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Advent 2022: Hope - 1 Peter 1:3-9 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning. It is great to be with you brothers and sisters and to be able to preach God's word.
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Our main text today will be 1st Peter 3 verses 1st Peter 1 verses 3 through 9.
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But before we go to 1st Peter 1, we're going to be in Philippians 1.
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So if you will take your Bible and turn to Philippians 1 with me.
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During this time, we're going to consider the nature of hope through various scriptures,
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and then we'll spend the majority of our time in 1st Peter 1.
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Great. So today I have the privilege to talk on the Advent theme of hope.
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The letter of 1st Peter is considered a letter of hope to a suffering people.
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In this letter, Peter has been called the apostle of hope.
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In chapter 1, hope is mentioned multiple times.
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And in 1st Peter 1, he's writing to the elect exiles who are part of the dispersion.
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So these are people who were living in their home and then has been dispersed.
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They have been sent to a different area, removed from their home, and forced to live somewhere else.
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These believers were called exiles because of that reason.
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So that's why Peter introduces the letter like that.
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They are living as sojourners in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
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The believers of 1st Peter are acquainted with suffering and have experienced the effects of sin against them.
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Peter seeks to encourage them that their hope and their value and their satisfaction are not in this world,
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but it is in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.
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So as they have been displaced and as they are suffering, Peter is writing this letter to them to let them know that where they're at,
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all their hope is not in their home.
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It is not in their comfortable place.
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It's not in wishful thinking, but it is in Jesus in the life to come.
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So with that said, like the elect exiles of 1st Peter, we are in a world where we are weary pilgrims.
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We are people who have experienced the ups and downs of life.
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We understand that suffering is a reality and that life can be very hard.
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We go through seasons of difficulty.
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Some seasons where our children are not easy to parent.
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Some seasons where our marriage is really hard.
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In some seasons where we lose someone that we dearly care about.
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We experience life where sometimes tragic events happen.
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Things that should have never happened, happen to us.
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And in these moments, we experience, it sometimes leads us to despair.
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Sometimes leads us to feeling hopeless.
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Brothers and sisters, have you been there?
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Have you experienced the griefs of this world?
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Have you experienced the dark nights of the soul?
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Are you familiar with despair?
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I've been there myself.
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I've been up through all hours of the night worrying about immediate family.
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Hoping that they're okay.
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I have cried till there's no strength left.
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Casting all my anxieties, all my sorrows, all my griefs to the Lord who cares for me.
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To our Father.
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I've stayed up next to a loved one as I've watched them pass away.
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In these moments of great sorrow, in these moments of great despair, we often feel helpless.
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And we often feel hopeless.
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In these moments, we feel as if we're in a cold, dark dungeon and we can't get out.
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We feel as if we are in a deep and narrow pit, languishing.
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It is as if we are spiritually cold and numb and in despair.
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But in these darkest moments and in these greatest despair, there is hope.
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This hope is not wishful desires.
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This hope is not lasting relief from our sorrows.
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This hope is not in a quick fix solution.
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This hope is in the person of Jesus Christ.
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In his life, in his death, and in his resurrection.
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He is the bright and burning sun.
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He is the radiance of God's glory.
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In him, our sins are buried and our glory is found.
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He is the hope of glory.
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And by the spirit of living God, he has instilled hope in our hearts.
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Scripture communicates this to us.
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Psalm 40, 1-3
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I have waited patiently for the Lord.
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He inclined to me and heard my cry.
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He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
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He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
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Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
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Colossians 1, 13-14
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He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
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And in Psalm 42, 1-5
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As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
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My soul thirsts for you, for the living God.
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When shall I come and appear before God?
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My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long,
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Where is your God?
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These things I remember as I pour out my soul.
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How I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God.
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With glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.
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Why are you downcast, O my soul?
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And why are you in turmoil within me?
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Hope in God, for I shall again praise him.
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My salvation and my God.
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With that said, truly, there is hope in God for our weary hearts.
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But what does it mean to hope?
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What is this concept we talk about as hope?
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We know it's not wishful.
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We know it is not just feelings, but it is much more.
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Hope is the inspiring confidence and expectation in the Son of God and the glorious inheritance we receive in him.
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It is not wishful.
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It is not just a movement of feelings and desires.
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It is full of faith.
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It is full-hearted reliance on Jesus and all that he has promised to us.
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It is a grasping and taking hold of Christ and all of his wonderful benefits that we receive in him and in the heavenly places.
