1 Peter 1:3-9
This morning we heard Peter introduce the recipients of this letter.
The Scattered
The Selected
The Submissive
The Strengthened
They were a people who,
Because Jesus had chosen them, had been made outcasts.
They were fugitives on the run,
Yet they were expected to lean on the strength God provides
And be obedient to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
These people were living in a difficult world.
Tonight, Peter begins his letter to the suffering saints.
He is writing them a letter of encouragement
Commanding obedience and endurance.
We see three things that Peter asks of the rejected selected.
Again, if you are in a difficult area, then Peter’s words are for you.
#1 PRAISE FOR A LIVING HOPE
1 Peter 1:3-5
Now Peter starts off his letter in a most peculiar fashion.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
DID PETER REALLY BEGIN THIS LETTER WITH A CALL TO PRAISE?
He sure did.
But these people didn’t just experience success in evangelism…
These people didn’t just see their enemies bow at their feet…
THEY ARE SUFFERING!
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD PETER BEGIN THIS LETTER TO THE SUFFERING WITH A CALL TO PRAISE?
BECAUSE:
If you ever find yourself in a tailspin.
If you ever find yourself in depression.
If you ever find yourself with a strong case of the woe-is-me’s,
There is one way and one way only to pull yourself out of it PRAISE.
We live in the most drugged nation on the face of the planet.
America thinks that the way to overcome depression is to take a pill.
THAT IS NOT HOW YOU OVERCOME DEPRESSION!
The Bible teaches the only way to overcome depression is praise!
Remember Psalm 46?
Remember God’s Presence
Remember God’s Promise
Remember God’s Power
If you are living with a severe case of the woe-is-me’s
Then you have forgotten those things.
TURN TO PSALM 77
The Psalmist doesn’t get pulled out of his tale spin until he remembers the Lord.
Now look, I know I am treading on thin ice here.
But I want to tell you here how the American mindset is not Biblical.
Depression is real.
But depression is not a mental problem.
It is not an emotional problem.
DEPRESSION IS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM.
If you get down, and you go to a psychologist, even a Christian one,
9 times out of 10 do you know what they have you do?
They start taking you on a journey to find out what hurt you
And caused you to be depressed.
And they tell you to deal with that.
Then, they most likely will give you some sort of brain numbing drug
To help you feel better about life so you can function.
THAT IS NOT BIBLICAL
I want you to see two promises from the mouth of Jesus.
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Jesus didn’t come to cause a life of depression,
He came to save you from a life of depression.
He promises life abundant.
DO YOU KNOW WHY PEOPLE MISS LIFE ABUNDANT AND LIVE IN DEPRESSION?
They have missed the verse right before it.
John 10:9-10 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
The reason people fail to get this life abundant
Is because they haven’t fully trusted Jesus.
You can’t find pasture because you haven’t ever entered the gate.
The life abundant is promised to those who do.
Now look at a second promise Jesus made.
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
Notice that Jesus promised not just joy, but fullness of joy.
That doesn’t sound like depression to me.
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY MANY CHRISTIANS FAIL TO EXPERIENCE THIS FULLNESS OF JOY?
It is because they didn’t read the verse before it.
John 15:10-11 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
According to this verse
Joy comes when we walk in obedience and live in love with Jesus.
That means if you aren’t experiencing joy,
It is because you aren’t abiding in Jesus love.
So let’s recap those two promises.
Life abundant, but you won’t have it if you haven’t come to Jesus.
Fullness of joy, but you won’t have it if you aren’t plugged into the vine.
So you want me to tell you the cause of depression.
Getting out of right relationship with Jesus.
I think that explains why there is so much depression in America.
Our nation is one that is not in right relationship with Jesus.
No wonder the makers of Prosac are rich.
NOW IF THE CAUSE OF DEPRESSION IS BEING OUT OF RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, THEN WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THE CURE FOR DEPRESSION IS?
Getting back into right relationship with Jesus.
In other words you have forgotten the order of things,
And you need to be reminded.
He is God and He is worthy of worship.
He is Lord and He is worthy of obedience.
He is Savior and He is worthy of praise.
When we stop focusing on God and start focusing on self,
All we see is how bad we have it and it throws us into depression.
But when we stop focusing on self and start focusing on God,
All we see is how good we have it and it fills us with joy.
The cure for depression is worship.
That is why Peter very rightly starts this letter to the scattered with a call to praise.
NOW LETS GET A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC
Why does he call them to praise?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope”
He says praise God because you have a “living hope”
Think about that.
