my days with conversations with people like Marcus! Only for Your glory, Lord. All for You glory, Lord!

How Should We Live in Light of the Coming End (Part 5 of 5)

The Christian’s Goal
Having explained to us what our perspective should be and what our duty is in light of Christ’s imminent return, Peter reminds his readers (and us) of our Christian goal. The second half of verse eleven reads: “So that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

We needn’t spend much time on this. If you’ve been listening, we’ve been talking about this throughout our time in God’s Word this morning. Why should we have a right perspective in light of Christ’s imminent return and the end of all things? Why should we perform our Christian duty in light of Christ’s imminent return and the end of all things? Why? The reason is so that God will be glorified in every aspect of our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The apostle Paul wrote: “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). The Christian’s goal is not a simpler, easier, happier life. The Christian’s goal is not experiencing their best life now. The Christian’s goal is not discovering their purpose in this life. God has already given us our purpose in His Word. Our purpose, our reason for existence, is to bring God glory. John Piper rightly said, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

Whether it is eating, drinking, speaking, or serving, our goal must be to bring God glory. In everything we do, in everything we say, in everything we think, our goal must be to bring God glory. If this standard sounds too rigid to you; if this standard sounds unpalatable to you; if this standard sounds oppressive to you; if this standards sounds, well, less than fun to you, then I must lovingly tell you that you should examine yourself to see if you are even in the faith. If the goal in any area of your life is anything less than to bring God glory, then you must repent, confess your sin to Him, seek His forgiveness, and ask for Him to bring correction and direction in that area of your life.

So, to sum up, in your perspective about the coming end, glorify God. In your sound judgment, glorify God. In your sober spirit, glorify God. In your prayer life, glorify God. In your fervent love for others, glorify God. In your hospitality toward others, glorify God. In the exercise of your spiritual gifts, whether they are gifts of speech or gifts of service, glorify God. All glory and dominion belongs to God. All glory and dominion belongs to Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Therefore, in every part of your being, in every aspect of your life, glorify God.

The Gospel
Earlier in the message (for some of you it might seem like a long time ago), I gave you a glimpse of what it is like to execute a search warrant. I asked you to consider what your reaction would be if you were inside the house and you saw me and a few of my closest friends, fully clad in entry gear, approaching the front door of the house. Would you look forward to our entry into the house as if you were an innocent person looking forward to leaving the house? Or would you tremble with fear because you know that this is not a social call, and you are going to jail for a very long time?

The Bible says, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy” (James 4:12a). Jesus likewise said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

The question I have for maybe some of you here today is this. Which person in the house are you? Are you looking forward to the imminent return of Christ, or, like the criminal who sees a group of determined and hungry deputy sheriffs rushing toward the door, do you fear that incredible moment in time? Even worse, are you like the criminal we so often encountered during an early morning search warrant—sound asleep, having no idea that we were about to break down your door. (You know, there’s nothing quite like the look on the face of a bad guy suddenly awakened from a sound sleep. But I digress.)

If you are not sure, then let me help you to come to terms with the implications of these eternally important questions.

The Bible says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him” (Heb. 9:27-28). The Bible also says, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man [Jesus] whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

God is going to judge every person according to His Law, the Ten Commandments. How will you do on that great and terrible day—a day that is coming sooner than you think—a day that is coming at a time you do not know. Let’s take a look at just a few of His commandments and see how you will do on that day.

Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen something (the value of the item matters not)? Have you ever taken God’s name in vain—meaning you used the name of the God who gave you life as either a cuss word, or the punch line of a joke, or used His holy name in a casual way instead of giving His name the reverence it deserves? If you answered yes to these questions, then, like me, you are a lying, thieving, blasphemer at heart.

And when you die and stand before Almighty God (And you will die, because 10 out of 10 people die), this is how He will see you. He will not see you according to how you judge yourself, or according to how you rate yourself in comparison to those you think less worthy than you. He will see you in the unapproachable light of His perfect, holy, and righteous standard. He will see you as someone who has broken His Law and sinned against Him. And He will judge you accordingly.

The Bible rightly says, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 3:23a).

The Bible rightly says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

The Bible rightly says, “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

Jesus Christ’s return is imminent. And, before this day draws to an end, your life here on earth may unexpectedly draw to an end. You are not promised tomorrow. This is why the Bible says, “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Cor. 6:2).

If, when you stand before Almighty God, all He sees in you is someone who is guilty of breaking His Law, He will sentence you accordingly and justly; and you will spend eternity in hell. But there is good news.

