It's going to get hard toward the end of this age to be a Christian.

The stresses on the world are going to be great and prayer becomes so urgent that we be vigilant,

that we not be swept away in this dissipation and drunkenness and the worries and the cares of life

so that we are blind to him when he comes and are not able to

stand before the son of man.

How should the coming end of this age inform how we live?

In this episode of Light and Truth,

John Piper turns to 1st Peter 4, 7 to 11 to demonstrate how the anticipation of Christ's

return should affect our actions today.

This sermon was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on

October 16th, 1994.

Let's talk first about verse 7. The end of all things is at hand. He wrote this about 63, 4, 5 a.D. The end of all things is in hand. What does he mean by that?

Here's the clue that I took and followed. In verse 7, it says after the end is at hand, it says, therefore be of sound judgment and sober

spirit for the purpose of prayer.

Now when I read that, I I've heard this before the connection

between the end and earnest vigilant prayer in view of the end. Where have I heard this before? And I've heard it from Jesus. So I'm going to invite you to turn to this chapter with me if you want to follow me. Luke 21. The Gospel of Luke, chapter 21. I'll show you where I think Peter got this idea

of connecting the nearness of the end with vigilant prayer to keep us from being swept

away in the pressures and tensions of the last days.

21 verse 36. This whole chapter has to do with the signs leading up to the end.

But he comes near the end of the chapter and he says, but keep on the alert at all times praying in order that you may have strength.

I don't think the NIV may be able, it gets it right.

It is strength. The verb is not just be able to do something like we used to be able to, but have

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