A Sure Hope

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. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Introduction

As a college instructor…I know that many students have a pet peeve: they don’t like group projects because if just one person in the group doesn’t do their preparation for the presentation, everyone else is thrown off track. People, when you commit to something, prepare yourself to get it done. When you have hope in Christ, doesn’t that light a fire under you…to be ready for all He has for you?

Today the main idea is the fact that we, as followers of Christ, have a “sure hope” simply because He has paid the price for our ransom, set us free, sent His Spirit, and promised us a rich inheritance, both now and in eternity.

Last week’s 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.

In light of this amazing truth, let us be ready for what comes our way today and tomorrow — let us be ready for that big day when our Father completes our transformation in His very presence.

The sure hope you have in Christ should powerfully energize you to live in joyful obedience to Him

Transition: Hope is one of the most life-giving gifts from our Father — Let us have a ready hope and a holy hope

Ready Hope

Exposition:

1 Peter 1:13 NIV

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.

1 Peter 1:13 The Message

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives.

Therefore — What’s it “there” for? What did he write about right before this verse? (skim over)

Therefore — What’s it “there” for?

1 Peter 1:6 NIV

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

“Therefore”

In view of the fact that even though you are going through many kinds of trials, yet because your heavenly inheritance awaits you…BE SOBER AND ALERT

....ready hope is...

Expectant

1 Peter 1:13 The Message

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives.

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.

Expectant

Illustration: We are definitely an Amazon Prime world these days…at least at our house that is the case. When we order a product from them, we are very confident that we will see that product very quickly — usually the next business day. Sometimes there is a bit of a delay…so what do we do? We go online and track the package. We use the confirmation number to do so. That confirmation number reassures us that the order has been placed, is paid for, and is on the way. Linda often orders craft supplies for various projects. When she knows something has been confirmed, she begins to prepare herself to work on the project. When the package arrives, she jumps right in and gets the project done. Why? She knows the product is coming…she expects it. She, in essence, “rolls up her sleeves” - ready for action.

In the first few verses of chapter 1, Peter clearly reminded the believers in those five locations that Jesus is their living hope today, tomorrow, and forever: that their inheritance was fully funded.

Beginning in verse 13, he now challenges them to action based on truth

Sober and Alert: in the KJV it says “gird up the loins of your mind”

1 Peter 1:13 NKJV

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

An oriental expression describing the act of gathering up your long flowing robes around your waist and tuck them in, enabling you to move quickly when needed. In other words…be ready to go.

Peter is reminding these Jewish believers in Christ that they are strangers — that they have temporarily settled alongside a pagan population — that they are pilgrims

1 Peter 2:11 NIV

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

This imagery paralleled the Israelites as they prepared to be set free from their Egyptian bondage. They had orders to eat their Passover with their loins girded, shoes on their feet, their staff in their hand, ready to move on a moment’s notice ()

....ready hope is...

Eyes on the Prize

…set your hope completely: “Set your hope perfectly, unchangeably, without any doubt or despondency, on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

“Set your hope” — perfectly, unchangeably, without any doubt or despondency, on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (13)

Application

Are you expectant today? Do you realize your inheritance is sure and if your inheritance in Christ is sure then your hope is equally sure?

The hope we have in Jesus Christ holds HIStory and the future in the present

Transitional: Not only should our hope be ready for action — since our hope is in the spotless and holy Lamb of God, let our hope also lead us to Holiness.

Holy Hope

Exposition:

1 Peter 1:14–16 NIV

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

When someone is drunk they can’t be sober — they can’t make rational decisions — the are usually sad or angry — it’s not a good thing

The idea of being sober and alert in this letter clearly points to holy living — it would be difficult to be sober and alert to the promises of God when you are not really living for God.

When someone is drunk they can’t be sober — they can’t make rational decisions — the are usually sad or angry — it’s not a good thing

We can become intoxicated with this world so much that we convince ourselves of things that are not true — we live a roller coaster ride that takes us further and further from the hope we should have in Christ. Lies begin to look like truth to us - despair can take over — negative attitudes can take over — anger can take over

…holy hope leaves no room for masks

No Disguises Please

Illustration: When a spy goes deep undercover, they have to be someone else, basically. I have heard stories of spies that go so deep that they almost forget who they really are. When they come home they have to basically find themselves again.

“As Obedient Children” — “As children of obedience”.

Do no be conformed: when a child of God conforms to the desires of their former ignorance , it paints the picture of a child of God assuming (putting on a disguise) the habits, mannerisms, speech, expressions, and behavior out of which God called him or her. In this way that person represents a false expression of what he is, a cleansed, regenerated child of God. Instead they hide Jesus.

Do no be conformed: when a child of God conforms to the desires of their former ignorance , it paints the picture of a child of God assuming (putting on a mask) the habits, mannerisms, speech, expressions, and behavior out of which God called him or her. In this way that person represents a false expression of what he is, a cleansed, regenerated child of God. Instead they hide Jesus. It is the believer masquerading in the costume of the world

…holy hope means we reflect our Father’s characteristics

Be Like Father

…as the one who called you is holy, be holy in all your conduct

Leviticus 11:

Leviticus 11:44 NIV

I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.

As children inherit the nature of their parents, so a child of God is made a partaker of the divine nature, which nature always impels to the act of obedience. It is natural for a child of God to obey Him. — Kenneth Wuest

We are able to be holy only because of the Holy Spirit living in and working through us.

Holy: hagios (Greek) means “set apart” from sin to being made worthy in the sight of God

Application

1 Peter 1:15 NLT

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

1 peter 1:

…but after the pattern of the One who called you, the Holy One, also yourselves become holy persons in every kind of behavior — Wuest’s Expanded Translation

Challenge

Here’s what we need to know deep down in our hearts today: Jesus has given all that follow Him a sure hope - it will never fade because it is a living hope — our hope is Jesus Himself.

Be sober and alert

Be sober —

Circumspect — not ruled by your emotions or circumstances — able to see your life without the distortion caused by worry, fear, and everything that comes with those things

Put away everything that would block your mind and heart from moving forward in Christ

God will give you a mind that is not damaged and frozen by worry, fear, and other bad attitudes

Exercise your hope

Keep your hope grounded in the fact that you will one day experience the grace of the appearing of Christ

This hope unchangeable, without doubt or despondency

This hope is to be unchangeable, without doubt or despondency

This hope is now and in the future

This hope belongs to you if you have made Christ Lord of your life

…but after the pattern of the One who called you, the Holy One, also yourselves become holy persons in every kind of behavior — Wuest’s Expanded Translation

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