B i b l e S t u d y
O u t l i n e s
H O M E P A G E
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Rev. Ronald C. Purkey claims no originality for this Bible
study outline.
However, every outline posted on this
website has been taught by Rev. Purkey.
To see more Bible study outlines go to: More Bible Study Outlines.
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HOPE
THROUGH STEWARDAHIP
May
19, 2013
SCRIPTURE:
INTRODUCTION: In a
nutshell: Everyone at our church is expected to serve the Lord by doing three
things: First, discovering his or her spiritual gifts/passion/and style;
Second, by being equipped to serve by the pastor of the church; and Third, by
developing a servant's heart. There is no room for debate on these three
things.
I.
LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL. (1 Peter 4:1-6)
The picture presented here is that of a soldier
who puts on his equipment and arms himself for battle. Our attitudes are
weapons, and weak or wrong attitudes will lead us to defeat. Our outlook
determines the outcome, and as a believer we must have the right attitudes if
we are to live a right life. -- Warren Wiersbe
A. Have A Militant Attitude Toward Sin. (1 Peter
4:1-3)
1. Think of what sin did to Jesus. (1 Peter 4:1)
(1 Peter 4:1) Forasmuch then
as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the
same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
a. “Arm yourselves” -- the God’s people must be equipped for warfare and suffering.
b. “With the same mind” -- the mind that was in Christ when He suffered, a willingness to
suffer to do the will of God.
In light of our Lord’s persistent
submission to suffering “in his body,” the Apostle Peter cautioned his readers
to “arm” themselves “with the same [Christ like] attitude” to bear their
present suffering.
2. Enjoy the will of
God. (1 Peter 4:2)
(1 Peter 4:2) That he no longer should live the rest
of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God
The apostle asserts that as a result
of being "done with sin," he does not live the rest of his earthly
life for evil human desires, but rather for the
will of God. Believers no longer to take life for granted.
The Apostle Paul speaks very strongly
in this connection in
Finding God’s Will
Late
one evening a professor sat at his desk working on the next day's lectures. He
shuffled through the papers and mail placed there by his housekeeper. He began
to throw them in the wastebasket when one magazine -- not even addressed to him
but delivered to his office by mistake -- caught his attention. It fell open to
an article titled "The Needs of the Congo Mission."
The
professor began reading it idly, but then he was consumed by these words:
"The need is great here. We have no
one to work in the northern province of Gabon in the central Congo. And it is
my prayer as I write this article that God will lay His hand on one -- one on
who already, the Master's eyes have been cast that he or she shall be called to
this place to help us."
The
professor closed the magazine and wrote in his diary: "My search is
over." He gave himself to go to the Congo. The professor's name was Albert
Schweitzer.
– Author Unknown
3. Remember what you were before you met Christ. (1
Peter 4:3)
(1 Peter 4:3) For the time past of our life may
suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
After we have been converted, we would
be foolish to spend our lives in the things which we did before. In fact, we
cannot do that. We are now joined to Jesus Christ; we are united to Him, and we
cannot run with the world to sinning. We must live today for God. What a
tremendous truth this is!
B. Have A Patient Attitude Toward The Lost. (1
Peter 4:4-6)
1. Either you
are going to please God or you will please men. (1 Peter 4:4)
(1 Peter 4:4) Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same
excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
And if you are pleasing men, you will
not please God. The Lord Jesus said, “If
the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John
2. The whole
world is going to be judged by the Lord Jesus someday. (1 Peter 4:5)
(1 Peter 4:5) Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and
the dead.
The
Apostle Peter warns unbelievers "they will have to give account
to him who is ready to judge the living and
the dead." Because
God does judge Christians in the world -- He chastens His children -- the
unbeliever had better beware. He is warned that he will come up someday for
judgment.
Note: Life is short; time is fleeting, and we must
recognize that we are going to come before Him for judgment before long.
Only
one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Author
Unknown
3. Because of
coming judgment, the gospel was preached. (1 Peter 4:6)
(1 Peter 4:6) For
for this cause was the gospel preached also to them
that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but
live according to God in the spirit.
Peter is saying that the gospel is
being preached, and when the gospel is being preached, two things happen. (1) Some accept it, and if they accept it,
they are going to live for God and live throughout eternity
(2) Some
reject it, and those who reject the gospel are the men who are dead in sins
and are dead to God throughout eternity; that is, they have no relation to God
the Father or Jesus Christ whatsoever.
Note: Do not be controlled by the past. People who
have been born again through faith in Christ
should not allow the old life to control them. The past has been buried,
and they are new creatures in Christ. Furthermore, life is too short to waste
it on godless living, especially when you realize that one day we will all
stand before God.
II. REFLECT GOD’S GRACE IN LOVING SERVICE TO
OTHERS. (1 Peter 4:7-11)
A.
Have An Expectant Attitude Concerning Christ’s Return. (1 Peter 4:7)
(1 Peter 4:7) But the end of all things is at hand: be ye
therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1. Paul said
it.
