Good evening. It's a great joy to be back with you once again tonight. And again, I just would like to thank you for your very warm reception and your display of Christian love and hospitality, your reception of both myself and my wife. We greatly appreciate it.
And please know that we pray for you often and will continue to remember you in our prayers there at Glen Cullen. If you're ever down our way, please come by and visit us. We would love to have you. Portland is a pretty place.
It's pretty here. I've never been here and it's beautiful. I didn't realize you were so close to the mountains. My wife and I originally are from the Midwest.
We moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1978, and as we arrived in the Portland, she expressed a little bit of disappointment because she was expecting Mount Hood to be right there at her doorstep, not 50, 60 miles away. But here in Chilliwack, it's a little more to her liking, I think. I should tell you another story, too. Is it okay?
I was really wanting Marcia to be happy in our move to the Pacific Northwest, and she just was not all that impressed with anything. I can remember coming through the Wallola Mountains, and I was looking, look at these mountains, and to her it was, you know, no big deal. Came through the Columbia River Gorge, and first time driving through, and seeing the waterfalls, and just the beauty of the gorge as we were making our way into Portland. And she just wasn't all that impressed.
And so I thought, well, I'll take her to the ocean. So we were there for a few days. And we got up early and we drove out to Cannon Beach. And we walked out to the ocean.
We're standing there, our ankle deep in the surf. And I said, well, I'm thinking, this has got to impress her. I said, well, what do you think of this? And she said, I thought it would be bigger.
I still have not ever quite figured that out. I think it is a matter of perspective, I assume.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3–9
Open your Bibles with me this evening to 1 Peter 1. Let's read verses 3-9. 1 Peter 1, verses 3-9.
Reading of 1 Peter 1:3–9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope. He has caused us to be born again. What a beautiful way to express the grace of God. And that new birth has brought us to a living hope. through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation and there that terms for salvation is that word is used in its broadest of context ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, to whom, having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
Introduction
An incredible amount of information is loaded into those verses there for us.
The Believer's Heavenly Inheritance
we will focus our attention this evening upon two of those verses, verses four and five. It's important for us to remember who Peter is writing to. He's writing to Christians, but he's not writing to Christians who are having an easy time of it. He's writing to pilgrims of the dispersion we read back in verse one.
And these Christians are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ, and they're scattered throughout the region. The King James Version calls them strangers, aliens, as it were, among the people. In other words, they're really not at home in this world, and yet they are loved and known of God. I love the way Peter refers to them as elect.
They may be strangers in the earth. They may be pilgrims in the world, but they're known of God. They're loved of God. They're his elect.
In truth, they're citizens of another country, a heavenly country. That's the place that they are really focused upon. So they're traveling, as it were, to heaven. And even though things are difficult, they're not overwhelmed in it.
They're not at a loss. For certain, there is hardship and trials and afflictions to endure, and they're not easy. Peter doesn't say all they're easy. He writes to encourage them in that.
They're aware that there are sacrifices to make in the Christian life. There are crosses to bear, but it's all for a purpose. God intends it all for their eternal good. Look what he says in verses six and seven.
In this you greatly rejoice, in this persecution, in this being scattered, in these hardships. He says, in that you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. The necessity of these trials, if need be, these various trials. They're for their spiritual good. that the genuineness, the reality of their faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Isn't that encouraging to know that all that we experience is not by random or chance? It doesn't just fall out and happen to us, but these things have a purpose in the plan of God, and that purpose relates to our eternal good. And so these pilgrims are willing to even lose their life if necessary for Christ. Now this is not because of some inner resolve of their own that they've worked up by their own understanding or their own inner strength or desire to just push on.
The Christian knows to live is Christ, to die is gain, and so Christians press on to heaven because, as verse 3 says, they have been born again. They're new creatures in Christ Jesus. They've been made over. They've been made new.
