th th th I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if that's a word yet. Good morning. It is time to begin our service this morning and welcome each one to worship here at Jackson Community Church and it is a beautiful day. Praise God for the rain he gave us yesterday. Much needed and we need to give him thanks for that. A couple announcements this morning as we begin the service and just things to look forward to. A couple really important things that I want you to know about. First of all, again, if you weren't here last week, We have a website and a means by which there's a live stream of sorts. It's not a video live stream feed. It's simply audio at this point. Whether we go the video route or not, I don't know. But it is being live streamed. They can hear us. And we moved the setup today because of some things. We want your voices to be heard when we're singing. And so we'll see how this goes. I want you to be aware of that, jacksmountainchurch.com. And then also the easiest way, the easiest way to be connected with all that is to put on your smartphone. It's called Church One, one word, Church One app by Sermon Audio. And once you get there, you can search Jack's Mountain Community Church, look for our logo, or my name will be there with it as well. And then just make that your church. Select Broadcaster, it'll say. And then whenever we go live and whenever there's a new sermon uploaded, you can set it that it'll give you a notification that you can find those things there. It's also a great way to share things. We have so much So many avenues today to share information, and it's a good opportunity to do that. So I just wanted to make that clear once again. Also, if you follow with me in the bulletin, our announcements for the upcoming week, May 2nd. That's not, that's not this coming week, but the following. Women's Bible study here at the church at 7. from the 10th, another Elders and Deacons meeting and pray for us for that. That's going to be a meeting where we are discussing budget issues and hopefully because of the simplicity of things at the moment, which is great, we should be able to put that out quickly and then bring it to the congregation. On May the 14th, that would be Mother's Day, my brother In Christ, Steve Smith will be here preaching for us that Sunday, so be praying for Steve. And then looking a little bit further out, May the 21st, Foundations of Biblical Ministry. And that's going to be a class, and we're going to do it probably at least twice a month. starting May 21st, and it'll be here at the church, and it'll be like a classroom type setting. We're partnering with Spread of Grace Ministries. Some of you may remember and or know Lance Fessler, Mike Miosi. These guys are involved with Spread of Grace Ministries. They go around the world and train men to be Biblical preachers and teachers, expositors of the word. So for this class is for anybody who would care to learn how to preach and teach the Bible. Now that does not necessarily mean in the church setting. It could just simply mean As a father, you'd like to lead your children and your family in a time of worship at home, and you'd like to know better how to do that. This is for you. So be in prayer for that as well. I hope that we can have lots of involvement in that, and that the Lord will bless it. as I'm sure you will. And then at the end of the month of May, May 28th, I know it's Memorial Day weekend, but what's another picnic and a time of worship? So May the 28th, we're going to be going to the mountain where we just had our men's retreat and praise God it was good. Right, Brother Mark? Absolutely, yeah, it was great and we had a wonderful time. Thank you wives for helping Send food with us to enjoy and and giving up your man for for a night and a day It really was a great time and and I hope that everybody was as encouraged as I was Steve Porsche came and did a tremendous job. But anyway on Yeah, yeah, you're right. The 28th in the evening, we're gonna go back up to the cabin. Some of you know where that is and others maybe would like to come and you don't know where that is. I'm going to when it gets closer to time, we'll put a map. in the bulletin to get there, and maybe also just have some copies on hand. That way, anybody that's not sure about that. There is some limitations on parking, but we will take care of that some way, somehow. Maybe we'll buy a bus. No, I'm just kidding. You don't want to take a bus up that route. But anyway. Praise God for that. And just a simple opportunity, time of worship, and be in prayer about that as well, because I'm going to be asking some folks from within to share the word that evening. That means not me, and we'll see how the Lord leads and all that, but also time of fellowship. We can bring food to enjoy, campfire, roast hot dogs, whatever. So we know how to do that. All right, this time, let us prepare our hearts for worship. Good morning. Good morning. We have your bulletin this morning. We'll read the call of worship together, right there on the front. 1 Peter 2, verses 4 and 5. As you come to him, a living stone, rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. If you would, join with me in praying the Lord's Prayer. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Forgive us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debts, and lead us not Good morning, everyone. I want to welcome everyone else here this morning. I want to say a special thank you to all the men that came out this weekend. Certainly had a lot of fun and in time and we're thankful for Pastor Steve for sharing the message. So thank you, wives. Once again, I'm going to reiterate what Jason said. Thank you for letting your husbands out this weekend. We had a lot of fun. I'm sorry. I'd like to share something with you this morning. I know there's some people that lost some loved ones this past week. And after losing a friend, a family friend this past week, Words came to mind and I'd love to share them with you, I know. And this goes not just recently, to anyone who is grieving this morning or disheartened, may these words encourage you. As you carry this pain and sorrow, trust the one who holds tomorrow. He is never weary, he will never leave. On his breast, you can always cleave. When the days grow long and very dreary, Rest on Him, He is always near me. I pray you can find encouragement in that and turn to Him in your time with me. As we start our morning worship and song, I'd ask you to take your worship and service symbols and turn to page 227 and please stand if you're able. We'll begin with Amazing Grace, 227. how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now am found. ♪ Set up my heart to fear ♪ ♪ And grace my fears relieved ♪ ♪ How precious did that grace appear ♪ ♪ Grace will lead me home ♪ ♪ When we've been there ten thousand years ♪ hymn number 104, Come Thou Fount, 104. String my heart to sing Thy praise. Strings of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tones of love. Raise the mountain, fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love. Here I raise my heavenly servant, bidder by Thy help I come, and I hope by Thy good pleasure ♪ Safely to the primeval ♪ ♪ Jesus taught me when a stranger ♪ ♪ Wandering from the fold of God ♪ ♪ He to rescue me from danger ♪ ♪ Interposed his breath upon me ♪ I'm Thank you for your singing, you may be seated. To have your Bible this morning, today's script for reading comes from Job chapter 42. I'll give you a second to turn there. Starting to read in verse 1 of Job chapter 22, then Eliphaz the demonite answered and said, can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right? Or is it gain to him if you make your way blameless? Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you? Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities, for you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing. You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it. You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless defrushed. Therefore, snares are all around you and sudden terror overwhelms you, or darkness so that you cannot see, and a flood of waters covers over you. Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are. But you say, what does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? Thick clouds veil him so that he does not see, and he walks on the bald of heaven. Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod? They were snatched away before their time, their foundation was washed away. They said to God, depart from us, and what can the Almighty do to us? Yet he filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me. The righteous see it and are glad. The innocent one mocks at them, saying, surely our adversaries are cut off. And what they left, the fire has consumed. Agree with God and be at peace. Thereby, good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up. If you remove injustice far from your tents, If you lay gold in the dust, and gold of oprah among the stones of the torch beds, then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. For when they are humbled, you say, it is because of pride. But he saves the living. He delivers even the one who is not innocent. It will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. Pick you out of your bulletin, and you turn to this. Inside, page there, we'll read together of grace and regeneration. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again, that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind, that it is effected in a manner of comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth. So as to secure our long period of obedience to the gospel, At this time, let's take a moment to go before the Lord in prayer individually as we confess our sins before God. Just become honest before him this morning. I love that we do this following our confession of truth. These things are important to us, that we understand the theology of our beliefs. And we're grateful that God gives us this opportunity to come before him once again to confess and to repent of our sins. So let's do that at this time. Gracious Father, we come before you this morning, Lord, with hearts that, in most cases, need to be humbled. Father, naturally, we confess that we are not humble, but full of pride and arrogance in our hearts. Father, before you, we have nothing, we have nothing to be prideful about, nothing, God, to be arrogant about before the throne of God. Lord, we're not entitled to anything but the wrath that our sin has incurred. And so, Father, for that, we come before you this morning with hearts bowed and heads bowed, knees bowed, Lord, asking, Father, for your forgiveness. We have failed and fallen short in so many ways, not only in sins of commission, but also in sins of omission, things that we have done and also things that we have failed to do. So God, we confess these to you, and Lord, in our state of sin and misery, we ask God for your grace and your mercy to once again be applied to us, and Father, that we look to Christ, we look to that blood that was shed on our behalf to make an atonement, full, free, and forever to all who will believe. And so Father, we give you thanks and praise and ask these prayers in Jesus' name, amen. Now we receive words of comfort from God's word, the assurance of his pardon. Isaiah chapter number one in verse 18, the word of God says, come now, let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. Thanks be to God for his amazing, amazing grace. This time, I'd like to go to the Lord in prayer as well, corporately, and lift up some needs that are present in our church family. Please continue to pray for the Tennis family. This would be the son-in-law of Marlon Hoffmaster. Marlon and his wife, Carol, would be Carol's daughter. her husband who's passed away. So please remember them. Also continue to pray for Edith Ike's family. Her sister, Rita, has passed away this past week. And so pray for them as well, and especially Rita's daughter, Ivy, as she works through so many things there. Prayer requests last night came through for Alana Orlett, and we praise God that Alana is doing better today. Bob shared with me this morning that her levels, her sodium levels were extremely low, and they're not sure why, but they are, they have improved, and so that is an answer to prayer, but let's continue to pray that the doctors would give them some answers in why these seizures continue to happen. Continue praying for Hunter Huggins as he recuperates from a motorcycle accident. Continue to pray for Austin Loss, Gretchen's mother Nellie Madison, that would be Margaret Brown's granddaughter. She is in labor at this hour, I suppose. Maybe there's a new child either way. Be in prayer for them. And also from the body at St. Paul's here this morning. Brother Dave Waltz and his wife Janet, they both have some tests this week. Dave and EKG and Janet MRI. So let's pray for these things as well. Chris is traveling. Chris has been dealing with some health challenges as well. So let's continue to remember her. And there's many others I know represented here this morning, and I'm thankful that God is sufficient. He's sufficient to meet our every need. So would you go before the Lord in prayer with me this morning? Father, I give you thanks and praise once again for your goodness, your grace, your loving kindness. Father, we are grateful and thankful that we know the one who was, who is, and