This is a rush transcript.

[00:00:01] I love studying the Bible with all of you.

[00:00:03] Let's open our Bibles right now to first Peter, Chapter four verses one to six. That's going to be our text together here this morning if we're having rolling blackouts in the state of California. If it's that hot, then this is going to be one sweaty Bible study here this morning, everybody. You have the Bible enough to get some sweat. Go on here today. Everybody all right. Well, let's get into it together first, Peter. Chapter four versus one to six is going to be our text. This is going to conclude. Ah, why you need Jesus series here together and it's going to conclude it in a powerful way. And as you're able to find this text is on page 1016. If you got one of our books, I'm going to invite everyone to stand up as we read the scripture together here this morning. And I want to remind you that this is the word of God, and you should give this your full and undivided attention. This has the power to transform your life. First, Peter, Chapter four versus one to six. Since therefore, Christ suffered in the flesh. Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. For whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for a human passions, but for the will of God for the time that his past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness or drinking parties and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you. But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

[00:01:51] For this is why the Gospel was preached even to those who are dead. That, though, judged in the flesh the way people are. They might live in the spirit the way God does. That's the reading of his word. Please go ahead and have your seat. And we've been studying First Peter together now for a while because it's written to people who are scattered. And that's how we were, especially when we began this book. And it's talked about submission has been one of the major themes, submission to authorities that you might be tough to respect. And now suffering has really become the emphasis of the book. And look at chapter four, verse one. It's saying, since therefore Christ suffered and we've been learning about the suffering of Christ, remember? Well, if you were here last week, we took communion thinking about the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Look back at chapter three, verse 18, where it said, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God. The only way that unrighteous sinners like us can have a relationship with a holy God is through the suffering of Jesus. And this is what Jesus said when he was here on Earth. He said to his disciples over and over again that he was going to suffer and he was going to be arrested and accused and beaten and betrayed. And the religious leaders, they were going to end up killing him. And then on the third day, he would rise from the dead. I remember when Peter was saying, that's not going to happen to you. And Jesus had to say to Peter, get behind me, Satan, because Peter didn't believe that the Christ was going to suffer. But now here he is writing, though it's so important for every one of us to see how Jesus suffered for us, because if we're going to be a Christian, we're going to have to suffer for Jesus. Go back to chapter two, verse twenty one. Look back at chapter two, verse twenty one. It says four to this. You have been called because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps.

[00:04:01] So Jesus Christ suffered specifically look at verse 24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds. You have been healed.

[00:04:17] So we had a sermon about the silence of the lamb.

[00:04:21] Who so many people reviling him, mocking him and he did not revile in return because he needed to suffer for you. He needed to have wounds so that you could be healed. He needed to die so you could live. Now, if you're a Christian, if you're saying, hey, I want to follow Jesus with my life, well, you've got to think that through. Where did Jesus go with his life? He went to the cross where he died for you. So if you're following Jesus, where are you going?

[00:04:51] You're going straight to suffering.

[00:04:54] So go back to chapter four, verse one, and you can see he's been teaching us that Jesus suffered and now today he's making a specific application to all of us since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh.

[00:05:08] Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking.

[00:05:12] Arm yourselves with this thought that you also are going to suffer in the flesh.

[00:05:19] I don't know what you were thinking when you signed up to be a Christian, but what you signed up for is suffering. That's what it's saying here. And you've got to arm yourself.

[00:05:31] This is the same idea like in Ephesians six, where it says, put on your spiritual armor. You've got to arm yourself. You got to get ready. You've got to prepare yourself because you are going to suffer. Look at chapter four, verse 12, where it's going to say the same idea again later on in this chapter. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. Look at this. Rejoice in so far as you share. Cry sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. Point number one. If you're taking notes, let's get it down like this. Point number one. Don't be surprised by suffering. Don't be surprised by suffering. In fact, if that's not something you're anticipating, if that's not something you're prepared for. We need to rethink our expectations. This is one of the big problems that people have when they start a new relationship is what are their expectations for how this relationship is going to work out? Well, if you're having a relationship with God through his son, Jesus Christ, one of the expectations of that relationship is you're going to suffer in the same way. Jesus suffered. Go with me the second Timothy Chapter three, it's just a few pages over to the left here. Second Timothy, Chapter three versus twelve and thirteen. This is on page nine hundred and ninety six. Twenty pages back if you got one of our Bibles. Second, Timothy, three, 12 and 13.

[00:07:11] This is a promise in scripture that not a lot of people quote, not a lot of people make a cross stitch of this and put it up on the wall of their house. All right. This is not a very insta Gramble verse here, if you know what I mean. But it is a promise. It says indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be what?

[00:07:36] What does it say there? We will be what?

[00:07:39] Every single one of us. If you want to live godly. You're going to be persecuted. And then it throws this level of encouragement on their same sentence. Verse 13, while evil people, the world system of evil and impostors, fake Christians and hypocrites in the church will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. If you want to live godly in Christ Jesus, you're going to experience opposition from evil people and hypocrites.

