3 Marks of Authentic Christianity: Love, Faith, and Joy I Peter 1:8,9

[This is the fourth message in I Peter 1 and was preached at Boothbay Baptist Church on April 18, 2016].

PILGRIM LIVING IN A FALLEN WORLD: Part 4

3 Marks of Authentic Christianity: Love, Faith, and Joy

I Peter 1:8,9

Introduction: One of the jobs I had occasionally put me in the office, collecting cash payments from truck drivers. When the boss came in at the end of the day, he would quickly count through the bills in the cash box, and take the deposit to the bank. I recall on one occasion he was zipping through the bills and as soon as his fingers touched a particular $20 bill he stopped, felt it between his fingers, looked at it closely and said, “This bill is counterfeit!”  Whether intentionally or not, someone had paid with “funny money!” My boss used to be a bank manager, and he had extensive experience handling cash – I was a 20 something part time college student working at a garbage dump– I didn’t have very much experience with cash at all. He tried to show me the bill and how it was clearly false, honestly, it looked the same as the real money to me, I couldn’t tell the difference. If you know the real thing well, you will more easily recognize a counterfeit.  In recent years the US Mint has produced currency with features that make it increasingly difficult to counterfeit.  One of the best ways to detect a fake is to put it alongside the real thing... As Peter is greeting the scattered believers of Asia Minor he speaks of their relationship with Jesus, and reminds them that their faith has the marks of authenticity.

The Maine Idea: Our new life in Christ is marked by love for Him, trust in His Word, and abounding joy in our salvation.

I. Love for Christ – “Though you have not seen him you love Him...” The first mark of an authentic Christian is sincere, unfeigned love for Christ.

       This verse gives us a little information about the scattered “pilgrims” to whom Peter is writing. Have you ever read the Bible and thought, “If only I could have been there and seen Him and heard Him!” Most of those to whom Peter wrote were not among the eyewitnesses of the resurrection. In fact most of them apparently did not see the earthly ministry of Jesus, including his miracles and his teaching.  They had not seen Him. Even so, they loved him. How can that be?  Well wait a minute. Aren’t we in the same position? We have not seen Him, yet we love Him.

       I remember when we were going through the adoption process we worked with an agency that matched orphans in Korea with adoptive parents in the US.  When we were “matched,” we received a photo that put on our table.  Even before that, we had begun to pray for the child that God would bring to us. When we had the photo we put it on our kitchen table. We would look at it. We would study it. We would talk about Sarah and we would pray for her. For two months, all we had was that picture. We anticipated her arrival, and you know, before we ever met her face to face, we loved her. The scattered exiles to whom Peter wrote did not even have a photograph. But they had words. I guess you could say they had a “word picture.” They had the teaching of the apostles and perhaps by then the first of the gospels had been written and was circulating.  They talked about the things Jesus did and the things that He taught.  And they loved Him, even though they had never seen Him!  Remember also that this is Peter who is writing. One of the twelve. One of the inner circle who spent time with Jesus, who was privileged to witnesses revelation like the transfiguration. But remember the question Jesus asked him after the resurrection, not once, but three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John 21:15-17).  Despite all the time that Peter had spent with Jesus, in the process of restoring Him Jesus asked the question, three times, causing Peter to examine his heart.  Now if that story of Peter and Jesus was known to the exiles to whom he wrote, it would make Peter’s commendation here even more emphatic. “I saw Him, I heard Him, and walked with Him. Even so, as you know, my love for Him was not that evident. You have not seen Him, even so, you love Him!”

       That would be a point of application. Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ?  Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” So obedience to Him is one evidence that we love him.   If you love Him, you will spend time with Him, in prayer, in worship, in the Word.  If we love Him we’ll want to lift up His name and spread His fame to our neighbors and family and friends.

       By the way, we can’t say that we love God who we have not seen, if we don’t love our brother. In fact if you read through the first letter of John, in almost every chapter, he has something to say about love, and love for our brother is one of the evidences that we love God.  For examples read 1 John 4:7-12,   

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  ¹² No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

So, our new life in Christ is marked by love for Him, trust in His Word, and abounding joy in our salvation.

II. Trust in Christ - “Though you do not now see Him, you believe...”

        “Believing without seeing” is a theme that we saw quite a bit a couple of years back in our study in the Gospel of John.  The Jews kept asking for “signs,” yet even when they saw indisputable miracles, they would not believe.  Finally, after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples, all but one that is...

²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe..." (John 20:24, 25).  

The disciples testified, but Thomas doubted, in fact he was determined in his unbelief, “Unless I see... I will never believe...” And in God’s mercy, a few days later he did see...

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  ²⁸ Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  ²⁹ Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Part of what Jesus is teaching is that “faith” or “belief” is not simply being convinced by our senses that something is true. It means we take God at His word. I like what Kevin DeYoung said,

“Our teachers, our friends, our science, our studies, even our eyes can deceive us. But the Word of God is entirely true and always true. God’s Word is firmly fixed in the heavens; it doesn’t change. There is no limit to its perfection.”

As the title of DeYoung’s book says, faith is “Taking God at His Word.”  A lot of people who saw Jesus didn’t believe. Jesus told Thomas, “You have seen and believe... [good] ...blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” “Jesus said my sheep hear my voice...” Where do we hear his voice?  Ultimately it is in His word.  In recent months I’ve been asking some of you to fill out sermon evaluations. It’s because I want to learn and grow as a preacher of the Word. We never hand out Scripture evaluations however. The Bible is always good, and always true.  So Jesus is who he claimed to be, he did what the Bible tells us he did; he did what He came to do. How do I know? God said it, and that settles it.  Our new life in Christ is marked by love for Him, trust in His Word, and abounding joy in our salvation.

