Preached a second time at Fresno Trinity Church of the Nazarene.
The Believer's Hope
INTRODUCTION
The story of the Sago Mine from this past week...
The world leads us deeper into the mines of despair with false hopes. The hope of riches leads us on deeper in with every lottery ticket scratched, every hand that is played, every roulette wheel we let spin, and every slot machine we play. Before we know it we've lost our job, sold our car, mortgaged the house, and lost our family. As believers, why do we settle for false and empty hopes that lead us to despair, to settling for the temporal rather than the eternal. Could it be that we really don't understand the nature our Hope in Christ. Do we really get it? Peter understood this and expressed it in 1 Peter 1:3-9.
I. God's Mercy is the Foundation for our Hope (Verse 3)
a. Not only does God in his Great Mercy forgive us, He...
i. Regenerates us – we're born again of a New Nature
ii. Gives us an inheritance
iii. Ephesians 2:1-10
a. Not only does God in his Great Mercy forgive us, He...
i. Regenerates us – we're born again of a New Nature
ii. Gives us an inheritance
iii. Ephesians 2:1-10
II. It is a LIVING Hope (Verse 3)
Not some uncertain good that we “well-wish” for and then it happens. Not blind in that we aren't sure it will really happen. It is not baseless or groundless.
a. This LIVING HOPE gives life and comforts us in our distress.
b. This LIVING HOPE enables us to meet and overcome difficulties
Romans 8:31-37
c. This LIVING HOPE is backed by the Power of Christ
i. Christ's power over sin and death afforded us hope that we too will overcome sin and death. 1 Corinthians 15:1-7,22-26
III. The object of our Hope is a Heavenly Inheritance (verse 4)
a. A Heavenly Nature - Matthew 6:19-24
i. Incorruptible – will not perish
ii. Undefiled – Is pure and will not spoil
iii. Will not fade away - eternal and timeless
b. A Heavenly Security
i. Reserved – kept in heaven for you – What human can touch it, covet it, or take that away?
ii. Guarded – Not only is your treasure secure, you yourself are protected for your treasure
iii. Ready - It is ready to be given to you at the proper time.
a. A Heavenly Nature - Matthew 6:19-24
i. Incorruptible – will not perish
ii. Undefiled – Is pure and will not spoil
iii. Will not fade away - eternal and timeless
b. A Heavenly Security
i. Reserved – kept in heaven for you – What human can touch it, covet it, or take that away?
ii. Guarded – Not only is your treasure secure, you yourself are protected for your treasure
iii. Ready - It is ready to be given to you at the proper time.
CONCLUSION
The proper understanding of our Hope in Christ leads to Joy in our circumstances. That Joy that acts as a strength in the midst of adversity, and in times of exhuberance, is a beautiful expression of the love God found in Christ Jesus. The goal of our faith is our ultimate salvation. It is a real Hope that has tangible benefits for us here and now. Don't be misled by the sell-out hopes that end up exploding in our face. By faith, trust in the living hope that is guaranteed by a living God of mercy and grace.
The proper understanding of our Hope in Christ leads to Joy in our circumstances. That Joy that acts as a strength in the midst of adversity, and in times of exhuberance, is a beautiful expression of the love God found in Christ Jesus. The goal of our faith is our ultimate salvation. It is a real Hope that has tangible benefits for us here and now. Don't be misled by the sell-out hopes that end up exploding in our face. By faith, trust in the living hope that is guaranteed by a living God of mercy and grace.
The families of those who died in the Sago mine incident were tricked by a hape that turned bad. Thanks be to God that even that hope can be redeemed for those miners who passed from this temporary life into the life eternal with Christ.
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