[00:08:12] You're going to experience the same kind of hatred from the world, the same kind of mocking and maligning, the same kind of opposition that came against Jesus. Jesus Christ never sinned once in his life. Every single day he did what was right. And yet he was hated. He was beaten. He was executed.

[00:08:33] And you're going to get some of that same energy is what the Bible promises.

[00:08:37] You want to live for Jesus, you should expect to suffer in the same way. Now, I've grown up in the church in America and I've heard that we don't really experience persecution here in the American church. Who's heard that growing up? Who's heard that in your life? That we're not. Raise your hand if you've heard we're not persecuted here in the church in America. And when and praise God that we can have this service openly. We can put it on our Web site. We can invite people.

[00:09:05] And out here outside in the parking lot, we can say, well, that we're here to praise Jesus Christ and no one's going to stop us here in America. That's a good deal. Can I get any man from anybody on that? Can we praise the Lord for that? But to say that we're not going to get persecuted as American Christians is to say that second, Timothy 312 is not true. It's saying that if you want to live God, the in Christ Jesus, you will be persecuted.

[00:09:33] Now, our church, we're meeting outside right now. And but I've been reading reports about churches in China coming off of Corona virus. If you want to open up your church in China, you would have to send your sermon to the government so that the government will approve your sermon.

[00:09:50] So they can't just do whatever they want. They can announce publicly we're going to meet outside and preach whatever they want. No, that that's a level of persecution in communist Muslim countries where it's like illegal to be a Christian in a lot of places where they're trying to drive Christianity out of their country. So that's an extreme level of persecution. We don't have we don't have people getting killed, arrested, beaten up for being Christians. But there is a level of persecution that every one of us will experience. The scripture is promising it to you. Go back to first, Peter. And at first Peter's been talking about this for a while. Look at chapter two, verse twelve. First, Peter, and let me just show you this level of suffering that every one of us who's really live in for Jesus will experience. It's a promise. First, Peter to twelve says, when you keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable, they're going to speak against you as evil doers. So when you are living distinct from the world, see, this is the real contrast we're going to see in our text today. There's a godly way to live. And there's a worldly way to live. And you can only live one way or the other. There's this this idea that we have that you can be a kind of a compromised Christian, one foot with God, one foot with the world. That is not real, according to the scripture. If you're a worldly Christian, you are not a Christian at all, is what the Bible is saying. If you're going to be godly, if you're going to have your conduct to be honorable, if you're going to live the new life of Jesus, it's going to be distinct from the people who don't know God and the people who don't know God, because you are the light and they're in the dark because you're alive and they're dead. There's going to be this contrast that's going to create conflict. And they're going to want to say something to you about it. Now they might come and be mean and nasty about it, or it could be an open door for a gospel conversation. But the contrast between how you're living and Jesus and how they're living in the world is going to be so noticeable that it will strike up a conversation. They will want to speak against you. And this theme has continued throughout, Peter. This whole idea, they're going to revile you. Are you going to revile in return? Jesus didn't revile in return. What are you going to do?

[00:12:18] And it and it's been heating up here in chapter three. Look at chapter three, verse 16. Look at what it said, that we need to be conducting ourselves with a good conscience so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior or your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. It doesn't say if you're going to get slandered, if they're going to speak evil against, you know, this level of persecution where people are going to point out, maybe even in a mean and nasty way, that there's something different about you that you don't fit in anymore with the world around you.

[00:12:56] Every one of us who's living godly will experience that kind of suffering, that kind of persecution.

[00:13:04] And that's what he's getting to hear. If you look at first, Peter, chapter four, verse four, it says With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you when you don't sin like the world around you is sinning. They are going to say something about it. You should expect that you should get your armor on. Maybe that's what Corona virus has been is a wakeup call for us that we're a lot softer maybe than we really thought we were. And we need to get armored up.

[00:13:37] We need to get prepared because if we're going to keep living for Jesus, there is going to come opposition. At least people are going to speak against us.

[00:13:49] And this is a clear expectation we should all have if somebody starts saying something bad about you because you're a good goody two shoes and you're not doing what they're doing. You should think to yourself. Yes, I knew this was coming.

[00:14:03] And I've got my armor on for this. I'm ready to suffer. I'm sure that what I'm getting is not anything on the level of what Jesus suffered for me.

[00:14:13] I knew this was coming. That's what we should all be thinking. We shouldn't be like, oh, I can't believe that. That's so offensive. I can't believe they're making fun of me like that. No, you believe it. The Bible is telling you it's coming to you if you're really living godly. Expect persecution. Hey, go to Philippians.

[00:14:30] Chapter one, verse twenty nine, Philippians one twenty nine is another passage that promises this kind of suffering. Philippians one is talking about us getting out there with the good news, us striving side by side for the gospel. We're out there speaking in the name of Jesus and look what it says here Philippians one twenty nine. Look at even how it says it for it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake.

