We're going to jump into our sermon. We're at the end of a sermon series on the book of 1 Peter,
and if you want to turn there in your Bibles, it's 950-something, and that's close enough.
You'll be able to find it from there. And we're going to be looking at the very end of it.
And just as an introduction, if you want to talk to me about Silvanus and whether he's a messenger
or an amanuensis, you can come talk to me after the service. And if you want to talk about Babylon
and why Babylon is mentioned, come talk to me after the service. We're not going to deal with
those things because I think that at the end of this book and what I want to do as we tie up this
series is to hear from the heart of Pastor Peter to his church as he's writing the words of encouragement
that he wants us to hear. Because Peter is writing to a church that's struggling to figure out how do
we stand out as different? How do we navigate feeling odd and foreign and alien in this world?
What kind of distinctive life does God call us to? And how do we do that even in the face of suffering
and persecution and trial? Peter is writing this letter because he's afraid as a pastor that people
might be losing heart, that they might be in the face of the trials, in the face of the confusion
and dislocation of their situation, that they might falter in faith and fall away.
He's writing to a church that needs encouragement and truth and instruction on how to live.
He's writing to a church embattled. And I don't know about you, but if that doesn't sound familiar,
Amanda, thank you for your testimony as a testimony of the fact that this is an ongoing reality.
It's not just the first century. This has been the situation of the church for all ages, and it is a
situation for us today as we face similar challenges and trials and pressures. So that's what we're going
to look at today. We're going to read the end of the book. We're going to focus on verses 8 through 11,
but we're going to read from 8 to the end of the book, and then we'll pray and we'll dive in and look
at this for a few minutes. So 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 8. Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary,
the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith,
knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who's called you to his eternal
glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the
dominion forever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written
briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, as does Mark my son. Greet one
another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for
your word and that you have spoken to us in it and through it. Lord, thank you that you have given us
your spirit so that we might understand it. And Lord, we pray now for minds to comprehend and hearts to
receive and wills to move, Lord, at your bidding. Lord, I pray this morning that we would be encouraged
and strengthened. Lord, I pray for your help that you might help me to speak your words and that
together we might sit under your word this morning. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
So, as Peter's writing this final exhortation, the central idea is this, stand firm. And he says,
stand firm because it's a real battle. And stand firm because God has got you in it. So, let's look
at those things. Verses 8 through 9, stand firm because it's a battle. Peter says, stand firm,
verse 9 says, because there is an enemy, an adversary, the devil who is prowling around seeking to destroy
you. Okay? Now, we need to stop for a second because we live in the 21st century and we stopped
talking about the devil a long time ago. Or, as C.S. Lewis says, he just shows up as a cartoon with a
pointy tail and red tights, right? So, this is what we tend to think. But if you haven't read the
Screwtape Letters, you should. It's a wonderful book with an imaginary correspondence between two devils
who are seeking to corrupt the world and corrupt the life of a particular man. And C.S. Lewis, one of
the things he does is exposes some of the different strategies that the devil has, some of the
strategies of the spiritual realities in which we live. And he says, sometimes the spiritual realities
the devil will work through obvious displays of power and intimidation in order to frighten and
dissuade people from following God because there's this power that's against them that they don't want
to have to face, right? Then there are other times when Satan wants to hide. And he goes underground and
he says, you don't want to think about Satan because you don't want to think about spiritual things at
all. You just think about materialism and the world right in front of you and all these things. And so,
the way Satan then works is very subtly and in a very underground way. Not to intimidate and overwhelm,
but to sabotage the church. And so, we need to recognize that we may live more in that second
category where we tend to be in a society that just dismisses the whole thought of this.
And yet, Peter reminds us what we see throughout Scripture, that in fact, there is a spiritual
battle. There are spiritual forces and spiritual beings, and that there is particularly one
repeatedly called the devil or Satan who stands against God and his people and is seeking to
destroy us. Like a prowling lion. Like, as Wayne Grudem says, a prowling lion is someone who attacks
suddenly, viciously, and often when its unsuspecting victim is engaged in routine activities.
