Born Again to a Living Hope: Part 3

Well, praise God we continue part 3 in this series from 1st Peter. So please turn with me to 1st

Peter chapter 1 1st Peter chapter 1 We're looking specifically at verse 3 to 5

But let me begin with verse 1 again and read it through 5

So we get the context of what is being said from the Word of God I'm reading from the

King James Version this morning the old King James the authorized version Hear the

Word of the Living God Peter and an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout

Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia, Bithynia Elect according to the to the foreknowledge of God the

Father Through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Grace unto you and peace be multiplied

Blessed Be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Which according to his abundant mercy

Hath begotten us again unto a lively hope a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away

Reserved in heaven for you Who are kept by the power of God?

through faith unto salvation Ready to be revealed in the last time

May God richly richly bless the reading of his mighty word

From our heart from our ears to our hearts this Lord's Day morning. Let's pray

Our father once again as we come to you we look to you for help within this hour as we

Seek your face And look to you turn a word Father we come with all we come with humility

And we recognize that you are our father our father. There's a family here

Our father in heaven You're in heaven We're on earth

Father your name is holy is to be hallowed And we're reminded once again of your name from the psalmist not unto us.

Oh Lord not unto us, but to your name Give glory because of your loving kindness and because of your truth

Father that's the purpose Why it's not unto us Because everything here is because of your mercy and because of your truth

Lord we bless your name and as we come we pray. Oh Lord lay hold on us Strengthen your people today.

I pray wherever they may be With the word with the singing

And father may your blessed spirit your holy spirit be our true teacher this morning

Showing the things of Christ to us Father I pray that you would be exalted above the heavens as the psalmist says

So we magnify you father son, holy spirit and I praise pray father amaze us and And transform us and may we leave here never the same

And we would be careful to give you all the glory and we would ask this and the wonderful Glorious name of Jesus Christ.

I pray amen and amen the verses Of Holy Scripture given to us by the

Holy Spirit through the breath of God the Apostle Paul Peter I'm sorry

Peter in verses 3 through 5 Speaks of a word of living hope to us and the living hope he is speaking to is specifically as He addresses as Peter addresses the strangers scattered pilgrims

Sojourners as other translation Would would have it throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia and as we looked at these are persecuted

Christians, these are persecuted Christians and Even though we're not as persecuted as These Christians were at the moment.

We need to prepare ourselves Because as persecution will come to us and I promise you persecution will come

We have been sheltered from this in the Western World, but the Eastern world knows persecution very very well

And right now in the time Where we need to gather and prepare ourselves and to take in all the

Word of God that we can we do not need to take these times for granted and To know what the

Word of God has to say, but I assure you of this when the Apostle Peter spoke these words

To them to the persecuted church at this period of time These words were very precious to them

These words were such an encouragement and I pray no matter what trial we are going through I I don't want to undermine that that we're all going through and facing trials

But it's nothing in comparison to the persecution and the sufferings these

Christians winter We're talking about people who lost their homes They were severely beaten physically.

They had to hide in hiding to worship Everything was stripped from and To the world and what the worst thing that can happen and many did die at the sword of Nero and also under his tyranny

He put many to death In the sense of burning them to death So Christians was looked down at disdained in a in a horrific way

But I'm telling you these words meant something and it's going to mean it should mean something to us as well

We should never take these words for granted. So whatever you're going through today, I really believe that what

The Apostle Peter is saying here is going to be an encouragement to each and every one of us as I was studying this personally

In my study time, I found it to encourage my own heart in a great way

So I'll pray this from my heart to your heart as I minister this to you That God is that God works that God is glorified that God would do his work through his word

It's not my word It's God's Word, right? What if I came up here and gave you stories of my opinions, it wouldn't matter to a hill of beans

But the Word of God is quick and it's living. It's powerful It's sharper than any two -edged sword the

Word of God goes forth and it does not return void It has eternal power to it. It has the power to raise the dead

Dead bones come to life So I pray that that this will be a message that will speak truth to your heart, but also speak life to your heart as well

So we are told here and that this would Peter speaks this

Word of encouragement to these persecuted Believers in Jesus Christ It's such practice.

It's such a practical message of a living hope, isn't it? And that's what he speak of and that's what I want us to focus and set before you this morning is this is a living

Hope this is a hope that is living. It's not dying He speaks of what we might call

The future view of things to come for the child of God that is our salvation

That is to be fulfilled. The great salvation is our blessed. Hope the Apostle Paul spoke of this blessed.

Hope Peter calls it the living hope but it's the blessing hope blessed hope and it's the same thing Well when he speaks of the blessed hope in Titus chapter 2 verse 11 through 14

It says this for the grace of God has appeared Bringing salvation to all men to all men in the sense that it is

Presented to all men. It doesn't mean that all men's gonna be saved but salvation the message has come to all men

Instructing us now, what is he saying? Instructing us means the grace of God teaches us to do something or not to do something

It teaches both but it does teach us something right? teaching us instructing us

To deny ungodliness worldly desires worldly lust and to live sensibly

Righteously and godly in this present age looking for here it is the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great

God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us and redeemed to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for himself a people for his own possession

Zealous for good deeds. That's a mouthful, isn't it? But that speaks about the blessed hope of the

Lord Jesus Christ God's sovereign purpose and salvation is in calling out a people of his own to have an own possession for himself that he purchased with his blood and actually

Commanding his people the Church of the Living God to live righteously That's so important to live a righteous life a godly life in this present world until Jesus comes back

Why because we represent the righteous one we represent

Christ and by the way, none of us is righteous No, not one right. How are we righteous then? We're righteous through the righteousness of Jesus Christ It's the righteousness of Christ that's been imputed to us

But still there is a command from God to live a holy godly righteous life

We represent the Holy God Our Holy Father with part actually

I like to put it this way It's family resemblance, right when you resemble somebody in the family and part of the family

You want to resemble them in one way or another? Well, we should resemble our

Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ We are part of the family of God and God is holy.

