WEBVTT

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 You found your place there in 1 Peter chapter number 1.

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 The Bible says this,

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 And that's kind of the title of our series,

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 A Living Hope.

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 That Peter's reminding them their hope is not buried somewhere,

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 it's not in circumstances, it's not in all these things.

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 There is a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

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 To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away,

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 reserved in heaven for you.

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 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,

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 ready to be revealed in the last time.

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 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season,

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 if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

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 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold that perisheth,

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 though it be tried with fire,

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 might be found in the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

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 Whom having not seen ye love,

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 and whom though now ye see him not yet believing,

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 ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

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 Receive the end of your faith,

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 receiving the end of your faith,

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 even the salvation of your souls.

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 So we kind of start off this series,

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 and look at just these verses right here.

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 We get the idea that Peter is reminding them,

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 and we'll dig into a little bit more of it,

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 but yes, they were going through a lot of things,

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 and there was a lot of difficulty in their life,

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 but he's reminding of how blessed they truly are.

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 And I know we throw that word around,

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 and it became kind of a hashtag for a while.

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 Everybody's hashtag blessed,

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 and you put it on every post, you know,

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 whether it's talking about your lunch,

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 or your family, or whatever it is,

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 or you're blessed with everything.

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 And we sing that old hymn,

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 count your blessings, name them one by one.

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 And I know sometimes we sing that song,

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 oh, I know this,

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 but when we really start thinking about it,

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 and I think that's a great thing

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 when I thoroughly enjoy our pie and praise service,

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 because it gives us an opportunity to step back

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 and to look at our life,

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 kind of reflect over the past year

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 as we did this Thanksgiving,

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 and just remember how blessed we are.

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 And it was a longer service,

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 but it was still short,

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 because we didn't even touch the hem of the garment

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 of how blessed we are.

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 And then when you think about your life,

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 and you think about all the things

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 that you have in Christ,

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 my prayer is tonight

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 that everybody knows Jesus as your personal Savior,

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 but just think about salvation.

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 Think about how much it changed your life.

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 It's not just a home in heaven one day.

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 No, it affects the here and the now.

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 It affects the joy and the peace

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 that we have because it's real.

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 We look around,

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 and I'm thankful for a church family.

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 I'm thankful for my own family,

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 and how God has blessed us.

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 I'm thankful for health,

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 and maybe your health is not exactly

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 where you want it to be,

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 but you're here tonight.

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 Right?

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 And you're breathing,

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 and God's giving you another day to serve Him,

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 and the sun is shining,

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 and we're thankful for that.

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 I'm thankful for this church.

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 I'm thankful for the blessings

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 that God has given Central Baptist Church

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 over the years.

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 I'm thankful for what He's doing right now,

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 and I'm just as excited and thankful

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 for what He's going to do in the future.

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 We have a place that we can come,

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 and in the middle of a busy week,

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 and at the start of a new week,

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 we can gather with those that we love,

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 and we can lift our voices together,

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 and we have freedom to worship.

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 There's many of our missionaries

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 we read on Wednesday nights

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 in our prayer letters

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 that don't have the same freedoms

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 that we have.

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 The countries they're serving in

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 are coming up with stricter

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 and stricter conversion laws.

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 They can't even speak their faith

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 to their friends,

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 and to their coworkers,

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 and to their neighbors,

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 and yet we have that opportunity

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 to do it every day.

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 We have that opportunity

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 to come in here, really,

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 and not worry about anything.

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 When you come here,

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 you expect the doors to be open.

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 Some places,

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 they have to figure out

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 where the church is meeting that day

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 because it's always on the run.

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 It's underground.

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 It's in secret.

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 I'm thankful for the Word of God

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 that we have in our hands,

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 and not only do we have it in our hands,

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 you probably have it in your pocket.

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 You have it on your computer.

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 You have it on your email.

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 I mean, everywhere we go,

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 we're saturated with the Word of God,

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 and sometimes we allow that

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 to kind of just,

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 eh, well, that's just normal.

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 No, it's a blessing from God

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 that we have those things,

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 and I love that song we sing,

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 that doxology,

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 praise God from whom

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 all blessings flow,

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 and as we kind of open up

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 this letter that's Peter's writing,

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 he's reminding his hearers,

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 he's reminding the readers

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 what a blessing it is

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 to be a Christian,

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 and for us today,

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 we think, yeah, that's true,

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 but when we really dive into

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 the difficulty it was

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 in the first century

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 to be a Christian,

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 that's really saying something,

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 because in this time period

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 to identify with Christ,

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 to publicly profess Him,

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 to live a life obedient

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 to His Word

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 would have put a target

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 on your back.

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 It would have brought

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 persecution to that,

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 and Peter's saying,

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 listen, I know it's hard,

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 but God is good,

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 and that's really the idea

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 behind this letter,

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 and he wanted them

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 to understand,

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 and through the Holy Spirit,

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 it reminds us today

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 that if we know Christ

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 as our Savior,

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 because we have

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 a relationship with Him,

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 there's a word

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 that is no longer

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 to be used in our vocabulary,

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 hopeless.

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 That doesn't find place

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 in our life

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 that as a born-again believer,

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 we don't know

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 what true hopelessness is anymore,

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 because Jesus is our hope.

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 Jesus is alive,

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 that our hope isn't based

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 on some wishy-washy thing,

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 no, that it's settled,

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 and it's firm,

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 and we can anchor our soul

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 to it.

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 The Apostle Paul spoke

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 of this idea

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 throughout his letters as well.

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 If you remember there

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 in Ephesians chapter 2,

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 verse number 12,

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 he reminded us

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 that before salvation,

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 we were without God,

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 and we were without hope

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 in this world.

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 I think we look

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 at the world around us,

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 at least I do,

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 and I think to myself,

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 how do they continue

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 to move forward?

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 Because it doesn't mean

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 that as Christians,

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 we don't walk through

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 difficult times,

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 but I cannot imagine

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 walking through some things

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 that I've walked through

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 and walking alongside

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 of others that are walking

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 through difficult times

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 and doing that without God.

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 I can't fathom

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 how they do that,

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 and really,

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 I don't think they do it

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 very well.

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 And maybe you can go back

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 in your life

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 before you knew Christ

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 and your life was pointless,

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 and there was no hope,

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 but hope has a name,

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 and that's what Peter's

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 going to remind us

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 over and over and over again.

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 Paul also told us

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 that unbelievers,

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 they grieve as those

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 who have no hope.

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 He was writing there

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 in 1 Thessalonians 4,

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 and reminding,

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 because there was this teaching

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 going around

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 that their loved ones

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 had passed on,

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 that they missed it,

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 and they're not going to go

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 and see Christ,

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 that they're dead,

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 and he reminds them,

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 hey, that's not how this works,

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 that those that are dead in Christ,

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 they're going to rise first,

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 and we'll meet them in the air,

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 and so shall we ever

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 be with the Lord.

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 And Paul told them,

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 we don't grieve

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 as those that have no hope.

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 Part of my job,

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 so to speak,

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 is I officiate

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 quite a few funerals,

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 but there is

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 a noticeable difference

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 when we gather around

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 a loved one

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 that knows Christ,

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 and at a funeral

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 where there is

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 no knowledge of Christ,

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 the despair that is there,

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 it's palpable,

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 you can feel it in the air,

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 but we've laid here,

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 and some dear saints

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 of this church,

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 some dear family members

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 of yours,

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 we have cried,

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 but we haven't cried

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 as those with no hope.

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 Really, our grief

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 is for ourselves.

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 We're happy

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 that they're finally

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 walking the streets of gold,

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 and they're seeing

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 their Savior face to face.

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 Our grief is

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 because we miss them,

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 but we know this,

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 there is coming a day

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 when we shall see him,

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 but we shall see those

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 that have gone on

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 before us.

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 So hopelessness

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 is something

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 that is no longer

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 in the life of a believer.

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 I mean,

00:08:24.479 --> 00:08:25.379
 just the word hopeless

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 is an awful word.

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 When you really think about it,

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 people can endure

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 incredible hardship

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 if there's hope.

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 You can look

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 throughout history,

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 and we see even

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 Christians as they,

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 or Peter's writing to,

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 and you go to the dark ages,

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 and you go through

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 different times

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 where they're literally

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 being hunted

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 and slaughtered.

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 How do they continue

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 to move forward?

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 Hope.

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 That Christ is still for them,

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 that he still loves them,

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 but when hope is removed

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 from any situation,

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 despair takes its place.

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 And that's why Peter

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 wrote this letter.

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 Many of the letters

00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:02.799
 in the New Testament,

00:09:03.179 --> 00:09:04.480
 Paul and John

00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:06.539
 and others would write,

00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:08.039
 and they were kind of

00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:09.159
 having to combat

00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:10.679
 some bad theology

00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:11.819
 that had crept in the church.

00:09:12.319 --> 00:09:14.120
 Some false teachers

00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:15.060
 that had come in,

00:09:15.220 --> 00:09:15.620
 and yes,

00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:16.879
 Peter deals with some of that.

00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:18.120
 We'll see as we walk through,

00:09:18.460 --> 00:09:19.139
 but really,

00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:20.720
 this letter was written

00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.000
 to give hope.

00:09:23.100 --> 00:09:23.879
 Peter wrote this

00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:25.860
 in around A.D. 67.

00:09:26.980 --> 00:09:28.360
 Most Bible scholars

00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:28.799
 would say

00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.240
 that he probably

00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:31.720
 wrote this from Rome

00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:33.159
 to the believers

00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:34.580
 that were scattered

00:09:34.580 --> 00:09:36.580
 really across Asia Minor.

00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:37.639
 So we see there

00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:38.440
 in the first verse

00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:39.620
 that to the strangers

00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:41.159
 scattered throughout

00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:42.259
 these areas.

00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:43.919
 these Christians

00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:45.360
 were under pressure

00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:46.580
 just in their daily life.

00:09:47.259 --> 00:09:47.939
 They were misunderstood

00:09:47.939 --> 00:09:49.620
 by many people

00:09:49.620 --> 00:09:51.580
 because we have to understand

00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:52.100
 that Christianity

00:09:52.100 --> 00:09:52.759
 at this time

00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:54.279
 is still relatively new.

00:09:55.100 --> 00:09:56.039
 They don't really understand

00:09:56.039 --> 00:09:57.200
 who are these people?

00:09:57.759 --> 00:09:58.700
 What is this about?

00:09:58.779 --> 00:09:59.319
 It wasn't like

00:09:59.319 --> 00:10:00.200
 they could get on Wikipedia

00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.319
 and see what's Christianity about.

00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:03.759
 They didn't have that ability

00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:04.299
 like we do

00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:05.819
 to kind of Google things

00:10:05.819 --> 00:10:07.080
 and to figure it out.

00:10:07.179 --> 00:10:07.439
 They were,

00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:08.120
 there was kind of

00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:09.299
 all this hearsay

00:10:09.299 --> 00:10:10.399
 and misunderstanding.

00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:12.899
 And inevitably

00:10:12.899 --> 00:10:13.720
 it just led

00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:15.200
 to some heavy persecution.

00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:18.000
 But instead of praying

00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:18.919
 that the persecution

00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:20.639
 would leave them,

00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:21.779
 we see there

00:10:21.779 --> 00:10:22.899
 in verse number two

00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:23.639
 at the end of the verse

00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:24.600
 that here's what Peter

00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:25.620
 wanted them to understand.

00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:26.419
 He was praying

00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:27.679
 that grace unto you

00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:28.320
 and peace

00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:29.500
 be multiplied.

00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:31.560
 Not that trouble

00:10:31.560 --> 00:10:32.200
 would disappear.

00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:34.060
 I think so often

00:10:34.060 --> 00:10:35.440
 when we find hard times

00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:35.799
 in our life,

00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:37.200
 we find difficulties,

00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.240
 when we seem like

00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.180
 a situation's hopeless,

00:10:39.460 --> 00:10:39.720
 we say,

00:10:39.800 --> 00:10:40.560
 Lord, get rid of this

00:10:40.560 --> 00:10:41.360
 so I can move forward.

