Anticipating Pentecost

May 20, 1990

Text: 1 Peter 4:7-19 "The end of all things is at hand... be sober and watch unto prayer..."

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 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.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or [as] a thief, or [as] an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. —-

Peter is the writer— the 'preacher' here in this text passage. I cannot help but think that Peter had in mind the greatest prayer meeting he had ever been in when he told his church "Be sober and watch unto prayer!" He remembered when the Master had told him: "Things will never be the same again! But if you'll watch in prayer, I will come to you!" Peter was thinking of the great prayer meeting that anticipated the first Pentecost of the Church.

Since His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus had been with the disciples- but not all the time. Beginning with His appearacnce to Mary in the garden and the two on the Road to Emmaus, these weeks had been a wonderful and yet solemn "mystery time" when Jesus was teaching his disciples how they really had to know Him by faith.

Sometimes I wonder if Jesus was not "commuting" during this time. He was seen of those whose faith received Him. Above 500 people at once had seen the Lord.

But now He took His beloved disciples to a hill overlooking the magnificent temple Herod had built. Below was the 'eastern gate' that He had entered on His trimphal entry seven weeks before. He blessed them, and He told them He was now going to leave them, but then He said to them: (beginning at Luke 24: 49)

"Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

[THE TEN DAY PRAYER MEETING WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN]

I. 'THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND'

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer..."

  1. HOW NEAR IS THE END? "(v 7) The END of all things is at hand"
    1. In the days immediately after His Passion Jesus had predicted drastic things ahead for Jerusalem- certainly things were not going to be the same as they were — and as a matter of fact Jerusalem would 'cease to exist' as the Jewish capital in less than 40 years! Jesus had GONE, but He had gone with a COMMISSION and with a PROMISE, an enabling promise that Peter had experienced. He wanted everyone that he knew to experience that same enabling.

      So here is Peter, in later years, echoing the warning: "The end of all things is at hand! Watch unto prayer!" How is this relevent today, in 1990?

    2. How can we say "The end is at hand!"? For us here and now? Isn't it only the fanatics and cranks go around saying "The end is near!"??

      In every age Christians need to ponder the transcience of all of life. Nothing stands still. Every relationship moves, and becomes either better or worse. But perhaps this has special meaning in this day of ours.

      If we don't have cancer, and if we have a little money in the bank to tide us over.. we forget that life is transcient. "AIDS" doesn't raise the mortality rate one percentage point! Wars do not finally mean that more people die than if there were no wars! NOT ONE OF US IS GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE! [Well, one day there will be a generation that does!]

      Yes, we're in this race for the long haul! Yes, we need to find God's abiding peace. But we need a sense of urgency, along with the peace that passes understanding!

  2. Every generation faces the same situation: we are on the one-way road to eternity. The end of many things is looking us in the face. It is not easy to know who is and who is not... values have been turned upside down ... frightening forces in innocent disguise are enough to make us all paranoid.

II. OUR FAITH WILL BE TESTED

(v 12) "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you..."

  1. For some of our brothers and sisters throughout the world today this trial takes the form of physical intimidation, hunger, poverty. Mozambique, Central America, China, Albania— it takes stand-out courage to take a Christian stand there.
  2. But it may be that our testing is the hardest of all! Slowly, bit-by-bit, our values are eroded, our sacred commitments are questioned, our courage challenged in little increments. It is never easy to be loyal to God! It is often lonely!

III. OUR GOD IS ABLE TO KEEP US, AND TO CHANGE OUR WORLD THROUGH US

(v 19) "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."

  1. WATCH UNTO PRAYER: Peter is here saying: Keep in mind the assignment— the purpose for which we are here at in the first place. Prayer is reaching out to God to receive His good promises.
  2. RECONCILE OUR HEARTS! (vv 8,9) "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

    This was the first lesson of the ten-day prayer meeting! "ABOVE ALL!" WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER! LOVE! HOSPITALITY!

  3. CLEAR THE DECKS! Use all the means of grace! For all our great light and blessings WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE! (v 17) "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?
  4. THE "ANSWER" THE DISCIPLES RECEIVED is the same one JOB received: the PRESENCE— and that Presence is here, now— in the sacrament of communion:

Conclusion:

Imagine with me the state of mind, the thoughts, the expectations of the disciples in that period between the time that Jesus went away and the Holy Spirit came to them with assurance and power! It was a heart-searching time between Ascension and Pentecost:

  1. there was an expectancy
  2. there was a seeking after unity
  3. there was a commitment not to stop seeking until the Promise came! Whatever the cost, the disciples were going to pray and obey until God came!

Will you take a few moments of quit to think and pray with me?

Are YOU willing to be that kind of Christian? [Seems rather 'fanatic" somehow, doesn't it?] Think with me...are there sins? Confess them. Are there fears? Name them. Are there unsurrendered areas? Give them. Are there weaknesses? God wants them, too. Are there talents? Give them to God? Are there relationships? Make them subject to the Master Relationship!

Write— perhaps on a card in the pew rack— your surrender. Transfer it to a piece of money, symbolizing life. Even a penny will do. If you don't have money, just use a piece of paper.

Now, as you come to receive communion, first place your offering— of the good and the bad and the day-by-day on the collection plate, then come, receive the elements. It is NOT in payment— it is a matter of emptying your hands—to receive God's Promise.

Jesus said:

#75(EH) Jesus, My Strength, My Hope