1 Peter: Week 12 (Wednesday 28th July 2021)
(from www.insightforliving.org.uk)
Chapter 4:7-11
The Heart Of The Matter
Peter was a practical, realistic man. Being married helped. So did his background as a fisherman. Prior to his leaving the familiarity of his work on the lake, his life consisted of very real and very practical things: boats, nets, fish, making a living, hard work, competition, and a host of other tangible realities. We should not be surprised, therefore, to discover that both his personality and his writing style follow suit. Being neither scholarly nor sophisticated, Peter had little interest in theoretical discussions. Life was meant to be lived, not talked about. If there was a cause worth fighting for, then fight . . . don’t philosophize! So when Peter took up his pen to write about suffering saints, he didn’t mess around; he got down to basics. And when he addressed the reality of the end times, he summed up a game plan in one-two-three-four fashion rather than dumping a pile of options and possible choices.
Discovering The Way
1. A Few Reminders about the End Times
Both Jesus and Paul made specific predictions of the types of events that will occur in the end times.
2. Marching Orders for Soldiers of the Cross (1 Peter 4:7–11)
Peter gave his readers four commands to obey and one goal to pursue. He commanded them to use good judgment and stay calm with a spirit of prayer, to stay fervent in love for one another, to be hospitable toward one another, and to keep serving one another. And he told them to pursue the goal: in all things, God gets the glory.
Starting Your Journey
Want to make all this a reality in your life? It’s simple. Remember that the end of all
things is near.