[00:15:06] Like this is something given to you. Like this is a this is a gift. We're just like God enabled you to believe in Jesus to respond to the gospel, just like God saved you. Will part of what the package part of what you get, part of what is granted to you is you don't just get to believe in Jesus. You get to suffer for Jesus. If you're going to follow Jesus, you're signing up for suffering.

[00:15:33] That's what it's saying.

[00:15:34] Look what eight says in verse 30, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

[00:15:43] OK. They killed John the Baptist.

[00:15:45] They killed Jesus. They killed Paul. They're going to kill Peter after he writes first Peter. All of our examples that we're learning from that we're following all got killed.

[00:15:58] And we think they're just going to get along with us.

[00:16:02] We're engaged in the same conflict in a spiritual war between God and the demons who are running the evil system of this world, and we have said we're on God's side. We have claimed the name of Jesus.

[00:16:15] They're going to come after us. It's going to happen to every single one of us.

[00:16:20] That's what it's saying here, we may not have to suffer on the same level of Paul and Peter, but we're engaged in the same conflict.

[00:16:27] We will experience at least a little bit of that suffering.

[00:16:32] This is something I've really been thinking about myself, that I'm why when people oppose what I'm trying to say about Jesus Christ or the way I'm trying to live my life. Why does that bother me? Why am I so soft?

[00:16:45] When Peter's saying, hey, get your armor on everybody. Now, Peter's been trying to encourage these people because he knows they're going through a hard time.

[00:16:53] He knows they're scattered. He's been telling them about hope. He's been encouraging them in their submission. But now in Chapter four, he's saying you got to get tough. It's like a father looking at his son who's growing up and maturing. And he's saying, hey, kid, it's time to start getting tough.

[00:17:10] That's what Peter's saying to these people and look at Philippians, chapter three, verse 10. Hopefully this will encourage you when you are suffering, when people are speaking evil against you. Look what it says here in Philippians three, verse 10 that I may know him.

[00:17:24] I want the whole point of this is I want to have a relationship with Jesus. Why am I willing to suffer? Because Jesus is better. Jesus is worth it. And I want to know Jesus. I want to know him in the power of his resurrection so I can live a new and changed life. And I want to share his sufferings. I want to fellowship with him and his sufferings when people are coming after me because I'm living for Jesus. That's a moment where I might feel further away from people, but closer to Jesus than I've ever felt before. Sometimes it's in your suffering that you're really going to experience intimacy with Jesus because you're going to turn to him and you're going to think this is what he went through for me. And now you're going through it for him. And it's going to unite.

[00:18:09] There's going to be a sharing that you're going to experience between you and Jesus because of his sufferings. That's something Paul says he's experiencing, he wants to know Jesus, and that includes fellowship in suffering. So go back to First Peter chapter for a really encouraging sermon.

[00:18:29] We've started out here in the the sweaty service. Hey, everybody, you think this is rough out here? Sweating a little bit. Just wait till they start target bad about you. This is read realistic. This is something everybody here you might need to adjust your expectations if you've been thinking. I'm not going to get persecuted. It's not really going to come after me.

[00:18:50] You need to change your mind about that here this morning. You need to get some armor on. You need to be ready. And when you are persecuted, I just want to tell you, if somebody speak in evil against you because you're trying to do what is right. Let's get this down under point number one. There's two reasons we are persecuted. Two reasons. We are persecuted that it's mentioned clearly. And first, Peter. And one of them comes in first, Peter, 314.

[00:19:15] Even if you should suffer for righteousness sake. So the first reason is for righteousness sake. Two reasons. You're going to be persecuted. First reason is for righteousness sake. You're trying to do what is right. And people around you, they don't want to do what is right. They want to do what they want to do. There's a real contrast here in first two between human passions and the will of God. You're over here saying, I'm going to live godly. I'm going to try to do what God tells me to do in this book, what God commands me. I'm going to obey. They're over here saying I want to do what I feel like doing. I want to do what looks good to me. And so there's going to be a contrast in when you're trying to do what is right.

[00:19:53] They're going to see you doing what is right. That's going to expose that. They're doing what is wrong and they're going to want to speak against you for righteousness sake because you're doing the right thing. You might suffer for that also. And first, Peter, chapter four, verse 14. It says, if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed for the second reason we're going to be persecuted is for Jesus sake, for righteousness sake and for Jesus sake. This is because you're talking about Jesus you're sharing the gospel with people. You're trying to explain to them his death and resurrection. You're inviting people to church. You're inviting them to these good newsgroups we're doing at the park so they'll hear the gospel. You're speaking up in the name of Jesus. You're acknowledging him before men. And they want you to be so quiet. They want you to silence you with your Jesus speaking.

[00:20:44] And so they insult you because you're talking about Jesus.

