Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
05/31/2020 A.M.
Attitudes In Times Of Uncertainty
Reading – 1 Peter 4.12-13 7-11 & 19
There’s no doubt that we’re living in uncertain times.
Only a few months ago... Our uncertainty had to do with things far-out and distant... Things like...
• A new war breaking out in the Middle East...
• A possible confrontation with... China... Russia... North Korea...
• Perhaps our greatest concern was... Climate Change...
• Or maybe a glitch in the Economy.
But now... uncertainty has come home... It’s More emineNt and personal... Uncertainty is all around us...
• Who would have thought that a World-Wide Pandemic would hit our country with over a hundred thousand deaths...
• Who would have ever thought that Washington and Benton Counties would be hotspots...
• Grocery shelves would be empty...
• Public Schools... Colleges... and Universities would stop meeting for classes...
• Stores & Restaurants closed...
• Unemployment skyrocketing...
• Funerals and Weddings postponed or canceled altogether...
• The largest companies in our nation working under a stay home arrangement...
• Hospitals without necessary equipment and supplies...
• Political infighting as we look for someone to blame... And how best to fight this silent... But deadly enemy.
We’re confronted with Uncertainty and Unprecedented change every day.
We search for... security and stability... Peace and Hope... As we try to adjust to what’s being called a new normal.
We long for someone to tell us that everything is going to be alright.
Listen!!... God longs… God longs… to do that for us!... He does!!
He wants to sweep us up in His arms like we would a child and speak to us words of... Hope... Peace... love.
There are a couple of New Testament Books written to address such times of uncertainty.
Listen closely as I read verses from a similar time for God’s People... Verses from First Peter chapter four... Ready?... 1 Peter 4... Verse 12 beginning... Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Now to verses 7-11... The end of all things is near. Therefore... Listen now... Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If 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.
Verse 19... So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Come... Let’s see what we can learn about
Attitudes In Times of Uncertainty...
First... Peter says... We must maintain sound JUDGMENT.
Peter is saying... keep a clear mind... A clear head.
• Our King James says... Be sober and watch...
• The NIV says... Be clear minded...
• The NASB-95... Be of sound judgment..
I think... Being... Right minded... Clear headed... Is understanding what’s... important And what’s not.
2 Corinthians 4.18 says... Fix your eyes... Not on what is seen... But on what is unseen. What we can touch… For what is seen is temporary... But what is unseen is eternal.
We must know this morning that... What we see is not important...
• All that we SEE cannot be taken with us in death.
• All that is seen will ultimately be destroyed at His coming.
Listen church... Clear headed thinking is our knowing what is important and what is not!
In his second letter... Peter closes by telling us that there is a New World Coming.... All of this That we see will be laid bare...There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth.
The things that might seem most important to us today... Will not be useful at all...
• In God’s New World...
• In His New Economy.
Peter is telling us that in times of uncertainty... Focus your attention on the unseen things of this world... KNOWLEDGE OF GOD & HIS WORD.... faith... hope...Love... Joy... Peace... A HEARTFELT HOLINESS...
Church...What is the focus of your life and mine today?
In this time of uncertainty, are we spending our... Time... Talent... Treasure... Energy... Pursuing the seen or the unseen?
Secondly... We must... Practice self control.
The Greek Peter uses here is important.... It means to be... whole Hearted... Single mindedness... verses being drunk... Having a divided mind.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon points out that the word... As used in New Testament times meant total abstinence... That we... Never... Never... Become drunk on… anything… ANYTHING… That inhibits our relationship with God.
Turn back one page in your Bibles to 1 Peter 2.11 and note what it says... Abstain... Abstain... WHAT??... Fleshly lust that war against the soul.
Peter is saying that we... As people living in uncertain times... Are to stay away from all and any kind of... inebriation... Drunkenness... Anything that would keep us from exercising proper judgment and self control... Be it...
• Alcohol...
• Sensual enticements... Websites... Videos... Books... Magazines... etc.
• Materialism...
• Intellectualism...
• WHATEVER???
Peter is saying we ought to be free from every form of... Mental... Physical...Emotional... Spiritual… Intoxication.... We are to Be self controlled... Single minded folk.
First Peter 5.8 tells us why... Be self-controlled and alert... WHY??… Because your enemy the devil is on the prowl... Prowls as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
We must have an active prayer life.
Church... Do you know what happens when you disconnect tomorrow from today? It throws mankind to his knees in prayer.
When we can't see… Tomorrow... the Future… We become anxious... We get upset.
You see... The closer we get to the end of life... The more important prayer becomes.
In my years as a hospital chaplain... Especially in hospice work... I have been asked to pray for people who have never asked others... ANY OTHERS!!!...To pray for them.