He's our Holy Father Jesus is our Holy Savior and our Holy Lord and we are to be holy it's all about notice when brother

Ben was was speaking about these words of the Sacrifices and and all that is to be atoned for in the sin offerings and all that is presented notice

Is the words consecrated and holy and hallowed and and the sin offering and the blood and the washing and all that it's it's so Critical to understand this in our lives as Christian how we apply these things.

It's just not mere words, right? This means something and I was thinking as we're going through the book of Exodus and all those the shadows

That points to the reality of the cross of Jesus Christ that he gave the supreme sacrifice and shed his precious blood to purchase a people

Well, it says Paul said looking for that blessed. Hope. Are you looking for that blessed? Hope every day that you live?

think of that Jesus is We believe that what the scripture says that he could come at any moment

His return will be imminent and he's gonna come like a thief in the night Looking looking we don't only look unto

Jesus But we look looking on for the blessed hope because he is our blessed hope he's the one that's going to come and split the eastern sky and two and I'm telling you it's gonna be a it's gonna be a glorious day for the

Saints because Jesus is going to usher in righteousness and For his kingdom will come but for this for the for the sinners and to the wicked it's going to be a terrible day of judgment for them

And that's why we're to repent now While there's breath in our body because one day this cut this time is going to come upon us as a thief

The blessed hope the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ a blessed hope

Jesus will come again That is the message that we need to preach blessed hope here

Again as particular verse in which I quoted from Titus chapter 2 Speaks of the second coming of the

Lord Jesus Christ including the resurrection of all the Saints of all the ages

God's plan of salvation God's purpose and salvation will come to a fulfillment a culmination and Completion when

Jesus Christ comes that will be a day folks like no other day ever

On the face of this earth and that this earth has never seen before Jesus Christ who is our life will appear in glory and that is that is the message we need to trumpet today and Sound the alarm to people who are lost and dying in their sins and say this is the age of grace

You need to come to Jesus while there's mercy Before the judgment day comes

So Peter refers to this hope but he calls it the living hope now first Peter chapter 1 verse 3 through 12 really if you look at it all the way through 12 are all one sentence together and the reason this portion

First Peter is so important for us is because we who are believers today Just like the believers to him

Peter wrote back in his day are living in very dark times beloved regardless where we are

Christians true Christians Always have one thing in common they love the truth and they will be persecuted for that truth

It's not because of necessarily something they are within themselves But it's who Christ is and the world and you come to see this as a real spiritual battle that's taking place

That we wrestle not against flesh and blood But against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness in this evil age and we know that Satan hates the truth

We know that people that are under his dominion hates the truth, right and we that's very recognizable

So it's the truth that really They hate and that truth is light and that light is shed upon their sin and they're not going to like it they're going to be offended by it and Actually, if it's not an offense to him we're not preaching the gospel if it's something we're not here to pat people in the back and make friends and and and Tell good stories and those kind of things, right?

Well people say well, hold on pastor. Jesus was a friend of sinners Yes, but he never compromised with that sin.

He always commanded sinners to repent. I can assure you of that read it

Jesus was a friend of sinners But he never comprehend when he when he forgave the woman caught in adultery and the very act of it

She was pulled out in public To shame her the Pharisees were just really

I mean caught her in the very act of adultery believe the embarrassment of that But yes never hear about Who else she was with who knows it might have been one of the religious scribes and Pharisees We don't know that but whatever the case they wanted to shame her as women were humiliated

Jesus gave more liberation to women Than anyone else on the face of this earth

And think of it Jesus as we know the story and after is all said and done

After the accusers is gone and Jesus challenged him. He does without sin Let him first cast first cast the stone and it says of age group

That they all left From if I'm not mistaken, this is from the eldest to the youngest

I believe if I'm the right track here and after it was just her and Jesus Now Jesus was it a cheap grace

No, Jesus said and he basically who's your where is your condemners and she said none Lord She caught him

Lord Jesus said neither do I condemn you and what did he say?

go And sin no more You see he forgave her

But he also gave her a command Don't go back into that sin.

You forsake it Go and sin no more. We need to remember that don't we?

You hear people out there today judge. No, at least you be judge. Oh, you throw in condemnation on me

You know something if we're not preaching the gospel and if people are not offended by the holiness of God something's wrong

Because people still in their sins Jesus came to rescue people and what does he say now shall the scripture says in Matthew when he was born of the virgin

Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall Save his people from their sin not in their sin necessarily, but from their sin

That's the purpose of salvation To deliver us isn't that what God did in Exodus to the children of Israel?

