Read text: 1 Peter 1:1-5 “Our Living Hope”. Let’s look at that hope –
I. A living hope promised. “… Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…”
A. This hope is established –
1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
B. This hope is eternal.
Titus 1:1-3 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
II. A living hope provided. “… unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…”
The Lord made it simple and clear for us. There is one way to God and that is by the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ – “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
I thank the Lord that the way of salvation is not confusing, not that we must find our own way. As we have been driving this past month, we have seen many ‘corn mazes’. Would you like to go in and find your way out? People say “Yes, it is fun”! I think that it is interesting how that fun and fear are so linked together. Anyway, would you like to go in and find your way through it if your eternal life depended on it? Not me, I want things simple and clear. I want a straight path and thank the Lord He has provided it.
Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
III. A living hope proclaimed. “… by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”
Refer to Peter’s message in Acts 2:29-36. “…This Jesus…”
IV. A living hope possessed. “… To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you…
We may be living in a dry, miserable land, but we do not follow mirages conjured
up by our feeble minds, but we live according to God’s Promise and we have a
living Hope! Our hope “fadeth not away”!
God has given us a life to live and to live now and into eternity!
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we
are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them.
V. A living hope, personal, but not private! “… Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of
God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God
did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
Jesus is our Hope. We do not trust in a principal or a practice, but in the Person of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
Are you in Christ today? Have you trusted Him for salvation?
Are you living out your salvation today, realizing that you have a ‘Lively Hope’?