Living Out the Living Hope

1 Peter

Peter was a fisherman - got to do my first deep sea fishing trip while on vacation in Destin, Florida

Simon was given the name Peter which means “rock”.

Peter sends letter to Christians who were scattered out - the Diaspora - who were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus

Do we have trouble relating to our current world?

Peter calls these followers of Jesus to not be surprised about the persecution that they faced, but to have a courageous response when suffering because of Jesus

Peter calls these “aliens” - those who were not part of the main sinful culture of the day to continue to follow Jesus even in the face of persecution

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

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,

The act of God raising Jesus from the dead united Jews and Gentiles - they began to follow Jesus

The act of God raising Jesus from the dead united Jews and Gentiles - they began to follow Jesus

This act of God is the basis for us being born into a “living hope” that has an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading”

1 Peter 1:6 ESV

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

Our salvation is the foundation of our hope for NOW - while we will go through trials

Our salvation is the foundation of our hope for NOW - while we will go through trials

in THIS (our salvation) you REJOICE

even if you have been GRIEVED by trials -

GRIEVED

to cause severe mental or emotional distress, vex, irritate, offend, insult

to experience sadness or distress

Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000 : 604. Print.

TRIALS

something that tests you or entices you

something that builds character

How do we respond when we face trials that cause us grief? Do we have a God-honoring response or do we focus completely internally?

Types of trials

Relational

Job

Death

Self-value, our purpose

being treated unfairly

persecution

What is the purpose of these trials?

We have an opportunity to demonstrate, to practice, to strengthen our faith as we face these trials

- our suffering has a purpose

We are given an opportunity to choose: will I serve God and allow God to use this trial for God or will I go the other way

our trials are not because God is punishing us or because we did something bad.

The purpose of these trials is so that the genuineness of our faith is STRENGTHENED

Are we really persecuted in the United States as believers? For the most part, no

How do we live out the living hope of our salvation?

Preparing your minds for action

Literally - Gird yourselves for action, therefore, in your mind

Being sober-minded

be well-balanced, self-controlled

What do we allow to “get our goat”? What takes your from a place where you are well-balanced, self-controlled?

Kids

Political conversations

Money/bills

Co-workers

Family members

SET YOUR HOPE FULL ON THE GRACE THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

We are to set our ULTIMATE HOPE on the grace that will be brought to us

the FOUNDATION of our HOPE is our salvation and we live it out by preparing our minds and being sober-minded

Peter continues,

As obedient children....do not be conformed to the passions…but as he who called you is holy

Jesus is holy - set apart, dedicated to the service of God so we should be holy

This comes from Leviticus

Like Paul in

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

How does Peter mention to be holy -

1 Peter 2:1 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Submission to authority - in this political environment....wow!

1 Peter 3:8–22 ESV

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

1 Peter 3:8-22

Why did Jesus come?

Vs 21 - so that your faith and hope are in God

We follow Jesus

We love Jesus

He is our example

His love, sacrifice, kindness, authenticity, balance, prayer