Sermon: 1 Peter 1:3-12 - Joy In God Times of Joy One of the great things that I get to do as a minister is officiate at wedding ceremony s. Weddings are great - I loved my own wedding - and seeing my beautiful bride walking down the aisle. And I love other people s weddings - most of them I get a front row seat. I stand right next to the groom and see his goofy little smile as his joy is mixed with nerves. I get to see the little smircks and winks of the couple during a song or reading. From the front I can see the smiles on nearly everybody s faces. And there are many similar moments of joy in life aren t there: the first time you hold your new born baby in your arms; the moment you graduate from school or university, the moment you score the winning point in a sporting match; the moment you buy your first home; or the credit card has been paid off! We love those times - they fill us with great joy and satisfaction. But then the joy so often fades: - After the Wedding day comes the first year of marriage - which for many is hard. - After the birth your baby decides not to sleep and then later they turn 2. - You buy your home and then it gets flooded by a summer storm. - You see a friend show signs of becoming a Christian but then walks away. And so the question needs to be asked, is there a joy to be found that is lasting - a joy that transcends time, circumstance, and even emotions and feelings? The answer according to the apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1 is a resounding YES! Not in circumstance - but in God! Someone has said that these verses provide for us a majestic view of the past, present, and future - of what God has done, is doing, and promised do. And this is where true Joy can be found -in the plans and promises of God. And I am convinced this passage invites us to discover afresh that joy today. 1. Joy in Future Treasures (v3-5) The first reason a Christian can be filled with joy is that in God we have a certain hope of great treasure. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Peter calls this future treasure a living hope and an inheritance in heaven. - They are not two different things but the same thing ( into repeated).
- The inheritance in heaven is the object of the living hope. Peter's Jewish audience would have been very familiar with the idea of inheritance. - Throughout the OT the Promised Land was known as their inheritance. It was their source of hope and joy. - But Peter now takes this earthly inheritance and contrasts it with something even more glorious - a heavenly inheritance. Why is this called a living hope? 1. It will not disappoint: - unlike so many other "hopes" we have in life. - The Jewish inheritance of the Promised Land didn't last. - We might hope to be free of debt - but it doesn t happen. - We might hope to be free of sickness - but it doesn t last. - We might hope to be married but it hasn t happened. - We might hope for a large inheritance from our parents - but so many parents are spending it already on cruises around the world. - So many of our hopes never materialize. - But the heavenly inheritance Peter talks about here never disappoints - it is one that that lasts forever - it will never perish, spoil or fade. Because it is God s! 2. It is guaranteed by the power of God. - Peter says that as we trust in God - God keeps our inheritance (v4 - kept in heaven for you) and he keeps us for it (v5 - we are shielded by God s power - he makes sure we will get it. Illustration: Body Guard I have often looked at people like the President or Prime Minister or Whitney Houston and seen their body guards and wondered how it must feel having someone ready to take a bullet for you - I haven t so much wanted to be a bodyguard for various reasons - not just because I am lover not a fighter - but pretty much just because I m scared. But how good would it be to have your own bodyguard. Well that is what God is like to his people - a personal bodyguard - making sure that the treasure he has promised - you will get. The inheritance in heaven is a living hope - it will not disappoint and it is guaranteed by the mighty power of God. How does one receive this living hope of a heavenly inheritance? Peter s answer in v3 is by a new birth. - You have to be born into a family to get a family inheritance. - We have to be born into God's family to access his inheritance - (spiritual not physical). How are we born into God's family? - Peter says by God's great mercy and through the resurrection of Jesus (v3).
