1 Peter 1:3-7
“A Living Hope”
September 15, 2024
In the first verse of this chapter, Peter addresses his letter to “the strangers scattered”. He is writing to Jewish believers who have been forced to leave their homeland and have found themselves dispersed into other parts of the world. Peter reminds them that they are not home! It is easy to forget who we are in Jesus and where we are going because of Jesus. This passage serves as a reminder of Who’s we are and where we are going. So, for a few minutes today, put the headlines of the news media out of your mind, forget your troubles, look up out of your valley and let me show you a Living Hope! Peter gives us several reasons for rejoicing - v. 3, We have a Living Hope; v. 4 We have a Lasting Inheritance; v. 5 We have a Little While.
In the second verse of this chapter, Peter tells us that…
We Have Been Chosen By God as we are the “elect according to the foreknowledge of God.” It refers to advanced planning on the part of God!
We Have Been Called By God - Peter speaks of “sanctification of the Spirit”. The Spirit of God awoke us to our need of salvation, He spoke to our hearts about our lost condition, He called us to repentance, and He gave us to faith to respond.
We Have Been Cleansed By God - God did not stop with choosing us and calling us, but He also cleansed us when we came to faith. It is by the blood of Jesus!
I. (V. 3) We have a Living Hope
Peter tells us that God’s plan in all of this was to effect a “new birth” in all those who come to Him. This is what Jesus told Nicodemus about in John 3, we must be born again! When we were born the first time, we were born into the family of Adam. BUT 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
It is a “living hope”. You see, many in our day are pinning their hopes on their and a good job or a savings plan. Many have their hope in the stock market. Some have their hope in their health or their family. This is a hope based in wishful thinking! My Hope is alive in Christ, all other Hope is dead. Confucius, Mohammed, Buddha, Vishnu of the Hindus are all dead! But we are saved by the resurrection of Christ!
II. (V. 4) We have a Lasting Inheritance
Peter says that we have an “inheritance”. Only God can give an inheritance while He is yet alive! He says it is "imperishable, that is incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away."
1. It Cannot Be Destroyed – “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until Jesus!” Philippians 1:6
2. It Cannot Be Defiled - You can’t mess this up! You may have messed up your career, children, credit? But, You can’t mess this up! “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Revelations 21:27. Notice: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelations 21:4.
3. It Cannot Be Decayed - It “cannot wear away.” I have visited the Colosseums of Rome and the Pyramids of Egypt and the monuments of this great country and though they are great structures and some even wonders of the world, all the great sites and possessions of this world are subject to decay. But what God has for you will never wear away! “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8.
III. (V. 6) We have a Little While
Hebrews 7:25 says, we are, “SAVED to the uttermost” Peter says, “we are reserved to the last day” You can’t keep yourself, but you are kept by the power of God! Notice this verse: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”, 1 Corinthians 1:18. (BUT How Long?) 1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. The Christian who thinks that just because he/she is saved that they are going to be shielded from trouble is in for a terribly rude awakening! Being saved is no hedge from trouble! Christians get sick! Christian marriages fall apart. Christian parents have trouble with their children. Christians have financial troubles. Christians walk through some pretty deep, dark valleys. Jesus said it as plain as it could have been said - John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Do not fall into the trap of the health and wealth preacher who tells you that if you are saved you will never have trouble again. He is lying to you. God wants you to know that there will be times when you will have battles! "The trial of your faith."
Peter speaks of the refining process that gold goes through. When it is subjected to the flame, the impurities and dross in the gold come to the top. The result is far purer gold than that which was present before! The same is true in the life of the believer, when Jesus allows us to go through the furnace of affliction, it serves to remove from our lives things that were not needed, and it brings into a closer and purer relationship with the Lord Jesus. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We may not see the benefit today, but when we stand before the Lord in Heaven, and we are rewarded for our walk with Him and for the sufferings we endured on earth, it will be outweighed by glory - 2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”