III. Joy in Christ - “...and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible... filled with glory...”

       In this phrase Peter returns to the subject that seemed so surprising in verse 6, joy that transcends the moment, that overrules the suffering that we experience in this present world.  Look back to that verse,

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials...”

The rejoicing there is in the sure hope of our promised inheritance spoken of in vv.3-5. Here he says that they love and believe the One whom they have not seen, and they rejoice with indescribable joy, joy that is “full of glory.”  Actually that is a single word in Greek that has the idea of “glorified” joy, the idea seems to be joy that can only come from God.  God’s fingerprints are all over it.  Remember the scene in Acts 3:1-10...

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.  ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.  ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."  ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.  ⁶ But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"  ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.  ⁸ And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.  ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God,  ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Notice first the healed man’s response: walking and leaping and praising God! That was joy indescribable and full of glory!  God’s finger prints were all over it, and you didn’t need to be a CSI investigator to figure it out.

       It is worth noting what the outcome of that miracle was. Yes, some believed. However it also initiated a period of persecution and trials that the church would face over the next four chapters of Acts, trials from outside and tests from within. As Peter writes this letter, he knows he is writing to pilgrims, exiles and foreigners, kingdom citizens living in a fallen world. He does not minimize the grievous trials that we pass through in this life.  But since the heart of a pilgrim is looking homeward, even in the Valley of Baca, we can make a well.  It’s a matter of the heart. Remember the Proverb that says “Above all else, guard your heart, for from it are the well springs of life...” (Proverbs 4:23).  

       What is needed for joy? The man was healed in Acts 3 and filled with joy. What about if circumstances are different? Max Lucado told the story of Robert Reed. Robert lives with a debilitating disability. His hands are twisted and his feet useless. He can’t bath himself. He can’t brush his own teach or put on his own underwear. Strips of Velcro hold his shirts together. His speech drags like a worn out audiocassette. The disease he lives with keeps him from driving a car, riding a bike and going for a walk. But it didn’t keep him from graduating from high school or attending Abilene Christian University where he graduated with a degree in Latin. His disability didn’t keep him from teaching at St. Louis Junior College or from venturing overseas on five missions trips. And Roberts disease didn’t keep him from becoming a missionary in Portugal. He moved to Lisbon, alone, in 1972. There he rented a hotel room and began studying Portuguese. He found a restaurant owner who would feed him after the rush hour and a tutor who would instruct him in the language. Then he stationed himself in a park, where he would hand out gospel tracts. Within six years he had led seventy people to the Lord, one of whom became his wife, Rosa.

       Lucado said that he had heard Robert speak recently. He said,

I watched other men carry him in his wheelchair onto the platform. I watched them lay a Bible in his lap. I watch his stiff fingers force open the pages. And I watched people in the audience wipe away tears of admiration from their faces. Robert could have asked for sympathy or pity, but he did just the opposite. He held his bent hand into the air and boasted, “I have everything I need for joy.” His shirts are held together by Velcro, but his life is held together by joy.”

I am no expert on distinguishing counterfeit money from the real thing, but that is authentic Christianity. So, our new life in Christ is marked by love for Him, trust in His Word, and abounding joy in our salvation.

 IV. Life with Christ- Now and forever- “receiving the end of your faith...”

“...the end [telos] of your faith... the salvation of your souls...”

       Love, faith, and joy accompany God’s work in us and for us. There is an interesting juxtaposition of the “already” and the “not yet” in this phrase. “Telos” is future looking, pointing ahead to the result or final outcome of believing in Jesus.  It is a word that speaks to the completion of God’s plan, the culmination of his work in history.  Peter knows that we are pilgrims, passing through this fallen world, but we are citizens of heaven and our hope is in the return of Christ and in a new heaven and new earth.  That is not yet here but it motivates us and encourages us.  Remember Jesus’ words in John 14:2,3...

² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

       We have a home to look forward to, even though we have not yet seen it! Yet it is also true that as we receive new life through faith in Christ we are now citizens of heaven, some of the blessings of the kingdom are ours now, and we have a new life that will carry into the new Creation. It is true that “If any man be in Christ, a new creation!” As Paul told the Colossians, “You have been translated out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s Son...” We are already part of and a participant in the future!  Peter here uses the present tense, “...receiving...” indicating that it is a present reality and not only a future hope. Put another way, you were saved when you believed, you are saved as you live the Christian life, and you will be saved when you receive a new glorified body and are delivered once for all from the presence and influence of sin. Somehow, when we see Him, we will be like Him.  Oh what a glorious day that will be!

What is God saying to me in this passage? Our new life in Christ is marked by love for Him, trust in His Word, and abounding joy in our salvation.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? You have not seen Jesus (more than likely). But do you love Him?  How can that be?  Could it be that you realize that He loved you first, that He loved you to the point of laying down His life for you? Do you believe Him? That is, do you take Him at His word? If God said it, does that settle it? Does the reality of his presence and his grace bring joy to your heart? To believe Him, we need to be in the Word. That means listening and learning at every opportunity. It means picking up your Bible (or IPAD or whatever) and reading the Word carefully, prayerfully, for yourself. Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me...” We are a group of imperfect people – forgiven, but not yet glorified. The good news is that we are not slaves to sin, because God is with us and in us. We can grow and become more like He wants us to be. Did you see the video on my wall on Facebook, the old rabbi talking about a lobster’s growth? [ https://www.facebook.com/PatDivillyFit/videos/990363947705254/?pnref=story ] Are we willing to allow God to help us grow, even through the hard things, the “grievous trials” of life? If we can let go of our personal preferences and ask God to teach us, in the end, we’ll be more like Jesus. And people will begin to see a difference in us.   God is not finished with us yet. Let us strive together to be faithful in the mission He has set before us.       AMEN

Hope in Times of Trial I Peter 1:6,7

[This is installment 3 in our I Peter series, and was preached at Boothbay Baptist on April 10, 2016. I hope to post the following messages this week to get caught up on the series].