Not a dead hope (Muhammad)
But a living one!
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
We suffer, but not hopelessly.
We have hope, and that’s reason to worship no matter how bad it is.
I don’t care how bad your situation,
God deserves worship because He has not left you hopeless.
And let’s look at a few characteristics of hope here.
1) THE REASON
“who according to His great mercy”
DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU HAVE HOPE?
It isn’t because you deserve it.
It is because God is merciful, and He offered you hope.
Psalms 103:9-10 “He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”
2) THE ROUTE
“through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”
This is the means by which hope became a possibility to you.
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”
Hope is the result of His death and resurrection.
3) THE RESULT
“to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”
The result of God’s mercy. The result of Jesus resurrection.
You have an inheritance, and a really good one.
Revelation 22:1-5 “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”
4) THE REALITY
“who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW SECURE YOUR HOPE IS?
It is perfectly secure.
Not because you are able to protect it, but because God is.
Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Here’s another hymn for you.
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
Can you see why there is never a reason for you not to praise God.
I don’t care how bad you have it.
DO YOU HAVE IT WORSE THAN JOB?
He worshiped.
And listen to a little of the motivation to why Job worshiped
Job 19:25-27 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. “Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me!”
Worship God where you are.
Praise Him in the midst of your struggle,
Because He could have left you hopeless, but He didn’t.
That is why Peter says what he does in verse 6
“in this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary you have been distressed by various trials,”
DO YOU WANT TO REJOICE IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS?
Then focus on God and praise Him for all the good He has done for you.
So first Peter wants us to praise for a living hope.
#2 PERSEVERE THROUGH A LITTLE HEAT
1 Peter 1:6-7
Peter says, “look, I know it is hard, but I want you to persevere, and here is why.”
1) TRIALS ARE IMPORTANT
“in this you greatly rejoice, even though for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,”
DID YOU CATCH THAT WORD NECESSARY?
Trials are an important tool used to shape the church.
James 1:1-4 “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”
It is trials that strengthen the church
By causing them to forsake the world and lean on God.
It is trials that purifies the church
By causing those who aren’t real to leave.
DID YOU CATCH THE WORD VARIOUS?
We don’t face the same trial over and over.
If you do, it is because you haven’t passed that test yet.
Trials are important.
2) FAITH IS INDESPENSIBLE
“so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire,”
Trials are important because they cause faith to rise to the top.
You need something to separate the wheat from the tares.
And the reason faith is so important
Is because it is all that God accepts.
When you get to heaven, God won’t accept American Express.
“it’s not everywhere you want to be.”
God only accepts faith. It is more valuable even than the purest gold.
Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
3) THE RESULTS ARE INEVITABLE
“so that the proof of your faith…may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Some day God will reveal what you really are.
Luke 8:17 “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”
IF YOU ARE A SCATTERED STRUGGLING CHRISTIAN
FIRST – Pull yourself out of the pit by praising God.
SECOND – Begin to look at trials as opportunities to grow your faith
Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
So praise for a living hope & persevere through a little heat
#3 PROCEED WITH A LOYAL HEART
1 Peter 1:8-9
PETER IS REMINDING THOSE WORDS OF JESUS
Jesus looked a doubter in the face.
Thomas thought the circumstances were too bad to find much hope.
He was hopeless because he couldn’t see.
Jesus confronted this doubt.
John 20:26-29 “After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, ” Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Notice He didn’t call Thomas blessed. Doubt is not a blessing.
Jesus called those who don’t doubt in difficult circumstances blessed.
And he gives us three ways he wants us to proceed.
1) KEEP RESPECTING
“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him”
Of course love is more than fondness, or affection, it is the idea of sacrificing for Jesus.
It is the idea of a deep loyalty and respect.
Even though you haven’t seen Jesus show up and defend you.
Even though you haven’t seen Jesus make everything better, continue to love Him.
2) KEEP RELYING
“and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him”
You haven’t seen Him work, and indeed, you don’t see Him working now.
Would you keep trusting Him?
3) KEEP REJOICING
“you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory”
And don’t stop praising Him. He deserves it and you need it.
You may be in a difficult situation.
You may feel like one of “The Rejected Selected”
But make sure you respond properly to God.
Keep respecting Him
Keep relying on Him
Keep rejoicing in Him
Love, trust, and praise in the midst of suffering
Is what it means to pass the test.
That is what God is looking for.
Verse 9, “obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
You see, God is testing you.
Do hang tough.
Praise for a living hope
Persevere through a little heat
Proceed with a loyal heart
Hebrews 10:36-39 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”
