People That Provoke Praise (Sermon)

People Who Provoke Praise
Matt Messner
1 Peter 4:7-11

1 Peter 4:7-11 (New International Version) 7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Paul begins in verse 7 with this short statement: The end of all things is near. This makes me think of a man wearing a sandwich board.

Vs. 7 The completion of all things is at hand. The tone of this passage is one of urgency. When Peter wrote this letter he and a majority of the believers who made up the early church all shared an urgent sense that Jesus could return at any minute. This letter of full of references to His coming. The end though is really the beginning. All of history is building towards the return of Jesus Christ. The statement is just as true today as it was then. In fact, it is even more true today. Every day is one day closer to the return of Christ. Furthermore, every day is one day closer to meeting him even if he does not return in our lifetime. Life is short. It is speeding by. The end is near. We are not getting in younger.

This is the tone of the passage – one of urgent anticipation.

I’ll never forget when my wife and I found out that she was pregnant with our first child – our daughter, Alicia. We had only been married for a few months. So when we took the pregnancy test and the little dot came out blue, it changed everything for us. We immediately began counting down the days. The next nine months were clearly marked on our calendar. They were further divided into trimesters and every day was one day closer to D-day (the due date). So in that limited amount of time, there was a lot to do. We had to choose a name. We had to decorate the room. We had to have a baby shower. We went to birthing classes. We had to figure out how we were going to adapt as a couple, to each other. We had to discuss our parental roles. We selected a doctor and a hospital. We put a car seat in our car. We were counting down the days with excited, nervous, anticipation. Every day was a day closer to her coming. Once we were within ten days of the due date ever moment we wondered what was up. We went on walks. I kept my cell phone handy.
That, is just a simple comparison to the anticipation that we can have as we look forward to the return of Christ. Don’t be afraid, but realize that the end is near.

Because the end is near, there are 4 key behaviors that characterize readiness for His return. Matthew 25:13: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
1.Be clear minded, sober and prayerful.
This is a contrast to a murky mind where reality is distorted. Having a clear mind allows us to make sense of life. Then you’ll be praying for the right things. Living on this planet can distort reality. There is so much constant noise in this world, it is hard to think clearly. Constant music. Constant TV. Constant interruptions. On top of that, thanks to cell phones, we are all “on call”. These things impact our prayer life. We become distracted. Recently on a long drive I tried to discipline myself to not turn on the radio.
Certain activities in life demand a clear mind and sobriety – they require concentration. You cannot be distracted and you must be focused if you’re going to perform surgery. Hit a golf ball. Operate a piece of heavy machinery. Write a computer program. Paint a picture. Arrest a criminal. If you’re totally distracted, you will fail. If your mind is cloudy, you’re not going to be able to do these things correctly.
The same is true in prayer. How many times have you began to pray, only to have you mind assaulted by every distraction in the world. “Dear Jesus help me today. I have so much to do that I really need your wisdom and blessing in these things. Oh yeah, that reminds me that I forgot to put out the trash can this morning. The garbage man is coming anytime. Lord…watch over and bless my two children as they go to Junior High today. Keep them safe (ut oh…how were they getting home from school today? And I forgot to give them lunch money. I better take care of this now). Lord, you know finances have been tight lately. Give me wisdom and multiply (that reminds me – I left the check book at work. I have to bring that home today)…Oh yeah, about that commitment to pray for missions – Lord just do it.”
Effective prayer – talking to God – takes focus and a clear mind. It is the same as having an undistracted conversation with someone. The bible teaches us that prayer is powerful and effective.
Because the end is near, Be self controlled, clear minded and prayerful.
Make adjustments in your life to make this a reality.

Because the end is near…
2.Love each other deeply
Above all things…finding and keeping an intense/strenuous love among yourselves, because love hides/covers over a multitude of sins.
Focus on love and it will keep you and others from sin. Find an intense love for one another.
Don’t take one another for granted. When people know that the end of this life is near, they get serious about loving each other. It is an amazing, painful and deep time in life. When there is time to prepare for the death of a person, families gather around that individual and try to make things right. Many of you have had this opportunity. Others of you have wished for it. They try to show love. They do this with all their heart. So when Peter writes , “Time is short.” – therefore love one another intensely – he is speaking to people who have an uncertain future. You never know what might happen tomorrow. Today might be the only day you have to love someone. So love them deeply. Love covers sin = when you love people, you don’t sin. Love keeps you from gossip. Love keeps me from criticism. Love keeps me from anger. Love keeps me faithful. Love keeps me from selfishness. Love covers over a multitude of sins. When you love people, you inspire them not to sin.

Because the end is near,
3.Offer hospitality to one another
When is the last time you were able to show someone hospitality? Was it difficult? Sometimes it is. Sometimes people wear out their welcome. Show hospitality (an expression of love) to one another without complaining, murmuring, grumbling. When you show love, don’t complain about it. Back then there were not many lodging options (e.g.: Europe).
I’ll never forget the time during college that I went to a friend’s house for breakfast in Kansas.
My friend in Boston whom I would visit when I was in school would let me stay on his couch. Saved me over $125/night. Hospitality doesn’t always look the same.
Instead of having your house be a fortress that you hide in – unlock the doors. Open they gate. Invite people over.
Yes, there has always been the risk that some would wear out their welcome…Is your house open for business? For drop ins? For guests? For Bible study? For worship? Why not?
Heidi and I have almost always had other people staying with us. We host international students. We host relatives. And sometimes I grumble. Especially over particular relatives. It’s inconvenient. It costs you money. It messes up your house. It cuts into your free time. It invades your space. But it is what can cause people to get one step closer to praising God. Can you show hospitality? Can your home be a place where people praise God because of the kindness that they are shown.
When someone does this for you, your walk away praising God for their kindness.
Hospitality is a powerful arena for transformation – so offer it without grumbling.

