A COVID Season of Resurrection with 1 Peter, 2020

Resurrection Season, 2020

I Peter 1:3-9,13

3:Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

According to God’s great mercy,

He has given us a new birth

Into a living hope through the

Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

4: And, into an inheritance that is:

Imperishable, uncorrupted, unfading

Kept in heaven for you.

5: You are being protected

By GOD’S power through faith

For a salvation that is ready to be revealed.

…

Peter is talking to believers who have been dispersed from their homelands.. 

So, during this COVID season, during our own time of dispersal from our regular lives, 

I wanted to re-share the powerful words of I Peter.  

3:Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

According to His, God’s, great mercy…

God’s mercy and grace are like a two sided coin of God’s brilliance.

 He gives me what I don’t deserve (Grace)

And He doesn’t give me what I do deserve (Mercy)

He tells me that the wages of sin is death, separation from God. 

It is true, I sin:

  I do things my own way instead of God’s way, and therefore, I deserve separation from God.

BUT according to His great mercy, He doesn’t give me what I do deserve,

He doesn’t separate me from Him!

Instead, He has given me 

new birth into a living hope!

 Before I believed, the wages of my sin was death, 

it was my only choice

 but now, after belief, I am given a new birth, a new life of choice.

 

How?

Through the resurrection from the dead of my living hope, Jesus Christ.

His death saved me from the punishment of my sin; 

His resurrection saves me from the power that sin has over my daily life.   

After belief,

 I can now choose to live in my new birth instead of my old death/separation!

But wait, there’s more!  Peter goes on with an AND…

AND into an inheritance that:

•  will never go away or be destroyed. It is Imperishable! 
• will never spoil or be diminished by sin. It is Incorruptible!
• will never lose its brilliance. It is Unfading!

An inheritance that will be kept in heaven for me: 

being kept watch on by God Himself!

An inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, and rights.  

God’s inheritance for us is as Children of God with all the rights of God Himself.  

Ephesians 1:3—

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms”, 

not just when we join Him there but right here, NOW as He keeps watch over us.

5: I am being protected By GOD’S power through Faith. 

 God’s power within me that is being released by my faith!

Why? 

For a salvation that is ready to be revealed;

I am saved from the penalty of my sin at belief. 

 I am saved every day from the moment to moment power of sin in my life by faith

 One day I will be saved from the presence of sin altogether! 

Then, I  will know, finally,

 Salvation’s full significance when I am face to face with my Savior.

I Peter 1:6-9, 13

6: You rejoice in this,

Though now, for a short time, You have trials so that

7: The genuineness of my faith may result in:

Admiration of God’s character (Praise)

Exultation with joy at what can be known about God’s character (Glory)

As I choose to respect and believe God’s character (Honor)

Praise, Glory and Honor TO JESUS!

My living hope/present joy.

In the face of trials, I have security and freedom from fear 

That is independent of my circumstances.

8-9: I can rejoice because I am receiving the goal of my faith:

The salvation of my soul.

I am continually, presently, ongoingly now receiving the goal of my faith!  

Salvation in my daily life from the power of sin that separates me from God.

13:  Therefore! Be people of action! 

Be self controlled! 

Rather than being controlled by outside circumstances, 

Be directed from within; Be serious. Be focused:

Set your hope COMPLETELY on the Grace being brought to you 

At the revelation of Jesus!

We are not alone in this journey when we are believers.

We have been given a NEW BIRTH, 

a LIVING HOPE, AN INHERITANCE.

We are being PROTECTED. 

We can REJOICE as we RECEIVE.

We can RESPOND with our actions by setting our hope completely on JESUS

Who will  accomplish all that concerns us today.

 

COVID 19 an opportunity to discover the strength that God Himself lends each of us

 as we claim the promises in 1Peter!

Set your hope COMPLETELY on He Who

 made a way for you when there was no way.

Celebrate this Resurrection Day with confidence and joy.

God’s got this and you!

Hallelujah!