Background Story: The book of 1 Peter was written by the Apostle Peter to a group of Christians. Peter was a fisherman that Jesus called to follow Him. As a disciple of Jesus, Peter witnessed first hand the power of God and the forgiveness of the cross. Peter went on to be the “rock” and leader of the early church and was killed for his faith.

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9

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. 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. 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. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Big Idea: Jesus is our Living Hope!

In verse 3, Peter says we have a “living hope” in Jesus. Those two words are life transforming! Why?

LIVING: If you head to Jerusalem to visit the Garden Tomb, you’ll see one thing that’s very unique about this specific tomb. It’s empty! There is nowhere to lay flowers in remembrance. Jesus isn’t there! Jesus is ALIVE and because He lives and conquered death and the grave, we now can have forgiveness of sins and, “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” not based on our performance or ability but based on His sacrifice!

HOPE: Even though life isn’t always easy and “now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials,” we aren’t people that live without hope. Why????

-This is temporary: For the unbeliever, this world is the best it will ever be. But for the Christian, this world is a pitstop in the life of eternity. And although the problems of this world feel monumental at times, eternity is a blink away.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

-There’s Purpose: The trials we face today have a purpose and are used to change us and “may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” As we see our trials as opportunities for God to change us and use us, it elevates our vision so we stop complaining and start embracing a greater purpose.

James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

-The Story Isn’t Finished: Your story is still being written and God is still working in your life. The struggles you face today will not be the struggles you face 10 years from now. As God continues to grow you and change you, He will take you from “glory to glory” in this amazing relationship with Him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.“

Today, take time to thank Jesus for being our “living hope” who is alive and at work in you and through you to accomplish a greater purpose than we can imagine. If you feel discouraged today, pray asking for peace and perspective from the Holy Spirit to have faith to see the way God is moving in the midst of your trial.

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