Christian Living Perks

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Acts 2:42-47; Revelation 21:1-7

Theme: Christian Living Perks

This sermon focuses on three perks of following Jesus – 1. Being Radically Born Again, Experiencing a Life of Living Hope and Enjoying an Everlasting Inheritance

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

It is amazing how many companies want us to believe that if we use thier credit card then our lives will become better and richer. Take for example, the Discover Card. Discover says that not only can you use their card to buy things, but it comes with all kinds of benefits added to it - 1% cash back on normal purchases and 5% cash back on special purchases.

Medicare advantage programs are always advertising what they can do for us. They tell us about all kinds of benefits that are ours for the taking; money put back into our accounts, extra money for dental, vision and now even for groceries.

Gym memberships, grocery cards, bank accounts; the list goes on and on of all the different programs and offers that are sent our way just wanting us to know that if we accept this app, this program, open this account or whatever that suddenly we will have all these wonderful benefits. All ours for the taking.

Even the US government gets in on the act with a special website; www.benefits.gov.

We can click on that website and find all kinds of assistance and benefits that may be available to us. Disaster relief, Social Security Programs, SNAP, Housing assistance and how we may be able to even get a direct loan from the government.

It seems like everywhere we turn there is someone telling us that if we do just this or that, if we sign up for this or that or give them some money that the door to all kinds of benefits, advantages, paybacks and assistance will suddenly be right at our fingertips.

It may cause us to approach our passage this morning with a bit of skepticism.

+Is what the Apostle Peter shares here similar to some Medicare Program, Kroger Card or Credit Card that is more hype than reality?

While it is nice to get back 1% on your credit card, it just means that you must spend 1,000 dollars to get back ten dollars.

While it is nice to get back some money to buy gas from Kroger, you do have to spend quite a bit of money to get some credit and then you must either buy your gas from Kroger or Shell Gas Stations.

It could cause us to wonder what it is that St. Peter is advertising here and what is it going to cost us?

Is it worth it?

Those that received this letter had to make those choices as they read it. They had to listen to Simon Peter’s words, digest them and then see if what he was saying was worth it. If what he was saying was worth their time and energy.

Whether we want to admit it or not we find ourselves in the same position each time we read a portion of God’s Word.

+Do we want what it says it will provide?

+Do we want to do what is necessary to receive what it says it will provide?

+Is it worth the cost of our time and energy?

Let’s take a moment to look at what Simon Peter is sharing in verses 3-5. Let’s see what he tells us are some the benefits of accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and LORD.

I. We can experience a Radical Change in our Status – Being Born Again – verse 3

Depending on our background that phrase “Born Again” may be a little unfamiliar. Words like being a Christian, saved, converted, coming to faith, redeemed, justified, regenerated or becoming a child of God may be more accepting to our ears.

All those words and phrases lead to the same thing – experiencing God in a new way in our lives that transforms us from the inside out.

When Jesus talked to Nicodemus in John chapter three, Jesus used the words being born from above – being born through the power and presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

John 1:12 puts it this way “… to all who receive Jesus, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The Apostle Paul explained it this way:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Paul went on to talk about walking in newness of life (Romans 6:4), putting off the old self (Colossians 3:9) and putting on the new self which is given to us by the God of Righteousness Himself (Ephesians 4:24).