I Peter 1:3-5
Confident in God’s Grace
Scripture reading –
IPeter. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
IPeter. 1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
IPeter. 1:5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Pray
Intro
√ You’ll remember that the theme of Peter’s first letter is…
Grace
…specifically the sufficiency of God’s Grace to cover every aspect of our lives, both now and in Eternity.
Last week we looked at how Grace touched and changed Peter’s life and how it is that Grace came to be the mark of his live.
We also found that Peter points to Jesus Christ as the sole source of Grace – the fountain if you will from which God’s Grace flows into our lives.
Ap. The exhortation that our lives are to also be marked by God’s Grace which we experience in our daily life as we drink from the River which flows from God’s Throne by way of the Cross.
√ In our study this morning we’ll look at the confidence we are to have in God’s Grace.
Let's define what it means to be confident in God's Grace.
A sure promise (vs. 3-5)
IPeter. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a
living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
IPeter. 1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
IPeter. 1:5 who are kept by the power of God through
faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
√ To good to be true?
“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t!”
Ex. Have you got the e-mail that promises you that Bill Gates wants to share his wealth with you.
All you have to do to get some of Bill’s money is forward the e-mail to 10 other people!?
How about the ex-military officer from Africa who made off with millions from his corrupt government, and now that he’s saved he wants to share the wealth with other Christians?
All you have to do is call him and give him your bank account number so he can transfer the money to you!
If you’re like me you can become pretty skeptical of anything that sounds to good to be true.
Though I was encouraged that Publisher’s Clearing House gave a million bucks to a lady in Springdale last week!
Bottom line; it doesn’t take too long to figure out that anything of value doesn’t fall from the sky and if you want it you’re gonna have to work for it.
√ The point is that when it comes to the really important issues of life…
Forgiveness of sin
Freedom from guilt
A second chance in life
Eternal life and all the blessings of God
…it’s easy to fall into the same mindset and think that anything that sounds as good as God’s Grace can’t be true!
Separate from Christ one would think that surely sinful people must do something to earn God’s favor – after all, God must be pretty upset with all of our sinful behavior.
Ex. That’s why we find that every one of Man’s religion is centered around activities to placate God, or the “gods”.
But look at what Peter tells us God has waiting for us…
IPeter. 1:4 to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
“an inheritance – that won’t rot or fade - reserved in heaven for me?!”
That sounds too good to be true!
Especially, because Peter (as well as Jesus and the other apostles) tell us that all we have to do to receive this inheritance is to become a child of God by simply confessing Jesus as our Lord and Savior!
How can something so good be true!?
More importantly for Christians, how do we guard our minds from the temptation to begin to live under some law by which we foolishly think we can earn, or keep, God’s favor!
Protect our minds from fear that we aren't forgiven.
Peter tells us by confidence in His Grace.
√ The confidence of His Grace
In these verses Peter gives us 3 solid reasons to trust in God’s Grace – reasons that give you and me confidence in His Grace.
Confident in His Character
Confident in His Proof
Confident in His Power
Confident in His Character (vs. 3)
IPeter. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who according to His
abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope…
√ Confident in His Character
Firstly, any promise that we might receive is only as good as the person who makes the promise.
Ex. Politicians – as American’s we’ve grown jaded by the promises made by those seeking our vote so that when some candidate promises to lower our taxes we say…
“whatever!”
The point is that a promise is only as good as the character of the person who made the promise.
Regarding the promises of God to those who trust in His Grace, Peter tells us that we can be confident because those promises were made…
“according to His abundant mercy”
…that is, we can trust that we will be saved by Grace because the promise is contingent upon God mercy.
What do we know of God's mercy?
Is He a merciful God?
Does He really show mercy to sinners?
Isn't God a God of justice!?
Let's look at what the scripture declares.
Ex 34:6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
So, we find that God's testimony to Moses of His character is that He is God of mercy - One who is slow to bring judgement upon sinners - always working to bring them to truth.
Furthermore, we find that people's experience with God in dealing with sinners is that He is in fact a merciful God…
Jonah 4:2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Here we find that God's mercy was so well known to Jonah that he's complaining about it to God because He didn't destroy Nineveh!
So, we find throughout the history of Man's dealing with God that God has always been quick to show His mercy to those who seek Him.