is to come. God, there's no one like you. It could be said that there's no God like you, but the truth is there is no other God but you. So Father, we praise you and thank you that not only have you made yourself known to us, but God, that we can know you. That Father, through Jesus Christ, we can not only know you, but have full relationship with you. And God, not only that, but then you also indwell us by your Holy Spirit. And Lord, this relationship becomes so intimate with you, and we rejoice, God, that you are with us, that you're in us, and that you're for us. And God, we just give you praise today for all that you've done. Lord, your word says, if God be for us, who could be against us? What a rejoicing it is in our hearts to know, a comfort, Lord, to know that you are there, that you are ours. and we are yours. Father, today we just simply ask that God, you would meet with us today in this service of worship as we give our thanks and praise and adoration to you and to your wonderful name, but also God, as we lift our needs and cares before you. God, we ask for your grace to be ministered to these that have lost loved ones. God, you would just flood their hearts with your love and compassion. And God, that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we would come alongside them and encourage them Father, to lift them up, to stand beside them, Lord, through these troubling and dark times. Father, we pray for those that are in need physically. God, ask for your grace for them as well. And Lord, for the doctors and the medical world, we thank you, God, so much for them and the blessing that they are to us as they minister to our bodies. We ask, God, that you would just give wisdom and strength to them as well as you minister to our bodies many times through their hands. So God, we give you thanks for these things. We pray also, Lord, for the direction of our church, and Lord, for just meeting our needs, God. We're thankful that you provided this place to come into worship, and we're grateful to the folks who have allowed us to. They've opened the doors, Lord, and given us, literally, given us the key to come. We praise you for that. But Lord, we also pray for direction that you would lead us, especially, God, the elders and the deacons, as we make decisions. for the future, and Lord, whatever you'd have us to do, I pray, God, that you would equip us, Lord, for the task at hand. Knowing, God, that we face many battles, both within and without, but Lord, we know that greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world. And in Christ, the victory has already been won. Father, we are just journeying through. God, we face true battles in our lives daily. God, we pray that you would help us by your spirit to overcome. Father, not fall to sin and temptation. By faith, walk in accordance to your word. in obedience to Christ, Father, that our lives would bring you glory and honor and praise. Lord, we do love you. We can't express to you rightly, Lord, the thanks and gratitude we have towards you, especially through the shed blood of Christ. We thank you, God, for what you've done, for what you're doing, and all that you will do, we give you thanks and praise. We ask these things in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, amen. This time we'll be taking up the morning offering, if I could have the ushers come at this time. And for our offertory, we'll be singing hymn number 20 in the worship and service hymnals. All creatures of our God are king, and we are going to try this acapella. So come in. If you know this song, please sing out. That's OK, director. And then hopefully, some of these you might note after we start singing. Mark, would you like to start? Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful day that you give us. Thank you also for the amazing grace that you bestow upon us. Without you, we are nothing. Plus this offering we're about to receive, and use it to your will. All right, here we go. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing. Alleluia, alleluia. Thou burning sun with golden beam. Thou silver moon with soft third beam. Oh, praise Him. Oh, praise Him. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou rushing wind, Thou arc so strong, Ye clouds that sail in heav'n above, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou rising morn, in grace rejoice, Ye lights that even find a voice, O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Dear Mother Earth, who came by day, Unfold His blessings on our way. O praise Him! Alleluia! Let the flowers and the fruits and beads Oh, praise Him! Oh, praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Verse 5. Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness. Thank you all for singing. and he said, you know this? And I said, I don't think I do. Well, I listened to it, and I realized I actually did know it, and it's a great song, and so we're gonna sing it again. Josh, you need to get into rotation again real soon. It's a great song. It's good to learn new songs. How many of you, that was the first time you ever sung that song? A few, yeah, all right. Well, it was a good one, praise God for it. with me to 1st Peter and chapter number 4 as we continue to journey through the book of 1st Peter. This is a part 2 message. Last week we looked at this text and only made it through the first two verses. There's so, so much there and we're going to finish this paragraph today. 1st Peter chapter 4 and we're going to read in verse number 1 down through and including verse number 6. We have some really Good stuff coming here in 1st Peter. I'm going to be disappointed when 1st Peter is done. But the good news is there's a 2nd Peter. Amen? That's the good news. So if you found 1st Peter in chapter number 4, would you stand with me this morning in honor of reading God's Word. 1st Peter in chapter number 4, verse number 1. Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. For whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached, even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. The Lord bless the reading of his word. Let's ask his help this morning and his blessing upon his word. Father, again, give you thanks and praise for your word. And we ask this morning, Lord, that we need your help as we study your word. that Father, through your Holy Spirit, you would give us illuminating work and God, that we would understand and rightly divide and rightly apply your word to our lives. Father, this morning, as your servant, I pray that you would once again cleanse me of sin, empty me of self, fill me, God, with your spirit, help me to be a blessing to your people. Lord, may we preach your word, not a word more and certainly not a word less. for suffering, arm yourself for suffering. Last week we looked at, in a little greater context, we went back and started actually in chapter 3 and verse 17 and brought out the reality that Peter is making his case now, he's building his argument for us enduring suffering as Christians in the present world in which we live. that we do so in accordance with that word, therefore, in chapter number four in verse one, is pointing us back, pointing us back specifically to the sufferings of Christ that we've seen in verses 18 down through 22. Now, you all know this, I'm sure, but I'm going to remind us of this, that the Bible, when it was originally written, did not contain chapters and verses as divisions. Now, they're helpful in a lot of ways, but this is one of those particular cases where it's not really helpful because Peter's already Peter's theme, his course of discourse, writing this letter, has not changed. It just continually is developing. And so when we come to chapter 4, verse 1, we think, oh, it must be a new thought. And it couldn't be further from the truth. He's drawing from what has been stated before. And he's using simply the sufferings of Christ as the example, specifically we defined it, that when we're faced with suffering, that we are to have the right attitude And the right attitude is found in looking to Jesus. Listen, there is never a person other than Christ, the God-man, who we look to as a supreme example of what we should imitate. I'm thankful that we have spiritual heroes within the church. I love to read Old Dead Guides. I love to go back and hear sermons that were preached hundreds of years ago. But can I tell you, every single one of those men had sin in their life. They were not perfect men. And so when we look for the supreme example, especially when it comes to having the right attitude, we can't go to a greater source but the attitude of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that's exactly what Peter says is, since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, he says, because Christ endured this, he is our supreme example. And so if we're going to have the right attitude, we look to the sinless one. And there we see God in flesh, Jesus Christ, demonstrating to us always because he experienced suffering in the flesh, we can look to him and his example, and that example gives us the right manner of thinking. Again, verse one, he says, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. These are battle terms, these are war terms. Arm yourself, that you would prepare yourself because, can I remind us, we are in a battle, there is a war taking place around us, and he says we must arm ourselves with the same way of thinking. And specifically, he's talking about the thinking that Christ had. And we see not only his manner of thinking, but the character of his thinking. He says, the same way of thinking for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. And we declare that Christ was a sinless one. And so he's not talking about Christ needing to cease from sin in order to suffer. That would be absolutely pointless. Because furthermore, if Christ was a sinner, His sacrifice for our sin would have been null and void. You cannot substitute something that is with spot and blemish in order to atone for another person who has spot and blemish. But rather, it takes a sinless sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice, in order to satisfy the wrath of God, in order to make atonement for those who we see in his suffering was that he was willing to lay down his life, specifically, back in chapter 3, verse 17, it says, for it's better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. In other words, Christ, in his sinless perfection, was submitting himself in suffering as a course of, or as the plan of, the will of God himself. That in eternity past, the Father, Son, and Spirit had determined that the Son would come, become a man. He would live a sinless and perfect life. He would die a brutal and bloody death in order that he could make atonement for the sins of his people. And that on the third day after being dead and buried would rise again in satisfaction, in recognition that God had accepted his sacrifice and that now by faith we can look to the finished work of Christ and that it's by grace alone that we cannot earn it. It's by faith alone we simply put our trust in it, that we come to grace alone, that he saves us and he gives us this gift of eternal life, not based upon the things which we do, but praise God, based upon the finished work of what Christ has already done. He says, so we have to have this right attitude. Christ is the example, the manner of thinking is mean to arm ourselves, prepare ourselves in the same way that Christ did. We endure this suffering. So our right attitude leads to right actions, right actions. And simply this, in verse 2, we define that there is a goal in arming ourselves, and that goal simply is not just so that we could flex but rather that Christ-like thinking is so that we can live, as the text says, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. And we see in this the divine appointment for us is that we would have the mind of Christ, so that we would also have a Christ-like life. In order to have a Christ-like life, we must have the mind of Christ, or think like Christ, and praise God He gives us that. That is one of the gifts that we receive as a Christian. You, listen, if you are here and you've been born again, you have received the grace of God, you have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you've repented and turned away from that sin, you have the mind of Christ. He's given it to you. Now, we have to grow in that. We need to learn what that is. It's the already and not yet, right? We're already saved, but we're also being saved. That is, we are saved from the penalty of our sin, but we continue to be saved from the power of our sin. And we have already been given the mind of Christ, but we're also learning what the mind of Christ is. And how do we do that? We study his word, and we see the life of Christ, the words of Christ, and the word of God before us here. And so we have to arm ourselves with these things, and here's the challenge in all that. We have the right attitude, right actions, but at the same time, there's this battle going on. There's a war taking place, and the battle is happening within us and around us. There's a battle within us between the flesh and the spirit. That is, we looked last week at Romans chapter 7, and the Apostle Paul defines for us this tension that's within every believer. He says, the good that I would do that I do not, and the good that I wish I would do that I find myself