God is good. He is so good that He will judge sin with His own perfect righteousness. Yes, God is good. So good that not only will He judge rightly, but He has also provided the only escape from His just wrath to come. And what He chose to provide was Himself. Only God can satisfy the requirement of God’s Law. And His Law requires the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. So, God came down in the person of Jesus Christ, fully God and fully Man, without sin. He died a horrible, bloody death on the cross, taking upon Himself the just punishment each of us deserve for breaking His Law. And three days later, He victoriously rose from the dead, forever defeating death.

So, what is required of you? Your only hope is to repent. Turn from your sins and, by faith, receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Cry out to God. Ask Him to forgive you for the countless times you have fallen short of His glory and sinned against Him. Tell Him that, with His help, you want to turn away from doing that which is displeasing to Him. Ask Him to save you from the just penalty for your sins and to give you a new heart with new desires. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

The promise is that if you do this (And you can only do this if you are being drawn to the Father by the Holy Spirit; because we are saved by grace, through faith, entirely apart from our works or our own perceived goodness.), when you die and stand before Him, instead of receiving what you deserve for breaking His Law (eternity in hell), you will receive what you do not deserve (which is His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the free gift of eternal life).

Conclusion
My hope and prayer is that every person gathered here this morning would leave here ready—ready for the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that each of us will leave this place of worship with the right perspective, a right understanding of our Christian duty, and with our eyes fixed on the right goal—to bring honor and glory to God.

How Should We Live in Light of the Coming End (Part 4 of 5)

A Love That Covers
And why should we love this way? We should love this way because such a love as this covers a multitude of sins. Since Peter is not specific here, whether we see the covering of sins as the act of God covering the sins of man through His love, or we the covering of sins as the act of Christian people forgiving one another, the truth remains that love covers a multitude of sins.

While the idea of love covering a multitude of sins includes the expressed forgiveness we extend to those who have wrong us, it goes much deeper than that. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that love “does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Cor. 13:5d). In making the ongoing preparations for the imminent return of Christ, we must love one another with a Christ-like love that does not keep a detailed account of the times and circumstances surrounding the instances in which a brother or sister in Christ has wronged us. Our love for each other must be so genuine, so deep, so sacrificial that that real love literally hides, completely obscures the sins of our brethren.

It’s not that we overlook the sins of our spiritual brothers and sisters. We must continue to participate in mutual accountability and discipline those within the church who refuse to turn from their sin and glorify Christ in their lives. In fact, one of the many present failures of the American Church is the growing apathy and fear when it comes to exercising biblical discipline with errant, wayward church members.

The American Church is weak because, in part, the Church welcomes everyone who professes the name of Christ, yet refuses to hold those same people accountable to live according to that profession. We’ll simply call them “backsliders” instead of calling them to live holy, godly, and righteous lives. This is one of the reasons the Body of Christ, in so many places around the world, looks at the American Church and sadly shakes their heads.

A love that covers a multitude of sins is a love that quickly forgives, exacts discipline when necessary, and, at the same time, does not look negatively or judgmentally upon brothers and sisters in Christ once forgiveness has been given and received, and once discipline has taken place—always for the purpose of restoration and spiritual and relational healing.

Be Hospitable
In addition to loving each other fervently, we must also “be hospitable to one another without complaint.” Hospitality goes hand in hand with genuine love. Jewish law required hospitality to strangers. And we are all likely familiar with Jesus’ commands to give water to the thirsty, feed the hungry, ministered to the infirmed, and visit the prisoners. But hospitality goes well beyond these acts of kindness. Hospitality extends to the condition and attitude of one’s heart as they engage in hospitality.

If you invite someone to your home for a meal and fellowship, yet you complain to your family about how the house looks, or how little time you have to prepare, or how tired you are from a long day of work, or how you can’t wait for the evening to be over; and then you put on a plastic smile when the doorbell rings; guess what—you are not being hospitable. Why? You have marred your act of kindness and service with a sinful heart that fails to follow Paul’s admonishment to “do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Phil 2:14).

The goal of the modern-day church must be to revert back to the biblical forms of hospitality practiced out of necessity, by the First Century Church.

"And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:43-48).

If we are truly expecting the Lord to return at any moment, if we are truly preparing for the coming end of all things, then we will practice biblical hospitality with friends and strangers alike.

And here’s a quick tip for applying this biblical principle of love and hospitality with strangers, such as the homeless you see on the street. Now, I never give cash to a homeless person, for all of the obvious reasons. Wanting to be a good steward of God’s resources, I don’t want the cash God has given me to go toward the purchase of alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. I want the money to go toward feeding a hungry person—maybe a person who is so consumed by his or her own destructive behaviors that they don’t care that they are hungry and thirsty.

