Our Symbol of Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3-9
by Andrew Chan, PBC, Vancouver, BC
Do the dead rise up and walk again?
Easter took all of Jesus’ friends by surprise. None expected that He would be alive once again. He had before his death warned them numerous times that he must die and then be raised from the dead. But they missed it. As John recorded in 20:9 “for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” But can you blame them? Who would have guess that dead can rise and walk again? Absurd? How can that be real? Even if Christ said, He must meant it in some sort of mystical spiritual sense. Real bodily resurrection? Come on… sell me a some swamp land in Florida. Can’t fool me…
Nothing seems so permanent as death, isn’t it? Do dead people rise and walk again? Maybe some of you heard of Pam Barrett who is now writing a book about her near-death experience. But she was not dead three days, 3 whole days … not like Jesus. Even her experience is called near death, not actually dead yet. Have you seen, especially one who is dead as a door nail and already buried, not still on warm on the operating table, for 3 days…
Harry Houdini, some of you may know who he is. Greatest escape artist, perhaps, in history. Fantastic illusions, chained, handcuffed, locked in trunks dumped into rivers, always managed to escape. But when appendicitis struck him in 1926, Harry Houdini the great master of escape, could not struggle free from the chains of death.
Death is inescapable, not one can escape it. All will die, from the richest to poorest, greatest to the least, super celebrity to the unknown guy on the street, every person who has ever lived died. Every founder of every religion in the world, died except, one unique individual, the Son of God, Jesus, He rose from the dead.
That Easter event became the very center of all the disciples’ life and thinking. This is the hope the lived by, the message they preached, the message they gladly die for because Christ has escape death, no, not just escape but conquer it and therefore brought new hope. If Regis Philbin would ask Is death your final answer, you can say with confidence no death is not the final answer, Jesus is! This is the hope I live by and this is the hope that keeps me preaching!
That was also what got Peter excited? Noticed it?
A. Have you noticed the excitement?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy he as given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (v.3, NRSV)
Imagine the feelings he must have had when he composed those words. No one says what He did, without emotion!
Can you imagine,well, try to imagine, the scene, as Peter sat in one corner of a room, the great leader of the church, thinking of an opening to a letter he’s writing. And he’s thinking, and it is burning in heart, how can he make this letter capture the excitement he’s feeling of experiencing the risen Jesus.
For Peter the resurrection was fantastic
because ...
a. His betrayal of Jesus
Remember those dark hours before the first Easter morn
spokesman for the disciples, he had been with Jesus all through his ministry years, left his life of commercial fishing and followed him,
Imagine what he would say to Jesus about his ordeal
“Then when he really needed me, I Peter, who loudmouth, bold confession of my faith and loyalty - I let him down. Denied being a follower. Denied that I knew him…
Been through storms and shipwreck, worked all night with huge teeming nets, yet couldn’t look at a servant girl in the eye and confess my faith."
b. His complete collapse under pressure
3 times denial. Bible 3 x emphasis! He really blew it, really denied. Can you put self in Peter’s shoes -“I feel sick when I think of it and all the while he was getting ready to die for me. You can imagine how I felt about his execution.”
Pinned hopes on him now dead. But worse, bitter shame guilt,
c. The resurrected Jesus forgave him
Then imagine how felt when women who went to tomb to preserve body with spices came back with the awesome news that his body was gone… Angels gave instructions to tell disicples and Peter…and Peter (Mk.16:7) Singled out to be told… He must have felt a sense of rising from the dead, deadness of his triple denials, and Peter…Still part of the group, Jesus still wanted to meet him, and others in Galilee. Peter’s world was changed…
C. What changes did Jesus’ resurrection bring?
“and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (v.4, NRSV)
a. My destiny is certain
For Peter knew with Jesus res. his destiny is not on the earth that dies, but with Jesus who lives, conquered death, forever. His broken life, denials of Jesus … what would he say “I let it all slipped through my fingers. Al I was left with was broken pieces of empty promises. I thought the Messiah was Jesus, he would usher in a new world order, new earthly kingdom for Israel, I left everything, my business, thought he was real deal, then I denied him then the call came, empty tomb and everything changed. Broken pieces came together. Man’s great enemies sin and death vanquished. Jesus risen death defeated. No obstacle from this life to next, Jesus is the bridge, destiny assured,
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you
b. My inheritance is guaranteed
Nothing can cheat us out of it, cannot be lost or stolen, kept in heaven, not jeopardized at all by our weakness and failures, because of Jesus.
D. How do we make sense of suffering now in light of promises of resurrection?
If Christ conquered death so powerfully, why doesn’t he just blow away all problems,
a. Keeping an eternal perspective when life hurts.
The resurrection points to the fact that suffering is temporary.
Just as Christ suffer while on earth, we too, can take it, because even if suffering so great, that death would be result, it is oK, cos Jesus is there , alive in heaven to welcome us….
“So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for
you to endure many trials for a while.“ (v.6, NLT)
Christians who suffer today, must take on this eternal perspective or easy to give up.
“Suffering and hardship may take us to the mat, but they cannot pin us. Christ’s cross tells us that God loves us enough to suffer for us. And his resurrection tells us that suffering can never have the last word for those who belong to him”
b. Faith tested.
The resurrection tells suffering is not the last word for us.
Hebrews 5:8 “Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” We know He knows what it feels like to suffer…
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”
“These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- and your faith is more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (v.7, NLT).
Christ is interested in our growth as a person, who will love like Him…
and trials are there to chip away the bad stuff, and be refined
E. The point of the resurrection.
a. You can know this Jesus the same way Peter did.
“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, in expressible joy.”
Peter’s life was changed because of the resurrection, what about you?
Do you wish to know Jesus the way Peter did?
Do you see why praise and adoration poured out from Peter’s heart? Do you see why Peter is excited about the symbol of the living hope, the resurrection?
b. You will be rewarded.
“Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” (v. 9, NLT)
Christ is risen! That’s history. Christ is risen for you… that’s history in the making. Will you let history be made today? The resurrection is the symbol of every Christian’s living hope, will we get excited about it as Peter was?
If you have been drawn away from Christ like Peter, u can be renewed like Peter was. Maybe denied him after serving Him so well in the past like Peter and floating around with guilt? I invite to renew yourself in the hope of the resurrected Christ. Get excited once more in the living hope. Just go to Him with all the faith you have, He will cleanse you.
If you do want to have this living hope, and have never experienced receiving forgiveness of sins, pray with me.