doing. And there's this example, this reality, that we're all ever so familiar with. And praise God that when we read the word of God, it confirms our experience. And praise God that his word does not teach us that we should be on this spiritual high where we no longer sin in this life. But in fact, it says you can't do that. And furthermore, if you could have done that, Christ wouldn't have needed to die for your sins. But because you sin, we have an advocate with the Father, one who makes intercession continually for us. And specifically in this area of suffering, not only within, but without. That there are those who desire to inflict suffering upon a believer. One who is following Christ. Sorry, it's not an easy road. I remember singing a song growing up. No, no, it's not an easy road, right? It's paved with difficulties. In Christian life, I would dare say this. Christian life, desiring to live according to the will of God is the most difficult life that you could possibly live. But can I tell you this? This is, praise God for this. As believers, the closest thing that we will ever experience to hell is here and now. Amen. That's good news. But can I also say, can I also say, for those who live in unrepentant sin, But for a moment, this light and momentary affliction, it's left for a moment. It's temporary, it's working for us, as the Apostle Paul said, and eternally of glory. But those who are willing to suffer for doing right, we have our minds, they have their minds, you and I, fixed upon what? the will of God, that we would walk by and in the Spirit. Willingness to suffer for righteousness sake is not a natural inclination of our hearts. Rather, this kind of determination is the product of a Holy Spirit-led life. Even then, with the Spirit's enabling and encouraging, we must receive motivation to engage in this kind of battle. And I'm thankful that's exactly what Peter does. In other words, Peter says, I'm laying down the principle. This is what you must do. And I'm going to say, oh, and this is why you should do it. It is a blessing when we rightly understand. You go back to the receiving of the Ten Commandments. And as God gives his law to man, before he gives man the law of God, he does what? He says, this is what I'm doing for you. I'm going to bless you. I'm going to multiply you. I'm going to bring you into a land that's already been prepared for you. You're going to go and you're going to obtain it. That's what I'm already going to do for you. That's what I'm doing for you, present continuous. But then he says, and now this is what I expect of you, that you would follow these instructions. So we've experienced the blessing. We go back to the first chapter of this epistle and Paul has laid out for us all these blessings that are ours in Christ. Go back and read them and remind yourself of who you are and what you are because our identity is found in Jesus Christ. And now we come into this motivating work, this call to action. And so our, if you will, our right attitude leads to right actions. And in that, we are driven by right motivations. And that's what we see in verses three through six. So what are these right motivations? There are four of them, as far as I can tell. The first one seen in verse number three says, for the time that has passed suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do. Living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking, So, the first motivation that Peter calls us to, in order to prepare our minds and arm ourselves for this battle that we're in, he says is a look back to your sinful past. Look back to your sinful past. He says, the time that has passed, it suffices for doing what the Gentiles do. Now, Peter uses the word Gentiles in a way that's not consistent with every other New Testament writer. But nevertheless, we understand when Peter is talking specifically about Gentiles, he's not just talking about those who are not Israelites by birth. But he's talking about the people, the world itself, the lost, unregenerate, world around us. And he says, so the time that has passed, it suffices, it was sufficient, it was enough for doing what lost people do. Now, remembrance, as Paul calls us back to remembrance, remembrance for us serves both as a positive encouragement and sometimes a negative discouragement. Let me say that again. Sometimes when we take a look back at our sinful past, we can have one of two responses. a positive encouragement and also a negative discouragement. For many, remembering things of your past life of sinning uncontrollably brings back thoughts that are painful. For others, thoughts of your past relationship with sin causes you to have thoughts that bring back memories of people and places that have a strange tension good and bad. In other words, you remember things that happened that were enjoyable and people that you love dearly. But when you pull back and look at it from the bird's eye view, you can honestly say, I really do not want to go back to that time and that place. And the reason being, the reason being is you know that not only were you living a simple lifestyle, And you were on a road that was leading to destruction. And so a look back can sometimes trigger in us some hard feelings, some bad thoughts. But when we do that, we're to be reminded of not what we were, but, praise God, who we are. of sinning, but God. But God. Now let's think about it in the context of this. Who's the author of our epistle? The Apostle Peter, right? Was Peter a perfect man? No. It's a matter of, I don't know if it's unrighteous to say this, but I'm gonna say it anyway, because I'm known to say dumb things. Peter was a knucklehead, right? He did some really dumb things. As a matter of fact, Peter, he was the first one to boast that he would never deny Christ. And Jesus said, before the crop grows three times, you're gonna deny me Christ. Three times, you're gonna say, I don't even know him. Beside a charcoal fire, he denies Christ three times. And then beside another charcoal fire, Jesus gives him John 21. He gives him a commission. He says, Peter, you've denied him. He didn't bring it up, but he knew. Because three times he said, Peter, Do you love me? Feed my sheep. Peter, do you love me? Feed my lambs. Peter, do you love me? Tend my sheep. Peter was very familiar with what it was to have a past life of sinning. As a matter of fact, the first encounter that Peter had with Christ in Luke chapter five, verses one through eight, he's come in from a night of fishing and he's got nothing. And Jesus says, let's go out here and go fishing a while, right? And they go out in the boat and Jesus says, cast on this side of the boat. And Peter's response, again, the knucklehead, He pulls in a