The End Of Everything - Wade Branch 1/26/20

Good evening, everybody. It is great to see everyone

who's with us tonight. We have a great crowd and I'm

looking forward to our study together, to share with you,

some of the things I've been studying and some of the things

that are challenging me today, as I was studying through these

again, every time I give this lesson every time I go back

through this, I looked, I just looked down my shoes.

And I'm like, man, I need to get on this again, I need to be

working on these things because it always challenges me.

It always shows. Shows me how much better I need

to be especially in the context of what these verses are going

to say in 1st Peter 4 beginning in verse 7.

If you'll turn with me, there is where we're going to begin our

reading and we're going to spend a lot of time.

Just in this chapter, we will take a couple of tangents but

everything is going to be based off the things we're talking

about right here. And first Peter 4 beginning in

verse 7 Let's start off and read the first few verses it says,

beginning in verse 7 but the end of all things is at hand

therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

And above all things have fervent love for one another for

love will cover a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling as each one

has received a gift minister to one another as good stewards of

the manifold grace of God. 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.

I want to go back to the slide real quick.

One of the things I highlighted here is how many times?

It says, one another everything we're going to talk about is

really centered around that around that.

First verse they says, the end of all things is at hand.

And the thing we're going to do with that is we're going to look

to one another where look to help one another.

So he said that first, he started out all these.

All the things we talked about by saying the end of all things

is at hand. Therefore this is a hard harsh

reality. He tells us that the end of

everything is near. What does that mean?

We know that the end of all things is near because of first

because of Jesus's return, we're told that Jesus has returned can

happen at any moment. Matthew 24 verse 36 through 39,

Matthew 24:36–39

Says but of that day and hour when Jesus will return, no one

knows not even the angels of heaven but my father only but as

the days of Noah were so also will the coming of the son of

man be for as in the days before the flood, they were eating and

drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah

entered, the Ark going on verse 39 and did not know until the

flood came and took them all away.

So also will the coming of the son?

No man be. So what you just showed us right

here is that when Jesus come back comes back it's going to be

like something that already happened and we have to look

back into the past as some real events that happen and you threw

us back to Noah this story of Noah.

And and the destruction of the world is often told in

children's stories or a children's books that show the

boat and the animals and the rainbow and it's great.

And it's it's an amazing story of how God saved his people in

an extraordinary way and cleanse the Earth.

But the sight of that, that's really scary.

Is what happened to everyone? Who was wiped out there was I

believe eight Souls were saved. That means the rest of the world

died in a very scary way. And he tries to draws back to

this in the verses we were just looking at because he's showing

us that okay, this has happened before.

It's going to be just like that in the resurrection when Jesus

comes back there's going to be a very similar situation where

it's going to be great for a lot of people but it's going to be

very scary for all those who didn't and it's going to be in a

very similar way. It says that Noah was a preacher

of righteousness, he went around telling people, he went around,

living his life building this boat, People would ask him.

Probably, what are you building a boat for?

What are you doing? And he would tell them, I'm sure

there's gonna be a flood one day, God is going to destroy the

Earth, change your life, but they laughed and obviously

because no one else joined him. 400 years, it took him to build

that boat. Can you imagine what it was like

to be him to be his kids? Everyone laughing at you.

Who's this crazy man? Who's building this boat?

But then that day came and it all everything changed.

Then no one was laughing at Noah.

The same pictures drawn for us. Now, we're living in a world

where a lot of people don't believe in this.

This coming again, of Jesus and he said it's going to be just

like that worthy of this Mass delusion that no one knows

what's really coming. Even though it's clear.

He's there's people here standing for the truth that say

this is coming and he says it's going to be just like that.

So Jesus said, so Jesus tells us the end is near and that is one

way. We can know that the end of all

things is at hand. Secondly, first before we move

on, I just looked at this picture because I wanted to to

see for myself and maybe have us look at it together.

