Ferris Wheel

1 Peter 1:3 - 9

Prayer:

Scripture:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

5 who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials,

7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

8 Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.

9 As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.[1]

[We are going to concentrate on verses 8 and 9]

Peter is acknowledging their afflictions as he propounds the sorrows, pains so that they know someone cares and praying…

Rejoicing and trusting in Christ alleviates pain it gives serenity not just in the heart but the countenance is always pleasant…

Christians, who have much to rejoice in and for can find themselves in great heaviness and seek to extract themselves through their strength…

Heaviness is but for a season though they may smart, their time is short…

>We can all remember our first ride on the Ferris Wheel,

>the apprehension,

>not wanting anyone to know how frighten we were,

> not even our parents,

>or siblings

>we with all the bravado we could muster stepped forward when it was our turn to surrender the boarding pass,

>we…

>…even managed a smile, though weak, we hoped it showed unlimited courage,

>as we climbed in to the seat and watched the attendant fasten the safety bar;

> as the Ferris Wheel slowly moved so the next person could board…suddenly we are 12 feet above safe, solid ground,

>as the Ferris Wheel slowly moves higher…suspended hanging out in space… nothing we can do…others are boarding below… we cannot see the solid except way out in front of us and we cannot reach it… the Ferris Wheel moves higher so does our apprehension…fears has gripped us…no thoughts of prayer or our Christ,

> panic is raging,

> there is nothing we can do;

>WE

>as the Ferris Wheel progresses higher and higher through its stop and go loading until all seats are filled,

>you have made back close to the safe, solid ground…

>but then the speed increases as your ride of fear begins…

>your screams may be taken as peals of joy to those watching below…

>but you know it is fright pouring forth…

>My Brothers and Sisters as the ride is continuing until your time paid for expires…WE continue to wonder what can WE do to ease our fears…

>as in life it is round and round…up and down…consider this…WE are always trying to bring the soothing of our fears…it is not WE…rather it is Christ in whom lies the comfort… there is no way to know what may happen at any point during the ride for WE cannot see everything…but you trust the Ferris Wheel operator to a point…just as WE cannot see Christ…WE say WE love Him though WE do not see Him…there is a glimpse of the Ferris Wheel operator every now and then yet not full trust because the fear remains… consider is it trust and love for Christ?...whom WE cannot see and know our trust is limited in the Ferris Wheel operator whom WE can see every now and then…Why are WE afraid? No trust?...No belief?

>Christ as our propitiation whom WE have not seen…yet WE say WE love Him…believe in Him…our is inexpressible and full of glory…

>the outcome of our faith is the trust and salvation of our souls…

>>My Brothers and Sisters; My Sisters and Brothers…

> In trusting Him whom WE have not seen,

>in Loving Him whom WE have not seen,

>finding joy in Him WE know not how to express in and about Him,

>in His name do WE give glory…always…

>our salvation is the outcome of the faith WE hold dear and strengthen in Him for our souls…

Leaving you with a question this morning:

>How do WE say WE believe in Him, love Him, rejoice at the sound of His name, that He holds our salvation…that when in turmoil of what WE can see—it is WE///ME whom WE turn to for the remedy instead of Christ whom We cannot see yet tell all who will listen that in Christ—My Christ—Our Christ is all MY trust…that He is able to fix it—fix it, Jesus; should it not always be Christ to whom WE turn when in fear, unsure what the situation may bring, can He not calm our fears as He did the Galilee Sea…”how can WE” Prayer

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[1] The Revised Standard Version. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1971, S. 1 Peter 1:3-9