Gird Up Your Minds: A Lively Hope With Eternal Ramifications

Gird up your Minds: A Lively Hope with Eternal Ramifications

David Tack: November 18, 2011 (1)

INTRODUCTION

As we go through each day of our lives it is filled with hopeful expectations. For some it may be as simple as hope for better health, more success, better sleep ect… It is alright to hope for such things; but, this morning I want to share with you the Biblical hope and expectation that we, as Christians, must constantly meditate and abide within. Such a WONDERFUL HOPE: The hope of the imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is returning very soon! Are you ready for His return? Are you hopefully expectant for His return?

Our Selected Text: 1 Peter 1:13 (2)

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope [An active Imperative (command): elpizō= expect] to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”;

“Gird” Has the idea of getting ready for work. “The loins of the human body comprising the five lower vertebrae of the back, so-called perhaps from the labor they can do and sustain when a man exerts his strength.” Ref: Zodhiates, Spiros (ed). The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Loins. Strong’s #G3751 (Old and New Testaments). Chattanooga: AMG, 1993. E-Sword, Version 9.5.1.

“And hope to the end: “Better, as Rev., set your hope perfectly: wholly and unchangeably; without doubt or despondency.” Ref: Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New Testament, 1 Peter 1:13. Covenant Parsonage, NY. 1886. E Sword, Version 9.5.1. ON WHAT: The “revelation” or return “of Jesus Christ.”

RECEPIENTS

Here Peter is encouraging a specific class of listeners: (vs.1) To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God… (Vs.2). Peter is speaking to scattered (literally the dispersed) Christians (Jew and Gentile) throughout these particular Roman Providences.

Let us examine this wonderfully heaven sent expectation this morning. Notice Peter thematically stresses the “end of the ages” in this short epistle. I am convinced that Peter thought he was living in these “end” times; more so is it apparent that we are also living in this day and age. See the thematic thread here:

(1 Peter 1:5): in the last time; (1 Peter 5:7) … at the appearing of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:9) … Receiving the end of your faith; (1 Peter 1:13) … and hope to the end for the … at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:20) … in these last times for you; (1 Peter 2:12) … in the day of visitation.

I. First, our HOPE is one that is a LIVELY HOPE (1 Peter1:3) (3)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten [regenerated] us again unto a lively [zao= living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

It is termed “lively” because it stems through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

It is a living hope because it is the result of a living word

1 Peter1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

II. Secondly, our HOPE is one that is a LASTING Hope (1 Peter 1:4) (4)

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Incorruptible: “… which once being possessed, cannot be taken away. . .” Ref: Poole, Matthew. A Commentary on the Holy Bible: Volume III: Matthew- Revelation. McLean: McDonald Publishing, n.d. 899.

Undefiled: . . . incapable of any pollution or defilement…” Ref: Poole, Matthew. A Commentary on the Holy Bible: Volume III: Matthew- Revelation. McLean: McDonald Publishing, n.d. 899.

The word “reserved” is from tereo which means “to watch, to observe, to guard, to reserve, to set aside.” Heaven is the safe deposit box where God is guarding our inheritance for us under constant surveillance. The participle is in the perfect tense, speaking of a past completed action having present results. We could translate, ‘has been laid up and is now kept guarded in a safe deposit.” Ref: Wuest, Kenneth S. Wuest’s Word Studies; First Peter in the Greek New Testament for the English Reader. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978.

III. Thirdly our HOPE is one of PROVISIONAL PROOFS (5)

The Hope of Salvation (1 Thess. 5:8)

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

Hope: “Joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.” Ref: Thayer, Joseph Henry; Gerhard Kittel (ed). Thayer’s Greek Dictionary. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. 1 Thessalonians 5:8. n.d. e-Sword, Version 9.5.1.

The Purpose of a soldier’s helmet is designed specifically to protect the head during battle. The hope (expectation) of our completed salvation is to our minds what a helmet was to a Roman combat soldier. It protects our minds, which is where one of our greatest battlefields exists, against the constant assaults of our enemies. Ref: Tack, David. November 15, 2011.