WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:07.700 Hello everyone. Nice to see you. My name is James. Good to be with you today. I'm genuinely 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:14.939 an optimistic person. I find it easier to see the good in situations and to see the good 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:21.660 in people. But as you can imagine, this has been sorely tested over the last year. The 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:28.140 pandemic has been just one of many different crises that have been occurring. Technology 00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:35.899 and social media advances have been outstripping our ability to understand their impact on how 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:42.740 people work, let alone their influence more broadly. There are economic uncertainties 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:46.859 where low interest rates are good for those who own a house, but those who are trying 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:52.380 to save money or trying to live off interest, it's very difficult. There's been political 00:00:52.380 --> 00:00:59.040 polarization, which is pushing people further apart, and common ground is more and more 00:00:59.040 --> 00:01:07.460 difficult to find. There is very little agreement on what it means to move forward. There's very 00:01:07.460 --> 00:01:13.560 little agreement on the place we want to move forward to as a society. And we have a hope 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:21.260 that tomorrow will be better. But then we can often get let down when we get there and it's not better. 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:28.640 When we build our hope on external, undependable things, I'm not sure if that's a word, 00:01:28.740 --> 00:01:34.900 undependable. I'm going to use it like a word. When we build our hope on external things that we can't 00:01:34.900 --> 00:01:40.099 depend on, like a vaccine coming. We build our hope, the vaccine's going to come, it's going to be great, 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:46.659 the rollout starts. Oh, actually don't use this vaccine anymore. Our hopes can be dashed. We can 00:01:46.659 --> 00:01:53.379 end up on an emotional roller coaster of our hopes being lifted and dashed and lifted and dashed. 00:01:54.519 --> 00:02:01.539 And so how do we get a hope for tomorrow that will actually last? Not just for us as individuals, 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:09.060 but for us as a society. How do we survive when it seems that there isn't much hope for tomorrow? 00:02:10.979 --> 00:02:18.900 Today is the last day in our short series looking at the impact of Easter on us, the impact of Jesus' 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:24.840 resurrection on our lives. Last week we saw the impact of the resurrection on our relationships, 00:02:25.459 --> 00:02:32.099 and now we see the impact of the resurrection on our hope for the future. And our challenge today 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:41.280 will be for us to see our hope in the future and to put our trust in the God who is in control of our future. 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:46.519 So as we do this, as we have a look at that passage that was read for us as well, let me pray. 00:02:47.979 --> 00:02:56.439 Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for who you are, that you are a kind, a good, a generous and loving God. 00:02:56.439 --> 00:03:06.979 God, as we sit in a place of a measure of uncertainty and fear, even though much of Australia is open again, 00:03:07.620 --> 00:03:15.719 Father, help us to understand the hope that we have in you and not depend upon things that are outside our control, Lord. Amen. 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:26.280 So as we seek to understand what hope is and build our hope, first of all, it would be good to have another definition of hope. 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:31.039 I find hope is one of these words that can just become a bit wishy-washy over time, 00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:36.939 but I think a good definition of hope is that it is confident expectation. 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:42.680 So it's not vain guessing, it's not a hope tomorrow, the weather is nice. 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:48.479 No, no, no, it's I've had a look at the weather forecast, I've spoken to the meteorologist from church, 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.319 and do you know what, I have confident expectation that tomorrow will be, 00:03:53.079 --> 00:03:55.060 I'm not sure, I don't even know what the weather is like tomorrow. 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.439 So hope is confident expectation. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:06.240 And it's important as we consider the basis of our hope, our first point this morning, the basis of our hope, 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:12.320 it's important to consider what the basis of our hope is for the culture around us. 00:04:12.640 --> 00:04:15.400 What does hope mean for the people around us? 00:04:15.420 --> 00:04:18.139 What is hope in the Western worldview? 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:20.100 How do we get to where we are right now? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:25.019 For a long time, people, as people have believed, 00:04:25.019 --> 00:04:29.460 that each generation will have a better life than the generation before. 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.180 So economically, we'll be better, we'll have more money, 00:04:33.579 --> 00:04:35.939 socially, we'll be better, we'll be kinder people, 00:04:35.939 --> 00:04:38.439 we'll have better technology, personally. 