New Life, Eternal Inheritance, and Saving Faith

New Life

Peter reminds the churches at Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia that they have been born again into a living hope through Jesus Christ. This was critically important because of the tremendous persecution Nero was inflicting on Christian churches. Romans viewed Christians as people who commited treason against Rome since Jesus was their king. The Christians were highly discouraged and many were leaving the church for fear of their own personal safety. Tell story of Tatum in China struggling with her own personal safety.

God’s Mercy

God has given great mercy to those who believe in his Son Jesus Christ for salvation. Mercy is God’s compassion towards us in our sinful state. Everyone is in a sinful hopeless state apart from the mercy of God. All people have a sin nature and sin against God. There is nothing that we can do to atone for our sin. We cannot apologize enough, do enough good works, or pay enough restitution to earn our salvation. It is only by the mercy of God that we can be forgiven and given a new life. New life is only available through faith in Jesus Christ.

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these [a]signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [b]again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person must be born of flesh and Spirit. TO be born of the flesh is the physical birth. To be born of the Spirit is the second birth. When a person comes to salvation the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within a person awakening their dead soul to life. This is the new birth. It radically changes your personhood. You will see and live life from a different perspective. You will no longer live for self, but will live for Christ!

Living Hope

In Christ believers have a living hope. This is one that will come to fruition when we pass away or Jesus comes back. We will leave this world and go to our eternal home. This is a place where there is no more persecution, suffering , or sin. This will be a place where we will be with God the Father and Jesus Christ for eternity.

Peter is reminding them that though they are facing tough times right now, there is coming a day where their troubles will be no more. Paul puts it this way:

17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

If you consider all the troubles that you face in this lifetime, they don’t hold a candle to the rewards you will receive in heaven. The troubles we face are producing “eternal weight of glory” for us. Our troubles produce rewards in heaven!

Jesus puts it this way:

33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus says to expect troubles, but to take courage because he has brought victory over the world.

Eternal Inheritance

Peter reminds the persecuted churches that they have an eternal inheritance waiting for them when they get to heaven. This is important to them because of the type of persecution that was happening to them. Their wordly possessions were being stripped from them because of their faith. They didn’t have even the necessities of life because of their faith. They had to rely on the church for their sustenance.

Peter is letting them know that though they may not have a lot hear on earth there is an inheritance waiting for them in heaven. Unlike any inheritance they would receive here on earth, their inheritance in heaven is protected by God, imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away. There is nothing on earth that fits this description. Everything on earth is temporary and defiled because of sin. Our heavenly inheritance is perfect and is everlasting. Just imagine a home that requires no maintenance! Food that always taste great! Bodies that don’t get sick! Beauty beyond any fashion on earth!

10 And he carried me away [g]in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her [h]brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 12 [i]It had a great and high wall, [j]with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The one who spoke with me had a [k]gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the [l]rod, [m]fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, [n]seventy-two yards, according to human [o]measurements, which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like [p]clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 I saw no [q]temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its [r]temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth [s]will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those [t]whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Saving Faith

Peter acknowledges the trials that the churches are going through and encourages them in their faith that they are saved. Sometimes this is the only hope you have. Their are somethings that happen this side of heaven that you cannot get over or fix. The only thing you got is the promise of salvation. So why does God allow bad things to happen to His children.

6 Reasons for Christian Suffering

John MacArthur gives 6 reasons that I would like to talk about this morning

God uses troubles to humble us. 7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to [a]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast [b]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with [c]insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

To wean people away from wordly things and point them toward heaven 25 “As for me, I know that my [a]Redeemer lives, And [b]at the last He will take His stand on the [c]earth. 26 “Even after my skin [d]is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;

Teach them to vale God’s blessing as opposed to life’s pain 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Enable them to help others 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in [a]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are [b]ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

Chasten them for their sin 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had [a]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of [b]spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

6. Help Strengthen Spiritual Character 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the [a]endurance of Job and have seen the [b]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

Peter is letting the persecuted church know that in spite of the persecution they are facing, that God is in control and can use it for His glory.

Your Faith In Christ In the Midst Of suffering Is the Evidence of Your Salvation

Though the persecuted church had never heard or seen Christ they loved Him as if He was there. How can this be explained that they rejoiced under such persecution. The only way a person can endure hardships in this life is through their love for Jesus Christ. When nothing makes sense, our love for Jesus remains steadfast and strong. This is the evidence that Christ is upholding you with His righteous right hand and bringing glory to himself!