Calvary Chapel Carson City
Sunday Morning
August 9, 2026
1 Peter 4
Urgency of (Life) Living in the last days charges
Therefore:
Responsible Grace Benefactors:
Since Christ suffered for us in the Flesh, ARM
1 Peter 4
Therefore!
Linking the thoughts of the previous chapter:
•Christ suffered for us
•Arm yourselves also with the same mind
•Arm: conscious awareness, a decisive separation
•Arm yourself to live!
Live: Living in the last days, Living for Christ in the last days
What does it mean to live?
It speaks to “living out” one’s earthly existence the quality of life that comes from God, the practical out-working of one’s allotted time.
1 Peter 4:2-3 “so as to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.”
Peter writes to now be redirected from self-centered impulses to the revealed will of God.
Responsible Stewardship as benefactors of our remaining time:
Life is a gift!! open it carefully, and all means read the instructions even more carefully
Life is portrayed as a finite “remaining time.” Conscious awareness of its brevity urges decisive separation from sin
Transferred Allegiance: 1 Peter 4
From from passions that once ruled to the will of God
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Ro. 6:12
Now the will that now rules is God’s.
The believer’s biography is rewritten.
We are united with Christ’s Sufferings:
Believers who arm themselves with the same mindset demonstrate that sin’s dominion has been broken, we may struggle, but we are not controlled by it. No Christian should be able to sin comfortably.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
Romans 6:5-9
United together in likeness of christ
Or United together in the likeness of the world
The world will think it’s strange that we no longer do what we did, but now we do according to Whose we are. We are His workmanship.
End Times: Eschatological Urgency
1 Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is at hand; THEREFORE
This verse could have been merely descriptive of the times but becomes more as it is eschatologically super-charged with a call to action, forward, upward, and outward.
Igniting a seriousness, prayerfulness, watchfulness in all things.
Anchored in fervent love: “And above all things have…”
8 End of all things @ Hand Charges:
Be serious
Be watchful
Have Fervent love
Be hospitable: it’s easy till it’s not! Or till it’s a lot! That’s why:
Be hospitable without grumbling
Minister to one another with the ability with God supplies
Be good stewards of the manifold grace of God: Caretakers
Speak, speak as the oracles of God. “What He said”
In closing:
As eternity rushes towards us, we must heed these commands of being serious and watchful in prayer, Fervent in love for all, hospitable without grumbling and complaining. Our lives, our hearte and our minds ought to be ready at all times for Christ. Ready for Him, doing as Him. John 20:21 “As the Father has sent Me, SO SEND I you.” Our hearts and minds ought to be that of Christ. Like mindedness, like action. Christ-likeness.
While we are waiting for His return it is not a wait that is in idleness but occupied by ministering with the ability which God supplies.
Listen: The Saved Life is the arena of our final witness.
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh,
Therefore, arm yourself
Arm yourself with the SAME mind! The mind of Christ!
Here are the hashtags#
#Therefore! Since! Arm! Same! Mind! Minister! Serious! Watchful! Hospitable! Good Steward! Ability of God! NO GRUMBLING! #Fervent love
1 Peter 4
Good Stewards of God's Grace
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