Mercy is His Nature
√ So, we can be confident that God is really going to save us by Grace, and Grace alone, because we can trust Him to be merciful toward us…
…not giving us what we deserve!
Ap. If you're not confident in God's promise to save you by Grace may I suggest that you're either looking in the wrong place, or listening to the wrong voice.
Looking in the wrong place; you're looking at yourself instead of Jesus. When God sees you, He sees you in Christ - perfect in His righteousness.
Ex. Look at what God has done, not at what you have done!
Listening to the wrong voice; if you're hearing words of condemnation then you're hearing the voice of the devil (probably masquerading as your own thoughts) or others. Listen to His voice as revealed in the Bible.
Confident in His Proof (vs. 3)
IPeter. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
√ Confident in His Proof
Jesus said…
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 11:26 “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Jesus actually promised that anyone who would put their trust in Him would have eternal life!
Not by good works
Not by church membership
Not by religious duty
But simply by trusting in Jesus a person can live forever - that's the promise of God's Grace.
√ But, lots of folks have made similar claims
Mary Baker Eddy (Christian scientist)
David Koresh (Branch Dividians)
Jim Jones (Peoples Temple)
So who is a person to believe?
What makes the claims of Jesus different from all the other religious leaders throughout history?
The proof is found in the indisputable fact that Jesus rose from the dead while all these others remain in the grave.
Peter says that we have a…
"living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"
Jesus presented Himself alive to those who had seen Him dead; to those who had handled His lifeless body and gently laid it in Joseph's tomb.
In fact, Paul tells us that some 20 years after Jesus had returned to heaven that there were still many people who had seen Jesus alive!
1Cor. 15:3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
1Cor. 15:6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present,
The point is that Christians can be confident in God's Grace because the Father put His stamp of approval upon the claims of Jesus by raising Him from the dead!
Ex. That's why the Jews and the Romans couldn't shut the disciples up - they'd seen Jesus alive!
Ap. Friends, I think the Church today needs to see the Jesus they serve as a "living hope" - not a dead moral leader!
Is it any wonder that so many "Christian" churches today lack the power of God to bring hope and change to people's lives when they no longer believe that Jesus was raised from the dead!
The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the proof that gives us confidence in God's Grace for…
Our own salvation
To preach it to others
Power to live for Christ
So, Peter tells us to be confident in God's grace because Jesus was raised from the dead.
Confident in His Power (vs. 5)
IPeter. 1:5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
√ Confident in His Power
Finally, Peter tells us that we can be confident in God's Grace, not only to save us…
…but also to keep us saved!
Note vs. 5 again…
"who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
Often times Christians find themselves worried that they've somehow "lost" their salvation because they sinned after they received Jesus.
The unfortunate result is that Christians will often go to one of two extremes…
Give up on trying to walk with Jesus because they recognize they can't do it on their own.
Become a legalist in an attempt to kill off their sin nature by keeping some kind of law.
Both these extremes forget that God's Grace applies not just to the sinner who first comes to Jesus for salvation…
…but also for the Christian who finds themselves in a heated battle with those things which would tempt them to sin.
Peter tells us in vs. 5 that God's Grace is sufficient to keep us safe until the day we stand before God and enter into eternal life!
√ Note the word "kept"
"kept" = phroureo (froo-reh'-o)
"To be a watcher in advance, i.e. to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); figuratively, to hem in, protect:-- keep (with a garrison)."
That is, God is watching over you who have trusted in Jesus for salvation for the express purpose of keeping you safe until He can bring you to heaven!
Wow! Recognize that God doesn't just save you and then leave you to make it the rest of the way to heaven on your own!
Rather, He is actively involved in your daily experience to ensure that you safely reach those celestial shores!
√ How does keep you?
By the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives
By the ministry of His Angels in our lives
By the ministry of Jesus in our lives
The Holy Spirit guides us into God's Truth:
John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Angels serve us by doing God's biding in our lives:
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Jesus keeps us walking on the narrow path:
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Ap. God has not left you to make it on your own! He's working in your life to help you each day to continue on the path of life.
You were saved by God's Grace.
You are kept by God's Grace.
Ultimately salvation is God's work in our lives.
Close
√ Be confident in God's Grace!
Confident in His Character
Confident in His Proof
Confident in His Power
√ May Peter's encouragement, and Paul's prayer be yours by experience this week!
Phil. 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;