00:10:41.560 --> 00:10:42.060
 But sometimes

00:10:42.060 --> 00:10:44.180
 it's in these difficult times

00:10:44.180 --> 00:10:46.080
 that God really refines us.

00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:48.080
 They were tried by fire,

00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:49.020
 so to speak,

00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:50.840
 and God brings us forth

00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:51.320
 as gold

00:10:51.320 --> 00:10:52.500
 as the Bible tells us

00:10:52.500 --> 00:10:53.120
 in the book of Job.

00:10:54.220 --> 00:10:54.920
 Because when you study

00:10:54.920 --> 00:10:55.460
 Christianity,

00:10:55.640 --> 00:10:57.000
 especially in the first century

00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:57.840
 and around the times

00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:58.400
 of these writings,

00:10:58.700 --> 00:10:59.620
 they are trying

00:10:59.620 --> 00:11:00.440
 to stamp it out.

00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:01.640
 They are trying

00:11:01.640 --> 00:11:03.300
 to rid the Roman Empire

00:11:03.300 --> 00:11:05.040
 of Christianity in general

00:11:05.040 --> 00:11:05.879
 and yet

00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:07.120
 it continues

00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:07.820
 to move forward.

00:11:08.259 --> 00:11:09.320
 It continues to go.

00:11:09.419 --> 00:11:10.419
 You study the book of Acts

00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:11.639
 and you see the gospel

00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:12.840
 spreading like a flame

00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:14.000
 and Peter's reminding him

00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:15.460
 it's not time to give up.

00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:16.399
 No, we have something

00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:17.299
 worth fighting for.

00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:18.439
 We have somebody

00:11:18.439 --> 00:11:19.779
 who's fighting for us

00:11:19.779 --> 00:11:20.399
 and yes,

00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:21.860
 it might seem at times

00:11:21.860 --> 00:11:22.759
 that we're not winning,

00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:24.299
 but let me remind you

00:11:24.299 --> 00:11:25.379
 we have an inheritance

00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:26.679
 that's incorruptible

00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:27.620
 and undefiled

00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:28.799
 and fadeth not away

00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.059
 and is reserved in heaven.

00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:31.419
 You know what Peter's saying?

00:11:31.539 --> 00:11:33.080
 This world is not our home.

00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.000
 We're just a passing through.

00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:36.919
 He's writing to strangers.

00:11:37.100 --> 00:11:38.559
 He's writing to pilgrims

00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:40.399
 because as a Christian

00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:41.799
 we do look different

00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:42.360
 and we should.

00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:43.440
 In fact,

00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:44.159
 he's going to tell us

00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.740
 that we're a royal priesthood.

00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:48.320
 We're a peculiar people.

00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:49.440
 Now, listen,

00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:50.580
 that doesn't mean

00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:52.019
 to be weird on purpose.

00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:54.320
 Some of y'all got that nailed down,

00:11:54.460 --> 00:11:55.100
 but listen,

00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:56.960
 we should live differently.

00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:59.039
 And Peter's reminding them,

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.460
 he's saying,

00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:00.639
 listen,

00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:01.919
 don't be a chameleon

00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:02.659
 into society

00:12:02.659 --> 00:12:04.500
 that you should stick out,

00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:06.179
 that you should live different.

00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:06.419
 Why?

00:12:06.599 --> 00:12:07.539
 Because we are different.

00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:09.439
 That's what holy means.

00:12:09.479 --> 00:12:10.319
 You know what holy really means?

00:12:10.439 --> 00:12:11.059
 Here's the definition.

00:12:11.439 --> 00:12:11.699
 Other.

00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:13.299
 Different.

00:12:14.139 --> 00:12:14.639
 Set apart.

00:12:15.459 --> 00:12:16.319
 We're going to get to the text

00:12:16.319 --> 00:12:17.379
 in Peter where he tells us,

00:12:17.659 --> 00:12:18.519
 be ye holy

00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:19.860
 for I am holy,

00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:20.839
 saith the Lord.

00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:22.919
 So that's really the idea

00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:23.860
 behind this.

00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.039
 That in the following weeks,

00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:26.839
 we're going to walk

00:12:26.839 --> 00:12:27.899
 verse by verse

00:12:27.899 --> 00:12:28.599
 through 1 Peter.

00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:30.720
 But before we do that,

00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:31.720
 I really just kind of want

00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:32.680
 to give us an overview

00:12:32.680 --> 00:12:34.460
 of what he's talking about

00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:35.340
 in these themes

00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:37.580
 and what the hope Peter

00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:38.500
 is mentioning,

00:12:38.680 --> 00:12:39.440
 what it is.

00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:42.940
 And why it's so desperately needed.

00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:45.820
 So if hope is that essential

00:12:45.820 --> 00:12:47.740
 to our lives as believers,

00:12:48.680 --> 00:12:49.620
 I think the first question

00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:50.759
 we answer is this.

00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:52.720
 What is biblical hope?

00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:56.300
 What does biblical hope look like?

00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:57.859
 You know, we say things

00:12:57.859 --> 00:12:58.699
 all the time.

00:12:58.959 --> 00:13:00.039
 Like I hope the wind

00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.139
 doesn't blow so hard tomorrow.

00:13:02.599 --> 00:13:03.819
 I hope it doesn't rain.

00:13:04.059 --> 00:13:05.099
 I hope the Cowboys win.

00:13:05.219 --> 00:13:06.259
 We know none of those things

00:13:06.259 --> 00:13:07.179
 are going to change anything.

00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:09.019
 You know, I'm so happy

00:13:09.019 --> 00:13:10.139
 for Cowboy fans right now.

00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:11.459
 You don't have to lose

00:13:11.459 --> 00:13:12.979
 because you didn't make

00:13:12.979 --> 00:13:13.479
 the playoffs.

00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:15.559
 But it hurts me too

00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:16.879
 because I do want to cheer

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:18.299
 for my hometown team.

00:13:19.439 --> 00:13:20.879
 But I think sometimes

00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:21.779
 we think of hope

00:13:21.779 --> 00:13:22.719
 and we see it in the Bible

00:13:22.719 --> 00:13:23.859
 and we talk about a hope

00:13:23.859 --> 00:13:24.939
 that fadeth not away

00:13:24.940 --> 00:13:26.280
 and we have a anchor,

00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:27.600
 a hope that we anchor

00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.340
 our soul to

00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:29.440
 and we kind of equate it

00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:30.840
 how we relate to hope.

00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:32.880
 Our hope many times

00:13:32.880 --> 00:13:33.980
 is wishful thinking.

00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:35.300
 You know, we're going

00:13:35.300 --> 00:13:36.020
 to cross our fingers

00:13:36.020 --> 00:13:37.280
 and hope it works out.

00:13:37.880 --> 00:13:38.820
 We're going to wing it

00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:39.640
 and play it by ear.

00:13:39.880 --> 00:13:40.600
 Sometimes our hope

00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:41.900
 is blind optimism.

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.460
 You know, if we just

00:13:43.460 --> 00:13:44.860
 speak it into existence,

00:13:45.040 --> 00:13:45.880
 maybe it will happen.

00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:47.420
 That's not what

00:13:47.420 --> 00:13:48.280
 biblical hope is.

00:13:49.040 --> 00:13:49.940
 I think a good definition

00:13:49.940 --> 00:13:50.720
 of biblical hope

00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.860
 is a sure and confident

00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:55.039
 expectation of receiving

00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:57.580
 what God has promised us

00:13:57.580 --> 00:13:58.399
 in the future.

00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:00.560
 That we're anchored

00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:01.100
 to something.

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:02.039
 God said it.

00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:03.019
 It might not be taking

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:03.519
 place right now,

00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:04.240
 but we know this.

00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:05.419
 If God said it,

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.399
 that settles it.

00:14:06.700 --> 00:14:08.379
 And that's what Peter's

00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:09.159
 reminding them

00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.240
 because they are literally

00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:11.120
 going through the fire.

00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:12.620
 They are going through

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:13.840
 extreme persecution.

00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:14.460
 But he's saying,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.680
 listen, there's a hope

00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:16.720
 that is anchored

00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.120
 because God said so

00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:20.320
 and he always comes through.

00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:21.740
 He always keeps

00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:22.279
 his promises.

00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:24.000
 How do we know that?

00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:24.799
 How do we know

00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:25.620
 that God will keep

00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:26.120
 his promises?

00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.580
 Because he has proven

00:14:27.580 --> 00:14:29.879
 himself time and time

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:31.840
 and time and time again.

00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:34.000
 And he wanted these readers

00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:35.220
 to go back in their mind

00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:36.879
 and to remember that,

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.019
 yes, it's hard,

00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:38.639
 but listen,

00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:39.740
 I should have been done there.

00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:41.039
 And that could have been

00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:41.820
 the end there.

00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:43.000
 And this situation

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:44.200
 could have really set us back.

00:14:44.379 --> 00:14:45.220
 But guess who showed up

00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.279
 there and there and there?

00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:46.879
 God.

00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:49.419
 And I remind you

00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:50.199
 this evening

00:14:50.199 --> 00:14:52.559
 that life might be difficult

00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:54.059
 and you might walk

00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:54.899
 through some hard valleys.

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.199
 Maybe you're in one right now

00:14:56.199 --> 00:14:57.659
 and sometimes it feels

00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.679
 like it's pretty dark

00:14:58.679 --> 00:14:59.459
 and I'm not sure

00:14:59.459 --> 00:14:59.899
 I'm coming out

00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:00.740
 on the other side,

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:01.839
 but here's the truth

00:15:01.839 --> 00:15:02.919
 that we have a shepherd

00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:03.839
 that even though

00:15:03.839 --> 00:15:04.839
 we walk through the valley

00:15:04.839 --> 00:15:05.599
 of the shadow of death,

00:15:05.719 --> 00:15:06.639
 he's with us.

00:15:07.079 --> 00:15:07.860
 We don't have to fear

00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:08.579
 what's going to happen.

00:15:09.219 --> 00:15:10.579
 Why can we say that?

00:15:10.719 --> 00:15:12.000
 How could David pin that?

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:12.959
 Because they knew this,

00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:15.139
 God always shows up

00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:17.500
 and that's what we hold on to.

00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:19.919
 And Peter calls it

00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.259
 not just a good hope,

00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:24.399
 not a solid hope.

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.080
 You know,

00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:25.799
 I like good things.

00:15:25.860 --> 00:15:26.799
 I like things that are solid,

00:15:26.939 --> 00:15:28.059
 things that I can count on.

00:15:28.199 --> 00:15:29.080
 Here's what he calls it

00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:30.199
 in verse number three,

00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:33.199
 unto a lively hope.

00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:35.500
 A hope that's living,

00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:37.139
 a hope that is active,

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.639
 a hope that is present,

00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:40.340
 a hope that is powerful,

00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:41.519
 that when you wake up

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.019
 in the morning,

00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:42.600
 it's there.

00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:43.439
 When you go to sleep

00:15:43.439 --> 00:15:43.819
 at night,

00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:44.360
 it's there,

00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:45.200
 that it's God

00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:46.120
 that's holding you together,

00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:46.960
 that it's God

00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:47.960
 that is sustaining you

00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:48.800
 and that hope,

00:15:48.900 --> 00:15:49.900
 it works in us

00:15:49.900 --> 00:15:50.680
 and that hope,

00:15:50.760 --> 00:15:51.680
 it steadies us

00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:53.480
 and that hope sustains us.

00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:54.920
 Why?

00:15:55.020 --> 00:15:55.960
 Because it's alive.

00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.480
 It's not a word

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.060
 in a dictionary.