Because the end is near
4.Use your gifts to serve others
You have been given gifts. You’re unique. Now make the most of what God has given you. Make the most of who He created you to be. If you’ll do this, He’ll use you in amazing ways. Just do it with His help. Your life is multi-colored with His grace. Serve each other as you can. Share this life and the gifts that He has given you.
What are your gifts? What are you doing with them to serve others?
There are two general categories of spiritual gifts listed here: Speaking gifts and serving gifts. Some of you are amazing encouragers. Some of you are amazing workers. Some of you are more gifted with your hands than with your voice. One is not more important than the other. Do not take any gifts and consume them entirely on yourself or use them to only benefit yourself. But serve others. The word here is to serve with the strength that God provides – he gives you both the gift and the strength needed to serve others. He is the one who is overseeing a beautiful thing that can happen through your life as you yield to him both your talents and your time. (He is the producer of the production that counts). He has given you everything you need to do this. When someone does this for you, you walk away praising God for that person and thanking God for His love.
It’s not difficult to use your gifts to help someone out -- and it can make a huge difference to someone else. To give you an example on Monday I went fly fishing at a small lake near Omak, Washington. It is one of these lakes that are difficult to find on a map. The fishing was great, but it was also HOT – so in the middle of the afternoon I went for a drive, turned on the air conditioning. I came to a little lake called Forde Lake – there was small road that went around this lake and as I made my way up that dirt road – just exploring, I was surprised to come up to a place where the road was flooded. And near the flooded road was a car stuck deep in the mud, with a couple standing there, scratching their heads. This road went nowhere, so the fact that I was even there was somewhat miraculous. I got out of my truck and asked them the obvious question, do you need some help? At that moment, their problem became my problem. And I had places to go! (such as fishing). My truck was a 4 wheel drive. The wife of this couple walked off when I pulled up. They were camping about a quarter mile away. She was disgusted – probably had been hoping her husband would have a little more time to contemplate his stupidity.
I didn’t ask him where he was going. We just found some rope and tried to pull him out. The rope broke on the first try – his tires were spinning but touching nothing. The next time we prayed and we doubled up the rope, and to my amazement and to his joy, out came the car.
This guy was thanking God. Some of you have gifts that are that simple. That easy. Sharing them is a bit inconvenient, but when you do it will cause someone to praise God. What a great deal – for you and for them. That is why God gave you those gifts in the first place! People often became stuck . It might not seem to be a big deal to you, but to them it is. And you have the ability, and the responsibility/opportunity to help them out.
Prayer, love, hospitality, and sharing your gifts – all of these things happen well in small groups. In your bulletin you’ll see them listed. Some of you are afraid of getting involved in a SG. Your too busy. You’re maxed out. How about having coffee with someone? How about a BBQ? How about dinner after church?

This passage of Scripture deals with a very important issue: How can one’s life inspire praise to God? People form their opinions about God by watching your life. The things you do and say can cause people to have a better/more accurate and therefore attractive view of God, or they can have the opposite effect.
Peter is saying here that there is a way to live “so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
Common to all of these actions is one thing – They require you interfacing with other human beings. They require us living in close proximity to others. People will only experience your hospitality, receive your love, be impacted by your gifts and life when they are a part of it.

We are called to be people who provoke praise
Provoke:
To stir to action or feeling.
To give rise to; evoke: provoke laughter.
To bring about deliberately; induce.
Not praise for ourselves, but praise to God.
When Peter was writing this epistle he was sending it to a group of Christians who were subject to ongoing persecution and suffering. They knew that the end was near. Christians in that day were often subject to slander, defamation, boycotts, mob violence and social pressures. Society was generally inhospitable to them. Here are things you can do that will inspire praise regardless of your personality, gifts or the setting that you live in.
To be people who provoke praise, renew a sense of urgent anticipation of the end.

That is why we do these 4 things – so that people will be become praisers of God.
Now is the time.
You’re only going to be a teen once. College once. Mom with kids…the end of one season is coming and a new season in your life is beginning. It all serves as a reminder that the end of all things is near.
We now treat all people equally – unbelievers or believers alike. Doing these things will cause unbelievers to seek God and believers to thank God.
Prayer leads to praise. Love leads to praise. Hospitality leads to praise. Serving others and using your gifts, inspires praise.
You and I are called to be people who provoke praise. I’ve seen some beautiful sunsets. I’ve been inspired by music and sounds that I have heard. I’ve heard sermons that touched my heart and caused me to praise God. But people reaching out to me with tangible actions and tangible expressions of God’s love – these cause people to praise God and respond to Him, like nothing else. 4 behaviors. : Prayer, love, hospitality, service.
Applying this is crucial. I’ve had to consider how I can influence people towards Christ in small ways and I invite you to do the same. Write down or make a mental note of one to 3 ways you could apply these things this week. Time is short, so, Will you pray differently? Love more? Do you need to open your home to someone or to a group? Do you need to serve? Perhaps you just need to get closer to people so that you can have this kind of influence.
We are called to be people who provoke praise!