1 Peter, verse 3 to 12, it's page 1217 in the Red Bible.
1217 in the Red Bible.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
1317 in the Red Bible.
Though you have not seen him, you love him.
And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him
and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you
searched intently and with the greatest care,
trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ
in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ
and the glories that would follow.
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you
when they spoke of the things that have now been told you
by those who have preached the gospel
to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
even angels long to look into these things.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Avril.
There's pens and notes there if you'd like to take notes.
And also just to remind people that if you haven't yet looked at our church website,
carigolinebaptist.org, I encourage you to do that.
And there's some helpful articles.
And there you'll find the talks from the morning recorded.
And you can catch up and follow along or listen back even if you wish.
Well, let's ask God for his help as we look at his words together.
Let's pray.
Father, would you help us this morning to fix our eyes,
not in what is unseen.
For what is unseen is temporary.
Father, help us to look at the future and what is to come.
For we know that that is eternal.
Lord, help us to trust you.
And we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit
as we read and look at your word together,
that you would encourage us on in our life with you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sleepless nights.
Anxiety.
Weeks of hard study
is nothing compared to the delight
when a student passes his exams and graduates.
Backache.
Discomfort.
The cries of pain in the labour ward
is nothing compared to the joy
when a mum holds her newborn baby in her arms.
Battling through injury.
Training in isolation.
Endless workouts.
Is nothing compared to the glory
of standing on the podium
with a gold medal.
Each one is a journey
of agony to ecstasy.
It starts with suffering
but it ends in glory.
Now that is the pattern
also for the Christian life.
Suffering now
and glory later.
Have a look at chapter 1 verse 10.
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets,
that is the writers of the Old Testament,
who spoke of the grace
that was to come to you,
searched intently
and with the greatest care,
trying to find out
the time and circumstances
to which the Spirit of Christ
in them was pointing
when he,
that is the Spirit,
predicted the sufferings of Christ
and the glories
that would follow.
You see,
the message of the Old Testament
points to
the coming of Christ.
He is promised
and they're looking forward
to when Christ will come.
And through their message,
they predicted,
look at the end of verse 11,
they predicted
the sufferings of Christ
and the glories
that would follow.
And as Christ came,
he did suffer.
He suffered
as he was betrayed
and insulted
and beaten
and executed
on a cross.
But Jesus' glory
came
as he rose
from the grave,
defeated death
and ascended into heaven
to rule
over all things.
And the message
through this text here
is that
just as Jesus suffered,
so we will suffer.
Because Jesus
received glory,
we will receive glory.
You see,
Jesus sets the pattern
for the Christian life.
his journey
becomes
our journey.
Remember,
Peter is writing,
if you look back
at verse 1,
Peter,
an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to God's elect,
that is,
God's chosen people,
strangers
in the world,
scattered.
If we are followers
of Jesus Christ,
we are like
refugees,
we are living
in exile,
we are shut out,
pushed out,
misunderstood,
opposed,
persecuted.
Living life
in this world
as a Christian
will be hard.
And to make sure
we reach
our goal,
we need to keep
three things
in mind.
The first
is this.
Focus
on our
future glory.
Focus
on our
future glory.
As we
journey
through life,
we need
to keep
our eyes
fixed
on what
is to come.
Have a look
at verse 3.
Praise
be to the
God and
Father of
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
In
his great
mercy,
he has
given us
new birth.
Now,
just as
the physical
seed
from the
Father
is the
means for
starting
a new
life,
the birth
of a
child,
so God
by the
gospel,
the gospel,
the good
news about
Jesus,
is like a
seed in
our life
that brings
a new
beginning,
a fresh
start to
life with
Christ.
Have a look
at chapter
1,
verse 23.
Chapter
1,
verse 23.
For you
have been
born again.
This is how
the new
birth starts.
The new
life from
Christ begins
in this
way.
You've been
born again,
not of
perishable
seed,
so it
isn't
something
physical,
but of
imperishable
seed,
through the
living and
enduring
word of
God.
So as the
good news
of Jesus
comes into
our life,
the Holy
Spirit takes
that and
it's like a
seed dropping
into our
life that
explodes into
life.