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Hope is confidence in our promised future, but it also provides us with great confidence.
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Paul had this attitude in Philippians 1, 19-21, if you'll read with me.
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Philippians 1, 19.
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For I expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have in the past.
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And I trust that my life will bring honor or magnify Christ, whether I live or die.
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For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
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This hope inspires us to rejoice.
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It inspires us to love.
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It inspires us to live in such a way that every thought, every emotion, and every action would make Christ look lovely,
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make him look beautiful, make him look glorious.
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It is because of our expectant confidence in Jesus Christ that our living is for Christ,
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and our dying is gain.
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And not just gain, but our dying is great gain.
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Paul says it is far better than living.
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Our death and fulfillment of our hope is much more greater,
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and it is much more wonderful and much more glorious than anything we have in this world.
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Paul comes to this conclusion also in Philippians 3.
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If you'll turn over a page with me and read.
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Beginning in verse 7, he says,
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But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
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Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
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For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish,
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in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
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Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
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but that which comes through faith in Christ.
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The righteousness of God that depends on faith.
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That I may know him and the power of his resurrection,
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and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
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that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
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Therefore, brothers and sisters, our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
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and the glorious inheritance we receive there.
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So turn with me to 1 Peter.
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1 Peter.
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We'll be reading verse 3 through 9.
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Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope,
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through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
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to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
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kept in heaven for you,
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who by God's power are being guarded through faith,
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for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
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In this you rejoice, though now for a little while,
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if necessary, you've been grieved by various trials,
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so that the tested genuineness of your faith,
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more precious than gold that perishes,
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though it is tested by fire,
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may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor
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at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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Though you have not seen him now, you love him.
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And though you do not see him,
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you believe in him,
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and rejoice with the joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
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obtaining the outcome of your faith,
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the salvation of your souls.
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So in 1 Peter 1, beginning of verse 3,
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there is one Greek sentence all the way to verse 12.
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And in this Greek sentence,
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the purpose is that we would understand that salvation is from God
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and should instill hope in us.
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We were once dead and we've been born again to a living hope.
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This hope that we're born again to cannot be destroyed.
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It will not falter during trials and it is not cold.
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And it is in this, when we get to verse 13 of 1 Peter,
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after this one sentence that we read,
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therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded,
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set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you
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at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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So after this beautiful exposition of our salvation
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and how the prophets and the angels long to see Jesus
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and see all the promises that were fulfilled in him,
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then Peter says,
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now, in light of this, prepare for action
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and set your hope fully on this grace you will receive at Jesus Christ.
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And this should move us to think that hope is so important
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because Peter urges the saints to live in such a way
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that their hope is set on Jesus and his grace in the future,
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not in this moment,
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not in the things we have or the things we do.
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So today, as we spend our time together,
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my aim is that you'd see that hope
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is an inspiring confidence and expectation
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in the Son of God
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and the glorious inheritance we share with him.
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We'll see this in three points.
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Our hope is living,
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our hope is secure,
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and our hope is full of joy.
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So let's read verses 3 and 4 again.
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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According to his great mercy,
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he has caused us to be born again to a living hope
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through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
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to an inheritance that is imperishable,
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undefiled, and unfading,
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kept in heaven for us.
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Prior to being a Christian,
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we were enemies of God,
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according to Romans 5.10.
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We were dead in our sins and trespasses,
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according to Ephesians 2.1.
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We love the world,
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according to 1 John 2,
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and we practice lawlessness,
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according to 1 John 3.
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The 1689 London Baptist Confession says
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that we are before Christ,
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utterly indisposed,
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disabled,
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and made opposite to all good,
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and wholly inclined to evil.
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With that said,
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apart from Jesus Christ,
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we are hopeless.
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But in this passage,
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it says that according to his great mercy,
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he has worked in our lives.
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He took our dead,
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lifeless soul,
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and gave us new life.
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The verse says,
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he has caused us to be born again.
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We were hopeless,
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but now we're born into a new life
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with a new hope.
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This hope is a living hope.
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Before Christ,
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the things that we hoped in
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were vain,
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they were dead,
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and they were perishing.
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This hope was temporary.
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But our hope now in Christ,
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being born again,
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is not dead,
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temporary,
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and vain,
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but it is steadfast,
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it is immovable,
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and it is sure.
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It is strong,
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and it is because
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Jesus Christ is alive,
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and he's raised from the dead,
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that we have hope.