What? That might have looked like,

because I just I've seen pictures before like this and I

need to stop and think what if those are my friends from school

their life that's Spencer and what if that's Megan and what if

that's Caden What about some of your friends?

You know what if you insert them here?

How scary that will be for them and how scary it will be for us

as their friends to know that this might happen to some more

friends. It's a perspective.

We need to have on this whole situation on the whole

Resurrection on the whole coming again of Jesus so that we can

take seriously what he's about to say.

Okay, so secondly, the end of all things is at hand because of

death. Okay, I'm sorry, one more, pause

second, Peter 3, verse 8 and 9 says, but beloved do not forget

this one thing that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand

years and a thousand years as one day.

So we might say, you know what, God hasn't come again, yet it's

taken a while. He said, it's near.

What do you how do you reconcile that the end of all things is

near. It's been a couple thousand

years here at tells us that God doesn't count time like we do

God doesn't see it, the same one because he's an eternal being.

If you're not affected by time, like we are, if we're not

affected, if God is not affected by wrinkles and slow bowel

movements and all the other things that just beat us down,

he's not affected by time, like we are But the way God sees time

as he sees it, as in verse 9, the Lord is not slack concerning

his promise as some count slackness but is long-suffering

toward us not willing that any should perish when the but that

all should come to repentance. So what God sees in time is not

the, the wear and tear of his body.

He's all he sees as is an opportunity for more people to

come back to. So the argument that God hasn't

come, you know, how can you say the end is near?

That's kind of irrelevant with God's Eternal perspective.

Okay, now we're going to go to now, we're to death.

So the other way that the end is near is because of death and I

didn't have this plan before what we the news we got today

that Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter accident He was 41

years old. How many people can you think

back on your life that you heard of people who died that you that

you knew of people that died? That it was just so felt weird.

It shouldn't have happened. That's not how narratives go.

That's not how anything was supposed to happen.

He had a family He had so much ahead of him.

But gone like that, we never know what's going to happen.

Buddy, from mine back at Oakdale tide, Jones was one of my great

friends, all my life, you never never would have thought

something would happen to him. He was healthy, we were very

similar on lifestyle. It wasn't like anything should

have been wrong. He got sick.

And in a month later, he passed away.

The end can come anytime. And so we need to be serious and

listen to the things. He's going to tell us Hebrews 9,

Hebrews 9:27

verse 27 says it is appointed for men to die once but after

this is the Judgment. So to make this a little more

real, what happens when we die as we are judged and we're learn

from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that there is a

separation that happens at death.

The rich man, when he died went to tournaments And the Lazarus.

When he died the poor man, he went to paradise and it says

that in between those two places, there's a great Gulf

fixed that you can't pass between.

So what happens when we die? We go to one or the other and

those are just waiting areas waiting rooms for when we're

going to our final resting place.

And if you're in Paradise, your final resting place is already

decided. It's Heaven.

If you're in torments, your final resting place is decided,

it's hell. And for me that helps me just

think about how real it is because we don't talk about this

and some things out of sight or out of thought.

It's out of mind. This is real, this is right on

the other side of a car accident, this is right on the

other side of anything tragic than might happen.

We need to know about it. Be ready for it.

And this is this is a scary thought when you compare this

what he's going to say in just a minute.

In 1st Peter 5 verse 8 he says be sober be vigilant because

your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion

seeking whom he may devour. That's a scary thought.

That to know that the end is near and all this is happening.

I need to be concerned about that, and that there's someone

opposing me. There's someone who wants me to

go down a bad path to where I will be condemned.

That's a scary thought, but what is fear?

Fear is a natural reaction to Danger.

That causes you to make some sort of action to respond in a

certain way. So, what do we do with that

fear? That fear is healthy, that here,

that fears fine? That's why he goes on to say

what's next. He doesn't just leave it with an

empty worry about this. He says therefore, but the end

of all things is at hand therefore be serious and

watchful in your prayers. His first instruction is to our

prayers and this is the probably.

