WEBVTT

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 We find our text today in verses 6 through 9.

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 I think it might be helpful if we start back in verse 3.

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 Remember, we're breaking a section apart into bite-sized chunks,

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 like the mini-sized candy bars most of our kids got.

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 If they went trick-or-treating this week, they got the little tiny ones.

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 Okay, there's a king-sized Hershey bar that's running from verses 3 to 12.

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 We're breaking that down into mini-sized portions.

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 We did 3 to 5 last week.

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 We'll do 6 to 9 today.

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 So let's start at verse 3.

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 We're going to take 6 to 9 as our primary text, okay?

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 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope

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 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

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 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,

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 kept in heaven for you,

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 who by God's power are being guarded through faith

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 for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

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 In this you rejoice,

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 though now for a little while, if necessary,

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 you've been grieved by various trials,

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 so that the tested genuineness of your faith,

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 more precious than gold that perishes,

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 though it is tested by fire,

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 may be found to result in praise and glory and honor

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 at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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 though you have not seen him,

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 you love him.

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 Though you do not now see him,

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 you believe in him

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 and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible

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 and filled with glory,

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 obtaining the outcome of your faith,

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 the salvation of your souls.

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 Amen.

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 It's estimated now that there are about 8.2 billion people

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 who now inhabit the earth.

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 That is an enormous amount of people.

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 A number that I'm not sure that we can really fully comprehend

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 and begin to grasp even.

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 It's a lot of people.

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 And of course, that 8.2 billion people

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 is represented by an enormous number of characteristics

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 and defining characteristics and cultures

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 that vary significantly from one to the next.

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 And yet there are some things that we can look at the world

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 and we can look at every other human being in the world

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 and say despite all the many differences that we do have,

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 there are a few things that all of us have in common.

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 And one of those things

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 is that we're all trying to be

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 and want to be happy.

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 We want to be happy.

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 If you don't want to be happy,

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 you're weird.

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 In the United States,

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 this is even written into one of our most important documents, isn't it?

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 We hold these truths to be self-evident

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 that all men are created equal,

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 that they are endowed by their creator

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 with certain unalienable rights,

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 that among these unalienable rights

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 are life, liberty,

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 and the pursuit of happiness.

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 Even our founding forefathers recognized

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 that there is a consistency in the human condition.

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 It's a consistent longing

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 and what they framed as a longing

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 and a pursuit of happiness,

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 they believed that in the establishment

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 of even our nation,

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 they wanted to provide a culture

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 and a situation

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 where people could be free

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 to pursue what would make them happy.

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 And as citizens of this great nation,

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 we are grateful for that,

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 that we do live in a place

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 that we can pursue that kind of life.

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 But everyone's pursuit of happiness

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 looks different.

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 Because what makes a person happy

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 or what produces happy feelings,

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 it all depends on the individual, doesn't it?

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 And then it can get really complex, right?

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 Because what makes one person happy

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 can be the very thing

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 that makes the next person sad.

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 If you're a baseball fan,

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 perhaps you stayed up last night

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 to watch game seven of the World Series.

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 I wish both teams could have lost.

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 I know Andy was pulling for the Blue Jays last night

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 and it was looking pretty good for them

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 until the ninth inning

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 and then he would have been really happy

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 had the Blue Jays won,

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 but the Dodgers come in

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 and the Dodgers win the World Series.

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 Their happiness is his sadness, right?

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 It's the weird thing about happiness.

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 There's other things about happiness

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 we could say.

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 Happiness is circumstantial.

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 It lives and it dies

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 on individual circumstances and situations.

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 And it's fleeting.

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 What we want in life

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 always seems to be just out of reach.

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 And then the things that we actually have,

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 we tend to have this sense of insecurity about them

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 that at any moment,

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 it can all just kind of unravel.

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 That if the thing that makes us happy is money,

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 there's a fear that comes along with that

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 once we get the money.

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 That, you know,

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 if the market turns

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 or something tragic happens in my life,

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 I'm going to lose this thing that makes me happy.

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 Or if the thing that really makes you most happy

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 is certain relationships,

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 there's this fear that, you know,

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 if I don't do this and I don't say this

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 and I don't follow this kind of path

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 then I'm going to lose this relationship

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 that makes me so happy.

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 Or career, whatever.

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 We fill in the blank.

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 It's fleeting.

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 It's here one moment

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 and it's gone the next very often.

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 So the pursuit of happiness,

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 it tends to go on and on.

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 Achieved by God's grace in part,

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 but never really ultimately satisfying.

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 Now how's that for the start of a sermon?

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 Y'all want to be happy

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 and none of you are going to be.

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 Well, there's something important

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 that we need to understand

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 about the pursuit of happiness.

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 And that is that happiness

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 is not actually the fundamental desire of your heart.

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 It is the outworking of a greater desire.

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 And I think by way of definition,

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 we can help ourselves here.

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 We all certainly want to feel happy,

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 but what our hearts really,

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 truly crave is something that the Bible calls joy.

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 Now there's synonyms to be sure,

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 but they're different.

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 They're distinct from one another.

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 Happiness is based on circumstances.

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 Your team either wins or your team loses.

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 You either get the job or you don't.

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 Joy, however, is something different than that.

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 It persists even in the most devastating of situations.

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 In tremendous grief,

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 you cannot be happy,

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 but you can have joy.

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 And that's really the longing of our hearts, isn't it?

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 We want something that can transcend brokenness.

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 Something that can transcend sadness.

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 Something that's stable and secure

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 that will carry us through the dark moments of life

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 that we know are inevitable.

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 And through his word,

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 God affirms again and again

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 that you can actually possess a joy

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 that is overflowing and abundant

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 even when you cannot possibly feel happy

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 about your life and its circumstances.

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 It's something you can possess today

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 and it's a source that is so stable and secure

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 it can never actually be destroyed.

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 And it is this present joy

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 that Peter calls us to remember

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 and praise God for

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 in verses 6 through 9.

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 Remember, these verses,

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 they come to us right in the middle

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 of a larger call to worship

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 that spans verses 3 to 12.

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 And everything Peter writes here in 6 to 9,

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 everything that he writes about Christian joy

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 is meant to direct our hearts and praise to God.

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 That's its function.

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 So we see the heading is actually in verse 3.

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 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And when we get down here to these statements of joy,

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 we realize that it's fitting underneath this umbrella.

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 So everything Peter's saying about joy,

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 he means for us to then acknowledge

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 and then turn it back to praise to God.

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 He sees God as the source of it all.

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 He sees God as the reason for it all.

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 And he's directing us to praise him

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 on account of this.

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 So the function then of 6 to 9

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 is a call to praise God

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 for all the ways that he is working in us

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 to produce and display this present joy.

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 And I want to point out three facts

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 about our present joy

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 that Peter says should be at the heart

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 of our sincere worship.

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 Here's the first one.

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 Our present joy is focused

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 on our future inheritance.

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 Our present joy is focused

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 on our future inheritance.

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 We get this from the very first phrase of verse 6.

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 In this you rejoice.

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 In what?

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 In everything that he just said

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 in verses 3 to 5.

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 He's building an argument.

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 In this you rejoice.

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 Joy is a disposition of the heart.

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 It's given to us as a gracious gift from God.

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 God, to rejoice, the verb form,

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 means to give voice to the joy

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 that God has put there.

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 To express it.

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 And you'll notice in Peter's language

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 that's what he's actually saying

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 that these people are doing.

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 He's saying in this you rejoice.

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 There is something God has put in them

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 and they are expressing it

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 because they've realized the goodness of God in it.

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 Now, interestingly,

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 there are no explicit imperatives

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 or commands here.

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 He doesn't say,

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 in this you must rejoice.

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 That's not the words that he could have said that.

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 Certainly that would have been

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 a fine command to give.

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 But there's no imperative here.

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 He's not writing an imperative.

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 What is he doing?

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 Well, he's not instructing

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 these Christians to rejoice.

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 He's assuming that they already are.

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 It's present tense.

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 In this, we might say,

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 you are rejoicing.

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 In this, you are giving voice

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 to the joy that God has put in your heart.

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 That's not because he thought

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 the Christians in Asia

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 were more mature than other Christians

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 in other places.

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 No, he makes this assumption

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 because he understands

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 joy to be a gift from God.

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 a gift that is implanted

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 into the heart

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 of every believer

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 at the new birth.

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 Peter knows that.

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 He's experienced that.

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 He's seen it now

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 for three decades of his life

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 as he's watched the Lord

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 come in and bring life

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 to dead sinners.

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 And he's watched that joy

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 be expressed again and again

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 and again.

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 He knows this is true.

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 He's at least aware

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 that the Christians

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 were engaged in expressing

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 that joy

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 even in tremendous hardship.

