A Living Hope (2)

Welcome — Turn to 1 Peter Ch. 1

Opening Prayer

--------------------------------

--------------------------------

I. Introduction

Hook: “According to Rosetta Stone’s website there are OVER 7,000 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN here on earth”

(Q) Anyone here fluent in more than one language?

*After taking GREEK and HEBREW courses in SEMINARY, I’m ALMOST FLUENT in ENGLISH

---------

LANGUAGES = INCREDIBLY COMPLEX

MANDARIN CHINESE—MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGE

WRITING W/ BOXES & LINES

4 TONES?

---------

Connection: W/ MYRIAD of UNIQUE LANGUAGES — THEY ALL FALL SHORT

THIS MORNING—WE’LL SEE THERE’S SOMETHING THAT LANGUAGE CAN’T CAPTURE

---------

Transition: BEGIN by READING PASSAGE...

…SEE WHAT APOSTLE PETER SAYS to US TODAY...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 38 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Passage Reading:

1 Peter 1:3–12 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Background/Context:

WRITTEN in 62-63 A.D.

BY PETER to GENTILE BELIEVERS...

…UNDERGOING PERSECUTION/HARDSHIPS

----------

SAME PETER:

FORMER FISHERMAN

DISCIPLE

DENIED JESUS

IMPORTANT: WITNESS of CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

WRITING W/ GOOD NEWS:

REASON to REJOICE in TRIALS

OUR HOME is NOT HERE...

AS HOLY SCRIPTURE—THESE WORDS STAND & APPLY to US TODAY...

----------

Transition: He begins by PRAISING GOD... in VERSE 3:

🐢🐢🐢 --- 35 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

III. Main Point 1: A Living Hope Through Resurrection (v3-5)

Scripture: (1:3A) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Last Wk: COMMAND to REJOICE = NEVER DIVORCED from REASON

SCRIPTURE ALWAYS PRESENTS REASON

----------

Transition: So… WHY is GOD BLESSED/PRAISED…WHEN BELIEVERS = UNDERGOING HARDSHIPS?

----------

Scripture: (1:3B) According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Main Idea: GOD = WORTHY of PRAISE—FOR WHAT HE’S DONE FOR US...

he’s GIVEN US NEW BIRTH

Reference: Wayne Grudem, “The resurrection of Christ from the dead secures for his people both new resurrection bodies and new spiritual life”[1]

NEW LIFE—NOT ONLY in AGE to COME—BUT HERE.

----------

JESUS CHRIST DIED & WAS RAISED—to RAISE DEAD MEN INTO NEW CREATIONS in CHRIST

Sub Point: ALL ACCORDING to HIS GREAT MERCY—SOMETHING WE DON’T DESERVE!

GRACE = GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE

MERCY = NOT GETTING WHAT WE DO DESERVE (JUDGMENT)

----------

Sub-Point: PETER SAYS IT’S THROUGH the RESURRECTION.

**Apologetic: Peter = EYE WITNESS**

😲😲PETER SAW the EMPTY TOMB— HE WALKED in IT. 😲😲

HE SAW CHRIST CRUCIFIED

HE MET W/ HIM AFTER HIS RESURRECTION

NOT TELEPHONE GAME— HE EXPERIENCED IT!!

--------------------

NEW BIRTH BRINGS ABOUT TWO THINGS:

I. LIVING HOPE

Connection: IMAGINE....FRIDAY—SATURDAY— NO HOPE for DISCIPLES

ROAD to EMMAUS:

Luke 24:21 (ESV)

21 “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

DISCIPLES HAD GIVEN UP CAREERS to FOLLOW JESUS…

—> IF JESUS WAS DEAD—HOPE WAS DEAD. <—

----------

THANK GOD—NOT the END of the STORY!

TOMB = EMPTY— HOPE is NOT EMPTY!

LIVING HOPE TODAY!