The first thing, I always think about when I give this lesson,

is how much I need my prayer life.

How much if I really want to be with God?

Why don't I start talking to him?

Like he's here with me now. Like he says he is, Matthew 7

Matthew 7:7

verse 7, through 11 talks, a little about talks, a little bit

about this prayer so we can see the value of it.

He says, ask and it will be given to you seek and you will

find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks

receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be

opened. He's like he said, he's only

listing great things that comes from this.

He says, or what? Man, is there among you if his

son asks for bread, will he give him a stone?

Of course not nobody does that or if he asks for a fish, will

he give him a serpent if you then being evil know how to give

good gifts to your children. How much more will your father

who is in heaven? Give good things to those who

ask him. He said when we, when we need

something, when we come to, you know, we start our morning and

there's something that comes in our way.

Something we didn't expect talk to God about it.

He shows us in every angle, he says, asking I'll give seek and

you will find knock and it will be open to you.

How many more angles do? I have to say it?

He says, He will take care of us.

Why? Why don't we want that?

I think part of it. Part of it is because of Satan

how Satan wants us to lose sight of these beautiful truths and

second Corinthians 11, verse 3 and 4 says, but I fear less

2 Corinthians 11:3

somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness.

So your minds may be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in

Christ. That's what I'm trying to get

at. Is the Simplicity and the power

of prayer is something that's clear, but our life's get

complicated and Satan kind of wants us to see it as

complicated, and not just fuzzy and The Simplicity that's in the

Christ. That's what we should see in

this prayer life. God says, I'll take care of you.

Ask me, I'll give to you for. He who comes preaches.

Another. Jesus whom we have not preached

or if you receive a different Spirit which you have not

received or a different gospel, which you have not accepted, you

may well, put up with it. That's what happens to me.

I lose a perspective on God. A perspective on the way.

God responds to my prayers way. God sees my prayers.

That I put up with it, I don't have to put up with that.

And Satan wants me to see prayer and see God as kind of an

afterthought and the same, as kind of like a something I can

put my back pocket for later. but he said, He's kind of

getting out, don't be corrupted from the Simplicity, that's in

Christ. There's a beautiful truth.

It is in talking to God, and having that relationship there.

And Peter is telling us this as he's writing this letter, he's

telling us this from personal experience because in Matthew 26

Matthew 26:40

verse 40 and 41 it reads, then he came to his disciples and

found them asleep and said to Peter, what could you not watch

with me one hour Watch and Pray. Lest you enter and sensitive

into temptation, the spirit. Indeed is willing The flesh is

weak. I think I make made a mention

about the scripture before how Peters connection to this

passage is powerful because this is exactly what Jesus told him

to do. Watch and pray, pay attention at

Sirius is a big deal. And his life spiraled from

there, he just broke down he made mistake after mistake.

And so Peter on the other side of this understands that he

understands the value of prayer and talking to God and being

Aware of everything like this. And he says be serious and

watchful and prayer. That's our first instruction

instruction. Number two, going on.

In verse 8, he says in above all things, more than anything else

have fervent love for one. Another for love will cover a

multitude of sins. This phrase, fervent love this

word, fervent. I as I understand from ancient

times, it was used to describe a horse running at full Gallop

stretching and Training, its muscles as it ran across the

battlefield. Do we love like that?

Do I love like that? That's stretching that

straining, maybe that's training for you comes at the end of a

long day when you just have had enough and you don't really want

to deal with anything else, you're stretching and you're

straining in your effort to love.

That's what he commands of us if we're going to live, like,

there's no tomorrow. We're going to live.

Like this is the last day. We have his first above all

preeminent instruction is above all things have.

Fervent love for one another. And he says, for love will cover

a multitude of sins and this is in contrast to what happens with

hatred for proverbs 10. Verse 12, says, hatred stirs up

Strife, but love covers all sins.

