I Peter 1:3-9 "Enduring Hope"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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All right, if you have Bibles with you or on devices or wherever, open them to 1 Peter

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1. We're taking a brief break again from Luke. We're going to look at a few verses here in

1 Peter, and I also have to say this. I know that there's a congregational meeting next week,

and it's about me, but this is not a campaign appearance. It has nothing to do with that.

1 Peter 3. I'm going to read verses 3 through 9.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has caused

us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last

time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various

trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is

tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Though you have not seen Him, though you have not seen Him, though you do not now see Him,

you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome

of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Let's pray together as we approach the study of this portion of God's Word.

Father, what words, what richness, what...

Your Word is just beyond comprehension in so many ways, but yet it is simple enough

that we can understand and our hearts be set aflame. And so I pray that you would do that

in this time together, that by your Spirit that you would set our hearts aflame,

that you would cause the realities of what is said here to be planted deep in our souls,

and there have it bear fruit and transform us. Father, use my weakness and the weakness of my words.

Use them by the power of your Spirit in such a way that when all is said and done,

we know that we've heard from you, not from just another man.

So would you meet us now in this study, we pray. In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

Some of our men have been studying a book these last few weeks. We're in the midst of it.

It's called The Benedict Option, and it's a book written by a guy named Rod Dreher. It was on the New York

Times bestselling list, and in the beginning of the book, he makes this statement.

He said, American Christians are going to have to come to terms with the brute fact that we live in a culture,

one in which our beliefs make increasingly little sense.

We speak a language that the world more and more either cannot hear or finds offensive in its ears.

You know, I think in a lot of ways, this is a reality in so much of the world.

In so much of our country, in many ways, we here in the South have been shielded from this

because church still plays such a strong role in our culture.

But the reality of what he said is coming.

It's not a matter of if.

It's a matter of when.

And so the question, when that day comes, is how are we going to stand up against this rushing tide of secularism

or antagonism that is directed towards not just the church, but towards God and all things of him?

How are we going to stand firm?

How are we going to stand firm in our faith when our jobs are put at risk?

Because we will not, cannot affirm the values that your company now celebrates.

How are we going to stand firm in our faith when our jobs are put at risk?

How are we going to stand firm as a student when in order to pass a required class,

you are expected to profess certain beliefs and you are expected to reject others

and those others may be very dear to you.

How are we going to stand firm?

How are we going to stand firm when social media, where you become famous or infamous,

either on YouTube or whatever, because you have said something that now everybody else is ridiculing

because it's so yesterday and is so out of place in now our modern culture.

How are we going to stand firm?

This is the question that Peter is dealing with here in 1 Peter.

and what he's going to tell us is that instead of us just becoming more determined and

maybe more committed to certain things

he's telling us that there has to be another reason

there's something else has to be out there that we're living for or that we're looking

to that's going to keep our feet firmly fixed on the foundation we need a greater hope than what

is offered to us in the here and now a promise of something that is worth so much more that is so

attractive and so glorious that we will joyfully give up anything now in order

to gain what is promised in the days to come

we need a hope that endures

and this is what peter is doing here in this letter peter's writing to a bunch of people

believers who are scattered he calls them exiles

exiles through this area of what is now central turkey

but these believers are facing these kind of trials they have been pushed out of society

they are losing their place in their professional guilds because of their new faith

they are even they are losing their property they are being imprisoned and even put to death

and so peter is trying to encourage them under this kind of almost unimaginable pressure

to not just to stand firm where they are but to stand firm with joy to rejoice be glad we are those

who can rejoice with joy that's inexpressible

and so he's trying to give them the fuel to stay firm through the moment

until the day comes when their hope will be realized

he said hold on now

don't give up

because another day is coming

and so as he does this in this passage there's far far more in these not these few verses that we can deal with