And so these are Christians. These are born-again Christians that Peter is writing to that are having a time of difficulty. And to them, Peter, out of a true pastoral heart, gives encouragement and comfort. From time to time, we all could use a word of encouragement and comfort.
I mentioned this morning in the Sunday School, giving my testimony, that when I first came to Glenn Cullen back in 99, the average age in the church was about 72. And we had a number of dear elderly saints. Most of them are in heaven today. We still have a few of them with us who I love dearly.
But there was this one lady, her name was Faye, and a godly dear lady. And she used to call me at least twice a week. I'd be in my study, the phone would ring, and she'd say, Pastor, this is Faye. And she said, I just want you to know I've been thinking about you.
I know it's difficult and I know you have your trials and struggles just like we do. You probably have more attacks than we do. And she said, I just wanted to call to encourage you. I just wanted to call and let you know I love you.
I just wanted to call and let you know I'm praying for you. Can I pray for you right now? And she would pray on the phone for me. We all need encouraging. from time to time.
I trust that you don't forget to encourage your pastor. Sometimes we need a word of exhortation. Sometimes we need a word of warning. But here for them, Peter has a word of encouragement, some encouragement for us as well.
There in verses 4 and 5, he speaks of our inheritance, incorruptible undefiled, does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." The apostle lays out the believer's hope. And note it's a living hope. That is, it's vital and it's full of spiritual life and vitality. It's not wishful thinking.
Rather, it's a confident expectation of inheritance, a heavenly one, one that is incorruptible, one that is undefiled and does not fade away. So there you have it. There you have that word of encouragement. They are in the midst of it.
They are going through it. They are in a time of real affliction and trial. And I think I can safely say that all Christians know something of this. In our prayer, I was very glad to hear you pray this evening, brother, for the persecuted church, our dear brothers and sisters around the world.
In our prayer meeting on Wednesday evenings, we always have a portion of the time that's given over to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. And I try to remind and keep fresh in our mind the realization that the church is not as we see it here in all of its makeup. Two-thirds of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not white. Two-thirds of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ lives under government-sponsored and sanctioned persecution.
The vast majority of Christians, the Church of Christ in the world today, is persecuted for righteousness' sake. And we need to remember that. This past week, we prayed for the family and congregation of a man by the name of Qamar David. He was a Christian man and he was serving a life sentence in a Pakistan prison for blaspheming the Koran and the Prophet Muhammad.
And last week he died while in custody. often and under suspicious circumstances. They claimed it was a heart attack, but there was evidence that he had been beaten and tortured and persecuted for an extended period of time. And often that's the case. It's true we may not know or we may never experience what it is to be chased from our homes and family for Christ.
We may not, as many have and continue to experience, what it is to be chased up to heaven. And because of that, we may come to a passage like this and we might be tempted to think that this scripture has nothing to say to us. But in some measure, we all know what it is to have our faith tried. We know what it is to be tested.
We know something about affliction and trial. We all know something of the pressures that the world brings to bear upon Christians. And through it, Peter wants us to remember for our health and God's glory that our future is bright. Peter wants us to know that we have an inheritance and that there is absolutely nothing that can ever take it away from us.
That word inheritance, it obviously points to something yet future. I like Vine's comments here. He said, it's a reference to the prospective condition and possessions of the believer in the new order of things to be ushered in at the return of Christ. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
And the Bible speaks a great deal about our inheritance. Do you ever think about it? Acts chapter 20 and verse 32. So now, brethren, as Peter is or Paul is speaking to those of Ephesian elders now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 14. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit himself is the seal. The Holy Spirit himself is the guarantee.
Of what? Of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. Colossians chapter 3 verses 23 and 24. Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord.
And so Peter here in the passage before us is reminding us of our future inheritance. And it's just impossible for us to get our hands completely around the glory this inheritance includes. It's just impossible. We just can't, we can't do it.
Remember what the Apostle Paul said, and he was quoting the prophet Isaiah. I have not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. So this inheritance is a glorious thing. It's out there in the future.
