1 Peter 1:3-9

A Living Hope

On this Easter morning we have much to celebrate.  Peter begins his masterful letter of hope with a blessing.  Praise be to God!  Peter rejoices in what God has done.

Peter blesses God because He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  In the Old Testament, the prophets looked forward to this glorious day of blessing (vv. 10-12).  A day would come when God's promised blessings would become a reality in the lives of God's people.  It was a day of great expectation. 

But for Peter, that day has now arrived.  Blessed be the God who has delivered us through His only Son, Jesus Christ.  The work is now complete.  Jesus has ascended into Heaven and is sitting at the right hand of God the Father.  He is coming again to give you an eternal home in Heaven with Him and you can be certain this morning that the coming day of salvation is yours.

Why?  Why this certainty?  Are we just hoping against hope?  Is this all just a pipe dream?  Aren't we being a bit presumptive in assuming that the day of salvation will be a day that we will rejoice in?

For Peter, the coming day is based upon a certain hope, an infallible hope, a living hope.  Why?

Because of what has already taken place in the past.  Your future salvation is sure and you have complete confidence in what is to come because it is safely anchored in what has already taken place. 

Your hope is alive and well.  It is certain because it has already been accomplished by God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  You can therefore look to the future with confidence because of what has happened in the past.

Do you hear the amazing change of tone, the breaking out of excitement in Peter's voice?  Think about what Peter has gone through.  Turn back to the gospel of Luke 22.  Do you remember what took place at this late hour of Jesus' last night with His disciples?  As Jesus was preparing for His death, the disciples began to argue among themselves as to which one of them would be the greatest in Christ's New Kingdom. 

As Peter often had done, he wanted to prove himself to Jesus in front of the others (22:31-34; READ).  He assures Jesus that "he" will be willing to face any coming trial, side-by-side with Jesus -- whether prison or even death itself!

But Jesus shocks Peter, and all the other disciples, that even he will deny Him.  Then turn to 22:54-62 (READ).

What do you think is going through Peter's mind when Jesus turns and looks at him as the rooster suddenly crows?  The story tells us only that Peter went out and wept bitterly over what he had done to the only man who ever loved him perfectly.

Surely Peter began to rationalize soon after that he will make it up to Jesus.  There will be time, he thought.  "I can go to Jesus when he is placed in prison and tell him I am sorry.  When he is released, I will meet him in the upper room and plead for his forgiveness." 

But that day never came.  Jesus was taken out the next day and nailed to a cross.  He's dead!  All Peter's hope is gone.  Imagine what Peter suffered Friday night and all day Saturday.  "What have I done to Jesus?"  Peter has entered into the deepest pit of despair.  All his hopes in Jesus have been dashed to pieces.

Then came Easter morning.  See Luke 24:1-12.  The women come to Peter.  The tomb is empty.  He is not there.  Peter doesn't walk, he runs to the tomb.  Suddenly hope is born.  Then before Jesus meets the others in the upper room we are told in v. 34 that Jesus has already met with Simon Peter.  Can you even imagine what that moment was like or what they discussed?

Jesus is alive!  This is why Peter praises God.  He has a living hope because his hope is forever anchored in the living Lamb of God who has taken away his sin.

But Peter's praise is due to much more than his restoration with Jesus.  In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter tells you that through Christ's resurrection you have been given a new life -- in His mercy God has sovereignly caused you to be born again. 

When God raised Jesus from the dead, He not only gave life to Jesus but He gave you life in Christ.  You have been born all over again, birthed by God through the resurrection of Christ.  And through the resurrection, God is making all things new, beginning with you.  The day of the renewal of the whole cosmic order has begun!

God has accomplished your new birth, that you now enjoy, at the Christ's resurrection.  When Christ rose, you rose!  Paul said:

we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom. 6:4-5).

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:4-6).

In giving life to Christ, God has given life to you.  Therefore, your resurrection is as sure as Christ's resurrection.  This is why your hope is a "living" hope.  It is alive because it is forever anchored in your Savior who is alive. 

Jesus is coming again to take you home and complete your salvation and you have every reason to be sure because Jesus Christ rose from the grave. 

That is why Peter praise God for your salvation.  A salvation that is built only upon the foundation of God's marvelous grace.  If you had done the work or even if you had merely added something to the work of God's grace, then Peter's praise would rightfully belong to you.  But Peter teaches you the salvation of God's grace alone this morning even in the opening of his letter -- all praise belongs to God alone because He has done it all.

And it is because of what God has done for you in Christ in the past, that you can look to your future with certainty.  In vv. 4-5, Peter speaks of the marvelous inheritance that awaits you.  Peter reminds you this morning that you have complete confidence in your coming inheritance because in v. 4 God is safely keeping your inheritance in heaven and in v. 5 because God is keeping you for it.  Both sides are absolutely crucial.  God is keeping it for you and He is keeping you for it.

