The Greatest Enemy Defeated

1 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the central theme of the Gospel. Without the resurrection there is no Gospel. For the apostles the resurrection of Jesus was the essence of their message.

Peter on the first Pentecost after the resurrection preached…

Acts 2:22–24 NKJV

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

The resurrection is not just a great miracle, it is the essential element of our salvation. We read on Good Friday

Romans 4:25 NKJV

25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

To understand why the resurrection is so important to our faith we must first understand our greatest enemy.

Romans 5:12–14 NKJV

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

So sin and subsequently death are our biggest problems. So the scriptures personify death and show it to be our greatest enemy. Of course Satan and sin are great enemies as well and Jesus must have all enemies put under His foot but death is the ultimate result of all other enemies.

1 Corinthians 15:20–28 NKJV

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

So the resurrection is the essences of the Gospel because when Jesus rose from the death He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Peter 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

So when will death be destroyed once and for all?

Revelation 20:11–15 NKJV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now back to our text this morning

1 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

So now we see that Peter’s words in vs three

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Is a praise and worship of God, Not just any god, such as Allah or Buddha or Zeus but the God who is the unique Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who claimed to be the Son of God in a unique way which made Him equal with God.

Worship is the right response to God who has Begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance which He had reserved for us and is keeping us for. This is abundant mercy, this is amazing grace.