00:04:38.719 --> 00:04:43.079 And eventually, if you look at two television shows that I used to watch growing up, 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:47.879 we go from being like the Flintstones to, does anybody remember the other version? 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:49.259 The Jetsons. 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:53.120 So we go from the Stone Age to futuristic technology. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.759 And we might see Flintstones, we've definitely moved away from that. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:58.939 Jetsons, we're getting to that. 00:04:58.980 --> 00:05:00.379 We still don't have flying cars. 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:01.980 Well, there are some flying cars. 00:05:01.980 --> 00:05:03.420 We don't all have flying cars yet. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:04.319 We'll get there. 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:08.980 And so for a long time, we as society have believed in progress. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:10.740 There is hope for tomorrow. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:12.680 Things will always get better. 00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:20.759 But most other cultures throughout history have seen culture and time as cyclical. 00:05:20.759 --> 00:05:23.480 Things go through patterns. 00:05:23.939 --> 00:05:25.879 There is no constant progression. 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:28.379 Steve touched on this a couple of weeks ago. 00:05:29.219 --> 00:05:32.159 This view of history and the future saw things as rhythmic, 00:05:32.819 --> 00:05:36.120 with an explosive end and then starting again, 00:05:36.659 --> 00:05:40.860 with rebirth and then evolution and then death and rebirth. 00:05:40.860 --> 00:05:45.740 So in Norse mythology, it was called Ragnarok. 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:51.080 In Greek, it was described as paleriginesia for this cycle of rebirth. 00:05:52.400 --> 00:05:57.699 Confucianism saw the world as constantly recreating itself through the balances of yin and yang. 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:04.520 And so before Christianity, the idea that history was a linear line that was continually progressing 00:06:04.520 --> 00:06:05.960 just did not exist. 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:11.579 For most other cultures, everything was rhythmic and cyclical. 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:16.199 But Christians don't believe in the future as a cycle. 00:06:16.979 --> 00:06:23.259 The Bible describes one future destination, which I can't remember his name. 00:06:23.459 --> 00:06:26.079 The person who wasn't Dan helpfully showed us. 00:06:27.799 --> 00:06:32.859 A wonderful end point where all pain would end and everything would be put right, 00:06:32.979 --> 00:06:34.299 something that will last forever. 00:06:34.300 --> 00:06:35.020 Heaven. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:41.060 Christians can have hope in the future, not because it will go through a cycle of change, 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.960 but because there is a God who is in control who will take us to that end point. 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:47.900 And so instead of having little hope, 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:53.819 instead of having no hope because the future is just a cycle, nothing really changes, 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:57.860 Christians have hope because we know the end point. 00:06:57.860 --> 00:07:02.800 The end point where we will be with the returned King Jesus. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:08.720 And so as Christianity grew, it impacted culture around it. 00:07:09.020 --> 00:07:11.840 It impacted the scientists. 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:15.840 And so scientists continually advanced in their understanding. 00:07:15.980 --> 00:07:18.040 It impacts medicine and technology. 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:23.160 And so that as Christianity grew, this idea of progress grew. 00:07:23.540 --> 00:07:29.060 This idea that we were going from where we are now to a glorious future grew into the culture around us. 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:38.439 Eventually, in the 1700s, this idea of progression disconnected from Christianity in the European Enlightenment. 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:43.060 But a lot of these thinkers still kept the idea of progression. 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:48.399 So you take someone like Karl Marx, the communist thinker, 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.120 and he saw history moving to more and more justice for more people. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.779 Taking that idea out of Christianity, things are going to get better for more people. 00:07:58.699 --> 00:08:03.259 Charles Darwin, again, saw nature around us continually progressing. 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:04.639 Things are evolving. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:11.439 And so as we get to the 1900s, there is this view that society is evolving. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:13.759 Things are going to keep getting better. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:15.259 And there was wonderful hope. 00:08:15.259 --> 00:08:18.360 The next generation is going to be more evolved. 00:08:18.539 --> 00:08:19.560 They're going to be more advanced. 00:08:19.659 --> 00:08:21.420 It is good for them. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:27.300 But then as we came into the 1900s, this view took a hit. 00:08:28.159 --> 00:08:31.680 There was this thought that as we continually got more and more knowledge, 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:32.779 we'd be able to help more people. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:34.179 Technology's going to be good. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:35.559 There's going to be more food. 