He brought them out with a strong right arm. He delivered them out from the slavery the house of bondage and He took them to his place and his dwelling place to give him his law

And then they of course they an unbelief they went in circles for 40 years because they didn't believe

God But God wanted to take them to the land of Canaan Where milk and honey would do help?

That's the purpose of salvation The Saints has a blessed hope in a living hope here

And all this is all the way what Peter is speaking of verses 3 through 12 is one huge large sentence

Beloved we're living like I said in a very a cultural environment that is ever growing increasingly more and more hostile to the faith and The truth of the gospel and we see this

I've never seen it like this before And it's not and I'm not here to be a prophet of gloom, but it's not going to get better until first it gets worse

First it's gonna get worse and then it's gonna get better and then Jesus is gonna come But that's the order in which the scriptures point out if we were to only look at things

Strictly on a human level it would become very easy to be a very depressed and lose hope wouldn't it?

But that's the way most people look at it today, but we are the people of God We have a living hope not a dying hope

We though the world is without hope without God without the covenants of God of course of course

They're groping in darkness But we have the light of the gospel we have the

Lord Jesus Christ, and he has risen from the dead so in darkness These people are dead in their sins.

They're dead in their trespasses. They're under the wrath of God But actually the

Apostle Peter through the Holy Spirit is telling believers to be careful not to do this You know what he's basically saying when you read these verses

Don't look at the circumstances Don't get your eyes even on the suffering You keep your eyes on the living hope you know who's that living hope

Jesus Christ Jesus Christ That is the hope he is the living hope and you know let me say this that Everything our living hope isn't necessarily based on the trials and the problems and the difficulties

That we see on the human level again Our hope is in God our hope is in God the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead our hope is beyond the grave our hope

Is beyond anything we can see Anything that we suffer on this planet anything that we go through any trials the child of God will come through it praise

God No matter what we suffer what we go through There is something greater on the other end because of Jesus and because he lives we shall live also

So our hope is in the living God it stands out it's truly a living hope as again

The old King James translation. I like the way it puts it lively hope Some translation puts it as a living hope, but it's a lively hope

It's a kind of hope when we have our hearts and minds properly directed To will the make that it says that in first Peter and 333 15

I always try to keep this first before me that in the face of suffering and people that's out there the scripture says but Sanctify the

Lord God in your hearts and always be ready Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asked you a reason for what?

the hope That is in you in other words, they see the hope that's in your life and Then it says how do you the scriptures are so specific it tells you even how to address them yet With gentleness some translation says meekness been the same thing gentleness and reverence

Peter tells us how to even answer with a godly gentle motives even the most harshest of people

That are demanding they want answers folks. People are looking for answers because they are in darkness

They're without hope Well again on this Lord's Day morning, I like to give some application to everything

We've been looking at on this part three of the living again. We're looking everything here is the living hope

Given to us in verses 3 through 5 in the light of the living hope and what

I'm going to do I'm going to hit my outlines and touch on disappoint seven of them I have and I got to move pretty rapidly to hit all of them because I don't want to go over this

Lord's Day morning, but I won't try to hit every Important truth every aspect that's in these verses

And I ask God's Holy Spirit to help us as we go through this And think through the message in a passage

Of the glorious truths that's before us from God's Holy Word and you and I To need to discipline our minds and to remember the hope the hope the living hope

If we fully embrace these things, I truly believe as Peter said in verse 6

He says in this you greatly rejoice greatly rejoice Now we're talking about people that were persecuted in that time greatly rejoice

This would be great news to them, even though now for a little while. It's just a little while If necessary you have been distressed by various trials

It's just a little while So what does the Apostle Peter tell us through the

Holy Spirit about this living hope? Well, the first thing he mentions is number one that the living hope comes from God the

Father it comes from God the Father Once again, look at verse 3 Blessed be the

God now the word be is not an original so really it should say this blessed the

God and Father blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ He begins with praise and it's an actual body of his letter into these suffering

But privileged Saints and Asian minor with the expression to praise God and thanks God and give thanks to God the

Father That Is the reason this is because who the living hope is and where the living hope comes from?

This living hope that Peter speaks of is the salvation Now I'm going to give you some verses here in just a few minutes, but I was thinking of a hymn

Started to sing this one too this morning But we only can get you know So many hymns in we can keep saying it and singing and singing who we will in heaven, right?

We'll sing songs to the Lamb Forever and ever we have eternity to praise him.

But right here. It's a dressing room for eternity as Raven. He'll says Isaac wants the great hymn writer years back wrote a hymn and it was

Called Oh God our help in ages past our hope for years to come. Listen to the words here

Our God Oh God our help in ages past our hope for years to come our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home

Notice that God himself is that hope Under the shadow of that throne still may we dwell secure sufficient is that arm alone and our defense is sure

Before the hills and order stood or earth received her frame from everlasting. Thou art

God to endless years the same a Thousand years and I sighed or like an evening gone short as the watch that ends the night before the rising

Sun. Oh God our help in ages past our hope for years to come Be thou our

God while life shall last and our eternal home God himself God himself the father

He is our salvation He not only brings salvation through the

Lord Jesus Christ and that was applied but the father Listen the psalm 3 8

Salvation belongs to the Lord Your blessing be upon your people Selah Psalm 27 1 the

Lord is my light and my salvation see the salvation belongs to God, but also the

Lord is my light don't miss that my it's personalized it belonged to him it belonged to David and My salvation and whom shall

I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life whom shall

I dread? Psalm 118 14 and I love this the

Lord is my strength the Lord is my strength the Lord and Song he puts a song in her heart.

