Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Jesus Christ may come at any moment. No, we don't know when he's coming. But the fact of his coming is absolutely certain, and we are to live in this expectation that the end of all things is at hand. Welcome to The Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
When someone offends you, how do you handle it? And when strangers visit your church, do they feel welcomed or invisible? Today, on the verdict, John challenges our selfish hearts with a radical call to authentic hospitality and the kind of love that transforms communities.
So let's join Pastor John Monroe with part two of his message. Living at the end of time. Peter writes, The end of all things is at hand. Have you grasped that we're living at the end of time? Human history is not just going to continue forever.
There's going to be a dramatic change when the kingdom of God comes in power and glory through the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 4 verses 7-9, Peter gives practical instruction as to how we should then live. Our future should impact how we live in the present. Peter is reminding us to be self-controlled, sober-minded, prayerful. How we need to hear this.
So often our Christian lives are casual, self-absorbed, and very much like unbelievers. This message will challenge you and help you to live at the end of time and to look up.
Soon will be in eternity. Let's read the word of God. It's found in First Peter. Chapter four and we're reading Verses seven, eight, and nine. Peter says in 1 Peter 4 verse 7, the end of all things is at hand.
Therefore, Be self-controlled. and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another. Without Grumbling.
First of all, we see That the end of all things is at hand, that Jesus Christ may come at any moment. How should we then live? Let's learn. Peter tells us how our future shapes how we live in the present. Three exhortations.
First of all, He says, be self-controlled. and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Here's the first one. Have a focused mind. Mind.
Secondly, have a virvent love. Verse 8. This is a love which stretches us to the limit. Oh, this is not just a handshake. This is not just a Phony hug, how you doing?
A love which reaches out to our brothers and sisters. Christ. You say that's difficult at times. Yes, it is. You're sometimes difficult to love.
I'm sometimes difficult to love. The love of others is sometimes difficult. Loving others is not always comfortable for us. It stretches us. That's the point.
And says Peter, intriguingly, Keep loving one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. See, this earnest love forgives. and overlooks the faults of others. It covers a multitude of sins. Peter is referring to Proverbs 10, verse 12, where Solomon says that love covers all offenses.
No. He's not talking about covering up sin. He's not talking about whitewashing sin. Or hiding sin, rather. The context is this.
Here is a Christian community.
Well it's very tough going. And now we come as brothers and sisters together. And there is acknowledgement. that we sometimes let one another's down. When we serve and worship together, inevitably there are different perspectives, there are different tensions.
Sometimes we're inconsiderate.
Sometimes we're insensitive.
Sometimes we let people down. But not a perfect church.
Some people here are going to let you down. That's the reality, isn't it? Instead of emphasizing the false and failures of others when you're personally offended. Would you overlook that fault in that brother, that sister? Will you stop gossiping about them?
Yes, they've made a mistake. Do you have to tell the whole church about it? No, there is a love which covers a multitude of sins. This love ends the situation. You ever had a situation where two people don't talk to each other?
And they've been offended. And someone says, Wow, they don't talk to me. Oh, they don't talk to me. They pass me in the gallery and didn't even look at me. Ever that situation?
And uh End there. Stop making everything about yourself. No, this love Which covers a multitude of sins, prevents A downward spiral in relationships. You've been friendly with someone, you've got done well with them, you've served with them here at Calvary, and then something happened. They said the wrong thing.
They didn't meet your expectation. You didn't meet theirs. There there's been a Bit of a separation. No, you're not fighting with each other. But you've kind of ignored each other.
You avoid each other. Don't be like that. The love of God The love that there should be in the Church of Jesus Christ overlooks the faults of others. If you're married, that's a wise thing to do. It's not a wise thing in your marriage.
to bring up every little I order Where your spouse offends you. you're going to have a difficult marriage. You don't need to mention every little petty thing, do you? Love. covers a multitude of sins.
The scripture says Uh Love overcomes evil with good. Even if that brother, even if that sister has really done something bad to you. Don't seek revenge. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. I will repay.
Don't seek revenge. Seek. Reconciliation. You see that love? that Peter's talking about.
We'll build a strong and united marriage. A strong and united community of believers. This love does not Delight in telling. Others About some brothers' failures, or foibles, or shortcomings. No, this love doesn't deny The fact of offences.
There's a time to deal with things directly. But there's also a time. not to expose. the failures of others. Not to condemn them.
Remember, Paul says there's a love. that does not take into account A wrong suffered. Do you know anything about that? This is my brother. This is my sister.
I don't particularly like them. That's true. Don't necessarily have to go on vacation with them. That's true. But I'm to love them earnestly.
This is my brother. This is my sister. The end of all things is at hand. There's brother, there's m sister. May die, the Lord may come.
Our focus is to love one another with this verbent love, having a focused mind. and a verbent love. And there's one more. Verse 9. Have a friendly home.