[00:20:48] These are the two reasons we're going to get persecuted, according to first Peter, and he's saying, hey, you got to be ready for it. And what it shows that test when people come against you and they speak evil and you're willing to suffer. That shows that it's more important that to you to keep living for Jesus than to go back and get back into your old sin. That's like a test when you're willing to suffer and keep on going. Keep on obeying. Keep on doing what is right. I'm not going to get quiet about Jesus. I'm going to turn the volume up on Jesus. I'm going to keep going. See, that shows there's been a real change in your life.

[00:21:25] You really do have a new way of conduct.

[00:21:28] You really do know Jesus, because when the world's coming against you, you're not backing down. You're not compromising. You're sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

[00:21:38] That's real Christianity. That's what he's saying here.

[00:21:43] He says, hey, we got to live the rest of our life. Look at first, too. We got to live the rest of the time in the flesh as many more days as you have in your body, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. Verse three, for the time that is passed, suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do.

[00:22:01] From this day forward, you got to spend the rest of your life doing God's will. Stop wasting your time. Stop wasting your life on human passions. How many years was it before God saved you? How many years of your life did you waste on your own sin before you met Jesus? Yeah. You already spent enough time on that. Put that behind you. Stop living for for what you want in the worldly way. Stop that. That we've already spent enough time on that.

[00:22:33] He's saying. And you look and then look at this list, this is an intense list of sins for us to talk about here on a Sunday morning here.

[00:22:44] He says, hey, here's what the gentiles want to do. Here's what people who don't know God want to do. They want to live in sensuality and passions. Later, it mentions orgies. There we're talking about sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is one of the main driving forces of life in America right now. It is all about sexual freedoms, sexual rights, sexual expression. I mean, it's just this is the whole direction our nation is going right now. And if you're saying, hey, I don't want to live in those human passions, I want to live according to the will of God. I want to follow his plan for human sexuality, one man, one woman in marriage. That's the only context I want to live that way. Well, that's going to be radically different than the world around you.

[00:23:31] That's going to create a contrast, a conflict.

[00:23:34] For example, yesterday, some of you were maybe there yesterday on the front lawn of our church. There were two people, both of them got saved by Jesus here at our church.

[00:23:45] They met each other here at the church and they got married on the front lawn yesterday morning. And everybody. It's awesome. OK, now I also I know another couple that both of them individually get saved at our church.

[00:24:00] They meet one another here. Or maybe they already even knew one another, but they both get saved here. Now they're going to get married. Their wedding's coming up in a few weeks. First of all, praise the Lord that that's happened and people are getting saved. God's joining them together. It's so encouraging to see. And these people, it is this guy, our brother in Christ, he's at his workplace and he's telling people he's excited, he's engaged, he's going to get married.

[00:24:25] And all of a sudden the people that he works with are like, wait a minute, you're going to get married and you guys don't even live together yet. And they look at him like you're crazy, man. Like, how do you know that's going to work out? Like, why?

[00:24:39] Like, wait a minute, you already know you're going to get married and you're not even living together. This is what America's thinking versus what Christians are thinking.

[00:24:47] OK.

[00:24:48] It's totally normal right now in Huntington Beach, in all the cities around here, for two people to just start living together, even if they're not married. That's what that's what a lot of people are doing. That's a kind of sensuality that's driving people's thinking, and then you go and you say, yeah, I'm not going to do that. That's not God's will for my life. I'm going to live according to what he says in the word. People are going to be like some people. They're going to be mean and nasty about it.

[00:25:13] Other people, they're going to be like, wow, you're doing that. That's really cool. I wish I'd done that before I was married. It's going to lead to all kinds of responses, but it's going to provoke some conversation. Notice what it says here. Look at how it talks about drunkenness and drinking parties.

[00:25:28] So this is a major factor in a lot of people's lives that they want to have. Have some drink themselves or they want to get together with other people for the purpose of drinking. And I'm talking about under the influence of alcohol. Totally drunk. That's their goal. That's what they did last night. On Saturday night. That's why they're not here with us at the eight o'clock service on Sunday morning. That's what they want to do. And we're here saying, I don't want to be under the influence of alcohol. I want to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit in my life. And I want him to influence how I'm going to live. Today, we're saying something radically different. And the world's going to be like, why don't you come over and hang out with us like you used to? Why don't you come over in the backyard? We're going to get together. We're going to have some drinks. Why won't you come and hang out with us? We're having a drinking party. What's your problem? That you don't want to be there?

[00:26:20] They're not going to like it that you're not okay with what they're doing. That's what that's what he's saying here, he's drawn the contrast. Look at this phrase, lawless idolatry. You need to underline that. You need to think about that. What does that look like in America? Lawless idolatry? Because we're not ballin down to statues. We don't have temples down the street. So we kind of we kind of I don't know what that means, Lawlis, idolatry. It's a way of thinking. It's a false way of thinking where you put something else is more important than God. And because that thing is so important to you, because it's an idol in your heart that you want to give your life to, that you want to worship and respond to with that kind of devotion, because you think this way about this thing, it's OK for you to break God's law. It's OK for you to do whatever you want because you have this way of thinking. Now, once you start taking the statues and the temples out of it and you just think, are there ways in today in America that people think that basically permit them to do whatever they want? Yeah. OK. We got a lot of lawless idolatry.