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The foundation of the hope we have,
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according to 1 Peter 1,
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is that he has rose from the dead,
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and he is now with God.
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We see in verse 3,
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he said that we've been born again
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to a living hope
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through the resurrection
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of Jesus Christ from the dead.
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Our hope is grounded and found
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in Jesus Christ
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and his resurrection.
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We see this also in 1 Corinthians,
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when Paul was talking about
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the resurrection.
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He says in 1 Corinthians 15,
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17 through 19,
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if Christ has not been raised,
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your faith is futile,
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and you are still in your sins,
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then those also who have fallen asleep
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in Christ have perished.
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And if in Christ
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we have hope in this life only,
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we are of all people
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most to be pitied.
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According to Paul,
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if our hope is only in this life,
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we are most to be pitied,
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because it means there's nothing
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after this life that comes.
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There is no future
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to look forward to.
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But the beautiful thing
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about the gospel of Jesus Christ
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is that when he lived
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and he died for our sins,
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he also rose.
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And we are a part of that,
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rising again.
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According to Ephesians 2,
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we will rise with him.
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So, with that said,
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if Jesus Christ did not come
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and he did not die
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and he did not rise again,
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we would be left hopeless.
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We would have been left in our sins
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and we would have been condemned
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as guilty.
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But, our God did come.
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He did die
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and he did rise again.
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Therefore, our hope is alive.
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It is living.
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According to verse 4,
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this hope that we have
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is inheritance also.
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It's in Jesus
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and we receive an inheritance
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with him.
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It says in verse 4
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that this inheritance
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is imperishable,
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it's undefiled,
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and it is unfading.
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Therefore,
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this inheritance we receive
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in Jesus,
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this life to come
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that we will receive,
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is everlasting.
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It is pure
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and it is precious.
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It will not be destroyed,
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it cannot be defiled,
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and it will not fade.
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According to verse 4,
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it states that this inheritance
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is of heavenly substance.
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It says that it is kept
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in heaven for us.
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Therefore,
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our hope should stir us
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to desire
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to live a heavenly-minded lifestyle,
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a mind that is based
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in life to come.
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We are sojourners
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bound for the promised land.
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We have a glorious
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and precious estate
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that is awaiting us,
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that is prepared
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by our Father for us.
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When we are received
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and we receive Jesus
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and all of his benefits for us,
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we will receive our hope.
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When our hope is fulfilled
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and our Savior comes,
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all our tears
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will be wiped away,
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all our grieves
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will be relieved,
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and our aching sadness
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will be changed
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into an ever-springing gladness.
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All the dark shadows
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and the gloomy clouds
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of this life
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will be gone
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forevermore
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in Christ
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and the life to come.
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This is the hope
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we are made alive to.
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This is the hope
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that is living.
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This is the hope
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we receive in Jesus.
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And this is the hope
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we have to live for.
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This hope is also secure.
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Point number two,
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our hope is secure.
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Read verse 5 with me.
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Who by God's power
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are being guarded
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through faith
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for a salvation
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ready to be revealed.
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In verse 4,
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we are promised as saints
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that our inheritance
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is through Jesus
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and it is of heavenly substance
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that will not be destroyed.
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It will not fade away.
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In verse 5,
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Peter goes on
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to encourage us
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as weary pilgrims
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that this inheritance
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will last forever
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and is secure.
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And it is because of God
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that it is secure.
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But there are various viewpoints
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in our culture
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we hear about
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that teach
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in a different man.
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They teach something
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that is contrary
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to being able
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to be secure.
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There are viewpoints
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that teach
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that we can lose
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our salvation,
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that we are not secure
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in Christ.
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In Roman Catholicism,
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believers receive
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this infusion of grace
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and then are called
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to do sacramental acts
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to achieve God's favor,
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to remain in this grace.
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In Arminianism,
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it is said that we are
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saved upon a profession
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of faith,
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but we can fall away
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and be an unbeliever
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if we fall into sin
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too long.
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In both these views,
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there is no full assurance
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that we are saved.
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In this view,
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our salvation is conditioned
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on one's action
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and it does not provide us
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great rest.
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But, brothers and sisters,
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the good news here
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is, according to 1 Peter,
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our hope is not conditioned
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on our actions.
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There is nothing within us
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that earns this hope.
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Our hope is in Jesus Christ
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and our hope resides with him.