So, I carry $5.00 fast food gift cards on me (In-n-Out, Starbucks, Baja Fresh, Quiznos, etc). When I see a homeless person, I will give them one of these gift cards. I can do so with the confident assurance they will use it to buy a meal. Why? Well, that’s all the cards are good for.

But I don’t stop there. I also make sure to give them a gospel tract or engage them in a spiritual conversation. This is very important. Why? The reason is this. Feeding a hungry person will not bring that person to repentance and faith.

Only the gospel of God has the power to do that (Romans 1:16). I use the feeding of a person’s stomach as an opportunity to provide them with the Bread of Life, which, when taken, will bring a person to a place where they will never hunger or thirst again.

Use Your Spiritual Gifts
Finally, in exercising our Christian duty, in preparation for the Lord’s imminent return, we must employ the spiritual gifts He has given us, for His glory. Peter wrote: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The apostle Paul likewise wrote to the Church in Corinth: “To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good . . . One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills” (1 Cor. 12:7, 11).

If you are curious as to what the Bible considers a spiritual gift, there are two primary lists given in the New Testament. I encourage you to read these passages today. They are Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter divides these gifts into two general categories—speech and service. John MacArthur wrote: “Whoever speaks will minister through categories of preaching and teaching, wisdom, knowledge, and discernment. Whoever serves will minister through areas such as administration, prayer, mercy, or helps. And those who speak must communicate not human opinion but the utterances of God, as revealed only in Scripture. Similarly, any serving gift is to be exercised, not by human power, but by the strength which God supplies, that is, in dependence on the Holy Spirit.”[1]

Our duty, as followers of Jesus Christ, is to put the spiritual gift(s) He has given to us to use for His divine purposes and glory. Everyone in this place of worship who truly knows Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior has received at least one (if not more) spiritual gift for His service. Again, these gifts have been given for His service.

Our duty is to employ our gifts to bring our heavenly Father honor, and glory, and pleasure. And, as is the case in our love and hospitality toward and for others, the exercise of our spiritual gifts must likewise be “other minded.” Furthermore, we must be good stewards of the spiritual gifts God has given us. D. Edmond Hiebert put it well when he wrote:

"Christians are stewards, not owners, of the gifts and means they possess. A steward was an individual entrusted with the administrative responsibility for household affairs. This included the handling of property or wealth according to the owner’s will and direction . . . The entrustment was not made to him for his own enjoyment; he was responsible to use his gift for the benefit of those he served. It was a position susceptible to abuse . . .

"An appointment to the office implied not only entrustment, but also trustworthiness . . . ‘As good stewards’ means that believers not only resemble, but should actually be, good stewards, blameless in every aspect, performing their duties in a noble and attractive manner.”[2]

It’s also important to note that since every good and perfect gift comes down from our heavenly Father (see James 1:17), and since every spiritual gift is given by the grace of God, neither individuals nor para-church ministries or organizations can determine who is gifted in what way. Manmade tests for determining one’s “gift mix” or “gift set” abound. Such tests might be helpful in determining what you like to do, but they are fallible and limited to man’s wisdom in helping you determine what God has gifted you to do.

The best way to determine how God has gift you for ministry within His body—the Church—is to simply go to Him in prayer, saturate yourself with the truth of His Word, and, through your God-given conscience and His Word, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction for your life. Here are some verses that I think will be helpful to you. Commit them to memory. Write them on your minds and your hearts. Believe the Word and allow it to dwell within you.

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you" (John 14:26).

"For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

Once you have determined how God has gifted you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, then you are obligated, as a matter of duty, to employ that gift for the benefit of the Church and for the glory of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To do otherwise is to sin against God.

[1] Ibid. MacArthur, p. 245
[2] Ibid. Hiebert, p. 275

How Should We Live in Light of the Coming End (Part 3 of 5)

The Christian's Duty
Having given sound instruction regarding what the Christian’s perspective should be in light of the coming end, Peter jumps into presenting a quick-fire list of six commands every Christian must obey in order to meet the demands of the Christian’s duty, in light of the coming end. The first two commands directly address personal holiness. The second couplet addresses mutual love. And the third couplet addresses spiritual service.

Every Christian must be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

Every Christian must keep fervent in his or her love for other genuine followers of Jesus Chris and be hospitable to his or her brothers and sisters in Christ.

Every Christian must employ the spiritual gift (or gifts), which they have graciously received from the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of serving their Christian brethren.

Sound Judgment
In light of Jesus Christ’s imminent return, every Christian must be controlled by sound judgment. The phrase “be of sound judgment” comes from a single Greek word—sōphroneō. It is a word that is full of meaning. It literally means to be in one’s right mind; to exercise self-control; to have a reasonable estimation of one’s self; and to curb one’s own passions. Here are a few passages that speak directly to sound judgment.