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 But I think he might be

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 also assuming that they are

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 not because they're better

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 than anyone else

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 but just because

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 they're Christians.

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 And he understands

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 that to say you're a Christian

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 and not to actually possess

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 this joy

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 is not really

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 to be a Christian.

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 Those would be

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 in contradiction

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 in Peter's mind.

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 Now notice what he says

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 that Christians' joy

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 is focused on.

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 Christians express

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 a present joy

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 that's rooted

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 in their hope

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 of their future salvation.

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 That's where it builds.

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 In this?

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 In what?

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 In verses 3 to 5.

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 That inheritance

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 is what Peter covered there.

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 God has given us

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 the right

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 to this inheritance

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 by causing us

00:13:02.979 --> 00:13:04.079
 to be born again

00:13:04.079 --> 00:13:05.039
 through faith

00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.019
 in Christ's resurrection.

00:13:06.179 --> 00:13:06.979
 That's verse 3.

00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:09.759
 Our inheritance

00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.139
 is unlike anything

00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:12.659
 that we can comprehend now.

00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:14.099
 It is imperishable.

00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:15.599
 It is undefiled.

00:13:15.959 --> 00:13:17.019
 It's unfading

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:18.659
 being kept in heaven for us.

00:13:18.719 --> 00:13:19.659
 That's verse 4.

00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:23.039
 And God is keeping

00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:24.579
 that inheritance secure

00:13:24.579 --> 00:13:26.799
 as he is keeping us

00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.679
 secure by faith

00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:29.899
 until Jesus returns

00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:30.779
 to take us home

00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:31.819
 at which time

00:13:31.819 --> 00:13:32.620
 we will receive

00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:34.419
 that inheritance in full.

00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:35.919
 That's verse 5.

00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:37.759
 So in what

00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:38.979
 do Christians rejoice?

00:13:39.439 --> 00:13:40.339
 In this

00:13:40.339 --> 00:13:41.559
 they rejoice.

00:13:41.959 --> 00:13:43.139
 In their future

00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:44.359
 hope

00:13:44.359 --> 00:13:46.039
 they rejoice.

00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:47.659
 And that is

00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:48.959
 a transcendent joy.

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.979
 It can't be taken away.

00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:52.939
 And it is very real

00:13:52.939 --> 00:13:53.659
 no matter what

00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:54.479
 the circumstances

00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:56.120
 of our life may be.

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:58.279
 Tim Keller

00:13:58.279 --> 00:13:59.720
 is really helpful here.

00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:02.200
 He said

00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.659
 the opposite of joy

00:14:03.659 --> 00:14:05.960
 is not sadness.

00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.060
 The opposite of joy

00:14:10.060 --> 00:14:12.700
 is hopelessness.

00:14:15.500 --> 00:14:17.039
 Isn't that what Peter is saying?

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:20.860
 The presence of their joy

00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:23.319
 flows directly out of

00:14:23.319 --> 00:14:24.199
 the presence

00:14:24.199 --> 00:14:26.059
 of their hope.

00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:29.500
 You can take the Christian

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:30.179
 and put them

00:14:30.179 --> 00:14:31.860
 in devastating circumstances

00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:32.360
 now

00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:34.120
 and joy will persist.

00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:35.000
 Why?

00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:36.759
 Because the opposite of joy

00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:38.419
 is not sadness and grief.

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.759
 The opposite of joy

00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:40.679
 is hopelessness.

00:14:41.079 --> 00:14:41.759
 And the hope

00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:42.559
 of the gospel

00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:43.439
 is stronger

00:14:43.439 --> 00:14:44.339
 than anything else

00:14:44.339 --> 00:14:45.719
 that you will ever experience.

00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:49.600
 you can be joyful

00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:50.660
 even when you're sad.

00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:52.060
 Christians ought to be

00:14:52.060 --> 00:14:52.740
 experts

00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:54.019
 in joy

00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:55.840
 because of what

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.779
 we have in Christ.

00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:58.860
 No matter how

00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:00.240
 grievous life gets

00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:01.420
 in this

00:15:01.420 --> 00:15:02.500
 we rejoice

00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.300
 that Jesus

00:15:03.300 --> 00:15:04.759
 has paid for our sin

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.860
 that he has risen

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.700
 from the dead

00:15:06.700 --> 00:15:07.840
 that he ascended

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:09.519
 and sits on the heavenly throne

00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:11.000
 that he will return

00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:12.200
 to bring us home.

00:15:12.540 --> 00:15:13.019
 In this

00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:13.680
 we rejoice.

00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:15.139
 In this

00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:15.799
 we rejoice

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:16.859
 that God is keeping

00:15:16.859 --> 00:15:18.019
 our future inheritance

00:15:18.019 --> 00:15:19.079
 in heaven

00:15:19.079 --> 00:15:20.439
 as he is sustaining

00:15:20.439 --> 00:15:21.319
 our faith

00:15:21.319 --> 00:15:22.259
 on earth.

00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:23.099
 In this

00:15:23.099 --> 00:15:24.139
 we rejoice.

00:15:25.479 --> 00:15:26.599
 No circumstance

00:15:26.599 --> 00:15:27.099
 in life

00:15:27.099 --> 00:15:28.000
 can take that away.

00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.419
 If you are in Christ

00:15:29.419 --> 00:15:29.859
 today

00:15:29.859 --> 00:15:30.819
 nothing

00:15:30.819 --> 00:15:32.139
 can remove

00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:32.839
 that hope.

00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:34.639
 It is secure.

00:15:35.459 --> 00:15:35.799
 Therefore

00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:37.779
 we praise God

00:15:37.779 --> 00:15:39.719
 for our present joy

00:15:39.719 --> 00:15:41.599
 that is focused

00:15:41.599 --> 00:15:42.659
 on this future hope.

00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:43.799
 That is the first thing.

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.079
 The second thing

00:15:45.079 --> 00:15:47.679
 our present joy

00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:48.879
 endures

00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:51.759
 in present grief.

00:15:52.839 --> 00:15:54.539
 Our present joy

00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:56.100
 endures

00:15:56.100 --> 00:15:57.740
 in present

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.939
 grief.

00:15:59.059 --> 00:15:59.819
 And we get this

00:15:59.819 --> 00:16:00.419
 of course

00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:01.779
 in verses 6 and 7.

00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:03.980
 In this you rejoice

00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:06.560
 though now

00:16:06.560 --> 00:16:07.600
 for a little while

00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.039
 if necessary

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.120
 you have been

00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:10.759
 grieved

00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:12.940
 by various trials

00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:15.659
 so that the

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:16.700
 tested genuineness

00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:17.340
 of your faith

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:18.420
 more precious

00:16:18.420 --> 00:16:19.159
 than gold

00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:19.920
 that perishes

00:16:19.920 --> 00:16:20.860
 though it is

00:16:20.860 --> 00:16:22.300
 tested by fire

00:16:22.300 --> 00:16:23.639
 may prove

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.259
 to be

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.840
 and result

00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:26.340
 in

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:27.480
 praise

00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:28.320
 and glory

00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:29.680
 and honor

00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:30.500
 at the revelation

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:31.460
 of Jesus Christ.

00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:35.220
 Peter affirms

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:35.540
 here

00:16:35.540 --> 00:16:37.060
 present joy

00:16:37.060 --> 00:16:37.620
 does not

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.220
 exclude

00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:39.920
 present grief.

00:16:41.300 --> 00:16:42.019
 We need

00:16:42.019 --> 00:16:42.500
 to get that

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:42.920
 right

00:16:42.920 --> 00:16:44.740
 lest

00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:46.660
 a sinful

00:16:46.660 --> 00:16:47.840
 prosperity gospel

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.620
 take hold

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:50.259
 that tells us

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:50.800
 that as long

00:16:50.800 --> 00:16:51.180
 as you do

00:16:51.180 --> 00:16:51.800
 all the things

00:16:51.800 --> 00:16:52.600
 the right way

00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:53.720
 the Lord

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.259
 will give you

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:54.900
 happiness

00:16:54.900 --> 00:16:56.740
 and nothing

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.460
 but blessing.

00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:59.139
 That is not

00:16:59.139 --> 00:16:59.580
 the gospel

00:16:59.580 --> 00:17:00.120
 of the Bible.

00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:02.740
 Peter reminds

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.279
 us of that.

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:04.599
 I don't even

00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:05.180
 think Peter

00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:06.000
 means to speak

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:06.440
 here of

00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:07.619
 occasional moments

00:17:07.619 --> 00:17:08.099
 of grief

00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.460
 or a particular

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:10.579
 season of grief.

00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:12.559
 We understand

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.480
 that the intensity

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.160
 of our grief

00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.799
 it ebbs and flows

00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:16.240
 doesn't it?