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In Christ, there is rest
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and our hope is sure.
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Read verse 5 again with me.
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Who by God's power
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are being guarded through faith
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for a salvation
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ready to be revealed.
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Our salvation is based
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on God's power.
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The word guard here
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refers to God
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keeping watch
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over our salvation.
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From our perspective,
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we wake up
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and we read
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and we pray
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and we are working,
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we believe,
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we rejoice,
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we rest.
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But in reality,
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all these good things
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come from God
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and his almighty power.
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By the spirit
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of the living God,
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we are enabled
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and empowered
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to pursue holiness
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and God is watching
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over us
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and sharing his goodness
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with us.
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He is truly the found
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from whom all good comes
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and he holds us
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by his power.
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He guards us.
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Philippians 1.6 says
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that he who began
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a good work in us
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will bring it
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to the day of completion.
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When I think of this hope
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that is living,
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when I think of this hope
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that is secure,
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it makes me think of
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this wonderful hymn
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that we sing often
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called,
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He Will Hold Me Fast.
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The words of the song say,
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When I fear my faith will fail,
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Christ will hold me fast.
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When the tempter would prevail,
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He will hold me fast.
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I could never keep my hold
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through life's fearful path.
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For my love is often cold.
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He will hold me fast.
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He will hold me fast.
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He'll hold me fast.
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For my Savior loves me so.
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He will hold me fast.
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So truly,
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God is keeping watch
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over our soul
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and He will hold us fast.
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By God's power
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and His tender care,
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our hope is secure.
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Because our hope
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is living and secure,
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it is also full of joy.
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Point number three,
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our hope is full of joy.
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Read verses six through nine with me.
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In this you rejoice,
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though now for a little while,
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if necessary,
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you've been grieved
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by various trials,
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so that the testing
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genuineness of your faith,
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more precious than gold
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that perishes,
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though is tested by fire,
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may be found to result
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in the praise and glory
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and honor
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at the revelation
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of Jesus Christ.
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Though you have not seen Him,
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you love Him.
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And though you do not see Him,
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you believe in Him
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and rejoice with joy
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that is inexpressible
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and filled with glory,
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obtaining the outcome
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of your faith,
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the salvation of your soul.
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So in verse six,
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Peter goes from explaining
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the grounds and security
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of our hope
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to providing us
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with how it relates
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to our trials
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and the fulfillment
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of our hope.
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Because our hope
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is in Jesus Christ
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and because our hope
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is secure,
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we have grounds
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to rejoice.
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So the exilic saints
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in first Peter,
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they endured great persecution
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as we talked about.
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They were dispersed
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from their home.
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In the letter,
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it says they had been reviled.
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They had been treated unjustly
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and they had been dealt evil
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for their faith
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in Jesus Christ.
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These trials have led
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the saints to be grieved.
22:01
According to this word,
22:02
the meaning of it
22:03
is that there is a severe
22:04
mental and emotional distress
22:06
or a persisting sadness.
22:09
Their experiences
22:10
in the dispersion
22:11
have brought them
22:11
to anguish
22:13
and to grief.
22:15
But according to Peter,
22:17
this is only for a season.
22:18
He says that
22:19
though now
22:21
for a little while,
22:22
it is for a season
22:23
that they have been grieved.
22:25
And in this season,
22:26
according to first Peter,
22:27
that they're being refined
22:28
and their lives
22:29
being more and more
22:30
like Christ.
22:32
He says that
22:33
the tested genuineness
22:34
of their faith,
22:36
more precious than gold
22:38
that perishes
22:39
those tested by fire,
22:40
may be found
22:41
to result in praise
22:42
and glory
22:43
at the revelation
22:43
of Jesus Christ.
22:44
this word tested genuineness
22:47
talks about the authenticity
22:49
that their faith is genuine.
22:51
So as these trials come
22:52
and as these hard things
22:54
come in the lives
22:54
of the saints
22:55
in first Peter,
22:57
these hard things
22:58
are pushing them
22:59
to Christ
23:00
and push that faith
23:01
in Jesus
23:02
and have hope
23:03
in Jesus.
23:04
And in doing so,
23:05
their faith
23:06
is being beautified
23:08
and fortified.
23:09
It is being crafted
23:10
through these trials
23:11
so that when Jesus appears
23:13
and when their hope
23:14
is fulfilled,
23:15
that their lives
23:16
may be found
23:17
to the praise
23:18
and glory
23:18
of Jesus Christ.