"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (Romans 12:1-3).

"If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth" (Ephesians 4:21-24).

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

It is our God-given duty, in these last days, to be of sound judgment in all things. I. Howard Marshall wrote that being of sound judgment “carries the idea of maintaining a sense of proportion and keeping one’s head despite the dangers and fears of the time. Fear and worry, stimulated by persecution, can easily lead to hasty and ill-conceived judgments.”[1]

Take evangelism, for example. I see a lack of sound judgment so very often when I talk to people about evangelism. Often times, I can see it in the look in their eyes. They don’t even have to say a word. I’ll mention open-air preaching on Hollywood Boulevard or spending a Friday evening at a mall, wading through hundreds of out-of-control teens, looking for opportunities to engage the kids (and adults) in spiritual conversation; and the look on the person’s face changes from initial interest to a look of utter terror.

When I see this look overtake the person’s face, a look not unlike the moon moving in front of the sun during a solar eclipse, I will pause and say something like:

"I know what you’re thinking. In the last few seconds, you’ve come up with any number of reasons why there is no way you would preach in the public square or witness to people at the mall. You’re probably thinking, ‘What if the other person hates me? What if they not only attack what I say, but what if they physically attack me? What if I end up in the hospital and I can’t work? Who will pay the bills? And what if the car breaks down, and we can’t afford to fix it because I’m out of work?

'Then I won’t be able to drive the kids to school. And if I can’t drive them to school, their grades are going to drop. And if their grades drop, it might adversely affect their self-esteem. And then what? They won’t graduate. They won’t get a job. They will be living with me until they’re forty. So, I better not get involved in evangelism because my kids might not turn out the way I hope.’"

The person will look at me with a look on their face that expresses both how absurd they found my word picture and, at the same time, how much truth it contained. Now, having the person where I want them, I can talk to them about being of sound judgment. I can talk to them about the rationality or irrationality of their fears. As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, if we are operating with sound judgment we should dwell on what is true. Is it true that you might face mild persecution from the valley’s youth or mall security if you spend a Friday night witnessing at the Valencia Town Center? Maybe. But will it result in your life falling apart and your children growing up to be perpetual tenants in your home? Come on!

Being of sound judgment means that we are serious in our thinking. Not that we brood or sulk or worry. Rather, it means that we do not allow our fallible emotions determine our actions. It means that we do not allow our fallible perceptions determine our level of obedience. We live and operate by faith and not by sight. We press on and obey the Word of God, even if we don’t understand or even agree with every verse. We press on and follow Christ, even if the outcome is uncertain.

Sober Spirit
The second command Peter gives us for the purpose of fulfilling our Christian duty is to be of sober spirit. In the Greek text, the word translated as the phrase “sober spirit” has in mind the idea of sobriety. Peter is commanding his readers (and us) to exercise self-control in every area of their lives and to remain alert.

I spent a good time of my patrol career hunting and arresting drunk drivers. Having pulled over a suspected drunk driver, and having begun the field sobriety tests, it didn’t take me very long to determine that the person standing in front of me was not very alert. They couldn’t follow simple directions or complete simple tasks. They couldn’t multi-task. They exhibited short-term memory loss. They were drunk. Because of their intoxication, they lacked the basic necessity to safely operate a motor vehicle. They were not alert. Their ability to pay attention to what was going on around them was impaired.

Likewise, the Christian who is not alert, who, because of fear and worry and sinful behavior lacks the ability to see what is going on around them (in both a physical and spiritual sense). Their powers of observation are lacking and, as a result, they do not have the right spiritual perspective, particularly as it pertains to the coming end of all things.

For the Purpose of Prayer
God, through His Word, graciously gives us the reason we must remain sound in judgment and of sober spirit. The reason is so that we can have unhindered communion with God and so that we can petition the Father on behalf of others, and ourselves, through the power of prayer.

Christians are often too drunk to enjoy any meaningful time in prayer, with their heavenly Father. No, I’m not talking about being drunk on strong drink. Christians are often too drunk with worry and fear to enjoy wonderful time with the Lord, in prayer.

Something else I noticed about drunk drivers (and drunks in general) is that they are very boisterous. They talk very loud. And they never stop talking. They continually have something to say and nothing short of a tightly fitting muzzle is going to keep them from telling you how they feel, what they think, and what they want.

Christians who are drunk with worry and fear do the same thing. If they pray (and that’s a big if), they spend most of their time, with a very loud spiritual voice, telling God how they feel, what they think, and what they want. And when they don’t receive an instantaneous, positive response, they talk even louder, adding whining and sniveling to their expressed feelings, thoughts, and desires.