00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:16.680
 We have

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.460
 some times

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:17.920
 that are more

00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.980
 significantly grievous

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:19.740
 than others

00:17:19.740 --> 00:17:21.039
 but I think

00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:21.819
 Peter's intent

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:22.539
 here is to

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:23.200
 characterize

00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.019
 all of life

00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:25.759
 in exile

00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:26.980
 as a time

00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:27.720
 of ongoing

00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.759
 grief and trial.

00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:31.319
 though now

00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:32.039
 for a little

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.140
 while he says

00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:34.519
 that's being

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.619
 set in contrast

00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:37.019
 to the future

00:17:37.019 --> 00:17:38.000
 eternal hope

00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.740
 that we have.

00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.779
 So he's not

00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:40.379
 saying that you

00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:41.579
 may have a couple

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:42.039
 of weeks where

00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:42.579
 things are just

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:43.299
 rough at work.

00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:43.839
 That's not what

00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:44.240
 he's saying.

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.019
 He's saying no

00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:46.140
 while you are here

00:17:46.140 --> 00:17:46.559
 in exile

00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:46.980
 it's going to be

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:47.400
 bad.

00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.099
 It's going to be

00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:49.579
 rough and there's

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:50.319
 going to be seasons

00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.039
 of grief through

00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:51.759
 various trials

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.259
 and you already

00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:53.039
 know that he says

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:53.500
 to the people

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.039
 that he's writing

00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:54.299
 to.

00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:55.339
 He's talking

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:55.960
 about our time

00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:56.559
 of exile.

00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.420
 And the point

00:17:58.420 --> 00:17:58.880
 is that no

00:17:58.880 --> 00:17:59.420
 matter how

00:17:59.420 --> 00:18:00.000
 intense our

00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.079
 grief greater

00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:01.960
 still is our

00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:03.620
 joy in Christ.

00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:06.059
 The point

00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:07.380
 is that what

00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:08.480
 is coming

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:10.880
 is far

00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:12.380
 greater than

00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:13.160
 what is.

00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:16.559
 And it's in

00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.259
 this we

00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:18.860
 rejoice.

00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:20.960
 Paul says it

00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:21.440
 this way in

00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:21.960
 Romans 8

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:23.000
 for I consider

00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:23.440
 that the

00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:24.100
 sufferings of

00:18:24.100 --> 00:18:24.680
 this present

00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:25.840
 time are not

00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.659
 worth comparing

00:18:26.659 --> 00:18:27.899
 with the

00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:29.379
 glory that

00:18:29.379 --> 00:18:29.859
 is to be

00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:30.519
 revealed to

00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:30.980
 us.

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.839
 The glory that

00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.679
 Peter says in

00:18:34.679 --> 00:18:35.799
 verse 4 he

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.359
 can't really

00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:37.519
 tell you exactly

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.039
 what it is.

00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:38.419
 He can only

00:18:38.419 --> 00:18:38.879
 tell you what

00:18:38.879 --> 00:18:39.919
 it isn't.

00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:40.539
 And that is

00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:41.879
 it's imperishable

00:18:41.879 --> 00:18:42.220
 and it's

00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:43.000
 unfading and

00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:43.959
 it's undefiled.

00:18:45.399 --> 00:18:46.179
 And certainly

00:18:46.179 --> 00:18:46.939
 Paul knew

00:18:46.939 --> 00:18:47.759
 suffering.

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.639
 How many times

00:18:49.639 --> 00:18:50.139
 was he left

00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:50.720
 for dead?

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.059
 And yet he

00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:52.839
 says there's

00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:53.379
 nothing I've

00:18:53.379 --> 00:18:54.079
 experienced in

00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:54.779
 this life that

00:18:54.779 --> 00:18:55.279
 can even

00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.859
 compare to

00:18:56.859 --> 00:18:57.200
 what is

00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:57.779
 waiting for

00:18:57.779 --> 00:18:59.079
 me in

00:18:59.079 --> 00:18:59.460
 glory.

00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:01.519
 He never

00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.680
 denies that

00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:03.240
 that suffering

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:03.799
 will continue

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.579
 to take place

00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:04.759
 here.

00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:05.220
 It will.

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.579
 That's life

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:06.960
 in exile

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:07.519
 isn't it?

00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:08.920
 Now I want

00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:09.180
 to say

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:09.839
 something about

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.539
 the necessity

00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:11.059
 of this

00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:11.359
 though.

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:13.059
 Isn't that

00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:13.460
 what Peter

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:13.859
 brings our

00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:14.379
 attention to

00:19:14.379 --> 00:19:14.700
 in verse

00:19:14.700 --> 00:19:15.059
 7?

00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:18.680
 That now

00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:19.099
 for a little

00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:20.859
 while you

00:19:20.859 --> 00:19:21.599
 have been

00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.200
 grieved by

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:23.899
 various trials

00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:24.759
 if necessary.

00:19:25.580 --> 00:19:26.040
 What is

00:19:26.040 --> 00:19:26.740
 the necessity

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:27.300
 here?

00:19:29.180 --> 00:19:29.960
 Sometimes we

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:31.840
 rationalize that

00:19:31.840 --> 00:19:33.040
 grievous trials

00:19:33.040 --> 00:19:34.200
 are nothing

00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:34.820
 more than

00:19:34.820 --> 00:19:35.640
 Satan's attacks

00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:36.560
 against us.

00:19:37.360 --> 00:19:37.960
 That if

00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:38.759
 something bad

00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:39.400
 happens to it

00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.120
 it must always

00:19:40.120 --> 00:19:40.700
 be Satan

00:19:40.700 --> 00:19:41.259
 that's doing

00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:41.540
 it.

00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:43.420
 And certainly

00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:43.900
 that's true

00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:44.620
 in many cases.

00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:45.460
 Peter's going

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:45.920
 to tell us

00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:46.740
 in chapter 5

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:48.240
 be watchful

00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.820
 be sober.

00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:51.659
 your enemy

00:19:51.659 --> 00:19:52.259
 is like a

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:53.000
 roaring lion

00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:53.799
 walking about

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:54.399
 seeking whom

00:19:54.399 --> 00:19:54.679
 he may

00:19:54.679 --> 00:19:55.119
 devour.

00:19:55.919 --> 00:19:56.539
 Of course

00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:57.059
 that's true.

00:19:58.139 --> 00:19:58.619
 We need to

00:19:58.619 --> 00:19:58.960
 frame our

00:19:58.960 --> 00:19:59.460
 minds here

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:00.039
 appropriately.

00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:01.579
 The context

00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:01.919
 of this

00:20:01.919 --> 00:20:02.279
 passage

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:02.980
 suggests that

00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:03.899
 the necessity

00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:04.500
 of grief

00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:04.879
 is laid

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:05.439
 upon us

00:20:05.439 --> 00:20:06.079
 not by

00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:06.759
 the work

00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:07.240
 of Satan

00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:07.759
 it's laid

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.240
 upon us

00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:08.659
 by God

00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:09.119
 himself.

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:12.039
 Peter isn't

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:12.539
 talking about

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:12.919
 the devil

00:20:12.919 --> 00:20:13.200
 here.

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:14.879
 He isn't

00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:15.339
 even talking

00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:16.200
 about fallenness

00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:16.419
 here.

00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:18.140
 He's

00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:18.600
 talking about

00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:19.320
 the necessity

00:20:19.320 --> 00:20:20.180
 of taking

00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:20.600
 us through

00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.220
 difficulties

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:21.980
 and whose

00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:22.500
 necessity

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:23.100
 is it?

00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:23.980
 Well in

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:24.600
 context here

00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:25.060
 it's God's

00:20:25.060 --> 00:20:25.560
 necessity

00:20:25.560 --> 00:20:27.320
 that he

00:20:27.320 --> 00:20:27.820
 leads us

00:20:27.820 --> 00:20:28.279
 through it.

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:29.880
 Well let's

00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:30.180
 think about

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:30.500
 this for

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:30.840
 just a

00:20:30.840 --> 00:20:31.160
 moment.

00:20:32.840 --> 00:20:33.440
 Certainly

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.080
 doesn't mean

00:20:34.080 --> 00:20:35.779
 that evil

00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.340
 isn't working

00:20:36.340 --> 00:20:36.900
 against us

00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:37.420
 of course

00:20:37.420 --> 00:20:37.980
 it is.

00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:39.920
 But what

00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:40.340
 Christians

00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:41.060
 affirm is

00:20:41.060 --> 00:20:41.560
 that God

00:20:41.560 --> 00:20:42.240
 is sovereign

00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:42.820
 over all

00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:43.279
 things and

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:43.840
 will even

00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:44.480
 use the

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.600
 tactics of

00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:46.179
 the evil

00:20:46.179 --> 00:20:47.019
 one to

00:20:47.019 --> 00:20:47.519
 accomplish

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.059
 his good

00:20:48.059 --> 00:20:48.559
 purposes.