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:37.919 We'll be able to solve poverty. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:42.659 There is much hope because there is advances in modern medicine and science. 00:08:42.659 --> 00:08:50.079 But unfortunately, the Germans, who were considered to be both culturally and scientifically advanced, 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:56.279 they used their knowledge to destroy lives and to dehumanize people. 00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:57.939 We see that in World War II. 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:03.120 And so this secular idea of continual progress starts to fall apart. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:10.440 We lose this hope that we have that society is just going to keep getting better. 00:09:11.779 --> 00:09:17.200 And so now we're in an interesting spot in society, in history, 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:25.360 where maybe for once the future doesn't seem more bright than it did. 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:28.480 Maybe tomorrow actually doesn't look as attractive. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:32.480 Maybe the best is behind us. 00:09:33.940 --> 00:09:37.360 We sit in a place of cultural depression. 00:09:38.500 --> 00:09:43.279 I see advances in technology that actually aren't advances for us as people. 00:09:43.420 --> 00:09:46.180 They seem to actually be taking us backwards as people. 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:52.300 I see the impact on kids and teenagers and the impact on brains and society. 00:09:52.299 --> 00:09:57.620 And it seems that the brave new world that we're heading towards isn't actually better. 00:09:59.539 --> 00:10:06.179 If hope is confident expectation, do I have confident expectation that the tomorrow that we are heading towards 00:10:06.179 --> 00:10:08.139 is better than what we have today? 00:10:10.059 --> 00:10:11.679 So why do I tell you all this? 00:10:12.839 --> 00:10:17.319 Why do I just leave you feeling a little depressed about where we're going as a society? 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:22.840 Ultimately, it's because we can't trust humans to be good. 00:10:24.160 --> 00:10:29.420 We can't just assume that the more knowledge we gain, the better we'll be as a society and everything will be fine. 00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:31.120 We can't trust humans to do that. 00:10:31.680 --> 00:10:35.660 We can't trust humans to choose to do the right thing by other people 00:10:35.660 --> 00:10:37.780 because we could have solved poverty by now. 00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:39.700 We could have solved racism by now. 00:10:39.700 --> 00:10:42.000 But we as people haven't. 00:10:43.180 --> 00:10:51.500 If our hope, our confident expectation can't reliably be found within us or with our society moving forward, 00:10:52.220 --> 00:10:59.060 if it's not going to actually get better with the life expectancy and compassion for other people and love, 00:10:59.059 --> 00:11:04.139 well, if there's no hope, then let's turn to the Bible. 00:11:05.079 --> 00:11:10.279 Let's have a look at that passage that Emma read for us and see the hope that God offers us. 00:11:11.099 --> 00:11:13.119 From 1 Peter 1, verse 3. 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:18.500 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:11:19.439 --> 00:11:23.899 In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope 00:11:23.899 --> 00:11:27.299 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:11:27.299 --> 00:11:34.379 Peter outlines a very different kind of hope for us, a 2,000-year-old hope, but one that is better. 00:11:34.979 --> 00:11:38.339 And so the basis for our hope is not that we would get better. 00:11:38.439 --> 00:11:41.740 Our basis for hope is not that society would solve our problems. 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:44.740 Our basis for hope is three things. 00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:50.179 God's great mercy, the resurrection, and our new birth. 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:52.819 First of all, God's great mercy. 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:56.899 Our hope is totally outside us. 00:11:57.299 --> 00:11:59.459 I love the description from verse 3. 00:11:59.939 --> 00:12:08.659 In his great mercy, in God's great mercy, he has given us new hope into a living hope. 00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:12.339 This hope that we have is totally outside of us. 00:12:12.779 --> 00:12:17.319 It's not just the natural optimism that I have that things are going to be fine, 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:23.400 but it's because there is a God who is in control, who is choosing to have mercy to us. 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:27.180 This God has shown his mercy. 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:31.420 And there is a wonderful future ahead for all people who follow Jesus 00:12:31.420 --> 00:12:33.500 because there is a God who is in control. 00:12:33.760 --> 00:12:36.800 There is somebody who is outside, who is all good. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:41.839 Much like an unwanted orphan who had no hope of being adopted, 00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:45.879 God shows his awesome kindness to us. 00:12:46.839 --> 00:12:49.120 And so the basis for our hope is not us. 00:12:49.439 --> 00:12:50.679 It is our God. 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:54.819 Secondly, our hope comes from the resurrection. 00:12:56.019 --> 00:12:58.379 Our hope for new life comes from Jesus' resurrection, 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:02.939 his physical and bodily resurrection as a historical event. 