1 Peter 1:3-9 According to the Plan of the Father

Welcome to the podcast of Recast Church in Madawan, Michigan. This is a message from Pastor Don Filsek from the series Ready for the Storm on 1st Peter. If you'd like more information on Recast Church, please visit us on the web at www .recastchurch .com.

Here's Pastor Don.

The Plan of the Father in 1 Peter 1:3-9

Introducing the message we're going to be going through 1st Peter again still in chapter 1 Verses 3 through 9, and I want to start off with a question. How many of you have ever heard? Have you ever heard that before?

God has a wonderful plan for your life. And that could be interpreted in a lot of different ways I think back when I hear that phrase God has a wonderful plan for your life. It takes me back to my college days.

I attended college at a Bible College in South Carolina, and we were very big on public evangelism. So we would literally go down to I was going to Columbia Bible College in South Carolina, and there was a big university campus just across the way University of South Carolina USC and we would go down to that campus and just engage other college students in conversations.

We'd take gospel tracks. We would talk with them about Jesus and things like that. And so it's very much like kind of a cold turkey open-air. Have any of you ever taken part in something like that? We don't that seems like almost kind of a bygone era where people don't do that as much anymore.

But one of the tools that we would use is a gospel track that was put out by Campus Crusade for Christ called the four spiritual laws. Have any of you ever heard of the four spiritual laws and If you were familiar with that and you were ever trained to you am I cutting in and out on up here?

That yeah, okay, it might just be the button I Got a red light. For spiritual laws law number one God has a wonderful plan for your life. That was the first of those spiritual laws. But what is the wonderful life that God has planned for you?

What is it that he that he has in store for you? You could easily tune in this morning to a whole host of programming whether it's on the radio or tape TV or even Cable TV especially and tune into a bunch of programs where you could hear people tell you that God has a Really wonderful plan for your life and that really wonderful plan has to do with your health.

He has got a wonderful plan for your health. He has a wonderful plan for your wealth. He has a wonderful plan for prosperity. To you here on planet Earth. The the message that could be learned in our culture very quickly is that if you have enough faith You will be able to buy that car that you wanted just as long as you sow a seed of faith.

Which is often just means give us money, right? If you give enough money then you can then you can have that car that you wanted and God's gonna Pad your bank account really well if you just give a little or if you have enough faith.

Then illness is not going to touch your life. Or if you have enough faith Everything in your life is gonna just look like a Thomas Kinkade painting you know that serene that serene picture with the central lighting and Everything is just glorious and the dog is walking by the picket fence and everything just looks.

Anybody even know what I'm talking about when I say Thomas can't keep it. Okay, so many know what I'm talking about, but the notion that everything's just gonna be peaceful cool crisp morning with just a little smoke coming out of the chimney and it's gonna be great a Peter in our text this morning is gonna spell out a different kind of plan for you a different kind of plan.

It's an encouraging plan. It's a glorious and majestic and beautiful plan. So much more than nice cars. So much more than Thomas Kinkade paintings so much better than having everything go your way. He's gonna spell a wonderful plan for your life.

But it is not primarily focused on the stuff of this earth. It is a much much magnified so much higher plan as Peter is writing remember last week. We talked about how he's writing to elect. Exiles elect exiles elect chosen not voted on but chosen that's what the word elect means.

Chosen by God. Chosen accepted by God put exiles according to their culture. Rejected by I know rejected on the horizontal accepted on the vertical. That's who he's writing to. The encouragement he is offering to them.

I hope by the end of our time together this morning will rub off on us. So let's open our Bibles if you haven't already the first Peter 1 3 through 9 if you don't have a Bible in front of You and you just were willing to raise your hand just real quick one of these guys will bring you a Bible.

We do want everybody to have a copy of the Word of God open in front of them to be able to see it and take It in. And if you don't own a Bible, then you can just take that one home with you. We do want everybody to to have the Word of God accessible even in their own home.

But follow along as I read first Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 9. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for you.

Who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice. Though now for a little while if necessary 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 to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him You love him though you do not now see him.

