An Inheritance: Incorruptible, Undefiled, and that Fades Not

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Can a man live without hope?

Down through the ages men have managed to survive in horrible conditions;

Men that have been taken as prisoners of war, surviving in conditions that you and I could not even imagine.

Prisoners serving a jail sentence in conditions that are less than desirable.

Kids living in an abusive home; being tormented by their mother or their father.

People who have been kidnapped

Girls as young as 7 and 8 years old and up into adulthood,

some sold for profit,

others kidnapped and used as sex slaves.

living in deplorable condition.

situations that no human should have to be in.

How is it that a person can survive in these conditions.

How can a person make it through.

When their surroundings offer no hope,

When the circumstances are dark and there seems to be no way.

It’s as if; any glimmer of a way out, is lost.

When the walls of your circumstances are closing in and there is no outlet, no where to turn

What does an individual do,

where do they turn to?

The scriptures tell us in

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,

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Yes; You and I, as Christians have a hope,

You and I as Christians must have a hope,

Peter penned these words.

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,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

It is a living hope that you and I have today.

A hope that is real,

A hope that is true, and

A hope operative.

I want to preach tonight on the subject:

An Inheritance: Incorruptible, Undefiled, and that Fades Not

Some men’s hope of heaven is not a living hope,”

A living hope will stir you to action..

Many people talk about how they are going to heaven; yet they live as if they are going to hell!

That’s not true hope!

A True hope purifies you,

A true hope excites you,

A true hope causes you to seek after the Lord.

A true hope motivates you to achieve the impossible.

Anyone hoping to gain a prize uses their best endeavors,

They will burn the midnight oil,

They will utilizes all available resources.

Even more so; as Christians with a living hope we need to devote oursleves to obtaining the blessings which God has promised in his word.

The Lord hath begotten us to a “living hope,”

The word “begotten” used in this context is the same as “born Again”

He has born again unto us a living hope.

It is a “living hope”

because it’s alive on the inside of us.

It brings life into a dead situation.

It brings the Hope to a Hopeless situation.

A stranded swimmer who has been swimming for a long time gets tired, and he begins to loose hope,

There’s no land in sight,

There’s no other boats in sight, he feels as if he is fixing to sink,

he has lost all hope;

but all of a sudden, he sees a boat in the distance;

There is a hope that begins to dwell inside;

Unto him is born again a living Hope

It becomes a living hope and it stirs him to action

and swims with all his strength,

because now his hope is true,

his hope is real,

A hope that was once fading is now alive

You and I have this hope:

We have a hope that is alive:

It’s a hope that brings us to action;

when the waves are tossing you around and you don’t see any land,

When you don’t see any boats

Just know this one thing;

according to his abundant mercy He has born again unto us a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Swim with all your strength when the adversities of life come your way.

Swim with all your strength; when life’s trials come your way!

Our hope lifts up our souls,

Our hope keeps our heads above the water, it inspires confidence to swim when you can’t go any more,

It called a “living hope,” because it is imperishable.

Other hopes fade like withering flowers.

Hope is for the soul what breathing is for the living.

The Psalmist David declares these words:

Thou are my hope: O Lord God, Thou are my confidence

Peter encourages us to sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you,

We have a living hope: you might would say brother Johnny Ray;

What is that hope;

My situation is dark;

My situation is less than desirable;

I fell like that a stranded swimmer;

I don’t see any land in sight:

I don’t see any other boats around and my boat has sunk

What is this hope that will cause me take action.

What is this hope that will give me the courage and strength to swim

What is this hope that will help me to keep my head above the water.

It’s an inheritance;

What do you mean an inheritance:

Im not talking about a material inheritance;

Im talking about an inheritance that incorruptible.

I’m talking about an inheritance that is undefiled,

I’m talking about an inheritance that fades not away.

an inheritance that is reserved in heaven for you,

I want us to look at this tonight; at the three characteristics of this inheritance.

But before we do this; I want us to look at the word inheritance.

The greek word for Inheritance is kleronomia - it is literally that which is distributed by lot and refers to a portion which one receives by lot in a general distribution

In other words it can refer to a property that has already been received as well as one that is expected to be received in the future.

Our Inheritance becomes the portion or heritage which one receives by virtue of birth or by special gift. 

When you and I were born again; when we received Jesus into our hearts as Lord and Savior; when we were born again; salvation was imparted to us

by virtue of salvation; we have an inheritance.

It’s an inheritance that is kept for the believer,

not on earth but in heaven,

Three characteristic of our Inheritance:

1: It is Imperishable

aphthartos    means nothing can corrupt or ruin,

not going to pass away,

not subject to corruption, decay or dissolution

and so it is imperishable.

Absolutely nothing can ruin your eternal inheritance.

This inheritance is totally unlike any earthly inheritance.

A Christian’s inheritance cannot be taken from you by hostile forces!

It cant be taken from you by legal technicalities.

John reminds us

the world is passing away, and also it’s lusts but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

Every stone of earth will crumble,

every column will fall,

every arch will collapse.

Diamonds will chip,

gold is going to wear away,

but this inheritance of ours is “imperishable”

It will endure forever.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

things will come and things will go, water will pass under the bridge.

buildings will crumble,

man will be here today and gone tomorrow.

but we have a hope of an inheritance that will never fade.

It’s imperishable, nothing can corrupt, nothing can cause it to crumble.

No one can overtake it by force.

It will not decay and it will not rot.

Not only is it imperishable,but its also:

2: Undifiled

amiantos means without contamination, unpolluted, untainted, unstained (stainless), unsoiled, without uncleanness or impurity.

  In Greek writings amiantos (undefiled) was used to describe things such as unstained hands, heart, flesh or body.

Our inheritance is in perfect condition, free from any spot of dirt or pollution on it.

It has nothing in it that defiles.

Our inheritance is pure as the driven snow

and free from any effect or influence that would deform and debase it or cause it to lose its vigor or value.

It cannot be cheapened in any way.

It cannot disappoint us in any way.

Sin and misery, two things that spoil this world, and distort its beauty; will have no place there.

This world is corrupted by the lust of man:

Corruption cannot touch or ever wear the freshness, the brightness or the beauty of our inheritance.

Sin defiles the soul of man; but the blood of Jesus cleanses all sin,

but can I tell you in heaven not even a hint of sin will be present.

It’s a place that is undefiled, a place that sin cannot be.

Therefore you and I will be pure and undefiled in the sight of God in the midst of our inheritance.

Not only is it Imperishable and Undefiled, but it is an inheritance that:

3: Will not Fade away,

Our Inheritance will never lose its pristine quality or character.

Flowers will wither and decay, but our inheritance is like the flower that never fades,

It is like the flower that is always in bloom.

you and I don’t have to fear: it’s not like the stock market, it never crashes.

Cell phones, video games, cloths, your boyfriend, or your girlfriend will be the “inn” thing today, and will fade away tomorrow.

but our inheritance is unfading.

It is steady,

it is sure,

it’s something we can count on;

It is our hope

It is a “Living Hope”.

It iss the boat when you feel as if you are that stranded swimmer.

When there is no land in sight

when there is no boats in sight

when you feel as if your sinking

Like you can’t hold your head above water

when you feel as if the whole world has turn their back.

and your all alone.

no where to turn, no one to talked to ,

no one to trust in.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Thank God our Hope is in an inheritance that is imperishable,

an inheritance that is undefiled.

an inheritance that will not fade away.

And an inheritance that is reserved in Heaven for You........................