00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:07.220 Without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no hope for us. 00:13:07.640 --> 00:13:10.840 1 Corinthians 15, if you want to go read that later, 00:13:10.940 --> 00:13:13.580 it's a wonderful reminder that without the resurrection, 00:13:14.020 --> 00:13:17.460 we are all wasting our time right now here in church. 00:13:17.900 --> 00:13:24.060 It would be better to be in bed with a hot coffee and, I don't know, something on TV. 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:28.680 But because of the resurrection, because of the resurrection, 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.980 we can have hope, and so we're not wasting our time. 00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:35.039 And Peter describes this hope wonderfully. 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:39.220 It is not that we just have a vain hope. 00:13:39.560 --> 00:13:41.300 It's not even just confident expectation. 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:43.800 It is a living hope. 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:47.379 It's a living hope because Jesus is alive. 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:48.720 He was raised from the dead. 00:13:49.580 --> 00:13:51.220 He is living right now in heaven. 00:13:51.560 --> 00:13:55.600 And so our hope is in someone who is alive. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.080 And we wait to see him return. 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:01.840 Thirdly, our new birth. 00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:08.460 In the resurrection of Jesus, we see Jesus come back to life. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.200 And in his death on the cross, we die with him. 00:14:12.280 --> 00:14:15.940 And so when he is raised to life, we start a new life. 00:14:16.060 --> 00:14:21.259 When we have the Holy Spirit enter us and show us who Jesus is, 00:14:22.020 --> 00:14:25.060 we are born again, born into a new life. 00:14:25.059 --> 00:14:27.539 A new person comes into being. 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:31.799 And our hope is as sure as Jesus' resurrection. 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:37.759 Jesus didn't just make life after death possible, but he made it sure. 00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:43.919 And so the basis for our hope is summed up wonderfully in verse 3. 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:50.500 God, in his kindness, has shown mercy to us through the resurrection of Jesus. 00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:52.699 And we have new birth. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:56.139 And the hope we have is not vain or vague. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.339 It is alive. 00:14:57.659 --> 00:15:00.839 Because Jesus is the hope that is alive. 00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:04.979 And this hope can't die like other hopes in our culture. 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:06.939 This hope can't get depressed. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.839 We might be feeling depressed. 00:15:09.319 --> 00:15:10.480 We might be feeling low. 00:15:10.579 --> 00:15:12.500 We might be struggling and looking for work. 00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:14.519 We might be struggling to pay bills. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:17.899 The culture might be getting worse around us. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:22.539 But our hope for tomorrow is not based on those things. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:25.899 Because the hope for tomorrow is outside of us. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:27.240 It is objective. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.120 It is totally separate from us because it is the God who works. 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:35.039 It is God who in his mercy has shown us love. 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:37.460 Who has brought us to new life. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.820 Our future is not based on us. 00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:42.360 And I'm incredibly thankful for that. 00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:44.240 I would stuff it up. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.519 You would stuff it up. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:48.240 We would stuff it up as a society. 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:49.940 Our society can't get things right. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:53.419 You even look at the vaccine implementation and the COVID response. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.659 Some countries have had a really great response to COVID. 00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:01.720 Some countries have been able to lock down and minimize the spread of COVID. 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:06.420 Some countries have had a really great rollout of the vaccine. 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:10.580 Some countries have not had a great rollout of the vaccine. 00:16:10.580 --> 00:16:19.200 And so if our countries can't even get the rollout and response to a pandemic right, how are we supposed to place our hope in governments or society for tomorrow? 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:24.660 I'm really thankful that the hope for the future is not based in those. 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:27.419 And I'm thankful it's not based in myself. 00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:33.659 The basis of our hope in the future is God and his kind mercy to us. 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.860 No one else can be trusted. 00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:44.220 Now, can you give an answer to the hope that you have? 00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:50.160 If I was going to put you on the spot right now and say, why do you believe in God? 00:16:50.620 --> 00:16:52.040 You know, you've just walked out of church. 