Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Introduction

Series Theme: Past Tense: Jesus' sacrifice brought hope and light into a dark world.

Future tense: HIStory continues to bring hope and light into a dark world

Series Theme: Past Tense: Jesus' sacrifice brought hope and light into a dark world.

Future tense: HIStory continues to bring hope and light into a dark world

INTRODUCTION:

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (movie clip — 00.23 - 00.46)

Mr. Deeds was definitely an unusual fellow.

The townspeople called him “pixelated” (a little crazy).

Money wasn’t important to him.

There are a lot more movies and real life stories out there that show the selfish side of folks when it comes to the reading of the will.

They just want the inheritance.

They are in a hurry to read the will and get their money!

In a lot of those movies, someone quite unexpected gets the inheritance, like the butler, or the young wife dad married after mom passed.

Things can get a little squirrely…people even turn to murder in order to protect what they think should be their inheritance.

People can be really self-centered when a loved one dies, especially if there is something to gain.

Hopefully none of us are not like that.

Guess what?

Our Father’s will was revealed long ago.

He didn’t die…and He never will.

Guess what?

Our Father’s will was revealed long ago.

He didn’t die…and He never will.

1 Peter 1:3-

What was Peter saying to the Christian exiles to whom he wrote this letter?

We will find out today that it was the same message God wants us to know today:

Big Idea: Since Christ paid the price for sin, once and for all, through His suffering, death, and resurrection, your inheritance is fully funded today, tomorrow, and forever.

Transitional: We need to understand that this is our inheritance — we need to understand how much it’s worth?

What’s the bottom line?

But first…who, exactly, is eligible?

Who is Eligible?

Who is Eligible?

Exposition (background, etc):

This pastoral a epistle (letter).

Encouraging words to “the chosen exiles living abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

Possibly part of the Roman Empire at this time — much of it located in what would be Turkey

A wide variety of cultures, languages, backgrounds — Mostly Jewish converts but also Gentiles.

They were “the church” just as we are “the church” today

They were beginning to face some challenging seasons of persecution…the worst was yet to come.

They were beginning to face some challenging seasons of persecution…the worst was yet to come.

The church still faces storms — in Cameroon, India (Hindu mob destroyed a church built through many great sacrifices in the poorest slum of Bombay — in many countries where to confess Christ leads to everything from the loss of educational privileges, jobs, to being thrown in prison or executed.

No Christian avoids suffering, nor escapes at least a measure of persecutions for the name of Christ.

No Christian avoids suffering, nor escapes at least a measure of persecutions for the name of Christ.

Peter’s message points to Jesus as our sure hope both now and forever.

Pastoral—Peter’s letter is surely that.

The apostle seeks to encourage and reassure Christian churches in Asia Minor as stormy seasons of persecution begin.

Those storms rage on today—in India where a Hindu mob destroys a Christian church built at great sacrifice in the poorest slum of Bombay; in many Communist lands where to confess Christ brings the loss of educational privilege and job opportunities, and often results in imprisonment.

In much of the English-speaking world such threats may seem distant; perhaps we fail to read the signs of the times.

No Christian avoids suffering, however, and no true Christian escapes a measure of suffering for Christ’s sake.

Peter speaks to us all when he tells of suffering now and glory to come.

Peter’s pastoral letter encourages us by instructing us.

Our deepest needs drive us to our deepest beliefs.

What hope do we have?

Peter proclaims Jesus Christ, our sure hope now and for ever.

Throughout his letter he grounds our hope in the reality of what God has done and will yet do for us through Christ.

The apostle is a witness, not just to what Jesus did and said while he was in his fishing-boat or in his house, but to the meaning of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Peter’s testimony about the life of Jesus is reflected in Mark’s Gospel.

In this letter he shows us what that story means for us as Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him.

…who, then, is eligible to receive the inheritance made possible to Jesus?

…to those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad… (v. 1)

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

This inheritances is kept in heaven for you, 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.

(v.

3-5)

…who is eligible?

Chosen

Who is chosen?

All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved — whoever believes on Him shall not perish…but have everlasting life

God says to you today, “I choose you!”

…who is eligible?

Born-again

....new birth by His great mercy

…who is eligible?

…who is eligible?

B. Born-again

Shielded

…God is the keeper and protector of our inheritance — it cannot be stolen or lost

C. Guarded

What is a common factor when you look the chosen, the born again, and the ones shielded by God’s power until until the final days?

They are people of faith — they have believed the message of Christ and experienced the transformation of new birth into Him.

…who is eligible?

…who is eligible?

They are people of faith — they have believed the message of Christ and experienced the transformation of new birth into Him.

Family

Family by Covenant

By Covenant

Family by Grace

Family by Faith

By Faith

Application:

Application:

Are you one of the chosen, born-again people today that God’s is guarding, keeping, empowering for that big day when your salvation is made complete in His presence?

The answer to that question is, literally, a matter of life and death

There is always a sense of urgency when it comes to your decision to follow Christ

Illustration: Last Wednesday evening, country singer Kylie Rae Harris was killed in a car crash near Taos in northern NM.

She was an up and coming country star (has a 6 year old daughter).

To make a long story short, she ran into the back of a car and this caused her car to veer into another car head-on.

Life is so unpredictable.

Here’s a sad twist, the driver of the other car was a 16-year old young lady by the name of Maria Elena Cruz.

Her father is the assistant fire chief who responded to the call and discovered that his own daughter was killed.

Guys…life is not guaranteed tomorrow.