Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 PeterInheritanceInheritance

ReviewReview

• 1 Peter transformed a 1 Peter transformed a society and helped society and helped change the worldchange the world

• DiasporaDiaspora

• Religio Licita to IllicitaReligio Licita to Illicita

ReviewReview

• Shadow of Nero's Shadow of Nero's PersecutionPersecution−Sword of DamoclesSword of Damocles

• Point: "Live out the faith Point: "Live out the faith in the midst of suffering"in the midst of suffering"

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• Elect ExilesElect Exiles

−Considering myself already Considering myself already homehome

−Considering heaven home and Considering heaven home and neglecting/disdaining the neglecting/disdaining the things and people of this things and people of this worldworld

InheritanceInheritance

1 Peter 11 Peter 1

(ESV)(ESV)

Blessed be the God and Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his Christ! According to his great mercy, he has great mercy, he has caused us to be born caused us to be born again to a living hope again to a living hope through the resurrection through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the of Jesus Christ from the dead…dead…

……to an inheritance that is to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by heaven for you, who by God's power are being God's power are being guarded through faith for guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time- revealed in the last time- vs. 3-5 vs. 3-5

Blessed be the God and Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Christ!

Jewish Prayers: Jewish Prayers: "Blessed are "Blessed are You, O God"You, O God"

−Distant and UnknowableDistant and Unknowable−FormalityFormality−RitualRitual

Blessed be the God and Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!Christ!

−FamiliarityFamiliarity−Connection toConnection to−Hope RealizedHope Realized

According to his great According to his great mercy, he has caused us mercy, he has caused us to be to be born again born again to a to a living hope…living hope…

According to his great According to his great mercy, he has caused us mercy, he has caused us to be to be born again born again to a to a living hope…living hope…

"Unless you are born "Unless you are born again, you cannot see the again, you cannot see the kingdom of God"- Jesus in kingdom of God"- Jesus in John 3John 3

Wardrobe Malfunctions and Wardrobe Malfunctions and Mark Roberts, Superbowl Mark Roberts, Superbowl 38 Streaker38 Streaker

"Unless you are born "Unless you are born again, you cannot see the again, you cannot see the kingdom of God"- Jesus in kingdom of God"- Jesus in John 3John 3

Born AgainBorn Again::

−New Nature/DesiresNew Nature/Desires−Fresh Start/RighteousnessFresh Start/Righteousness−New Kingdom/CitizenshipNew Kingdom/Citizenship−New ValuesNew Values−New GoalsNew Goals

Born AgainBorn Again::

−New Nature/DesiresNew Nature/Desires−Fresh Start/RighteousnessFresh Start/Righteousness−New Kingdom/CitizenshipNew Kingdom/Citizenship−New ValuesNew Values−New GoalsNew Goals

* If this doesn't describe me, I * If this doesn't describe me, I don't know Jesusdon't know Jesus

According to his great According to his great mercy, he has caused us mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a to be born again to a living hopeliving hope

• Who is the active agent?Who is the active agent?

According to his great According to his great mercy, he has caused us mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a to be born again to a living hopeliving hope

• Who is the active agent?Who is the active agent?

• What is his reason?What is his reason?

According to his great mercy, According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born he has caused us to be born again to a living hopeagain to a living hope

• Who is the active agent?Who is the active agent?

• What is his reason?What is his reason?

Mercy= Mercy= eleos- compassion, eleos- compassion, concern, love expressedconcern, love expressed

Born again is not:Born again is not:

−Not something I achieved (any Not something I achieved (any more than my physical birth more than my physical birth was something I achieved)was something I achieved)

−Religious actions (joining a Religious actions (joining a church/being baptized)church/being baptized)

−A political partyA political party

−A slow process that I can't be A slow process that I can't be sure of until heavensure of until heaven

Born again: Born again:

−God having mercy on me and God having mercy on me and taking me into his familytaking me into his family

−Through the violent death of Through the violent death of his Son for my sin, and his his Son for my sin, and his subsequent resurrection subsequent resurrection from the deadfrom the dead