JESUS’ RESURRECTION SECURES our FUTURE RESURRECTION...

----------

Transition: NEW BIRTH THROUGH RESURRECTION = TWO THINGS

LIVING HOPE

FUTURE, HEAVENLY INHERITANCE

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4

--------------------

--------------------

Scripture 1:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

I. LIVING HOPE

II. HEAVENLY INHERITANCE

Illustration: EARTHLY POSSESSIONS WILL ROT. (LAY UP TREASURES in HEAVEN)

🚗 NEW CARS — SCRAPYARD

HOUSES— ROT, NEED ROOFS, ETC.

STOCK MARKET/INVESTMENTS — UP & DOWN

Experience: CAMPER LEAK/ SOFT SPOT in ROOF

Takeaway: ALL EARTHLY TREASURES = TEMPORARY

----------

HEAVENLY INHERITANCE:

IMPERISHABLE (WON’T RUIN/GO AWAY)

UNDEFILED (PURE/FREE from SIN)

UNFADING (DOESN’T DECLINE W/ AGE)

KEPT in HEAVEN (ABUNDANTLY SECURE)

----------

Transition: Not only is INHERITANCE SECURE… BUT PETER ALSO SAYS, WE’RE SECURE...

....LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 5...

--------------------

--------------------

Scripture: (1:5) who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

TO ALL BORN-AGAIN....

…THIS INHERITANCE = KEPT for YOU & YOU ARE KEPT.

----------

Main Point: GOD = GUARDING YOU,, THROUGH FAITH—UNTIL END-TIME SALVATION.

Illustration??: CROSSING ROAD W/ KIDS—HAND in HAND??

----------

SALVATION— PREPARED/READY to be REVEALED

SALVATION-APPOINTMENT//RESERVATION

----------

Connection: HOW MANY—GONE to RESTAURANT W/O. RESERVATION & REGRETTED IT?

Illustration: 🦞🦞RED LOBSTER,, VALENTINES DAY,, 2025

5:00 WASN’T EARLY ENOUGH—DIDN’T EAT TILL 8:00

THOSE W/ RESERVATIONS—CAME RIGHT IN & SAT DOWN! WHAT AUDACITY!

----------

JESUS in JOHN CH. 14:2-3— GOES to PREPARE a PLACE FOR US...

Takeaway: BORN AGAIN = SECURE RESERVATION in GLORY— A PLACE PREPARED for YOU!

SALVATION APPOINTMENT = MADE...

…GOD = KEEPING US for THAT FUTURE DAY...

Conclusion:

FOR THIS HOPE — GOD SHOULD BE PRAISED...

-----

Transition: SHOULD CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 6

🐢🐢🐢 --- 19 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

IV. Main Point 2: Joy in Trials Through Faith (v6-9)

Scripture: (1:6) In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

Explanation:

IN “THIS” — WHAT is “THIS?”

SECURE LIVING HOPE/INHERITANCE of BELIEVERS (v.3-5)

----

Connection: FREQUENTLY, LIFE DOWN HERE ISN’T GREAT

PROBLEMS

SUFFERING

HEALTH-COMPLICATIONS

1ST-CENTURY, PERSECUTION

((OTHER COUNTRIES EVEN PRESENTLY!))

----------

THOSE W/ LIVING HOPE— KNOW THIS WORLD ISN’T MY HOME

CITIZENS of a HEAVENLY KINGDOM

Takeaway: EYES SET on FUTURE HOPE— JUST PASSING THROUGH!

----------

Transition: THERE is PURPOSE BEHIND HARDSHIPS...

....LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 7...

--------------------

--------------------

Scripture: (1:7) so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

TRIALS = TEST for FAITH

Illustration: FIRE ISN’T MEANT to DESTROY GOLD—BUT REFINE IT...

THE FIRE PROVES GOLD = GENUINE

Main Idea: FIRE of HARDSHIPS/TRIALS — PROVES FAITH = GENUINE

THE GOAL IS a PRESERVED FAITH—BRINGS GOD MUCH GLORY!