And you just can't compare it with anything that we now experience or know. In other words, descriptive words simply fall short. So Peter does his best. Of course, he's inspired by the Holy Spirit.
And Peter speaks of this inheritance in negative terms. And let's take them one at a time. Incorruptible. I see you have your Reformed Baptist book.
I don't do this very often. I spent time with Arnold Dallimore back in the 70s, early 70s, and he was very, very, very proper. And he insisted that no matter how hot it was, no matter how humid it got, you never took your coat off in preaching. And so I, for years, I would never ever do it.
I would just, if I started to, I would see him. And I remember I went to this conference in Montville, the Reformed Baptist Pastors Conference in Montville, and I was sitting there. And the man was reading scripture or praying, and he started out with his coat on, but I'm telling you, at some point, he got that coat off and it was hanging there. And I thought, when did he do that?
And the next guy, same thing. These Reformed Baptist guys, they come up and they start out with their coats, and then they go, do you take your coat off? Yeah. And there it hangs.
So I came back to Glen Collin, and we have three pulpits, or lecterns, one pulpit and a couple of lecterns. So I went out and bought Reformed Baptist books. I didn't want to invite my brethren to the church and have them question my credentials.
An Incorruptible Inheritance
Incorruptible. The ESV says imperishable. The word corrupt means to infect or debase or contaminate particularly, or with an emphasis, from the outside in. So, a thing is corruptible when it is open and vulnerable to outside influences and forces that are inclined to destroy it, to corrupt its power and beauty, to corrupt its vitality and very being.
You might think of a government that has become corrupt, or a once faithful denomination or church that has become corrupt. The truth is, everything in this world is not only corruptible, but to some measure is corrupted. We live in a fallen world, not a natural world, but a fallen world. and one that is corrupt at some level at every point and subject to corruption. There is always the danger, lack, or lurking of destruction or defilement from outside.
John Stott, commenting on this passage, writes, the land of Israel was at time ravaged and destroyed by invading armies. And the prophet Isaiah describes the utter destruction of the world in God's judgment. Isaiah 24, verses 3 and 4, the land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered for the Lord has spoken his word. The earth mourns and fades away.
The world languishes and fades away. Well, Peter uses the same language only in the negative form. So while all that around us is subject to corruption and destruction, in contrast, our heavenly inheritance is not vulnerable. It's invulnerable.
It can't be infiltrated. by any destructive force. Peter says it's incorruptible.
An Unfading Inheritance
Second, he says, does not fade away. I think it's interesting. Corruption is from the outside in, primarily. Fading away is, we usually think of it as from the inside out.
And so you might think of a beautiful flower, maybe a rose that is in full bloom on Valentine's Day. I had two dozen roses sent to Marsha at her work, and they were beautiful and full bloom. They didn't stay that way long. They began to fade away because from the inside there was no life.
There was no vitality from inside, and so they faded away. There was a lack of vitality. and proper strength that the flower couldn't endure. And again, on Earth, all things possess a certain power to exist and to live, but that power is limited. Another way to illustrate it, some of us know really well what it is to get older.
And we know something about the fact that we're fading away. from inside out, can't be helped. So like a flower that dies and the wind blows it away, all things upon earth, soon wither, fade away, including man. The Bible says three score and ten, or maybe four score, if by reason of strength, but there are definite limits. Our strength and vitality will fade.
And so Peter, in verses 24 and 25 of chapter 1, he quotes Isaiah, all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. But you see, our glorious inheritance that we live in hope of, in anticipation of, possesses a strength and vitality and power and beauty that never fades away, that can't fade away. And of course, the reason is that it is perfectly connected to Christ, the everlasting God.
An Undefiled Inheritance
And finally, it's undefiled. It's pure and it's whole. In other words, that which we hope for, that which we endure all things for and live in anticipation of receiving our inheritance is not subject nor possibly can be to the influences of sin. It's otherworldly.