−Conquering sin, death and Conquering sin, death and hellhell

According to his great mercy, he According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again has caused us to be born again to a living hope to a living hope throughthrough the the resurrection of Jesus Christ from resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadthe dead

−Unless Jesus Unless Jesus raised from the raised from the deaddead, there is no second birth , there is no second birth and no hopeand no hope

−Conquered sin, death, hellConquered sin, death, hell−Sends his Spirit to regenerate Sends his Spirit to regenerate

and indwell and empowerand indwell and empower

According to his great mercy, According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born he has caused us to be born again again to a living hopeto a living hope through the resurrection of through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadJesus Christ from the dead

……born again born again to a living hope…to a living hope…

−Heathen world= no hope (Eph. Heathen world= no hope (Eph. 2:12)2:12)

−Sophocles: "Not to be born at all- Sophocles: "Not to be born at all- that is by far the best fortune; the that is by far the best fortune; the second best is as soon as one is second best is as soon as one is born with all speed to return born with all speed to return thither whence once has come"thither whence once has come"

−Faded and decaying world which Faded and decaying world which looked pleasant enough, but led to looked pleasant enough, but led to endless dark (futility)endless dark (futility)

……born again born again to a living hope…to a living hope…

−Christian: born not of perishable, Christian: born not of perishable, but imperishable seed which time but imperishable seed which time and eternity cannot fade or and eternity cannot fade or destroydestroy

−Born to righteousness with the Born to righteousness with the power to walk in itpower to walk in it

•Every time a Christian falls, he will Every time a Christian falls, he will be given the power and the grace to be given the power and the grace to rise again (hope rather than futility)rise again (hope rather than futility)

Living hopeLiving hope::

−Things can changeThings can change

−I can change/be changedI can change/be changed

−Nothing is permanent but GodNothing is permanent but God

−The permanence of God's The permanence of God's presence lives in me- changing presence lives in me- changing me!me!

Living hopeLiving hope::

−Repent of my unbeliefRepent of my unbelief

−Repent of my personality Repent of my personality

−Repent of my genetics and Repent of my genetics and my upbringingmy upbringing

−There's NOTHING God can't There's NOTHING God can't overcomeovercome

……to an inheritance that is to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by heaven for you, who by God's power are being God's power are being guarded through faith for a guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be salvation ready to be revealed in the last time- revealed in the last time- vs. 4-5vs. 4-5

inheritance= inheritance= kleronomiakleronomia- as - as an inheritance, a secure an inheritance, a secure possession. possession. Used in the Used in the Septuagint (Greek Old Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) to describe the Testament) to describe the Promised LandPromised Land

Diaspora Christians would Diaspora Christians would have immediately have immediately understood it that wayunderstood it that way

Promised LandPromised Land

−Often ravaged by invading Often ravaged by invading armiesarmies

−Became polluted with the Became polluted with the impurity of idol worshipimpurity of idol worship

−Full of decay and deathFull of decay and death

Promised Land- Promised Land- inheritanceinheritance

−ImperishableImperishable- aphthartos- - aphthartos- cannot be ravaged by an cannot be ravaged by an invading armyinvading army

Promised Land- Promised Land- inheritanceinheritance

−ImperishableImperishable- aphthartos- - aphthartos- cannot be ravaged by an cannot be ravaged by an invading armyinvading army

−UndefiledUndefiled- amiantos- cannot - amiantos- cannot become polluted with become polluted with impurityimpurity

Promised Land- Promised Land- inheritanceinheritance

−ImperishableImperishable- aphthartos- - aphthartos- cannot be ravaged by an cannot be ravaged by an invading armyinvading army

−UndefiledUndefiled- amiantos- cannot - amiantos- cannot become polluted with impuritybecome polluted with impurity

−UnfadingUnfading- amarantos- cannot - amarantos- cannot decay, grow old or be touched decay, grow old or be touched by deathby death

If I know Jesus, that inheritance If I know Jesus, that inheritance is mine…nowis mine…now

What is the inheritance?What is the inheritance?

