Because of the Resurrection

20 April 2014 AM – 1 Peter 1:3-5 – Easter – Scott Childs

Introduction

Today is Resurrection Sunday. It is a day set aside to remember the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Other religions worship their dead leaders. Even many who profess to be Christian, worship a dead Jesus on a cross or crucifix. Paintings and jewellery that portray Jesus on a cross have a wrong focus. Our Jesus is alive! “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’r His foes.” This morning, we are going to focus our attention on what Christ’s resurrection can do for you.

Transition

In 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, listed three blessings we can have because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Because of Christ’s Resurrection Christians Have a Living Hope, v.3

Peter was writing to those who had hope.
1. Hope in the Bible is not a wish. It is a confident assurance. It is mainly an assurance of heaven because of a relationship with the resurrected Jesus Christ.
2. Peter was writing to people who had been begotten again or born again spiritually through faith in the resurrected Christ. By faith in Christ He made them new from the inside out. It was not their belief in God, baptism, confirmation, good deeds, or church attendance that made them new inside, but faith in Christ alone.
  Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. Down in v.5 he speaks of their faith unto salvation.
  1. The only way you can become a child of God, a true Christian, is by placing faith in Jesus Christ.
  2. Faith is acting upon trusted information.
  3. Faith in Christ is not just believing that Jesus really lived, died, and rose again. Many who believe those facts are still headed for hell (Mt 7:21-23).
  4. When the Holy Spirit convicts a person of his sinfulness and the person yields to the Holy Spirit by admitting his guilt, repenting (changing his mind about his sin and the way to be saved), and then simply believes that Christ’s death and resurrection paid his debt completely and receives Christ’s payment as his only hope, he becomes a genuine Christian. That is saving faith!
    Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
    Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
    John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
4. The living hope that Peter is about to describe is only for those who have been saved by faith in Christ and who have received new life from Christ. Are you positive that describes you?
Peter’s readers had living hope.
1. Because Christ rose from the dead and is now alive, he offers a living hope to all who receive Him by faith.
2. The Bible describes this hope from many different angles.
  Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
  Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
  Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
  1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
If you know Christ as your Saviour, you have a blessed living hope of heaven, eternal life, and of a glorified body like that of Jesus Christ.

Because of Christ’s Resurrection Christians Have an Inheritance, v.4

It is a royal inheritance
An inheritance is something you receive from one who has died and passed on his possessions to you. Our eternal inheritance is unique. Jesus died and rose again but God chose to make all who place their faith in Jesus a joint heir.
Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; …
1. Our inheritance is incorruptible. It cannot decay, rust, or lose its value.
2. Our inheritance is undefiled. It is perfect and unsoiled. It is spotless.
3. Our inheritance is unfading. It will never fade like a flower. It is perennial. It will continue to be new for all eternity.
  Nothing that we have on earth has these three qualities. Everything decays or tarnishes. Nothing is truly perfect. Nothing is truly perennial. Our eternal inheritance is unique! It is royal enough for the Lord Jesus.
It is a reserved inheritance
1. The word translated “reserved” means kept safe. God himself keeps our inheritance safe.
2. He keeps it safe in heaven. Some of the cults teach that heaven is not the eternal home of Christians. God promised that inheritance is kept safe in heaven
3. If you are truly a Christian, God is keeping your inheritance safe for your in heaven.

Because of Christ’s Resurrection Christians Have Eternal Security, v.5

True Christians are kept
1. The word translated “kept” means protected by a military guard. The word describes protection from an invasion as well as protection from desertion.
2. God is assuring us that if we are truly His child, He will protect our soul eternally by His divine power. When a person truly becomes a child of God through faith in Christ, he is eternally secure. He cannot lose it.
  1. Some people disbelieve this because they know someone who claimed to be saved but now lives like the devil. Only God knows our heart. Many claim to be saved who are not. God always chastens His disobedient children.
    Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
  2. If you are truly God’s child, you cannot lose that relationship. If you sin, you will lose your fellowship with God until you confess and forsake the sin, but you will not lose your relationship, (1 Jn 1:7).
True Christians will receive salvation
1. Salvation means deliverance. It is actually a gift that is received in several stages. Immediately upon trusting Christ, we are saved from the guilt and punishment of sin. As we grow spiritually, we are delivered from the vices of sin. In this verse, it speaks of the inheritance that accompanies salvation that will be revealed when we get to heaven.
2. The words “last time” describe the very end and God’s perfect timing.

Conclusion

If Christ had not risen from the dead, we would have no hope, we would have not inheritance, and we would have no eternal security. We would all be doomed. However, since Christ DID resurrect, all of these are available to you if you truly know Christ.

Ask yourself, in what are you trusting to save you from hell? If you died right now, are you positive you would go to heaven? If you answers are not based on the Bible, they can be. I would like to show you how.

Song: Only Trust Him – 252

Sermons

Because of the Resurrection – 1 Peter 1:3-5