Isn't that wonderful? And if you think about it, in Christ We receive, as Peter speaks of this inheritance, in Christ, we receive so much more than even what we lost in Adam. Now, the fall was a horrible thing, terrible. And in Christ, we recovered.
But more. Think of it, that first paradise was undoubtedly beautiful and a glorious place that's described as a garden. And there was fellowship with God. And even though it was created by God and it was righteous and it was holy, it was vulnerable to defilement.
Sin, we read, entered in. And death by sin, which passed to all men because all sinned. and out. And ever since, all things are defiled. We live in a fallen, defiled world.
And because we are sinners ourselves, we defile from outside in and inside out. But the inheritance to which we look forward to and hope, as Peter says, that's beyond defilement. As John in Revelation writes, what does he say? He says, no sin enters therein.
If Genesis is about the fall and all that is lost, Revelation is about all that's recovered and the victory of the Lamb. And one of the glorious things of that is that in that inheritance, in that place where Christ is, no sin enters therein. Undefiled. Heaven is an eternally righteous and perfect place.
It is grounded in Christ, our righteous Savior. Turn for just a moment over to the Gospel of John, chapter 14. Some of the most blessed words in all the New Testaments. So, words of encouragement and comfort.
Jesus speaking to his disciples. John chapter 14 verses 1 through 6. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.
In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Where I go, you know the way, and the way you know.
Well, Thomas saith to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Heaven's a wonderful place because Christ is there.
Remember that gospel chorus? Maybe some of you sang it. Heaven is a wonderful place filled with glory and grace. I'm going to see my Savior's face.
Heaven is a wonderful place. I think those words capture beautifully the essential truth of why heaven is a wonderful place. Why Peter can say about this inheritance that it is incorruptible, that it's undefiled, and it fades not away because it's grounded in And Christ is there. It's a wonderful place because we'll see our Savior face to face and we'll be with Him forever.
This is the sure hope. This is the hope of every true believer. I grew up in a Christian home and my father was a godly man. He loved the Lord Jesus.
And he lived out his faith before his family, and a few years before he passed away, he began to suffer from a bit of dementia, and he was cloudy in his thinking. And I can remember in February of 1999, going out to visit him, and taking my two daughters, the three of us went, to spend a week with my dad and mom. And we had a wonderful time. We sang and we prayed and the girls doted on him and loved him.
And he could understand what we were saying and we would pray and sing words and read scripture. He understood that, he could get that, but he couldn't communicate. He couldn't say things right. And I remember the girls had gone home a day early, and I was with him alone in his bedroom.
And I asked him, I said, Dad, are you able to read your Bible? And he says, well, I try to read it every day. And he pointed over to his nightstand, and on the nightstand was a copy of Josephus. He thought it was his Bible.
And I said, well, Dad, how are you? And for the first time in over a week, he looked at me and he said, as clear as a bell, he said, if I could just clear my head, if I could just get clear. And then he said, but I know one thing. And I said, what's that?
He says, I want to go. And he couldn't say it. He said, I want to go. I said, to heaven?
He said, yeah. He said, I want to see him. I want to see his face. Heaven's a wonderful place.
It's our inheritance. It's incorruptible, undefiled, fades not away because Christ is there. Revelation 22, 3 and 5, and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him. They shall see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads.
That means they belong to him. And there shall be no night there, they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light and they shall reign forever and ever. How do you describe something like that? I'm convinced that we don't think enough about eternity in heaven.
I think it's... Brethren, can I just... I've shared this with my people. I think it's a problem amongst us.
I know you've heard people say that, well, you can be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. I think I understand something of that sentiment. But you know what? Do you really believe that?
The Bible doesn't present that picture. The Bible presents a picture that unless you're heavenly minded, you won't be any earthly good. It's the very opposite. Colossians chapter three, set your mind and your affections on things above.
Why? Because that's where Christ is. And you've been joined to him by faith. So in a very real sense, that's where you already are.
