(I Peter 1:3-7)

PART ONE

We are going to talk about election before this series is done – but not today.

We are going to talk about being chosen before this series is done – but not today.

We are going to admire the beautiful statement of the Trinity before this series is done – but that will also be another day.

How about grace and peace?  No, not today.

Can we jump these great hurdles for today and do some running in verses 3-7?

We need to praise the Lord and rejoice in our salvation.

How?

Recognize two timely parts of my salvation.

#1 – Rejoice because my final salvation is yet to be revealed.

#2 – Rejoice because the present trials of my faith will end when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I.                    Rejoice because my final salvation is yet to be revealed (I Peter 1:3-6a).

Anagennhsas  (aorist active participle answers why God is blessed) – to regenerate, to cause to be born again.

INTO a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

INTO an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you.

YOU 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.

IN THIS you greatly rejoice (present, middle, indicative) – finally the verb.

It sort of sneaks up on you because of the prepositional phrase that begins the sentence – but we must not miss it.

You Rejoice.

In this.

In what? 

In the declaration of praise that Peter is giving – with an exclamation point!

I was born again by the power of God.

We always want to ask this question.  Doing it as a sincere invite from the Lord.  Will you receive Him?

That is our salvation.

NOTICE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THIS SALVATION:

-         INTO a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

-         INTO an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you.

We are off to a pretty good start, but my salvation has not been fully realized yet – but will be.

Please don’t misunderstand – we are not the ones who have the power to do this.  When is was born again, I was given a down payment of the Holy Spirit – He is my seal of redemption in my very soul – but this miserable body I live in has not been redeemed yet.

If I walk in the Spirit, the Lord will use my body, I work very hard on this body (make it my slave says Paul).  I seek the holiness of God with all my heart in this body.  But I know that in this body of mine there is a constant and on going battle with sin. 

Romans 7:21-25

 Something very powerful has to be done yet to complete on the outside what has begun on the inside.  Only God has the power to do this – and His saving of us has not been completed yet.

Yet, this all operates and is received because of my faith (vs. 5).

-         through faith I am shielded by God’s power

-         through faith I am shielded until the final salvation comes

-         through faith I believe that it is ready and will be revealed in the last time. (Hold this thought – it hasn’t fully happened yet.  When will it happen?  When we die?  We are one step closer, but still not complete.  When Jesus Christ returns and we are resurrected, our salvation will be complete.  Born again soul / spirit and a new body).

The Lord will by His power complete our salvation, which has come to me by faith.

IN THIS – YOU GREATLY REJOICE.

You may even say, “Praise the Lord”!

You may even sing, “Praise the Lord”!

You may even shout, “Praise the Lord”!

Eulogntos – “blessed be” or “praise be to”

II.                 Rejoice because my present trials of my faith will end when Jesus Christ is revealed (I Peter 1:6-7).

How do you like that?

We need to praise the Lord and rejoice in our salvation.

How?

Recognize two timely parts of my salvation.

#1 – Rejoice because my final salvation is yet to be revealed.

#2 – Rejoice because the present trials of my faith will end when Jesus Christ is revealed.