Temple Baptist Church - 8-14-2022
1 Peter 1:1-5
A. Last week, I historically introduced this series of messages with the to whom, the why, and the how that 1 Peter was written. Briefly, their limited spiritual growth (these were new converts—by this I mean that they may have been saved for some time but because of the dispersion, they were not able to:
1. Read their Bible because the canon of Scripture had not been either completed nor had it been printed and placed in their hands.
2. Because they did not have the opportunity to sit in a local church under a doctrinally sound pastor. Because they were scattered, they could not enjoy the fellowship that we enjoy this morning.
3. This caused some of them to doubt their newly found relationship with God.
B. By the same token, believers today undergo trials and tribulations that cause them to doubt to some degree their relationship to God but our problem with doubts is reversed and, therefore, most time willful.
1. We have the completed canon of Scripture and every one of us has a copy of God’s Word in our hands this morning, but I fear that too many of God’s people do not read it!
2. We have a biblical local church to assemble in and its services are regular. We do have a fellowship to enjoy but many of God’s people choose to skip the services thus missing the teaching and preaching of God’s Word along with the exhortation of the saints.
3. The end result of all these things is normally doubting the things of God and our relationship with God.
4. And tribulations and trials are a way of life.
a) Tribulations because of Spiritual Persecution – The world will hate you and you will suffer persecution.
John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
b) Tribulations because of Worldly Problems – Problems are a way of life so get used to it.
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
C. THE FIRST THING PETER DOES IS TO REAFIRM THEIR GREAT SALVATION! It is not by accident that Peter begins his first epistle by reaffirming to these “strangers scattered” that they had passed from death to life through a saving knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
D. This morning, I want the Lord to remind us in the same way that we are SAVED and secured in Jesus Christ.
1. What a great salvation we have, and nothing can either change it or take it away!
2. Our salvation is the most important and enduring thing that we could ever have in this world or the world to come.
E. What a thrill; what a joy; what a rejoicing that we have in Christ Jesus! Never get used to it and never get over it. Just glory in it.
F. I fear that you and I too often forget just what a wonderful thing that our Lord Jesus Christ did for us at Calvary and, therefore, give little thought to just how great our salvation is.
1. We Have A Wonderful Redemption - Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Freely by His grace!)
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
2. The Lord Has Given Us A Divine Deliverance - 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Delivered from Satan)
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (Delivered from hell)
3. The Lord Has Given Us A Wonderful Transformation - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (What a wonderful change has been made since Jesus came into my heart!)
4. The Lord Has Given Us A Complete Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Past, present, and future)
5. The Lord Has Given Us A Glorious Reconciliation - Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in you mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (Reconcile - Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity)
6. The Lord Has Given Us A Blessed Peace - John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7. The Lord Has Given Us An Eternal Inheritance - Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
8. The Lord Will Give Us A Heavenly Translation - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Conclusion: We could spend a lot of time here, but I think that we all know these things but so often forget just how great our salvation is.
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