Peter speaks of your inheritance as being imperishable, undefiled, and will never fade away.  Why?  Because God is keeping it for you in heaven.  What is Peter talking about?

In the Old Testament God gave the land of milk and honey to Israel as an inheritance.  Each tribe was given a portion of the land, which would be passed down from generation to generation.  While Israel wandered in the wilderness, the hope of their coming inheritance sustained them even in the most difficult times of their journey.

You are like Israel in the wilderness -- note how in v. 1 how Peter reminds you too that you are aliens in a foreign country that is not your home.  And it is the promise of your future inheritance that sustains you even in the most difficult days of your present journey to heaven.

But Israel's inheritance was short-lived.  Why?  Because the land was only a shadow, a picture of the real true inheritance that was to come only through the finished work of Jesus Christ.  And their inheritance, as a picture, soon perished, spoiled, and eventually faded away.  Why?  Did God's promise fail? 

No!  Israel's inheritance served God's purpose of teaching Israel, along with all of us, that sinful man cannot keep the blessing in their own power and strength.  The keeping of Israel's inheritance was based upon their own obedience to keep God's holy commandments.  And in their own hands, they saw clearly that even the best promise will soon fade away because they can't do it.

So, how can you be sure that your promised inheritance will not perish, spoil, or fade away?  Because your inheritance of heaven is based upon the completed work of Jesus Christ.  The promise is not built upon your works or faithfulness.  You can be certain that your inheritance will never fade away because Jesus has perfectly obeyed God for you and you now rest in His finished work alone.  That is why Paul teaches you to ground your hope in Heaven and not upon the things of this earth -- not even upon your own works:

Since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4).

Jesus Christ is your portion.  He is your inheritance.  He is your Heaven.  The work is complete and your inheritance is perfectly safe, sitting at the right hand of the Father in glory and honor.

But not only is your inheritance kept for you, but in v. 5 you are being kept for it.  What kind of hope would you possess if your inheritance was being safely preserved for you, but through your own unfaithfulness you would loose all in the end?

But Peter says that the same power that was at work to complete your salvation is the power that keeps you for it.  You are protected, literally shielded, by God's power.  And that power is provided for you through faith -- through resting in the work of Christ alone.  Even your faith is a gift of God -- not your work, but trust in God's finished work in Christ.

That is why your hope is living.  As the author of Hebrews declares:

Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Heb. 10:19-23).

Your hope is alive and well -- absolutely certain -- because you have entered through the new and living way -- Jesus Christ.

And finally, it is because of this living hope in the living Lamb of God that you can rejoice even in your present trials and suffering (vv. 6-9).  Peter says that it is this living hope in the living Jesus that causes you to rejoice in the midst of even the most difficult trials of your life.

You don't have to wait until you see the glory of heaven to rejoice.  You can rejoice right now because Jesus has finished the work.

And it is as you think and meditate upon what Jesus has already done for you that you are filled with triumphant joy.  But it is not simply in the finished work that you rejoice in -- it is Jesus Christ Himself who is your joy (see v. 8).

It is not simply the blessing that is your joy, but Jesus.  This is why you can rejoice even in the darkest moments of your life.  Nothing can steal your joy -- you hope -- your rest in Christ.

Because Jesus is alive, you rejoice and Peter now gives you 4 reasons why that is so:

1.  You rejoice because you presently see through your trials fixing your eyes on Jesus who endured the cross, despised the shame, for the joy that was set before Him.  You can endure your present cross because Jesus is in your gaze.  He bore your sins and by His stripe you have been healed. 

2.  You rejoice because you know that your present suffering is actually working in you eternal glory (v. 7a).  It is actually in your sufferings that God is refining your life of faith, even as gold is proven through fire.  That is why you don't get discouraged in your suffering -- rather, you rejoice because through the difficult times, God is making you more like Jesus.

With each trial, you learn that you are weak and there is no strength or power in you.  And this drives you again and again into the arms of your Savior where He reminds you:

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

That is why you can confess:

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

3.  You rejoice even in suffering because you are certain of the day that is coming when Christ returns for you and you will enter into the praise, glory and honor of Christ (v. 7b).  Your glory in Christ is already complete; you only wait for it to be revealed for all of creation to see:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom. 8:18).

4.  Finally, your supreme reason for your present joy in the midst of suffering is because Jesus is your beloved and you are His (v. 8).

Your life in Christ is an incredible gift.  Even though you do not presently see Jesus, you love Him even more than life itself:

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21).

And that is why you have joy now -- joy inexpressible and full of glory.  And it is because of our deep love for Jesus that we long to see Him face to face: 

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are . . . Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is (1 John 3:1-2).

Like Israel, you now wait with great expectation in hope of seeing your beloved Redeemer soon.  But unlike Israel, your hope is living and will never perish, spoil, or fade away because all the work is finished.  Your sin has been paid in full.  Jesus has been raised for your justification. 

Your hope is alive:  Jesus is yours!

Amen!

-SDG-