1 Peter 1:3-5 Reasons to Bless God
Introduction: Last Week we saw:
Title: always been identified as 1 Peter. Peter dictated and Silas wrote (5:12).
Author: the Apostle Peter. (Also called Simon in Greek, and Simeon in Hebrew).
Weak evidence some use to say not written by Peter:
Lots of strong evidence for Peter:
Date: written in early SIXTIES A.D., no later than 64-65.
Place of Writing: Probably Rome, but not 100% sure.
Recipients: Appears to be mostly converted Gentiles.
Called “strangers” (1:1) and “pilgrims (2:11)
Called “scattered” (1:1) physically located in area of modern day Turkey.
Called “elect” (1:2). “God’s chosen ones”, Entire Trinity Involved…
Based on: Election is based upon God’s “Foreknowledge” (prognosis,
before + to know = to know beforehand)
Fulfilled by: The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1:2)
Made Possible by: Jesus Christ’s shed blood.
Purpose of Book: Peter wants to provide “HOPE” & encouragement to the persecuted
(1:3, 13, 21; 3:15).
Proposition: Every Christian should Bless God for what He has done.
“To Bless” Eulogetos, from Eu (good) + logos (words), it means “to speak well of”, praise
Why should we bless God? Peter gives us four reasons we should Bless God
Text: 1 Peter 1:3-5
1. Christians should Bless God because He has saved us (v.3).
“begotten again” = born again tense=aorist, all ready completed action
the idea of something being born, creating something that is entirely new
2 Cor. 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…”
2 Peter 1:4 speaks of us as being “partakers of the divine nature”.
This nature is new, not there before salvation.
It is Brand New, Unstained, Unspotted, Pure,
This New Nature can be longsuffering, gentle, good (Gal. 5).
We should be thankful to God for “begetting us again”
2. Christians should Bless God because He gives us a living Hope (v.3b).
Hope = “Confident Expectation that is well grounded”, more than a “wishful desire”
Titus 1:2 Says we are “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before
the world began;”
Hebrews 6:17-19 “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the
heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it
by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it
was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope
set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the
soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that
within the veil;”
this “hope” is called a “lively hope”; this is opposite of a dead and inactive hope, it is a hope that is alive and active….a hope that is on going
We have this hope because Jesus Christ Resurrected from the tomb after three days.
Our “HOPE” is that we too will live again even though we may someday physically die…
“Hope” of experiencing victory over death…
Ill. There have been a few times in my life I have literally been afraid for my life.
But you know I remembered “I am saved”, I am going to heaven, God gave peace..
This is the LIVING HOPE that God gave to me.
This hope inherently springs from the New Nature that God gave us.
This is why people can face martyrdom and remain cool, calm, collected and serene..
In A.D. 167, Germanicus, an elderly Christian, was brought to trial for being a Christian. The Roman officials urged him to take into account his old age and recant rather than go through torture and death. To this he said he would not recant, but instead he attracted the wild beasts towards himself, and provoked them so he could escape all the more quickly from an unrighteous and impious world. This act of courage further aroused the anger of the mob, who began to shout two things: "Death to the Atheists” (that is, those who have no visible gods) and “Bring Polycarp!"
3. Christians should Bless God because He give us an inheritance (v.4).
An inheritance is when property or a title is passed down from one person to another,
I usually think of passing down from a parent to child…
An inheritance comes to an heir freely, not as the result of his/her own efforts (Kelly, 51)
God has given us a title “child of God”
God has promised us property “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matt.5:5),
“mansion in heaven”;
We “…shall inherit everlasting life” (Matt. 9:29).
A. Incorruptible – not subject to wear or determination, will not perish -- (Death proof)
B. Undefiled – no stain on it, completely unpolluted, not defiled -- (Sin proof)
C. Fades not away – keeps its beauty, doesn’t lose it’s luster -- (Time proof)
D. Reserved in heaven – enjoy part of it now but “complete salvation” is yet future.
Transition: For this reason v. 5 tells us God guard us. This is the 4th reason we should
bless God.
4. Christians should Bless God because He guards us (v.5).
At salvation, the Christian is delivered from the Penalty of Sin and the Power of Sin
In the future, the Christian will also be delivered from the Presence and Possibility of Sin.
“Kept” a military term meaning “guarded” or “garrisoned”. The idea of being “Preserved”
We are KEPT by the Power of God.
His Power is seen in:
Creation: He simply spoke things into existence (Gen. “Let there be..”)
Holds the universe together with the word of His Power (Heb. 1:3)
Raised Christ from the dead by His power (Eph. 1:19-20)
Man can take life, but only God can put life into a human being.
God did all these things and didn’t even break a sweat.
God has to do the keeping because:
There is an enemy, Satan: 1 Peter 5:8 tell us “Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour.”
We can not keep ourselves. We sin. We are weak. We didn’t save ourselves nor
can we keep ourselves.
We are in God’s hands and His grip will not get tired, He will not drop us.
Summary: Peter clearly gives us FOUR specific reasons to Bless God.
1. God has saved us (v.3).
2. God has given us a living Hope (v.3b).
3. God has given us an inheritance (v.4).
4. God guards us (v.5).
God does all of these things for us – our part is found in v. 5 “through faith”
Faith means simply to “TRUST”
If there was a time you put your trust in God, you have all these things.
If not, right now when we sing our song of invitation, come forward….
Invitation: Every head bowed and eye closed:
Who can say by lifted hand: I have put my trust in God and I have the things mentioned?
Any who could not raise their hand, but would like too…?
