Reasons To Bless God Series

1 Peter 1:3-5 Reasons to Bless God

Introduction: Last Week we saw:

Title: always been identified as 1 Peter. Peter dictated and Silas wrote (5:12).

Author: the Apostle Peter. (Also called Simon in Greek, and Simeon in Hebrew).

Weak evidence some use to say not written by Peter:

Lots of strong evidence for Peter:

Date: written in early SIXTIES A.D., no later than 64-65.

Place of Writing: Probably Rome, but not 100% sure.

Recipients: Appears to be mostly converted Gentiles.

Called “strangers” (1:1) and “pilgrims (2:11)

Called “scattered” (1:1) physically located in area of modern day Turkey.

Called “elect” (1:2). “God’s chosen ones”, Entire Trinity Involved…

Based on: Election is based upon God’s “Foreknowledge” (prognosis,

before + to know = to know beforehand)

Fulfilled by: The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1:2)

Made Possible by: Jesus Christ’s shed blood.

Purpose of Book: Peter wants to provide “HOPE” & encouragement to the persecuted

(1:3, 13, 21; 3:15).

Proposition: Every Christian should Bless God for what He has done.

“To Bless” Eulogetos, from Eu (good) + logos (words), it means “to speak well of”, praise

Why should we bless God? Peter gives us four reasons we should Bless God

Text: 1 Peter 1:3-5

1. Christians should Bless God because He has saved us (v.3).

“begotten again” = born again tense=aorist, all ready completed action

the idea of something being born, creating something that is entirely new

2 Cor. 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…”

2 Peter 1:4 speaks of us as being “partakers of the divine nature”.

This nature is new, not there before salvation.

It is Brand New, Unstained, Unspotted, Pure,

This New Nature can be longsuffering, gentle, good (Gal. 5).

We should be thankful to God for “begetting us again”

2. Christians should Bless God because He gives us a living Hope (v.3b).

Hope = “Confident Expectation that is well grounded”, more than a “wishful desire”

Titus 1:2 Says we are “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before

the world began;”

Hebrews 6:17-19 “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the

heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it

by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it

was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong

consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope

set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the

soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that

within the veil;”

this “hope” is called a “lively hope”; this is opposite of a dead and inactive hope, it is a hope that is alive and active….a hope that is on going

We have this hope because Jesus Christ Resurrected from the tomb after three days.

Our “HOPE” is that we too will live again even though we may someday physically die…

“Hope” of experiencing victory over death…

Ill. There have been a few times in my life I have literally been afraid for my life.

But you know I remembered “I am saved”, I am going to heaven, God gave peace..

This is the LIVING HOPE that God gave to me.

This hope inherently springs from the New Nature that God gave us.

This is why people can face martyrdom and remain cool, calm, collected and serene..

In A.D. 167, Germanicus, an elderly Christian, was brought to trial for being a Christian. The Roman officials urged him to take into account his old age and recant rather than go through torture and death. To this he said he would not recant, but instead he attracted the wild beasts towards himself, and provoked them so he could escape all the more quickly from an unrighteous and impious world. This act of courage further aroused the anger of the mob, who began to shout two things: "Death to the Atheists” (that is, those who have no visible gods) and “Bring Polycarp!"

3. Christians should Bless God because He give us an inheritance (v.4).

An inheritance is when property or a title is passed down from one person to another,

I usually think of passing down from a parent to child…

An inheritance comes to an heir freely, not as the result of his/her own efforts (Kelly, 51)

God has given us a title “child of God”

God has promised us property “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matt.5:5),

“mansion in heaven”;

We “…shall inherit everlasting life” (Matt. 9:29).

A. Incorruptible – not subject to wear or determination, will not perish -- (Death proof)

B. Undefiled – no stain on it, completely unpolluted, not defiled -- (Sin proof)

C. Fades not away – keeps its beauty, doesn’t lose it’s luster -- (Time proof)

D. Reserved in heaven – enjoy part of it now but “complete salvation” is yet future.