We need to recognize, Peter's saying, there is a battle because there's an enemy who is
encircling your life, our church life, the church worldwide right now seeking to find ways. How can I
bring destruction? How can I bring death? Remember what Jesus said, he comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
How does he steal the blessing of God? How does he kill the life of the church and the life of faith?
How does he destroy the kingdom? That's what he's always seeking to do, right? And his goal, as you
see in verse 9, is that you might be devoured. That you might be literally consumed by him and his
devices, right? So, what does this look like? It might look like you being consumed by passion.
Passion for things that aren't leading you to God himself, right? A passion for pleasure, a passion
for the praise of others. You could think of many other things that your heart gets so captured with
that God is lost in the picture. Maybe it might be that you're consumed by distraction, right? That
thing in your pocket that's buzzing right now. We live in a world of distraction with screens and those
sorts of things. But there are other things too. Our busyness, our achievement, our hobbies, there's even
our families. Even good things can become distractions when they lead us not to, but away from God.
Similarly, we can be consumed by despair. This happens when things get hard. And I know enough of you have
walked through hard things to know the pull of this. When things get hard, those hard things fill the
screen and the hurt and the agony and the pain just seem to push everything, including God, out. And we
lose God in the midst of it. And we see actually that this is in fact part of what Peter's connecting.
The enemy is using the persecution of the church in the first century as a means of intimidation to
bring the church to despair of the hope of the gospel. And Peter's saying, don't give up to that.
One of the ways that Satan does this with despair is he says, you're alone in it. Whatever your battle
is, whatever is hard, whatever pain you're bearing, you are alone in it. That's one of the ways that
the enemy speaks to us. And so Peter says, listen, you're not alone. In fact, throughout the church
worldwide, they're suffering the same thing. And we can now say, and the church throughout history,
the same thing is true. These battles, the battles you are facing, the despair that you're fighting,
you're not alone in it. This is a common thing that the enemy has been working to bring this in.
So Peter is exhorting us to recognize that there is a real battle. What are some of the hallmarks of
when I feel like spiritual battle is at play? Well, there are a couple of different things.
One is unbelief. When I deny things are true about God that he has clearly revealed, I recognize that's
the enemy drawing me away from God, right? Sometimes it has to do with relational discord.
When suddenly relationships are filled with not trust and grace and kindness, but are filled with
suspicion and doubt and accusation, right? Sometimes discord and unity within a group of people,
the enemy is sowing these things. And I hope you've been here long enough to know there are times when
we have to fight with one another, fight for righteousness, fight for good things, bring ugly
stuff to light so that we can deal with it in the gospel framework. But that's not what the enemy does.
The enemy brings those things to light so that it will destroy and divide us, right?
So these are some ways that I look and see where there might be fingerprints of the enemy's work
in our lives. And Peter says,
there is a battle. It's real. And we need to be ready for it.
And he then goes on and he says,
there is a command that I have for you. Be sober-minded.
Be watchful. Resist and stand firm.
Now, these are not new commands that
Peter's tacking on to the end of his book.
And I'm going to spend a little bit of time in the rest of the sermon connecting what's
here to the broader themes of the book. So just be ready for that.
So in chapter 1, verse 12,
Peter's already said to us,
prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded.
Set your hope on Christ.
In chapter 4, he says,
the end of all things is near. Therefore, be self-controlled
and sober-minded.
And in chapter 4, verse 12,
he says, don't be surprised.
Don't be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you.
But instead, be ready.
Like a soldier standing at his post on the watchtower,
alert, awake, keeping his eyes on the horizon,
looking for where the enemy may be at work,
with his weapon at the ready so that he can't be taken unawares.
He hasn't left his post and gone down to the local bar
for a drink and a carousing, right?