00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:51.799
 What Satan

00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:52.480
 means for

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:54.759
 evil God

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:55.339
 uses for

00:20:55.339 --> 00:20:55.879
 our good.

00:20:57.459 --> 00:20:57.740
 And we

00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:58.259
 see this all

00:20:58.259 --> 00:20:58.659
 over the

00:20:58.659 --> 00:20:59.240
 scriptures don't

00:20:59.240 --> 00:20:59.419
 we?

00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:01.219
 We need only

00:21:01.219 --> 00:21:01.619
 look at

00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.339
 Joseph in

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:03.259
 the end of

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:03.619
 Genesis.

00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:05.279
 Goes through

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:05.740
 tremendous

00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:06.399
 suffering and

00:21:06.399 --> 00:21:06.740
 then at the

00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.079
 end of the

00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:07.519
 story you

00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:08.099
 remember his

00:21:08.099 --> 00:21:08.699
 brothers come

00:21:08.699 --> 00:21:09.439
 and over

00:21:09.439 --> 00:21:09.980
 and over

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:10.699
 they continue

00:21:10.699 --> 00:21:11.639
 to apologize

00:21:11.639 --> 00:21:12.059
 because they

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:13.480
 think that

00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:14.039
 Joseph's going

00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:14.399
 to kill

00:21:14.399 --> 00:21:15.000
 them once

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.000
 his dad

00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:16.539
 is dead.

00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:18.799
 And remember

00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:19.339
 what Joseph

00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:19.920
 says to

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.180
 them.

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.579
 He says

00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:22.380
 I'm not

00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:22.579
 going to

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.180
 hurt you

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:23.920
 and you

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.319
 can stop

00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:25.019
 apologizing.

00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:25.420
 Why?

00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:26.440
 Because what

00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:26.960
 you meant

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.559
 for evil

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.720
 God meant

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.279
 for good.

00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:30.400
 What's

00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.140
 Joseph saying?

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.539
 That was

00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:33.220
 your evil

00:21:33.220 --> 00:21:33.700
 you shouldn't

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:33.980
 have done

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.180
 it that

00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:34.900
 was sin

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:35.640
 that was

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.339
 evil that

00:21:36.339 --> 00:21:36.880
 you brought

00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:37.420
 against me

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:37.819
 but God

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.460
 is sovereign

00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:39.019
 even over

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:40.059
 your works

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.539
 of evil

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:41.319
 and he uses

00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:42.019
 all things

00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.519
 for the good

00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:42.940
 of those

00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:43.359
 who love

00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:43.740
 him.

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:45.720
 I think

00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:46.240
 Peter is

00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:46.900
 reminding us

00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:47.220
 of that

00:21:47.220 --> 00:21:47.680
 here at

00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:48.059
 least in

00:21:48.059 --> 00:21:48.440
 part.

00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.660
 What exactly

00:21:51.660 --> 00:21:52.180
 is God's

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:52.779
 purpose in

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:53.240
 this though?

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:56.319
 Of course

00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.140
 we understand

00:21:57.140 --> 00:21:57.680
 that present

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.380
 joy does

00:21:58.380 --> 00:21:59.460
 endure grief

00:21:59.460 --> 00:21:59.779
 but we

00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.480
 don't always

00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.339
 understand why

00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:02.039
 the grief is

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.319
 necessary in

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:03.680
 the first

00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:04.140
 place.

00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:05.940
 Why does

00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:06.559
 God make

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.259
 it necessary?

00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:08.160
 And Peter

00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:08.799
 helps us

00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.200
 with this

00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:09.440
 here.

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:10.980
 Two things

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.380
 I think are

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:11.980
 worth noting.

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:12.759
 One,

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:14.039
 God uses

00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:14.680
 trials

00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:16.099
 to prove

00:22:16.099 --> 00:22:16.839
 our faith.

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:19.099
 He uses

00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:19.799
 trials to

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.220
 prove our

00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:20.640
 faith.

00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.539
 That's his

00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:23.079
 necessity

00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:23.740
 laid upon

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.259
 us.

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.299
 We see it

00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:25.579
 in verse

00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:26.019
 seven.

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.559
 In this

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:28.140
 you rejoice

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:28.680
 though now

00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:29.079
 for a little

00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:29.740
 while if

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.220
 necessary

00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.019
 you have

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:31.799
 been grieved

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.579
 by various

00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:33.120
 trials

00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:35.039
 so that

00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:36.960
 the tested

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.480
 genuineness

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:38.860
 of your

00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:39.400
 faith

00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:40.519
 which is

00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:40.820
 more

00:22:40.820 --> 00:22:41.400
 precious

00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:41.759
 than

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.360
 gold

00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:45.480
 perishes

00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:46.880
 though it's

00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:47.380
 tested by

00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:47.960
 fire he

00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:48.340
 says.

00:22:49.280 --> 00:22:49.640
 What is

00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:50.080
 God doing

00:22:50.080 --> 00:22:50.540
 with this?

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:50.840
 What is

00:22:50.840 --> 00:22:51.380
 the necessity

00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:51.660
 of it?

00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:51.820
 It's to

00:22:51.820 --> 00:22:52.200
 prove our

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:52.540
 faith.

00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:56.060
 The analogy

00:22:56.060 --> 00:22:56.540
 here of the

00:22:56.540 --> 00:22:57.060
 refiner's

00:22:57.060 --> 00:22:58.019
 fire is so

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:58.660
 good isn't

00:22:58.660 --> 00:22:58.780
 it?

00:22:58.920 --> 00:22:59.700
 It's so

00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:00.360
 helpful that

00:23:00.360 --> 00:23:00.900
 Peter uses

00:23:00.900 --> 00:23:01.720
 this particular

00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:02.200
 picture.

00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.440
 The refiner

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.140
 doesn't put

00:23:05.140 --> 00:23:06.080
 gold in the

00:23:06.080 --> 00:23:06.980
 fire to

00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.680
 punish it.

00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:11.740
 God doesn't

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:12.140
 take you

00:23:12.140 --> 00:23:12.480
 through the

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:12.940
 fire to

00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:13.539
 punish you.

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:14.660
 Your

00:23:14.660 --> 00:23:15.259
 punishment

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:16.420
 was endured

00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:16.759
 on the

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.340
 cross.

00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:18.680
 All of

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:18.920
 it.

00:23:22.120 --> 00:23:22.560
 There's

00:23:22.560 --> 00:23:23.200
 nothing left

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.660
 for you to

00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:24.019
 pay.

00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:26.180
 He may

00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:26.600
 let you

00:23:26.600 --> 00:23:26.980
 face

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.880
 consequences

00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:28.380
 for your

00:23:28.380 --> 00:23:28.900
 sin in a

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.320
 refining

00:23:29.320 --> 00:23:30.039
 way but

00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:30.279
 he doesn't

00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:30.539
 put you

00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:30.740
 in the

00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:31.039
 fire because

00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:31.500
 he's mad

00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:31.840
 at you.

00:23:32.060 --> 00:23:32.279
 He doesn't

00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:32.560
 put you

00:23:32.560 --> 00:23:32.820
 in the

00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:33.279
 fire so

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:33.560
 that you

00:23:33.560 --> 00:23:34.519
 can maybe

00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:35.080
 fulfill

00:23:35.080 --> 00:23:35.620
 something that

00:23:35.620 --> 00:23:36.240
 Christ left

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:37.060
 unfulfilled

00:23:37.059 --> 00:23:37.759
 earlier.

00:23:37.899 --> 00:23:38.359
 No, the

00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:39.039
 great gospel

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:39.419
 that we

00:23:39.419 --> 00:23:39.720
 have is

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.299
 that Christ

00:23:40.299 --> 00:23:41.079
 bore it

00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:41.539
 all.

00:23:42.659 --> 00:23:43.139
 God doesn't

00:23:43.139 --> 00:23:43.539
 take you

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:43.839
 through the

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.240
 fire to

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:44.960
 punish you.

00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:46.059
 Neither does

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:46.539
 he take you

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:46.859
 through the

00:23:46.859 --> 00:23:47.759
 fire to

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:48.639
 weaken you

00:23:48.639 --> 00:23:49.659
 in that he

00:23:49.659 --> 00:23:50.379
 desires to

00:23:50.379 --> 00:23:51.299
 discourage you

00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:51.940
 and tear you

00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:52.480
 down.

00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:53.839
 No, that's

00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:54.299
 not what he's

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.980
 doing either.