00:15:58.420 --> 00:15:59.340
 It's a person

00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:00.879
 and he's on the throne

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.780
 in heaven

00:16:01.780 --> 00:16:02.800
 and he's hopefully

00:16:02.800 --> 00:16:03.320
 on the throne

00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:04.440
 in our own life.

00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.620
 And we hear this

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.680
 and I read these verses

00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:11.540
 and when I read

00:16:11.540 --> 00:16:12.660
 a few of these verses here,

00:16:12.700 --> 00:16:13.620
 when I read verse number four

00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.740
 about the inheritance

00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:15.600
 coming my way

00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.840
 and we can rejoice

00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:17.440
 in the Lord

00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.279
 and we have joy unspeakable

00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:20.519
 and full of glory,

00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:22.159
 I'm thankful for that.

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.480
 But here's the reality.

00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:26.440
 Something's probably

00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:27.399
 going to come my way

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.019
 this week

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:29.019
 where I'm going to think,

00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:29.179
 Lord,

00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:29.799
 where are you?

00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:30.919
 Lord,

00:16:31.060 --> 00:16:32.659
 this doesn't look good.

00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:34.100
 This situation,

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:34.799
 you know,

00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:35.500
 like I know

00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:36.919
 I preach the message

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:38.159
 but this looks

00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:38.879
 kind of hopeless.

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.399
 When that anxiety rises,

00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:42.240
 when that fear

00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.199
 tries to displace

00:16:44.199 --> 00:16:44.860
 that hope,

00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:46.019
 sometimes we ask,

00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:47.699
 why do I feel this way?

00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.259
 Instead of that,

00:16:50.319 --> 00:16:50.939
 maybe this week

00:16:50.939 --> 00:16:52.220
 when a difficulty

00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:53.059
 comes in your life,

00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:53.459
 ask this,

00:16:53.579 --> 00:16:54.519
 what has God promised?

00:16:56.279 --> 00:16:56.659
 Listen,

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.699
 if you anchor yourself

00:16:57.699 --> 00:16:58.439
 to your feelings,

00:16:59.100 --> 00:16:59.699
 you're going to be

00:16:59.699 --> 00:17:00.720
 a miserable person.

00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:02.500
 Because that's what your feelings

00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:02.819
 are like,

00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:03.539
 a roller coaster.

00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:04.680
 Sometimes they're really good.

00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:05.559
 Sometimes they're scary.

00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:06.660
 Sometimes you're pretty sure

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.019
 you're going to die.

00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:08.000
 Sometimes you're just passed out.

00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:08.319
 You don't know

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:08.880
 what's going on.

00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:12.079
 You know,

00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:13.619
 I don't want my life

00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:14.500
 to be a roller coaster.

00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:18.579
 But if I'm anchoring

00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:19.299
 my hope

00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:20.019
 to my feelings,

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:20.559
 that's what it's going

00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:21.140
 to feel like.

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.599
 There's going to be

00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:23.339
 great days.

00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:24.480
 Then there's going to be

00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:25.220
 days that feel like

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.059
 there is no hope.

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:28.059
 But if we ask ourselves

00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:28.559
 that question,

00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:29.660
 what has God said

00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:30.240
 about this?

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:32.500
 What has God promised?

00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:34.779
 We sing the whole song too,

00:17:34.900 --> 00:17:35.940
 standing on the promises.

00:17:36.819 --> 00:17:37.559
 Find a promise.

00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:38.359
 When you're dealing

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.379
 with something in your life,

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:39.899
 guess what?

00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:40.759
 The Bible has something

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:41.379
 to say about it.

00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:43.159
 Go to the Word of God,

00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:44.119
 find it,

00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:45.359
 and claim it.

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.500
 Trust God that what He says,

00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:49.339
 that He holds His promises,

00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:50.639
 that all His promises

00:17:50.639 --> 00:17:51.919
 are yes and amen.

00:17:52.619 --> 00:17:53.419
 That they are intended

00:17:53.419 --> 00:17:54.619
 for us to hang on to.

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:56.179
 That we can anchor

00:17:56.179 --> 00:17:57.179
 ourselves to that.

00:17:57.759 --> 00:17:58.539
 And so once we kind of

00:17:58.539 --> 00:17:59.539
 understand what

00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:00.599
 biblical hope is,

00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:01.279
 the next question

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.519
 that kind of flows

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.220
 out of that

00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:05.019
 is where does it come from?

00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:07.299
 We talk about it all the time.

00:18:07.299 --> 00:18:08.240
 It's all over the pages

00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:08.700
 of Scripture,

00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:10.339
 but where does it come from?

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:11.720
 Verse 3,

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.599
 there again at the end

00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:13.099
 of the verse.

00:18:14.419 --> 00:18:14.599
 Again,

00:18:14.659 --> 00:18:15.579
 unto a lively hope,

00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:16.339
 here's where it comes from,

00:18:16.619 --> 00:18:17.579
 by the resurrection

00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:19.159
 of Jesus Christ

00:18:19.159 --> 00:18:20.359
 from the dead.

00:18:22.139 --> 00:18:23.339
 It's as simple as that.

00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.879
 Everything we have

00:18:25.879 --> 00:18:26.480
 in this life,

00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:28.000
 everything we're hoping for,

00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:29.259
 everything we're anchored to,

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:31.039
 is based on the fact

00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:31.879
 that the tomb

00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:33.240
 is empty.

00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:35.859
 That Jesus Christ

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:37.200
 did exactly

00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:37.980
 what He said

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.579
 He was going to do.

00:18:39.399 --> 00:18:40.279
 I don't know about you,

00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:41.500
 but I am thankful

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:43.119
 that our hope,

00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:43.940
 that my hope,

00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:45.079
 is not based on

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:46.159
 my faithfulness.

00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:48.779
 I think you should be as well.

00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:50.279
 Because there are some days

00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:51.119
 and there are some weeks

00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.139
 that I'm killing it.

00:18:52.159 --> 00:18:52.359
 I'm like,

00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:52.559
 man,

00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:53.839
 I'm good at this.

00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:56.119
 And there are some days

00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:56.599
 as the preacher,

00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:56.920
 I think,

00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:58.480
 I don't want to go to church.

00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.660
 I'm tired of serving.

00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:01.360
 I'm tired.

00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:03.559
 Am I the only one?

00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:04.900
 Okay,

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.440
 I know it's Sunday night,

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:06.059
 just making sure,

00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:06.500
 just making sure

00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.480
 that this thing's on.

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.599
 Listen,

00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:11.319
 I'm thankful that

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:12.460
 it's not based on that.

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.059
 I'm thankful

00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:15.440
 that the hope

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.900
 that Peter speaks of

00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:17.360
 in this book

00:19:17.360 --> 00:19:18.220
 that we're going to see

00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:20.500
 is not based on circumstances.

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:22.539
 Because sometimes

00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:23.420
 when circumstances are good,

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:23.700
 you're thinking,

00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:23.940
 hey,

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.920
 this is going to be a good day.

00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:26.220
 You wake up,

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:26.400
 you say,

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:26.680
 oh,

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:27.620
 it's going to be a great day.

00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.220
 We know this,

00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:29.880
 circumstances in life

00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:30.740
 just change like this.

00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:32.180
 I mean,

00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:33.000
 we see it here

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.720
 in the weather.

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:34.380
 I mean,

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:35.059
 it's a beautiful day,

00:19:35.120 --> 00:19:35.480
 it's 80,

00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:36.240
 and then you look at the news

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:36.500
 and you're like,

00:19:36.660 --> 00:19:36.940
 guess what,

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.299
 it's going to drop

00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:38.599
 57 degrees overnight.

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.120
 Well,

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.140
 I'm glad my hope

00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:42.059
 is not based on the weather.

00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:44.720
 But we're not basing it

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:45.500
 on circumstances.

00:19:46.059 --> 00:19:46.599
 Because they're

00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:47.700
 constantly changing.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:49.640
 Our joy's not found in that,

00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.059
 it's found in Christ.

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.660
 Listen,

00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.640
 our hope

00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:54.559
 is not on the ability,

00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.799
 our own ability

00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:56.819
 to hang on.

00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:58.839
 Because sometimes

00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:00.039
 we're not even hanging by a thread,

00:20:00.139 --> 00:20:00.799
 we're just done.

00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:03.559
 That's not what it's based on.

00:20:03.819 --> 00:20:04.500
 Our hope

00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:06.019
 is solely based

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:06.779
 on the fact

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:07.639
 that there was a Savior

00:20:07.639 --> 00:20:08.679
 who lived

00:20:08.679 --> 00:20:09.559
 and died

00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:10.500
 and was buried

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:12.079
 and rose again.

00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:14.279
 That's what we're anchored to.

00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:16.079
 That's what Peter's reminding him.

00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.159
 That's why we have

00:20:17.159 --> 00:20:17.960
 an inheritance

00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:18.960
 incorruptible.

00:20:19.159 --> 00:20:20.039
 If it was based on us,

00:20:20.159 --> 00:20:21.559
 it would be moth and rust

00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:22.480
 and it does corrupt.

00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:23.799
 But it's not.

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:25.019
 We're laying up treasures

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.460
 in heaven

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.579
 based on Christ

00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:27.139
 and that's where

00:20:27.139 --> 00:20:27.980
 he's taking us

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.619
 and everything God promises.

00:20:30.639 --> 00:20:31.079
 Salvation

00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:32.000
 and forgiveness

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:33.299
 and eternal life.

00:20:33.399 --> 00:20:34.200
 It stands

00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:35.039
 on the authority

00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:36.159
 of the empty tomb.

00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:38.519
 That's what we can live

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:40.220
 and base our life on.

00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:41.379
 Listen,

00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.319
 if Christ was still

00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:43.039
 in the grave,

00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:44.740
 hope would be

00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.339
 nothing more

00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:45.819
 than just

00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:47.359
 religious optimism.

00:20:48.879 --> 00:20:49.559
 Sometimes when you

00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:50.319
 try to share your faith,

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:50.919
 people say,

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:52.079
 well that's just a crutch

00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:52.679
 for the weak.

00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:54.259
 Well it would be

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.099
 if Jesus was still

00:20:55.099 --> 00:20:55.579
 in the grave.

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.319
 That's exactly

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:57.960
 what it would be.

00:20:58.559 --> 00:20:59.359
 But he's not.

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:01.500
 He is alive.

00:21:01.939 --> 00:21:03.899
 And because he lives

00:21:03.899 --> 00:21:05.279
 and because the grave

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:05.740
 is empty,

00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:06.859
 hope is alive.

00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:08.359
 And it's available

00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:09.199
 right now.

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.619
 And we need to be

00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:11.500
 reminded of this

00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:12.019
 because maybe you think,

00:21:12.199 --> 00:21:13.039
 well life's pretty good

00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:13.539
 right now.

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.659
 But let me remind you

00:21:14.659 --> 00:21:15.779
 that in this life

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.000
 you will have tribulation.

00:21:17.939 --> 00:21:18.659
 And you're going to

00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:19.519
 walk through a moment

00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:20.339
 in life where the doctor

00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:20.599
 says,

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.379
 I don't know how else

00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:21.860
 to say this,

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:22.700
 but you have cancer.

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:23.360
 I don't know how else

00:21:23.360 --> 00:21:23.780
 to say this.

00:21:23.820 --> 00:21:24.460
 I don't know how to say this.

00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:24.880
 And you think,

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.160
 how am I going to move forward?

00:21:26.320 --> 00:21:26.820
 Here's how you're going

00:21:26.820 --> 00:21:27.240
 to move forward.

00:21:27.520 --> 00:21:28.280
 Jesus Christ.

00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.200
 That he knows

00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:30.980
 the way you take.

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:31.780
 That he knows

00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:32.780
 where your life is.

00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:34.760
 And some practical things

00:21:34.760 --> 00:21:35.500
 just to think about

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.500
 is when something

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.520
 doesn't go your way.