You believe in him and rejoice with joy that isn't in it is inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of Your souls. Let's pray. The band comes to lead us in worship this morning father.

I'm convinced That we need encouragement from your word this morning we need encouragement to think correctly about this glorious and wonderful plan that you have for our lives and It doesn't spell out all rainbows and butterflies but it spells out amazing and glorious realities and truths and power and a Real living hope not this living desperation that so many in our society and our culture around us are living by a Desperation that says that this life is all that there is and if it's not going well, then we have no hope.

Father we have a living hope that is solid and firm for us in the future. And father I pray that as you meet us here that we would rejoice even as we've read your text that it would Flow into our hearts in a way that we would just be built up in and ready to explode with praise to you For what you have done for us.

And fathers we get an opportunity to interact with your word to interact with each other During the connection time and interact with you in worship father that we would glorify you and honor you For what you have done for us in Jesus Christ, and it's in his name that I pray.

Well, I really appreciate the band and I really appreciate particularly Sean stepping in and Josh's absence with us this morning. So very grateful for the time and energy that they put in this week to leading us before the throne of God.

Encourage you to get comfortable. I know we just took a break but if you want to get more coffee juice doughnuts. If you need to get up and stretch out in the back at any time during the message or use the restroom there out the Hall down turn right and down there.

But whatever it really takes to keep your your focus on the Word of God and I mean particularly having your Bible open in front Of you is always helpful. Remember that we're in 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 9.

So if you have that open in front of you, that's great. I love to see you checking up on me. At least I like to think that that's what you're doing when you're looking down. I assume you're not texting each other or whatever.

But you know, at least it makes me feel like you're Checking up on me and looking at the Word of God there. Before we dive into verses 3 through 9 I want you to look at verse 2. Up look at look up at verse 2 with me for a second and and notice what's going on there that we have been chosen According to the foreknowledge and I mentioned last week when you see the word foreknowledge you can think plan of The father according to the foreknowledge of God the father we have been chosen elect According to the knowledge of God the father according to his plan.

What he desired to have happen all who are trusting in Jesus for salvation Have been chosen by God According to the plan of their heavenly father not just God. But their heavenly father and that that phrase is important for for us to understand that he is like father to us.

Not that not that you look at your father and go. I guess that's what God is like. But you actually your father ought to have Emulated what God is like because he is the father and so only in as much as your father Mirrors him.

Is he a good father? And so that's one thing that we need to get straight, but he loves us. He shows us he elected us according to this text. And so now in verses 3 through 9 Peter is going to be mining deeper into that glorious plan of God.

It's like he's basically in verse 2. He set out a table of contents of chapter 1 and he's gonna spell out here in these first in verses 3 through 9. He's gonna unpack that notion of the plan of God for you.

I said God has a wonderful plan for your life. Peter is saying God has a wonderful plan for your life. He has something that he's planned and he immediately begins in verse 3 with praises to God our Father.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He begins with praise. All that is spoken of in this chapter is intended to ultimately result in praise to God. All that is spoken in this chapter though that is the father's plan everything is ultimately for him and for his glory.

Why should it result in praise to God? Because we have been chosen according to his plan and according to his great Mercy. It was his plan that saved us. It was his plan that began with something about his character, what is this verse telling us that God possesses mercy.

Is anybody glad that God possesses mercy? Is anybody glad that that's a fundamental character of God that he? Expresses mercy. I am glad otherwise I wouldn't be standing before you today if our God was not a God of mercy.

Not one of us would have another breath to breathe but he Demonstrates mercy. It was his plan that saved us. It was a plan that began with something in him called mercy. He saw us in our sin. He saw us in our helplessness.

He saw us in a place of desperate need. He saw us incapable and incapacitated and completely crushed and broken by sin and he chose by his mercy to rescue us. Mercy simply means he has not given us what he what we deserve.

We deserve to be crushed. We deserve to be left in our own filth and instead he has Swooped us up and brought us into his family and we're gonna see some glorious things that he has given to us. We who could not help ourselves?

And so there are four encouraging truths that Peter wants to highlight about the mercy and plan of God for us in salvation for you in Salvation. Four things that he's gonna highlight that are that are yours in the plan of God.

