Armed and Ready
Robert Dawson
1 Peter 4:1-6
Before and during the time of the American Revolution there was a small band of soldiers in most every town, a hand-picked elite force, required to be highly mobile and able to assemble quickly. They were called the Minutemen. The Minutemen were the first armed militia to arrive or await a battle. These men were to be dressed and ready for battle within half an hour of being summoned. They were to be armed and ready.
Here, in the first verse of chapter 4, Peter issues a call to arms for every believer. He says, ‘‘Arm yourselves.’’
With that language Peter alters the imagery, or rather brings into focus the imagery, he has been using to describe our life on earth as believers. We are not merely sojourners, travelers, making our way home through a foreign land. We are not tourists on a sight-seeing adventure. We are soldiers making our way through enemy territory and we should be prepared to defend ourselves against any effort or attack to push us off course and derail our mission of living for the glory of our great God.
Not every leg of our journey will be fraught with intense battles, but we should always be armed and ready knowing there are enemies, like old sinful patterns and desires, the spirit of this age, the ungodly philosophies that govern today, as well as the satan, that want to capture our minds, dull our spirits, blunt our Gospel witness and disrupt what God is doing in and through us.
Knowing this, Peter says, ‘‘Arm yourselves.’’ He has already told us to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us whenever anyone asks. Be ready to give an answer to those who want to know why we live, believe, and hope differently.
Peter also wants us to arm ourselves with the right attitude and outlook so that we can persevere and succeed in our mission. Attitude and outlook are important. They can determine outcome.
I love baseball. I have ever since I was a little guy. Now, just bec ...
Robert Dawson
1 Peter 4:1-6
Before and during the time of the American Revolution there was a small band of soldiers in most every town, a hand-picked elite force, required to be highly mobile and able to assemble quickly. They were called the Minutemen. The Minutemen were the first armed militia to arrive or await a battle. These men were to be dressed and ready for battle within half an hour of being summoned. They were to be armed and ready.
Here, in the first verse of chapter 4, Peter issues a call to arms for every believer. He says, ‘‘Arm yourselves.’’
With that language Peter alters the imagery, or rather brings into focus the imagery, he has been using to describe our life on earth as believers. We are not merely sojourners, travelers, making our way home through a foreign land. We are not tourists on a sight-seeing adventure. We are soldiers making our way through enemy territory and we should be prepared to defend ourselves against any effort or attack to push us off course and derail our mission of living for the glory of our great God.
Not every leg of our journey will be fraught with intense battles, but we should always be armed and ready knowing there are enemies, like old sinful patterns and desires, the spirit of this age, the ungodly philosophies that govern today, as well as the satan, that want to capture our minds, dull our spirits, blunt our Gospel witness and disrupt what God is doing in and through us.
Knowing this, Peter says, ‘‘Arm yourselves.’’ He has already told us to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us whenever anyone asks. Be ready to give an answer to those who want to know why we live, believe, and hope differently.
Peter also wants us to arm ourselves with the right attitude and outlook so that we can persevere and succeed in our mission. Attitude and outlook are important. They can determine outcome.
I love baseball. I have ever since I was a little guy. Now, just bec ...
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