Please note there is nothing much we do here. - And this ought to be obvious from nature - you don t do anything to be born - I have watched my kids be born - the parents do all the work (mum especially!). - And its the same with God. But its even stronger as well. - Our natural inclination to God is one of rebellion not relationship - we are all tainted by sin and the Bible is clear we can't deal with it ourselves. We need God to deal with it - and he did - as Peter says through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. - Our entry into God s family is through Jesus and God s mercy alone. Application: If you don t personally know God s mercy to you in Jesus yet - can I encourage you as you go home today and read one of the gospels of Jesus and notice what he said about his death and resurrection and its purpose. Send us an email during the week if you have questions - love to answer them. If you do know God s mercy and you do trust in Jesus - then know for certain you have this living hope - a guaranteed inheritance in heaven that cannot be taken away. Let that amaze you again today. You know that feeling of excitement and joy as children wait for Christmas or their Birthday to come (our kids are about to have their birthdays - so I can start to see their joy as they look forward to their birthday's - they don't know all the details of the treasures waiting for them (neither do we yet). But from past experience they they know its going to be good! And so they are joyful. How much more can we be when we understand the treasures waiting for us and what God has already done to show us how generous he is. 2. Joy in Present Trials (v6-9) God is protecting us and our heavenly inheritance - but does this mean will we be protected from all life's trials? Experience surely teaches us the answer is no - and so does Peter. But even in our trials he still says we can find joy. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Not fake joy - but can greatly rejoice! In v8-9 he says we can be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy! - This Joy is Deep and heart felt - words alone can t do it justice - I must live it out, shout it out, sing. How is it that we can rejoice even in trials? 1. The trials are only for a little while - while the inheritance is forever. 2. The trials Refine our Faith
7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Illustration: Acid on Brick Wall The first few days after our new retaining wall at the front of our house was built it looked pretty good - but it still has lots of dirt and mortar marks all over it. It had to be washed down with hydrochloric acid for it to really sparkle. I don t know whether bricks like being washed with acid - I wouldn t - but it was for its good. Trials in the Christian life are bit like that acid wash- they may not be pleasant - Peter says here they cause us grief! But they help get rid of the rubbish in our lives. Also its a bit like going to the gym - we may not like it at times but our muscles are being strengthened by the gym- and trials in life strengthen our faith muscles. - And it is absolutely crucial that our faith is strong - for Peter has already said it is through faith that God shields us so that we will inherit heaven. Application Maybe you ve been going through a trial recently and need to be reminded of this today. - You have struggled to find any peace or joy because all you can see is this mountainous trial in front of you (physical, financial, emotional, relational). But let this word broaden your perspective: - Your trials although they may be fierce are only for a little while. - they hurt - but in the end are nothing compared to eternity in heaven. - God is using this trial to strengthen your faith and make that inheritance in heaven even more precious and wonderful in your eyes. 3. Joy in Past Testimonies (v10-12) 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. The promise of salvation - was something planned out by God long ago. - The prophets in the OT knew part of the plan - they knew it was centered on Jesus and his death and resurrection - they knew it would be realised in a future generation - but didn t know when. - even Angels longed to look into these things. But Peter reminds his readers and us - the salvation the prophets and angels longed to see has now begun.
- Jesus has died and risen again and this good news is being preached. He is telling his readers - you live in a very privileged time! - The testimonies of the past have been fulfilled. - The prophets would love to be in your shoes right now. We can easily grumble about the times we live in - about how horrible our lives are and how our society is crumbling around us - now whether that s true or not it is insignificant when we understand where we are in the history of God s plan with the universe. - Despite how it looks - you and I live in a priveleged time - a time of grace - the time of God's favour - how can that not become a source of great joy. Conclusion Many years ago someone wrote a Kids song that was picked up and smashed by the Simpsons TV show: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart! Now I thought it was a pretty cheesy and tacky song and didn t reflect reality. Until someone told me a story about a young girl who saw the joy in an older Christian man. She remarked that he must go to heaven every night because he was so joyful every day. - Joy he said is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there. When the King is resident in our hearts - when he rules our lives and oru lives are centered on him - there is joy - in all circumstances. - For this King is not a slave to time and circumstance - He rules over all time and circumstance: past - present - future. - He doesn t protect us from all trials but uses some trials to strengthen our trust in him and enlarge our view of him. - And the treasure that he has promised us and protects for us makes all our earthly treasures or trials seem like a drop of sand on the beach of eternity. - God is big - bigger than time - bigger than any treasure (marriage, babies, money, health) or trial (physical, financial, relational) - If you center your life - your heart - on God and his plans and promises - there can and ought always be joy in our hearts. He can never be destroyed or disappoint. - Is the King resident in your heart? - I trust that the flag of joy will fly at full mast today.