It’s not uncommon for people to e-mail me or call me in what can best be described as a state of panic. “God’s not answering my prayers! God isn’t listening! I’m done praying. It doesn’t work!” They say.

The first thing I try to do is to determine if the person with whom I am corresponding or speaking is born again. God’s Word is true. He does not listen to the prayers of those who reject Him and live in willful disobedience to His commands. Listen to the Word.

"O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest" (Psalm 22:2).

"When your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, and the complacency of fools shall destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil" (Proverbs 1:27-33).

Answered prayer comes, first and foremost, as a result of being in a right relationship with God. That is only possible by faith in Jesus Christ. One must, by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, humbly come before the Lord in repentance (a genuine desire to turn away from their sinfulness) and submit to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Unless one is born again, he or she will not enter the kingdom of heaven, nor will they have communion and communication with the King of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Having established, to the extent that I am able, where the person is spiritually, if they are a follower of Jesus Christ, the next thing I encourage them to do is to be quiet. The psalmist wrote: “Cease striving and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). The phrase “cease striving” can also be translated from the Hebrew as “let go” or “relax.” And Paul wrote: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).

If we are in a constant state of panic or worry, if we do not possess and exercise sound judgment, if we are not functioning with a sober spirit, then our prayer life will be in a shambles. We might pray often, but our prayer life will be so noisy and so “me” oriented that we make it impossible to hear from the Lord, as He ministers to our hearts, speaks to our consciences, and encourages us through His Word. Peter is not suggesting that one cannot pray without sound judgment or a sober spirit. What he is saying is that without these important character traits, our prayers will be ineffective, noisy, and futile exercises.

Fervent In Your Love
Having squared away his reader’s thinking regarding their own hearts and minds, he shifts the focus to how believers should behave around one another; and he begins by stressing the most important characteristic of biblical fellowship. Peter writes: “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

Regarding the command in verse 8, Martin Luther wrote:

“As to thine own person, be of sound mind and sober so that you may pray aright and in sincerity. Then look to those around you and with whom you live that you may love them from your heart.”[2]

Peter and Paul are in total agreement. Paul wrote: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing . . . But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:1-2, 13).

"Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose" (Phil. 2:2).

"Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity" (Col. 3:14).

I have yet to belong to, visit, or minister in a church that does not struggle in this most important area—loving each other. I have often said (sometimes tongue in cheek and sometimes not) that ministry would be so much easier if people weren’t involved. Why do I say that? I say that because some of the angriest, meanest, spiteful, malicious, self-centered, lying people I have ever met are members of Christian churches. Their love for others only extends as far as what they receive from others. So long as they are served, they will treat others well. The moment they don’t get want they want, they make life miserable for others in the church (particularly leadership), until they decide to leave and go infect another church with their sinful behavior. Granted, with the increasing number of false converts being welcomed into the church family, it is likely that many of these negative people are not truly saved.

The church (speaking in general terms) really has no one to blame but itself. Yes, each person is responsible for his or her own sin. But the church breeds and encourages this kind of self-centeredness when its vision, purpose, direction, and modus operandi is based upon a desire to please, accommodate, and entertain unsaved people while, at the same time, coddling the sin of professed followers of Christ by making sure not to do or say anything that might negatively impact attendance.

When this kind of thinking (which is the antithesis of sound judgment and a sober spirit) rules the church, it is not long before everything the church does is geared toward keeping the church alive. The focus soon turns inward, and reaching a lost and dying world with the gospel becomes a mere afterthought—if it is thought of at all. The church becomes a club. Tithing becomes paying dues. Serving becomes self-serving. And worship becomes little more than something people do on Sunday, if there is not something better or more entertaining to do.

This bleak picture, which is a reality in many churches, can be traced back to a failure to do several things, one of which is a failure to love each other the way Scripture commands. We, as genuine followers of Jesus Christ, are to love each other fervently. This word “fervent” comes from a Greek word that was used in ancient texts to describe an athlete, including racehorses, straining every muscle. Our love for each other must be this intense, this committed.

Remember what Jesus said? “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). The Greek word translated as “love” in John 15:13 is the same Greek word we find in 1 Peter 4:8—agape. It is the kind of love that is sacrificial and completely other-oriented, meaning: to love in this way is to continually have the greater good of the one you love, in mind.

