Salvation to Come
Last week, Kenny introduced us to the book of 1st Peter. The apostle Peter is writing to Christians scattered all over the region of Asia minor. They are elected exiles on this earth. They live as sojourners who don’t feel at home in this world and ought not too either. There new life since becoming a Christian is strange to those around them. And there is pressure for them being in the minority, to conform to the practices and lifestyles around them. But they are not of this world, they are chosen by God, and this morning passage speaks into all God has planned and prepared for his people, all he has planned for us.
So this morning we will look at 3 things in this passage: First, What we are born again for. Second, How does God make us ready for it. And last, What is genuine faith?
What we are born again for (v.3-5)
Not why, but what we are born again toward, toward what end? We are born again for 3 things here, each with a supporting phrase in the text.
v.3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”
Born Again To a Living Hope
We are given a living Hope because Jesus raised from the dead. Jesus is our living hope because he raised from the dead to reign forever. He is our savior who died in our place, and raised from the dead to conquer death. Our hope is in Jesus and He is real and is alive. But, we also have a hope that is living, as in, our hope is also that since Christ has been raised we will also be raised and will live with him forever.
Col. 3:3-4 “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
When Christ died for our sins, we died to with him, he has raised, but he has not yet appear, and when he does, our redeemed life will also appear.
And when he returns: This perishable body will be raised and become imperishable
the natural body of dust, will be raised as a heavenly body with Glory, this mortal body will put on immortality and we will be made new! This body that is broken and dying won’t be redeemed in this life, but it will in the life come.
We have been born again, so that we have a living hope that we will be with Jesus and will be given glorified bodies.
Born Again To an Inheritance
v.4 “To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you”
There is an inheritance for God people, but we haven’t received it yet. We all are sojourners now, and you will receive a new country and kingdom
Hebrews 11:13-16 “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
We are strangers, sojourners and exiles on this earth. We have a duel citizenship one temporally now in this world to an earthly country, but an eternal one not yet revealed in a heavenly kingdom.
It is kept in heaven, and therefore it is secure, not like any earthly treasure of inheritance. This inheritance cannot be destroyed, as things in this life are. It cannot be defiled, like the promise land, and the temple of God was multiple times in history. It will not wear out, we will get it, it will be a pure and true, and it will last forever.
And this new City will be like Cities are meant to be. Cities are places where broken people go for help, a new start, a new life. And there is a heavenly city where Jesus is the fulfiller of all these desires. The desires of the people in this city, and the desired inside our own hearts and minds. And this future city has more room. To as many as receive him, he gave the right to be children of god, and if children, then heirs, and heirs are given an inheritance from their father in heaven.
Born Again For a Salvation
v.5 [you], “who by Gods power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
v.9 (“the salvation of your souls”)
It is ready to be revealed. It’s not in doubt, not wishful thinking, not a work-in-progress, it’s ready to go! He promises and Delivers, unlike promises made on this earth.
This full salvation is not yet here. It is ready but we haven’t received it yet, there is a great salvation we are waiting for. We will be saved from our perishable bodies that are growing old and will perish. Saved from our enemies and satan’s kingdom of darkness. And saved fully from our sin.
When this salvation comes, the battles will be done. The war is already won by Jesus, but the battles of this life are not yet over. It was finished at the cross, but this great salvations has yet to be FULLY ushered in.
A couple things to note as we step back for a second:
Look at the security of what God has given us! A living hope, hid in Christ, secured by Jesus raising from the dead. An inheritance, kept by God in heaven. A salvation by faith, a faith that God gives and then guards by his power.
Look at how much is coming for God’s people that isn’t yet here. In fact, there is so much in store for God’s people that what we have now is describes as only a down payment. Not 50/50, we are moving from one degree of glory to another, unable to be compared.
Ephesians 1:11-14 “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
The word for guarantee he carries the similar idea of a deposit, a first installment, a down payment to secure something. An engagement ring is a seal for a wedding to come. It is the commitment toward a marriage even though there hasn’t yet been a wedding, there is not yet a marriage. And to the degree that a life-long marriage surpassed an engagement ring, is the degree in which the glory to be revealed surpasses the glory that we have now. And even that illustration falls far short of the reality.
This is not to downplay what we already have. We are a new creation, we have been forgiven our sins, and been made spiritually alive.
What happens between the down payment of the Holy Spirit, and the full thing, is that God making us ready to receive it. The ring has been given, the first installment of the inheritance has been sent, things are in motion, plans are being made, the wedding is coming between Christ and His church. He has gone to prepare a place for us, and he will come again and will take us to himself.