And the
life that
God gives
to us is
a life that
will last
forever.
Go back
to verse
3.
Let's pick
it up in
verse 3.
In his
great mercy,
he has
given us
new birth
into a
living hope
through the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ from
the dead.
Just as
Christ died
and rose
again from
the dead,
defeating
death and
destroying
the grave,
so all
those who
trust in
Christ will
also one
day rise
from the
grave and
will be
with him
forever.
This new
birth,
this living
hope that
we have
received is
the beginning
of something
that is
never ever
going to
end.
so what
will this
glorious
inheritance
be like?
Well,
look at
verse 4.
We have
this new
birth into
a living
hope,
verse 4,
and into
an inheritance
that can
never perish,
spoil,
or fade.
Now you
think about
the world
and life
today.
Everything
perishes.
Everything
is spoiled
by sin.
Everything
fades
and breaks.
Now can
you imagine
some place
that will
never perish,
spoil,
or fade?
a world
untouched
by the
pain and
heartache
of death,
a world
unspoiled
by selfish,
evil actions
of people,
a world
that unfades
through the
course of
time and
seasons.
This is
our glorious
inheritance.
This is
what we are
to fix
our eyes
on as we
journey
through life.
Death
will be
no more.
There will
be no more
funerals,
there will
be no more
goodbyes,
and life
will rule
forever.
Evil
will be
banished,
there will
be no more
terror,
and no more
war,
and sin
will never
return.
Suffering
will be
removed,
no pain,
no hurts,
and all
sickness
will be
healed.
will be
healed.
But this
is more
than just
a glorious
inheritance,
some kind
of wishful
thinking.
This is
guaranteed
inheritance.
Look at
verse 4.
From this
new birth
into a
living hope,
an inheritance
that can
never perish,
spoil,
or fade,
kept in
heaven for
you.
This
inheritance,
marked by
purity,
and beauty,
and wonder,
and delight,
is being
kept for
us.
It's not
ours now,
it's not
ours to
experience
today,
it is yet
to come,
but it is
guaranteed
and assured.
just as a
child receives
his allotted
inheritance
when he
turns a
certain age,
so a
day will
come when
Christ returns
and we
will experience
our living
hope in
all its
fullness.
It is
being kept
for you,
like treasure
in a safe.
It is
yours.
But there
is something
even more
remarkable
than that.
Not only
is our
inheritance
kept for
us,
we are
kept for
our
inheritance.
Let's
read verse
four and
five again.
We enter
into an
inheritance
that can
never perish,
spoil,
or fade.
Here's the
double assurance
and guarantee.
First,
it's kept
in heaven
for you,
and second,
who through
faith are
shielded by
God's
power,
until the
coming of
salvation
that is
ready to
be revealed
in the
last time.
I don't
know if
you're like
me,
but sometimes
I wonder,
am I
ever going
to make
it?
Will I
receive that
promised
inheritance?
Because
sometimes I
just find the
Christian life
too hard,
it's too
difficult.
The
pressures,
the
struggles,
it's too
much,
and I
want to
give up.
Sometimes
I look at
my own
life,
and I
see the
sin,
and the
mess of
my own
heart,
and the
times that
I fail,
and I
wonder,
can God
possibly
take me?
Amazingly,
incredibly,
look at
verse 5,
we are
shielded
by God's
power
until the
coming of
the salvation
that is
ready to
be revealed.
Shielded
by God's
power.
The picture
is of this
guard in
all his
armour,
standing
over a
city,
keeping all
danger at
bay,
and protecting
the people
inside.
And this
is what
God is
doing for
his
people.
By faith
in the
power of
God,
we are
being
kept.
Our
faith
is being
protected
for our
eternal
inheritance.
In fact,
it's even
stronger than
that.
It's not
just we
are kept.
The implication
of verse
5 is,
is that
our very
faith in
Christ is
shielded by
God's
power.
So that
means no
matter how
difficult the
Christian life
is,
no matter
what struggles
I face,
even when I
fail and
fall,
even when I
give in to
temptation and
give in to
sin,
God by
his power
will sustain
the faith that
he has given
me so that
I will keep
faith in
God.