Set your affections on things above. I think we, I think, and I don't know, maybe it's because of the abuses of Arminianism, or maybe the dispensational abuses of things relating to eternity. But I just don't think we think enough about eternity. We don't think enough about heaven.
The Inheritance Is Reserved and Guaranteed
Well, our possession of this future glorious inheritance, Peter says, is guaranteed. You know what a guarantee is. You don't have to explain that. So, Peter says, he puts it this way, this inheritance is eternally reserved in heaven And again, I can't help but think of those words of Jesus to his disciples.
That very night he was betrayed, as we read from John chapter 14. I go to prepare a place for you. Well, all things are now ready. Heaven is prepared.
It's real. And it only waits to be revealed in all of its splendor and majesty and glory and to be given to its rightful heirs. It's reserved because it's all settled, you see, by the sovereign, eternal, unchanging plan of God. That's why Peter can say it's reserved for you.
We are heirs of that inheritance by God's purpose of grace towards us. Look at Romans chapter 8. Verses 29-30, For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified.
True enough. But Paul goes on, and whom he justified, these he also glorified. Moreover, this inheritance is guaranteed, reserved, because it is certainly realized in Jesus Christ. By His righteousness and death on the cross, He merited not only our justification, as we considered this morning, but our adoption as children of God and our blessed inheritance.
We're his brethren. Therefore, we are joint heirs with him. That which belongs to him belongs to us. That's why Paul says, all things are yours. put it this way, the beginning of his exaltation was his resurrection and his being received into that inheritance.
Then, having ascended into heaven and being seated at the right hand of God, he was filled with the spirit and all the gifts necessary to realize our final salvation. The Lord Jesus came to his disciples before he ascended back to heaven to give them marching orders. And He reminded them, as they were to go and to preach the Gospel, that all authority, that is all power in heaven and earth, had been given to Him. It had been given to Him because of His obedience to the Father.
He was obedient even unto death, even death of the cross. And God, as a result of that, raised Him up. and exalted Him and seated Him at the highest place of heaven with all authority and power." To what end? To what purpose? Certainly for His own glory.
But turn to John chapter 17 for just a moment. We have this very familiar passage, the high priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus. He says, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that your son also may glorify you as you have given him authority.
There is all power in heaven and earth. To what end? that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. Brethren, our inheritance is reserved in heaven because of the purchase of Christ and his perfect obedience. And as a result, pursuant to that obedience, he now sets in heaven with all authority, giving eternal life to all that the father had given to him.
Eternal life, which includes not only our justification and our sanctification, but our glorification. does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall see him and we shall be like him."
The Preservation of the Heir
Now, at this point, there's a question or a concern that strangers in the earth, that pilgrims may raise. Okay, I see this. My inheritance is reserved there. It's guaranteed by God's will.
And the purchase of Christ, it's incorruptible, it's undefiled, it doesn't fade away, that's great. But what about me here? That's a good question. And Peter anticipates it, so he says in verse 5, in fact, let's read verse 3 and then skip verse 4 and then verse 5.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. You see, not only is our inheritance golden, but so are we. Not of ourselves, Peter says, we are kept by the power of God. That's incredible in light of the many dangers and enemies we encounter on the way.
Don't you think that would have been a word of encouragement to these Christians who were having a really difficult time of it?
The Triple Alliance of Enemies
And the Bible sums up under a triple alliance our enemies that we are up against, the devil, the world, our own sinful flesh, and we should be careful. not to take these enemies lightly. Peter will caution us elsewhere that the devil is dangerous. He's like a roaring lion going about to seeking to devour us. And that, you know, when we read that, we shouldn't think, therefore, the devil makes himself known like a roaring lion.
In fact, he prefers often to work undercover. He prefers to work in a very subtle way, behind the scenes, unnoticed. And yet, the point that Peter is making, he's dangerous and he's busy and he's very active. He doesn't let up, you know, in our weaker moments.
You know, when we're having a difficult time, the devil doesn't say, well, I see Phil out there, he's having a hard time. He's not feeling very well today. He's under some affliction. I ease up a bit.