It has been God's plan. It was God's plan number one to give you new birth if you're taking notes. You can take down these four things that I'm gonna say and I'm gonna put some. I'm gonna lay out the skeleton and then put some meat on it.

It was God's plan to give you new birth. That's the first one. The words Peter uses in the text are a bit shocking. If you if you look at me look I mean look at the text in verse 3 blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his great mercy.

He has what? Caused us to be born again. Whoa. What does it mean to be caused to be born again? In other words, where did it start? Where did your rebirth begin? With God. He is the one who has caused us to be born again.

I think that what Peter is getting at here is he wants to use the analogy of birth. Okay and so birth is if you think about the way that you came into being came into existence don't put too much thought into That but the way that you Exist now, what did you have to do with your birth?

What did you have to do with your birth? Nothing, you just showed up. Right, isn't that the reality of I mean all of us at some point in our history. I don't know when it was I don't think any of us can point to it in our lives and go that is the point when I became aware a self-aware being.

Right, that's the that's the point where I became sentient. Okay. I remember thinking. Oh, I'm alive. Does anybody remember that because that's kind of weird. I mean, it's like but we at some point in our lives We're like I'm here I'm here on planet Earth like I'm here and I'm doing stuff and I'm breathing air and I'm I'm I'm equipped to do stuff.

And to to create things and to ultimately in the end glorify God and I'm I'm here right anybody. Is that as that real is a realization ever like struck you in a weird way like I'm here. I'm on planet Earth.

It's almost kind of getting too philosophical in some way. But you are here and in as much as you did not have much to do or anything to do with that first birth. Peter wants to draw that analogy for your second birth.

He literally wants to say in the same way that you were caused to exist the first time you have been caused to exist Spiritually a second time you have been caused to be born Again to be reborn to have a rebirth.

We just showed up one day physically. And the spiritual rebirth is like that God awakened us By his plan and his will and although that is a mystery that we will never fully grasp I mean talking about wait a minute like what did I choose him?

Did he choose me? How did all of this work? He's saying he caused us to be born again and that Was through his plan and According to his mercy and that ought to be pretty encouraging to you. Peter is telling you that to encourage you to strengthen you God moved to you in salvation.

God came to you and gave you new life. You didn't move to him. He moved to you. But even as the text tells us our new birth is according to his plan and according to his mercy. And he has caused us to be born again.

It it doesn't stop the obvious fact that we must be born again. Okay, so a man comes to Jesus in the middle of night in John chapter 3 Nicodemus. He's a ruler of the Pharisees leader of the people who were most opposed to Jesus.

So he comes in cover of night because he doesn't want his bros to know that he's hanging out with Jesus. Okay, cuz he's gonna get in trouble if they find out that he's going and asking spiritual questions to this guy who they're supposed to Be opposed to they're supposed to be enemies.

So he goes in the cover of night and says What do I have to do to be made right with God? What do I need to really get in order in my life in order to to understand this and what does Jesus tell him? Well, dude, you must be born Again, and well, he gets kind of confused by that.

He's like I can't you know be born again. And what are you talking about? And it's obviously Jesus spells that out throughout chapter 3 and basically explains that it's a spiritual rebirth that he's talking about there.

But we must be born again. Just like birth is an event that happens in time. Being born again is an event that happens at a point in time in our lives. Salvation is like getting a new life a new start.

At the point when a person is genuinely and and by the power of God born again their priorities change. Their priorities change who they serve. Changes they get a new master. They recognize someone else now calls the shots.

That's part of what it means to be born again they are forgiven and Given a status in the family of God they receive hope we're gonna talk about here in a minute. They receive peace and a life of faith and trust in their Savior Jesus Christ.

Now for each one of us the point of time the point in time of our rebirth is different but all who are born again are Reborn by trusting in the gift of salvation offered by Jesus Christ through his death on the cross for us.

So that what we find is that our faith on the one hand is what it looks like from our perspective. And we find that the causing of being born again is on God's side. Confusing but the what scripture bears to be true for us and that Regeneration that happens as a metaphor for a new life new birth.