00:21:38.340 --> 00:21:39.480
 When hope seems like

00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:40.560
 it's slipping out

00:21:40.560 --> 00:21:41.260
 of your hands.

00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.100
 We can just remind

00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:43.700
 ourselves of this

00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:44.260
 great truth.

00:21:45.040 --> 00:21:46.160
 That the same power

00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:47.780
 that raised Christ

00:21:47.780 --> 00:21:48.660
 from the dead

00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:50.120
 is still alive

00:21:50.120 --> 00:21:50.519
 and well.

00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:51.980
 And it's available

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:52.480
 to you.

00:21:52.900 --> 00:21:53.600
 And he knows

00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:54.240
 where you are.

00:21:54.540 --> 00:21:55.420
 He knows what you're

00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:56.100
 walking through.

00:21:56.300 --> 00:21:57.160
 And when you understand

00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:58.140
 that and when you see

00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:59.360
 your hope is rooted

00:21:59.360 --> 00:22:00.160
 in the resurrection,

00:22:00.860 --> 00:22:02.220
 the contrast between

00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:03.620
 the believer's hope

00:22:03.620 --> 00:22:05.340
 and the world's hope

00:22:05.340 --> 00:22:06.800
 becomes very clear.

00:22:07.540 --> 00:22:09.100
 It becomes very obvious.

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.820
 Because the world's hope,

00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:11.500
 here's the truth,

00:22:11.860 --> 00:22:13.540
 it always fails.

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:15.579
 It always fails.

00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.079
 When Jesus gets,

00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:18.420
 he's wrapping up

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.220
 his Sermon on the Mount

00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:20.159
 there in Matthew

00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:20.879
 chapter number 7,

00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:22.599
 he gives an illustration.

00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:24.440
 He gives an illustration

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.519
 about two men

00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.500
 that built a house.

00:22:27.399 --> 00:22:28.240
 Same materials,

00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:30.299
 same general location

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:30.980
 is what we see,

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.220
 but they built on

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:33.220
 two very different

00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:33.700
 foundations.

00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:35.399
 He said the man

00:22:35.399 --> 00:22:36.180
 that built his house

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:36.899
 on the rock,

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.440
 when the winds came

00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:39.220
 and the rains came

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:39.920
 and the floods rose,

00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:40.659
 here's what happened

00:22:40.659 --> 00:22:40.960
 to the house.

00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:41.700
 It stood.

00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:43.259
 But those,

00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:43.920
 the other man

00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.380
 that built on the sand

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:46.420
 when the winds came

00:22:46.420 --> 00:22:47.120
 and the waters came

00:22:47.120 --> 00:22:47.480
 and all that,

00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:47.960
 guess what?

00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:48.940
 The house was gone.

00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.759
 And we look at the world

00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.080
 and we think,

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.299
 why does it seem,

00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.680
 when I put my trust

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:55.299
 and maybe my own ingenuity

00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:56.059
 and my own thinking,

00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:57.200
 why does it fade away?

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.580
 Because it's sinking sand.

00:22:59.860 --> 00:23:01.279
 The world doesn't build

00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:02.559
 on a solid foundation.

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.600
 And even as Christians,

00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:06.580
 we know we're to build

00:23:06.580 --> 00:23:07.440
 on the Word of God,

00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:09.180
 the solid rock,

00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:11.240
 but we live in the world

00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:12.140
 and you know what we think?

00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.599
 Let me just Google this.

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.620
 Let me see a way out of this.

00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:16.980
 Let me find a quick fix.

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.599
 You know in America,

00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:18.140
 you know what we love

00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:18.500
 more than anything?

00:23:18.620 --> 00:23:19.380
 A quick fix.

00:23:20.460 --> 00:23:21.440
 You look at every

00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.420
 almost commercial

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.380
 and every ad,

00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:24.099
 you know what they're trying to do?

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:25.880
 Quick, fix your life real quick.

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.680
 They're going to fix this health

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.160
 and fix this

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.440
 and you just take this one thing,

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.279
 you don't have to change anything else,

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.180
 just take this magic pill

00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:32.039
 and everything will be better.

00:23:33.120 --> 00:23:34.380
 Sometimes life doesn't work that way.

00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:37.120
 And we have to go through the storm,

00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:38.960
 we have to deal with the difficulties.

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:41.860
 The world is always promising a better.

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:43.319
 If we just trust their ways,

00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:44.259
 it's going to work out.

00:23:45.340 --> 00:23:45.880
 I know some of you,

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.400
 history bores you to death,

00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:48.680
 so fall asleep real quick,

00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:49.519
 I'll wake you up in a second.

00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:52.799
 You know anything about Russian history?

00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:54.480
 1918,

00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:57.279
 really the Russian Revolution,

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.500
 taken over

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:01.759
 and the people were promised hope.

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.319
 They were promised equality

00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:05.420
 and prosperity

00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:07.060
 and a better future.

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.420
 They called it communism.

00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:12.519
 And they tried that experiment

00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.900
 for about 70 years.

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:15.100
 And guess what?

00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:16.300
 They were miserable.

00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.340
 And they were hopeless.

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:20.380
 And that experiment,

00:24:20.560 --> 00:24:21.440
 it collapsed

00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:22.400
 because it was built

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:24.360
 on human thinking

00:24:24.360 --> 00:24:26.039
 and godless power.

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:28.240
 I know that's an extreme thing,

00:24:28.320 --> 00:24:29.279
 but sometimes in our own life,

00:24:29.340 --> 00:24:29.580
 we think,

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:29.880
 hey,

00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:31.759
 I know what's best for me.

00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:32.940
 Listen,

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:34.660
 if I could just get this lined up

00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:35.420
 and I can kind of move

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:36.220
 some things around here

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:36.840
 and do this,

00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:38.039
 then I'll have a little bit of hope

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.880
 that I can hang on to.

00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:39.539
 Well, guess what?

00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:40.299
 It's going to collapse

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:42.539
 just like this experiment did in Russia.

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:45.779
 Because it's not based on the word of God.

00:24:46.059 --> 00:24:47.340
 It's based on our own thinking

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:48.940
 and our own mentality.

00:24:49.320 --> 00:24:50.600
 And the same is still true today.

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:52.440
 You know,

00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:53.360
 every time,

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.500
 it seems like every time I turn around,

00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:55.720
 it's an election season.

00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:57.820
 I'm just tired of it.

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.059
 I'm tired of commercials.

00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.120
 I'm tired of signs about it.

00:25:00.120 --> 00:25:00.440
 I'm tired of this.

00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:01.559
 But if you think about it,

00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:03.940
 every election promises hope.

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:06.779
 Some recent campaigns

00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:08.099
 have even run on that word.

00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.480
 It's a hope

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:10.480
 and change

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:12.779
 and everybody's going to fix the economy

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:14.099
 and heal the society

00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:15.539
 and build a better future.

00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.639
 But here's the problem.

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:18.759
 It's built on the same old foundation.

00:25:19.079 --> 00:25:20.220
 It's just man's wisdom

00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:22.639
 recycled a failed system.

00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:24.440
 And yes,

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.559
 we should vote

00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:28.000
 and we should try to do our part

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:28.980
 as citizens

00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:31.039
 as believers

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:32.259
 and we should vote

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:33.799
 by what the word of God says.

00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.839
 But we understand this.

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:36.900
 It's not going to change the world.

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.539
 You know what's going to change the world?

00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:41.940
 Christians living like Christians.

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:44.559
 Because that's what happened here

00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.240
 in Peter's time.

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:46.519
 I mean,

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.740
 when you go from the book of Acts

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:49.480
 after the resurrection of Christ,

00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:52.160
 Christianity should have been gone

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.620
 a long time ago.

00:25:53.619 --> 00:25:56.639
 But Christians living for Christ

00:25:56.639 --> 00:25:58.019
 in a Christ-like manner

00:25:58.019 --> 00:26:00.159
 changed the world.

00:26:01.199 --> 00:26:01.739
 Acts 17,

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:02.619
 I think they said it like this.

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:05.059
 They turned the world upside down.

00:26:06.199 --> 00:26:06.559
 But really,

00:26:06.719 --> 00:26:07.259
 here's what they did.

00:26:07.399 --> 00:26:08.559
 They just turned it right side up.

00:26:09.419 --> 00:26:09.719
 Really,

00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:10.939
 the whole Bible's about this.

00:26:11.179 --> 00:26:11.919
 Turning everything

00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:12.899
 the way it should be.

00:26:13.559 --> 00:26:14.579
 That Christ has a way

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:16.119
 that we should live our life

00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:17.439
 and Scripture reminds us

00:26:17.439 --> 00:26:18.559
 that hope deferred,

00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:19.759
 it maketh the heart sick

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.279
 and we can't be looking for hope

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.279
 in all these different ways.

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:23.879
 No, we don't have to wait for hope.

00:26:24.099 --> 00:26:25.160
 We're not hoping it comes.

00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:25.500
 No,

00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:26.420
 it's here.

00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.960
 And we have Him in our lives

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:30.160
 if we know Him as our Savior.

00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:32.639
 And I'm sure your life,

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.759
 I'm sure recent years,

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.279
 has taught us,

00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:38.119
 if it's taught us anything,

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:38.599
 it's this,

00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:40.240
 that God has to be our hope.

00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:41.720
 I mean,

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.619
 I go back to 2020,

00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:42.980
 I mean,

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:43.740
 it just kind of seemed like,

00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:44.059
 wow,

00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:44.899
 that was wild,

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.379
 wasn't it?

00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:47.579
 Everything we thought

00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:48.960
 we could kind of anchor

00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:49.619
 a little bit to,

00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:51.059
 even if we knew we shouldn't,

00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:51.299
 we think,

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:51.460
 well,

00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:52.299
 at least we have this,

00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:52.720
 at least we have that.

00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:53.240
 I mean,

00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:54.180
 within a week,

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:57.759
 this world was turned upside down.

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.019
 I don't know if you're like me,

00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:00.039
 but sometimes you would read it

00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:00.940
 and how it says

00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:02.339
 when the Antichrist comes

00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:03.599
 in the last days,

00:27:03.659 --> 00:27:04.440
 everybody's going to be deceived.

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:04.619
 You're like,

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.720
 how's that even possible?

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:05.919
 I mean,

00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:06.559
 the whole world,

00:27:06.639 --> 00:27:06.859
 really?

00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:07.700
 Well,

00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.819
 it took like six days.

00:27:09.539 --> 00:27:10.819
 It was almost like a trial run.

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.119
 And you're thinking,

00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:12.539
 whoa.

00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:13.799
 Well,

00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:14.720
 we realized this,

00:27:14.879 --> 00:27:15.599
 and I think it woke

00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.399
 a lot of Christians up,

00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:16.619
 like,

00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:18.440
 maybe we were trusting

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.480
 a lot of other things

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.940
 instead of really placing our trust

00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:21.799
 in God.

00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:24.000
 And Peter kind of wants them

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:25.039
 to understand this.

00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:26.599
 And as Christians,

00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:27.940
 he's reminding them

00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:30.279
 that we have a lively hope,

00:27:31.120 --> 00:27:33.360
 a hope that doesn't collapse

00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:35.860
 when circumstances change,

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:37.599
 because they're going to change.

00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:39.779
 Things that were true last week

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:40.980
 probably aren't going to be true this week.

00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:42.220
 Don't you love watching the news?

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:43.259
 They'll come on one week

00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:43.600
 and they'll say,

00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:45.420
 chocolate is the worst thing

00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.660
 you could eat in your life.

00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:48.319
 And then the next week,

00:27:48.339 --> 00:27:49.480
 it's obviously slow news week,

00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:50.819
 they got some guy on there

00:27:50.819 --> 00:27:51.640
 that's like 175,

00:27:51.980 --> 00:27:52.100
 like,

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:53.460
 what's the secret to being in

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:54.339
 and living so long?