The person who wants to take care of somebody and protect

them and shelter with love. That love covers them.

It doesn't want to like, people up and say, hey, look at

everyone look what he did to me. This guy wrong me know, it wants

to cover and wants to restore it once to make, right?

Let's have a love that will cover and have an attitude of

fervent love toward others. Next in verse 9, he tells us to

be hospitable. The third thing, be hospitable

to one another without grumbling.

How do you live? Like there's no tomorrow.

You take care of other people, You Get outside yourself, you

look to others because this will be your support system for one.

And the way to truly invest, in people, the way to truly live a

fulfilled life is to help others and look out for the needs of

others. And this Hospitality you know

what before I had my own place and stuff, I would read this and

I wonder how do I see this if I if I don't have in my own house

to be Hospital maybe some of you don't if you're younger that

hospital that hospitality is something you can develop in any

point in your life it's an attitude of hospitality it's an

attitude of taking care of people.

You have hospitable person takes what they have and welcomes

other people in and uses what they have to serve.

You can do that at school, you have a friend group, you have a

lunch table, you have whatever it is, what do you use your

space, for your little bubble for do?

Use it to welcome and bring people in or to use it as kind

of a. This is mine.

I want to do my own thing. Be hospitable to one another

without grumbling this second part is, sometimes you can do

the hospitality but you can negate what you're doing by a

bad attitude because, you know, so and so did this and that

frustrated me because it was my stuff and my place and he says

do it without grumbling and light of the fact that the end

is near. It's not that big of a deal.

Let's take care of each other and look out for the needs of

others. In verse 10, you goes on to say,

fourthly to as each one has received a gift minister to one

another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The fourth thing we do in light of the fact that the end is near

is we use what God has given us to serve others, similar to the

note on Hospitality. But to realize that these are

gifts, we have everything we own is a gift.

Yeah. Well it's my abilities to earn

this gift, who gave you the abilities?

To earn that money to have what you have.

That's God. Everything we have is A gift in

one way or another, he says to use it as good stewards of the

manifold grace of God. The parable, the parable of the

steward rips into us. When it shows us how much we

fail in that. God's given us all this and we

look at like it's ours but it's not.

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The fifth thing in 1st Peter 4, verse 11 in light of the fact

that the end is near. He says, if anyone speaks let

him speak as the Oracles of God, it's covering everything we do.

It's covering our actions that covers our stuff.

It covers the way we talk to God and he says, if you're going to

talk open your mouth for God, speak on behalf of God and speak

things God wants you to say. That's an amazing thought to me

that we can speak on behalf of God.

We are, we are we are God's ambassadors here.

We're told in other scripture, that's an honor.

We get to speak on behalf of God and be a part of something

great, a part of something special.

And we have the ability God would not give us anything.

We can't do if you've given us his word, we're able to study it

tonight. We can take a little bit tonight

and move forward with this knowledge to share with somebody

with this awareness. Us to share with somebody.

We have the honor in the ability to speak for God. 1st Peter 4

verse 12, 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 belongs the glory and

the Dominion forever and ever, amen?

You could look at this passage and say if anyone ministers let

him do it and the focused on the ministry.

But I think everything is talked about is already been

ministering and the thing that jumps out at me with this verse

is the know as with ability which God supplies that

everything we do, we realize what's happening right now.

We're using build, he's God has given us.

And to me, that gives me joy in my heart to know that the things

I'm doing have value. And they have meaning.

And I can really know that the things I'm doing today are in

direct relationship to the way God is influencing my life.

That's exciting. That's powerful.

That takes you out of depression.

If you're if you're feeling like me and my life isn't, I'm just

not worth anything that truth alone can help you lift your

spirit. And it's also going to help us

create keep the credit where credit is due.

Because God, deserves the glory for any good we do, as we've

already said and it must be a hard job in God.