He hasn't carelessly assumed
that because it all seems good right now,
he's just going to take a nap
or pull out his phone and watch a movie
while he's on guard.
He's not going to carelessly assume
that he doesn't need his weapon
and leave it at home.
But he's going to be prepared,
vigilant, ready at all times.
This is the picture that Peter is saying,
this is how we must be, church.
This is what we are called to be
in the middle of this battle.
And so often we are not that way.
So often we are unprepared.
We are unaware and taken by surprise.
When suffering comes,
rather than trusting God's hand in it
and seeing it as an opportunity to walk with him,
we deny his goodness and doubt him.
When persecution comes,
we feel like God has abandoned us.
When things go wrong,
we blame God and others.
We are unaware of how much the enemy
is prowling around,
seeking in different ways
to affect us.
So how do we live then?
How do we actually be prepared?
What does that look like?
Well, I think Peter has actually
given us all sorts of commands
throughout the whole book
so that we might live
this watchful, prepared life.
So in chapter one,
if you remember,
in the second half particularly,
he says,
how do you prepare?
You live holy lives.
That is,
seeking to do
what God would want
above all other things.
And to love one another
deeply from the heart.
To recognize that
our battle
is not against flesh and blood.
And so we are called
to love one another.
This is what he says
in chapter three too
when he says,
I call you to live
with a unity of mind,
with a sympathy,
with brotherly love,
with a tender heart,
with humility,
not repaying evil for evil
or reviling for reviling,
but on the contrary,
blessing.
Do you see,
friends,
that the way
that we stand guard
against the enemy
isn't by saying
no to the bad things,
it's by filling our lives
with good things,
right things,
things that we're supposed
to pursue.
And as we fill ourselves
with those things,
we are ready
and we see
when the enemy comes in
and seeks to divert us
and seeks to diverge us away.
Chapter two
gives us a different equipment
where Peter has reminded us
that our identity
is grounded
in being God's people,
called by grace,
living distinctly
and differently.
When we know who we are,
then the lies
and the temptations
that the enemy
puts before us
to put our identity
in other things,
they have no power over us
and we are able to fight
and to resist his schemes.
In chapter four,
Peter reminds us
that when we suffer persecution,
we walk with Jesus doing so.
We walk with him
who endured the scorn
and the shame
of so many
while he walked this earth
as he headed to the cross
for our salvation.
As he did so,
he did good
and he blessed
and served others.
And so we're called
to follow in that pattern.
And when we fix our eyes
on Jesus,
suddenly the alternatives
that the enemy
will put before us,
you can fix us
by doing this
or you can do this,
suddenly have no power
because we're following Jesus.
What else would we need
when we have his example?
This is a hard
but a good road.
One of facing the battle,
knowing there are enemies,
knowing there's hardship ahead,
knowing that the desire
of the enemy
is to destroy our faith.
But Peter says,
though the battle is fierce,
stand firm.
You cannot lose God
because God
has got you.
And that's what we'll talk about
in the second one.
But I do want,
before we go on,
this is a great book,
Precious Remedies
Against Satan Devices.
It's a Puritan.
If you haven't read
the screw tape letters,
that's good too.
This is free
for the first person
who comes and asks me
after the service.
I'm giving it away.
We're putting skin
in the game today.
So,
but it's a wonderful book
to help just strengthen
your faith.
All right?
As we move on,
you cannot lose God
because God has got you.
This is what verses 10 and 11 say.
Here's the wonderful thing.
This battle is not
our battle to win,
but we are fighting
in a battle
that God is already winning.
And what we want to do,
what Peter does
in verses 10 and 11
is he says,
look at who God is
because this is how
you will endure
in this battle.
This is how you will fight.
Look to who God is
and remember,
it's not because
your great faith
or because you're
going to fight well,
but because God
has got you
that you will make it through
and endure
and stand firm.
There are five things
that we learn about God
in these two verses
that we're going to look at.
Verse one,
number one.
Actually,
let's read these two verses first.