& GOLD EVENTUALLY PERISHES…

....BUT a TRUE FAITH = PRESERVED INTO ETERNITY...

----------

Transition: THIS PRAISE OCCURS—WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN

…PETER will now FURTHER MENTION BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP W/ CHRIST...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 8-9

--------------------

--------------------

Scripture: (1:8) Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

PRAISE & HONOR @ REVELATION of CHRIST— FUTURE

Main Idea: THIS REQUIRES FAITH in PRESENT!

----------

Presently:

DON’T SEE— YET LOVE

DON’T SEE — YET BELIEVE

Ref.Scripture: John Ch. 20:29 “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”

FAITH = ASSURANCE of THINGS HOPED FOR— OPPOSITE of SIGHT...

----------

&& YET WE REJOICE—PRESENTLY— THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST

----------

Main Idea:

JOY = INEXPRESSIBLE!

Connection: EVER HAVE WORD—TIP of TONGUE—CAN’T GET IT?

Experience: LAST NIGHT—TALKING W/ CHRIS

----------

THIS = SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT...

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains (33.96 ἀλάλητος, ον; ἀνεκλάλητος, ον)

“what cannot be expressed in words”

🤯🤯IT’S NOT THAT WE CAN’T FIND the RIGHT WORD…IT’S THAT the RIGHT WORDS DON’T EXIST 🤯🤯

AGAIN—7,000 LANGUAGES— & WORDS DON’T CUT IT.

Illustration: PASTORS LOOK UP WORDS in GK/HB...

PETER SAYS: “I DON’T HAVE GREEK GOOD ENOUGH for THIS!”

TRANSLATORS SAY: “WE DON’T HAVE ENGLISH GOOD ENOUGH for THIS!”

NO LANGUAGE SUFFICES to DESCRIBE the JOY in the CHRISTIAN HEART

----------

Transition: WHAT an AWESOME SALVATION!...

....AS IF IT COULDN’T GET ANY BETTER.... IT STILL DOES:

...LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 10-11

🐢🐢🐢 --- 12 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

V. Main Point 3: A Salvation Prophets and Angels Longed For (v10-12)

Scripture: (1:10-11) Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

Main Idea: The SALVATION BELIEVERS HAVE & HOPE FOR… WAS LONGED for BY O.T. PROPHETS

Illustration: THEY ONLY HAD PIECES of the PUZZLE, NOT WHOLE BOX.

-----

ISAIAH — SUFFERING SERVANT

JEREMIAH & EZEKIEL — NEW COVENANT

DANIEL— COMING GLORY of SON of MAN

MICAH — BORN in BETHLEHEM

ZECHARIAH — HE’D RIDE a DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM

**BUT THEY DIDN’T KNOW the NAME of JESUS**

** DIDN’T KNOW WHEN HE’D COME**

----

ISAIAH

JEREMIAH

EZEKIEL

DANIEL

HOSEA

JOEL

AMOS

OBADIAH

JONAH

MICAH

NAHUM

HABAKKUK

ZEPHANIAH

HAGGAI

ZECHARIAH

MALACHI

ALL HAVE THEIR NAMES on BIBLE-BOOKS… & WE KNOW THINGS THEY DON’T KNOW!

Takeaway: WHAT a PRIVILEGE to LIVE in the NEW-COVENANT AGE!

----------

Transition: AS IF it COULDN’T GET ANY BETTER...

...PETER HAS ONE MORE...

...LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 12

--------------------

--------------------

Scripture: (1:12) It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

PROPHETS = SERVING FUTURE GENERATIONS

THEIR WORDS WEREN’T FOR THEM

----------

PETER CONCLUDES W/ PERHAPS MOST STARTLING CLAIM...