Because if any of us do one little thing, we just want all

the credit for it, and if we don't get the credit for it, we

are rubbed raw, man. I know that's speaking for

myself. That's an area I'm weekend.

As you know, if you don't get recognized for something you

did, or if you, you know, someone talks down on something

you did, it's just feels wrong. Like, you were trying to serve

and you get talked about in a bad way.

Imagine how God feels God, created the world that we're

walking on God, created, everything about us, gave us

everything we have and yet somehow he doesn't get the

credit for everything he did. If God gets any credit, it's

just a tiny morsel of what he deserves.

And doing everything we do in serving others with the attitude

that this is from God. Let me serve you with what God

has. Supplied me will help us give

the credit where credit is due. He goes on to say in 1st, Peter

4, verse 12, through 14, beloved, do not think it strange

concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some

strange thing happened to you. 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.

If you're reproached for the name of Christ blessed, are you

for the spirit of glory? And of God rests upon you on

their part. He has blasphemed, but on your

part, he is glorified So, the one of the last things he says

in this note is to flip things around in your mind, if we get,

if we suffer for God, awesome. The tough stuff is the best

because that means we are tied to something in a way.

That's we can't buy that. You can't get that anywhere

else, but through the hard things, you deal with, if

therefore, God, and specifically, as he talks about

here partaking in Christ's sufferings He says, be excited

about that. Because the tough things are a

shortcut to Greatness there an Avenue to Greatness.

It's hard to do all your own little things and build your way

up to heaven. You can do that.

But God makes a way for you to face trial and for you to

overcome and to serve him through it.

That is able to bring us. He says, a spirit of glory and

of God resting upon us. Whoa.

That's awesome. And in closing he says some

words at the end of chapter 5 that I feel like really helped

bring all this together all this together and summarize, it make

me feel good. After all the things we've

understood and things. We now know he says therefore

humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may

exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him

for. He cares.

For you all your care. Be sober, be vigilant because

your adversary, the devil walks about like, a roaring lion.

Lion seeking whom he may devour resist him steadfast in the

faith knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by

your Brotherhood in the world. You're not the only one, But may

the God of all Grace who called us to his eternal glory by

Christ Jesus. After you have suffered for a

while, perfect establish, strengthen and settle you.

To him, be the glory and the Dominion forever and ever, amen?

For me, my favorite part of that verse is the settling.

I think it's by nature, some of the thing.

You know, young people have is they need to settle down a lot

of times adults, tell young, people settle down settle down

and that part of the faith that where your faith, grows to the

point where you can be established and settle.

Just bring so much peace to me. So much joy.

You can be settled in God's promises, God's grace, and God's

hope. To the point that you don't have

to worry, you don't have to fear.

So, in summary everything, we just learned and in the way of

living like, there's, no tomorrow.

We're to be serious. We're to be serious and watchful

in prayer. We're to love, fervently, to be

hospitable to serve others with what God has given us.

Were to speak for God and speak things.

God wants us to speak and to remember that, the source and

the purpose of our life is always goes back to God.

That is our lesson for tonight. Thank you to everyone who was

here and for listening Patiently.

I hope these things will help you this week.

I know we always need a constant refresher on our perspective.

Now, love what, what, that song stand up for Jesus, that was led

says, and In this, in the fourth verse, it says, stand up.

Stand up for Jesus. The Strife will not be long this

day, the noise of battle the next, the Victor song that we're

so close. It's just like today, we're here

in this and this is going on. But tomorrow, we're right there

tomorrow, it's a victory song. Let's get on with a victory

train. Let's do this.

And if you're not a part of that that that train going to heaven,

you can be, you've heard a little bit of the word tonight.

You believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

You can confess The he is your savior you can repent of your

past life say I'm going to go God's way now.

I know who wins this game. I know who wins in the end.

I'm going to be on his side. You can confess him as your

savior and you can be baptized to contact that blood of Jesus

that saves us. We thank you for listening to

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