but as of course we're going to look at three

um but there are some very critical things here

that peter is going to encourage these believers to remember

and to focus on

as they hope and work to stand firm

the first point is that enduring love flows from worship

look at the way he starts this passage

he said blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ

these first few verses are not about their situation

they're not about anything else but god himself

it is all about god it's not about me

my standing firm cannot be about me

it cannot be about my determination

it has to be

and will always be

about him

standing firm

begins

perseveres

and ends

with worship

i love this

definition that john piper gives about

worship

a sermon that he preached

back in

93

he said worship is when the mind apprehends

great truth about god

and the heart kicks in with deep feelings of brokenness

or wonder

and gladness

and admiration

and gratitude

and the mouth

says something like

blessed be god

oh blessed and praised and honored and glorified

be the god and father of our lord jesus christ

he said worship is coming to this realization

that we stand before

someone

glorious

worship here

it really

in this context

is about two things

the first thing

worship is about coming to grips

with his beauty

beauty

and the treasure

that he is

it is about

just the glory

that comes

from him

the benefit

the blessing

it is

to be

one of his own

coming

becoming so overwhelmed

and captured by his glory

and beauty

to the point

that it elicits

this response

from us

a response of love

joy

gratitude

and trust

and when we are in a hard place

waiting

and persevering

we need these

kind of reminders

I don't know if you can see

on my phone

there's a picture

a picture of

someone very precious

to me

and I

and she's on that my phone

for

a very good reason

it is

every time I open

pull up my phone

I remember

I remember

this lovely lady

that I'm married to

that 36 years ago

I fell in love with

and she reminds me

this picture

reminds me

of all that I have

in relationship

to her

all the

just the joy

and the benefit

the good things

she has been

for me

and I know

a lot of you

probably have

pictures on your phone

better not be hers

but see in life

there are all kinds

of things

that are clamoring

for my affections

and we're not

just talking about

relational things

here

but it could be

work

it could be

career

it could be

prestige

it could be

status

it could be

how you're going

to vote next

week

it could be

all kinds

of things

and so

to

remember

her

is vital

for me

in my

devotion

to her

to remain

fixed

especially

if there's

a long

separation

if there's

a long

time

when we're

not together

I need

that

remembrance

this

in a lot

of ways

is what

worship

does

worship

is just

coming

back

seeing

the portrait

of our

true love

and remembering

remembering

all that we

have

in him

and Peter

is calling

us to

something

to remember

all of

these blessings

but there's

something else

that worship

does

worship

is not

just about

what we

are enamored

with

what we

love

worship

is also

about what

we fear

and Peter

kind of

alludes

to this

as he

goes through

here

that we

would

obtain

the salvation

of our

souls

and so

forth

you know

what has

the power

to

change

your

behavior

what has

the power

to keep

you up

at night

what has

the power

to manipulate

you

to

direct

you

you know

if my

greatest

fear

fear

is to

become

infamous

on

YouTube

or if

my

greatest

fear

is to

be

ridiculed

on social

media

I'm going

to be

ruled

by that

I'm going

to change

my behavior

according to

that so

that this

group of

people

that I

think I

desperately need

acceptance

from

I'm going

to serve

them

and give

them what

they want

so that

they

will give

me what

I want

that is

worship

that is

what we

fear

see

Peter

is calling

us to a

fear

that's far

beyond

that

he's

calling

us to

a fear

that's

far

beyond

the

moment

this is

the God

and Father

of our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

who

caused

us to

be born

again

to a

living

hope

this is

the God

that doesn't

just have

the power

of making

you popular

or ridiculed

is the power

of life

itself

life

for

eternity

and Peter

is saying

don't worry

about these

others

worship

and remember

who holds

the stars

in his

hands

remember

who holds

all leadership

all kings

and nations

and

remember

who is

God

and who

isn't

and so

worship

is all

about

whatever

I want

the most

whatever

I look

to the

most

whatever

I'm willing

to serve

the most

is remembering

that life

is bigger

than me

it is bigger

than my

situation

it is bigger

than my

temporary

suffering

it is bigger

than my

world

and the one

who holds

the power

of life

itself

is more

beautiful

and more

glorious

and more

desirable

than anything

this world

will ever

offer

to me

worship

will

enable us

to endure

but Peter

also makes

another thing

another point

here

and it's

that enduring

hope

waits

for

the promise

he reminds

these exiles

here

that you're

in a hard

place

you are

waiting

and what

you're waiting

for

you can't

taste

and feel

at the

moment

it's

promised

and it's

coming

another

day

but he's

telling them

but wait

it is

promised

and the

promise

is

an

inheritance

he's

talking about

this inheritance

that is

coming

this is

inheritance

that's

way beyond

anything

that you'd

ever

experience

in this

life

it's

way beyond

anything

that

publishers

clearinghouse

could offer

you

it is

an inheritance

that can't

be taken

from you

it'll never

fade

it will

never be

corrupted

it's

guarded

in heaven

for you

it's

a done

deal

it is

not

it cannot

be stolen

it will

not fluctuate

with the

market

but it

is not

now

it is

still

to come

and so

we wait

but it

is a

promise

that is

so sweet

so

promising

so

desirable

so rich

that

it's

worth

waiting

for

and saying

no

to any

other

competitors

one of my

favorite movies

things

that I

can watch

pretty much

daily

is

Princess

Bride

amen

yeah

Princess Bride

is a fairy tale

but there's

something about

and I've probably

said this before

there's something

about fairy tales

that ring true

in these fairy tales

elicit from us

hope

and this one