When I put this kind of love together with the idea of fervency—stretching and straining to reach love’s full potential and effectiveness, I cannot help but to think of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross. I cannot help but to see Him straining to take every breath. I cannot help but to see every muscle in his body stretching to the point of failure as He took upon Himself the wrath of God each of us rightly deserves as the just punishment for our sins against God. So great, so fervent, so perfect was His love that He bore the weight, the shame, and the punishment for the sins of those who would repent of their sin and, by faith, receive Him as their Lord and Savior.

Above all else, we must keep fervent in our sacrificial love for one another. We must exhibit the reality of justified and sanctified hearts that have been changed and renewed through the redemptive work of Christ. We must stop wounding each other by hurling hearts of stone at one another. We must love each other the way Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us.

[1] Marshall, I. Howard: The IVP New Testament Commentary Series—1 Peter. Downer Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1991, p. 142
[2] Luther, Martin: Commentary on Peter & Jude. Trans. and Ed. By John Nichols Lenker. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Classics, 1990, p. 181

How Should We Live in Light of the Coming End (Part 2 of 5)

The Christian's Perspective
Let’s begin by considering the Christian’s perspective, in light of the coming end. Peter begins verse 7 with a phrase, which, at first glance, may appear to be a rather ominous warning. The genuine follower of Christ should not see it as such. The Christian should and can read these words with great hope and anticipation. Peter writes, “The end of all things is near.”

Understandably, our eyes are immediately drawn to the first two words—“the end.” These two words are translated from the Greek phrase to telos. The words “the end,” while they imply the completion of history, but also the goal of history.

John MacArthur wrote: “The Greek word for ‘end’ is never used in the New Testament as a chronological end, as if something simply stops. Instead, the word means a consummation, a goal achieved, a result attained, or a realization. Having emphasized triumphant suffering through death [in verses 1-6], Peter here begins to emphasize triumphant suffering through the second coming of Christ, which is the goal of all things. He is calling believers to live obediently and expectantly in the light of Christ’s return.”[1]

Peter spoke this way before. It was during his second sermon, which we find in Acts 3. (Acts 3-5 is one of my favorite sections of the Bible. There will come a time in this country when genuine followers of Christ will have to follow Peter John’s lead, which we see in Acts 3-5.). Listen to Peter’s words. Listen to how he called the people to repentance and obedience in light of Christ’s imminent return. Beginning in Acts 3:17…

And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. ~ Acts 3:17-21

The wording in this passage is very similar to what we see in 1 Peter 4:1-7. The time of Christ’s victorious suffering has been fulfilled, through His death on the cross. And the end, the consummation, the triumphant goal of all things is imminent, and will be fulfilled through the glorious return of Jesus Christ. It is with this same sense of expectancy and urgency that Peter spoke to the Jews at the Portico of Solomon that he is speaking to the believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia in his first letter. It is with this same sense of expectancy and urgency with which the Word of God is speaking to us, now!

To emphasize his point, Peter specifically states that the end “is near.” The phrase “is near” is in the perfect tense, which means “the end [is] impending—having drawn near and now in a position to break in.”[2]

Having served a number of search warrants during my law enforcement career, I can attest to the fact that some of the most intense moments during the execution of a search warrant are the milliseconds before you ram or kick the door. The law requires that officers give what is called a “knock and notice,” before making forcible entry into a location—before, if necessary, breaking down the door.

Having gone through the lengthy process of preparing the warrant, swearing before a judge to the validity of the affidavit, and preparing an “ops plan” to execute the warrant, I remember the sense of anticipation as my team suited-up and made our way to the location. The end of all of the careful preparation was near.

When we arrived at the location, we would quietly make our way to the front door—each of us having our assigned positions in line and assigned areas of responsibility. Tradition at the time I was on the team held that whoever wrote the search warrant would (most times, if not always) be the first person in the door.

No turning back now. The time had drawn near. We were in position. Making entry into the location was imminent. “Knock, knock, knock! Sheriff’s Department! Search Warrant!” (A momentary pause) “BAM!” I loved it!

What I just shared with you was a snapshot of a search warrant from the perspective of a deputy sheriff standing outside the door. Let me assure you that the perspective is quite different for those inside the location. The perspective of the Christian, in light of the reality of Christ’s imminent return, should be like that of a person inside a house who, looking out the window, sees a half dozen deputy sheriff’s clad in Kevlar entry gear rushing toward the door.

Whether you see those same deputy sheriff’s through the eyes of a guilty criminal or an innocent person is something we will discuss in a little while. The Christian’s perspective, in light of what Peter writes: “the end of all things is near,” should be this. The return of Jesus Christ is so near we should not wonder when He will return. We should live with the reasonable anticipation and excitement that today is the day. We should live as people who are ready for His return; and we should live as people who are deeply concerned that others are ready for His return.