No, he doesn't do that. He doesn't ease up when we least expect his attacks. And he has plenty of help. The Bible refers to him as the prince of darkness.
And often he works hand in hand, as it were, with our second enemy. Of course, when we speak of the world there, we mean the world of unbelief and wickedness, that world out of which God has called us to be separate, to be a people with a different frame of mind, to be a people with a different outlook, to be a people with a different walk, to be a people given to holiness and God's praises and In fact, that's why we're strangers here. The Bible speaks of the fact that we're in the world, but not of the world. And the unbelieving world will always be our enemy.
And that shouldn't surprise us. Jesus said to his disciples in John 15, verse 24, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. And the student is certainly not above his master. So, the truth is, when we stand for the gospel and the law of God and the truth of God, we can expect to be attacked.
Sometimes it's blatant and sometimes it might be head on. Sometimes it's more underhanded and subtle. Today, Christians are often ridiculed and Christians are seen as narrow and and ignorant or stuck in the past and because of that they're marginalized. How many times have you heard when a Christian thought is expressed as it relates to the holiness of God or as it relates to righteousness, some pundit will say, well that's out of the mainstream.
Seeking to marginalize the Christians. Now, we do have to be careful. Sometimes we're our own worst enemies. You know what I mean.
Sometimes Christians can be very foolish and appear that way before the world. We have to be careful. But it reminds us that that fact of having to be careful, that enemy number three can be our worst enemy. Our own sinful flesh.
We have this inclination descent. We all have it. The Pharisee says, no, I don't. The true child of God knows it and recognizes it, feels it, prone to wander.
Lord, I feel it. And we expose ourselves to temptation. You know, we might think, you know, I'm strong enough to deal with it. I have victory and I can handle it.
And, you know, the devil and the world says, that's right. That's absolutely right. And we go ahead and we even invite temptation in. Or maybe we become blind to our sin.
Paul certainly was aware of his continual battle in this area. Romans chapter 7, he cries out, oh wretched man. that I am, and I personally believe that Paul there is speaking as a mature believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I think that's the true child of God who is growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. The true child of God growing in humility, the very essence of Christianity recognizes that fact and feels it even more.
And if we're honest, we get that. We really know what it is to blow it. Because we all sin. But the point is, left to ourselves, what would happen?
Left to ourselves, what would happen? Think of Peter's own experience. Do you ever think about, sometimes I don't want to be guilty of, over speculating or reading into text or things like that are being sentiment being taken away with sentimentalism. But sometimes I wonder, you know, if Peter were here today, how would he read this?
How how would what what word would he emphasize? You know, there's different ways to read a passage and And when it came to this, that Peter is kept by the power of God, when he came to that, how would he read it? I mean, when you think of his own experience, he was certain that he would never deny Christ. He was ready to fight and to die for the Savior in his own strength.
Kept by the Power of God
But here's the good news, if you're really a child of God by new birth, you see, you're not on your own. You have a line of defense that no weapon of the enemy can break through. Apostle Paul says in Romans 8.37, in all these things, in all these things that the world would think are destructive and would tear us down, in all these things we are more than conquerors. Of course, not of ourselves, but through him who loved us.
We're in Christ and we're kept. And so Jesus said in John 16, 33, these things have I spoken to you that in me, you may have peace. Now in the world, you will have tribulation and he will have not. Now it's not you might have.
In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Again, think of Peter's own experience. If we turn to the Luke 22 passage, Jesus says to Peter, Peter, Satan is going to sift you.
He desires to have you. And then what does Jesus say? Peter, I have prayed for you. Brethren, what is true for Peter is true for us as well.
The truth is we are victorious. Peter says we are kept by or we are kept in the power of God. And we know that all power belongs to him. I mean, even the devil and the unbelieving world are under his authority.