[00:27:24] We've got a lot of things that people think. Justify any kind of behavior. They're OK with because that idol allows them to live in a different world than the world that we actually live in the world created by God, the world that God says this is how we live. No. Well, because I think this way I can now do whatever I want.

[00:27:46] And he's saying we've we've already wasted enough of our life live in that way. And we got to stop live in that way, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God, verse four.

[00:27:57] With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you. So this we're now into the whole contrast here. They're they're they're looking at you like you're a stranger. They're looking like at you. Like you don't fit in. Like you don't belong. Like you're from another place, another time. They're looking at you like what's wrong with you? And it's strange to them.

[00:28:23] And they're going to say something to you about it.

[00:28:26] This is the way that every single one of us are called to live. Point number two, let's get it down like this and make others surprised by not sinning, make others surprised by not sinning. That's what he's saying should be true about the reason we're going to have suffering. And we shouldn't be surprised that there's going to be suffering is because we're making other people's surprise that we're not sinning with them. And so that's what Peter's saying should be happening in all of our lives.

[00:28:56] And he's drawing a contrast here. If we're going to live godly, if you're living now to do what pleases God and accomplish the will of God, you're not living anymore for yourself, but you're living for him. That's going to be such a contrast to people who are living worldly, to people who are living in the desires of the flesh. And this is what we need to see clearly. You either are godly as you sit here today or you're worldly as you sit here today. There is no middle ground. You're either on God's side or Satan's side, the world side.

[00:29:29] There's no Switzerland on this one. There's no neutral territory. There's no kind of like, can we just be in between? No. Go to first, John. Chapter two, just a few pages over to the right first, John. Chapter two, verse fifteen. It's going to make it very clear. Do not love the world or the things in the world. Hey, you already were a part of the world before you were a Christian. Enough of that. You've wasted enough of your life on that. Don't live the rest of your life like that. Do not love the world. In fact, look at what it says here. This is a definitive statement in First John 215 that we need to take to heart and hear right now. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him.

[00:30:21] It is impossible.

[00:30:23] John is saying, to love the world and to love God, if you really love the world, you don't love the father.

[00:30:30] So he's drawn the line in the sand. You are on one side or the other. Let's get more specific. Verse 16 for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the father, but is from the world. Caleb, what do we mean by worldliness? Well, we got a whole list in first beta four. How about these three ideas? The lust of the flesh, doing what feels good, doing what my body wants to do. The last of the eyes. Doing what looks good. Going after things that seem like they're going to be good. As I look at them. And then the pride of life, thinking that I can have my own stuff, thinking that I can kind of live my own way.

[00:31:11] That's what we're talking about here. That is worldliness. And that is what we have been saved out of.

[00:31:18] And if we're going to follow Jesus, if we're going to be godly and do the will of God, there's going to be a huge contrast between those who love God and those who love the world. Which one are you?

[00:31:31] Look what it says here and first, John, chapter two. Look, look at what it says first, John, to the last line here, verse 17. The world is passing away along with its desires. But whoever does, the will of God abides forever.

[00:31:49] So now we we start to get into this perspective, because so far up to this point in the message, up to this point and first, Peter, for it might seem like, wow, this is really tough.

[00:32:00] I got to get ready to suffer and the world's going to come after me. And I've got to just deny myself and tell myself no. While the world's out there doing whatever they want all around me and making fun of me. I mean, I just remember growing up with my dad being a pastor, living in a Christian family. How many times I got made fun of because I hadn't watched the latest movie. Hadn't heard the latest song. Wasn't wearing the coolest clothes like I was so out of touch with the world around me. How much they wanted to mock and make fun of me. I mean, that's what it's saying. And that might sound bad until you get to the fact that the world is perishing and we're going to live forever. Can I get a man from anybody on that? See, once you go to the end of the story, then you realize why we're all signing up for suffering. Then you realize why we want to be set apart and live godly rather than worldly. Because people who live worldly are going to be judged. They are dying. They are perishing apart from God. But people who have been saved out of that by Jesus and are live in a new way.

[00:33:00] We're going to live forever in his presence, experiencing fullness of pleasure and joy at his right hand, forever more. It doesn't make sense in this life, but it makes a lot of sense in eternity.

[00:33:16] And so that's the perspective that you got to have if you're really going to leave the world behind and live for the will of God. You're going to have to be looking at eternity and not on this temporary life.

[00:33:28] Hey, all of that, all the things of the world that looks so good right now. They're all fading away. They're not going to last. But let me tell you what is going to last. The people who are doing the will of God. They're going to endure forever. Go back to first Peter for.

[00:33:41] And look how he hits this so hard here. I mean, this is about to get intense here first, Peter, chapter four, verse five.

