Our passage for this evening sermon is taken from the letter of 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4, we'll be reading from verses 7 through 11. And before we do, let's ask God to bless His Word for us. Our dear Father, we do give thanks for giving us the good news of Jesus Christ as we find it here in Your Word. Our Father, where would we be without the light of what You have revealed here? What a blessing. What a treasure is ours that we could have this great gift to us as a congregation. And to have an understanding of it, dear Father, that enables our faith and life and service of You. We pray, Lord, that we would this evening understand these words. That Your Holy Spirit might impress them upon our hearts and minds. So that we might receive what we need as Your people going out into this world as Your witnesses. We ask these things, dear Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen. 1 Peter 4, beginning with verse 7. The end of all things is near. 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 supplies so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. This afternoon, one of the major news channels celebrated Old Year's Eve by recognizing the most influential leaders of the 21st century. Maybe you saw that. They identified ten men and women spanning the spectrum of entertainment, to politics, economics. Ten people who demonstrate the greatest ability to change the way others think and live. Though we may critique the list that they chose, one could hardly disagree with the power of politics, economics, and entertainment in our world. And I don't think the Apostle Peter would be surprised by this list of movers and shakers that they identified this afternoon. But he would be quick to point out the utter and complete absence of God or of anything related to God and His Word, Jesus Christ. In fact, I think that's one of the reasons why Peter writes this letter to educate believers about their distinct relationship to God within the context of a fallen and often hostile world. Peter wants to counteract the manifold influences of godless with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as we read through the letter, it's clear that Peter is not naive. Peter understands that Christians in their living and in their working will interact with the things of our economy and entertainment and politics. In fact, Peter expects this. And that's why he so zealously appeals to the things of God. So that in our living as God's people, we would be inspired by God. So that in our Christian disciplines of prayer and in our loving and serving of one another and in our witness to the world, it would be God Himself who is the inspiration for those various acts and disciplines of our Christian life. On this Old Year's Eve service, let's take a look at how Peter does this in chapter 4. Let's consider how Peter explains our place in God's kingdom. Our possession of God's gifts and our purpose as God's people. He begins in verse 7 with our place in God's kingdom. He says that the end of all things is at hand. When we jump right into the middle of the book, it's an odd phrase, but as you study through the book, you find that Peter is developing this idea throughout the letter. And here in chapter 4, we have it in summary form. With a little study, we can see that he's not referring here to the end of history. As if he was anticipating Jesus to return at any day or at some point in the months ahead. Peter wasn't thinking about the end of history in that sense. Rather, the end that Peter has in mind refers to the completion of all things that are necessary for salvation. The promises of God for a Redeemer. The eternal kingdom. the new covenant, and the Holy Spirit. All these things have come to their end, Peter says. And for him, these things would have begun with the sin and corruption of Genesis. Where at that time, judgment and God's wrath would have been deserved. God withholds His wrath. God withholds His judgment against Adam and Eve and against creation and instead proclaims a promise that there would be one to come from them, a Redeemer. God withholds His wrath against sin. He demonstrates His patience and His kindness and He makes a promise of a Redeemer to come. A promise that is developed as each page of the Bible is turned through Abraham and Isaac to Israel And then in 2 Samuel, we find that God promises an eternal kingdom. In Jeremiah 31, He promises a new covenant and a new way of relating to His people. Then Joel 2, we have the promise of the Holy Spirit. Peter and Peter's contemporaries knew that these things must be fulfilled before the end could come. And so when Jesus comes on the scene in Mark 1, verse 15, and He says that the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel. The profound meaning behind His words couldn't be any greater. Jesus is announcing that after hundreds and thousands of years of waiting for the promises of God to be fulfilled. The time had finally come. The Redeemer was among them. He's come to establish His kingdom, seal the new covenant in His blood and deliver His Holy Spirit to all who believe. Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God had reached the end of His plan for salvation. nothing more was necessary for the accomplishment of salvation for His people, which means that judgment is ready. It's both and. For Peter to say that the end is near or the ESV translated, the end is at hand, He is saying both that salvation has finally been accomplished and that judgment is now ready and at the door. Which is why Jesus says repent and believe the good news of the Gospel. And so as we come to the completion of another year and as we look forward to the year ahead, we should ask ourselves, do we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If you don't, if now is not the right time for you to see Him as your Lord and your Savior, the message of Peter is that the end is at hand. And for you, judgment is kindled and ready. Don't wait. If you do believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we are to be inspired by the reality that our lives have been snatched away from the gates of hell. That we have been taken away from that wrath and judgment of God and have been placed in the kingdom of heaven. Peter almost gives the sense that it happened just in the nick of time. The end is at hand, but you, believer, God has snatched you out of that judgment which awaits all things. In some places of the country winter, because winter is at hand. It's snowing. It's cold. I've been in those places. And if you can't imagine this illustration, maybe you can imagine being at an ice rink here in Escondido. But I have very distinct memories of walking down one of those beautiful moonlit nights, cold and the snow is squeaking on my feet, walking down the sidewalk, and all of a sudden one of my steps gives way as I hit a sheet of ice, And I can imagine the crack of my head on this pavement. But I almost miraculously regained balance. And I'm so thankful. Thanking God that I was just spared that horrible experience of falling and cracking my head. I've had it many times, but not that time. And each step I take, I'm so thankful. and more thoughtful and more careful because I've been spared a horrible experience. Another illustration comes to mind. My in-laws have this curious habit of climbing huge mountains in Colorado. They call them 14ers and they start with nice paths and wooded places and then they go to rocks and really steep inclines. And there are on occasion very narrow paths along the edge of a rock