Is this in my Bible? Yes, it is. We need to hear this one. Show hospitality to one another. Without Grumbling.
That's an overflow of love, isn't it? Be hospitable. to one another. In the New Testament, love is not primarily an emotion, it's an act of the will. John tells us in 1 John.
You're not to love just with words. but with deed and in truth. We've all had someone say to us, I love you, and you go away thinking, Really? Why do they behave like that if they love me? Authentic love is demonstrated.
Proverbs songs about a love which is concealed is absolutely no good at all. Demonstrate your love. Here's one of the practical demonstrations of love to each other. Here's one of the ways in which we can love. One another vervantly, be hospitable.
to one another. This is practical. Authentic Christianity. Paul says, as Christ has received us, receive one another. You ever had the experience I have of going to a church in Um you wondered if horns were coming out of your head?
People ignore you? On occasion, couldn't I have gone to churches like that? I mean, I've experienced more warmth in a morgue. I mean This is the church of Jesus Christ. People love each other and they look at you.
You know, how did you get in here?
Now, I understand some people have got this special gift of hospitality, but this injunction to be hospitable is for everyone. We are to be open-hearted, I realize. God gives us different personalities, and that's reflected in different ways. That's fine, I understand that. In the first century, there were no Hallodeans, there were no Married Adels.
As people traveled, they would stay with the large people in their homes. And individuals who took them into their homes wouldn't necessarily know these people. Technically, hospitality is a love of strangers. Unbelievers love their own. Unbelievers invite their friends and their family into their home.
That's true, but the people of God are to be different. I'm very thankful. My wife, good, and I come from homes Although there were large homes, large families, small homes. But um where our parents practiced hospitality. I grew up with it.
traveling missionaries, friends, people new to the church. It was part of of life. And when we got married, we resolved. our home was going to be open. to others.
Seems to me that were practicing hospitality. Less and less. You say, Well, my life is very busy. I understand that. But I wonder is your life also selfish?
Big difference between a close family and a close family. A close family is good, a close family is not good. Just you and your own, your own little circle. No, this reaches out, this love reaches out to others. I ask you: have you ever invited?
Someone into your home. Not talking about your family. Not talking to your best friends from college. You ever invited someone you don't know really well into your home? Have you ever done that?
When Good and I first moved to the United States, Uh we lived in this apartment. And above us were this couple that we got to know and I remember speaking to the woman at the parking lot and she said, you know, she said, We smell such wonderful smells. coming up from your home, your wife is cooking. And I said, Well, yeah, I in my chauvinistic way is not what wives do. And I I said Don't you cook?
She said, no. She said. We go out. This just blew my mind away, fresh out of Scotland. We go out.
for every male. I said, What? I said, you don't cook. She says, well, I can make popcorn. Yeah.
I said to Goodney, this is America. Granted, that was unusual. They never again went into their home. Never cooked a meal for anyone. living in their own little Bubble.
Here is one way. you can show your love for others. Of course it's stretching. It can be costly in terms of time, in terms of energy, in terms of money. Of course someone can do it much better than you.
Of course you may be taken advantage of, but have a friendly Home. Have a warm heart. Our homes belong to the Lord. And I remind you, everything you have belongs to the Lord. The end of all things is at hand.
So, why would you put your priority on that which is purely material, on that which is soon going to end, rather than investing in people's lives? We're having this vervant love. towards them. In a way which is authentic to you. Incidentally, In the New Testament, the qualification of of hospitality is part of being an elder, is part of being a pastor.
the leaders in the church. As in any other way, are to show the example. in having open homes.
Now notice what Peter says here. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. as boys in our home when My dad loved to invite people at home. We would sometimes grumble, you know. Where were we going to sleep for the night?
Um we didn't always like it. But when we minister to people, when we embrace them. When we show that Christian warmth and authentic Love, it should be without complaining, it should be without grumbling. You say, we may have difficult guests. We've had difficult guests.
We had to One who stayed with us six months, so I said to God, I can't take it anymore. Um And uh I uh organized her. Flight out. Uh finally. Difficult guess, yes that can happen.
Someone said Some people can make you feel at home, others wish you were there. Be hospitable. The ancient rule of St. Benedict is Receive all guests as Christ. I like that.
Remember, the writer of Hebrews says, Hebrews 13, verse 2: Don't neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels. Unawares. Not amazing. You could have an angel. in your home.
Showing hospitality.
Someone you don't know. is a messenger. From God. And I praise God for So many of you have open and friendly homes. When we have the missions week, We have no difficulty.
and getting homes. for our mission is to stay in. I think of those Of you who go to people's homes. Uh with meals. When they're sick.
with our bereavement. For many of you here who reach out to the homeless. Reach out to those in prison. Reach out in innumerable practical ways. to people who are experiencing difficulties.