[00:33:49] Look what it says here. He says, but they will give a count. Yeah, they might malign you. They might seem like they're against you and they're stronger than you right now. But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Hey. This is all headed towards judgment. And then he says this and we all need to think about this verse six.

[00:34:11] The last verse of our text for this this coming judgment, this fact that the whole world is going to be judged. This is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead. That, though, judged in the flesh the way people are. They might live in the spirit the way God does. Now, the first time you read that the gospel was preached to those who are dead. That might sound a little a little weird. Are we getting back into this idea of Jesus preaching the gospel to people who are already dead to spirits? I mean, this is this like some kind of second chance for people after they've died? I don't think that's what this passage is saying at all. I think it's saying that people had the gospel preached to them when they were alive and now they're dead.

[00:34:56] And now that they're dead, the only thing that really matters about their life in this world is if they have the gospel preached to them and they believe did or not.

[00:35:07] In eternity, all that matters is Jesus Christ in this world. It seems like there's a lot of things that matter. But when you think about the judgment and you think about people who are dead now, the question becomes, did they respond to the gospel of Jesus because their body got judge? The wages of sin is death as we live long enough. If we give enough time, we're all going to die. We're all going to experience the consequence of sin, which is that our body will die. But will our spirit, will our soul be alive with God forever? That's the real question of life.

[00:35:44] And it comes from the gospel being preached to you.

[00:35:48] So all of a sudden, he puts it right there in perspective. Yeah, you're suffering and you're set apart from the world. And they're saying, do all this stuff and you're over here saying, no, you're not going to do it. And you're having a little bit of a hard time because they're against you and they're trying to say, come do this and you're being tempted and you're telling yourself, no, but let's just put it in perspective.

[00:36:07] Judgment is coming and the gospel is the only thing that can save your soul for eternal life.

[00:36:16] See, that makes a lot of sense, I'm so glad I'm with Jesus. I'm so glad I heard about him. I'm so glad I'm believing in him. Yes. I want to leave all that scene behind.

[00:36:23] Yes. I'm willing to suffer because I want my soul to be saved. And after I die, I want to live forever with Jesus. Can I get a man from anybody on that? This is what really matters. He right there in that one line.

[00:36:38] This is why the gospel was preached to those who are dead. This is what really matters.

[00:36:44] Now, I think Corona virus is a wakeup call. Corona virus is not the end of the world. We all praise the Lord that this is not the end of the world. Right. Do you remember it? Does anybody remember when they were saying millions of people were going to die from Corona virus? Who remembers those estimates? Anybody here? That was the only one that I heard that some of us heard that million, man. Are we happy right now that millions of people have not died from Corona virus? Do you realize, though, that there is going to come a time of judgment upon the world? Is anybody here ever read the Book of Revelation? Anybody ever read Revelation before? Millions of people die in like a chapter. Suddenly, dramatically, like a third of the earth's population just died because of this judgment of God. Like it didn't happen right now, millions of people dying. But it's definitely coming. I mean, days of devastation, like we have never seen, like this world has never seen. They are promised in the Bible, there is a judgment that is coming from God on sin.

[00:37:44] And it might be a delayed justice and God might be patient right now because he wants people to get safe today. But don't be deceived. Make no mistake, there is a judgment that is coming and people are going to die in the millions.

[00:38:02] Do you know somebody that if they died, they're not ready? And they need the gospel preached to them. They're on the wrong side right now and they would experience judgment.

[00:38:13] So I think we should be.

[00:38:14] We should praise God about Corona virus not being the time where millions of people have died. But we need to have kind of a reality check. Kind of a wakeup call that that is real thing that's actually going to happen. And wow, if millions of people died, how many of them would be judged by God for their sin and go to hell? How many of them really know Jesus?

[00:38:35] And I've had the gospel preached to them and are saved and they're ready for their soul to live forever. But how many of them all they have after this life, of all their human passions and all of them making fun of Christians, all they have is judgment coming. So during this time, let me give you an update at our church during Corona virus. There are many people at our church who have gotten sick with Cauvin at this point. There are quite a few. And for most of our brothers and sisters who have had Cauvin. It was just like getting sick and they felt a little bad. But then they got better. In fact, some of our brothers and sisters have recovered to the point where they are able to now join us at church.

[00:39:17] They're feeling good. They're not contagious. And they have come and they have gathered with us. Can we praise the Lord for that? Everybody that people at our church are recovering. They're getting better.

[00:39:27] Some of them are here at this service today. Praise the Lord. Do you know that other people, your brothers and sisters at this church, when they got sick with Cauvin. It was bad, sick. It was that kind of sick where you're wondering if you're going to make it or not kind of sick. Now, no one in our church has had to go to the hospital, as far as I know, as has really been to that level, but they've had it bad. And I do know brothers and sisters at our church that at this very moment they are mourning the death of someone they love. A family member, a neighbor. They are mourning someone who was close to them, who meant something to them that they had a relationship with. That person died because of Cauvin.