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:55.060 You're on Fuller's Road and someone comes up to you with a microphone. 00:16:55.560 --> 00:16:57.240 They keep 1.5 from you. 00:16:57.660 --> 00:16:59.580 And say, why have you been at church? 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.240 Why are you wasting your time there? 00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:05.000 Can you give an answer to the hope you have? 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:07.960 This is something Peter is really keen to do as he sends this letter. 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:14.120 In chapter 3, he wants people to be able to explain the hope they have, give a defense for the hope they have. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:17.740 And I think verse 3 is a wonderful summary of the gospel. 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:22.299 The hope I have is not based on me. 00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:24.579 It is based on God's mercy to me. 00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:27.120 And it's all because of the resurrection. 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:31.480 The resurrection is God showing that Jesus really was his son. 00:17:31.860 --> 00:17:35.579 It shows that he dealt with my sin and my death on the cross. 00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:40.839 And because he is alive, I have a promise that I will be alive and I have a new birth. 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:46.980 Verse 3, if you memorize that and somebody says, why do you go to church? 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:48.299 You can just bring out that. 00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:50.720 These three things in verse 3 of 1 Peter 1. 00:17:51.439 --> 00:17:53.059 There is a God who has had mercy. 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:55.279 I believe in the resurrection. 00:17:55.919 --> 00:17:58.519 And I believe I'm a new person now because of it. 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:02.819 It's a very simple gospel message you can share to know your faith. 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:06.399 So that is the basis for our hope. 00:18:07.139 --> 00:18:08.599 The basis for our hope is God. 00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:13.740 Not anything outside of us or a culture outside of us or within us. 00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:18.220 And Peter explains the hope that we can have for the future. 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:19.740 Have a look with me. 00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:21.480 The second half of verse 3 into verse 4. 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:46.000 To be born again, to have new life in Jesus because of the resurrection means that there's also an inheritance. 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:48.759 Something that we are waiting for. 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:56.599 It's like money or property that gets assigned to us in someone's will when we follow Jesus as Lord. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:59.400 When we have new birth, we get adopted into God's family. 00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:03.799 And also, we get an inheritance as being part of God's family. 00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.819 And this is a hope. 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:08.420 This is inheritance that won't spoil. 00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:09.599 It won't fade. 00:19:09.819 --> 00:19:10.819 It won't perish. 00:19:10.819 --> 00:19:14.099 My parents have just retired. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.819 My dad is also an Anglican minister. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:19.240 And they're moving out of their church house. 00:19:20.220 --> 00:19:21.299 And so they're downsizing. 00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:26.339 And it's been like getting an inheritance while my parents are still alive. 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:28.019 So that's kind of been fun. 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:29.519 But it's not the really big things. 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:30.899 It's not the house or the car. 00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:37.860 It's the things that aren't incredibly valuable but aren't worth throwing out. 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:41.580 So it's the hundreds of books my dad has on Christian ministry. 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:47.820 And so if you see my little red car, which is just out on the street, my boot is full of books at the moment. 00:19:48.300 --> 00:19:50.900 Because I haven't had time to sort through all of these books. 00:19:50.900 --> 00:19:54.960 And there's all these other things that, do you know what? 00:19:55.860 --> 00:19:58.360 This part of the inheritance has spoiled. 00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.680 They have perished. 00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:00.640 They have faded. 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:05.140 There's just so many things that are just being thrown out as my parents downsize. 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:10.580 There's so many of the books that dad gives me that were great 40 years ago. 00:20:10.860 --> 00:20:12.880 But there's better versions. 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:13.980 There's newer things now. 00:20:15.040 --> 00:20:18.840 But the inheritance that God has for us will not spoil. 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:21.359 It will not perish and it will not fail. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:25.299 To be born again is to have the best inheritance. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:27.459 Something Dan touched on before. 00:20:27.899 --> 00:20:31.939 There's a lot of things we can put our hope in that do perish, spoil, and fade. 00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:39.079 But our eternal hope with God in heaven, in relationship with him and in relationship together, in perfection, 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:41.779 that cannot fade or fail or perish. 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:48.379 Not only is this inheritance kept for us, but we are kept safe for it too. 00:20:48.380 --> 00:20:49.500 Verse 5. 00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:57.880 Who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:04.060 Not only do we have an inheritance that is kept safe, but we also are kept safe. 00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:11.940 Having a secure inheritance wouldn't be any good if we were let to perish or to fade. 00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:15.100 But God has put a shield around us. 00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:17.480 And I really love this language of a shield. 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:20.299 It's something that's taken straight out of the Psalms. 00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:25.500 And I can't but help imagine a Roman legion. 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:31.839 You know, I'm not sure if you've seen too many war movies, but I just get this picture of the Roman legion. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:33.559 They've all got these giant red shields. 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:36.900 And when there's an attack, they all lock the shields into each other. 00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:38.200 And they form like a turtle. 00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:41.059 And they put the shields above them so arrows can't get in. 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:43.079 And it's just an impenetrable force. 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:50.859 And I think I just see this picture of God shielding us by his power as a wonderful reminder that God is keeping us. 00:21:51.439 --> 00:21:52.359 You know, he's got the shield. 00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.740 He's grabbed us by the collar. 00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:55.339 And he is dragging us to him. 00:21:55.879 --> 00:21:58.220 Maybe that's just the picture of me as I follow him. 00:21:58.740 --> 00:22:04.859 But God is keeping us safe until we see the salvation we are waiting for revealed. 00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:14.019 I think it's another wonderful reminder, again, that our hope, our confident expectation for the future is not based upon us. 00:22:14.439 --> 00:22:15.859 It is based upon God. 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:20.979 It is only Jesus as our Savior who will take us to that finish line. 00:22:21.699 --> 00:22:24.299 And we are kept shielded by our faith. 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:27.659 Our faith is a gift that God gives to us. 00:22:28.679 --> 00:22:32.379 But our faith is something that we've also been speaking a lot about as a church. 00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:40.160 That our key objective as a church for the next five years is for us to be growing, trusting in God more and more each day. 00:22:40.260 --> 00:22:41.260 Growing our faith. 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:46.800 Placing our confident expectations of tomorrow safe into his hands. 00:22:48.040 --> 00:22:54.860 And what happens for us is that as I place my hopes for tomorrow, not in the things that fade, 00:22:56.020 --> 00:23:01.500 but as I place my hope for tomorrow into God's hands and I see how trustworthy he is, 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:06.359 my faith and my trust in him grows more and more each day. 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:13.059 One of the areas of hope that I've struggled in in recent times is how I view the future. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:18.460 I'm someone that loves to think about what is coming and to plan for it, 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:23.299 and I find it much harder to be a person who is in the moment thinking about the day. 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:29.299 And so when it comes to thinking about the future, a large part of that is the house that I live in. 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:35.359 And at the moment, it's impossible for me to buy a house in Chatswood. 00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:39.799 You know, you look at recent house prices and they just keep going up. 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:46.279 And I have a habit of looking at areas and looking where I could buy a house. 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:54.819 And what I end up doing is placing my hope for tomorrow in bricks and mortar instead of in Jesus. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:59.500 Thinking, you know what, if I had a house that I could live in, I would be secure. 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:00.700 I would be safe. 00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:02.019 I had a roof over my head. 00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:05.119 I'd be able to take care of my family and that would be good. 00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:07.079 And that is good. 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:08.180 Those things are good. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:10.279 It is good to plan for the future. 00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:13.440 But there's also an idolizing of it. 00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:19.740 And this is what I was doing, thinking that if I had a house, I would be secure for the future. 