You Always Can Have Hope

You always have hope

1Peter 1:3-12

Introduction-

1 Peter 1:3-12

Hope is a funny thing

When you have it, you feel like you are on top of the world.

When you do not have it, you feel like the world is on top of you.

Peter, the writer of this book under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, shows us about living hope and where it comes from.

Our hope comes from one source as a believer, Jesus Christ

It is not based on feelings but on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“In His great mercy, he has given us new birth into living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Peter is the most prominent disciple of Jesus.

He was the first to confess “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”

He was one of the inner circle of disciples that was at the Transfiguration. He watched Jesus ascend and that the Holy Spirit would descend to dwell in mankind.

He prayed with Jesus at Gethsemene. As Jesus set up his death and resurrection.

Angel of the Lord appeared at the empty tomb and told the women to report the resurrection to “His disciples and Peter”

I can relate to Peter for different reasons

Peter had good intentions but denied Jesus three times.

Peter was always ready to react before he thought.

We can see his human side, and his definite need for Jesus as savior.

Peter, put his foot in his mouth a lot of times.

( we must understand that our hope is in Jesus Christ. Our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.)

Peter’s writing offered hope to the Gentile audience.

He offers hope for us , those that call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

He says our inheritance wont spoil, perish, and that hope comes by faith placed in Jesus Christ.

Faith that is of more worth than gold, though on this earth, it is refined by fire so that it can be proved genuine and may result in praise and honor of Jesus.

I think all of us hold out expectation and hope in life. Some work out, some do not. But without expectation and hope, we would not get far in life.

Without Jesus, there is no hope. No hope, we are hopeless.

Without faith, hope, expectation, we cannot please God either.

Hebrews 11:6-

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Someone said-

“There are no hopeless situations, there are only people who have grown hopeless about them”

Let that sink in

I was at a district meeting in Philly Monday and talking to a fellow pastor who is going through a hard time. I said, “Can’t is not proper English, and we don’t use that word at Rosedale

I thought about that. That’s good stuff. Must of come from the Lord.

(V3-4)

“In His great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into a inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for you.”

Illustration (Sermoncentral)

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked the boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded 18 to nothing Were behind. I’ll bet your disappointed said the spectator. Why should I be discouraged, replied the boy. We haven’t even gotten to bat yet.”

That is expectation. That is positive hope. That is desiring to beat the odds.

We cannot put our trust in man, in ourselves, but have a living hope in Jesus Christ.

The one who had given us new birth because of the resurrection.

Do you hear that this morning

Take your eyes off the circumstance and put it on the living hope.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest”

Jesus is the hope, and He will give you rest.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”

Jesus is the hope, He will give you abundant life.

Make it personal this morning-

“I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.

Someone said-

“Life without Christ is a hopeless end ,but with Christ, it is endless hope.”

We do not need to lose hope-

This passage is about radical hope

To the single mom- there is hope.

To the person needing a job- there is hope.

To the one fighting addictions- there is hope.

The theme throughout this letter is hope.

1. Contrast between perishable things of earth and the imperishable things of heaven.

2. Blessings and happiness to the one who does not see, and yet believes in Christ.