He will
keep me
and he
will keep
you.
The God
who chose
you,
the God
who loved
you from
before the
creation of
the world
is going
to keep
you.
He will
not let
you go.
He will
bring you
from this
world to
your glorious
inheritance.
So first,
focus on
our future
glory.
Second,
prepare for
our present
sufferings.
We have
a glorious
future,
but the
journey from
here to
there is
going to be
a tough
one and
a hard
one.
And I
want us to
hear this
this morning.
It's
going to
be
hard.
There
will be
suffering
through
trials.
Look at
verse 6.
In this,
speaking of
the inheritance
to come,
in this you
greatly rejoice,
though now,
today,
for a little
while,
you may have
had to
suffer grief
in all
kinds
of trials.
trials.
If you
are a
Christian,
if you're
a follower
of Jesus,
we will
face all
kinds of
trials.
And I
think there
are two
particular
trials we
will face.
First,
there are
the trials
from this
world,
the world
that is
opposed to
us.
Have a look
at chapter
3,
verse 13.
So,
speaking to
Christians
living in
the world,
chapter 3,
verse 13.
Who is
going to
harm you
if you're
eager to
do good?
But even
if you
should suffer
for what
is right,
you are
blessed.
Verse 16.
Keeping a
clear conscience
so that
those who
speak maliciously
against your
good behaviour
in Christ
may be
ashamed of
their slander.
It is
better,
if it is
God's
will,
to suffer
for doing
good than
for doing
evil.
Or
chapter 4,
verse 12.
Dear
friends,
do not
be surprised
at the
painful
trial you
are suffering
as though
something
strange
were happening
to you.
Verse 19.
So then
those who
suffer
according to
God's will
should commit
themselves to
their faithful
creator and
continue to
do good.
Do we get
the picture?
This is
normal
Christian
experience.
As we
live as
God's
people in
this world,
we will face
opposition,
people will
speak against
you,
there will
be all
kinds of
things,
malicious
talk against
you,
there will
be injustices
against you,
people across
the world will
even lose
their faith,
or lose their
life because
they follow
Christ.
Listen to
this quote
from Open
Doors,
an organization
seeking to
help Christians
who are
suffering.
This is what
they say,
the persecution
of Christians
has increased
across every
region in
which Open
Doors works
by 50%
since 2013.
From
imprisonment
to torture
to beheadings,
100 million
Christians
worldwide live
in fear of
their lives
more than
at any other
time in the
modern era.
There will be
suffering.
Now we
might live
in a part
of the
world where
we don't
fear our
lives being
taken,
but what
of the
future?
What kind
of world
are our
children going
to be living
in?
If God
should call
you to
serve him
overseas in
another
country,
you may
lose your
life because
you follow
Christ.
But as we
live our
lives here
today,
we will
face
discrimination
and isolation.
You will
feel left
out.
You will
be misunderstood.
There are
trials in
this world
and it
will be
tough.
The second
trials we
face,
have a look
at chapter
five,
are the
trials not
just from
the world
but from
the devil.
he stands
against us.
Look at
chapter five
verse eight.
Be self-controlled
and alert.
Your enemy,
the devil,
prowls around
like a roaring
lion looking
for someone
to devour.
Resist him,
standing firm
in the faith
because you
know that your
brothers and
sisters throughout
the world are
undergoing the
same kind of
sufferings.
he's not a
pussycat.
He is a
roaring lion
who stands
in fierce
opposition to
believers,
ready to
attack,
mocking,
accusing,
tempting,
laughing when
you fail,
telling you to
give up and
that it's not
worth it.
so let me
warn you,
if you are
a believer
today,
if you are
engaging in
Christian witness,
if you teach
in Sunday
school,
if you're
helping out
in the rock
or in polo,
you will
suffer.
If you
seek to
stand for
Christ in
your workplace
or in your
family or
amongst your
friends,
you will
suffer.
But while
we suffer,
let's
remember
that God
is using
it for
our good.
We suffer
through trials,
but we are
also saved
through trials.