We who have been born to the family of God have changed allegiances. We have a new father. We have a new way of Living. Paul says it this way if any man is in Christ He is a new creation. Behold old things have passed away new things have come.

And so being born again is to be accepted by God. But often if you think about it what Peter has has clearly explained to us already earlier in the text in this concept of elect exiles is that to be born into the family of God is Immediately going to cause tension with others around.

It will of necessity your priorities have shifted and here's a test. You could use just to think about this this concept of new birth should provide us joy Enthusiasm excitement new life, but try this just think about trying this even go to your workplace and Talk to others and tell them I am born again.

How many of you think you're gonna get some derogatory comments? How many of you think that that's gonna that's gonna stir some things up because even the phrase that we Cherish and hold so dear if we think about the concept and we understand it is Derogatory to the world it is actually used in pejorative terms often them born-again.

Those those born-again people those high high and mighty holy rollers. That's isn't that what our world thinks of when they hear the phrase born again. You tracking with me? Try that this is something that we cherish.

This is something that is that is true of what God says is true of us. And it's something that's beautiful and glorious and meant to encourage and simultaneously the world doesn't get it. The world doesn't understand this.

But we have something significant to rejoice in because it was the plan of God to give you new birth. Second it was God's plan to give you in living. Hope. God's plan was that you would live your existence on this planet as his elect as his chosen.

In living hope a Glorious living hope that is rooted in the past at the end of verse 3 has power for the present in verse 5 and Is guaranteed for us in the future in verse 4? This hope is called living.

It is called living because it is not some lifeless principle that's written on paper now. You can look at it. You can read it and you can you can study it and you can dissect the words living means. You know, it's not dead.

It's got life. It's got vibrancy to it. Hope something out there in the future something that we can we can hold hang our hat on something that we can hope for. Look forward to in the future. I just used the word in the definition.

That doesn't work. It's something that we look forward to in anticipation. Right so we can define it. We can use it on paper. But this is a living hope it Empowers us it moves us it animates us. It is not something we possess as much as something that possesses us it it consumes us.

It changes the way we behave it changes the things that we do it changes the things that we value. It changes the way we act when confronted with harsh and hostile circumstances. It changes the way that we respond when others Bad mouth us.

It changes the way we respond when we want to lash out at someone. It changes the way we respond when temptation comes into our life to lust to hate to hurt to harm. It's a living hope it drives us. It changes us it it is the life within us.

We live and move and breathe within a living hope and it's given to us by God. It causes us to do crazy things that the world can't understand like dr. Brantley moving towards the Ebola patients not away the world can't grasp that why?

They don't get the concept of a living hope. That would transform us and change us to say I don't care because this world is not all that there is. My hope is Laid up for me somewhere else. Donald Trump can't get that he tweets and says how dare anybody go help those people in Africa.

How dare anybody do that and jeopardize our little kingdoms? The world can't understand it because primarily the world lives according to a living desperation a Living despair. A living hope that places everything in this life, and if this life is all that there is can you imagine?

The the desperation of clinging to stuff. The desperation of clinging to health. The desperation of clinging to wealth and prosperity. If this is all that there is can you understand? Why that there would be a living despair or at least a living desperation?

Not for us this kind of living hope Causes families to pack up and move away from one of the most affluent countries on the planet to go help others. To bear the truth of the cause of the gospel. That doesn't make sense.

If you think about it somebody living here in Matawan someone living here in Matawan, Michigan to pack up their stuff and move to a place that's going to be at the bare minimum inconvenience. Quite likely stress their family quite likely push them out of their comfort zone quite likely is going to cause a lot more Hardship than they have to face if they stay here here.

They've got ready-made soccer teams for their kids. They've got great band programs. They've got wonderful neighborhoods that are safe and secure and they've got a police force that shows up when you call right.

But to this living hope moves us it animates us it pushes us out even to the degree where I'm hopeful. That some of you who have a living hope within you are actually willing to at least step out and share your faith with others that you work with a Hope that says you know what?

It doesn't really matter if they like me or not. What matters is the reality and the truth of the eternity that faces us. And I have a hope I want to share that hope with everyone around me. Peter tells us where this hope began.

