Sunday's sermon notes

1 Peter 1:3-5:
Raise us above the word – purpose. All other things are worthless. Those Peter was writing to were going through trials and struggles so he writes to them to uplift and comfort them…to remind them of the heavenly rewards for their persecution. He encourages them to press on in the midst of these trials that they have. He greets them, but then jumps in to tell about how mighty and majestic God is, and how we are to continue to bless Him through every action. God is said to be the Father of Christ, because we cannot know God without looking and knowing Christ first. We are grafted into Christ, making God our Father as well. Christ is the only way to the Father. Peter piles blessings upon God, because God first piled the blessings upon us. Everything that they suffered was a blessing from God. I know, laugh…but it’s true. Everything from God’s hand for His people is always a blessing. “God is good…all the time.” Abundant mercy poured out to us. We must see our circumstances through God…through His love, mercy and blessings; we must not see God through our circumstances and judge Him because of them. So to remind us of His love, Peter talks about the “now not yet.” At the coming of Christ, they will be rewarded for being persecuted and persevering through all trials. We don’t look what God has done in us, but more of what he has accomplished outside of us through Christ Jesus. Without Christ, the worship is nothing. Our inheritance from God can not be diminished. It doesn’t fade, or go away. It is undefiled… reserved for us in heaven. TULIP…the “P” stands for Perseverance of the Saints. Since every one of God’s chosen people is a saint, it would also mean our perseverance. We know all through faith. Faith is given by God. Peter reminds us that God is to be center even in our trials. He is center in every narrative of our life. We are to praise Him in every issue of life. To praise Him and to glorify Him through pain, struggles and persecution. We endure because of living hope. This living hope is what makes us to go on. We can be strong and mighty, rising up to glorify and bless His name because of this endurance and because of this living hope.