Pilgrim Living in a Fallen World: Hope in Time of Trial

I Peter 1:6,7

Introduction:  As we began our look into this first letter of the Apostle Peter on Palm Sunday and Easter, we noted that the apostle wrote to believers in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, who were scattered through the nations of Asia Minor. They were exiles and pilgrims, sojourners in a fallen world. Even so, as the letter begins it is already clear that the “brokenness” of the world does not leave us in despair. As we quoted Dr. Ed Clowney:  “Our hope is anchored in the past: Jesus rose! Our hope remains in the present: Jesus lives! Our hope will be completed in the future: Jesus is coming (1:5,7,14)!”   

        As pilgrims living in a fallen world, we have hope, but that does not mean we are exempt from suffering. We shouldn’t be surprised by suffering. The “Hall of faith” in Hebrews 11 reminds us of the suffering believers experienced in the past. And then the writer invites us to consider the example of Jesus himself...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  ³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted (12:1-3).

Jesus endured the humiliation of the cross to give us victory.  Remember our look at Psalm 84 around Thanksgiving?  The writer said in 84:5-6a,

⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.  ⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring...

The “pilgrims” were passing through a desert on their way to Zion, the City of the Great King. The “Valley of Tears” can be a metaphor for life in a fallen world. There is pain. There are even “grievous trials.”  Our hearts can be broken. We can feel alone or abandoned or misunderstood. We can be treated unfairly. But “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself...” Don’t grow weary. Don’t lose hope.

The Maine Idea:  As pilgrims, we have hope, even as we pass through trials in life, knowing God is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

I. A Pilgrim’s Promise: Your sorrow will be turned to Joy!  Trials are not fun, but they have a purpose, and they are temporary (6).

       “In this [or, “in whom”] you greatly rejoice...” Dr. Ed Clowney said: “...it is possible that he is thinking, not just of all the blessings we have in Christ, but of Christ in whom we have the blessings...”  The translation of the relative pronoun could be “in this” or “in whom.”  The previous context was talking of the Lord, who intervened in human history to accomplish his gracious purpose. If you know Jesus you are “in Christ,” that is your position and He is the source of our joy. What He has done for us also brings us joy, so maybe this is a case of “both/and” rather than “either/or.”

       Verse 6 refers back to the sure hope that Peter has alluded to the opening of this letter.  Read again verses 3-5,

³ 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,  ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,  ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

“In this you greatly rejoice...” If we understand that truth we have reason for rejoicing!  This is cause for “great rejoicing!”  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the inheritance that is ours because of God’s amazing grace toward us, the initiative He took to give us new life, all of this allows us to rejoice in the Lord always, despite the trials we face in this life. 

       Peter is writing as one pilgrim-exile to another. Our hope is based on history, that is the resurrection of Jesus, and it looks forward to the promise of an eternal inheritance that will never fade, kept for us in heaven.  We can have joy now, because we know that the best is yet to come!  Remember the story of the believer who died, and she had asked that when her body was placed in the coffin that a fork be placed in her hand so that it was visible at the funeral.  The reason was that it was always said at the church pot-luck dinners, after the entrees were served but before the desserts were put out, “Hold onto your forks, the best is yet to come!” She wanted to give her pastor the opportunity to tell her family and friends that this life is not the end of the story, God has a future in store for us that is better than we could possible imagine. The best is yet to come!  Peter tells his readers that our future hope brings joy to our hearts, we know that we are His, we are forgiven, we have peace with God, and He has prepared an eternal inheritance for us.  As pilgrims, we have hope, even as we pass through trials in life, knowing God is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

II. A Pilgrim’s Pain: As Christ suffered, so will those who set their eyes on Him...

“...though now for a little while, as was necessary,

you have been grieved by various trials...”

       One of the inevitable facts of life is the consequences of living in a fallen world impacts us all.  Many times over the years people going through trials have asked in frustration, “What did I do to deserve this?”  The truth is, sometimes it is our own sin. A lifetime of alcohol abuse may well result in liver disease later in life. Sometimes it may be God chastening us to correct us and draw us back.  As a loving Father he will not leave us indefinitely to our wandering. He’ll give us a loving slap upside the head to get our attention. You’ll know it when it happens! Much of the time our suffering is just the fact that we live in a world under the curse, a universe that is fallen.  The description of the pilgrims experience is powerful,

“...you have been grieved by various trials...”

The trials we experience as pilgrims in a fallen world can be grievous. They can bring grief to our hearts that sometimes seems almost too much to bear. Paul spoke of God’s knowledge of our limits in I Corinthians 10:13,

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

The word “temptation” is the same Greek word, peirasmos, that appears in James 1:2,12 and I Peter 1:6; 4:12.  It can mean “try, test, or tempt.”  Paul is saying in I Corinthians that God knows us intimately and precisely. He is our Creator. He not only read the manual, He wrote it!  The trials can be grevious, but God knows our limits.  He knows what we can take.

       Our sufferings are temporary, “...for a little while.” Someone may be dealing with a handicap or a chronic illness and think, “I don’t see how you can call this ‘a little while’!”  I don’t want to minimize the suffering or hardship that anyone is experiencing. I’ve seen enough people go through persistent pain and heart-wrenching grief that I realize none of it feels like “a little while.” But if we can fix our hearts on heaven just for  a moment, if we can remember that the  “suffering of this present age is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.”

