Born Again to a Living Hope

In one paragraph

This message was the first Sunday spent in 1 Peter, after a long stretch working through Paul's letters. Pastor Carl traced Peter's own story before reading a word of the text, and then moved slowly through the opening verses of the letter, letting the greeting carry the weight of the whole sermon. Before opening 1 Peter, Pastor Carl walked the congregation back through the chronological study the...

Read together

1. Psalm 92:1 Sung congregationally as an opening act of worship
2. Acts 1:8 Jesus telling his disciples they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts
3. Acts 9:4 Jesus confronting Saul on the road to Damascus: 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
4. Matthew 16:15-18 Peter declaring Jesus is the Christ, Son of the living God, and Jesus saying upon that rock he would build his church
5. Matthew 16:23 Jesus saying 'Get behind me, Satan' to Peter when Peter resisted the idea of Jesus suffering
6. Luke 22:34 Jesus telling Peter that before the rooster crows he would deny him three times
7. John 21:15-17 Jesus restoring Peter on the beach, asking 'Do you love me?' and telling him to feed his sheep
8. Matthew 28:19-20 The Great Commission: go, make disciples, baptize, teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded
9. 1 Peter 1:1 Peter identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ writing to aliens scattered throughout five Roman provinces
10. 1 Peter 1:2 Recipients described as chosen by God's foreknowledge, sanctified by the Spirit, sprinkled with Christ's blood
11. 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who caused believers to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection
12. 1 Peter 1:4 Believers described as having an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, unfading, reserved in heaven
13. 1 Peter 1:5 Believers described as protected or kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation to be revealed in the last time
14. 1 Peter 1:6-7 Rejoicing even through various trials, faith proven more precious than gold tested by fire
15. 1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen Jesus you love him and rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory
16. 1 Peter 1:9 Obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls
17. 1 Peter 5:1 Peter calling himself a fellow elder, used to illustrate how he lowered himself to servant of the church
18. John 3 Jesus telling Nicodemus you must be born again, connected to Peter's language of new birth
19. John 14:6 Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through him
20. John 16:33 Jesus saying in this world you will have trouble but take heart because he has overcome the world
21. John 17 Jesus praying in the garden for those given to him and for all who would believe through their report
22. John 21:25 If everything about Jesus were written the whole world could not contain the volumes
23. Romans 12:18 As much as it depends on you, live at peace with all, referenced when urging grace and peace in conversation
24. 1 Corinthians 15:57 Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
25. Ephesians 1:3-14 Paul's opening doxology read in full: every spiritual blessing, chosen before the foundation of the world, predestined for adoption, redemption through his blood, sealed with the Holy Spirit as guarantee of inheritance
26. Psalm 31:19 Closing benediction: how abundant are the good things stored up for those who fear you, Lord
27. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Closing benediction: may the Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance

Talk about it

1. Peter describes himself as 'an apostle of Jesus Christ' and his recipients as 'aliens' and 'strangers' scattered across the Roman provinces. How does thinking of yourself as an alien or stranger in this world change the way you approach your daily life?
2. Pastor Carl walked through how Peter denied Jesus with a curse, yet Jesus restored him on the beach and still entrusted the church to him. What does that restoration tell you about how God uses people who have failed badly?
3. Peter writes that God has caused believers to be born again to a 'living hope' through the resurrection, and he described hope as an absolute certainty not yet come to pass rather than a wish. How does that definition of hope differ from the way you normally use the word, and what difference does it make in hard circumstances?
4. Peter told scattered Christians facing Nero's persecution that their inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and reserved in heaven. When life is genuinely difficult right now, how much comfort does a future inheritance actually give you, and why?
5. The sermon described both Peter and Paul pointing to believers being kept and guarded by the power of God rather than by their own steadfastness. What does it mean practically to rest in that security while still living by faith day to day?