How God’s makes us ready
v.6-7 “In this [the above 3 things] you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”
This faith is the most valuable thing you have. Why? Because it tethers you to Jesus, who is the most valuable thing you have. This faith is precious because of the object it is fixated on.
Faith is like an eye that lets you see, and when it is working, it is looking at something else, namely Christ. I don’t want my eye to see itself, I want it to help me see beyond itself so I can see you. And through faith, the eyes of our hearts see Jesus.
Faith is also like a conduit by which we receive Jesus. A pipe by itself has little to no value. It’s value comes because of its ability to bring water places. Faith in Jesus is your greatest treasure in this life, because it connect you to Jesus and is valuable in all circumstances.
There are trials in this life, but God sees these trials as necessary means to strengthen this faith. Various trials in life are necessary to accomplish all that God has for us. He wants to give us more, more strength, more faith, more joy, more glory, more peace.
Therefore, when you meet a trial, know that He is working salvation in you. Trials are His salvation in action, this is God carrying out His plan and He will keep you with His guarding power.
So if you are confused about what he is doing you have at least one answer: “He is saving me”.
Think little of your own judgement of what you think to be necessary, God know better than we do. And what he is doing is saving us, and doing it compassionately.
So God, who gives us faith as a gift, and seals us with Holy Spirit as a down payment of what is to come, will also guard our faith by his power, so that we, through faith, endure trials. And these trials will strengthening and purifying our faith, so that our faith may result in praise and glory and honor from God, as we share in Christ reward!
v.7 again “So that the tested genuineness of your faith may be to result in praise, and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ
We see here that we will share in the praise and glory and honor due to Christ. We will share in His Goodness and His Glory. When we get there, and this salvation is revealed, as our faith has been strengthened and proven true through trials, he will say to us “Well done! good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of you master”
Not just “go have fun” but “enter into my joy”. Jesus shares himself with us. He shares himself and shares his kingdom, his throne, his love, joy, Glory. All this is secured through faith, this faith that is of more valuable than purified gold, so what does this faith look like?
What does genuine faith look like?
It starts by you hearing about Jesus from His word, the Bible. The gospel is preached, read, or explained to you.
You may not believe it right away but it peaks your interest, there is level of curiosity or intrigue about what the bible says, and who Jesus is And in a way that wasn't’ there before, maybe because of a trial you are facing.
So you read more, learn more, ask more questions, and you start to see the implications of Jesus on your life if this message is true.
Then at some point, known to you are not, God changes you! He opens the eyes of your heart, and you see and believe in Jesus. And this change may feel disruptive because he has made you alive, and now wants to change you and wants to impact every aspect of your life. And verse 8 here becomes true of you:
v.8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory”
You don’t just conform to set of facts about Jesus, but you believe in him, you trust him, you entrust your life to him. You don’t just know about him, but you love him, treasure him, and you have Joy that is inexpressible and fill with Glory.
This is a faith in Jesus can give you joy in any circumstance, even in the midst of trials and suffering. And when you believe, this living hope is yours, this heavenly inheritance is yours, this new heart and soul that will share in the Joy of Jesus is yours.
And your heart and soul will say: “Blessed be God, who according to His Grace Mercy has caused me to be born again!”
Let’s Pray together
Father, what we have already is too much for us to comprehend. We, like the women seeking to be healed by Jesus, should say “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”
Even a fringe of your glory & goodness is enough to heal and change us. If that is all you were to give us, it would be more than enough and far more than we deserve. But that is but a mere sampling of what you have in store for your people. Everything in this life is dispensable except for you Jesus, keep us by your Spirit. Guard our faith through the trials of this life, for it is just a little while until all you have in store for your people will be revealed. Father grant new life today, change hearts and open eyes. Let us see Jesus! And give us joy in Him.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Communion
As we turn to the table. We share this table together as a reminder of what Christ has accomplished on the cross for us, and that he has given us this table also as anticipation of the heavenly feast to come, where we will have received our full salvation that Jesus has made ready for us.
The bread and the cup are primarily for members of Cities Church, but if Jesus is your treasure then we welcome you to eat and drink with us. But if you are not there yet, we ask that you let the elements pass by, lest you proclaim something you do not believe and bring judgement on yourself.
His Body is the true bread, and His Blood is the true drink, let us serve you.
The Bread
The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Let’s eat together.
The Cup
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Let's drink to together.