Such a faith-filled, biblical hope will not bring us to the point of making faulty predictions about His return (the way false prophets and religions like the Jehovah’s Witnesses have done over the years). Instead we will live as people who are on the alert. Jesus said:

Therefore, be on the alert-- for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrowing, or in the morning--lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all, “Be on the alert!” ~ Mark 13:35-37

In light of what we just read in Mark 13, I want to take a moment to ask and answer the following question. Why hasn’t God revealed the exact time of the Lord’s return? Have you ever wondered about that? Well, I’m going to turn to a smarter man than me who I think has given a good answer to the question. Once again, I turn to John MacArthur. He wrote the following:

Even though God wants believers to focus on the hope of Christ’s return, He has chosen not to reveal its exact time. If they knew the specific date of the Lord’s return was far off, believers could lose motivation and become complacent or, if they know it was near, engage in frenzied, panicked activity as the day approached. Imminence eliminates both extremes so all Christians throughout the history of the church can live with biblically balanced expectancy.[3]

So, how should we live in light of the coming end? We should live as people who expect the Lord’s return to happen at any moment. Before we move on to consider our Christian duty and goal in light of the coming end, I think a little mutual accountability would be appropriate. Do you think Christians in America and the American Church in general, by and large, live and minister with the perspective that Jesus might return before I finish this sermon?

Sadly, I believe the answer is no. Now, allow me to preface this next provocative question by saying that there is nothing inherently sinful about building bigger churches. But consider this: if we are expecting the Lord to return at any moment, why is the American Church spending literally millions of dollars to build bigger churches?

If the American Church is expecting the Lord to return at any moment, why does the American Church spend far more money on making our stay on earth more comfortable and to entertain unbelievers than we do on supporting missionaries and reaching the lost with the gospel?

If the American Church is expecting the Lord to return at any moment why do most churches in America spend the bulk of the church’s money on keeping the organization alive, or maintaining a facility? Can someone show me anywhere in Scripture where the word “campus” is used to describe where the church gathered? Can someone show me anywhere in Scripture where the term “CEO” is used to describe a pastor, elder, or bishop?

Why is it that some churches treat providing financial support to missionaries and investing resources in evangelism as an afterthought while, at the same time, looking at spending tens of thousands of dollars building coffee shops and burger joints in the lobby of the church in order to make the unbelieving visitor more comfortable as a necessary part of fulfilling the church’s vision? Vision of what: caffeinating and carb-loading the people?! News flash: Frappuccinos and Big Macs are not the power of God for salvation. Only the Law and the Gospel, lovingly and rightly proclaimed, is the power of God for salvation!

If we are expecting the Lord to return at any moment, shouldn’t we, as Christians, continually engage in telling lost souls the Gospel Truth? Shouldn’t we be spending our time, energy, and resources doing that which the Lord has allowed His Church to remain on earth to accomplish—to seek and save those who are lost and bound for hell?

Instead, it appears that the American Church is not living with an urgent, anticipatory perspective of the Lord’s imminent return. Sadly, it appears that the American Church is living with plans of being here for a long time, and making the stay as comfortable as possible.

Now, let’s bring it a little closer to home. If you are living with the perspective that “the end of all things is near,” if your are living with the perspective that the Lord could return at any moment, then with whom have you shared the Law and the Gospel in the last 24 hours? The last week? The last month? The last year? Ever?

As we transition, now, from looking at the Christian’s perspective to the Christian’s duty, let’s bring this portion of our study to a close with something Peter said in his second letter. Peter wrote:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ~ 2 Peter 3:10-13

Theologian D. Edmond Hiebert wrote the following:"

As human history moves alongside the edge of the eschatological future, the line of separation at times seems razor-thin. Only God’s longsuffering holds back the impending manifestation of that day. That consciousness should have its impact on present Christian living.”[4]

To be continued.....

[1]MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. 1 Pe 4:7
[2] Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 Peter. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1984, 1992, p. 268
[3] MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary—1 Peter. Chicago
: Moody Publishers., 2004, p. 236
[4] Ibid. Hiebert, p. 269

How Should We Live in Light of the Coming End (Part 1 of 5)

This five-part series is the full manuscript of a sermon I will preach this Sunday at a church, here, in Southern California. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I will preach little more than half of this text.

Richard Baxter, the great theologian and Puritan preacher of 17th Century England, said this about his own preaching. "I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men." This is how I feel this morning. So important, so urgent is the call within the passage we will study this morning, that I have asked God to allow me to preach as if it would be my last sermon, as if I was I dying man preaching to dying men.