catch like never before. And Peter's response, Peter's response was, depart from me for I am a sinful man. Peter had a pass, just like all of us do. Just like all of us. You know, I have a wide variety of preacher friends, but I have one preacher friend in particular that when we talk about the life that we used to live, he said, I feel like my testimony is very boring. Not me, but him. He feels like his testimony is very boring because he didn't participate in all kinds of sin. He grew up in a preacher's home, and he was, as we would call him, he was a good one, right? But can I tell you, listen, this is good. Even though he was a quote unquote good boy, he was far more sinful than he has any idea. And so are we. But for some of us, some of us, we have experienced a really, really profound sinful past. But God, but God, notice what Peter says. The time has passed. It suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do. In other words, you've carried on sinning long enough. Next, in direct reference to this idea, he says, this sufficient time of sinning, Peter defines specific examples of the lifestyles that his audience used to participate and indulge in. And he goes through them. Let's do them quickly. They are, first, he says, you used to live in sensuality. Sensuality, what does that mean? Sensuality, living in sensuality is unrestrained, sinful indulgences. It is what we could call living lawlessness, that there is no restriction, no taking yourself out of the situation, but rather, I would put it this way, if it feels good, do it. Living in sensuality, unrestrained sinful indulgence. He says you also live in passions. This is evil cravings or unbridled sinful desires of the lust of the flesh or of the lust of the eye. There's both a physical and a sexual kind of flavor to this sin, but it's unbridled sinful desires. If your flesh says, I want it, your spirit have it. There is no restriction, no unbridling of the desires. This is the life that they once lived. Also, he says drunkenness, drunkenness, and it's pretty straightforward to be drunk. The result of overindulging in alcohol to the point of losing self-control. Listen, these are things that they were dealing with. These are things that maybe you have been saved from. And then he says orgies, orgies. This word comas, it means Feasting and festivities that were commonly associated with idolatrous and false gods, which were patterned by drunkenness with impurity and obscenity of the grossest kind. Think of the most profound, perverse parties that could be had and could have taken place. These people were part of that. You know, this reminds me, the gospel isn't for good people, right? The gospel is for sinners. And he says, this is what you once did, and it was sufficient for living in the next one, drinking parties, drinking parties. He says, this idea of drinking parties, the word is patois, where drunkenness was carried out in a personal or private setting. This is referring to doing so in a social setting. And my fault in that is, this is, I'm interpreting or applying this word to how we would see it in the context today. That, listen, we had a wonderful discussion at the men's retreat about alcohol, and I think it was good for us to talk about those things. But this is referring to drunkenness carried out in a personal or private setting, and doing so in a social way. Think drinking games, right? If you're playing a drinking The purpose of that drinking game is either to get yourself drunk or someone else. Am I right? It's just simple as that. Then he says, and lawless idolatry. The last one. He said, these are things that are forbidden or unlawful worship of idols. These would be things that were socially acceptable. and even lawful from a sense of the law of the land. However, they are directly in violation to the revealed truth of God's word and also the moral law written by God and on our hearts. These are things that we would do that is not giving worship to the one who is due our worship. So again, Peter says, the first motivation And you remember the past life of sinning. And he says, it was enough. It's time to move on from that. It's time to turn away from that. You're not that person anymore. God has saved you from those things. And so that we would not return to them, it would be like pulling a pig out of the mud and making him a beautiful creature, like a cow, right? And that cow would want to go back and look like a pig. Probably wasn't the best illustration. But you get the point. You get the point. He's taking us from the mud and he's putting us in the palace. Praise God. And he says we're a new creature in all those things. We have to have right motivation. The first one is looking at our sinful past. Second one, the second motivation, it doesn't seem all like a motivation to us, but it is, that is present persecutions. Look at verse four. He says with respect to this, that is your past sinning and turning away from that. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you. Now, he's pointing out two things about the same situation. Let's first recognize this. Let's build upon what we've already stated, that salvation produces repentance. OK? Let me say that again. Repentance, I'll say it a different way. Repentance is not a means of salvation. Repentance is the first fruit of salvation. Understand what I'm saying? I know people that have, in their life, quote-unquote repented. But they did so apart from faith. And basically all they did was turn over a leaf. Do you know what you do when you turn over a leaf? It's the same leaf, it's just a different side of it, right? And there's a lot of people who have turned over new leaves. But true, true repentance repentance. That is, that you receive the grace of God by faith alone, not trusting in anything that you have done, are doing, or going to do, but rather looking to the finished work of Christ alone. That is faith, and that is salvation. I think about what we just read in our confession of truth. Let me say this first. That we are, when we are born again, It produces in us a new life with new motivations, with new affections, with new thoughts, with new practices, or in general we could say a completely new direction in life. Saving faith is always coupled with repentance of sin. Repentance simply means a turning, taking another direction, an opposite direction. And repentance in a biblical and saving manner is turning away from a habitual pattern of serving sin to a pattern of following and obeying and serving Christ. Again, our confession of truth this morning, we believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again and that is a work of the Holy Spirit of God. That regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind that it's affected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth. The divine truth specifically is the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. In other words, Christ works in us and we work out what he has placed inside of us, and that it's proper evidence God is working in us and we work out what He works in us. But listen, this is talking about for those who have lived a life that was full of the aforementioned sinful patterns, this is a radical departure from one way of living to a completely new one. While your brothers and sisters in Christ rejoice in the change that has been brought about in your life, those you used to run with, So as to speak, those people are not so excited anymore because they see the change that is taking place in your life. As a matter of fact, for many of them, they see your newfound faith and repentance, listen, as a threat to their own lifestyle. And oftentimes, they feel judged by you because you no longer wish to do the things that you used to do. Have you ever experienced that? Listen, I would say that most of us have to some degree or another. Again, some of us have not run with the wrong crowds or maybe not for a very long time. Praise God for that. But as a result, Peter says, some will be surprised. They'll be surprised when you no longer join them. And this word surprise, it can also be stated, they think it's strange. They think it's weird. Hey, why don't you want to go with us anymore? Hey, why don't you want to hang out and do this any longer? It's strange to them. They're surprised by it. And look what it causes them to do. And the other reaction that Peter points out is he says that they'll malign you. They'll malign you. This is amazing to me. He uses the word that in Greek it's similar, it's a variation of the word blasphemy. Blasphemy means to take the name, the Lord's name in vain. of this. He says about this in chapter 2 verse 12. He says about this in chapter 3 verse 16. He says that those who are seeking to do the will of God and to be obedient to Christ will become the object of someone's cuss word. In other words, not only do they think it's strange you don't want to hang out with them anymore and do the things that you used to do, but because you won't participate anymore, you're going to be the end of the joke. You're going to be the object of the cuss word, the damning and the cussing and whatever it may be. They're going to use your word and speak evil against your name. They will slander you and your reputation. This is a motivation. Peter's using this as a motivation. And the reason that it's a motivation is because it should not surprise us that they do these things. But rather we should rejoice and say, praise God, he saved me because the life that I used to be living was leading me straight to the fire and pit of hell. God has saved me from it. He has snatched me from those flames and He has established my ways. He's given me a new heart and a new life and a new mind and a new direction. Now I'm no longer living for sin and self and Satan. Now I'm living for Christ Jesus, my Lord. That's a motivation to us. It shouldn't surprise us when they speak evil or do things against us, and it certainly doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel good, but nevertheless, we need to understand that it's part of identifying with Christ. So what should our response be to one who speaks evil against us? Well, Peter's third motivation is this. because of the impending judgment of God. There is a future judgment that is coming. Verse 5, he says, but they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. The justice of God has a strange tension in the heart of a Christian. We recognize that in Christ, the justice However, those who are not in Christ, but we use the phrase who are in Adam, that is, they're in their natural condition. They're in sin in Adam will face the justice of God without the Wickedness and evil can often escape the justice of earthly authority, but no one can outrun, no one can outrun the justice of God. And therefore, we do not fret over those who speak evil against us or mistreat us, but rather they are going to be accountable to God. We need to get that in our heads. God has not given it to us to set a score against those who sin against us. God will take care of it. God will take care of it. You walk by faith, you trust in him, he's going to take care of that. Does it mean that we never step up when evil is present and active? No, it doesn't mean that at all. But it does not mean, listen, it does not mean that we need to fight to represent our own character. Our identity is in Christ, and he is more than sufficient to take care of anybody who will demean, who will malign, who will slander, one of his own. Amen? Amen. future judgment. And then lastly, lastly, we see these things, Peter sees these things, I think, think as a gospel opportunity. I want to say this, this last verse here, verse 6 of our text, chapter 4, is as J. Howard Masterman says, this has been described as the most difficult text of the Bible. Well, great, right? where I read the text, I'm studying the text, and then I start reading commentary on the text, and when I read that statement, I close my commentaries and just start to pray. And so this is what comes of that, all right? This is what I believe, we need to see that. Listen, and we'll read it again, verse six. For this is why the gospel was preached, even to those who are dead. that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. Now, it's challenging, but this is what I believe, and again, this is full disclosure. I'm not saying this in a dogmatic way, but again, I prayed about it, and I believe that this is what Peter is trying to accomplish by saying this. He says that we need to focus on the, pertaining to this verse that all humanity, following all humanity, people in general, stand judged in the flesh, right? That is, not some distant judgment, but presently speaking, all men in the flesh, in their fallen, unregenerate state, uses there, the way people are, right? That is, he's saying, the world in general, people in particular, are condemned. And I can say that with certainty, because the Bible tells us all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3.3. And this is the judgment, that light has come into the world, and people love the darkness rather than the light, because why? Because their deeds were evil, John 3.19. And Peter says, this is why the gospel was preached, even to those who are dead, even to those that are gone. They've heard the gospel. Or in other words, they've already died, and so that they, the ones that have already passed, anyone and everyone, might live in the