00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:54.680
 And he's like,

00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.480
 I eat chocolate

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.720
 for three meals a day.

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:58.720
 And so everybody starts eating chocolate.

00:27:59.519 --> 00:27:59.819
 Listen,

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:01.799
 the world's truth changes all the time

00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:02.200
 and the hope,

00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:02.539
 well,

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:03.120
 I'm going to try this,

00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:03.819
 I'm going to hope this.

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.180
 Listen,

00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:05.819
 I want to hope that's steady.

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:07.779
 I want to hope that's constant.

00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:09.420
 And that is found in Christ

00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:10.799
 because he is the same yesterday

00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:12.379
 and today and forever.

00:28:12.899 --> 00:28:14.519
 It's not based on circumstances.

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:15.700
 And Peter wanted them

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:17.480
 to be able to hold on to that.

00:28:18.539 --> 00:28:20.379
 So if our hope is real

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:22.419
 and living and secure,

00:28:22.419 --> 00:28:24.379
 why do we need it so badly?

00:28:25.059 --> 00:28:26.039
 We already have it.

00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:27.399
 We already have Christ.

00:28:28.639 --> 00:28:28.759
 Well,

00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:29.720
 Peter answers that

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:31.299
 as we're going to walk through this book.

00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:33.099
 We're not going to look at every situation tonight

00:28:33.099 --> 00:28:34.519
 because we're going to do that

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:36.019
 over the next few weeks.

00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:37.980
 But here's the reason

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:40.180
 Peter wants us to understand

00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:40.920
 what this hope is

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:42.099
 because we need it

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.900
 for the journey.

00:28:44.360 --> 00:28:44.900
 Because yes,

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.000
 there is coming a day

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.740
 we will see him.

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.480
 We've already said that.

00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:49.519
 But until then,

00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:51.839
 he has a job for us to do here.

00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.259
 He has a life for us to live here.

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:56.480
 He's placed you at your work.

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:58.299
 He's given you a family to raise.

00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.640
 He's given you an opportunity

00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:00.860
 to serve in a local church.

00:29:01.120 --> 00:29:01.900
 And we see that

00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:03.960
 and Jesus prayed in John chapter 17

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:05.839
 that we would be in the world

00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:06.799
 but not of it.

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:08.779
 That we can't as Christians,

00:29:08.919 --> 00:29:10.419
 we can't remove ourselves

00:29:10.419 --> 00:29:11.639
 and say we're just going to

00:29:11.639 --> 00:29:13.179
 hang on until Jesus comes.

00:29:13.459 --> 00:29:13.939
 No, in fact,

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:14.720
 Jesus says this,

00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:16.299
 Occupy till I come.

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.819
 Get to work.

00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:19.099
 Go ye therefore

00:29:19.099 --> 00:29:20.019
 into all the world

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.179
 and preach the gospel.

00:29:22.179 --> 00:29:23.819
 And Peter tells these believers,

00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:25.019
 if you have your Bible still open

00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.899
 in chapter 2,

00:29:25.959 --> 00:29:26.619
 verse number 11,

00:29:26.899 --> 00:29:27.720
 he says this,

00:29:28.199 --> 00:29:29.000
 Dearly beloved,

00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:30.639
 I beseech you,

00:29:30.679 --> 00:29:31.740
 he's begging you,

00:29:31.740 --> 00:29:32.839
 he's reminding you

00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:34.180
 as strangers

00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:36.440
 and pilgrims.

00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:38.559
 We already referenced it

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.480
 and we already sang it.

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:42.160
 But Peter reminded them

00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:44.240
 just as much as he reminds us today

00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:45.120
 through the Holy Spirit

00:29:45.120 --> 00:29:47.160
 that this world is not our home.

00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:49.500
 That we're just on a journey.

00:29:50.599 --> 00:29:52.579
 That this is not our final destination.

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:55.680
 This is not live and let live

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.859
 because eat, drink and be merry

00:29:56.859 --> 00:29:57.859
 because tomorrow we die.

00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:00.440
 No, the Bible's clear

00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:01.160
 that there's coming a day

00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:01.920
 where we're all going to stand

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.559
 before Christ.

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.840
 And that we're going to see him.

00:30:06.360 --> 00:30:08.039
 And Peter wanted them

00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:08.559
 to understand

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:10.059
 and we can take this truth

00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:10.700
 to our own life.

00:30:10.900 --> 00:30:12.259
 We're not meant to settle here.

00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.180
 You know,

00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:15.620
 it's not he who dies

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:16.580
 with the most toys wins.

00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:18.320
 We're not living

00:30:18.320 --> 00:30:19.140
 for the here and now.

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:21.420
 We're not meant

00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:22.539
 to plant roots here.

00:30:23.900 --> 00:30:24.920
 We're meant to store up

00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:25.580
 treasure in heaven.

00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:28.380
 Oh, I love this thought

00:30:28.380 --> 00:30:29.059
 that we're here

00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:30.180
 to make heaven crowded.

00:30:31.340 --> 00:30:31.860
 That the only thing

00:30:31.860 --> 00:30:32.539
 that we can take

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.640
 is people.

00:30:34.320 --> 00:30:35.640
 That we share the gospel with.

00:30:36.420 --> 00:30:37.400
 That it may be sometimes

00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:38.400
 in the throes of parenting

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:38.779
 and you're thinking,

00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:39.740
 is this worth it?

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.740
 No, it is worth it.

00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:42.120
 And here's your number one job

00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:43.720
 to show them who God is.

00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:45.620
 And to train them up

00:30:45.620 --> 00:30:46.380
 in the love

00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:46.900
 and the nurture

00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:47.620
 and the admonition

00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:48.240
 of the Lord

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:50.140
 and to shape their hearts

00:30:50.140 --> 00:30:50.880
 for eternity.

00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:52.820
 At your school,

00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.460
 it's important

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:54.640
 that you live a life

00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.740
 that is pleasing to God

00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:56.320
 that others see it

00:30:56.320 --> 00:30:56.480
 and say,

00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:57.019
 you know what?

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:58.099
 What do you have?

00:30:59.139 --> 00:31:00.160
 Because even at your school,

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:00.839
 guess what a lot of people

00:31:00.839 --> 00:31:01.240
 don't have?

00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:01.720
 Hope.

00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:04.079
 You know what some of your coworkers

00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:05.220
 are searching for?

00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:06.139
 Hope.

00:31:06.579 --> 00:31:08.180
 Just something they can hang on.

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:09.779
 Something that they can just think,

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:10.559
 well, if I can just,

00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.799
 if I have a little something,

00:31:11.879 --> 00:31:12.680
 even if it's not real,

00:31:12.879 --> 00:31:13.639
 maybe I can make it

00:31:13.639 --> 00:31:14.039
 to tomorrow

00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:14.700
 and next week

00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:15.299
 and next year.

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:16.920
 Listen,

00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:17.980
 you have a great opportunity

00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:19.619
 to share the truth with them.

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:21.939
 But sometimes

00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:22.679
 when we forget

00:31:22.679 --> 00:31:23.559
 we're on a journey,

00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:25.659
 we have a job

00:31:25.659 --> 00:31:26.779
 that we're called to do

00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:28.719
 and we start thinking

00:31:28.719 --> 00:31:29.659
 and start looking

00:31:29.659 --> 00:31:32.000
 for this heaven-level satisfaction

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.179
 from an earth-level world,

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:35.059
 it's going to lead

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:35.839
 to frustration

00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:37.279
 and spiritual weariness.

00:31:38.659 --> 00:31:39.759
 We're going to get frustrated,

00:31:39.899 --> 00:31:40.139
 we're going to think,

00:31:40.379 --> 00:31:41.699
 well, this is just not worth it,

00:31:41.699 --> 00:31:42.619
 I'm just going to do nothing.

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.959
 We may not say that out loud,

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.699
 but sometimes our life

00:31:45.699 --> 00:31:46.439
 lives that way.

00:31:48.159 --> 00:31:48.679
 And I think when

00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:49.940
 we begin to feel that way,

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.920
 we need to ask ourselves

00:31:50.920 --> 00:31:52.240
 and we can really ask ourselves

00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:52.799
 this every day,

00:31:53.100 --> 00:31:55.140
 am I living for comfort here

00:31:55.140 --> 00:31:56.840
 or for glory later?

00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:58.620
 Because sometimes

00:31:58.620 --> 00:31:59.900
 if we really step back

00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:00.840
 and we really take inventory

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.460
 of our life,

00:32:01.660 --> 00:32:02.880
 the reason we're frustrated,

00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:03.820
 the reason our hope

00:32:03.820 --> 00:32:04.600
 doesn't feel real

00:32:04.600 --> 00:32:05.480
 is because we're living

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:06.580
 more for the here and now

00:32:06.580 --> 00:32:07.400
 than what Christ

00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:08.160
 has called us to.

00:32:09.620 --> 00:32:13.640
 We're more in on this world

00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:14.840
 than we are on the journey

00:32:14.840 --> 00:32:15.779
 God has called us on,

00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:16.759
 on the mission

00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:17.960
 that He has placed us in.

00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:20.140
 And once you realize

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:21.279
 that you're a pilgrim

00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:22.880
 and not a settler,

00:32:23.620 --> 00:32:24.980
 it helps you understand

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:27.539
 why this is absolutely necessary.

00:32:27.940 --> 00:32:28.960
 And Peter's going to show us

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.740
 as we walk through here,

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.180
 we need it because hope

00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:32.380
 is the only thing

00:32:32.380 --> 00:32:33.440
 that will sustain us

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:34.420
 on the journey.

00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:37.600
 It's not going to be your job.

00:32:37.980 --> 00:32:38.740
 It's not going to be this,

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:39.180
 it's not going to be that.

00:32:39.320 --> 00:32:39.920
 It's going to be the fact

00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:41.279
 that Jesus Christ loves you,

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:43.039
 that He died for you,

00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:44.900
 that He rose again for you,

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:46.000
 and that hope

00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:47.019
 is going to change

00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:48.500
 how you look at that situation,

00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.339
 and that health diagnosis,

00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:52.000
 and that financial hardship,

00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:53.559
 and raising a family,

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.579
 and your marriage,

00:32:54.639 --> 00:32:55.639
 it's going to change everything.

00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:57.619
 Because that's what Jesus does.

00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:00.059
 Is Jesus changes all of that.

00:33:01.859 --> 00:33:02.819
 Kids these days,

00:33:03.619 --> 00:33:04.460
 I love to say that,

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.259
 you know,

00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:06.940
 they have all these

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:08.720
 crazy weird games they play,

00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.720
 and Fortnite,

00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:11.099
 and all these weird ones,

00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:11.440
 and I'm like,

00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:12.180
 what is even going on?

00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:13.140
 They don't know

00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:14.680
 that the greatest game

00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:15.220
 you could ever play

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:15.960
 in elementary school

00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.759
 was called the Oregon Trail.

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:19.900
 I used to,

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.100
 yeah,

00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:20.660
 some of you know,

00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:21.480
 this is going to speak

00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:21.980
 to your heart.

00:33:22.320 --> 00:33:24.480
 I used to rush through my work

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:26.180
 so I could play the Oregon Trail.

00:33:26.620 --> 00:33:27.720
 And I'd get on there,

00:33:27.840 --> 00:33:28.779
 and the Oregon Trail,

00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:30.080
 you type your name in,

00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:31.240
 and you get your family there,

00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:32.600
 and you're super excited.

00:33:32.860 --> 00:33:33.779
 It's this little green,

00:33:33.820 --> 00:33:34.500
 little wagon

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.380
 that's going across the thing.

00:33:35.600 --> 00:33:35.720
 Man,

00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:36.400
 y'all don't even know,

00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:37.640
 this is awesome.

00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:39.180
 And here's the idea,

00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:40.480
 you're hoping

00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:42.220
 you make it to Oregon.

00:33:43.060 --> 00:33:43.840
 You never do.