00:23:56.819 --> 00:23:57.579
 Rather, the

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.240
 fire, the

00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:58.879
 refiner's

00:23:58.879 --> 00:24:00.220
 prior, it

00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.899
 proves the

00:24:01.899 --> 00:24:02.980
 authenticity of

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.639
 the gold.

00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:03.700
 gold.

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:06.759
 It shows

00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:07.520
 this is the

00:24:07.520 --> 00:24:08.420
 real thing.

00:24:08.580 --> 00:24:09.140
 This isn't a

00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:09.800
 counterfeit.

00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:10.280
 This isn't

00:24:10.280 --> 00:24:10.880
 fake.

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.500
 And then it

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.340
 brings to the

00:24:14.340 --> 00:24:15.240
 surface certain

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:16.320
 impurities.

00:24:16.580 --> 00:24:16.860
 It's called

00:24:16.860 --> 00:24:17.560
 dross.

00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:19.060
 That the

00:24:19.060 --> 00:24:19.940
 refiner, after

00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:20.940
 having put the

00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.600
 gold in the

00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:22.480
 fire, can

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.060
 begin to

00:24:23.060 --> 00:24:23.780
 remove the

00:24:23.780 --> 00:24:24.980
 impurities so

00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:25.440
 that he might

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:26.759
 increase its

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:28.060
 quality and

00:24:28.060 --> 00:24:29.020
 its value.

00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:30.780
 Peter says,

00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:32.120
 this is God's

00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:32.560
 purpose.

00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:34.660
 He takes his

00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:35.160
 people through

00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:35.720
 the fire.

00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.240
 Why?

00:24:38.100 --> 00:24:39.140
 To prove the

00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:40.580
 authenticity that

00:24:40.580 --> 00:24:41.380
 this is not a

00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:41.980
 counterfeit.

00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:43.400
 Now, Jesus

00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:43.960
 helps us with

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:44.360
 this, doesn't

00:24:44.360 --> 00:24:44.460
 he?

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.440
 Jesus, do you

00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:45.840
 remember the

00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:46.840
 parable of the

00:24:46.840 --> 00:24:47.480
 sower and the

00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:47.820
 seed?

00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.020
 Jesus says the

00:24:50.020 --> 00:24:50.759
 sower goes out

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:50.980
 and he's

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.600
 spreading the

00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:52.759
 seed and it

00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.480
 falls on four

00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.040
 different types

00:24:54.040 --> 00:24:54.500
 of soil.

00:24:54.740 --> 00:24:55.320
 Remember, one

00:24:55.320 --> 00:24:56.080
 of those soils

00:24:56.080 --> 00:24:57.580
 was the rocky

00:24:57.580 --> 00:24:58.080
 soil.

00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.660
 It sprouts up

00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:02.240
 immediately and

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:03.100
 it shows, at

00:25:03.100 --> 00:25:03.600
 least for a

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.159
 little while,

00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:06.079
 that it is

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:07.000
 real and that

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:07.339
 it's going to

00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.159
 bear fruit, but

00:25:08.159 --> 00:25:08.839
 then the sun

00:25:08.839 --> 00:25:10.959
 comes out and

00:25:10.959 --> 00:25:11.779
 it can't handle

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:13.879
 the heat and

00:25:13.879 --> 00:25:14.859
 it burns up.

00:25:17.139 --> 00:25:17.799
 What's Jesus

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.279
 saying?

00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:19.879
 Jesus is saying

00:25:19.879 --> 00:25:20.379
 the same thing

00:25:20.379 --> 00:25:20.959
 Peter is saying,

00:25:21.219 --> 00:25:22.119
 that you can put

00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:22.699
 a Christian in

00:25:22.699 --> 00:25:23.199
 the fire, at

00:25:23.199 --> 00:25:24.000
 least a professing

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.559
 Christian in the

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.439
 fire, and it's

00:25:25.439 --> 00:25:25.939
 going to prove

00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:26.319
 whether or not

00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:26.779
 they're really a

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:27.119
 Christian.

00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:29.259
 God takes us

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:29.959
 through the fire

00:25:29.959 --> 00:25:31.379
 to separate the

00:25:31.379 --> 00:25:31.979
 sheep from the

00:25:31.979 --> 00:25:33.899
 goats, to show

00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:35.859
 who is his and

00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:37.519
 who isn't, but

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.159
 then he takes us

00:25:38.159 --> 00:25:38.959
 through the fire in

00:25:38.959 --> 00:25:39.639
 order that he

00:25:39.639 --> 00:25:41.500
 might purify his

00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:41.859
 people.

00:25:43.459 --> 00:25:44.859
 It brings out

00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:46.379
 those impurities,

00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:47.019
 doesn't it, our

00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:47.439
 suffering.

00:25:49.099 --> 00:25:50.199
 And God wants to

00:25:50.199 --> 00:25:51.219
 purify his people.

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:53.460
 So what is the

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:54.380
 necessity of the

00:25:54.380 --> 00:25:54.740
 trials?

00:25:54.860 --> 00:25:55.519
 Well, God uses

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.360
 them to prove

00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:57.620
 our faith.

00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:00.180
 Of course, Peter is

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:00.900
 arguing there from

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:01.559
 the lesser to the

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:01.799
 greater.

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.920
 If we're concerned

00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.539
 to do this for

00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.380
 gold that perishes

00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:05.200
 anyways, how much

00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:06.720
 greater value is

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.700
 your soul that God

00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:08.319
 would do this with

00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:08.500
 you?

00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:10.680
 Second thing here I

00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:11.299
 think we see is

00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:11.900
 that God uses

00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:13.480
 trials in order

00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:14.480
 that he might bring

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.440
 us a great reward.

00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:18.380
 He uses trials in

00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:19.140
 order to bring us

00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:19.819
 a great reward.

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.339
 And we get this

00:26:20.339 --> 00:26:21.180
 year at the

00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:21.660
 end of verse

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.100
 7.

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:24.080
 So that the

00:26:24.080 --> 00:26:25.340
 tested genuineness

00:26:25.340 --> 00:26:27.920
 of your faith may

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:29.799
 prove to result in

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:32.940
 praise and glory and

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:34.480
 honor at the

00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:35.759
 revelation of Jesus

00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.299
 Christ.

00:26:38.360 --> 00:26:39.840
 Now, whose praise and

00:26:39.840 --> 00:26:40.759
 glory and honor is he

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.299
 talking about?

00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:41.960
 That's the question,

00:26:42.060 --> 00:26:42.400
 isn't it?

00:26:43.820 --> 00:26:45.160
 Does Peter mean that

00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:46.039
 for those who are

00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:46.799
 faithful and they

00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.740
 endure the suffering

00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:48.860
 and God proves their

00:26:48.860 --> 00:26:50.460
 faith that when Christ

00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:51.160
 comes it will be

00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:52.000
 will produce an even

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:53.680
 greater praise and

00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.700
 glory and honor that

00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:56.019
 we then give to the

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:56.960
 Lord Jesus at his

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.279
 return?

00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.220
 That could be what he

00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:58.580
 means.

00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:01.259
 I think he's actually

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:02.519
 referring to a praise

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:03.500
 and a glory and honor

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:05.380
 not that Christians are

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.420
 giving to Christ at his

00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:08.320
 return but that Christ

00:27:08.320 --> 00:27:09.220
 is giving to his

00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:10.860
 people when he returns.

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:11.680
 I think that's what

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.500
 Peter means to say

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:12.779
 here.

00:27:13.540 --> 00:27:14.940
 That God takes us to

00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:16.640
 this trial in part to

00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:17.820
 prove our faith and

00:27:17.820 --> 00:27:18.540
 purify us.

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:20.099
 And those who have

00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:21.619
 a tested genuineness of

00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:22.299
 faith when the Lord

00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:23.759
 returns, he's going to

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.720
 say, well done.

00:27:26.879 --> 00:27:28.299
 Well done, good and

00:27:28.299 --> 00:27:29.099
 faithful servant.

00:27:29.659 --> 00:27:31.539
 Enter now into the

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:33.000
 everlasting joy of the

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.319
 Lord.

00:27:34.859 --> 00:27:36.139
 Why does God take us

00:27:36.139 --> 00:27:36.700
 through this?

00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:37.839
 He takes us through it

00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:38.639
 to prove us.

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:40.220
 He takes us through it

00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:41.519
 in order that he might

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:43.559
 reward us.

00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:46.179
 All Christians endure

00:27:46.179 --> 00:27:48.059
 the fire and all

00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:49.819
 Christians receive the

00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:50.279
 rewards.

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:51.399
 It's amazing.

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:53.319
 Now why is Peter going

00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:54.119
 through all of this?

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.399
 Here's what I think he's

00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:55.659
 doing.