in particular

does this

this is

you know

it's a story

about

a farm boy

named Wesley

he meets

Buttercup

and they have

true love

you know

it's not just

something that happens

every day

it's true love

well Wesley leaves

to go make his way

in the world

and he promises

to come back

he says

well how will I know

you come back

and he says

it's true love

so he leaves

and time lapses

then she

Buttercup

hears that his ship

was attacked

by the dread

pirate

Roberts

and

and everybody

knew

that the dread

pirate Roberts

never left

survivors

and so

she assumed

Wesley was dead

she gave up hope

got engaged

to Prince

Humperdinck

well

as we know

through various events

Wesley comes back

they are reunited

and

his question to her is

why did you not wait

she said

well

I thought you were dead

and he said

well

death can't stop

true love

it can only delay it

for a little while

then she says

I will never doubt again

the love that she found

was so valuable

that it was worth

denying all other rivals

and waiting

as long as she had to

for her true love

now

this is a fairy tale

pretty darn good one

it's a fairy tale

and we know

that human

you know

it's based on

romance

human romance

and we think that

that is the most powerful

thing in the world

and we know

that's not true

but

we're not talking about

the promise made

by some farm boy

we're talking about

a promise that is made

to us

by the God man

Jesus himself

and I like the way

Peter puts it here

in verse 8

he says

though you have

not seen him

you love him

the promise

is not just

a bunch of stuff

we're not waiting

for a time

when all

that we ever eat

will be dark chocolate

and every golf shot

will be straight

actually I don't think

golf will be in heaven

I think it comes

from hell

but that's not

what we wait

for

we wait

for true love

the love

of God

demonstrated

to us

in his son

and he says

I'm coming

this relationship

it's like

being

in a Christian

is like

the engagement

period

though so much

more than just

engagement

so we've been

betrothed

to our true love

and he has gone

to make

things ready

and he says

I'm coming

wait for me

and now

we're in the

interim

we're in the

waiting

and it's hard

and we'll be

ridiculed for it

we'll be pressured

to reject it

we'll remember

the things

that he told us

and the thing

while he's not

coming

is the promise

really true

but it is

our true love

he has

promised

and he will

come

and we

can wait

because

the fulfillment

of that promise

is far

beyond anything

we'll ever know

or be offered

or could

experience

in this life

the third thing

that Peter says

he says right up front

how do we know

the promise

is true

how do we know

because of the

resurrection

enduring hope

stands

firmly

on the resurrection

of Jesus Christ

from the dead

how do we know

the promise

will be fulfilled

because we've

seen it

fulfilled

Christ went

to his death

and everybody

thought hope

was gone

it was lost

but that was

Friday

Sunday

he was not

there

he was seen

he was embraced

they spoke

to him

he came up

from the dead

and if Christ

was raised

from the dead

in time

and space

if it is

a historical

event

a fact

of history

then

every promise

that he has

made to us

is good

I like the way

Tim Keller

put it

just this

last week

he said

if Jesus

rose from the dead

then you have

to accept

all that he

said

if he

didn't

then why

worry about

any of what

he said

if Christ

didn't

rise from

the dead

then

you can

go do

whatever

you want

you can

go find

your pleasure

wherever

you want

give in

to the

culture

give in

to the

movement

of our

society

just

follow along

everybody else

and hope

in what

they hope

and do

what they

do

because

that's

all

there

is

but

if the

resurrection

is true

everything

Jesus

promised

is

sure

when he

says

that the

meek

will

inherit

the earth

the

meek

are going

to

inherit

the

earth

the

meek

are going

to

struggle

now

and it

seems like

the strong

are winning

but Jesus

has promised

in a

promise

based on

the resurrection

from the

dead

when Jesus

says that

your father

in heaven

knows every

hair that

falls from

your head

he's that

intimately

acquainted

with you

he knows

that promise

is sure

because

he was

raised

from the

dead

our

hope

stands

and

falls

it

won't

fall

it

will

always

stand

on the

resurrection

of Jesus

from the

dead

everything

hinges

on the

resurrection

of Jesus

from the

dead

if he

is raised

then

every

power

on earth

every

kingdom

every

dominion

every

government

every

country

every

voice

out there

on the

internet

every

blogger

everybody

serves

in

submission

to one

king

the king

who sits

on his

throne

and who

rules

with a

firm

grip

and who

will one

day

balance

the scales

that's

his

promise

and that

promise

is good

because

that

king

came out

of the

tomb

came to

new

life

and

validated

everything

that was

said

every

promise

so

the

question

for us

what are

you waiting

for

I don't

mean just

waiting in a

temporal sense

but

what are

we waiting

for

just

another

momentary

pleasure

you know

more

material

comfort

the

popularity

with all

your

friends

what are

we waiting

for

remember

we have

hope

in a

risen

savior

we have

hope

because

the

savior

went to

his

death

was

judged

by

the

judge

of

all

things

and

came

to

life

to

vindicate

all

things

we

wait

on a

risen

savior

who

has

promised

and he's

worth

waiting

for

to

remember

this is

why we

celebrate

this

table

this is

why we

do it

in

worship

because

it helps

us

remember

it helps

us to

see

the beauty

of this

God

for whom

we wait

because

he

showed

true

love

in that

he

laid

down

his

life

it

was

not

just

a

presumption

of

being

dead

he

actually

died

a death

that no

other human

could die

so that

we wouldn't

have to

he

paid

the

penalty

that we

could be

made

clean

and spotless

for the

wedding

and now

we wait

for our

bridegroom

this is a

foretaste

of the

wedding

feast

for which

we wait

you're going

to get a

little taste

of bread

a little

taste of

juice

but know

this

this is a

feast

this is the

down payment

of the

feast that's

to come

so that you

can have

hope

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