He is our song And he has become my salvation. Don't you love that?

Do you see that? He not only Salvation belongs to God and he brings salvation and the blessing upon his people but the

Lord himself has become my salvation and David was saying God himself is

The one that is my salvation To whom I look it's a personal relationship

He the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ as Peter says Blessed be the

God or blessed the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ Do you remember what the

Bible tells us about Jesus at his glorious resurrection or bring this to our attention this morning?

Well, a lot of times we only think about this on Easter, but that's something the church thinks about not on Easter Lord's Day morning, but every

Lord's Day morning that when at the parents the first appearance when

Mary came to look for Mary Magdalene at the tomb and Found that he was risen from the dead and when she saw him

Oh when she saw him and in his glorified body First she didn't recognize him.

She thought he was the gardener and Scripture says in John 20 that as she was weeping

Weeping Jesus says to her in question woman, why are you weeping? Why are you why who are you seeking?

Whom are you seeking? And scripture says and supposing him to be the gardener.

He said to and she said to him Sir even respect, but she didn't recognize that this was

Jesus. She thought it was the gardener, sir If you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him

Such love she had for her Lord, and I will take him away Was willing to do this

Now think of this think of this in her time of not recognizing Jesus Whatever the reason was we don't know exactly the reason some commentator says it's not a bit because of such weeping

And in her eyes and so much tears her vision was blurred and it was kind of early in the morning, too

So we don't know exactly the reason but she didn't recognize that. This was the Lord Jesus Christ Risen from the dead at that moment but at this time she still had a

Dying hope in a sense within her she was weeping profusely

She put our hopes in Jesus Christ Who come to be the

Messiah and she thought she was dead. He was dead and gone Still thinking that the

Lord was dead then that very moment that Jesus spoke that single word and called her by name

Mary That's what he said. He said Mary And she turned and said to him in the

Hebrew it says and the scriptures rabboni Rabboni means teacher

Jesus said to her stop clinging to me So in other words when she first recognized when he called her name and in the scripture says that my sheep hear my voice and she responded to the great shepherd of the sheep and through her blurred eyes from the moment of Darkness and depression all of her hope was lost and then when

Jesus called her name Hope was there She was delivered and then she was clinging to him.

Notice what the scripture says. He said stop clinging to me. I Have not yet ascended to the father but I go to my brethren and Say and he says but go to my brethren and say to them.

I ascend to my father and your father What did

Peter say? Bless the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ But he's our father now to your father and my

God in your God That's John 20 verse 18 It says

Mary Magdalene came Announcing to the disciples the first one that saw the Lord risen What does she say?

I've seen the Lord. I have seen the Lord She had something to tell didn't she and That she had said these things that he said these things to her now, that's a living.

Hope She has a living. Hope we can have that living. Hope Why because I risen?

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because Jesus has died on the cross of Calvary for us and has risen from the dead and his father

Is now our father His God is our God now We stand in the new relationship of the eternal love with him as his beloved sons and daughters of the king and then a glorious privilege a new relationship belonging to him as His very own children as just as much as his own precious son

Jesus but more the one who now is our father and almighty

God the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ the eternal I am the all -powerful all -wise all -sovereign creator of the ends of the earth

He's the sustainer of all things his now as much our God is he is to our

Lord Jesus Christ He belongs to us and we belong to him and It is from him alone that our living.

Hope comes beloved The living hope comes from him and him alone. Our hope does not come from people.

It does not come from circumstances It does not come from anybody or anything in this world

And I mean that with everything I got within me our living Hope cannot fail because it's founded on the only one and the only thing that cannot fail the king and the kingdom

It with the world Jesus God's going to shake everything that can be shaken But there's one thing that will not be shaken and that's the kingdom of God It is sure and is certain and is unfailing and is living and because the

God and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has given this hope to us? I?

Don't have time to preach on but let me give you one verse a Couple of verses Romans 8 31 and 32.

What didn't shall we say to these things Paul said if God is for us Who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all?

things and that glorious Now you might think that's too wonderful to have a living hope and That is sure and certain because it comes from such a great

God It can't how can and can it be and can it be it's so wonderful and great but because Because when we look back in our own unworthy little lives

We see what sinners we were and how we still struggle with sin And yet Christ loved us the scripture says while we were yet sinners without strength

Christ loved us Well next Peter goes on to say that our hope is not only from God the father, but it's

One that is based on God's mercy That's the second point. It is based on God's mercy.

What is he saying? Which According to his abundant mercy or his great mercy either word would do great abundant

God's mercy is abundant. It's rich Paul says rich and mercy has caused us to be born again to a living

Hope if it were up to our worthiness, none of us would be saved beloved But God but God has showed mercy

He's been moved with compassion and he has shown favor and grace that we do not deserve mercy again

Mercy is not the same as grace. I'm like John MacArthur and his commentary said this I like this mercy quote

MacArthur mercy Concerns an individual's miserable condition Whereas grace concerns his guilt which caused that condition.

