Dave Gudgel - July 22, 2018
From This Day Forward - 1 Peter 4:1-7
Commitments of any kind are only as good as what happens after the commitment is made. Will the commitment stick? Is it worth the effort? Was it just a nice idea or could it actually become reality?
We’ve all made commitments of many kinds: to a marriage, or a diet, or a new job, or a friend. “You can count on me,” we pledge. “Things are going to be different from here on out,” we vow.
Of all the commitments a person could make, the one we’re looking at today is a big one. In fact, it’s one of the most important commitments a person can make in this present life. One that has “for better or worse” written all over it. It’s a commitment that God not only wants each of us to make, but also to follow through on!
From Series: "Between 2 Worlds"
This Week's Sermon: "Peter’s Closing Briefing"
brief·ing ˈbrēfiNG noun - a meeting for giving information or instructions.
Most of us love briefings because they are usually short and to the point. It's not a time for a lot of chit chat. Important information is shared, and then you're done. It's time to go get to work.
As parents we often give briefings to our kids before they're ready to head out the door. It's dangerous out there and we want them to be safe. We want them to make good choices. So we figure another short reminder can’t hurt. Which is why we say things like: “Be careful” or “Don't talk to strangers” or “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
This Sunday we complete our study through the book of 1 Peter. But not without a final briefing from Peter that could make the difference in whether we will win or lose the war we are in. You know that we are in a war, right? Danger is all around us in this fallen world, and we need to be battle ready. Peter’s closing words will help us do that.