[00:40:12] And they're grieving the loss of that person, they cared for them. They love them.

[00:40:18] And now they've died. And see, when somebody dies immediately, life gets very simple and everything becomes very clear and your perspective is finally the way that it should be when somebody dies, there's a question that comes to your mind, what happens to them after they die? That's what really matters. That's the only thing that matters about this life, is what happens when I love that person. Was the gospel preached to them before they were dead? Did they repent of their sin and believe in Jesus? Did they see that Jesus died for them?

[00:40:57] And Jesus rose from the dead? And if I trust in him, all my sin will be forgiven. And when I die, I will live. Are they experiencing when they die judgment or Jesus? That's it. The whole story of life right there.

[00:41:13] And when you love someone, when you care for them, when it's personal for you see now you really start thinking about it.

[00:41:22] Was the gospel preached to them?

[00:41:25] This loved one who was dead.

[00:41:29] I want you to I want you to pull out here, your hand out, if you could reach into your goody bag. Everybody, there's a there's an announcement in there. There's a little piece of of news there. And it's called the good news groups.

[00:41:42] OK. I want you to think of someone you know.

[00:41:48] And the question that I want you to ask is, this is a person that I love. Maybe they're a family member.

[00:41:53] A coworker, a neighbor, someone that God has put in my life. That means something to me. Think of that person and ask yourself if they died, would they have judgment or Jesus?

[00:42:04] Have they heard the gospel and responded to the good news?

[00:42:09] If not, they need the gospel preached to them. That's really the only thing that matters about the rest of their life is whether they respond to the gospel or not. And you might be the only person who's going to speak it to them. You might be the one person they know that's a genuine Christian willing to suffer, set apart from the world who would have credibility, authenticity to actually tell them about the way of Jesus saving their soul and changing their life.

[00:42:37] You might be the person who needs to do the preaching before they are dead.

[00:42:42] So we're doing this. We're trying to make this an issue because the gospel is in need. Because death is a reality. Let's get that down. Four point number three, if you're taking notes, the gospel is a need because death is a reality. This is why you need Jesus. You need to make sure that you're godly and not worldly. That you have that confidence that you'll be with Jesus and not judgment. You need to check your own heart in response to our texts today. But then you need to think about. Have they had the gospel preached to them? Because when they're dead, this is why the gospel is preached to them so their spirit could live with God. Yeah, they died in their body because of their sin, but because of their salvation and Jesus their spirit is now with the Lord.

[00:43:31] So we need to evaluate all our relationships. All the people praise God if you know somebody and they're still alive. Praise the Lord they didn't die in Cauvin. Praise the Lord. This isn't the time of judgment. Praise the Lord. There is still an opportunity for them to hear the gospel. And it begs the question, how are they going to hear the gospel before they die?

[00:43:55] Especially because we don't know how long they have left. And the answer that you're going to come to, if you really think about this for a minute, is that I should tell them the good news of Jesus while I have a chance, while there's breath in my body and breath in their body.

[00:44:12] And so we we're doing this and I'm really excited about this, this this. These good news groups, we've got five different locations, six different times on Saturday. And you could reach out to that person. You could say, hey, my church is doing this Bible study in the park. Do you want to come with me? It's about the good news of Jesus. Can't we all hear a little good news right now? Are we tired of the bad news? Oh, he's sick of the fake news. Do you want some genuine good news that could actually be a blessing to you and change your life? Would you like to come to the park with me if they won't come to the park with you? Can you call them? Can you write him a letter? Can you get face to face with him? Can you tell him, hey, I got to share with you something because I think it's so important for you to hear it. You see, we had people, people from our church, they did this, we did the good news groups. Yesterday I was at Central Park at 10 o'clock and two o'clock. And both times people from our church, they brought somebody that they love and you could just feel it. While them where they're walking up. This is my family member and literally one of the people from our church said I want them to be in heaven with me someday. They bring their family member and you can just see the love they have for them.

[00:45:19] And the reason they brought them is they're like, please, will you tell them the good news? Will they listen to the good news? And then after we go through the good news of Jesus, everybody sitting down there in the shade in the park, and now we're talking about what really matters. Now we're talking about death is coming and what's going to happen to your soul when you die. And it's getting real now. Central Park, Huntington Beach.

[00:45:43] And I'm there with this guy from our church, a brother in Christ, and he brought his family member and his family member is telling us about how they saw someone who was dying right in front of them and they were trying to bring this person back. And they're telling us this intense, dramatic story of what they did to try to resuscitate this person and see them not die, but be alive. And then all of a sudden somebody started crying. God, you got to save of God. You've got somebody starts praying dramatically and the person starts breathing again and they come back and you can just feel the tension right. There were hanging between life and death between time and he turned 80. And it just begs the question, it's right there. So I have to say. So if you died, what would happen to you?

