The Best is Yet to Come
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1 Peter 1:3-9
1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
—> What’s the best gift you have ever recieved?
—> Did you know it would be that significant at the time?
—> Do you still have it?
—> Last week was Easter and we rejoiced because Jesus Christ is no longer in the tomb and he proved that he is who he says he is making salvation through faith in him a reality for us.
—> We have recieved that salvation through the free gift of grace. The church answer to my first question is… grace or salvation or God’s love being the greatest gift we have ever gotten, because that’s what it is a gift. An unearned gift given to us by God who loves us.
—> Its not just a gift however our author calls it an “inheritance”.
The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 6: Hebrews–Revelation 1. Christ’s Resurrection Assures Our Inheritance (1:3–5)
Peter contrasts the old inheritance with the inheritance of Christians. The word for inheritance is klēronomia “which is regularly used in the Greek Old Testament for the inheritance of Canaan, the Promised Land.” But Peter’s readers, especially any who were Jews, had “already resigned their part in Israel’s earthly inheritance” and “this thought of a sure inheritance would give them comfort and balance.”32 It cannot be corrupted as the earth was in the days of Noah, nor defiled as Canaan was by abominations, nor as the Temple was by the heathen, nor do its flowers or fruits fade.
Peter uses the Greek word Klee - roh - no - mia which is the same word used in the old testament for the promise land of Canaan.
—> His jewish audience would know this and that what makes the next part so important.
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
—> This inheritance unlike an earthly one even as great as the promised land can’t be corrupted. It didn’t take long for the promised goodness of Canaan to become defiled and less than what it was intended to be because of the unfaithfulness of the people of God. It was squandered.
—> Peter says of this new inheritance that it is
imperishable
undefiled
unfading
kept in heaven for us
—> Our inheritance is waiting for us and it is a gift that we have already been given and can choose whether to accept it or not. Its ours for the taking.
—> The best part of this gift is that unlike gifts of this world our eternal heavenly inheritance will never lose value. Its said once you drive a new car off the lot it instantly loses between $5K-$10K in value. We could talk about the lack of quality in today's products compared to things made years ago. Things just don’t last but this gift. The gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life does and it is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
—> But then just like on the Price is Right, Peter says there’s more… (for you…)
who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
—> not only do we get the inheritance in heaven but we are being protected by God’s Power now!!!
—> God wants us to have the inheritance so much God is even protecting us now.
—> I originally read this to thing that God was protecting the inheritance keeping is safe and such but then I kept reading it, and reading it, and reading it, and its not the inheritance God is protecting but those that will inherit it, us.
—> He wants to keep us safe so that we can enjoy it with Him.
—> We are left this morning of the reality of our current situation
In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
—> an acknowledgement that even in trials we can rejoice because of the assurance provided us by our faith, and that these trials are temporary, they will only be for a little while, and not only that but we are already beginning to reap the rewards of our faith, yet the full inheritance is still to come.
—> God is with us now and forever. These are the promises God made that were confirmed at the resurrection and it is up to us to remember them, hold on to them, and live them out and sometimes we need a reminder...
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