Encouraged To Endure Sermon I: Encouraged By A Hope That Is Sure Series

Encouraged to Endure by a Hope That Is Sure

“Encouraged to Endure by a Hope That Is Sure” is a fitting motto for those of you who, like me, have joined the Four Score Overtime Club.

It is also a motto apropos to the 1st epistle of Peter - in which he encouraged Christians living in Asia Minor under the rule of the Roman Empire.

Whereas many of us are doing fairly well for our age, and some of us have gone into overdrive, Peter’s aim was to equip beleaguered believers who were not doing well with power of confidence . . . trust . . . the certainty of eternal salvation guaranteed by the death and resurrection of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

In our day, we too need encouragement, do we not? Why not be encouraged by the fact that we today live in the light of our Lord’s resurrection, even though we have not yet seen him with our own eyes as did Peter?

Our hope is indeed a sure hope based on the resurrection, but that alone does not exempt us from unnerving situations. It does provide us with a certainty that, in the present, diminishes debilitating effects of our losses, and, in the future, will demolish lingering doubts and fears.

What Christians of any era, or at any age and stage in life, need to focus on is our faith through which we were born again . . . were transformed into doers of the Word . . . await the time when we shall behold Him - to which we say “Amen”! (An OT Hebrew word meaning “certainty” transliterated by NT Greek as “amen”).

In response to God’s fulfillment of His promised salvation by grace through faith, we declare eternal life to be “a certainty” when we say Amen! (Which is why old-time preachers set up an “Amen Corner” . . . the 11th, 12th, and 13th holes at the Augusta National Golf Course are referred to as “Amen Corner” - inasmuch as the tournament, of a certainty, is so often won or lost on those three holes!)

Of a certainty Peter wrote to believers who were going through, or about to go through, difficult times and circumstances, and he reassured them, and us, that God has provided for our survival – I Peter 1:3-9 . . .

Praise God! He has caused us to be born again to a living hope based on the resurrection of a Lord and Savior who lives! Seeing the resurrected Christ changed Peter’s life to the extent that this fisherman turned “Jesus freak” willingly suffered humiliation for Jesus’ sake and, furthermore, when ordered to stop preaching about “Jesus crucified, risen and coming again” he courageously refused to stop . . . !

Peter knew “of a certainty” that Jesus was who He said he was . . . died for the sins of the world . . . was resurrected by the power of God . . . returned to the Father who had sent him . . . went to prepare a place for all who truly believe . . . will receive His “joint-heirs” into His Father’s “House” at the appointed time.

Peter knew “of a certainty” that death is not the end. As an apostle, he had seen the evidence with his own eyes. We. through “eyes of faith” share Peter’s affirmation . . . that of others who saw the Lord alive after His resurrection . . . with countless saints who through the ages placed their trust and hope in a Living Christ . . . with fellow believers of all nations and denominations who “KNOW the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich.” Become truly rich!

What an invaluable inheritance – one that will never perish . . . spoil . . . fade – one that is kept in heaven for those who have committed themselves to, and have a personal relationship with, Christ the Lord! What an inheritance!

In the classic novel Little Lord Fauntleroy, a young boy living in poverty in America learns that his deceased father belonged to a noble family in England. The youngster’s British grandfather sends for him; the boy soon finds himself living in a grand estate in England; he learns that he is the heir to the estate and that he will go by the title of lord. What an honor! This is our story as believers in Christ!

Our Father has granted His children an eternal inheritance that no one can destroy or take away from us! The resurrection guarantees our future glory as joint heirs with Christ who has prepared a place and reserved a space for us! Amen!