Look at
chapter 1,
verse 7.
Chapter 1,
verse 7.
These have
come,
these trials
have come,
so that
your faith
of greater
worth than
gold,
which perishes
even though
refined by
fire,
may be
proved
genuine
and may
result in
praise,
glory,
and honour
when Jesus
Christ is
revealed.
The trials
that we
face from
the world
and from
the devil
are not
just accidents,
are not
just coincidences
that happen
in our life,
they are
used and
controlled by
God to
prove to
us and
to others
that our
faith is
real and
genuine.
We're given
an example
to help us
think this
through.
The example
of gold
is gold
in a
furnace.
It must
first be
put in
the furnace.
The raging
temperatures of
the furnace
burn off
everything that
is worthless
and impure
and what's
left is
pure,
genuine
gold.
Now here's
the point
of verse
7.
At the
end of
time when
Christ comes
again,
even pure
gold,
look at what
it says in
verse 7,
will perish
even though
refined by
fire.
It's not
going to
last.
But not
our faith
in Christ.
Our faith
in Christ
will last.
Because our
faith,
look what it
says,
is of
greater value
and is
more precious
than gold.
So when
our faith,
when our
life goes
through the
fiery trials
of life,
when we
come under
the testing
of the
world and
the attacks
of Satan,
when we
face hostility
from people
at work,
when you
struggle under
the weight
of temptation,
our faith
in Christ,
end of
verse 7,
may be
proved
genuine
and will
result in
praise,
glory and
honour when
Jesus Christ
comes again.
I remember
as a child
getting stuck,
wedged between
a wall,
a concrete
wall and
a trailer
and I
sensed the
danger
and I was
in absolute
panic and
in that panic
all I could
do was just
cry out,
roar out for
help and I
shouted out
Dad!
the trial
caused me
to shout
out to
my father.
The trial
proved to
me who
I trusted
and who
could help.
You see,
the trials
that we
face in
life sometimes
crush us,
but they
are used
by God
and allowed
by God
to cause
us,
his children,
to call
out to
him,
to run
to him
in faith.
It proves
that our
faith in
Christ is
genuine.
The trials
will not
kill our
faith.
They will
prove that
we are
followers of
him.
So second,
prepare for
our present
sufferings.
glory.
And third,
journey with
joy in
our hearts.
The journey
to glory
is going to
involve
suffering.
But because
we know
what is going
to happen,
because we
know glory
is to
come,
we can
rejoice
today.
We can
rejoice
today.
Look at
verse 6.
in this
you
greatly
rejoice.
We don't
rejoice in
the suffering
itself.
We're not
jumping up
and down
at the
trials that
come our
way.
Suffering
is hard
and difficult
and it
brings pain
and struggles
into our
lives.
but what
we are
to do
is to
rejoice
in the
security
of our
salvation.
In this
you greatly
rejoice.
In the
salvation
that God
has prepared
for you.
Our
inheritance
is kept
for us
and we
are kept
for our
inheritance.
That means
whatever we
face today,
nothing will
be able to
rob us of
what is to
come.
No trial,
no suffering
will take
from us
what God
has given
to us.
In fact,
as we've
just seen,
God uses
it all to
bring us
to glory.
So in
the midst
of your
suffering
and in
the midst
of your
trial,
rejoice.
Rejoice
today.
Joy
is to
be our
present
experience.
Look at
verse 6
again.
In this
you greatly
rejoice,
though now
for a
little
while
you've
had to
suffer
grief
in all
kinds
of
trials.
For a
little
while.
The
world
in which
we live
in,
the
struggles
that we
face
today
are
temporary.
It'll
be like
a blip
on the
line of
eternity.
One
day these
trials
are all
going to
end.
one
day our
journey
from here
to glory
will be
over and
we will
reach our
glorious
destination.
So rejoice
in what
is to
come.
Have your
hearts filled
with joy
today.
But our
joy is not
just in what
is to
come.
Our
joy is
to be
rooted
in
Christ.
Our
joy is
to be
rooted
in
Christ.
Look at
verse 8.
Though you
have not
seen him,
though you
have not
seen
Christ,
you love
him.