10 and 11.
And after you have suffered
for a little while,
the God of all grace
who has called you
into his eternal glory
in Christ
will himself restore,
confirm,
strengthen,
and establish you
to him be the dominion
forever and ever.
Amen.
Five things that Peter says
briefly about this.
One,
God knows there's a battle.
After you have suffered
for a little while,
God is not surprised.
He's not taken off guard.
He knows that there is
a battle that you are in
and he's with you in it.
And he says,
and by the way,
I want to give you
some perspective on it.
It's only for a little while.
That's not to diminish
the reality
or the severity
of what you're walking
through right now,
because it might be
really hard
and really overwhelming.
But compared to
the span of eternity,
your life of suffering,
even if it were
a whole lifetime,
is just a little while.
And God says,
look at the bigger picture
of a world
that I rule in
and take heart.
Don't be surprised.
God has sent this
to test you,
but the testing,
if you remember
from chapter 4,
verse 12,
the testing is not to say,
hey, are you going
to make it or not?
The testing there is,
I'm going to send you
through this fire
to prove to you
the quality of the faith
that I have given to you
so that you can see
and know
in a richer and deeper way
my faithfulness to you
and the sufficiency
of my work for you.
So the first thing
that Peter wants us to see
is God is not unaware,
but He knows
that the battle is real
and He's with us in it.
The second thing
is that He is the God
of all grace.
Grace to save
undeserving sinners,
grace to support us
in our weakness.
Grace has a breadth here
where it's not just
that we are undeserving
and that the forgiveness
of sin
and the new spiritual life
that God has given us
that will last for eternity
is completely undeserved
and only on the merits
of Christ.
We know that that's
His grace to us,
but I think that Peter here
also uses grace as
He's going to give you grace
to get through it.
He's going to give you
supporting grace
and helpful grace.
And here's the wonderful thing.
Just like the grace
of our salvation,
this grace of supporting us
isn't because we've earned it,
isn't because we've deserved it.
It's not because
we're fighting hard enough
or because we know enough.
And the wonderful thing
about it not being deserved
is it means
we can't lose it.
We can't blow it
badly enough.
And God looks at us
and says,
forget you.
You're a lost cause.
I'm done with you.
But the God of all grace
is with you.
He will never leave you
nor forsake you
because He has set His love
on His people in Christ
and He will never forsake.
So He knows there's a battle.
He's the God of all grace.
Thirdly,
He has called you
into His eternal glory
in Christ.
John reminded us earlier
about what it means
to be in Christ,
that by faith
we are joined with Him.
And being joined with Him
means we enjoy
the fruit of all
of His work of redemption,
the greatness
of the salvation,
the restoration
of being with God
and in His kingdom
in a beautiful way.
And Peter has reminded us
over and over again
and instead of trying
to explain it,
I'm simply going to remind you
what Peter has said
about this glory
and grace,
this glorious position
of being in Christ
that we have.
So in chapter 1,
he writes,
according to His great mercy,
He has caused us
to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ
from the dead
to an inheritance
that is imperishable,
undefiled,
and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by God's power
are being guarded
through faith
for a salvation
ready to be revealed
at the last time.
And later in chapter 1,
knowing that you
were ransomed
from the futile ways
inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things
such as silver and gold,
but with the precious blood
of Christ,
like that of a lamb
without blemish or spot.
He was foreknown
before the foundation
of the world,
but was made manifest
in the last time
for the sake of you
who through Him
are believers in God,
who raised Him
from the dead
and gave Him glory
so that your hope
and your faith
are in God.
Jesus Christ died
on the cross,
the righteous
for the unrighteous
to bring you to God.
This is what He has done
for us.
This is the glory
that He's called us into.
It is an eternal glory
that comes from our position
of being in Christ.
And Peter says,
when the battle is fierce,
when you think
that you're going
to be overwhelmed,
when you think
that you can't go on
in following Christ,
He reminds you,
this is what's awaiting.