−The LORD is my chosen The LORD is my chosen portionportion and my cup- Psalm 16:5and my cup- Psalm 16:5

−Whom have I in heaven but you? Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart God is the strength of my heart and my and my portionportion forever- Psalm  forever- Psalm 77:25-2677:25-26

……an inheritance…kept in an inheritance…kept in heaven for you, who heaven for you, who by God's by God's power power are being guarded are being guarded through faith for a salvation through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the ready to be revealed in the last timelast time

- kept= kept= tereo- tereo- inheritance inheritance withheld and securely guardedwithheld and securely guarded

- Guarded= Guarded= phroureophroureo- we are - we are actively watched over, stood actively watched over, stood sentinel over, hemmed in, sentinel over, hemmed in, protectedprotected

……an inheritance…kept in an inheritance…kept in heaven for you, who by heaven for you, who by God's power are being God's power are being guarded through faith for a guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be salvation ready to be revealed in the last timerevealed in the last time

−God has secured the God has secured the inheritanceinheritance

−God is actively securing the God is actively securing the inheritorinheritor

−Who is that?Who is that?

……an inheritance…kept in an inheritance…kept in heaven for you, who by heaven for you, who by God's power are being God's power are being guarded guarded through faiththrough faith for for a salvation ready to be a salvation ready to be revealed in the last timerevealed in the last time

Even the faith to believe Even the faith to believe comes from God (Eph.2:8-comes from God (Eph.2:8-9)9)

Salvation is past, present, Salvation is past, present, futurefuture

−Cross- Cross- it is by grace you it is by grace you have have been savedbeen saved- Eph. 2:8-9- Eph. 2:8-9

−Regeneration- Regeneration- the message of the message of the cross is foolishness to the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but those who are perishing, but to us who to us who are being savedare being saved it is it is the power of God- 1 Cor. 1:18the power of God- 1 Cor. 1:18

Salvation is past, present, Salvation is past, present, futurefuture

−Redemption- Redemption- salvation salvation ready ready to be revealedto be revealed in the last time in the last time

In Christ:In Christ:

We have been savedWe have been saved- completely - completely forgiven and declared righteous forgiven and declared righteous in his sight in his sight (justification)(justification)

We are being savedWe are being saved- forgiven, - forgiven, changed, transformed into the changed, transformed into the image of Christ image of Christ (sanctification)(sanctification)

We will be savedWe will be saved- sinless, pure, - sinless, pure, full of peace and joy, an end to full of peace and joy, an end to sorrow and regret/pain and loss sorrow and regret/pain and loss (glorification)(glorification)

……ready to be revealed in the last timeready to be revealed in the last time

Jewish Mindset: 2 agesJewish Mindset: 2 ages−Present age- under the sway of evilPresent age- under the sway of evil

−Golden age of God- all evil will be Golden age of God- all evil will be done away withdone away with

−In-between time- judgment, world In-between time- judgment, world destroyed and remade. This is the destroyed and remade. This is the "last time" or "last days" (Day of "last time" or "last days" (Day of the Lord)the Lord)

As believers, we have As believers, we have nothing to fear. Jesus nothing to fear. Jesus conquered sin, death and conquered sin, death and hell for ushell for us

We eagerly look forward to We eagerly look forward to an inheritance that an inheritance that nothing on earth- including nothing on earth- including ourselves- can spoil, ourselves- can spoil, diminish or take away diminish or take away

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• Am I in the faith? Born Am I in the faith? Born again?again?

• If not, how long am I If not, how long am I going to wait?going to wait?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• Do I understand and am I Do I understand and am I joyful over my inheritance? joyful over my inheritance? Is it a "living hope" within Is it a "living hope" within me?me?

• Do I see it as secure and Do I see it as secure and sinner-proof? Have I sinner-proof? Have I thanked God for it recently?thanked God for it recently?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• Have I accepted that Have I accepted that nothing is unchangeable nothing is unchangeable but God? but God?

• Am I allowing him to Am I allowing him to change me as I follow change me as I follow him?him?