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.580
 Typhoid gets you

00:33:45.580 --> 00:33:46.720
 every time.

00:33:47.420 --> 00:33:49.240
 And then you have to start over,

00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:50.400
 and then you're on your way again,

00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:50.740
 and then you,

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:51.600
 every time you go past

00:33:51.600 --> 00:33:52.160
 the grave markers,

00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:52.400
 it's like,

00:33:52.580 --> 00:33:53.720
 Tyler died of typhoid.

00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:54.940
 So I just started naming

00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:55.960
 all my enemies,

00:33:56.060 --> 00:33:56.820
 like my sister,

00:33:57.100 --> 00:33:58.220
 and my sister,

00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.700
 and all those people.

00:34:03.820 --> 00:34:05.080
 But when you're playing

00:34:05.080 --> 00:34:05.759
 that game,

00:34:06.560 --> 00:34:08.079
 all the hope you had

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.099
 fades when your wagon

00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:09.579
 breaks,

00:34:09.739 --> 00:34:11.339
 and the food runs out,

00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:11.940
 and the journey

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:13.000
 really becomes hard.

00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:15.199
 But this is going to

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:16.360
 shock y'all even more.

00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.819
 There was a real Oregon Trail.

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.719
 Come to find that out.

00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:21.880
 And you think,

00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:23.299
 when you really think about that,

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:23.719
 like,

00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:25.199
 it's hard enough on a game.

00:34:25.279 --> 00:34:26.299
 I can't imagine

00:34:26.299 --> 00:34:28.059
 telling your family here,

00:34:28.319 --> 00:34:29.319
 I know we live in Tennessee,

00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:30.000
 but I've heard about

00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:31.059
 this place called Oregon.

00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:32.739
 We're going to get in a wagon.

00:34:32.819 --> 00:34:33.779
 You know why they got in a wagon

00:34:33.779 --> 00:34:34.440
 and tried to cross

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:35.159
 the entire country,

00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:35.880
 tried to go through

00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:36.400
 the Rocky Mountains,

00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:36.860
 tried to go through

00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:37.539
 all of this,

00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.739
 and travel wasn't easy,

00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:40.159
 and the reason it wasn't

00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:40.519
 is because it was

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:41.379
 a difficult time,

00:34:41.459 --> 00:34:42.759
 but they did it for this reason,

00:34:42.979 --> 00:34:44.139
 hope of a better life.

00:34:45.459 --> 00:34:45.659
 You know,

00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:46.799
 we celebrate Thanksgiving,

00:34:47.299 --> 00:34:48.319
 and we go,

00:34:48.419 --> 00:34:49.399
 maybe your kids,

00:34:49.459 --> 00:34:49.979
 when they were younger

00:34:49.979 --> 00:34:50.399
 in school,

00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:52.079
 they did a little play

00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:53.079
 about the pilgrims.

00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:54.439
 You know why the pilgrims

00:34:54.439 --> 00:34:54.939
 came here?

00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:56.579
 For hope of a better life.

00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:58.079
 A chance to worship

00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.959
 the Lord freely.

00:34:59.959 --> 00:35:01.439
 Hope is going to do that,

00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:02.639
 and it just reminds us

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.539
 of this great truth,

00:35:03.739 --> 00:35:04.279
 that those people

00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:05.360
 on that Oregon Trail

00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:06.100
 and those pilgrims

00:35:06.100 --> 00:35:06.980
 crossing the ocean

00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:08.900
 in difficult travel conditions,

00:35:09.060 --> 00:35:09.880
 they did it because

00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:10.760
 they had a hope,

00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:12.260
 and hope does not

00:35:12.260 --> 00:35:13.260
 remove the journey,

00:35:13.460 --> 00:35:15.400
 but it sustained them on it.

00:35:16.040 --> 00:35:17.060
 They were looking forward

00:35:17.060 --> 00:35:17.980
 to something greater

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:19.040
 and something better,

00:35:19.180 --> 00:35:20.080
 and we might be

00:35:20.080 --> 00:35:20.640
 on the journey,

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:22.240
 and life might get hard,

00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:23.180
 and sometimes it feels

00:35:23.180 --> 00:35:23.940
 like your wagon's

00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:24.500
 breaking down,

00:35:24.620 --> 00:35:25.700
 and your food's running out,

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:27.019
 but here's the beautiful thing,

00:35:27.019 --> 00:35:28.980
 that we're not settling here,

00:35:29.060 --> 00:35:30.300
 we're pressing on.

00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:32.300
 We're aiming for Christ,

00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.320
 and that's what Peter's

00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:33.820
 telling them,

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:35.440
 that this lively hope

00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:35.940
 that you have,

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:37.300
 it's going to carry you through,

00:35:38.200 --> 00:35:40.480
 and so when life feels hard,

00:35:41.260 --> 00:35:42.420
 don't quit.

00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:44.519
 Don't give in.

00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:46.720
 Just remind yourself,

00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:48.320
 like Peter's going to remind us

00:35:48.320 --> 00:35:49.360
 again and again

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:50.420
 through this little study,

00:35:50.600 --> 00:35:52.140
 that this is part of the journey.

00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:53.760
 It's not the end of the story.

00:35:54.640 --> 00:35:55.580
 No, the end of the story

00:35:55.580 --> 00:35:57.019
 is when we see our Savior

00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:58.460
 face to face.

00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:00.180
 When we step into

00:36:00.179 --> 00:36:02.559
 the city of God.

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:05.119
 But Peter doesn't just tell us

00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:06.239
 to endure the journey.

00:36:07.279 --> 00:36:08.539
 What we're going to walk through

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:10.279
 and see is he's going to show us

00:36:10.279 --> 00:36:12.779
 how to live faithfully

00:36:12.779 --> 00:36:14.159
 while we're on it.

00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:16.279
 He kind of gives some

00:36:16.279 --> 00:36:17.699
 survival instructions,

00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:19.159
 because sometimes life

00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:19.819
 feels like that.

00:36:21.339 --> 00:36:22.299
 We're going to see Peter's

00:36:22.299 --> 00:36:23.059
 going to give some practical

00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:24.119
 guidance when it comes to

00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:25.599
 how to be a godly citizen,

00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:28.079
 because they're dealing

00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:28.819
 in a situation

00:36:28.819 --> 00:36:30.299
 where the government

00:36:30.299 --> 00:36:32.179
 is completely against them.

00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:33.960
 We'll talk about it here

00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.380
 in a second,

00:36:34.659 --> 00:36:35.119
 and he's saying,

00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:35.339
 listen,

00:36:35.500 --> 00:36:36.339
 that doesn't change

00:36:36.339 --> 00:36:37.219
 your responsibility.

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:39.400
 It doesn't change

00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:40.039
 the way that you

00:36:40.039 --> 00:36:41.360
 should live your life.

00:36:42.059 --> 00:36:42.480
 In fact,

00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:43.279
 you should live your life

00:36:43.279 --> 00:36:44.059
 in a manner that still

00:36:44.059 --> 00:36:44.799
 points to Christ

00:36:44.799 --> 00:36:46.259
 and honoring the authority

00:36:46.259 --> 00:36:47.400
 God has placed in your life.

00:36:48.339 --> 00:36:49.099
 He's going to deal with

00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:50.719
 unfair work conditions.

00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:53.219
 You're like,

00:36:53.299 --> 00:36:54.519
 I'm bringing my boss that day.

00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:56.000
 Tell me what day that is.

00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:58.780
 He's going to talk about

00:36:58.780 --> 00:37:00.480
 how to live among unbelievers.

00:37:01.259 --> 00:37:02.239
 He speaks at length

00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:02.900
 about that.

00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:04.639
 Because the majority

00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:05.199
 of his readers

00:37:05.199 --> 00:37:05.900
 would have been living

00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:06.980
 amongst unbelievers,

00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:07.519
 and guess what?

00:37:07.759 --> 00:37:08.759
 I think we are as well.

00:37:09.860 --> 00:37:10.559
 Everywhere we go,

00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:12.099
 we meet people.

00:37:12.539 --> 00:37:13.400
 We work with them.

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:14.420
 We live in the neighborhood

00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:14.820
 with them.

00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:16.179
 They're at the store with us.

00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:17.920
 How do we live a life

00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:19.239
 that points to Christ?

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:21.679
 How do we live in a world

00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:23.239
 but not be of the world?

00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:26.000
 He talks about honoring God

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:27.099
 in your marriage.

00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:29.099
 He talks about loving

00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:30.099
 fellow believers.

00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:31.119
 Sometimes it's easier

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:32.019
 to get along with unbelievers

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:32.920
 than it is believers.

00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:34.320
 Yeah.

00:37:35.420 --> 00:37:36.400
 Peter addresses that.

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.400
 Because it's a practical thing

00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:39.860
 that these people needed.

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:43.059
 And the idea is this book

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:43.880
 was to give hope

00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:45.019
 for the destination

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:46.000
 and wisdom

00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:47.460
 while you're on the way there.

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:48.680
 That's really what

00:37:48.680 --> 00:37:49.360
 the Bible is about.

00:37:50.120 --> 00:37:50.880
 But really,

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.920
 it's kind of encapsulated

00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:52.200
 in here.

00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:53.200
 Peter reminds me

00:37:53.200 --> 00:37:53.980
 of the book of James.

00:37:54.180 --> 00:37:55.579
 It's short and to the point

00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:56.860
 because they didn't have

00:37:56.860 --> 00:37:57.480
 any other option

00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:58.400
 because life was coming

00:37:58.400 --> 00:37:59.120
 at them fast.

00:37:59.620 --> 00:38:00.500
 They're scattered abroad.

00:38:00.880 --> 00:38:01.640
 Persecution's there.

00:38:02.660 --> 00:38:03.660
 And even with the hope

00:38:03.660 --> 00:38:04.280
 for the journey

00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:04.960
 and the instruction

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.120
 for the daily living,

00:38:06.300 --> 00:38:07.220
 there's one more reality

00:38:07.219 --> 00:38:08.219
 that Peter kind of hits

00:38:08.219 --> 00:38:09.279
 and we see it here

00:38:09.279 --> 00:38:10.519
 in chapter number 4.

00:38:11.539 --> 00:38:12.339
 Here's what he says

00:38:12.339 --> 00:38:12.899
 in chapter 4,

00:38:12.959 --> 00:38:13.639
 verse number 12.

00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:16.599
 He said,

00:38:16.699 --> 00:38:17.099
 Beloved,

00:38:17.639 --> 00:38:18.599
 talking to believers,

00:38:20.259 --> 00:38:21.679
 think it not strange

00:38:21.679 --> 00:38:23.899
 concerning the fiery trial

00:38:23.899 --> 00:38:24.899
 which is to try you

00:38:24.899 --> 00:38:27.679
 as though some strange thing

00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:30.000
 happened unto you.

00:38:30.879 --> 00:38:32.219
 You know why we need hope?

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:33.980
 Because life's going to throw

00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:35.219
 some fiery trials your way.

00:38:35.219 --> 00:38:36.980
 It's going to bring

00:38:36.980 --> 00:38:38.500
 some things across your desk

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.919
 that you didn't plan on,

00:38:40.519 --> 00:38:41.839
 that you didn't sign up for.

00:38:42.699 --> 00:38:43.299
 And many times,

00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:45.839
 you did nothing to bring it on

00:38:45.839 --> 00:38:46.339
 but it's just,

00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:48.119
 we live in a broken world.

00:38:49.239 --> 00:38:49.739
 And we mentioned

00:38:49.739 --> 00:38:50.179
 at the beginning

00:38:50.179 --> 00:38:51.439
 that Peter's writing from Rome

00:38:51.439 --> 00:38:53.179
 in around 67 AD

00:38:53.179 --> 00:38:54.199
 is what many scholars

00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:54.699
 would believe.