Why?... Why are they asking now???...
• Because they can't see tomorrow...
•They realize that the end is near.
This is an uncertain time in their life.
Church... Living at the end of life calls for prayer... And lots of it!!
Look at your New Testament.
• Luke 18.1... Jesus taught persistence prayer.
• Luke 21.36 says... Pray always.
• Ephesians 6.18... Pray on all occasions.
• Romans 12.12... Be constant in prayer.
• James 5.13-18 says… If you are in trouble pray... If you are happy pray... If you are sick pray... If you are caught-up in sin pray...
• 1 Thessalonians 5.17... Pray without ceasing.
Church... The Books of First & Second Thessalonians were written to correct the Thessalonians' theology of the Second Coming... And the conclusion... Pray always!!...
WHY??... Because the end could come any moment!!
For all who live in uncertain times… Prayer is a must.
Number four... We must maintain a fervent love of the brethren.
God created us for relationships.
He created us... As the NIV says... To love one another deeply.
Church... The success of life is not determined by...
• The amount of money we make...
• The political clout we are able to cultivate...
• To what height we climb to on corporate ladders...
But rather by our relationship with God...
And by Our love for one another.
The Greek word for fervent... For deeply... Here is EXTEN'DEES.
In classical Greek, this word was used to describe an athlete. As a runner as he strains every muscle... uses all his ability to reach the finish line... He's giving it everything he's got!!
Here it is... Loving the brethren... Deeply... Fervently... Is giving our relationships with others everything we've got?... Are We??... Really??
Peter says this kind of love covers a multitude of sins...
• Peter is not saying that love forgives sin… Any sin...
• But a fervent love keeps a multitude of sins from happening in the first place... Amen?
Show Hospitality.
We must know this morning that Practicing Hospitality is more than having someone over for dinner... entertaining others.
• Biblical Hospitality is preferring one another…
• Placing the interest of others before our own.
• It’s being sensitive to and taking care of the needs of others, whatever they might be.
• It’s serving others with the blessings God has given us... Be it with our homes... Our automobiles... our... Time... Talent... Energy or Truth... WHATEVER!!
Webster uses the following phrases in his definition of Hospitality...
• Being cordial... Making others feel welcome…
• Entertaining guests or strangers...
• Being of service to others...
• Our being given to generosity...
The Greek literally means the love of strangers.
Paul describes Hospitality in Romans 12.13 as... Sharing with God’s people who are in need.
The Hebrews’ Writer says… Do not forget to entertain strangers…For by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow-prisoners… And those who are ill-treated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Here it is church... During this time of uncertainty... We need to take the focus off ourselves... And be mindful of others.
Know this... That genuine Biblical Hospitality is not just being mindful of others... But helping others... Placing their interest before our own... Amen?
Do not Grumble.
Each morning... We have a choice... Arise thanking God for our blessings... Or grumbling... complaining... Which is it for us?
What is it that sets the tone for our day...
• Thankfulness or ingratitude?...
• Joy or grumbling?
God hates grumbling... He destroyed those of Israel who grumbled in the wilderness.
Peter says... Rejoice in your suffering so that you will have joy when Jesus comes.
We must maintain sound doctrine.
Our King James says, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.
In matters of religion... We don't have the right to speak anything else... DO WE?
Listen to these warnings from scripture...
• For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead... To suit their own desires... They will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
• We must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught... So that we can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
• Dear friends... I had to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
What a challenge for those of us who live in uncertain times.
Well... We must stop... But I want you to read verse nineteen with me... So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Suffering according to God’s Will... Living in Uncertain Times... Calls for us to...
1) COMMIT OURSELVES TO GOD
2) CONTINUE TO DO GOOD
May God help each of us in the coming weeks of uncertainty to hang on to these two commands... Commit ourselves to God... and continue to do good... Amen?
So...The question becomes...
• Are we walking with God?... Do we have a... Handholding... Walking...Talking... Relationship with Him?
• Are we trusting Him for today and tomorrow?
• Are we doing some good deeds daily?
Let’s Pray together...
Father God... In this time of uncertainty... Bless our attitudes and behavior.
Help us to be...
• Clear headed... Sober minded...
• Prayerful...
• Loving & hospitable...
• Sound in doctrine.
Father... Give those who are yet to know You as their Father... a desire to become Your child by... Faith... Repentance... and being born again in water baptism.
Father... For those of us who are Your children... Help us to walk more closely with You.
Help us Father to not worry about tomorrow... Because we know You are already there before we arrive...
Father... Accept and Bless our Worship this morning... In Jesus’ name... Amen!