00:27:55.919 --> 00:27:56.839
 I think he means for

00:27:56.839 --> 00:27:58.759
 this to be a comfort to

00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.139
 us.

00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:02.859
 Our present joy, it does

00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:04.679
 not just endure this life

00:28:04.679 --> 00:28:05.619
 of trial but it is

00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:07.559
 strengthened by God's

00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:09.179
 grace because of the

00:28:09.179 --> 00:28:10.039
 life of trial.

00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:13.700
 Now, this present grief,

00:28:13.779 --> 00:28:15.480
 it increases our longing

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.240
 for the future

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:17.279
 inheritance and the

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.799
 security of that

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.920
 inheritance brings

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.839
 incredible joy in the

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:22.579
 here and now.

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:25.220
 And for this, we must

00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:27.119
 praise our great God.

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.500
 Maybe I can just say

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.539
 one more thing before

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.180
 we move on.

00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:37.019
 And this is for those

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.359
 of you who maybe you're

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:39.139
 not a Christian.

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:41.619
 Or you're trying to

00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:42.819
 sort out exactly what

00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:43.639
 you think and what you

00:28:43.639 --> 00:28:44.460
 believe and you're not

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.399
 exactly sure where you're

00:28:45.399 --> 00:28:45.859
 going to land.

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.759
 And I want to give you

00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.779
 something to think about

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.639
 and it's this.

00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:52.940
 The fact that true joy

00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:55.119
 exists in tremendous

00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:57.759
 grief is part of what

00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:59.359
 Peter means to say about

00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:00.599
 the goodness of Christ.

00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:00.699
 Christ.

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:06.299
 In this section, Christian

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:08.359
 joy is far more

00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:10.179
 profound and

00:29:10.179 --> 00:29:11.279
 meaningful than the

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:13.039
 temporary and fleeting

00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:14.039
 feelings of happiness.

00:29:15.879 --> 00:29:17.279
 It's greater than that.

00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:21.240
 There's no such thing as a

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:22.339
 life on this earth that

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:23.139
 isn't touched by

00:29:23.139 --> 00:29:23.919
 grievous trials.

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:26.019
 Everyone experiences that

00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:26.939
 in a fallen world.

00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:31.259
 And those who spend

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:32.380
 their lives chasing

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.759
 after a hopeless

00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:35.400
 happiness

00:29:35.400 --> 00:29:39.140
 that's entirely based

00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:39.900
 on individual

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:40.779
 circumstances

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:43.220
 will in the end

00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:44.400
 still feel

00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:44.940
 unsatisfied.

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:48.299
 But whatever it is

00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:49.039
 that you're chasing,

00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:51.400
 whatever that brings

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:51.940
 those temporary

00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.640
 fleeting moments of

00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:54.019
 happiness,

00:29:54.019 --> 00:29:54.079
 happiness,

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.559
 it's never going to

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.039
 satisfy.

00:29:58.099 --> 00:29:59.879
 But what Christ offers

00:29:59.879 --> 00:30:00.819
 us in the gospel

00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:03.079
 produces a profound

00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:05.000
 joy that not only

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:06.139
 exists in grievous

00:30:06.139 --> 00:30:07.400
 trials but is

00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:08.680
 ultimately strengthened

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:10.480
 and more vibrantly

00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.900
 displayed in them.

00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:14.680
 Only Jesus can give

00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:15.339
 true hope.

00:30:16.379 --> 00:30:17.559
 Only Jesus can bring

00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:19.920
 this joy to the

00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.940
 longings of your heart.

00:30:20.940 --> 00:30:23.640
 So what do we find

00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:24.259
 here from Peter?

00:30:24.360 --> 00:30:25.080
 We find that our

00:30:25.080 --> 00:30:26.180
 present joy, it's

00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:27.140
 focused on a future

00:30:27.140 --> 00:30:27.620
 inheritance.

00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:29.860
 We find also that it

00:30:29.860 --> 00:30:31.240
 exists and it

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:33.019
 endures in present

00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:33.500
 grief.

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:35.160
 There's a third thing.

00:30:36.380 --> 00:30:37.600
 Our present joy is a

00:30:37.600 --> 00:30:39.200
 sign of God's

00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:40.480
 gracious work in us.

00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:43.799
 Our present joy is a

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:47.600
 sign that God is

00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:49.460
 doing something in

00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:49.819
 you.

00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:52.779
 Verses 8 and 9.

00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:55.400
 Though you have not

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:57.920
 seen him, you love

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.160
 him.

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:01.460
 Though you do not

00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:03.920
 now see him, you

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:06.559
 believe in him and

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:08.079
 rejoice with a joy that

00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:10.860
 is inexpressible and

00:31:10.860 --> 00:31:12.000
 filled with glory.

00:31:13.600 --> 00:31:16.000
 Obtaining the result of

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:18.380
 your faith, the

00:31:18.380 --> 00:31:19.279
 salvation of your

00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:19.579
 soul.

00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:23.339
 Now essentially what

00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:24.400
 Peter is doing here

00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:27.259
 is saying that faith

00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:29.160
 in and love for

00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:30.240
 Jesus for these

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:31.920
 Christians and by

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:34.640
 extension us doesn't

00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:35.599
 make a lot of sense.

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.579
 It doesn't make a lot

00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:39.000
 of sense.

00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:42.079
 We would look at

00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:43.019
 someone like Peter and

00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:44.400
 we would say it

00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:46.259
 makes sense that

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:49.460
 Peter loved Jesus and

00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.640
 that Peter believed in

00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:50.960
 Jesus.

00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:51.900
 That makes sense to us

00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:52.240
 doesn't it?

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:52.539
 Why?

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.460
 He was one of Jesus'

00:31:54.680 --> 00:31:55.680
 closest friends.

00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:59.319
 Hand selected by

00:31:59.319 --> 00:32:00.299
 Jesus to be an

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:01.000
 apostle and a

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:01.420
 disciple.

00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:02.779
 He spent three years

00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:04.140
 of his life following

00:32:04.140 --> 00:32:06.160
 Jesus around Israel.

00:32:06.160 --> 00:32:08.700
 He listened to

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.420
 every sermon.

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:13.220
 He heard every

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:14.360
 discipleship lesson.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:17.160
 He saw every

00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:18.120
 miracle, even the

00:32:18.120 --> 00:32:19.060
 ones that some of the

00:32:19.060 --> 00:32:19.860
 disciples didn't get

00:32:19.860 --> 00:32:20.200
 to see.

00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:21.340
 Peter got to see

00:32:21.340 --> 00:32:21.580
 them.

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:24.480
 He'll say later in

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:26.940
 chapter 5 that he is

00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:27.800
 a witness, an

00:32:27.800 --> 00:32:28.860
 eyewitness of the

00:32:28.860 --> 00:32:29.660
 sufferings of the

00:32:29.660 --> 00:32:29.820
 Lord.

00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:31.460
 He watched him from a

00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:33.380
 distance suffer leading

00:32:33.380 --> 00:32:34.620
 up to the crucifixion.

00:32:35.120 --> 00:32:36.080
 He was a witness of

00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:36.779
 the empty tomb.

00:32:37.099 --> 00:32:38.379
 He saw Jesus even

00:32:38.379 --> 00:32:39.179
 after his resurrection.

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.720
 He saw the things

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.639
 that Jesus was doing

00:32:41.639 --> 00:32:42.439
 even before his

00:32:42.439 --> 00:32:42.819
 ascension.

00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:43.599
 We would look at

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.099
 Peter and say,

00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:45.179
 that makes sense.

00:32:45.439 --> 00:32:46.480
 It makes sense that

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.240
 Peter would be so

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:47.659
 sure.

00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.099
 It makes sense that

00:32:49.099 --> 00:32:49.859
 Peter would love him

00:32:49.859 --> 00:32:50.939
 so much that Peter

00:32:50.939 --> 00:32:51.839
 would believe in him

00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:52.559
 and have all of this

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:52.759
 joy.

00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.480
 He was there.

00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:54.220
 He saw it.

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:54.960
 He heard it.

00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:58.279
 None of these people

00:32:58.279 --> 00:32:59.179
 that he's writing to

00:32:59.179 --> 00:33:00.059
 had any of those

00:33:00.059 --> 00:33:00.699
 experiences.

00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:03.759
 They didn't see

00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:04.299
 Jesus.

00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:06.899
 They didn't see him

00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:07.259
 suffer.

00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:08.059
 They didn't see him

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:08.839
 raised from the dead.

00:33:08.939 --> 00:33:09.559
 They didn't see him

00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.259
 ascend to heaven.

00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:11.359
 They didn't see any

00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:11.699
 of that.