       “...as was necessary...” Our trials are necessary? We know discipline is necessary. Whether of not you have children you have been around them enough to know that most kids don’t spontaneously love what is good and cherish every opportunity to obey their parents. At some point, in some way, they will test the boundries. One dear sister in our church has said a few times, “I have never seen a child yet who had to learn to disobey!” So discipline is necessary. And God chastens every child he receives. Because He loves us. And it is necessary to teach us.  But what about other trials that we pass through?  Are they too “necessary”?  This seems like an odd phrase, until we consider how this word is normally used in the New Testament. It is typically used to describe “divine necessity,” that is, something that has been integrated into the master plan of our sovereign King. Jesus himself is the example in that it is the word that Jesus typically used when he described the certain and “necessary” unfolding of history that would including his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Luke 9:22  “...saying, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’"

Luke 17:25  “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

Luke 22:37 “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors.' For what is written about me has its fulfillment."

Luke 24:26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

Then in Acts we see the same word applied to believers, like Paul,

Acts 9:16 “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

God is that big. He is sovereign over history, and somehow he works all things, even the hard things through which we pass, together for our good, and ultimately, for His glory.  James similarly said at the beginning of his letter that God is at work, and will use trials to accomplish something in us,

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing...” (James 1:2-4).

We are sojourners, living for a time in this fallen world. We are not home yet, we are just passing through. Somehow, our experience of suffering and perhaps our tested and growing faith in the midst of it, reveals the brokenness of creation and the depth of God’s love for us.  After all, Jesus left Heaven to enter this sin cursed world, to make it possible for sinful humans to be reconciled to a holy God.  Remember Paul’s words in his second letter to the Corinthians, “If any man be in Christ—a new creation!” We are already citizens of heaven and are only sojourners in this fallen world.  As pilgrims, we have hope, even as we pass through trials in life, knowing God is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

III. A Pilgrims’ Path: Through the Fire! God is interested in the journey, not only the destination! God is working in us, to teach us, to grow our faith, to deepen our love for Him, and to show as off to the world!

⁷...so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire...

       Gold, like other metals, can be refined in the fire. The impurities are burned away, and the metal comes out purer than before. Even so, as Peter says in his second letter, the day will come when this creation will be destroyed by fire. Gold and all! Our hope is in a new heaven and a new earth.  We pass through the fire – and God uses it to purify us, to make us more like Jesus. That is one of the ways that He uses trials for our good... Dr. Cain is often reminding us that “God is good—all the time!” That is easy for me to say when things are going well and my prayers are being answered the way I would like. When I experience affirmation and love from the people I am sent to serve.  I want to be so solid in my belief of that truth that I can say it the valleys, when I am struggling: “God is good and He does good – all the time!” Our faith in Him and our love for Him should be strengthened through our times of hardship. Remember Jesus. Remember His grace, and the merciful work on our behalf. As we are tested, as we persevere in times of hardship and trial, God is glorified!  

...may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

       Like a good grandparent, I think I have the cutest grandchildren. I like to hold up their picture and brag about them just like you do about yours.  I find joy in watching them grow and learn. Arden is 3 and a half and goes to an AWANA “cubbies” program. She quoted about 10 Bible verses she has learned in her book. Hunter’s only one and a half and doesn’t talk much yet, but is a good tackler and can hop really well!  Ok, they’re my grandchildren and you expect a little of that from me!  We are God’s children.  We are “...His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus...” Our faith brings Him praise, honor, and glory.  The song writer said, “If I should gain any praise, let it go to Calvary!” Though it is grammatically possible to read this as affirming praise, glory, and honor going to the believer, that seems to me to run contrary to this context. The emphasis on God’s sovereignty, His gracious intervention in history for our good. His initiative on our behalf. It should be our desire that any praise, any honor or glory, go to the One who did it all on our behalf.  Is that your prayer in our trials? Job, in the midst of his trials, said “Though He slay me, yet shall I trust Him.”  That kind of faith brings glory to our gracious Father. That is the kind of photo that the Father can pull out before the angels and before all creation. “Have you considered my servant?” That is pilgrim faith. And...

What is God saying to me in this passage? As pilgrims, we have hope, even as we pass through trials in life, knowing God is working all things together for our good and for His glory.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?  It may be that you are going through the fire even at this moment. There may be a trial that you are struggling with, a hardship, opposition, physical sickness, an addiction, whatever it might be. Know this: none of it is a surprise to God. And nothing touches us that has not first passed through the hands of our loving heavenly Father – nothing.  Does it help you to know that God’s sovereignty is such that He will use that trial to deepen your faith, and that your perseverance, your trust in the valley, will ultimately bring Him glory?  As Satan appeared before the Lord after going to and fro in the earth, God asked, “Have you considered my servant Job?”  Twice the same invitation was given (Job 1:8; 2:3)!  He not only allowed the testing of Job’s faith, He invited it!  For Job’s good, and for God’s glory.  We were talking about this at an early morning prayer time and Herb Mullen asked rhetorically, “Am I willing to be considered?” It’s easy to trust God on the mountain tops, but will we trust Him in the valleys?  Psalm 2 pictures a world in rebellion against God and His anointed. It ends with the statement, “Blessed are all who put their trust in Him.”                               Think about that,   AMEN.

Mother, Our First and Greatest Teacher!

[For mother's day I decided to take a break from our series in I Peter and present a more "topical" study on Mothers. By the way, I have a new desktop computer and will get caught up this week on positing the last four messages from I Peter 1].