I appreciated William Hendrickson, here he writes, he translates this way. The New King James says, we are kept by the power of God. Hendrickson translates this way, we are shielded by God's power. I think I like that.
He writes, in the Greek, this verb is a military term that can mean either to protect someone from danger or to prevent someone from escaping. He adds, in a spiritual sense, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. Philippians 4, 7. The point is, we're safe.
We're safe in Christ. True believers are shielded by God's power during our brief stay on this earth. God will not permit Satan to harm us so as to set us up course. You see, we can sing Isaac Watts' hymn of heaven with a measure of assurance and joy, then let our songs abound and every tear be dry.
We're marching through Emmanuel's ground to fairer worlds on high.
Preserved Through Faith
And finally, he describes the way or the manner of this preservation through faith. We talked about faith this morning. We have kind of a standing joke in our Sunday school class. Often when I'm teaching it, I like to have some engagement and I like to ask questions.
And I think sometimes the people still think that I may ask a trick question or something to that effect. And usually what I'll say when I don't get a response, I'll say, now, brethren, Ninety percent of the time in this Sunday School class, the answer is either faith or grace. One of the two. Faith is the queen of all the graces.
Without faith, it's impossible to please God. And faith is not something natural. I think sometimes we think of it that way. We've got to get that out of our heads.
Faith is not some natural thing. Because it's not our work. It's the gift of God. So it's not some force within us to be unleashed as it were.
One man commented, he said, God's protection is not dependent upon our believing and continuing in the faith as if God's power were active in us only if and when we believe and stand in the No faith is the gift of God apart from which the Holy Spirit does not work. God does not treat us like robots which respond only mechanically to the will of God. The truth is there are dangers and there are trials. And the truth is God has planned them.
They're under His sovereign control. They're in His will. And He wants us to experience them in order to strengthen and increase our faith which pleases Him. Do you ever think of when Jesus prays and the disciples look and, well, Lord, teach us to pray.
And then they ask Him, Lord, increase our faith. How will He do that? How will Christ increase and strengthen their faith? Lord, give me faith to have more love.
Help me love more out of faith. How's the Lord going to do that? He's going to surround you with a lot of loving people. Is that what He'll do?
No, He's probably going to send some stinkers your way. that are hard to love. You see, that brings him glory. The trying of our faith is a precious thing. So Peter says there in verses six through nine, In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness, the reality of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory in the revelation of Jesus Christ." So faith is the awareness of our dependence upon God.
That's the essence of faith. And by faith, we cry out. By faith we pray in the trial, in the difficulty, in the affliction, in overcoming the sin and the temptation. We cry and we pray and as Jesus says, we ask and we seek and we knock.
The essence of prayer. a desire that's intense and continues on and pleads with the Father. You know, the context of that where Jesus says, ask and it will be answered and seek and you'll find and knock and it will be opened. You know, that's in the context of how we're to live the Christian life. It's right in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount.
And Jesus says in that Sermon on the Mount, you think of some of the things he says that you are going to be persecuted for righteousness sake. Well, how will I live? Jesus says by faith. Pray, ask, seek, knock.
And the wonderful thing is he hears us and he answers our prayers. Sometimes we don't know how to pray, do we? I think that's the whole thing about seeking. Asking and seeking implies sometimes we're not certain of even what to ask for.
But the Holy Spirit does, and the Holy Spirit intercedes with, the Bible says, groanings that cannot be uttered. He helps. And so by faith alone we stand strong in His power and grace. This hope of heaven and assurance does not make the child of God lazy.
It doesn't make the child of God spiritually careless. We're talking today about the grace of God a lot, talking about justification by faith alone. Not by works, not by the keeping of the law. We're talking this evening about the assurance of this inheritance and its guarantee.
Brethren, those things do not make the true child of God lazy or spiritually careless. As if we just give in to sin and the world and fall prey to the devil and say, oh well, I'm saved regardless. Peter's words of encouragement exhort us to faith. It exhorts us to faith that does what?