00:33:13.139 --> 00:33:14.139
 They weren't even like

00:33:14.139 --> 00:33:15.839
 Paul who didn't see

00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.759
 those things but at

00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:18.059
 least experienced a

00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:20.339
 post-ascension appearance

00:33:20.339 --> 00:33:21.259
 of the Lord Jesus

00:33:21.259 --> 00:33:21.899
 Christ.

00:33:24.139 --> 00:33:25.159
 They didn't have that

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:25.500
 either.

00:33:26.899 --> 00:33:27.960
 And yet Peter says,

00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:29.680
 you haven't seen him

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:31.640
 but you love him.

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.500
 You don't see him now

00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:37.900
 but you believe in him

00:33:37.900 --> 00:33:40.100
 and you rejoice.

00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:42.460
 And the question is,

00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:43.880
 how is this even

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:44.500
 possible?

00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:47.240
 Isn't this some of the

00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.160
 struggle with some of the

00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:49.079
 people that we try to

00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:51.400
 evangelize and our best

00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:52.500
 apologetic efforts?

00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:54.420
 We can give all of the

00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:55.720
 best arguments for Christ

00:33:55.720 --> 00:33:56.640
 and all of the best

00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:57.759
 arguments against

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.539
 whatever it is that

00:33:58.539 --> 00:33:59.360
 they believe.

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:02.220
 And still yet they may

00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:05.279
 say, well, if he would

00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:06.440
 just show up, that would

00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:07.259
 just make things a lot

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.000
 easier, wouldn't it?

00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:10.320
 The problem is the next

00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:11.539
 time he shows up, it's

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:12.340
 going to be too late.

00:34:14.139 --> 00:34:15.119
 What is it that Jesus

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.559
 says?

00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:17.480
 He says it to Thomas.

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:19.480
 John chapter 20.

00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:21.940
 Blessed are those who

00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:22.860
 believe though they have

00:34:22.860 --> 00:34:23.480
 not seen.

00:34:25.139 --> 00:34:26.340
 And that is almost every

00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:27.139
 Christian who has ever

00:34:27.139 --> 00:34:27.460
 lived.

00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.380
 And that's who these

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.260
 people are that Peter's

00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:31.659
 writing to.

00:34:31.719 --> 00:34:32.380
 But the question is,

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.360
 how is this even

00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:33.860
 possible?

00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:37.280
 How is it that they can

00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:38.400
 have this assurance and

00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:40.280
 joy that the people that

00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:41.420
 we're trying to evangelize

00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:42.400
 that have not yet come to

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:43.679
 faith in Christ don't seem

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:44.619
 to possess that they don't

00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:44.860
 have?

00:34:44.860 --> 00:34:47.620
 Peter's saying the joy

00:34:47.620 --> 00:34:49.780
 that you have is coming

00:34:49.780 --> 00:34:50.420
 from God.

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:53.099
 It's not coming because

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:54.160
 things just make sense to

00:34:54.160 --> 00:34:55.519
 you in a way that they

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:56.559
 don't make sense to others.

00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:58.740
 It's coming from God, he

00:34:58.740 --> 00:34:59.059
 says.

00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:01.140
 Now two words I think

00:35:01.140 --> 00:35:01.720
 stick out here.

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:05.099
 One is you're rejoicing

00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:05.980
 with a joy that's

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.780
 inexpressible.

00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:09.059
 Now remember, joy is the

00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:09.980
 disposition of the heart.

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:10.680
 It's something that God

00:35:10.680 --> 00:35:11.240
 puts in us.

00:35:11.660 --> 00:35:12.780
 To rejoice is just to

00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:13.740
 give voice to that.

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:16.159
 So it's almost a paradox

00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:16.500
 here.

00:35:16.939 --> 00:35:18.739
 Peter is saying you are

00:35:18.739 --> 00:35:20.419
 expressing something that's

00:35:20.419 --> 00:35:21.919
 not possible to express.

00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:23.639
 What does he mean?

00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:26.539
 It means that it's impossible

00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:28.579
 to really fully articulate

00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:31.239
 and grasp and even fully

00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:33.259
 understand exactly why you

00:35:33.259 --> 00:35:34.619
 believe and your friend

00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:35.159
 doesn't.

00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:38.979
 God is doing something in

00:35:38.979 --> 00:35:39.699
 you, which is where the

00:35:39.699 --> 00:35:41.199
 second word I think helps

00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:41.359
 us.

00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:43.220
 He says this joy that you

00:35:43.220 --> 00:35:44.360
 rejoice with, it's

00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:45.519
 inexpressible and it's

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:47.519
 filled with glory.

00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:50.160
 It's touched by the

00:35:50.160 --> 00:35:50.700
 divine.

00:35:52.700 --> 00:35:55.220
 It comes from God.

00:35:55.620 --> 00:35:56.740
 And then he wraps it all

00:35:56.740 --> 00:35:58.079
 up in that last phrase.

00:35:59.140 --> 00:35:59.579
 Obtaining.

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.640
 Present tense.

00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:01.700
 A lot of people take this

00:36:01.700 --> 00:36:02.420
 as future tense.

00:36:02.620 --> 00:36:03.320
 But that's not what Peter

00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:03.720
 says.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:05.640
 He doesn't say, and you

00:36:05.640 --> 00:36:07.760
 will obtain the outcome of

00:36:07.760 --> 00:36:08.860
 your faith, the salvation of

00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:09.240
 your souls.

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:10.680
 He says, no, you are

00:36:10.680 --> 00:36:13.340
 presently obtaining the

00:36:13.340 --> 00:36:14.500
 outcome of your faith, the

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.480
 salvation of your souls.

00:36:15.680 --> 00:36:16.579
 And what does all of this

00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:16.960
 mean?

00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:19.180
 That these believers, they

00:36:19.180 --> 00:36:19.740
 may not be able to

00:36:19.740 --> 00:36:20.780
 understand everything that's

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:21.620
 happening in their hearts,

00:36:21.700 --> 00:36:22.920
 but what they can understand

00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:24.720
 is that this is something God

00:36:24.720 --> 00:36:25.720
 is doing in me.

00:36:25.860 --> 00:36:27.220
 And even now, as I look

00:36:27.220 --> 00:36:28.180
 ahead to that future

00:36:28.180 --> 00:36:30.559
 inheritance, even now, I'm

00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:32.940
 already receiving in part what

00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.800
 God has waiting for me in full

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:35.240
 in heaven.

00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:36.899
 And the reason I know it is

00:36:36.899 --> 00:36:38.479
 because of this faith and hope

00:36:38.479 --> 00:36:39.819
 and joy that is in me.

00:36:40.779 --> 00:36:42.599
 It's not self-generated.

00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:45.759
 God puts it in us.

00:36:46.399 --> 00:36:47.879
 And he gives it to us as a

00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:50.000
 gift at the new birth as we

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:51.500
 come to faith in Jesus Christ.

00:36:51.819 --> 00:36:53.019
 Why do you believe Jesus?

00:36:54.379 --> 00:36:55.179
 Well, yeah, it's certainly

00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:55.699
 credible.

00:36:58.779 --> 00:37:00.259
 But even Jesus said some

00:37:00.259 --> 00:37:01.679
 people could see me raised

00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:03.000
 from the dead and still not

00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:03.559
 believe.

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:06.360
 Faith isn't ultimately about

00:37:06.360 --> 00:37:07.039
 the evidence.

00:37:09.579 --> 00:37:11.079
 What's happening in your life?

00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.440
 God is being merciful.

00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:16.340
 And he is being gracious.

00:37:17.739 --> 00:37:19.619
 And he is awakening you by

00:37:19.619 --> 00:37:21.759
 faith to the Lord Jesus

00:37:21.759 --> 00:37:22.179
 Christ.

00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:24.519
 And he is putting this joy in

00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:26.039
 you that is inexpressible and

00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:27.440
 it is touched by the divine.

00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:28.820
 It is filled with glory.

00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:30.119
 And even now, if you're in

00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:31.119
 Christ, if you're trusting

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:32.360
 Christ and you have this joy,

00:37:32.360 --> 00:37:34.019
 even now, you're already

00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:37.140
 receiving this salvation that

00:37:37.140 --> 00:37:39.579
 you will receive in full in

00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:39.840
 heaven.

00:37:41.620 --> 00:37:44.840
 And so Peter says, so why don't

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.740
 we just take some time to

00:37:45.740 --> 00:37:46.240
 praise God?

00:37:47.680 --> 00:37:49.160
 Let us bless the God and

00:37:49.160 --> 00:37:50.079
 Father of our Lord Jesus

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:52.019
 Christ for our future

00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:53.240
 inheritance but then also for

00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:54.000
 our present joy.

00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:57.599
 God is doing this in us.

00:37:58.099 --> 00:37:59.119
 We are being saved.

