Sermon Tone Analysis

# 2018-09-09 | Peter, part 1 | Where does Hope Come From?

#series/Peter

#scripture/1Peter/1#

#subject/hope

#context/City Church#

### CATALYTIC QUESTION:

Where does my hope come from?

### OBJECTIVE STATEMENT:

Hope comes from four #keyword/sources.

### RATIONALE:

1. Understand Our Place

2. Look, but Find No Trace

3. Depend on God’s Grace

4. Look to Jesus’ Face

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We’re going to begin a series called, “PETER.”

where we’ll look at 1st and 2nd Peter — the two books in our Bible that were written by the Apostle Peter.

Why look at Peter?

Maybe the best reason is that Peter is writing to expats (he calls them exiles) — people like you and me that have moved from our nations of origin, and have settled in a place where we are strangers and aliens.

Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase of the book of Peter, translates Peter’s opening words like this:

#scripture/1Peter/1#1–2 (The Message)

…writing to exiles scattered to the four winds.

Not one is missing, not one forgotten.

God the Father has his eye on each of you…

Doesn’t that sound nice?

In these letters, Peter LONG’s to see God’s people shift their attention from any false sources of hope, and fix our attention to the one true source of hope.

Because there’s something about the way we’re wired that make us HOPE-SEEKERS.

It’s part of our DRIVE to SURVIVE.

We’re constantly “sniffing out” that which gives hope.

I HOPE THIS line through passport control is quicker than THAT one

But the problem with our drive for HOPE, is that we can often not be as SELECTIVE as we should be.

We can attach our hope to a

* a particular relationship (spouse, girl/boy friend, employer)

* a governmental system or party

* certain level of economic status

Along with that HOPE comes EXPECTATIONS

* This thing will make me happier.

* This thing will fulfill me.

* This thing will give me security.

Where does REAL HOPE come from?

What is it’s SOURCE?

This is what Peter draws our attention to in .

We’re going to read — but we’re going to do it in a bit different style.

I’d like to try doing this as a responsive reading.

I’ll read a few verses, and then YOU’LL read a few verses.

The screen will let you know who’s turn it is.

#scripture/1Peter/1# (NIV)

PASTOR

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

CONGREGATION

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

PASTOR

This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

CONGREGATION

7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of [our] faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

8 Though [we] have not seen him, [we] love him; and even though [we] do not see him now, [we] believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for [we] are receiving the end result of [our] faith, the salvation of [our] souls.

PASTOR

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

CONGREGATION

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but [us], when they spoke of the things that have now been told [us] by those who have preached the gospel to [us] by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

Even angels long to look into these things.

PASTOR

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

CONGREGATION

18 For [we] know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that [we] were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to [us] from [our] ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for [our] sake.

PASTOR

21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

TOGETHER

23 For [we] have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to [us].

PRAY

What are the sources of HOPE that Peter is wanting us to draw from?

Here is the 1st source.

Hope comes as we…

1. Understand Our Place

Often, that can sound negative!

“I’m going to put you in your place!

You need to understand your place!”

This is positive.

Hope comes as we understand understand how SPECIAL and UNIQUE our place is

Peter begins his letter by reminding the exiles that God knows EXACTLY where each of them are.

1Peter1:1 To God’s elect, exiles SCATTERED throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…

To God’s elect, exiles SCATTERED throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…

When WE see that word, “SCATTERED,” it can sound accidental.

If you drop a bag of M&M’s, and the candy SCATTERS…we have a tragedy!

How will we find the M&M’s — and how can I make it look like I throw them away, but actually eat them when no one is looking.

So, SCATTER can have a negative feeling— but it’s not in this context.

the Greek word that we translate SCATTER is: DIASPORA

διασπορά

“Diaspora” was the word used by the JEWS to describe those who had dispersed all over the world — it was “their” word.

(the Jewish Diaspora).

It wasn’t negative, because they KNEW that God had PROMISED to NEVER lose or forget about them — no matter where they had been exiled

#scripture/Jeremiah/29:14 (NIV)

I will…bring you [the diaspora] back from captivity.

I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”