00:38:55.639 --> 00:38:56.239
 But if you studied

00:38:56.239 --> 00:38:56.799
 Roman history

00:38:56.799 --> 00:38:57.519
 a few years earlier,

00:38:57.579 --> 00:38:58.359
 about three years earlier,

00:38:58.799 --> 00:39:00.239
 Rome burned under

00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:01.859
 an emperor named Nero.

00:39:02.899 --> 00:39:03.500
 You know, Nero,

00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:05.420
 he was not a good guy.

00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:07.760
 He was all about Nero.

00:39:07.940 --> 00:39:08.239
 He was,

00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:10.239
 even his own Roman citizens

00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:11.699
 really didn't care for him.

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.679
 But when Rome started

00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:14.559
 to burn literally

00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:15.320
 to the ground

00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:16.659
 and the fires were taking over,

00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:18.360
 Nero needed somebody

00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:19.980
 to shoulder the blame.

00:39:20.559 --> 00:39:21.159
 Because it definitely

00:39:21.159 --> 00:39:21.900
 wasn't his fault.

00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:22.860
 And even though

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:23.800
 there's conspiracies

00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.780
 that he's the one

00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:25.699
 that set the blaze

00:39:25.699 --> 00:39:26.840
 to build certain things

00:39:26.840 --> 00:39:27.260
 he wanted,

00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:27.679
 you know,

00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:29.320
 he blamed Christians.

00:39:29.320 --> 00:39:29.519
 Christians.

00:39:30.240 --> 00:39:31.160
 And that's where

00:39:31.160 --> 00:39:32.280
 the brunt fell.

00:39:32.460 --> 00:39:33.180
 And we think to ourselves,

00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:33.740
 well, how would

00:39:33.740 --> 00:39:34.440
 a lot of people

00:39:34.440 --> 00:39:35.100
 believe that?

00:39:36.039 --> 00:39:36.800
 William Barclay,

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:37.620
 one of the commentators,

00:39:37.700 --> 00:39:38.360
 he points out

00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:39.140
 and reminds us

00:39:39.140 --> 00:39:40.519
 that Christians

00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:41.360
 were already

00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:42.300
 the objects

00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:42.980
 of slander

00:39:42.980 --> 00:39:43.740
 and hostility.

00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:46.059
 We said earlier

00:39:46.059 --> 00:39:46.460
 as well

00:39:46.460 --> 00:39:47.500
 that in the mind

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:47.940
 of Romans

00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.780
 they were confused

00:39:48.780 --> 00:39:49.480
 at what Christians

00:39:49.480 --> 00:39:50.100
 really were.

00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:51.600
 What they thought

00:39:51.600 --> 00:39:52.000
 they were

00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:53.380
 was just a different

00:39:53.380 --> 00:39:54.600
 sect of Judaism.

00:39:55.260 --> 00:39:56.120
 And they knew this,

00:39:56.240 --> 00:39:57.280
 we don't like Jews.

00:39:57.920 --> 00:39:58.400
 And so there was

00:39:58.400 --> 00:39:59.600
 that natural hatred

00:39:59.600 --> 00:40:00.380
 for them

00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:02.000
 and so as a result

00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:03.260
 they were an easy target.

00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:04.800
 Nero kind of pounced

00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:05.400
 on it and said,

00:40:05.620 --> 00:40:05.840
 listen,

00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:06.360
 they're the ones

00:40:06.360 --> 00:40:07.280
 that started this.

00:40:07.580 --> 00:40:08.140
 They're the ones

00:40:08.140 --> 00:40:08.680
 talking about how

00:40:08.680 --> 00:40:09.360
 God's going to bring

00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:09.780
 judgment

00:40:09.780 --> 00:40:10.740
 and they're bringing

00:40:10.740 --> 00:40:11.519
 it on Rome

00:40:11.519 --> 00:40:13.000
 and because of that

00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:14.280
 persecution followed.

00:40:15.660 --> 00:40:16.240
 And you study

00:40:16.240 --> 00:40:16.960
 what they're dealing

00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:18.740
 with just from history.

00:40:19.540 --> 00:40:20.060
 Christians were

00:40:20.060 --> 00:40:20.920
 burned alive.

00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:22.440
 They were torn

00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:23.480
 apart by animals.

00:40:23.600 --> 00:40:24.140
 They were used

00:40:24.140 --> 00:40:25.060
 as sport

00:40:25.060 --> 00:40:26.540
 in the Colosseum.

00:40:26.539 --> 00:40:27.980
 They were crucified.

00:40:28.320 --> 00:40:29.059
 They were tortured.

00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:31.019
 And this persecution

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.079
 really wasn't limited

00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:33.179
 to the city limits

00:40:33.179 --> 00:40:33.639
 of Rome.

00:40:33.759 --> 00:40:34.659
 By the time Paul is,

00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:35.300
 I mean Peter is

00:40:35.300 --> 00:40:36.079
 writing this letter,

00:40:36.340 --> 00:40:37.599
 it spread to Asia Minor

00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:39.539
 where these believers,

00:40:39.699 --> 00:40:41.279
 they had fled Rome

00:40:41.279 --> 00:40:41.880
 for their life

00:40:41.880 --> 00:40:42.460
 and guess what?

00:40:42.579 --> 00:40:43.300
 The persecution

00:40:43.300 --> 00:40:44.119
 still followed.

00:40:45.320 --> 00:40:46.219
 And with that backdrop

00:40:46.219 --> 00:40:47.119
 in mind,

00:40:47.619 --> 00:40:48.579
 Peter's words

00:40:48.579 --> 00:40:49.579
 kind of carry

00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:50.559
 a little bit more

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.380
 weight.

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:53.139
 In fact,

00:40:53.179 --> 00:40:54.079
 they sound strange.

00:40:54.900 --> 00:40:55.500
 He said,

00:40:55.559 --> 00:40:55.819
 listen,

00:40:56.699 --> 00:40:57.920
 don't think it's strange

00:40:57.920 --> 00:40:58.759
 concerning what's

00:40:58.759 --> 00:40:59.500
 happening right now.

00:41:00.340 --> 00:41:00.860
 He goes on

00:41:00.860 --> 00:41:02.119
 in verse number 14.

00:41:02.759 --> 00:41:03.679
 If you be reproached

00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:04.599
 for the name of Christ,

00:41:05.159 --> 00:41:07.279
 happy are ye

00:41:07.279 --> 00:41:08.920
 for the spirit

00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:09.719
 and glory of God

00:41:09.719 --> 00:41:10.599
 rest upon you.

00:41:10.860 --> 00:41:11.579
 On their part,

00:41:11.759 --> 00:41:12.819
 he is evil spoken of,

00:41:12.860 --> 00:41:13.480
 but on your part

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.219
 he is glorified.

00:41:14.860 --> 00:41:15.519
 Verse 16,

00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:16.219
 he says this,

00:41:16.420 --> 00:41:17.039
 yet if any man

00:41:17.039 --> 00:41:18.059
 suffer as a Christian,

00:41:18.319 --> 00:41:19.699
 let him not be ashamed,

00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:21.860
 but let him glorify God

00:41:21.860 --> 00:41:23.420
 on this behalf.

00:41:25.300 --> 00:41:27.420
 These are strange words

00:41:27.420 --> 00:41:30.880
 unless hope is alive.

00:41:32.059 --> 00:41:33.720
 Unless Jesus Christ is real.

00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:35.660
 Unless the tomb is empty.

00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:36.440
 See,

00:41:36.620 --> 00:41:38.760
 these words only make sense

00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:40.000
 if this world

00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:41.640
 is not your home.

00:41:43.700 --> 00:41:45.599
 Our hope is Jesus

00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:46.780
 who rose from the dead

00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:48.480
 and will come again.

00:41:49.280 --> 00:41:49.920
 And that's what Peter's

00:41:49.920 --> 00:41:50.619
 reminding him.

00:41:51.159 --> 00:41:52.139
 It kind of echoes

00:41:52.139 --> 00:41:54.320
 if it kind of sounds familiar.

00:41:54.559 --> 00:41:55.220
 It sounds a lot like

00:41:55.220 --> 00:41:55.900
 what Jesus said

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:56.940
 in the Sermon on the Mount.

00:41:57.900 --> 00:41:58.420
 Blessed are ye

00:41:58.420 --> 00:41:59.340
 when you are persecuted,

00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:00.320
 when you reviled

00:42:00.320 --> 00:42:01.320
 for my name's sake.

00:42:01.539 --> 00:42:01.780
 Listen,

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:04.360
 we're not looking for it,

00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:05.139
 but here's the reality.

00:42:05.460 --> 00:42:06.700
 Sometimes it comes.

00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:09.280
 We can't think,

00:42:09.480 --> 00:42:10.360
 I think especially

00:42:10.360 --> 00:42:12.220
 in our culture today,

00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:13.619
 we would just kind of

00:42:13.619 --> 00:42:14.280
 associate,

00:42:14.900 --> 00:42:15.639
 well if something bad

00:42:15.639 --> 00:42:15.940
 is happening

00:42:15.940 --> 00:42:16.619
 and then something wrong,

00:42:16.700 --> 00:42:17.180
 you must have done

00:42:17.180 --> 00:42:17.579
 something wrong.

00:42:18.240 --> 00:42:18.659
 I'm going through

00:42:18.659 --> 00:42:19.639
 the book of Job right now.

00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:21.619
 All of Job's friends,

00:42:21.680 --> 00:42:22.059
 everybody's like,

00:42:22.200 --> 00:42:22.780
 listen Job,

00:42:22.900 --> 00:42:23.700
 we like you,

00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:25.099
 but you're obviously a sinner.

00:42:26.280 --> 00:42:27.400
 Bad things don't happen

00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:28.019
 to good people.

00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:28.639
 It's like,

00:42:28.680 --> 00:42:28.760
 hey,

00:42:28.780 --> 00:42:29.800
 as long as I come to church

00:42:29.800 --> 00:42:30.659
 and I put a little bit

00:42:30.659 --> 00:42:31.559
 of offering in the plate

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:32.119
 and I do this,

00:42:32.240 --> 00:42:33.300
 then everything should be

00:42:33.300 --> 00:42:33.980
 good in my life.

00:42:34.300 --> 00:42:35.099
 That's not true.

00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:37.559
 That's nowhere to be found

00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:38.099
 in this Bible.

00:42:39.019 --> 00:42:40.099
 In this world

00:42:40.099 --> 00:42:41.619
 ye shall have tribulation,

00:42:42.220 --> 00:42:43.220
 but be of good cheer,

00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:43.960
 Jesus says,

00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:46.320
 for I have overcome

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:47.440
 the world.

00:42:48.240 --> 00:42:49.300
 That's exactly what

00:42:49.300 --> 00:42:50.039
 Peter's saying here.

00:42:50.440 --> 00:42:51.400
 We're going to see that

00:42:51.400 --> 00:42:52.720
 as we move through

00:42:52.720 --> 00:42:53.740
 this book.

00:42:55.539 --> 00:42:57.200
 Instead of asking maybe,

00:42:58.039 --> 00:43:00.240
 Lord, how can I escape this?

00:43:01.300 --> 00:43:02.920
 Lord, how can I get rid of this?

00:43:03.600 --> 00:43:05.660
 Lord, how can I just move on

00:43:05.660 --> 00:43:07.480
 from this awful situation?

00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:09.700
 Maybe we need to say,

00:43:09.700 --> 00:43:12.039
 Lord, how can I glorify you

00:43:12.039 --> 00:43:13.199
 in this?

00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:16.340
 Lord, how do you want to use

00:43:16.340 --> 00:43:18.219
 my family in this situation?

00:43:19.880 --> 00:43:22.019
 Lord, what do you want me

00:43:22.019 --> 00:43:23.779
 to do in this health crisis?

00:43:24.739 --> 00:43:25.380
 What do you want me to do

00:43:25.380 --> 00:43:26.800
 in this financial situation?