00:38:01.019 --> 00:38:02.079
 Now Peter's argument in these

00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:03.460
 verses, it's not just to say

00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:04.760
 that you can have a present

00:38:04.760 --> 00:38:05.099
 joy.

00:38:07.239 --> 00:38:08.940
 It's to say that if you're in

00:38:08.940 --> 00:38:11.579
 Christ, you already do have a

00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:12.159
 present joy.

00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:12.820
 It's there.

00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:15.519
 There's no explicit command.

00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:16.800
 There's no explicit challenge.

00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:18.860
 If there's an implicit command,

00:38:18.940 --> 00:38:19.539
 it's this.

00:38:19.539 --> 00:38:22.500
 It's that we need to give voice

00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:23.639
 to the joy that God has put

00:38:23.639 --> 00:38:23.880
 there.

00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:27.099
 This should affect the way you

00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:27.960
 sing on a Sunday.

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:31.500
 This should affect the way that

00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:33.079
 you view the trials around you.

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.259
 It doesn't mean that you

00:38:35.259 --> 00:38:36.400
 shouldn't feel grief and that

00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:37.739
 there's not going to be lots of

00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:38.719
 times where you're overwhelmed by

00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:39.019
 that grief.

00:38:39.099 --> 00:38:39.880
 That's not what it means.

00:38:40.199 --> 00:38:41.119
 It just means that there's going

00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:42.539
 to be a persistent joy that you

00:38:42.539 --> 00:38:44.960
 can give voice to genuinely in

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:45.619
 the midst of it.

00:38:46.759 --> 00:38:48.159
 It should affect the way that you

00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:50.639
 live with your wife.

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.599
 I mean, you should be the ones

00:38:54.599 --> 00:38:55.559
 that are leading in these

00:38:55.559 --> 00:38:57.019
 expressions of joy in your home.

00:38:59.619 --> 00:39:00.899
 It should affect the way that

00:39:00.899 --> 00:39:02.039
 you're parenting your kids.

00:39:03.779 --> 00:39:05.960
 Does not this present joy give us

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:09.039
 reason to temper our anger and our

00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:09.559
 frustration?

00:39:11.379 --> 00:39:12.379
 We could go on.

00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:15.899
 If there's a command that's

00:39:15.899 --> 00:39:16.799
 implicit, it's that.

00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:18.980
 Express what God has put in you.

00:39:19.580 --> 00:39:21.340
 If there's a challenge that's

00:39:21.340 --> 00:39:22.740
 implicit here, it's this.

00:39:24.120 --> 00:39:27.620
 Don't ever let the grief of this

00:39:27.620 --> 00:39:31.720
 life mute the expression of your

00:39:31.720 --> 00:39:32.019
 joy.

00:39:36.740 --> 00:39:38.000
 Praise God anyways.

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:41.960
 And I want to close by giving you an

00:39:41.960 --> 00:39:42.800
 example of that.

00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:45.940
 Many of you have probably heard the

00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:48.300
 story many times of Horatio Spafford.

00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:52.179
 Spafford was an American lawyer in

00:39:52.179 --> 00:39:54.780
 Chicago in the mid-19th century.

00:39:56.119 --> 00:39:56.559
 Successful.

00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:58.280
 Very wealthy.

00:39:59.380 --> 00:40:00.619
 He had built a great business.

00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:02.739
 He was also a Christian, a faithful

00:40:02.739 --> 00:40:03.179
 Christian.

00:40:03.380 --> 00:40:04.860
 He was even an elder in the

00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.000
 Presbyterian church there.

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:10.880
 In 1871, in the spring of that year,

00:40:11.140 --> 00:40:13.160
 Horatio Spafford invested most of his

00:40:13.160 --> 00:40:15.220
 fortune in real estate in the northern

00:40:15.220 --> 00:40:16.120
 part of Chicago.

00:40:16.680 --> 00:40:17.920
 And those of you who remember your

00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:19.360
 history lessons know that it was in

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:21.579
 October of the same year that the great

00:40:21.579 --> 00:40:23.519
 Chicago fire took place and basically

00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.340
 wiped out the city.

00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:27.500
 Everything Horatio Spafford had invested

00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:29.180
 was gone, was lost.

00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:31.539
 And he was basically left starting over.

00:40:31.539 --> 00:40:34.519
 But the thing with Horatio Spafford is

00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:37.719
 that is not the, that is certainly

00:40:37.719 --> 00:40:39.480
 probably the least of his hardships that

00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:39.900
 he endured.

00:40:41.500 --> 00:40:43.519
 Two years after that, as he's building up

00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:46.279
 his business, he and his wife decide to

00:40:46.279 --> 00:40:47.380
 plan a trip to Europe.

00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:49.179
 They're going to go and they're going to

00:40:49.179 --> 00:40:50.159
 hear his friend D.L.

00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:51.099
 Moody preach there.

00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:55.900
 Just before they're due to leave, business

00:40:55.900 --> 00:40:57.179
 emergencies came up.

00:40:58.019 --> 00:40:59.920
 Spafford decided to stay back a little bit

00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:01.420
 longer, but he sent his wife and his

00:41:01.420 --> 00:41:02.480
 daughters on ahead of him.

00:41:03.539 --> 00:41:04.280
 He boarded the ship.

00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:06.700
 They headed out across the Atlantic Ocean.

00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:08.579
 And the middle of the night, they were hit

00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:09.539
 by an iron vessel.

00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:10.880
 The ship sank.

00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:13.800
 Spafford's wife survived.

00:41:14.740 --> 00:41:16.119
 All four of his daughters died.

00:41:19.240 --> 00:41:21.900
 She finally makes it to Wales and she sends

00:41:21.900 --> 00:41:24.119
 a message back.

00:41:24.119 --> 00:41:28.559
 All it says is, saved alone, what shall I do?

00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:33.079
 A few weeks later, Spafford gets on a boat and he

00:41:33.079 --> 00:41:34.599
 heads to meet his wife in Wales.

00:41:37.019 --> 00:41:39.960
 His daughter said that on the way over, the

00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:42.039
 captain of this particular ship, it was a later

00:41:42.039 --> 00:41:45.619
 daughter that he had, was very kind to show him

00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:48.860
 where his daughters had died as they were passing

00:41:48.860 --> 00:41:49.159
 over.

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:52.980
 And as you can imagine, he's overwhelmed by grief

00:41:52.980 --> 00:41:53.299
 and that.

00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.000
 He can't sleep.

00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:57.780
 So in the middle of the night, he gets out pen and ink

00:41:57.780 --> 00:41:59.760
 and he just begins to write what's in his heart.

00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:04.920
 And the first thing that he wrote, when peace like a river

00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:11.119
 attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll,

00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:18.860
 whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well.

00:42:18.860 --> 00:42:21.380
 It is well with my soul.

00:42:25.120 --> 00:42:27.260
 Spafford's life didn't get any easier from there.

00:42:28.720 --> 00:42:31.240
 He and his wife were blessed to have a few more kids, but just a

00:42:31.240 --> 00:42:34.019
 few years later, his four-year-old son tragically died.

00:42:36.160 --> 00:42:42.880
 He lived the rest of his life under immense grief that impacted him

00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:43.559
 significantly.

00:42:44.620 --> 00:42:47.860
 There are even times that we can discern biographically that he

00:42:47.860 --> 00:42:51.840
 didn't really make great decisions all the time, even great theological

00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:53.579
 decisions on the basis of his grief.

00:42:53.680 --> 00:42:58.900
 And yet, his faith and his hope was in the Lord Jesus.

00:43:01.140 --> 00:43:05.320
 And the point in sharing this story is just to remind us that though all of us

00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:11.099
 will endure suffering, some of us will face ongoing and at times

00:43:11.099 --> 00:43:14.360
 excruciating grief during this life.

00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:19.680
 And Peter doesn't mean for us to acknowledge that just for a moment or for a

00:43:19.680 --> 00:43:19.980
 season.

00:43:20.660 --> 00:43:26.579
 He means for us to recognize that all of life here is going to be like that.

00:43:27.700 --> 00:43:32.019
 The intensity will ebb and flow, but there will always be grief.

00:43:32.019 --> 00:43:42.380
 But even then, those who know the joy of God in Christ can sing with Spafford.

00:43:44.780 --> 00:43:47.000
 At least it's well with my soul.

00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:53.420
 That was true for the Christians to whom Peter wrote this letter.

00:43:53.420 --> 00:43:59.380
 That is true for you and me who are in Christ today.

00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:07.240
 And it can be true for those of you who will repent and turn to Christ now or in

00:44:07.240 --> 00:44:07.639
 the future.

00:44:08.920 --> 00:44:12.440
 So let us praise God for this present joy.

00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:12.539
 Amen.

00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539


00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:12.539