And you do that in a way which is Authentic. Love in action. Using your resources, your personality, the gifts, the abilities that you have been given. And you. In the spirit of Christ, use all of that.
to love someone else. Fervently. We had our a car cruising yesterday. By the way, I don't own a Lamborghini. I did have the use of it, still have.
It's in the parking lot.
So I had some people say, We're obviously paying you too much. I said, well, you probably are, but The Lamborghini is not mine. Um But as we as we walked around I thought, you know, th this one of the things that impressed me. I love cars. I'm not a car nut.
but I am a car enthusiast.
So I like looking at all the cars. But more than that, And those of you who were there experienced this. There was a wonderful Spirit. I felt the the love of people. We had many people.
On this campus yesterday, I don't know how many, with over 300 registered cars. But there's a lot of people. Who were absolutely new, had never been on their campus before, as I interacted with them, as I spoke with them, many people I didn't know. And a number of them said, And I hadn't thought of this before they said it. Thank you for your hospitality.
They were amazed, they were so thankful. And as they came, they were well cared for, they were welcomed. There was a spirit of warmth and of love. I thought that. Is the kind of church I want to be part of.
where people are warm. But they're not using the resources in a self-indulgent way. but rather for the cause of Christ. Reaching out to others and serving others, not because they have to, not grumbling, not complaining, but doing so in the spirit of Christ. That through this ministry we may, in the grace of God, be able to help someone spiritually.
To restore someone spiritually, to introduce someone to saving faith in Jesus Christ. I think that was. Marvelous. Again, I thank so many of you who were involved yesterday. Is that what we're to do?
to use her home. Uh resources. Yes, our cars. That's the wiggle for some of us. To lend your car.
But we're too. Use All that we have. And the service. of Christ. Newly married couple.
Can you invite someone into your home? Single person. Can you befriend a student? Living away from home. Can you open your heart?
You're home to someone. Can you write perhaps? A younger couple, could you invite an older married couple into your home? You're single? Could you invite?
a family into your home. You say, well, I'm single.
So what? Practice hospitality. Be open-hearted. Reach out to people. Develop relationships with people.
I remember as a student at Edinburgh University, Some of us But Three or four of us. Went to a church on a Wednesday night, did a Bible study there. We went to study the Bible, but we also went because we knew. Then after the Bible study, we'd be invited to someone's home. And the women invariably would cook to us for us.
and as hungry students, we consumed it all. Do you think that helped us keep away from the party scene? Do you think that helped us keeping away from the bars where so many of our fellow students? That was the way they spent their evening. Of course.
It's a spiritual perspective. But here were men and women who were reaching out to students away from home. Inviting them into their home, and in that way, building us up in a ways. of the Lord. Peter is saying the end of all things is at hand.
Jesus Christ is returning. of a spiritual focus. Have a biblical focus, a mind stayed on the Lord. A mind which experiences the peace of God. A mind focused on prayer as we seek God's will for ourselves and others.
A love which is genuine, which is intense, which is vervant, which is stretching for us. Demonstrating that vervent love, that authentic love to others, sharing everything we have. Because we recognize the end of all things as the hand. And it comes from God. This week, surprise someone.
With your love. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and the conclusion of his convicting message: living at the end of time. What a challenge to examine how we really treat others, especially when they've hurt us. In a culture that thrives on exposing faults and broadcasting grievances, covering offenses with love is truly countercultural. Every day could be our last opportunity to demonstrate God's love to someone who desperately needs it.
Is this how you're living? To help you live with this kind of eternal perspective, we want to offer you John's powerful resource for the time is near. This straightforward study of Biblical prophecy will deepen your understanding of Christ's return and motivate you to live each day with the Gospel in mind. when you truly grasp that Jesus could come at any moment. It transforms how you treat difficult people, how you respond to inconvenience, and how you invest your time and resources.
Get your complimentary copy today at theverdict.org. Your support of the verdict enables us to share the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ with believers around the world. Every contribution helps equip listeners with God's word and solid biblical teaching that will help them live with grace, truth, and hope. Will you partner with us today? Make your secure donation at theverdict.org.
Don't forget to subscribe to the Verdict podcast for convenient access to this entire series on 1 Peter. You'll also receive John's weekly Avizandam commentary, where he applies biblical truth to current events. Find us on all major podcast platforms. And now, here's Pastor John Monroe with his closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? Is this not a wonderful way to live? knowing that at any moment our Lord Jesus Christ may return? Yes, as Peter writes, the end of all things is at hand. Today you have an opportunity to share your hope and vervent love to others.
Will you do that? Today you have an opportunity to open your home, your heart, your resources to others. particularly those who are struggling. Will you do that? Spend your time on things that have eternal value.
And as always, keep looking up for the return of our Savior. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