Where does a hope like that start a hope that can radically transform our lives? Well, it began nowhere else than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its origin is in the that very past event where death was defeated.

Death is the first enemy and Death is the last enemy the first enemy to come to the human race. The last enemy is a matter of fact all the way back in all the way at the beginning in Genesis. God said to Adam and Eve if you eat from the tree you will surely what?

Die right there at the beginning the first consequence the first punishment. What why is death such a big deal. Death is a huge deal in theology by the way. It's a it's a huge thing in life, right? Does does death drive us?

Think about how much death impacts your your day now you kind of go. Well, wait a minute, you know only if I've lost a loved one only no you you don't have time to think about it. You don't have time to learn the drums and the guitar and be the best athlete and everything.

You can't do it. All right, we talk about balance. Why do we talk about balance? Because you're limited. You know that you don't have forever. You know that you're not going to survive and you've got to make the most of your day.

Right, isn't that does death impact the things that we do? Absolutely every single day we live under the shadow of death and we know that. And certainly it impacts us in deeper ways when it when it cuts right into our lives when we lose those that we love.

Right and that happens from time to time and it's there and so in the beginning we knew that death was going to be our punishment if we ate so we ate and. Now you look all the way back at Revelation 2014.

Death and Hades. Put into Revelation 2014 way at the end of the book death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire and then in chapter 21 death will be no more. The final enemy defeated it's appropriate.

If you feel like clapping just go ahead and clap. If you feel like giving a whoop give a whoop death will be no more. Our enemy will be defeated. And I look forward to that day. It is our enemy. It is a horrible thing and We look forward to those reunions.

We have hope because Jesus Christ raised from the dead. It is a living hope rooted in a historical event. At the resurrection of Jesus we saw the first seeds of our hope the resurrection our faith is based on this one thing that Jesus has defeated sin and The power of sin is death and therefore he also defeated death.

In this in In the present time. Where we live now so past event the resurrection in the present time this living energetic powerful Hope which is expressed through our faith guards us through the awesome power of God.

We have the power of God available to us to continue to give us a living hope in the present. This living hope protects us from things like cynicism. God is going to fix it all in the end. Did you know that he's gonna he's gonna make it All right he's gonna take care of it and he's gonna roll it up with justice and equity and and Mercy and but but it's gonna be fixed.

And so I don't need to go it become cynical like well, it's all just everything's all bad. And it's just always gonna be bad. And it's just that's the way that things roll and burn me once burn me twice, okay, I guess that's it.

I mean, that's the limit. I know we can say I can put up with more because God is God is the judge. God is going to fix it. This living hope keeps us ministering. So we do not give up. It reminds us ultimately that this world is not all that there is and so we can sacrifice.

And we can put up with much and we can endure much because our hope is not here on this planet. Mentioned a little bit briefly earlier if if death gets the final word word. Which is really the atheistic world view is that death is the final thing and then it's all over and you just become worm food.

If if death gets the final word and this life is all that there is. That's a that's a scary place. And if this life is all that there is then a living desperation takes the place of a living hope. But those who have been caused to be born again are being guarded by the power of God unto salvation by faith hope and.

Lastly and most amazing to me is what? Peter has to say about the future of this hope. This hope has a Guaranteed future. The words Peter uses for this future. Hope are stunning and meant to solidify your encouragement in mind.

He calls it an inheritance. What is an inheritance. Something that is received from someone who loved you enough to try to take care of you while they are gone. And then coming into an inheritance that which he has set aside for you out of his love for you.

And he wants you to have it In his mercy and in his plan. He has set this inheritance aside and it's not just an inheritance that you're going to receive one day. But it's a look at the description of this inheritance.

It is imperishable. It will not die. It cannot be done away with it cannot be destroyed. It cannot perish. It is undefiled. It is glorious and good and perfect and pure. It is unfading. It can't be tarnished.

Moths won't eat holes in it. Rust won't tarnish it. The elements won't deteriorate it. It is unfading and I love this last phrase kept in heaven for you. Picture that kind of going down like this. You know, I've got this great inheritance for you, but I don't trust you to keep it for yourself.