[00:46:34] And there's this long pause. There's this moment of time that feels very long.

[00:46:43] Because the person doesn't know what's going to happen to them when they die.

[00:46:49] And it's just like it's so good we're here talking about this, because this is the thing that only thing that really matters in the end is when you are dead. The thing that will matter more than anything about your life was, was the gospel preached to you.

[00:47:05] Did you hear the good news of Jesus? That's all that's got to matter. That will be the difference between judgment.

[00:47:14] And eternal life. And we all know somebody right now that if they got sick with it and they died, we would not just be sad because we would miss them, because we love them. We would be sad because we don't know where their soul would be. And the fact that they're still alive and you're still alive means now is the time to share with them the good news. This is why it's preached to people before they die, because when they die, it's all that matters.

[00:47:46] Who do you know that needs to share the good news? I'm here to tell you the world's going to say bad things about you.

[00:47:53] The world's going to come after you. They're going to they're going to align you, they're going to talk. Look at goody two shoes doing what is right. Look at them talking about Jesus. They're going to have things to say to us about Jesus. Here's the question for us. Who are Christians? Do we have something to say to them about Jesus?

[00:48:09] We got way too many undercover Christians. We got way too many people that are not bold and speaking freely. The good news of Jesus Christ, if you are calling yourself a Christian, but you're not out there preaching the gospel. You need to rethink your priorities in this life. Because all that's going to matter in the end. To the dead. Is that the good news? The gospel was preached to them.

[00:48:35] And now look at that last line there in verse six that they might live in the spirit the way God does everybody term of being. One last passage, Hebrews, chapter nine, verse 27. Let's end with this sobering word and this cross reference right here. This proves that we're not talking about giving people a second chance after they've died. We're not talking about some kind of preaching the gospel to to people who have no body and are just souls. No Hebrews 927 tells us how it works for every single one of us. It says here, page 1006, Hebrews nine 27, just as it is appointed for man to die once. And after that comes judgment.

[00:49:16] I used to work with high school students at the church, and when I was doing high school ministry, there was this phrase that people thought was cool for like a minute, and then they realized what fools they were for Santa.

[00:49:26] It was this phrase YOLO. Anybody remember when the cool kids were saying YOLO y o. Right. You only live what? You only live what? And this was what young people in America were saying as they went to drinking parties. As they engaged in sensuality, as they practiced lawless idolatry, that this is how twisted their thinking all around us is, is I only live once, so I might as well sin as much as I possibly can. Basically, I only live once, so let's make judgment day as bad as it can possibly be.

[00:49:58] Do you realize how how demonic, how twisted, how warped that thinking is? You only live once and then you're judged according to what you have done. That should give us all a sense of the fear of the Lord and our own hearts that we want to live godly, that we would be willing to suffer even in the name of Jesus. And it should give us a passion to tell other people about.

[00:50:24] About Jesus before the judgment comes like a verse 28. So Christ, having been offered, wants to bear the sins of many. Yeah. He came once suffering. He came once to die. He came wants to save.

[00:50:36] But he will appear a second time not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. It's very clear how the story ends.

[00:50:44] All of us who have faith in Jesus, all of us who are waiting for Jesus, all of us who are suffering and looking to Jesus and following Jesus and sharing life with Jesus, he's going to come and save all of us. But it's also very clear that people who don't have Jesus, there is a judgment coming that is so much more terrible than anything we've experienced. Millions will die in a day.

[00:51:08] That's what's coming to this planet. That's what's coming to the people, you know, to your loved ones if they're not with Jesus. Therefore, judgment. So let's pray, Father, we come to you and God, we just really need you. To impress upon us this ultimate reality. This one thing that truly matters. That when we are dead, the question will be, did we have the gospel preached to us? Did we respond?

[00:51:37] Did we call on the name of Jesus to be saved? Father, we are here to say today it is only in the name of Jesus that any of us can have life after death.

[00:51:48] It is only by the name of Jesus that any of us could have our sins forgiven and we could start living a godly way that we could be set apart from the way of the world, the last of the flesh, the less of the eyes and the pride of life, and that we could have a new life.

[00:52:04] We're we're so into following Jesus. We're even willing to suffer for the name of Jesus. We're willing to suffer for righteousness sake because Jesus Christ has saved our souls.

[00:52:19] As a father, we need the name of Jesus to be lifted high.

[00:52:25] We need it to be known by everyone. We need people to have their eyes open so they could see Jesus. But it's not about getting away with them as much as soon as you can here in this life, because no one's getting away with sin. Judgment is coming. And the only way out of it. Is to believe in the one who already took the judgment for us. Your son, Jesus Christ to his name, needs to be lifted high. It needs to be exalted. So many people can go under his name. Many people can find refuge and forgiveness. They can be saved from the coming judgment because they have salvation in Jesus. So, Father, use this church to live by the name of Jesus. Use our mouths to share the good news. God, let us see many more souls get saved and have the gospel preached.

[00:53:19] And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.