face where literally just off the side is a thousand foot drop. And I can still feel the weird effect in my stomach as you consider your life in the balance. And then getting on the better side of that difficult path, being so thankful, praying literally to God that He spared you the difficulty of that horrible experience. And each step is more thoughtful and more careful for the experience. Salvation. Salvation is great not only because we are saved from something horrible, but also because we are saved for something wonderful. We are saved from something horrible and saved for something wonderful. That's the point Peter makes at the beginning of his letter when he says, Praise God, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to a living hope and inheritance that is imperishable, unfading, kept in heaven for you. You see, Peter wants to inspire our Christian living with a reminder of our place in God's kingdom. That we've been snatched away from the gates of hell and have been placed within the kingdom of heaven. And in the next place, He inspires our living with the possession that we have of God's gifts. In verses 10-11, He says that each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. as faithful stewards of God's 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 supplies. The Christian life begins with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it can only continue in the strength that He supplies. Our speaking, our serving, our loving, our hospitality, our witness, are all from Him. And that's why Peter is so concerned here that we continue in prayer. That we continue in prayer so that we are given what is needed for the love that he speaks of in verse 8. That we would pray for God's strength and mercy so that we would have the generosity He speaks of for hospitality in verse 9 and for the witness and outreach to the world that is developed in chapters 2 and 3. We need to look to God not only for new life in Christ but for continued life in Christ for all those acts of Christian living that we cherish. So that our place that we have in God's kingdom would always and ever be complemented by the possession of and manifestation of God's gifts among us. Brothers and sisters, we should be very encouraged this evening. In dealing with this text, it could be presented to you as something that you should be doing. But this evening I want to present it to you as something that God has been doing among us. Though we don't deserve these gifts of God, His grace abounds within our midst, doesn't it? We've heard of the baptisms, the professions of faith, those who have married in the Lord and those who have gone to be with the Lord. We've been given so much. We've been given so much and should rejoice in the way that God is answering prayers for us as people. We pray, Thy kingdom come, and God answers with the ongoing preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ week after week. We pray for our children. O Lord, give them a heart of wisdom. And God has provided for our children Christian education here and at Calvin and at our schools, Providence, Dort, and many others. We cry out, O Lord, the harvest is ready, but the laborers are few. And the Lord has given to us in the last year seven interns from Westminster being educated for future ministry while under the care and oversight and instruction of our pastors and elders. We pray, bless us, O Lord, so that the nations would be glad and sing for joy with us for the goodness of our God. And He meets our budget. He proceeds to establish and provide for seven URC church plants. He enables the witness of our youth in Mexico, Mission Vida Nueva, the outreach of Elaine Tan in Africa and Bill Green and many others. We should stand back and rejoice this evening for God has been so bountiful to us. He has heard our cry. He has answered our needs, meeting and abounding in our midst. God is at work here. And it's good for us to see it. Our living, friends, should be inspired by our place in God's kingdom and we should be inspired by our possession of God's gifts. Thirdly, and ultimately, we should be inspired by our purpose as God's people. Notice again in verse 10, 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 supplies. We might ask why. And he says, So that in everything God would be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. It's a really basic point. Since God provides the gifts of Christian living and the strength to use them, He gets the glory. It makes sense, right? When God makes the plan, pays the bills, and supplies the work, then He is the one who deserves the praise and the glory for getting it done. It makes sense. And also, this purpose inspires living. This purpose for our lives makes sense, and it inspires our living. Think over the past year of all those things that you've done. that no one sees. In the workplace, maybe you could consider your careful use of time. At school, your patient response to harsh words. At home, moms, how many diapers did you change? How often did you clean the kitchen again? In church, Your hospitality, care for the sick, long-suffering with difficult friends, your cries for mercy in the midst of sin. Brothers and sisters, for the believer in Jesus Christ, everything matters. That's the point He's making here. Everything matters because God intends to be glorified in everything. And so we can be assured that as we go about living our lives as members of God's kingdom while using the gifts that He's given to us, that everything matters because He died to give you His kingdom. He rose again to share with you the riches of heaven. He's given you His Spirit to give you the strength for ongoing service and His Word to provide you hope. everything matters to our God. And what an inspiring way to live within a world that values so little that it cannot see. Congregation of Christ, as the world around us this evening celebrates the achievements of politicians, economics, and entertainers, let us rejoice in the Lord. and His accomplishments, and His ongoing work among us, having secured our place in His kingdom, having shared with us the treasures of heaven, and now given us a purpose that indeed is worth living for. We've seen it in the year behind us. And we can have confidence that God will do the same in the year before us. Let us pray. Our dear Father in Heaven, we stand in awe of all that You have accomplished. In the person and work of Jesus Christ, You have brought all things to an end. Your plan completed, and now, Lord, You have given us the great privilege of using some of those treasures Christ has secured to bring You glory and honor in this dark world. O Father, we pray that Your blessing of us in the year ahead would indeed be great once again. That Your grace and love would abound in our midst so that we would continue to be a people that loves one another, that excels in hospitality, that has a broken heart for the poor. A longing to be a witness to our neighbors and the world around us. O God, we pray that You would continue to be so abundant in Your blessing of Your people so that the world would join us in the praise and glory of Your name. And we pray, dear Lord, that You would guard us from hoarding this blessing for ourselves. Oh, we see and feel the temptation. If we might just keep a little more for ourselves, we might have more comfort and more notoriety in this society. Guard us, dear Father, and make us more sacrificial, more open-handed with all that You have given to us for the honor and glory of Your name and the good of Your people. Amen.