Our Living Hope

Thesis: What we hope for affects the way we live.

Intro.:

1. We live in a world of dashed hopes, a place of shattered dreams.

a. Peace --> WW 1 = "war to end all wars."

b. Society --> FDR "New Deal"; LBJ "Great Society"; MLK "Dream."

c. Personal --> Family, job, health.

2. For the Christian there is a hope that doesn't fade away regardless of what this world has to dish out! ("a living hope"--1:3)

I. THE NATURE OF OUR HOPE (3-5).

A. It is something we are BORN into (3a).

1. Spiritual rebirth (cf. John 3:3-5).

2. Something significant happens at baptism.

B. It is made possible only through the resur. of Jesus (3b).

1. We imitate Jesus' DBR in baptism.

2. The DBR of Jesus is the heart of the gospel.

C. It is not of this world! (4) (cf. Mt. 6:19-20)

D. We have it but it is not yet fully revealed (4b-5). (cf. 1 John 3:1-2)

II. THE POWER OF OUR HOPE (6-9).

A. It gives us joy in spite of our circumstances (6).

B. It turns our trials into blessings (7).

1. Expect your faith to be put to the test.

2. Illust. Gold, though valuable, is not so valuable that it can't be put into the furnace and refined making it even more valuable! Gold is not eternal. Your faith is. How much more worthy of refinement is our faith?

C. Helps us to fix our eyes on Jesus (8-9).

1. The faith of Jesus was put to the test.

2. Jesus passed the test (Heb. 5:8-9).

III. THE REALITY OF OUR HOPE (10-12).

A. It has been some time in coming (10-11).

1. Prophets were largely in the dark.

2. They didn't know WHEN this stuff was going to happen.

B. It is here now! (12)

1. Prophets knew they were not the recipients.

2. You and I are!!! (Today = day of salvation!)

3. Angels intently interested in what is happening now.

Conclusion: Do you have this hope? (Read 1 John 3:1-3)