I love that In other words divine mercy MacArthur says takes the sinner from misery to glory

That's a change of condition and divine grace takes them from guilt to acquittal.

That's a change of position That's beautiful Basically look mercy changes the condition grace changes the position

God's done it all But love it there's no amount of sin that we could ever be guilty of that God and God's grace is greater than that stand sin to forgive us and to restore us

Romans 5 20 and 21 chapter and verse were sin abounded grace abounded much more

So that is sin reigned in death even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our

Lord. There's living hope So if you are somehow in the pit of sin and thinking there's no way out think again

Grace is greater than all the worst of sins that we have It's not a place where the love of God and the grace of God cannot reach you and me and the grace of God in and through the righteousness of the

Eternal life of Jesus Christ our Lord not based on our worthiness our righteousness God forbid

But it's based on the act of obedience the righteousness of Jesus Christ his act of obedience his life his righteousness

His works and everything that he did is ours to believe As brother

Keith pointed out his passive obedience on the death on the cross as he died between two thieves beloved

Jesus shed his precious blood to wash away our sin That's the gospel

That's the good news the person in work of Jesus Christ He is our living hope but notice in the text in verse 3

God doesn't have leave us in the miserable condition. God does something and actually only

God can do this and The next point is according to his great mercy

What does he do? He has caused us to be born again

Hath begotten us as the old King James says to a living hope So the third point is that we have a living hope because God has begotten us again

It is in the new birth John 3 we went through that but I want to point out just a couple of verses from John 3

I think is very critical and we can't hear this enough Jesus answered to him speaking of Nicodemus I call him

Nick He says amen. Amen, or truly truly I say to you unless one is born again

From above born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God Jesus basically says to Nicodemus a man you got to start over you must be born again

JC Rouse said this about the new birth that set the man be born again. He will wish one day He would he had never been born at all

Wow He goes on to say no salvation without regeneration No spiritual life without the new birth.

No heaven without a new heart Election is always to sanctification

Election is always to sanctification Where there is no visible fruit of sanctification we may be sure there's no election.

It's JC round What about the Apostle Paul 2nd Corinthians 517 therefore if any one is in Christ He is a new creature or a new creation

He's made new old things have passed away behold all things have become new now the question may arise

How can we be sure of this? How can we be sure of this? How can we be absolutely confident and sure of the kind of this kind of hope after all?

millions of others are staking the Christians down through the centuries down through the past staking their very life and death and they haven't even has even died at the stake and then burned alive and and massacred and Executed for the faith

How can we know? How can we know that this hope is for sure where he tells us next and this is my fourth point our hope the living?

Hope is made sure by what the resurrection Unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead there it is

Beloved everything that we believe in the Christian faith hinges on this one great truth that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead

That's what the Apostle Paul says the Word of God makes it crystal clear without Without the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

We have no hope How do we know this? We'll go with me very quickly to 2nd

Corinthians chapter 15. I want to just read just a few verses But this is so critical to know what the gospel is and if you know if you read 1st

Corinthians 15 It's known as the resurrection chapter It's 1st Corinthians 13 is known as the charity the love chapter and Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the faith chapter

This is the resurrection chapter and notice what he says in verse 12.

Notice what he says First starting at verse earth now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead

How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But there is no resurrection of the dead then is

Christ not risen Then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then our preaching in it is vain and your faith is also vain

So in other words, what are you saying? If Jesus Christ has not been risen from the dead Everything that we preach is vanity

Our faith is in vain Verse 15. Yeah, and what does he say?

We are found false witnesses of God if that's the case Because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up If so be that the dead rise not he's pointing out something.

He's going through a way in coming back and notice what he says for verse 16 for if the dead rise not then

Christ then it then is not Christ then Christ not raised and If Christ be not raised your faith is vain and you're yet in your sins.

You're still in your sins Everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus beloved and That also which are fallen asleep

In other words, those are the dead in the grave in Christ are perished in their words that they're perished. They're gone and Then he says this in this life only we have hope in Christ We're all men most miserable.

In other words, you have a dying hope you've got nothing to look forward to There's no eternal life

There's nothing but the grave. Isn't that the way the world looks at it? But you know something what is it we said but in verse 20 is a turning point

But now is Christ risen from the dead. He makes his point and it's become the firstfruits of them that sleep

The resurrection and can I say this? And brother Keith pointed us out from a Spurgeon devotion this past week that the early church preached

Jesus Christ and him crucified and resurrected That was the hope they preached the person of Jesus Christ Without Jesus we have no hope without Jesus.

There is no hope the Word of God and Jesus Christ himself hinges everything hinges on that one great truth and that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ Acts 1 23 listen to this and 24 until the day when he was taken up to heaven speaking of Jesus after he had by the

Holy Spirit given orders to the Apostles whom he had chosen verse 3 to these

To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering many convincing proofs appearing to them over a period of 40 days and Speaking of these things concerning the kingdom of God and then

Peter and Acts chapter 2 You could turn with me there very quickly

Notice how Peter preached in Acts chapter 2 We'll just highlight on a few things here

Look at verse 20 chapter 2 verse 22 You men of Israel Peter speaks on the day of Pentecost after the

Spirit of God came in power hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which

God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the

Predetermined counsel and for knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain

He basically said you are guilty of slaying Jesus Christ Whom God hath what raised up?