Mother: our First and Greatest Teacher

Proverbs 1:7-9; 31:30; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14,15

Introduction: I read this week the story of a little boy who was nervous about reciting his lines in the Sunday School program.  His mother sat in the front row, thinking he might need some help. When it came his turn, he froze.  His mother leaned forward, and tried to silently mouth the words, but the boy only drew a blank.  Finally, she whispered the words, “I am the light of the world!”  With that, the boy smiled and announced in a loud, clear voice, “My mother is the light of the world!” Mothers are such an important part of the life of a child, but it is refreshing when adult children still express their appreciation.  Churchill: “If we want to change our nation, begin by enlisting the mothers.”  It’s been well said, “The lessons learned in the cradle go all the way to the grave.”

The Maine Idea: Mothers are our first and greatest teachers. A mother’s faith can impact her children in their earliest, most teachable moments, and their prayers will reach the One who can turn their hearts homeward.

I. Mothers are our first and greatest teachers (Prov 1:7-9; 2 Tim 1:5). Just this week one of the presidential candidates was quoted as saying, “I believe the primary role of the state is to teach, train, and raise children. Parents have a secondary role.” According to another book, she got that wrong...

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:  ² To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, ³ to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;  ⁴ to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth-  ⁵ Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,  ⁶ to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.  ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.  ⁸ Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, ⁹ for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

      Where do we get the kind of wise instruction that Proverbs is urging us to seek? And what is the foundation?  It needs to start with a deep and sincere reverence for the Lord, and it comes from the instruction of believing parents in the home. Read verse 8 again, “Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching...”  While the responsibility goes to both parents, the plain truth is that mothers, by virtue of the time and opportunity they have to teach and guide their children usually have the greatest impact on them. The “world” offers powerful temptations to our children and poses tremendous obstacles to faith, but a godly mother, by word and example, can guide them toward the truth.  Many great leaders from the past have reflected on the influence that their mother had on them...

     - George Washington said: “The greatest teacher I ever had was my mother.”  

     - Abraham Lincoln: “All that I am, and all that I ever hope to be I owe to my mother…”  He also said, “…no man is poor when he has a godly mother.”          

      - Emerson: “Men are what their mothers make them.”

       The story is told of a London editor who submitted to Winston Churchill a list of all the teachers he had had throughout his life. Churchill returned the list with the comment: “You have omitted to mention the greatest of my teachers—my mother.”

       2 Timothy 1:5 alludes to Timothy’s spiritual lineage, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” Timothy’s father was Greek rather than Jewish, and the fact that he is not mentioned here as part of Timothy’s spiritual lineage would seems to imply that he was an unbeliever (see Acts 16:1). Just as Lois (Timothy’s grandmother) had impacted Eunice (Timothy’s mother), their faith and faithfulness had impacted Timothy since his childhood.  There may be encouragement here for single parents, and for those who don’t have the enthusiastic support of a spouse in teaching the Word to your children, God knows your situation, and He loves your child even more than you do. Be faithful, do your best with the time and support you do have to sow the seeds of truth into the life of your kids. Devote yourself to prayer. And trust God to bring the increase. [By the way, a mother can affect not only her children, but our children’s children, and the innumerable other lives they touch.  Someone once asked DL Moody how many converts he had had at a meeting. He replied, “Two and a half.”  “Do you mean two adults and a child?”  “No,” he replied. “Two children and an adult.”  An adult’s life is half gone; a child has their who life in front of them!

       Notice that Paul mentions not only Eunice, but also Lois.  In referring to the faith of Timothy, it seemed important enough for Paul to mention two generations of believers in that family.  As a godly mother by word and example teaches her children, she is potentially affecting not only them, but also their children and grandchildren.  And think of the lives that Timothy touched!  Paul was himself encouraged by Timothy, and the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy have encouraged the church for nearly 2,000 years!

       Paul encouraged Timothy to pass the things he knew on to others (2 Tim 2:2) “The things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also….” That is discipleship, and our first responsibility is to make disciples of our own family. Mothers are our first and greatest teachers. A mother’s faith can impact her children in their earliest, most teachable moments, and their prayers will reach the One who can turn their hearts homeward.

II. Personal Faith is the most Precious Truth she can share (2 Tim 3:14,15).

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it  ¹⁵ and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  ¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  ¹⁷ that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

       They teach the Bible: The example of Eunice and Lois.  The key truth here is that Timothy had the example of a mother, and a grandmother, who knew that the Bible pointed to Jesus, and that in it we had the revelation of God’s truth. The Scripture is the Word of God, through it we know God, and we learn what He expects of us.  A woman of faith is constantly going back to the Bible, reflecting on it, and looking for opportunities to teach these truths to their children.  Mary Ann is always bragging about the kids in her nursery class and those in the Olympian group, particularly stories about how a parent does their quiet time faithfully with the child, or works with them to memorize scripture. These are seeds that God can use to mold a life for eternity.

       A believing mother teaches the Bible from the perspective of faith.  This is important. Remember the highpoint of Proverbs 31, verse 30 says, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Paul could see that kind of faith of Eunice and Lois: a sincere, authentic trust in God. That faith was now evident in the life of Timothy: “Unfeigned faith…”, authentic, genuine trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. The faith that Timothy embraced was the faith that first dwelt in his mother and grandmother.  Your kids will see how seriously you take the Bible. Do you treat it like the Word of God? Do you value it, and get excited about the lessons that God is teaching you?  That excitement is contagious! Is church a priority to you? Our example teaches!