“But the end of all things is at
hand.” That has been true since the day the Lord Jesus went back to heaven.
Paul could say that the coming of Christ was imminent: “Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ” (Titus 2:13).
2. Peter said
it.
Peter says, “The end of all things is at
hand.” God is going to bring this world to a standstill one of these days while
He judges it.
Jesus Christ will take His own out of
the world, and there will be a lot of things to straighten up in the lives of
believers. They will go before the judgment seat of Christ, not regarding
salvation but regarding rewards,
regarding the life which they have lived for God. This is another reason we
should live for God — WE are coming up for judgment!
B.
Have A Fervent Attitude Toward Other Christians. (1 Peter 4:8-9)
1. Show real
love. (1 Peter 4:8)
(1 Peter 4:8) And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for
charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Note:
The essence of “agape love” is
self-sacrifice. It is God-given love.
“Agape love” covers sins not in the sense of winning forgiveness for
them, but in that our love for others keeps us from either broadcasting other’s
faults, or being so angry with others that we refuse to accept or forgive them.
2.
Show real
warmth. (1 Peter 4:9)
(1 Peter 4:9) Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
a. “Use hospitality.”
Always be
ready to divide your bread with the hungry, and to help the stranger. See
Hebrews 13:2: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
b. “Without grudging.”
This means
“without grumblings.” Do nothing
merely because it is commanded, but do it from love to God and man; do it for Jesus’ sake! Then it will be
without grumbling.
C.
Have A Faithful Use Of Your Spiritual Gifts. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
1. Every born
again believer should use whatever gift he has received. (1 Peter 4:10)
(1 Peter 4:10) As every man hath received the gift, even so minister
the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
“The
gift”
means a particular spiritual gift, and there are many gifts. I do not know what
your gift is, but I do know that if you are a child of God, you have some gift
and you are to be using it in serving one another.
2. Every
preacher/teacher should be speaking the Word of God. (1 Peter 4:11a)
(1 Peter 4:11a) If
any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth:
that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
If a preacher or teacher is not
speaking the Word of God, he is not truly preaching or teaching. They should
not say that they are preaching or teaching the Bible when they are not really
doing it.
3. Every
preacher/teacher should serve as God has given him the ability. (1 Peter 4:11b)
(1 Peter 4:11b) If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let
him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
In other words, here is one man who
teaches the Bible one way and another who teaches it another way, and you say,
“I like this one, and I do not like the other.” Well, the other man’s method
may appeal to someone to whom your man does not appeal. We should let each one
minister “as of the ability which God
giveth.”
4. Every preacher/teacher
should speak in such a way that God will get the glory. (1 Peter 4:11c)
(1 Peter 4:11c) If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God
giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
The Apostle Peter says that we are to speak
the Word of God in such a way that God may get glory through Jesus Christ. We
must remember that we are nothing without Jesus Christ; He is everything! So
let’s honor the Lord Jesus.
True Service
·
Self-righteous
service comes through human effort. True service comes from a relationship with
the divine Other deep inside.
·
Self-righteous
service is impressed with the "big deal." True service finds it
almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service.
·
Self-righteous
service requires external rewards. True service rests contented in hiddenness.
·
Self-righteous
service is highly concerned about results. True service is free of the need to
calculate results.
·
Self-righteous
service picks and chooses whom to serve. True service is indiscriminate in its
ministry.
·
Self-righteous
service is affected by moods and whims. True service ministers simply and
faithfully because there is a need.
·
Self-righteous
service is temporary; true service is a life-style.
·
Self-righteous
service is without sensitivity. It insists on meeting the need even when to do so
would be destructive. True service can withhold the service as freely as
perform it.
·
Self-righteous
service fractures community. True service, on the other hand, builds community.
Adapted from
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline,
"The Discipline of Service."
CONCLUSION: Be serious
about the present. No matter how difficult life may be, there is a job to do;
and we must be faithful. Take time to pray. Show love to the saints. Use your
gifts and talents to serve others. Share your faith with others. The Lord who
gave you the ability will also give you the strength to use it for His glory.
THOUGHT
TO REMEMBER: “Jesus gave His all to save us – we are to give our
all to serve Him.”
* * *
REFERENCES:
References used in the Bible study are the King James Bible (KJV), the Scofield
Study Bible, the Believer’s Bible Commentary, Charles J. Woodbridge Bible
Outlines, Lee Roberson’s Sermons, Don Robinson’s Bible Outlines, Women’s Study
Bible, The Bible Reader’s Companion Ed. 3, The Nelson Study Bible: New King
James Version, KJV Bible Commentary, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee,
Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the New Testament ed. 4, Cliff Robinson’s
Bible Outlines, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the Old Testament, With the
Word Bible Commentary, Wiersbe’s “Be” Series: Old & New Testaments,
selected illustrations, and other references.
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