Have loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding of it death couldn't hold him

But David speaketh concerning him for I foresaw the Lord always before my face For he is on my right hand that I should not be moved there

Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad moreover. Also my flesh shall rest in.

Hope notice that Shall rest in hope because that would not leave my soul in hell talking about the grave neither shall

Suffer the Holy One see corruption his body would not decay Thou hast made him known

Known to be me the ways of life and thou shalt make me full of joy and that countenance Notice what he says men and brethren

Let me freely speak to into you the patriarch David as he is both dead and buried

And as and the sepulcher is with us to this day Therefore being a prophet knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him with the fruit of his loins according to the flesh

He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne Notice what he says he's seeing his

This before spake of the resurrection of Christ that that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption

This Jesus hath God raised up Wherefore we are all witnesses

Therefore being at the right hand of God exalted having received the father the promise of the Holy Ghost He has shed forth this which he's you now seeing here for David is not ascended into the heavens and he saith and Himself the

Lord said unto my Lord sit on my right hand until I make thy foes a footstool

Therefore let all the house of Israel know surely that God hath made the same Jesus whom you crucified both

Lord and Christ What was the response? And now when they heard this

They were pricked in their heart and said unto

Peter to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren. What shall we do? What shall we do?

Here's the message We need to preach this we need to witness this just as Peter said

Peter said unto them repent turn and Be baptized.

There's the command to be baptized Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins

And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promises unto you and to your children and to all

There are far off to the Gentiles and even as many as the Lord our God shall call

God calls them With many other words did he testify and exhort saying save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Isn't it? This should be our message Save yourselves from this untoward generation this wicked generations perverse generation

Then they gladly received his word and were baptized and listen to this and the same day the word added to them about 3 ,000 souls, this is the firstfruits right here

On the day of Pentecost And what did they do after that? They continued steadfastly in the

Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking and bread and prayers There's the church beloved. That's the church

What did he preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Next point this is our living hope the resurrection of Jesus But then and fifth the fifth point is look what

Peter says about what that hope is Let us know that this is one that can

Not be lost. It cannot be lost. Listen to the text to obtain an inheritance

To attain an inheritance to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that faded not away

To obtain an inheritance that's imperishable undefiled that does not fade away in heaven

It's reserved in heaven for you. This living. Hope cannot be lost. Why because it is imperishable

It's undefiled. It will not fade away. Nothing can touch it You know the world can't touch nothing about what is in salvation in Jesus Christ Because one day every one of us is going to go to the grave beloved.

Let's admit it. We're going it's going to happen And God knows that appointed time and day

God said this in Hebrews through the writer of Hebrews is appointed for once man to die and after that the judgment in other words

I tell people about that. I said you have an appointment day one day I don't know when it could be tomorrow.

It could be tonight in your sleep. You could die You could die in a car accident tomorrow.

Then again, you may live another five years of God Terry's But then again, then Jesus is going to come back but one way or another we're all going to go to the grave you might as well prepare for eternity now and I'm talking about eternity eternal heaven and some people say yeah, but I'm Thinking I I'm gonna live forever.

Anyway, so I might as well enjoy the good life now Oh, really have your best life now and go to hell Is it worth it

Watson says? How foolish people are to drink? The drink a drop of pleasure for a sea of wrath something to think about We've been born again

God's elect to those who have been thinking Living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain inheritance when someone receives an inheritance

What happens two things must happen to receive inheritance for this to be true number one

First the person who receives it must actually be qualified to receive it. That's the first thing

There must be qualifications And that's the truth The recipient of an inheritance must be a true son or a daughter in the family meeting the conditions necessary to receive such an inheritance and That's what the believers are beloved through and only through the new birth and through Jesus Christ To receive an inheritance notice what

Peter says in verse 18 through 21. How do we know this? Well, if you look at chapter 1

For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold from your vain

Conversation in other words your vain life received by traditions from your fathers But with the precious blood of Christ there is what purchased your inheritance

It's been purchased by the blood of Jesus as a lamb without blemish and without spot who barely was

Foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you.

Isn't that beautiful? The elect of God this is for you. That inheritance is for you.

Jesus died for you You have an inheritance you have something to look forward to And by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead there it is again

Gave him glory that your faith and what hope might be in God Praise God So that's the first you got to be qualified Jesus qualifies you second the inheritance must be willingly

Willingly given to the qualified son or daughter by one who is actually qualified to give it

And that's exactly what God our Father has done through Jesus Christ by those two qualifications

Being in place the inheritance itself cannot fail To be given the inheritance is given to every believer through the new birth and the abundant mercy of God That new birth is given to us by because God was moved to mercy and mercy alone and no other reason

We've been born again. It's because of God's mercy Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ lives you can live also and because he lives

We know that it is a sure thing It's imperishable it's incorruptible this is an inheritance that cannot be subject to any you know

What's saying Peter said it can't decay and it cannot rot it cannot fade away

It is kept forever fresh in heaven for you. It's in a vault in heaven

It's not like the stock market beloved we're up and down and then they can all go Crash it's gone.