       She teaches the Bible with the benefit of experience. One of the metaphors the Bible uses to describe the Christian life is a “walk.” Christians are called, “Followers of the Way.”  These ideas imply movement, direction, activity.  Our life, and particularly the life of a believing mother, will be a constant reinforcement of the teaching we would want to pass on to the next generation.  If we talk about love and patience, and our kids hear us constantly screaming and throwing things, what are they hearing?  Remember, it is fairly clear that Timothy’s mother did not have an ideal situation, yet she was able in the midst of an immoral world to raise a child who made a positive impact for Christ.  Acts 16:1 indicates Timothy’s father was a Greek.  Paul makes no mention of him here in terms of his influence on Timothy, which implies that he wasn’t a believer.  Yet Eunice, guided by the example of her own mother Lois, made a positive lifelong impact on her Son.  Mothers are our first and greatest teachers. A mother’s faith can impact her children in their earliest, most teachable moments, and their prayers will reach the One who can turn their hearts homeward.

III. Prayer may be the most enduring tool she can use to impact the life of her children.  The passages we’ve highlighted don’t specifically mention prayer, but it is such a fundamental part of our faith that it is assumed. The privilege of prayer is a foundational element of our faith. In fact Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18,  “…pray without ceasing,  ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That persistent, unceasing, believing prayer is part of a mother’s impact of the life of her children.

       Prayer motivated by love – There is nothing selfish in it, the motivation is an intense desire for her children to experience God’s best.  We want our kids to avoid some of the mistakes and the hard lessons we’ve learned. And so we pray without ceasing.

       Prayer that teaches by example – I read this week a story of four pastors who were discussing their favorite Bible translation.  One liked the KJV best because of its simple, beautiful English.  Another liked the NASB because it followed closely the original Greek and Hebrew. Another liked the NIV because it was readable, modern English.  The fourth pastor was silent for a moment, then he said “I like my mother’s translation best.” Surprised, the other three men said they didn’t know his mother had translated the Bible. “Yes,” he said. “She translated it into life, and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw!”

       One of the amazing lessons about prayer in the New Testament is the example of Jesus himself going apart at key moments of his life and ministry, and praying. He taught his disciples, and us, by example. If prayer was important to Jesus, it should be to us as well! Prayerfulness is one of those lessons that is better caught than taught.  I love hearing Mary Ann talk about her nursery class, and how the kids like to pray. They aren’t just getting that in nursery! She said sometimes she’ll say, “OK, it’s time to pray, and before you know it, one of the kids is praying aloud!”  For 2,3, and 4 year old to embrace prayer like that, they are seeing it at home. What a blessing! How many mothers day by day, and sometimes hour by hour or minute by minute, are offering up prayers for their children?

       There is a story that goes back to about 1950 of Susannah Prentice. Susannah and her husband Miles lived in a 2 story house on the coast of Maine. They had two sons and a daughter, Annie, James and John. The family, all except the youngest son John, were devout Christians.  John went to church with the rest of the family, but had never trusted Christ as his Savior.

       Miles was a lobsterman. In those days it wasn’t a lucrative business, and he barely was able to catch enough lobster to support his family. One day the weather report said that a storm was possible, but their electric bill was due the next day, and Miles decided he had no choice, he had to go out and pull some traps so that hopefully, he could pay the power bill the next day. Miles and his oldest son James headed out, and sure enough the weather went bad and a storm blew in. They struggled with the wind and the waves, and by the time the storm passed it was already dark. It was cloudy, and there were no stars for navigation, and they were in trouble.

       Meanwhile, back at the Prentice house, Susannah knew that her husband and son were late, and would have trouble getting back in. She took a lamp and put it in the attic window, and prayed that God would lead her husband and son back safely. John, the younger, unbelieving son, scoffed, “It won’t do any good!”

       Out on the sea, James saw a faint light in the distance. He pointed it out to his father who said, “We’ll steer for that!” And slowly they made their way toward the light and home. When they arrived home the youngest son asked, “How did you make it back in?” James said, “We steered toward the light mother put in the window.” John thought about the light and his mother’s prayers. God was working in his heart.

        It was just a few months later, when John, the youngest son, became seriously ill. The doctor came and gave the grave prognosis, “He won’t live long.” As death approached the young man said, “Don’t be afraid for me. I will make it to the safety of the heavenly harbor, I have steered by mother’s light and have found the Savior, Jesus Christ.

       Prayer that never ceases – It doesn’t stop when they leave nursery, or when they graduate from High School.  It doesn’t end when they leave the nest. In fact, if you have a believing mother who is still alive, I can almost guarantee that she is still praying for you daily!

       Praying for our prodigals – Through years of counselling Proverbs 22:6 has often proven to be a difficult verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” What is so difficult about that? Well, in experience, many children who are diligently taught the way should go, at least for a time go their own way, bringing pain and heartbreak to their parents. You remember the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15? The Father and the Prodigal, and the Older son are the main characters in the story Jesus told. But that story has been lived out a thousand times in the lives of real families, and a mother’s persistent, unrelenting prayer is almost always a factor that God uses.

       I recently read the story of a daughter who was extremely rebellious and was breaking her mother’s heart. She got a call that the teen had been arrested for driving under the influence. She went to pick her up, and after posting bail they drove home in silence and didn’t speak the rest of the afternoon. The next day the mother handed the girl a small wrapped gift. The girl opened it, and was exasperated by what she saw. The box contained a small rock! The girl rolled her eyes and asked, “What is this for?” Her mother replied, “Read the card.” As did, her eyes filled with tears and she reached out to embrace her mom. The card said: “This rock is more than a million years old. That is how long it will take before I ever give up on you.” Some of you experienced that kind of persistent, unrelenting love from your mother. She didn’t give up on you, despite your rebellious heart. Some of you have extended that kind of love to a prodigal son or daughter. You never stopped loving, praying, seeking to turn their hearts toward home.