Main Point: GOOD NEWS of SALVATION = THINGS ANGELS LONG to LOOK INTO

ANGELS GATHERED AROUND the THRONE—DON’T KNOW REDEMPTION.

SEATED AROUND THRONE—CRYING OUT “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY”

Takeaway: WE MIGHT LONG to SEE WHAT THEY SEE—

— BUT THEY LONG to HAVE WHAT WE HAVE!

the GOOD NEWS of SALVATION = the ENVY of PROPHETS & ANGELS!

Charge: DO WE REALIZE HOW GOOD WE’VE GOT IT?

— OR HAS the “GOOD NEWS” SIMPLY BECOME “OLD NEWS”??

??? ILLUSTRATION: ADONIRAM JUDSON, “THEY’VE HEARD it BEFORE”???

----------

Transition: PETER is TELLING US THIS MORNING:

Passage Idea:

As long as Jesus is alive hope is alive, and we have a reason to rejoice.

Transition: This hope is for those born again through faith.

🐢🐢🐢 --- 7 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

VI. Gospel Call: Hope for the Born-Again

Connection: YOU MIGHT BE HERE—WITHOUT this HOPE

**I DON’T KNOW HOW PEOPLE GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT HOPE**

----------

WHEN CHRIST CAME,, MANY REJECTED HIM...

....BUT SCRIPTURE SAYS:

Scripture: John CH. 1:12-13 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”

GREAT MERCY OF GOD—OFFERS NEW LIFE THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST....

BORN AGAIN to LIVING HOPE

BORN AGAIN to ETERNAL INHERITANCE

Call: IF YOU’RE WITHOUT THIS HOPE—

— YOU CAN FIND GRACE & HOPE TODAY— IN JESUS CHRIST.

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

JESUS CAME— DIE for SINNERS

WE COULDN’T REACH HEAVEN—SO HE CAME DOWN

PAYING PRICE for OUR SINS—SO THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN.

----------

Testimony: I’M NO BETTER THAN ANYONE HERE

I’M NOT FORGIVEN BECAUSE I’M a PASTOR

I’M a PASTOR—BECAUSE I’M FORGIVEN

FREE GIFT of GRACE I DIDN’T DESERVE

----

BY PUTTING TRUST in HIM— AS SAVIOR & LORD — YOU CAN BE BROUGHT INTO the FAMILY of FAITH

Call: IF YOU’RE HERE WITHOUT this HOPE—

— I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTER the SERVICE

BE LAST to LEAVE,, I’LL BE HERE.

----------

Transition: For believers, this HOPE SHOULD CHANGE OUR LIVES...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 3 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

VII. Application: Rejoice in the Secure Hope

Encouragement: CHURCH… OUR INHERITANCE is SECURE

IMPERISHABLE

UNDEFILED

UNFADING

KEPT in HEAVEN

WE are SECURE in the FATHER’S HAND

WE HAVE a REASON for HOPE & JOY TODAY.

—> IT’S ALL BECAUSE of CHRIST’S DEATH & RESURRECTION <—

----------

WHEN LIFE GETS YOU DOWN— AND IT WILL — REMIND YOURSELF of WHAT’S COMING

🚗 CAR BREAKS DOWN— HEAVENLY INHERITANCE WON’T

🏠 HOUSE BREAKS DOWN — HEAVENLY INHERITANCE WON’T ROT

🧑‍🦽BODY BREAKS DOWN— FUTURE RESURRECTION BODY

----------

🤯🤯THE SALVATION WE HAVE = ENVY of PROPHETS & ANGELS🤯🤯

SO WE OUGHT to BE ABLE to FIND JOY in the DAY-TO-DAY… AS WE AWAIT OUR HEAVENLY RESERVATION.

THIS HOPE was SECURED BY CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

Closing:

AS LONG as JESUS is ALIVE—HOPE is ALIVE—

AND WE HAVE a REASON to REJOICE!

AMEN?

Close in Prayer