It's gonna crash one day anyway, and we sure can't take it with us But what's kept in heaven is in a vault?

Beloved with your name on it Keeps eternal vault and keeps it fresh forever next it's undefiled.

What does that mean? It's an inheritance. It cannot be affected by imperfections of sin Nothing can touch it.

Other things on the earth are affected by But this inheritance is forever.

It's pure Right now it's in heaven. It's an inheritance. It does not what fade away Its value does not lose

Over time is no loss of value. It's reserved in heaven for you. In other words, we have an inheritance

It's unlike any treasure that can be had on earth Nothing can touch it Nothing can touch it.

It's reserved in heaven. What did Jesus say on the Sermon on the Mount? Chapter 6 verse 19 21.

This is exactly what Jesus said. I believe the Apostle Peter is as basically

Pulling from that truth and what the master teacher taught because everything in the epistles is commentary on what

Jesus taught Matthew 6 19 through 21 do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth

We're moth and rust destroy it and we're thieves speaking about thieves. Listen is thieves break in and steal it

So the thief does he steals? He steals treasures

But Jesus said but lay up for yourselves treasures. We're in heaven we're neither moth nor rust destroys it and we're thieves do not break in and steal it and Then he says he gets to the heart of the matter

But where you treasure is there your heart be also he goes right to the motives in other words, where is your treasure?

Where is your love? Is it here on this earth or is it in heaven?

Beloved I'm telling you a child of God is meant from another world because he's been born from above Hallelujah, he's been born from above He's not of this world we are aliens

So next time you hear somebody talk about aliens, yeah aliens exist I'm one They look at you crazy and then give them the gospel praise

God the believer is born again to a living hope an

Inheritance a treasure that's reserved in heaven that never decays praise God next The inheritance as Peter says is reserved in heaven for you for you for you notice that Verse 5 there's a living hope that we ourselves are kept protected by the power of God the power of God keeps us now notice here

What Peter is actually speaking of the phrase who are kept by the power of God refers to believers

These also have become heirs of a resurrected resurrection body in Verse 4 and the inheritance is reserved in heaven for you the sense in which the perfect participle

The Greek here meaning reserved is derived and is used to denotes that the act was made possible by Christ Sometime in the past and is now being kept by him until the proper time of delivery also the purpose of the protection

Indicates that verse 5 is related to the believers future liberation Noted in the phrase kept by the power of God unto salvation

Aren't you glad that we have a God that knows how to keep his own and he will lose none

Praise God reserved in heaven for you 2nd

Peter speaks about this write this down, but I don't have time to go to it now But 2nd

Peter chapter 1 verse 5 through 11 basically backs that up But here we see a persistent faith that shows and proves that we are true followers of Jesus Christ and set apart for God's glory

Unto good works for this great inheritance that's what that passage of Scripture basically means and then it says

For this reason because of all that God's giving blessings for this reason a believer cannot be indifferent to self -satisfaction

In other words abundant grace is given for the total commitment dedication Let me read just a little bit of it.

I can't pass it up. It's too good 2nd Peter chapter 1

Look at look at verse 5 Beside this given all diligence and to your faith virtue and virtue knowledge

Verse 5 I believe I'm in the right Yes And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience at the patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and the brotherly kindness charity

For if these things be in you in a bound they make you that you shall never be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our

Lord Jesus Christ But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins

Notice what he says therefore rather brethren to give diligence to make your a calling an election sure and If you do these things you shall be never fall

Now isn't that practical application there So the entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ For this very reason for this very reason

Verse 5 applying all diligence. What does that mean? MacArthur says this this means as believers are to make maximum effort.

This is sanctification beloved The Christian life is not lived to honor to the honor of God without maximum effort

Even though God has poured his divine power into the believer The Christian himself is required to make every discipline effort alongside of what

God has already done That's sanctification. It's hard work. We progress we go forward we fight we pray we call on God Philippians 2 12 13 says it's critical important Paul says so then my beloved is just as I've always that you have always obeyed

He's speaking to believers. That's obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your salvation with fear and trembling

For it is God who is at work in you both to wheel and to work for his good pleasure

Not many times the word work means work out your salvation to continue Continually working out without interruption and without intermission and bring it to fulfillment and completion sanctification of the believers responsibility for active pursuit of obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ is the process of sanctification and He even tells us how to do it with fear and trembling we need that attitude

My time is so gone. Oh my We need to pursue holiness follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the

Lord the healthy fear of God Is so critically needed This involves when we do sin we offend

God we respond in a righteous way and respect to him Psalm 51 is David Pentateuch prayed we need that example before us

We're kept protected by the power of God believers and are in the palm of God's hands

Just going over some of the notes. I got here. John 10 27 through 29 my sheep hear my voice

I know them and they follow me and I give eternal life to them and they will never perish and No one will snatch them out of my hand.

This is Jesus speaking Then he says my father who has given them to me is greater than all No one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand you get two hands

You're in the hand of Christ and the hand of the Father and then he says

I'm a father of one And then that's when the Jews took up stones to stone our hope is

To be ready to be revealed in this last time in the last time.