What is God saying to me in this passage? Mothers are our first and greatest teachers. A mother’s faith can impact her children in their earliest, most teachable moments, and their prayers will reach the One who can turn their hearts homeward.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Young mothers, I hope this encourages you to embrace the opportunity, and the responsibility, that God has given you in entrusting a child to you. You won’t be a perfect parent. You will make mistakes. But always seek to model before your children authentic Christianity.  They will notice how you handle trials and adversity, how you bounce back from failures, how you model forgiveness and grace. Most of all, they will know that you love them. And, by the way, your relationship with your spouse will be a model that will impact their future relationships with the opposite sex. If you have been praying for a prodigal son or daughter, one who seems to be intent on resisting God and going their own way, persevere, keep praying, know that God loves them even more than you do. Thank God for godly mothers!      AMEN.

A Living Hope! I Peter 1:3-5

A Living Hope!

I Peter 1:3-5

Introduction: “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” My father-in-law was born to Russian immigrant parents and he held on to aspects of their traditions. At Easter, it was customary to greet one another with a standard greeting, in Russian, “Christ is risen!” The reply, which always seemed more difficult to pronounce, was “He is risen indeed!”  We always tried to speak first so we would get the easier part!  What I like about that greeting is that it immediately shifts the focus, this Resurrection Sunday, to where it belongs, and away from rabbits and colored eggs and candy, to the empty tomb.  When Paul was summarizing the gospel that he preached at the beginning of I Corinthians 15 he pointed to an unfolding drama of history:

¹Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you- unless you believed in vain.  ³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...

After pointing out the historical events that formed the foundation of the Good News he preached, Paul underscores the historicity of what happened, it was not only a story, it is history...

  ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.  ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Later in that chapter Paul makes the point that Christianity rises or falls on the truth of the resurrection, if it is not true, if it did not happen, it is empty, a waste of time. But it did happen! The historical evidence is so compelling that there can be no reasonable doubt. And his victory over death means he is who he claimed to be and that we will live also if our trust is in Him. Dr. Ed Clowney was referring to the opening of another letter written by a different apostle when he said: “Our hope is anchored in the past: Jesus rose! Our hope remains in the present: Jesus lives! Our hope will be completed in the future: Jesus is coming (I Peter 1:5,7,14)!”  Our message today is entitled, “A Living Hope!” And we have a “living hope” because we have a living Savior!

The Maine Idea: The resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

I. We have hope if we worship the God who is – it matters what (and who) we believe! That is where Peter starts in I Peter 1:3,

                          “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...”

       As Peter begins this letter, he speaks words of blessing and worship to God.  Notice that he is being very specific, some might say, very exclusive, in terms of who he is speaking.  Today we have a lot of encouragement to be “inclusive” in our language.  In certain cases that is probably a good idea, especially if people might misunderstand what is being said.  Personally, I don’t mind saying “humankind” instead of “mankind,” or “brothers and sisters” instead of “brethren.” We want to be clear, as precise as we can be in expressing what the Bible is really saying.  However we don’t want to change what the Bible actually teaches. Some would suggest that “it doesn’t really matter what you believe, as long as you believe it.” And that “we all really worship the same God, we might just call Him (or her!) by different names.”  Well there is only one true God.  He is the God who is, the God who exists.  He has revealed himself in human history and he has spoken to us in this book (the Bible).  And He has revealed himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

      Peter was a Jew, and his Bible, which was now being interpreted in the light of the coming of Jesus, was what we call the Old Testament.  The apostles were present, bringing the revelation of Jesus to the church, and writing the documents that would eventually become the New Testament.  The phrase that we see here in I Peter reflects on what appears in the Hebrew Scriptures, “blessed be God...” (Gen 14:20; Ps 18:46; 66:20; 68:35; Dan 3:28; cf. 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3; I Pet 1:3).  Read a few examples from the Law, the writings, and the prophets...

Genesis 14:18-20   ¹⁸ And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)  ¹⁹ And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;  ²⁰ and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Psalm 18:46 - The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation!

Psalm 66:20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalm 68:35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel- he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Daniel 3:28  ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command...

Do you see what is going on? In each case, as the Old Testament character reflects on God’s presence, His intervention in human history, His faithful love toward His people, and then he responds with worship to God.  God gets the glory! Worship is the response of the heart to the God who is real and present and who acts in history.  Three times in the New Testament the exact phrase that we have in I Peter 1:3 occurs also in two letters of Paul.  Once we see it in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians,

2 Corinthians 1:3-4   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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Ephesians 1:3  ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places...

Peter uses the same language, word for word, here at the beginning of I Peter. The apostles have taken up the language of the Old Testament and filled out a little the fuller significance. The God of the Old Testament, the God who is real and who is present, who made promises to His people and demonstrated His faithfulness in history, is God, the Father of Jesus. So the apostles offer him praise. Of course the greatest intervention in history was when God did for us what we could not do for ourselves.  He sent the sinless, perfect Son into the world to suffer rejection and torture, and ultimately death, so that sinful humans like us could be reconciled to God.  That is a message worth believing! C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity is only worth believing if it is true...”

       If I told you that I saw a pink elephant this morning, would you believe me?  That might worry you, or you might think about some stuffed animal Mary Ann might have at home for the grandchildren’s visits... Or you might think that some professional help would be in order!  But if I explained, and gave more detail, or even showed you a video I had seen... of a baby albino elephant that was recently born on a reserve in Africa, that might be different!  Disbelieving doesn’t make it untrue!

