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A Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3-12
Introduction: The regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were a huge geographical area in which Christians from Rome had been scattered. Their separation from one another and the subsequent loneliness had to weigh heavily upon them. Please imagine their excitement when they received this letter from Peter. No doubt they loved him and missed the personal relationship they had with him while in Rome. The letter would have been very special.
Please allow your mind to go back to that time and sit in the audience of these Christians and hear the reader cry out, “A letter from Peter!” You have been suffering trials and desperately desired a word of encouragement. Peter’s introduction would be just what you needed.
But there is one other point to be considered. As the reader comes to the end of the letter, he reads some words that surely made these brethren shudder: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you…” How do you feel when you hear those words? “Wait a minute! I thought what we were going through presently was ‘the trial.’” I think of that today. We have gone through a bit of a trial the last two years. What if a fiery trial is now awaiting us? Now we want to hear Peter’s introduction with more care.
- Preparing for Trials: Born Again to a Living Hope
- We have spoken extensively about God causing us to be born again, but the context in which Peter speaks of it needs to be noted.
- Note that rebirth is the result of great mercy. Our rebirth was undeserved, so undeserved that it took indescribable mercy on God’s part.
- Notice the phrase, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Rebirth implies new person, family, relationships that are positive, with new goal, new start — by he resurrection of Jesus — dramatic, actual resurrection of a dead body to reign as King. God said, “this day have I begotten you.” We are born again to reign with him. Imagine God planning our eternal future knowing that to obtain it, we would need a “rebirth.” God couldn’t just make a few changes in us. We needed a whole new start.
- Therefore, what God has given us in this rebirth is a living hope. This phrase is the key to how we deal with trials the rest of the text and needs our careful consideration.
- First, consider this living hope in contrast to this life. Most that we have some “hope” in is really not much hope. And even if it happened that we attained some of these earthly hopes, it would be “vanity of vanities,” appearing for a moment and then vanishing. Therefore earthly “hopes” actually carry with them embedded disappointments. It becomes only a memory that cannot be relived. Soon they become just faint memories.
- Instead, being reborn to a living hope means that we will now attain not only the greatest hope, something that outstrips any imagination of earthly desires, but also a hope that continues to “live” on. It will never disappoint. It will never grow weak. It will never fade (vs. 4) in its enjoyment and we will never grow tired of it. It will literally be “new every morning.”
- As I considered this amazing idea of a living hope, I tried to compare it something in this life. My first thought was, “How can there be any comparison?” This earth life is filled with the physical that by its very nature withers and dies. Everything is filled with vanity, so there can’t be any comparison to this living hope. But I was wrong. I found one hope that is “living,” that is new every morning and only grows in excitement. It is the only thing I know of that does not fade, never disappoints, and only becomes more exciting as it is enjoyed. What is it? It is discovering God in his word. Paul described the scriptures as the mind of Christ. There isn’t anything else. Every day when I open my Bible, when I pray to God, and when I meditate on him and he has revealed, it just gets better and better. In fact, it is so good, I am disappointed that I do not have another lifetime to enjoy it.
- Therefore, this is critical to the words, “in this you rejoice.” We can’t rejoice in something that is earthly because it fades. We might rejoice in it today, but not tomorrow. It fades. Therefore, take a close look at your life. Do some serious introspection. Are you at peace? Are you content? Do you truly live in joy?
- Yes, I know, verse 6 brings us to reality – “you have been grieved by various trials.” The trials and pressures of life are tough. But here’s where relief and a taste of heaven can be found. Look at all that Ecclesiastes stated that is vanity. Limit those things, and instead pursue God. In 2:3, Peter talked about “tasting that the Lord is good.” The Hebrew writer speaks of, “tasting the heavenly gift” and “tasting the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:4-5).
- If you’re a mom, One hour every day, all children are either going to nap or have quiet time in their room. And that’s when you sit down at the table with your special dessert. You get out your pencils and you mark and enjoy God to your heart’s content. You taste and enjoy a special time in the Garden of Eden with God where you eat the fruit of the Tree of Life – and you truly live. That is tasting the living hope even before it is completely realized!
- Notice also, “it is undefiled.”
- Most pleasures in this life, especially sinful pleasures, are that which Satan dangles over us as if he is offering something far better than what God has offered. He thinks he is giving us something we can’t have with God. So funny. So foolish. You see, all he offers is defiled. Even if it is not sinful of itself, he is trying to get us to use it as a substitute for what God provides.
- Look at Isaiah 1:5-6 [“The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil”] The picture of Israel as a sick, rotting, diseased body. Why? They ate that which was defiled. We throw stuff out of our refrigerator after a time because it is rotting, poisoned, defiled. And to eat it would make us sick. But God’s hope, is pure and clean, which only nourishes us and gives greater life and greater joy. “Undefiled!” You can eat all you want; enjoy all you want; be filled to the brim. It’s good for you! It is undefiled.