And even
though you do
not see him
now,
you believe
in him and
are filled
with an
inexpressible
and glorious
joy, for
you are
receiving the
goal of your
faith, the
salvation of
your souls.
Jesus.
You see, we
may never
have seen
Christ like
Peter did.
Peter was an
eyewitness.
He saw
Jesus.
He touched
Jesus.
He ate
with him.
He drank
with him.
He talked
with him.
We have
the eyewitness
account, the
testimony of
Jesus.
We have the
work of the
Holy Spirit
in our life
to convince
us that this
is true.
And so we
love Jesus
and we
trust in
him today.
And we
love him and
we trust him
because it
is Christ
who has
given us new
birth into a
living hope.
It is Christ
who has died
on the cross
for us,
suffering the
judgment of
God for us.
It is Christ
who rose from
the grave,
securing our
life with
him.
It is Christ
who is guarding
our inheritance.
It is Christ
who is keeping
and sustaining
our faith so
that we will
reach glory.
It is Christ
who is using
every trial
and suffering
for our
good.
It is Christ
who is our
salvation.
It is Christ
who is the
foundation of
our joy.
And so we
are filled
with an
inexpressible
and glorious
joy for we
are receiving
the goal of
our salvation.
Trials will
come in our
life.
Christ is
but Christ
is our
foundation.
Christ is
sufficient
as we
journey from
here to
there.
You may
lose your
friends because
you are a
Christian
but you will
not lose
Christ.
He is
enough.
You may be
misunderstood and
isolated at work
but Christ
does not
misunderstand your
pain and
Christ is
enough.
You may
suffer injustice
and abuse at
the hands of
evil people
but Christ
took the
greatest suffering
for you on
the cross
so Christ
is enough.
You may live
with ongoing
pain or develop
cancer but
Christ will be
with you.
He is
enough.
You may
have to bury
your spouse
or a loved
one but
Christ defeated
the grave
and Christ
is enough.
You may be
persecuted.
You may be
killed because
of your faith
but Christ
is enough.
Where is our
hope today?
What do you
turn to when
struggles and
difficulties come?
Where do you
run when
life is tough?
Where you
feel crushed
and shattered
because of the
journey we are
on?
Look at
verse 8.
Though we
have not seen
him, we
love him.
Though we
do not see
him now,
we believe
in him
and we
are filled
with an
inexpressible
and glorious
joy.
For we
are receiving
the goal
of our
faith,
the salvation
of our
souls.
Christ
is the
foundation of
your joy.
Love him,
believe him
and rejoice
in him.
Let's pray.
our
father God,
you have
brought us
face to
face
with the
realities
of life
itself
today.
The
hardships,
the
struggles,
the
sufferings
that will
come
and that
we are
going through
today.
And yet
you have
overcome
and you
have provided
a way
that we
would not
only share
in your
sufferings,
but we
will also
share
in your
glory.
Father,
would you
please help
us to keep
our eyes
fixed firmly
on what is
to come?
Would you
fill us with
the power of
your Holy
Spirit that
we may
stand strong
in trials,
in the
knowledge that
you will
keep our
faith and
you will
use those
trials to
bring us
to glory?
And will
you keep
us loving
Christ,
trusting
Christ,
fill our
hearts today
with that
inexpressible
and glorious
joy that
even in the
midst of tears
and heartache.
We can
rejoice in
Christ for
what is to
come and
what we
have.
We praise
you and we
thank you.
In Jesus'
name,
Amen.
We're going
to sing
the invitation,
come people
of the risen
king.
We do
not serve
a dead
saviour,
we serve
a risen
saviour.
Just look
at this,
the second
verse.
Come those
whose joy
is morning
sun,
and those
weeping
through the
night.
Come those
who tell
of battles
won,
and those
who are
struggling
in the
fight,
for his
perfect
love will
never
change,
his
mercies
never
cease,
but they
follow us
through all
our days
with the
certain
hope of
peace.
Rejoice,
rejoice,
let every
tongue
rejoice.
Let's stand
together and
give our
praise to
our great
God.
Amen.