       In this case, believing me or not would not be of great consequence. But when we are talking about forgiveness and reconciliation with God, or a new, abundant life here on earth and eternal life with God in the new heaven and new earth it makes all the difference in the world if what we are claiming is true!  C.S. Lewis is correct, “Christianity is only worth believing if it is true.” After all Paul said in I Corinthians 15, if we have hope in this life only, in other words, if the resurrection is not true and there is nothing beyond this life, then we are of all people most to be pitied!  But, as Paul said and as Peter affirms, God is real, and He loves us, and he sent the Son so that sinful humans could have a way to be reconciled to Him. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures. The resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

II. We have hope because God’s mercy, not our effort is the basis of a new life!    We can’t save ourselves any more than we could choose to be born!   I Peter 1:3 says,

“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again...”

     “Mercy” and “grace” are closely related ideas in the Bible. “Grace” talks about receiving blessings that we don’t deserve. God’s unmerited favor.  “Mercy” refers to not receiving what we do deserve, that is to be judged for our sins.  We all need God’s mercy, because we are guilty (Eph 2:1-5; Rom 3:10,23).

¹  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-  ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved…

     In his mercy He intervened, we see divine initiative, “...he caused us to be born again...”, or as Paul said, He “...made us alive together with Christ...”

     “...to be born again...”  This isn’t reformation, it is transformation. It isn’t turning over a new leaf, it is receiving a new life.  The prophets anticipated this day, when a New Covenant would come that would be bring a new life. Ezekiel for example said,

²⁶ And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

One of the most direct conversations we see in the Gospels about this idea of a new birth came, in the dark of the night, between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus. We read it in John 3:1ff.,

¹ 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 are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."  ³ Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."  ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  ⁵ Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."  ⁹ Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 

Not only can these things be, this is our only hope! As we see our helpless situation and turn to God, putting our trust in Him, He is working in us and giving us a new life.  We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but He made us alive, by grace through faith we are saved. The basis for such mercy is that Jesus took the penalty for us, and was raised again the third day. He lives, so we have hope!  We don’t get our life right and then come to God. There are no perfect people in church! We come as we are, and He begins to change us from the inside out. The resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

III. We have hope because Jesus proved he is the Son of God in the resurrection (See Rom 1:1-3; I Cor 15:1-3)!   Peter says in 1:3 that we have been born again...

“...to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...”

     Earlier this year we spent about six weeks going through I Corinthians 15. That chapter starts off, in 1-11, talking about some of the evidence for the resurrection, specifically the eyewitnesses. As Paul wrote he was essentially inviting his readers, if they had any doubts, to investigate and to ask questions of those who had seen Him. There could be no doubt!  I would also point to the transformed lives of those witnesses.  How did a fearful band of disciples become courageous proclaimers of the Gospel? They knew that Jesus had defeated death, so their future was sure!  This is not the popular idea of hope, which amounts to basically wishful thinking. Like the little boy who said, “Hope is wishing for something you know ain’t gonna happen!”  That isn’t biblical hope. We have a living hope, a confident expectation about the future, because the tomb is empty! Christ is risen!   The resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

IV. We have hope because God has promised us an inheritance that will not perish or fade (4)! An inheritance undefiled, not fading...

“...to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you...”  (I Peter 1:4).

Another translation of the word Greek word diatheke, “covenant,” is “testament.” It is sometimes used that way in the New Testament. The death of one brings forth the passing of an inheritance on to His heirs. The document, a “last will and testament,” might guarantee a future “inheritance.” That is if it is still there when then testator dies! Peter is talking about an imperishable and unfading inheritance for believers in Jesus, under guard in heaven itself.  Peter had heard Jesus teach about earthly and heavenly treasures in the Sermon on the Mount,

¹⁹ "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Peter is not just talking about treasures in Heaven, but an eternal, unfading inheritance. Think of what that implies: Heirs receive the inheritance. We are heirs because He has made us His children in the new birth (see I John 3:1)! His resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and that our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

V. We have hope because God promises to keep (guard) those who believe!

“...who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (I Peter 1:5).

       If you have put your trust in Jesus as the one who died for your sins on the cross, how do you know you won’t fall away?  Notice v.5, “...who by God’s power are being guarded...” I’ve mentioned before the two dogs one of our neighbors had, Mary Ann and I called them “tiny” and “Hercules.” Tiny was a Great Dane that had a deep, powerful bark that guaranteed no intruder would try to enter that yard. And “Hercules” was a little Shitzu or something that would stand underneath the big dog, yapping away at passersby!  He might have thought the security of the house was his responsibility, but “Tiny,” the Great Dane, is the one who kept the place safe. Jesus said, “No one can snatch you out of my Father’s hand. “ That is a promise. We have a sure hope, because it doesn’t depend on us. God is the one who keeps us.

       N.B. “...in the last time...”  As surely as the resurrection was a historical event, so will be His return...  Now is the acceptable time, today is the day of salvation!

What is God saying to me in this passage? The resurrection means that Jesus is who He claimed to be and our hope is sure if our trust is in Him.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? It may be that you are reading this, and you feel a little like Nicodemus, “How can these things be?” The invitation to you is to come, there is hope in Jesus. He defeated the greatest enemy, death, and He has purchased eternal life and forgiveness for all who will believe. Will you put your trust in Him as your savior and Lord?

       Perhaps you have believed in Jesus at a time in the past, but circumstances in life caused you to drift away, to push Him back into a corner of your life.  Maybe you are asking questions, wondering if this is true. But here you are. That is not by chance. God planned this moment in your life. He wants you to know, grace is inexhaustible. His mercies are new every morning. You know the truth. Confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. There is no need to feel hopeless. There is no reason to lose hope. Christ is risen! Easter means a living hope for all who will trust Him!