Swept Away by Grace-A Study in I Peter (part 6): Hope—Secured and Anchored in the Cross of Jesus Christ
Our hope must not be built upon that which we see. It is so much bigger than anything that we could possibly see and so precious that it is worth all the pain and suffering we might find on this pilgrimage. Peter a rough and rugged sailor has now become the eloquent speaker. He now understands that this journey he has chosen will be far more treacherous than the worst storm he had ever faced before on any sea. Yet, he is pleading and urging to all who would read this his letter not to lose hope. He knows the urgency and when you read this book and this chapter, you cannot help but hear the earnest pleas of Peter. He has so reminded us that all that we have is an act of grace. We must take hold of that truth and wrap it tightly about our thoughts so as to prevent the fiery darts of Satan’s accusation from entering in. We must remain sober and not become intoxicated with the desires of this world or its enticements. Cling tight to that hope that one day we will stand before Christ—so overwhelmed by His beauty and Glory. We will marvel at how that beauty radiates and is reflected in our faces back to Christ with brilliance beyond anything we can imagine. He then urges us to be obedient children. He reminds us that God is a just and righteous God who never judges unfairly. Knowing that truth should cause us to tremble with fear and bow down in reverence to Him because the truth is our hearts are guilty, deserving hell and damnation. Yet, he paid the price for our redemption with the blood of His only begotten son. He didn’t buy us with tangible things such as gold or silver.
Not only that before God created the heaven and the earth, God looked through the corridors of time and knew every failure, every sin, every rebellious act, every selfish thought and every act of hate that you and I would commit and He still ordained that Christ would come to earth and pay the penalty for our sin. He chose to love you and redeem you anyway.
You were chosen, so raise up your head and look upon God, the Father who resurrected Christ from the dead and is calling you into new life with Him. He has done this so that all
your faith and hope are in Him alone. He is the most precious gift of all. All that this world offers is corruptible and will fade like the autumn grass. Did someone break your heart today? Did you lose your job? Are you watching while everything crumbles around you and you are feeling helpless? Are you struggling from check to check? Look up and know that God is good, God is Sovereign, and He has the best plan for your life. Put your hope in Him.
Listen closely to the words of this song
Before the Morning as sung by Josh Wilson
Now I urge you go back to read all of I Peter 1, but those who don’t have a Bible I am including the verses here for you.
I PETER 1(KJV) :1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned with the exception of my own book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”