23:21
So with that said,
23:23
we also,
23:24
in our lives,
23:24
have been grieved.
23:25
We go through things
23:26
that are hard,
23:28
things that bring us
23:28
mental distress
23:30
and anguish.
23:32
Some of us have families
23:33
that are really difficult.
23:34
Some of us
23:35
have went through situations
23:36
that are really challenging.
23:39
But in these situations,
23:41
there is a hope
23:42
that is so beautiful
23:44
and so wonderful,
23:45
something that we can
23:46
cast our lives to
23:47
and be found in.
23:49
And this hope
23:50
is in Jesus Christ
23:51
in the life to come,
23:52
that when he comes,
23:54
our hope,
23:55
our faith,
23:56
everything we believe in
23:57
will come
23:57
and be fulfilled.
23:59
So with that said,
24:00
in these trials,
24:01
we have great reason
24:02
to rejoice.
24:03
This joy,
24:04
according to Peter,
24:06
is inexpressible
24:08
and filled
24:09
with glory.
24:11
the word inexpressible
24:14
means exactly
24:15
what it sounds like,
24:15
that we cannot
24:16
describe it,
24:17
that we cannot express
24:18
how wonderful
24:20
this hope is.
24:22
Jonathan Edwards,
24:23
in trying to describe it,
24:24
says,
24:24
the love and joy
24:26
of the saints on earth
24:28
is the beginning
24:29
and dawning
24:29
of light,
24:31
life,
24:31
and blessedness
24:32
of heaven.
24:33
And it's like their love
24:34
and joy there,
24:35
or rather,
24:36
of the same nature,
24:37
but not the same degree
24:38
and circumstance.
24:40
So this inexpressible
24:42
joy that we have now
24:43
because our hope
24:44
in Jesus Christ
24:44
and the life to come
24:45
is an abounding sweetness
24:47
for our soul.
24:49
It is an enraptured heart
24:50
to the heavenly goodness.
24:52
It is an affectionate delight.
24:55
It is warm.
24:55
It is resounding
24:56
with praise
24:57
for our treasured Jesus.
25:00
It is the kind of joy
25:00
that we have
25:01
when we consider
25:01
everything is rubbish
25:03
in compared to knowing
25:05
Jesus Christ.
25:06
So even in our
25:07
greatest affliction,
25:08
in our hardest trials,
25:10
we can rejoice
25:11
because our hope
25:13
is not based in this world.
25:15
There is a much
25:15
greater reality to come,
25:17
one that is everlasting
25:18
and will not perish,
25:19
one that is sure
25:20
and secure.
25:23
Edwards further describes
25:24
what our hope
25:24
would be like in heaven.
25:26
He says,
25:26
the love and joy
25:27
that the saints have there
25:28
in heaven
25:29
is exceedingly,
25:30
exceedingly great
25:32
and vigorous,
25:34
impressing the heart
25:35
with the strongest
25:36
and most lively sensation
25:37
of inexpressible sweetness.
25:40
So he says that this,
25:41
this love and joy we have
25:43
is exceedingly great
25:44
and vigorous,
25:45
impressing the heart
25:46
with the strongest
25:47
and most lively sensation
25:49
of inexpressible sweetness,
25:51
mightily moving,
25:53
animating,
25:53
and engaging them,
25:54
making them
25:55
like a flame of fire.
25:57
So when,
25:58
when things get hard
25:59
and they're not going
26:01
as we once thought they would,
26:03
once we,
26:04
the way that we wish
26:05
they would have went
26:06
and we are struggling,
26:08
remember that we have a hope
26:09
and that God
26:11
is refining our hearts
26:12
towards him
26:12
and he is fortifying faith
26:14
in us.
26:16
He is producing a glory,
26:17
a masterpiece
26:18
to bring him
26:19
great delight
26:20
and praise.
26:21
That is why he says
26:23
in this passage,
26:24
one that will be found
26:25
to result in praise
26:26
and glory and honor
26:27
at the revelation
26:28
of Jesus Christ.
26:30
Therefore,
26:30
let us rejoice
26:31
in our suffering
26:32
because it is not
26:33
eternal but temporary.
26:34
Let us rejoice
26:36
in our suffering
26:37
because it is not
26:38
meaningless
26:38
but is meaningful.
26:41
Let us rejoice
26:42
in our suffering
26:43
because we have hope.