spirit the way that God does. Peter's sobering revelation of verse five is that people are going to give an account to God, and in verse six, the emphasis seems to be the logical conclusion of this. So then, we preach the gospel so that they may see Christ and live rather than die in their judged sin, right? This is an opportunity. In other words, Peter's saying, people that are gone, they're dead and gone, if they have heard the gospel, praise God, they had an opportunity to hear Christ. They had an opportunity to look to Christ by faith and receive the forgiveness of their souls. But he's also saying, listen, this is a present reality that those who don't receive this, they're going to die, they're going to be judged, they're already judged, and their judgment's going to be final, and so we preach the gospel because if they hear, they can live. If they receive this gospel, they would live, he says, in the spirit, the way that God does. So again, this is a gospel opportunity. Let's go back to those who would slander and malign us. What do they need? What is the remedy for their sin-darkened, sin sick life. They need to know about Jesus. They need to hear the good news that Jesus Christ has come. He has lived the perfect and sinless life that you and I could not and he has died the substitutionary death that you and I deserved. If they will look to him, they can live. They can be alive in the spirit as God is rather than dead. But they can be given new life. So what about you? What about you? Listen, this is not just about somebody else, right? This is about us right here, right now. What about you? What about you children? Children, do you realize that you are not going to go to heaven based upon your parents' faith? Do you realize that you, just as sure as anybody else, has fallen short of the glory of God, and you stand condemned under the weight of God's judgment? Have you looked to Christ? Have you trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life? Have you looked to Him and said, God, I'm a miserable sinner and I need you to save me? Parents, grandparents, the rest of us, all of us, this is for us. What about you? Have you received the gift of life? Have you believed unto the nearness of life? Are you still living in this world? that destroy, be sins that bring about death and separation from the grace and love and mercy of God. Can I remind us that today is the day of salvation. Don't wait until tomorrow. Satan's word is tomorrow. The word of God is today. Today. Today, if you will look by faith and trust in Jesus, he will save you. Not only will he save you, but he will keep you. He will wrap His loving arms around you in this eternal love, and by His grace, He will lead you in paths of righteousness for His own namesake. Can I tell you that is the will of God, that you would trust and believe in Jesus Christ and that you would follow Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and body. God has given you another opportunity today. Have you looked to Jesus for the salvation of your soul? trust in Jesus and Jesus alone to save you. You recognize that your sin is far worse than you could even imagine it to be. You realize that God is perfectly just and holy and righteous. And if you would give us what we deserve, When you cry out right now, you don't need to walk an hour, you don't need to shake a preacher's hand, you don't need to go to a confession booth. You just need to reach out and talk to God. Ask Him to save you. Confess that you're a sinner. Admit that you need His grace. and believe and confess that Jesus was more than enough to pay for your penalty, and by faith receive his forgiveness. Child of God, let us once again be reminded and encouraged that his grace is sufficient and continues to persevere us and to move us and preserve us in our faith. I believe the time is near. As a matter of fact, Peter's next verse, in verse seven, he's gonna say, the days are evil and they're at end. We're at the end. Are you ready? Have you believed? Have you trusted? Have you repented of your sins? Dear God, we thank you for your word. I pray, God, as you deal with our hearts here today, God, you would see the fruits of salvation in our lives in new and profound ways. God, you would help us to be focused on the will of God in our lives, not just individually, but the Lord as a body. God, you would move us and strengthen us and encourage our hearts, Lord, to follow you without fear of man, without favor of man, but in the fear of God. Knowing God that your justice is true and that your righteousness is sure and that your judgment is coming. Father, may we all be found in Christ. May we all be found clothed with the righteousness that comes. Father, I pray that you would give us opportunities to speak truth and love. The gospel would come to these that they too that they too would not die, but that they would live the way God does. Father, that you would save them by your grace. Lord, thank you for what you've done in our hearts. We love you, we praise you and thank you and ask that you continue to strengthen us day by day. In Jesus we pray, amen. Thank you, Pastor, for sharing your word this morning. A special thank you to Jess for filling in for me in Chris's absence. In closing, if you would please take your worship and service symbols and please stand if you're able for your page 2 poem, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. If you're here this morning and you don't know Christ as our Savior and you have questions, Please don't leave here today without asking myself or Jason. I'm not as knowledgeable as Jason, but I'll do my best to help you in any way that I can. But the salvation message has been given. And as Jason has just said, the days that we are living are evil, and time is running short. So please don't leave today without knowing him. 220, turn your eyes upon him. Oh, Zoom, are you here? Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will come strangely near In the light of His glory and grace life everlasting. He has sent me from up to there, for a single chord that will be In the light of His glory ever His Word shall not fail you, He promises. Believe Him and you all will be glad. Then He goes to a world that is dying. His perfect self He will bring. ♪ Turn your eyes upon Jesus ♪ ♪ Unfold in His wonderful ways ♪ ♪ And the things of earth will grow strangely new ♪ Amen. Bless each and every one of you. I leave you this morning with the words from the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 5, verses 5 and 6. It says, May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may, with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all. Love you. You are dismissed. Uh, yeah it is recording.