This eternal glory
that is yours,
that you've already tasted,
that you've already
stepped into
and will become
in its greater fullness
all of yours.
So stand firm
and don't give up.
Peter goes on.
The fourth thing He says
is at the end of verse 10,
He Himself will restore,
confirm, strengthen,
and establish you.
Four verbs.
God tells us
what God will do.
He Himself will do it.
The emphasis is that
God is with you in this.
He says He will restore
all the honor
and privilege
and the places
that you have lost,
the cost that you have borne
for following Christ.
He will restore
all those things
in His kingdom
and He will give you
a place of honor
as His child.
He will confirm you.
He will say,
yes, this one is mine,
though the enemy
may accuse
and whisper
all sorts of lies.
He will say,
because of the blood of Christ,
this one is mine
and I confirm that
and I will not let Him go.
And He will strengthen us.
He will strengthen us
with the example of Christ
who went before us,
enduring the cross,
despising the shame
for the joy set before Him
so that we might be His.
Strengthening us
with the examples
of the church
throughout history
and throughout the world
that are suffering even now
that we might hold firm together
because we're not alone in it.
Strengthening us
with the knowledge
that He's given us
His Holy Spirit
to dwell within us,
the Spirit of God
and of glory
so that we might not
have to rely on ourselves
but rely on Him.
Strengthening us
with the hope
of this future grace
that His promises are sure.
So He will restore us,
He will confirm us,
He will strengthen us
and He will establish us.
We are,
as He said in chapter 2,
people,
living stones
that God is building
into a living temple.
This is what it means
to be His church
in this world.
It's to be the place
where God Himself dwells
and manifests Himself
in His glory
in this age
as He prepares us
to be His people forever
in the new heavens
and the new earth
where we will worship Him
in fellowship with Him
forever without any sin.
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people of His own possession
that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him
who called you
out of the darkness
into His marvelous light.
Once you were not a people
but now you are God's people.
Once you would not receive mercy
but now you have received mercy.
And finally,
in verse 11,
He's a God who's with you
in the battle.
He's the God of all grace.
He's a God who has called you
into this eternal glory.
He's a God who Himself
has promised
that He will do
all these things for you.
And finally,
Peter says,
to Him be dominion
forever and ever.
Amen.
The persecution
of the Romans,
God has dominion.
the trials you are facing,
God has dominion.
The enemy who threatens
to destroy you,
God has dominion
over all these things.
Just as He has
throughout all of history,
He does today
and He will forever.
God's dominion
as the Creator
and as the ruler
of the world
has never,
ever been usurped.
And so Peter says
at the end of chapter 4,
let those who suffer
according to God's will
entrust their souls
to a faithful Creator
while doing good.
So Peter says,
stand firm.
Stand fast in your faith.
God is equipping you
and giving you
all of these things.
Be aware
that the battle is fierce,
but know that God
has got you in it.
And when the battle
is fierce
and when the enemy
sneaks up on you,
when you feel unprepared
and when you're overwhelmed
and when following looks
like it's going to be
too costly,
remember the gospel.
You won't hold firm
because you are strong enough
to withstand these things.
But look to the cross.
Remember Jesus
dying for you,
rising from the dead.
He has won
the ultimate victory
over sin,
over death,
over this enemy
that's prowling around.
And one day,
all of those enemies
will be fully defeated
if we cling to the cross
by faith.
Let's pray.
Lord, we...
we...
we admit that we are weak
and there are days
when we are ready
to give up.
Lord, when the battle
seems too hard,
Lord, when the enemy
seems to have won,
when it seems too costly
to stand firm,
oh, Lord Jesus,
we pray for your help.
Lord, help us
to stand firm in you
that the glory
that you have wrought
in Christ
might be displayed
in us to this world.
Lord, I pray for hearts today
that are discouraged
and despairing.
Lord, that you might
encourage us today.
We pray these things
in Jesus' name.
Amen.