26:45
Our hope is caused,
26:46
our hope causes us
26:47
great joy
26:48
because it is not momentary
26:49
but steadfast,
26:51
immovable,
26:52
and guaranteed.
26:53
In conclusion,
26:55
praise God
26:56
that he has caused us
26:56
to be born again
26:57
to a living hope
26:58
that is not based
27:00
in this world
27:00
but based on the person
27:01
of Jesus Christ
27:03
in his resurrection.
27:05
This hope is alive
27:06
because Jesus is alive.
27:08
This hope will not fade
27:09
or perish
27:10
but is steadfast
27:11
and precious.
27:12
It is being kept
27:13
by the almighty power
27:14
of God
27:14
to be given us
27:16
when the day
27:16
of Jesus Christ appears.
27:19
Because this hope
27:20
is living and secure,
27:21
it should cause us
27:22
to spring forth
27:23
in great love
27:24
and inexpressible joy
27:25
in Jesus Christ.
27:27
Because of this hope,
27:28
we get to experience
27:29
the abounding sweetness
27:31
and lively sensation
27:32
of happiness
27:33
in Jesus.
27:35
This hope
27:35
is an inspiring confidence
27:37
and expectation
27:38
in Jesus Christ
27:39
and his glorious inheritance
27:40
we have.
27:42
Let us not despair
27:43
or be in anguish
27:44
but be like
27:45
the psalmist
27:47
in Psalm 42
27:48
in hope in God
27:50
for we shall again
27:51
praise him,
27:52
my salvation
27:53
and my God.
27:55
So,
27:56
four points to consider
27:57
in closing application.
27:58
Number one,
27:59
as we go into Advent season,
28:01
let us devote time
28:03
individually
28:04
with our families
28:05
and with our church community
28:07
to read scripture
28:09
that are based
28:10
on the prophecies
28:10
fulfilled
28:11
in Jesus' first coming
28:12
and to read
28:13
about the Christmas narratives.
28:15
Let us behold
28:16
Christ the newborn king
28:17
in his fullness of glory
28:19
and adore him.
28:21
Number two,
28:23
I want to remind you
28:24
of verse 13.
28:25
It says,
28:25
therefore,
28:26
preparing your minds
28:26
for action
28:27
and being sober-minded,
28:29
set your hope fully
28:29
on the grace
28:30
that will be brought to you
28:31
at the revelation
28:31
of Jesus Christ.
28:33
Let us work
28:34
to set our hope
28:35
on the grace
28:36
of Jesus Christ.
28:37
Let us intentionally
28:38
consider the hope
28:39
we have in Christ
28:40
and rejoice in it.
28:42
Our affection
28:43
should be warmed
28:44
by the flames
28:44
of God's word
28:45
and his promises
28:46
to us.
28:47
Let us sit
28:48
by the fire
28:48
of his word
28:49
and be inflamed
28:50
for him.
28:52
Point number three,
28:53
our journey
28:56
as pilgrims
28:56
to the promised land
28:57
is not an individual effort,
28:59
but it is a community work.
29:02
In 1 Peter,
29:02
it is not the saint
29:04
that is addressed,
29:05
but the saints.
29:07
Therefore,
29:07
we should be walking
29:08
this pilgrimage,
29:09
this journey
29:10
to the promised land
29:11
together
29:11
with our brothers
29:12
and sisters
29:13
that we're committed
29:14
to in church
29:15
and that we're friends with.
29:16
So I encourage you,
29:18
find people to walk with,
29:19
people that will
29:20
hold you accountable,
29:21
and find people
29:22
that will invest in you,
29:23
that will disciple you,
29:24
that will help you
29:25
build more and more
29:27
and more mature
29:28
so that you can do
29:29
the work of ministry
29:30
better.
29:32
And finally,
29:33
point number four,
29:35
in Jesus Christ,
29:36
there is hope
29:36
for this life
29:37
and the life to come.
29:39
We should grow
29:39
in loving him,
29:42
believing in him,
29:43
and enjoying him.
29:44
This week,
29:45
take time to bolster
29:46
your love for him,
29:48
increase your faith
29:49
in him,
29:50
and enjoy
29:51
his inexpressible sweetness.
29:54
Let us begin
29:55
to experience
29:55
the light,
29:56
life,
29:56
and blessedness
29:57
of heaven now
29:58
as we prepare
30:00
to receive
30:01
the gain of it
30:02
in the life to come.
30:03
Pray with me.