- Another part of “undefiled” that is special is heavenly Jerusalem.
- Revelation 21:27 states, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
- Again, in 22:14-15, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
- It is amazing to imagine that. Just think if every person in the United States served God, loved God, and obeyed God. There was no one here who ever committed sin and no one was ever allowed in who would commit sin. Only the righteous were here.
- Further, the living hope is imperishable. Everything we own breaks down, gets old, and at some point needs to be discarded. Not our living hope. It is a treasure that cannot be lost by overspending and will never wear out or grow old.
- What is really interesting is that God wants to make sure we know that this living hope “guarded.” I almost chuckled when I saw that word. Have you ever had someone break into your house and steal what you have? It really makes you feel violated. Such an event strikes fear in us and makes us feel vulnerable. It causes us to want security alarms and other protections to keep it from happening again. I never thought of anything heavenly being stolen. But God wants us to make sure we know that no one can take it away from us. So he uses the word “guarded.” Who is guarding it? God! God is the guard and we put our faith in his ability to keep it for us when the last day comes and our salvation is revealed. I’m sure there could be no better guard!
- Peter even states this again at the end of the letter (5:10): “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
- Paul says something similar in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
- We have spoken extensively about God causing us to be born again, but the context in which Peter speaks of it needs to be noted.
- “Grieved by Various Trials” (A Better Understanding of Trials)
- First, trials are a fact of life. It is foolish for us not to expect them. Obviously, there is no sense in us being morbid or anxious about the reality of it. To go down that road will ruin the good days. Besides, whatever is to come, God will get us through it. No need to panic or be scared. God’s presence is with us and he will never leave us. But to not prepare for and expect trials and suffering is the height of foolishness.
- There are two main reasons we need to prepare ourselves mentally for that event:
- Satan uses such trials (as in the case of Job) to cause us to fail. Trials are weapons of Satan. The person who says, “It can’t happen to me,” is the person who will have a complete breakdown when it does happen. Trials are guaranteed!
- Second, trials are best overcome with knowledge, wisdom, and prayer. Jesus overcame temptation by knowing the scriptures. He overcame suffering by prayer and dependence on God. He avoided human pitfalls by using wisdom. The wisdom literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, SS) all provide us preparation armor for trials and suffering. Those texts are a major percentage of the Old Testament. But how well do we know them?
- Trials are a test of our faith. How do you know how strong your faith is? Peter thought nothing could shake him before the trial came. Jesus warned him, but he didn’t believe it. Another question: how does God know how strong your faith is? Consider that he tested Abraham to find out. In other words, we must be tested. It is the only way we can be proven. Without it, we do not come to praise, glory, and honor.
- Now notice the word “genuineness” – “the tested genuineness of your faith.” Simple principle: genuine faith is a tested faith. Our faith has simply not be proven and is not genuine until it is tested.
- Cain worshiped God. Was his faith genuine?
- Judas Iscariot followed Jesus. Was his faith genuine?
- Demas was a co-worker with Paul, but when Paul came to the point where he would be put to death, Paul said, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me.” Was his faith genuine? Only by testing will your faith be considered genuine.
- Look also at the words, “though now for a little while…” If you do not yet have experience with a serious trial, you will not appreciate the significance of these words because when you are in the midst of a trial, it doesn’t seem like a little while! As in the case of Job, he had no idea that the trial would come to an end. It is the reason he complained to God that God would not let him die. What’s the point! Why do you let me live and suffer? Because there not only is the end-goal of proving faith to be genuine, there is also joy on the other side of the trial. It is a little while even if that little while includes passing on to the next life. That it is a “little while” compared to the “inheritance…kept in heaven for you,” keeps our eyes and heart looking beyond the little while.
- Verse 8 is an interesting statement, isn’t it? I would imagine the first thought of Peter’s audience was, “Peter saw him.” That was my thought. I haven’t seen him and I do not now see him, but Peter saw him and testified about him. Therefore I believe in him and love him without seeing. Jesus told Thomas, that’s the best kind of faith.
- Verses 10-12 complete Peter’s introduction and prepare his readers and us for his exhortation which begins in verse 13.
- The message of these verses are thrilling to consider. Peter wants all Christians to understand their privileged position in spite of the sufferings. Thousands of years ago the Spirit of Christ revealed to the prophets the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. These prophets diligently searched to understand, but they were only told their words were not for themselves but for you.
- As for angels, they also were peering into this good news that was revealed from heaven. Those angels sang to shepherds at the birth of Christ. And those angels still rejoice over one sinner who repents.
- What is the point? All in heaven and on earth have been looking for this point in time in which you and I experience. We must not spoil with a lack of appreciation, but “rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”
Conclusion: Verse 13 begins with “therefore.” We have seen the setup for how to live our lives even during fiery trials. Do you think we need it? Do you think 1 Peter is a small, insignificant letter? It isn’t, is it? We need this!
Berry Kercheville