Above All, Love - Serve Him!

1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Godʼs grace in its various forms. 

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so 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.”

A) Pray Soberly

"The end of all things is near."

 

To be ready at all times.

"Be alert and of sound mind"

We need clarity to pray.

Love fevertly 

Love's Priority : "above all"

Love's Recipient: " each other"

Love's Safety : "covers.... sins"

Proverbs 10:12 NIV

“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”

Love's Duty : " offer hospitality"

1 Peter 1 - Peter writing to strangers..

Hebrews - entertain strangers cos you never know you are entertaining Angels

Love's Attitude :" without grumbling"

John 13:35 NIV

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.””

Serve Faithfully - you cannot live without serving 

4 observations:

The principle: Each one has received a gift! 

The practice : Each one should use it to serve others! 

The Ministry Equation 

GIFT + LOVE  =MINISTRY 

God requires us to exercise Love else it just a gift.

The privilege: Each one should serve by God's grace! 

Charis = Grace  

The purpose: Each one should serve to glorify God! 

We serve to please God not to please ourselves.

God @ Work - Ethics @ Work

What is Its Foundation?

Christian Ethics is founded on the changeless character of God

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8 NIV

This passage states the two main Commandments.

God's REQUIREMENT of US:

1) ACT JUSTLY

2) LOVE MERCY

3) WALK HUMBLY with Your God

1) ACT JUSTLY

"To act justly..." 

Micah 6:8

The Problem of Dual Morality

The Sin of Omission and Commission

- the Sin of not doing something that is right

- the Sin of doing something that is wrong 

Benefits over Commission

Ethics over Omission

2) LOVE MERCY

".... to love mercy"

Mercy is Justice with Love: The 2nd Chance 

Matthew 5:7" blessed are those merciful "

Mercy is tempered with love.

Mercy is unexpected Kindness: The 2nd Mile

When to hand out justice when to hand out love

3) WALK HUMBLY with Your God

".... and to walk humbly with your God"

Have can we live wisely and humbly?

God is on the move in his mission 

We participate in God's mission

- Pride is the greatest Sin of life

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV

1 Cor 10:31

It's about God,  Not about us

We are not earning to get God on our side.

We are upworking the character of God in us.

4 Tests for Ethical Living

1) the Sleeping Test - if I do this, can I sleep at night?

2) the Newspaper Test - Would I 

3) the Mirror Test - If I do this, will I feel uncomfortable with myself when facing this mirror?

4) the Child Test - If I do this, would I mind telling my teenage child?

From Setbacks to Comebacks!

We all experience Setbacks from time to time.

Setbacks:

Shattered dreams, Financial failure, Unexpected illness, Relationship breakdown, Retrenched, Failed exam, Delinquent children, Betrayal, 

 1 character in Bible ~ Joseph

God is in control of Joseph's life

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Genesis 50:20 NIV

Truths of Setbacks in Live

1) God knows

He know what we are going through

“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.”

Genesis 39:2 NIV

God knows what Joseph is going through

2) God is not punishing you

The devil speaks all kind of negative thoughts. 

It's normal for us to try to make sense out of the nonsense 

5 reasons why we experience setbacks

1) Self inflicted 

2) Sin

We all fallen people, in a fallen world

3) Situational

4) Spirtual warfare 

5) Sovernity of God 

3) God will not let you go through more than you can handle

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

God sets a limit and boundary to devil what he can do to Joseph 

4) God uses setbacks to bring potential out of us that we didn't even know we had.

“Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.”

Genesis 39:4 NIV

God was preparing a tasks ahead of Joseph

God is maturing us in preparing ahead of us. 

God is preparing you through setbacks in life.

God is working on our life by going through the setback 

5) God will not allow a setback into you life unless He has a purpose for it.

6) God will surprise you in your wildest imagination 

Don't put your situation Ina box. Let Him surprise you.

7) God is bigger than your setbacks

We magnify our problems, and overwhelm by our setbacks.

We have to be reminded that God is bigger, stronger and we put our hope with GOD.

"hopeless" - hope is in front 

8) God has a destiny for you

Joseph was a dreamer and God made his dreams come true.

Don't let your setbacks to fulfill your dreams and God has a destiny for you. Keep the focus on Him and He will bring that fulfillment to your life.

It is important for us, we ask from God two things: 

1) Strength 

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31 NIV

2) Wisdom

Weak mind makes poor decision.

Let God grant you wisdom on what to do. 

Love Self 2 ~ Love Others: Honour in Family

Transformation

The heart has to be in line with what God wants us to do

Ephesians 6:1-9 NIV

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”

““Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:12 NIV

Honor - give weight, respect, value to someone

To give esteem others than yourself

1) Command with a PRIORITY

Why? 

An Elevation to Recognize 

An Esteem to Render

An Experience to Regard

- wiser, more experience than us 

Honoring our parents is not about:

- Their Performance

Honoring our parents is about:

- Their Position

- Their Personhood ( God created everyone an image of Himself. God can bring about a change in their lives, ) 

Honoring our parents is not mean it's ok to give in to them but to honor them is to honor to God. 

It's a step of obedience and faith to believe that God can do amazing things our family.

What are some ways you can honor your parents?

2) Commamd with a PROMISE

““Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.””

Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV

Our days will be lightened 

Our days will be lengthened

3) Command with a PRINCIPLE

When you respect others, you get respect

4) Command with a PURPOSE 

1 Peter 2:17

“Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”

1 Peter 2:17 NIV

Learn to honor those who served us.

5) Command with a POSTURE

It takes Humanity to honor people