"A Formidable Foe, But a Faithful Friend" - 1 Peter 5:8-9 (Larry Malament)

Sermon Quotes:

Edmond Hiebert: “Christians should not merely keep themselves awake but be alert, giving constant attention to approaching danger.  Peter personally knew its importance, having tragically failed in the garden of Gethsemane. Casting our anxiety upon God does not absolve us of the duty of personal vigilance. Worry is condemned, watchfulness is demanded.”

Thomas Schreiner: “The devil roars like a lion to induce fear in the people of God. In other words, persecution is the roar by which he tries to intimidate believers in the hope that they will capitulate at the prospect of suffering. If believers deny their faith, then the devil has devoured them, bringing them back into his fold. The contrast between God and the devil is quite striking. God tenderly cares for his children (5:6-7), inviting them to bring their worries to him so he can sustain them. God promises to protect his flock in all their distress. Conversely, the devil’s aim is not to comfort but to terrify believers. He does not want to deliver them from fear but to devour their faith. Peter warned believers to be vigilant. The roaring of the devil is the crazed anger of a defeated enemy, and if they do not fear his ferocious bark, they will never be consumed by his bite.”

Sinclair Ferguson: “Satan cannot ultimately destroy a Christian believer, but he is able to destroy our assurance, our joy, and our pleasure in the gospel, so we need to find in the grace of God a defense against those fiery darts of the evil one. The most sinister thoughts Satan insinuates into our minds are not enticements to sin, but suspicions about God himself. He seeks to distort our view of God, and our understanding of his gracious character. Satan’s plan is to blind us to God’s grace, and to dismantle our trust in him, crushing our love for him, and destroying all pleasures of grace.”