00:43:27.719 --> 00:43:29.099
 Maybe God has allowed

00:43:29.099 --> 00:43:30.000
 some of those things.

00:43:30.259 --> 00:43:31.199
 I loved when Brother Garrett preached.

00:43:31.279 --> 00:43:32.159
 Was that last week, I think?

00:43:32.360 --> 00:43:32.619
 Yeah.

00:43:33.619 --> 00:43:35.960
 The Lord burned his battery up

00:43:35.960 --> 00:43:37.320
 under warranty

00:43:37.320 --> 00:43:39.440
 so he could go to AutoZone

00:43:39.440 --> 00:43:40.380
 and a guy says,

00:43:40.460 --> 00:43:41.279
 hey, where do you go to church?

00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:45.000
 And I loved his transparency.

00:43:45.860 --> 00:43:46.480
 I'd be frustrated

00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:47.139
 when your battery goes out,

00:43:47.179 --> 00:43:48.259
 you're like, not again.

00:43:49.079 --> 00:43:50.440
 I can't afford this right now.

00:43:50.699 --> 00:43:51.860
 You know, batteries and tires

00:43:51.860 --> 00:43:52.579
 never go out

00:43:52.579 --> 00:43:53.500
 when you actually have money.

00:43:54.320 --> 00:43:54.960
 No, it's when you spend

00:43:54.960 --> 00:43:55.639
 all your money

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:56.699
 and then they're all blowing up

00:43:56.699 --> 00:43:57.119
 and everything going.

00:43:57.300 --> 00:43:58.259
 Like, Lord, why?

00:43:59.659 --> 00:44:00.420
 But sometimes God

00:44:00.420 --> 00:44:02.279
 is orchestrating weird things

00:44:02.279 --> 00:44:03.380
 and allows weird things

00:44:03.380 --> 00:44:04.239
 to happen in our life

00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:05.779
 to put us in a position

00:44:05.779 --> 00:44:07.360
 to glorify him.

00:44:08.519 --> 00:44:09.719
 And that's what Peter's saying.

00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:11.719
 He's reminding us

00:44:11.719 --> 00:44:13.179
 to ask ourselves that question.

00:44:15.879 --> 00:44:17.019
 So I just want to ask you,

00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:17.719
 believer,

00:44:18.480 --> 00:44:19.839
 as we close tonight,

00:44:20.679 --> 00:44:22.879
 are you living like a pilgrim

00:44:22.879 --> 00:44:25.000
 on a journey?

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:27.679
 Are you living like this world

00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:28.239
 is your home?

00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:31.079
 Because depending on how you're living

00:44:31.079 --> 00:44:32.320
 is going to change

00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:33.460
 the hope that you have.

00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:35.280
 It's going to change

00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:36.019
 your perspective.

00:44:37.079 --> 00:44:37.980
 If you're trying to live

00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:39.039
 for the here and now,

00:44:39.079 --> 00:44:39.960
 even if you know Christ,

00:44:40.219 --> 00:44:41.460
 you're going to be frustrated.

00:44:41.820 --> 00:44:42.679
 You're going to be tired.

00:44:42.760 --> 00:44:43.280
 You're going to be

00:44:43.280 --> 00:44:44.380
 just really,

00:44:44.380 --> 00:44:45.920
 just downtrodden.

00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:49.639
 And I understand,

00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:50.260
 I've been there.

00:44:51.300 --> 00:44:51.920
 Because sometimes what

00:44:51.920 --> 00:44:53.220
 hardship and disappointment does,

00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:54.539
 it dulls your hope.

00:44:56.880 --> 00:44:57.220
 You know,

00:44:57.240 --> 00:44:57.700
 every once in a while

00:44:57.700 --> 00:44:58.880
 I take my glasses off

00:44:58.880 --> 00:44:59.139
 and think,

00:44:59.200 --> 00:44:59.340
 man,

00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:01.099
 I need to clean these things.

00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:02.980
 No wonder I can't see.

00:45:03.059 --> 00:45:04.059
 They're all smudged up

00:45:04.059 --> 00:45:04.480
 and everything.

00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:06.079
 Sometimes we just need

00:45:06.079 --> 00:45:06.599
 to take some time

00:45:06.599 --> 00:45:07.079
 and reset.

00:45:08.019 --> 00:45:09.159
 Kind of clean off

00:45:09.159 --> 00:45:10.960
 our lenses of our life,

00:45:11.039 --> 00:45:11.559
 so to speak,

00:45:11.559 --> 00:45:12.179
 and remember

00:45:12.179 --> 00:45:14.239
 that we were begotten

00:45:14.239 --> 00:45:16.440
 unto a lively hope.

00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:18.920
 Jesus Christ didn't raise

00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:19.639
 from the dead

00:45:19.639 --> 00:45:21.000
 so we can barely

00:45:21.000 --> 00:45:22.259
 scrape by.

00:45:23.619 --> 00:45:24.019
 No,

00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:25.239
 Jesus Christ is alive

00:45:25.239 --> 00:45:27.119
 and it made all the difference

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:27.599
 in our life

00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:28.500
 and here's what he wants us to do.

00:45:28.759 --> 00:45:29.880
 Go tell somebody that.

00:45:30.860 --> 00:45:32.679
 Live like it's true.

00:45:33.579 --> 00:45:35.259
 Live like he's alive.

00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:39.159
 Take some simple steps this week.

00:45:39.159 --> 00:45:41.379
 Find a promise

00:45:41.379 --> 00:45:42.259
 in the word of God

00:45:42.259 --> 00:45:44.559
 and anchor your heart in it.

00:45:45.619 --> 00:45:46.839
 You're going through something?

00:45:47.500 --> 00:45:48.420
 Go to the concordance

00:45:48.420 --> 00:45:48.980
 of your Bible.

00:45:49.359 --> 00:45:50.399
 Look up that difficulty.

00:45:50.559 --> 00:45:51.179
 You know what you can find?

00:45:51.460 --> 00:45:52.639
 Verses that apply to that

00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:53.460
 and take it,

00:45:53.799 --> 00:45:54.799
 post it on your mirror,

00:45:55.099 --> 00:45:55.799
 post it on your,

00:45:55.980 --> 00:45:56.980
 and put it in your car

00:45:56.980 --> 00:45:58.679
 and wherever you're going to see it

00:45:58.679 --> 00:46:00.500
 and anchor your hope in that

00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:01.859
 and remind yourself of that.

00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:05.480
 Maybe there is some difficulties.

00:46:05.480 --> 00:46:08.099
 Reframe it

00:46:08.099 --> 00:46:09.719
 in light of eternity.

00:46:11.500 --> 00:46:12.159
 You know,

00:46:12.320 --> 00:46:13.219
 Paul says this

00:46:13.219 --> 00:46:13.920
 when he goes through

00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:15.019
 all those difficult things.

00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:18.500
 This light affliction.

00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:19.980
 Paul,

00:46:20.039 --> 00:46:21.159
 how can you say that?

00:46:22.059 --> 00:46:23.400
 Because Paul had a view

00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:24.000
 of eternity.

00:46:25.219 --> 00:46:26.519
 That he wasn't focused here.

00:46:27.019 --> 00:46:28.340
 He was pressing

00:46:28.340 --> 00:46:29.079
 toward the hope

00:46:29.079 --> 00:46:30.340
 that was Jesus Christ.

00:46:30.920 --> 00:46:31.960
 That was his goal.

00:46:32.059 --> 00:46:32.760
 That was his aim.

00:46:32.760 --> 00:46:35.900
 We can lift our eyes up.

00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:37.840
 We can refocus our lives

00:46:37.840 --> 00:46:40.160
 because our Savior's alive.

00:46:41.680 --> 00:46:42.340
 Maybe you're here

00:46:42.340 --> 00:46:45.000
 and I know the majority of us here

00:46:45.000 --> 00:46:45.620
 we always say

00:46:45.620 --> 00:46:46.440
 we're preaching to the choir.

00:46:47.220 --> 00:46:48.060
 I don't want to ever

00:46:48.060 --> 00:46:49.360
 just assume that though.

00:46:50.580 --> 00:46:52.160
 Maybe you know all about Jesus.

00:46:52.300 --> 00:46:53.080
 You know some of these verses

00:46:53.080 --> 00:46:53.600
 in here

00:46:53.600 --> 00:46:55.880
 but you don't know him personally.

00:46:57.760 --> 00:46:59.380
 There's no lasting hope.

00:47:00.680 --> 00:47:02.320
 There's just some temporary optimism

00:47:02.320 --> 00:47:03.080
 that shows up

00:47:03.080 --> 00:47:03.600
 every once in a while

00:47:03.600 --> 00:47:04.120
 in your life.

00:47:05.180 --> 00:47:06.019
 I just want to remind you

00:47:06.019 --> 00:47:07.300
 that Jesus Christ is alive.

00:47:08.600 --> 00:47:09.059
 And he didn't

00:47:09.059 --> 00:47:12.300
 rise from the grave

00:47:12.300 --> 00:47:13.360
 so you could just have a

00:47:13.360 --> 00:47:14.360
 you could attend church

00:47:14.360 --> 00:47:15.039
 every once in a while.

00:47:16.240 --> 00:47:17.080
 He didn't come

00:47:17.080 --> 00:47:18.080
 so you could check off

00:47:18.080 --> 00:47:18.539
 some boxes.

00:47:18.860 --> 00:47:19.400
 He came to have

00:47:19.400 --> 00:47:21.019
 a real relationship with you.

00:47:22.240 --> 00:47:22.960
 We talked this morning

00:47:22.960 --> 00:47:23.860
 that we can cry out

00:47:23.860 --> 00:47:24.840
 Abba Father.

00:47:25.620 --> 00:47:26.800
 We can run to him.

00:47:27.019 --> 00:47:27.920
 We can find comfort

00:47:27.920 --> 00:47:28.760
 and dependence

00:47:28.760 --> 00:47:30.080
 and hope for the journey.

00:47:30.320 --> 00:47:31.300
 And if you don't know Christ

00:47:31.300 --> 00:47:32.760
 and you've been battling with it

00:47:32.760 --> 00:47:33.840
 and you've been placing it

00:47:33.840 --> 00:47:34.320
 in the fact that

00:47:34.320 --> 00:47:35.039
 I'm a church member

00:47:35.039 --> 00:47:35.840
 I'm a good person

00:47:35.840 --> 00:47:36.460
 I'm a Christian

00:47:36.460 --> 00:47:37.860
 I do Christian things

00:47:37.860 --> 00:47:40.640
 your hope's not secure

00:47:40.640 --> 00:47:42.000
 because it's based on you

00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:42.740
 not him.

00:47:43.420 --> 00:47:44.160
 Turn to Christ.

00:47:47.160 --> 00:47:48.140
 So we're going to see

00:47:48.140 --> 00:47:48.860
 through this book

00:47:48.860 --> 00:47:51.380
 as we see in our own lives

00:47:51.380 --> 00:47:55.160
 this world may shake us.

00:47:56.120 --> 00:47:57.080
 The journey

00:47:57.079 --> 00:47:59.259
 it's going to wear you down.

00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:01.480
 And the trials

00:48:01.480 --> 00:48:03.179
 sometimes they're going to feel

00:48:03.179 --> 00:48:04.000
 like they test you up

00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:06.219
 to your absolute limit.

00:48:07.659 --> 00:48:08.659
 But step back

00:48:08.659 --> 00:48:09.960
 and remember

00:48:09.960 --> 00:48:11.619
 hope is alive

00:48:11.619 --> 00:48:13.639
 because he's alive.

00:48:14.779 --> 00:48:16.639
 That's our God.

00:48:16.739 --> 00:48:17.900
 Would you stand with your heads bowed

00:48:17.900 --> 00:48:19.279
 with your eyes closed?

00:48:19.280 --> 00:48:21.680
 next slide slide

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00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:51.659
 Thank you.