That puts on the whole armor of God and is ready for battle. And faith is the recognition, you see, that I'm standing. I'm standing. But I'm guarded by God's power.
I'm kept until the final day of complete salvation in glory. Not in my strength. Not in my strength, but in the strength of God. Faith's focus is upon Christ.
Christ who is the very captain of our salvation. Christ who has gone before us to heaven, which is our real home.
Application
Well, just a couple of brief lessons that we should take away from this. I think number one is we should not become overwhelmed by the trials and the difficulties of life. Now, that doesn't mean that Pastor Cavan is saying, well, you've just got to have a little more faith and all this will be real easy. That's not what I'm suggesting.
What I am suggesting is that things do not happen to us by chance. There is purpose and faith recognizes that. Faith says God is working everything to my eternal good and for His glory. We're not stoics.
It's not keep a stiff upper lip. That's not Christianity. There is pain. There is sorrow.
There is suffering. Just as these Christians were scattered. and being persecuted for righteousness sake. But in and through it, we have a measure of joy and hope. Why?
Because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts. We belong to Him. We're accepted, as we said this morning, in Christ. We are His dear children.
He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things? And what are those all things? Well, it's not a carefree life necessarily. It's not a new pair of shoes or a big house or a fancy car.
But it's all those things that we need to land safe in heaven. To receive our inheritance that's incorruptible, undefiled. and does not fade away. What can ever separate us from the love of God? What?
If God is for us, Paul said, who can be against us? We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. By faith alone we stand. We watch and we wait, even so come Lord Jesus.
And in that faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
Call to the New Birth
I would be remiss if I didn't close by reminding you that, of course, you have to be born again. You have to be born again. Peter said, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again, has caused us by His grace to have new life in Jesus Christ. You need God's good work of grace begun in you.
And when that happens, you can have full confidence that He who began that good work We'll perform it. We'll carry it through to completion until the very day of Jesus Christ. Oh, you must be born again. If you're here this evening and you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, and maybe I've been talking about heaven and this hope and it's gone right over your head, or you've not had a real appreciation of it, or maybe you've had a sense that I would like to know more about that, you must be born again.
And what can you do to be born again? I don't know. That's the mysterious work of God. God works you.
It's like the wind that blows. But here's one thing I do know. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved. That's what you got to do. believe on him.
One day, as Hendrickson puts it, everyone shall see the inheritance. In other words, one day everyone will get a glimpse of all the glory that Christ has purchased. But only believers in Christ shall possess it. Why, why would you not receive it today?
Why? Why would you not receive this glorious inheritance that is freely offered to you? Let me close by just reading from God's Word. from the book of Revelation, chapter 21, first verses one through four. Now, I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Also, there was no more sea. I think that's a reference to no more turmoil and tossing and trouble. And then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people.
God himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.
Chapter 22 and verse 17 and the spirit and the bride say come. And let him who hears say come. And let him who thirst come. Whoever desires let him take the water of life free.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Gracious and loving Father in Heaven, we thank you again for this Lord's Day. We thank you, Father, for the Word of God and the truth as it has come to bear upon our hearts this day. And we pray, Father, that as we consider these things, not only of this evening, but of this morning, of your grace and this free justification and acceptance that is in Christ Jesus, and then as we contemplate this glorious inheritance, we pray, Father, that you would bless the consideration of these things to our hearts. And we would pray, Father, for those who may be here that don't know the Lord Jesus Christ.
Father, I want you to be pleased to work mightily in their hearts. Bring them, Father, to a place of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I ask that you would bless this dear congregation and their pastor and his family. We pray for his daughter and this baby that is on the way.
We pray for your safety and protection, for your perfect will to be accomplished, and for you to be glorified in all things. Bless the ministry here of the Word. May the gospel of your free grace ring clear from this pulpit forever for all. for many days until you return in glory. Bless the dear people, Father.
May they all grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and be found in the very center of your will. And we'll be careful to give you all the praise in Jesus' name. Amen.