This is the last time beloved Look Peter wrote this 2 ,000 year goes 2 ,000 years gone. He said this is the last time

It's coming to accommodate a culmination The persecuted church is rich now

I'm going to close with this and I want you to think about this and this this is a strong word But listen to what it says here

What did Jesus say to? the church in Revelation Chapter 2 verse 9

The poor and persecuted church in Smyrna They were poor and persecuted, but they were rich in God.

I America churches today. I'm not trying to be Casting stones about this, but you see among us that they're

Tozer said in knowledge of the Holy they're outwardly rich But inwardly they're poor and paupers

Jesus says I know your works your tribulation and poverty But you're rich you're rich.

You may be persecuted, but you're rich in God You're rich in faith And I pray that we are redeeming grace will fall into this category and not the one as he says in Laodicea that which was opposite He said to the one to church in Laodicea because you say listen is you say

I'm rich Did you get that? They said that they were rich They said it they were deceived thinking they were rich because you say

I'm rich and you Have become wealthy outwardly in need of nothing Beloved this is the kind of church that makes

God sick How do we know this so because you're lukewarm in verse 16 in chapter 3 here?

So because you're lukewarm and either nor hot or cold I will spit you out

You know what that spit word spit in the Greek is vomit God Vomits you out of my mouth out of his mouth.

He said that kind of church makes God sick because you say

Like James was speaking to those people that thought that was saved but they were deceived not born again

You say I'm rich and you become wealthy and have need of nothing

Jesus says you do not know there it is You do not know they did not have no knowledge of the truth of who they really weren't who

God really was They had a lack of knowledge of truth and my people perished because of lack of knowledge

You do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked

That is so powerful Then the Lord gives this Advice he does he gives him advice.

Listen what he says Jesus the Resurrected Christ says him He doesn't leave him without an answer In his love and his mercy

He says I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich.

He wanted him rich But he says but you got to buy from me gold refined in the fire

And then he says in white garments so that you may be clothed that you may clothe you say what's those white garments the purity of the righteousness of Jesus and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed and I said to anoint your eyes so that you may what see

Those whom I love I reprove and discipline therefore be zealous and repent That was his word to the lukewarm church the church that made

God sick And what is he saying in verse 20 behold? I stand at the door and knock you hear this as a salvation message, but it's not necessarily salvation

He's knocking at the church's door and he's outside of the church And if anyone hears my voice and opens the door

I will come to him and dine with him and he with me in other words Jesus is outside of this lukewarm church and it proves that no one was a believer in that church

Jesus Is was knocking and if one member would recognize his spiritual condition his true spiritual condition that he was bankrupt and responded in?

Saving faith Jesus was entering and had fellowship with them That's good news Very sobering letter, isn't it?

To the churches in America to the church in a Asia minor there. We need to hear this in this critical time in history

Well, I don't have time to finish all this almost did but let me close with one story and I want

I promise you I'll close it down story of a man

Centuries ago who is riding his wagon into a city and on a dreary rainy day

He was on his way to receive a rich inheritance that had been left to him But as he was a very poor man, and he had been broken down a

Broken down old wagon Along the way only about a mile away from the town in which he would have received inheritance

Almost at the last mile of the way the light the wagon slipped into the mud into a ditch and broke a wheel Interested to know the poor man was angry and he was frustrated at first He was wet and tired and cold and irritable and now he had walked the whole mile into the town by foot

But along the way he began to laugh And he'd forgotten he had forgotten what he was going the town for And this was his way to receive an inheritance

He was on his way to receive an inheritance as great as it was. He was he was by He and with all that he had

Ready and waiting for him. He could buy a hundred wagons and new ones as he wanted to but Why should a mere one mile walk in the mud and Rain bother him now.

Well, can I say this? brothers and sisters and Jesus Christ, that's our situation

It may be raining It may be storming. It may be be drew days we may have

Suffering and trials and persecution for a time while we're on this earth, and it's only for a little while in the light of eternity

It's not for a very long. It's just a breath in comparison to eternity just a shadow that we're on our way to receive a rich heavenly inheritance as Paul says in Romans 8 18 the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory

Which will be revealed in us Praise God all this is given to us in Jesus Christ in a living hope.

Let's pray father We thank you for this time that we've studied your word

We thank you that you have caused us to be born again and all this is because of your great and abundant mercy none other and everything that we believe in Comes to this one great truth.

Jesus Christ is being is raised from the dead and He's at the right your right hand and making forever make an intercession for his

Saints for his people What a great wonderful thing truth

And then this we can great really rejoice at this great salvation So we praise you father son and Holy Ghost from whom all blessings flow

Father we thank you for such a great salvation that has cost you so so much You literally gave your best

Your very best your one and only son Your beloved son

And father we thank you for that salvation. That is sure and steadfast It's one that will not perish that does not fade away

Faithful and true are you that gives us these words? Thank you father for the redemption that is guaranteed

You've guaranteed all this Applied by the precious blood of Jesus on the cross your son and Risen again and all because of his resurrection.

All of these things are true every bit of this Glorious truths that we have studied today is true because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead

So father we thank you. Oh God Help us to keep our eyes on the risen

Christ the risen Christ That our faith and hope is in you to you be all the glory in Jesus name.