I don’t care if your ears are tickled. In fact, I pray they are not, this morning. I don’t care if you walk away with a warm fuzzy feeling this morning. Do I want you to be encouraged? Of course I do. And I believe you will be. But of far greater importance to me this morning is that you come away from our time in the Word of God not only understanding it, but also determined to walk in obedience to its commands and precepts. Otherwise, we will utterly waste our time; and the confidence I have in each one of you is that none of you want to waste a moment of time.

So, with that in mind, allow me to further set the tone for our time in God’s Word, by asking the following questions. Are you expecting the Lord to return at any moment?

Are you living your life as one who expects to be in heaven, soon; or as someone who fully expects to live a very long life, here, on earth? Do you agree with the apostle Paul when he wrote, “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8)?

What would you really prefer: to be here, or to be in the presence of the Lord? Would a Christ-less heaven matter to you? In other words, if you could be assured of heaven without the certainty of Jesus being there, would you still want to go?

What are you doing to prepare for the Lord’s imminent return? Are you working hard to receive and enjoy as much out of this life as possible—somehow thinking that you will miss something if you don’t? Or are you devoting your time, energy, and resources preparing yourself to stand in the presence of the Lord; and, just as important, are you warning and encouraging others to do the same?

When did you last think of such things? Have you ever thought of such things? Well, we’re going to this morning. Peter gives us no choice but to consider these things, and others, as we read and study 1 Peter 4:7-11.

What we see in the first six verses of 1 Peter 4 is an urgent call for Christians to have a proper attitude toward suffering. In verses 1-2, Peter commands Christians to be armed with a proper attitude toward suffering. In verses 3-6, Peter explains that the Christian’s motivation to effectively endure suffering includes a recollection of a sinful past; the reality of the present opposition toward the Christian faith; and the future relief from what living blasphemers (if they do not repent) and dead sinners face—the wrath-filled judgment of God.

Peter then begins verse 7 with a seemingly insignificant word—so insignificant it does not appear in most English translations (even the good ones). But it is an important word. It’s the Greek word de. This little connecting word, which properly translated in the present context would read “moreover,” directly connects Christ’s victorious suffering to the Christian’s rightful willingness to suffer for Christ. We can begin verse 7 this way. "Moreover, since every Christian should anticipate the Lord’s return, because of His victorious suffering on the cross and glorious resurrection, such anticipation should have a significant impact on the way we, as Christians, live our lives."

This morning we are going to study 1 Peter 4:7-11 and try to answer the following question: How should we live in light of the coming end? God’s Word, which is always profitable, gives us three areas of thought and conduct which will help us answer the question.

In the first part of verse 7, we are given a Christian perspective. In the second part of verse 7, through the first part of verse 11, we are made aware of our Christian duty. And in the second part of verse 11, we are reminded of our Christian goal. If we live with the right Christian perspective, fulfill our Christian duty, and keep our eyes focused on our ultimate Christian goal, we can live as people ready for the coming end.

To be continued.....

July 6, 1985

An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. ~ Proverbs 31:10-12

Tomorrow marks our 22nd wedding anniversary. There is nothing cliche about the above passage of Scripture. It is true in my life. It is true about my wife. I could go on and on about the virtue and beauty of my wife, but it would only embarrass her. She has never sought that kind of public adulation. She has always been most comfortable behind the scenes.

God has made me a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Through the help of the Holy Spirit, Mahria has bourne in me a desire to be a better man (Prov. 27:17). She brings out the best in me (such as it is) and, with great grace, mercy, and patience she endures my many flaws (1 Cor. 13:4).

Needless to say, Mahria has endured much (James 5:7-11) being married to me: 20 years of law enforcement; the L.A. Riots of '92; a shooting in '93; the Northridge Earthquake of '94; and countless other critical incidents. She also endured following me into and through a failed church plant. And today, she endures the daily challenges of standing alongside a chaplain, evangelist, and missionary. Along the way, she has managed to provide our three girls with an excellent education at home, with selfless grace and care.

"An excellent wife, who can find?" It's a rhetorical question, with an obvious answer. "An excellent wife, who can find?" Me. I did. I found an excellent wife. Rather, God found her and gave her to me. Second only to the gift of salvation I have received through faith in Jesus Christ, the greatest gift in my life is my precious wife.

Happy anniversary, Mahria. I love you.

Want to be Entertained? Then Don't Watch This.

The voice in this video is that of Paul Washer, one of the finest preachers of our day.

Todd Friel's Response to Rob Bell's 'Bullhorn Guy' Video

Todd Friel, host of The Way of the Master Radio show, put together the following video in response to Rob Bell's "Bullhorn Guy," which is part of the Nooma video series.

One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

A powerful message by Mark Cahill.



Do you care? Do you really care?