EASTER 2 – April 19, 2020 – 1 Pet. 1:3-9
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 Peter 1. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- You’ve heard some of the jokes – I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news, which do you want to hear first? Well, in our text for this morning, there is good news and bad news, but there is no joke about it! The good news is wondrous, stupendous, and marvelous. But the bad news is also sobering, and we should take it seriously.
- There is, however, good news about the bad news – and that is that the bad stuff we may have to suffer for a time ends up being good for us. I suppose that makes it all good news – but no one is going to want the kind of grief and trials that Christians at times have to endure.
- We’ll start with the good news. Then we’ll consider some of the bad news. But we will also look at what makes even the bad news to be good news.
I. We Have Been Born Again, Made Alive, By The Great Mercy Of God
A. It Has All Come To Us By The Great Mercy Of God, Our Father
Text: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again.
B. This Has Come About To Us By The Resurrection Of Jesus
Text: “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
C. This Living Hope Is All About A Heavenly Inheritance – Kept Perfect For Us
Text: “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope . . . to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
D. God Is Guarding Us For This Through Faith
Text: “Kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith.”
E. And That Inheritance Is The Salvation To Be Fully Revealed On Judgment Day
Text: “By God’s power you are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Statement: That is a mouthful of good news! It is good news for the here and now – to have new spiritual life, to have been born again, so that we have a “living” hope. It is a hope that lives inside of us, and it is also a hope for “living” life in this world. It is a hope that keeps us going through all of the ups and downs of life in this world! And it is also a hope beyond the living of this life! It is a hope that pertains to heavenly things, and the life which is to come – God’s salvation!
Application: These blessings are provided to us so that we may obtain the outcome of our faith – the salvation of your souls! These blessings from God are so magnificent that we join Peter in crying out: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” His is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever! And we are the beneficiaries of all of this – because God is full of mercy and love for us!
Transition: Now, if we keep all of this in mind, then we will not be all that bothered by the bad news, and nor will we be fearful or anxious about it. And as I mentioned earlier, even this bad news ends up working greater blessedness to us! But here is the bad news:
II. There Will Also Be Testing Coming Our Way, Grief And Various Trials
Text: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.”
A. But The Result Of These Trials Is The Purification And Making Genuine Of Our Faith
Text: “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.”
B. This Will End Up Being To Our Praise, Honor, And Glory On The Last Day
Text: “The genuineness of your faith will . . . result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
C. And So We Believe In Him And Love Him, And Have Inexpressible Joy
Text: “Though you have not seen Him you love Him. Though you do not see Him now, 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.”
Statement: What causes the necessity of this is our sinful flesh – which argues against faith and love, against God and everything that is good. Likewise, the world around us, seeing the beautiful changes of a genuine faith and a life of love, is poked in the eye by Christians. They side with evil, and despise having the light of God’s love shined upon them. So, we become their target.
Application: But trials are like the processes for purifying gold! The worse the trials the purer our faith becomes, the stronger our love is, and the more joy we will have. Indeed, so much joy that it is inexpressible! And in the end, the outcome is the salvation of your souls.
Conclusion: So, good things happen through the bad things that we may have to endure. That doesn’t mean that we don’t grieve, and even groan, when going through trials. They are trials – even tribulations! But in the end, they result in honor and glory and praise, and our salvation!
So, hopefully we can endure the bad news, and endure the troubles that we will have in this life. Hopefully, we will continue on through these difficulties with great joy! We may as well, for our troubles will last only for “a little while.” Our salvation is already ready to be revealed in the last time!
May God Himself strengthen our faith and trust in Him, and our love for Him, as we abide in His “LIVING HOPE.” Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.