I don't trust you to store it safely. So I God says I'm gonna keep it at my place. And when you come to visit I'll break into the. I'll break break open the vault and I'll hand it to you then. But I'm gonna keep it at my place to make sure that it is secure.

Who is securing your salvation. Who is securing your inheritance? God in heaven for you. So I'll keep. I'll keep it at my place. And it'll be there when you come visit and I am confident that nobody Ever Will break in and steal it from you kept in heaven by God.

So God's plan for you is rebirth. God's plan for you is a living hope. And those two should result in great rejoicing just that in itself should provide great Rejoice, you should be a cause to do a little jig on your way out of here today.

And if you if dancing isn't a happy thing for you, then just maybe an amen or something would be good. Peter starts verse 6 saying in this everything that he just said rebirth and living hope in this.

You rejoice in this you rejoice and I have to ask is he is he right? Is he right? He's saying in this you rejoice. I wonder in this do you rejoice? You rejoice in your rebirth. You rejoice in a living hope that is rooted in the past.

Guarded in the present by the very power of God kept in heaven for you for the future. Do you rejoice in a life rooted in the glorious salvation that we have been given? The third thing. Which may not sound like an encouragement right off the bat, but believe me it is.

It is God's plan for his elect that we endure during trials. It is God's plan that you endure during trials on the pathway to this glorious inheritance. We have a as Peter says I would I wouldn't have the gumption to say this if God didn't say it himself if Peter wasn't revealing it for us in Scripture, but that we have a little while of grief and trial a little while in Perspective of all that God has planned for us the hardships of life are only a little while.

How many of you can acknowledge that while living trials while going through suffering while going through difficulty. They seem like they're never gonna end. Is that true? Absolutely true but if we can step back and get God's perspective on a living hope in a the grandeur and the big plan of his salvation for Your life in mind his mercy and his plan towards us.

They begin to fade in Duration, I love it that Peter doesn't call them little things. He doesn't downplay your suffering. He doesn't say you're suffering our little things. He's downplaying the duration.

He's saying get a bigger Perspective get a wider lens on your camera when you're taking snapshots of your life. That's what this living hope is about is taking in a much bigger picture than the world can conceive of.

If all your lens takes in is your 70 to 80 years on this planet if God is gracious and grants us that then you have too narrow a lens and it is going to lead to Desperation and ultimately despair as your life time after time after time does not match up with what the media tells you it should.

With what Hollywood tells you it should with what all the athletes tell you it should. It should be all this just amazing glory and even in our high points is there not some letdown. Even when you get the iPhone 6.

Isn't there some letdown? Maybe some of you are still going. Oh, man still awesome. We'll give it a couple weeks, okay? And the iPhone 6 .5 or 6s or whatever is coming out and you'll have to get that too.

Peter doesn't call them little things. He says they'll last for a little while. When I spoke I was speaking on 1st Peter chapter 1 when I was up at Barrichell a couple weekends ago and Had the privilege of speaking to mothers and sons.

It was a smaller group. It was like maybe 20 to 30 and one of the cabins is set up in the lobby and had chapel in there. And so it's a little bit more interactive and one of the ladies just in July at the end of July.

She had lost her husband. Just July. She's there with her 17 year old son for a mother-son retreat. After just having lost her husband and she lost her husband after a long long battle with a degenerative disease where she had to care for him extensively over the course of years.

She spoke up at this point and raised her hand and said yes. Just a little she taught in a way that I couldn't teach at that point. Just a little while the lesson. I mean I can step down and we can just pray and conclude the message now.

Just Do not teach this to those who are going through suffering. Let them teach you. Do not stand before those who are suffering and say oh, it's just a little while. Let them tell you about it. Listen to them sit with them.

Suffer with them cry with them, but don't you dare say to them just a little while. Is that the right perspective? Yes. But listen and hear the glory of God and his children who have a living hope who see with the wide-angle lens of eternity in mind and have been granted that glimpse of the Suffering and the difficulty of this life that leads us to hope for what is out there beyond a living hope.