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:26.879 The basis for our hope is the new birth we have because of the resurrection of Jesus 00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:29.799 that we have seen because of God's good mercy to us. 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:32.000 This hope is kept secure. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:35.659 It is shielded by God and he keeps us shielded too. 00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:38.819 And so what does this mean for us now? 00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:42.700 Thirdly this morning, what is the impact of hope now for us? 00:24:43.419 --> 00:24:44.019 Verse 6. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.359 In all this, you greatly rejoiced. 00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:54.460 Though now for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 00:24:54.460 --> 00:25:00.079 The living hope that we have because of the resurrection brings joy to us now. 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.640 And that's our experience. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:07.180 Our experience is to have joy even in trials. 00:25:07.360 --> 00:25:10.440 And this church that Peter was writing to was facing a lot of trials. 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:16.660 But the hope we have points beyond the difficult days, beyond the trials. 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:20.480 Those trials and troubles will only last a little while. 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:23.100 It may be just a lifetime. 00:25:24.580 --> 00:25:26.940 But our hope extends much further. 00:25:27.800 --> 00:25:30.540 Our hope and faith is actually strengthened by trials. 00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:34.660 Peter describes it here like gold being refined in a fire. 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:40.779 Difficult days should not surprise us or cause us to doubt God's goodness. 00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:43.420 But they are sent to strengthen us. 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:49.620 Recently, I was speaking with someone who was struggling with doubts about God's goodness. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:53.980 Their family was going through a particularly difficult season. 00:25:54.600 --> 00:25:57.100 And this person wanted to know, where is God? 00:25:57.560 --> 00:25:58.840 I've been praying to him. 00:25:59.180 --> 00:26:00.560 I've asked him for my help. 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:05.320 Why hasn't he answered my prayer and taken away this season of suffering? 00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:10.840 And I encourage them that God has answered their prayer. 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:14.299 He may not have answered it in the way that they wanted, though. 00:26:14.959 --> 00:26:17.879 Because God does allow trials to come. 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:23.439 And they function like fire to perfect us, to make us like God. 00:26:24.459 --> 00:26:26.559 Making us reassess the things of this world. 00:26:26.679 --> 00:26:27.579 What am I hoping in? 00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:32.480 Am I hoping in things that will not last, like a house which can easily be knocked over? 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:38.420 Or am I putting my hope, my confident expectation in tomorrow in God? 00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:42.860 And then we will shine like gold to his praise. 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:49.660 Our lives will always have trials and joys, sorrow and good times. 00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:57.660 When we think everything is going okay, times of grief come in like an uninvited guest. 00:26:57.660 --> 00:27:01.140 And it makes joy far more complex. 00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:05.560 Because the days are both full of joy and of grief. 00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:12.500 To be a Christian full of hope does not mean that we pretend that we don't grieve. 00:27:13.360 --> 00:27:18.259 God does not offer us a perfect life this side of Jesus' return. 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:20.960 God promises difficult days. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:26.340 But it's important to remember that we don't just have happy days and we don't just have sad days. 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:33.059 If we think we are having a really happy day, then we haven't seen the news. 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:36.340 And we haven't seen what is going on in the world around us. 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:43.360 And if we think the day is terrible and it sucks, then we aren't living remembering how good God has been to us. 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:53.519 One of my children expresses themselves in, I was going to say a bipolar way, but that's not quite right. 00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:55.740 In words of either spectrum. 00:27:56.719 --> 00:28:01.619 For them, it's either the very best dinner or the worst dinner. 00:28:02.159 --> 00:28:03.139 There's not much in between. 00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:07.639 It's either a great day or it's the worst day of my life. 00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:13.060 I'm not tempted on the good days or the good meals to say, actually, it's not that good a day. 00:28:13.360 --> 00:28:14.640 It's actually not good a meal. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.740 It's not that good a meal. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:18.120 You know, the KFC you're eating is actually not good for you. 00:28:18.320 --> 00:28:19.480 Stop enjoying it so much. 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:22.880 On the good days, I'm not tempted to bring them down a peg. 00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:28.540 But on the bad days, on the worst day of my life, on the it's the worst meal I've ever had, 00:28:29.080 --> 00:28:32.060 there's always a good reason to be rejoicing. 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:34.580 There's always a reason to be rejoicing. 00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.780 First of all, you've got food. 00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:38.059 You know, you've got a roof up. 00:28:38.139 --> 00:28:38.759 You're warm. 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:40.180 You've got a God who loves you. 00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.480 You've got a family who loves you. 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:45.480 Every day is a day to grieve. 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:48.399 And every day is a day to be joyful. 00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:51.740 Because every day we have reasons for both. 00:28:52.399 --> 00:28:57.099 But when our hope is not fixed on what God has in store for us, 00:28:57.660 --> 00:29:00.319 we can lean to just grieve. 00:29:00.879 --> 00:29:03.940 Or we can base our joy on things that do not last. 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:13.860 The living hope we have in Jesus because of the resurrection enables us to put our hope in the future despite difficult days. 00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:18.079 There's an author, a secular author. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.959 His name is Mark Manchin. 00:29:20.379 --> 00:29:22.179 He wrote a book about hope. 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:26.039 It's called Everything is Bleep. 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:28.619 I won't tell you the title. 00:29:28.919 --> 00:29:29.319 It's inappropriate. 00:29:29.639 --> 00:29:31.339 But the author is deliberately provocative. 00:29:32.859 --> 00:29:35.419 And he writes about hope from a secular perspective. 00:29:35.420 --> 00:29:39.560 And he concludes writing about the perspective of nihilism. 00:29:39.800 --> 00:29:40.779 That nothing matters. 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:42.880 That the world is pointless. 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:44.880 And he writes to conclude his book. 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:52.160 That at the end of time, perhaps then, we will not only realize but fully embrace the uncomfortable truth. 00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:54.740 That we imagined our own importance. 00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.420 We invented our purpose. 00:29:56.600 --> 00:29:58.980 And we were and still are nothing. 00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:01.740 All along, we were nothing. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:08.480 And maybe then, only then, will the eternal cycle of hope and destruction come to an end. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:12.480 Or, and that's where he leaves the book. 00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:16.579 Because without God, this is the logical conclusion. 00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:18.660 There is no hope. 00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:20.039 There is no meaning. 00:30:20.420 --> 00:30:22.980 Everything we do is a waste of time. 00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:24.400 Society can't fix itself. 00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:27.500 I may as well stay at home and eat a bag of Doritos and pizza. 00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:34.319 But the basis for our hope is not from society. 00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:35.299 It is not from within. 00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:39.660 Our basis for hope is the God who has given us a purpose. 00:30:39.900 --> 00:30:41.160 Who values us. 00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:43.319 Who has shown that we are not just nothing. 00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:46.839 But we are loved, precious children of his. 00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:51.440 Made his children by the resurrection of Jesus. 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:55.740 And today, we can rejoice even when we are grieving. 00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:59.920 Because our God has mercy on us and he loves us. 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.120 Let me pray. 00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:05.160 Heavenly Father. 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:10.079 Lord, you are truly wonderful. 00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:17.859 Lord, we can be distracted by the things around us. 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:22.720 By the things that we think will give us joy and hope. 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:25.339 But Lord, they do not last. 00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:33.039 Lord, only you last and only you offer a true living hope that we can depend upon. 00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:35.759 Heavenly Father, would you help us? 00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:43.620 Would you help us to review the things that we trust in, that don't work, that don't last? 00:31:43.619 --> 00:31:51.179 Help us to put our trust and our hope, our confident expectation in tomorrow firmly in your hands. 00:31:51.959 --> 00:31:55.059 And Lord, would you help us to rejoice because of that? 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:57.319 We ask this in your son's name. 00:31:57.779 --> 00:31:58.099 Amen.