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you you you you you you you you you [Music] good morning welcome to fruit grace baptist church nice to see everyone's bright smiling faces again uh the lord's bless us with another safe week we're all gathered together back together and for that we give we give thanks to the lord um in regards to announcements uh really i think there's only uh perhaps two announcements one announcement has passed about there's not with us uh he's still on vacation he's still in dryden he he is or i suppose was because of the time difference he was preaching this morning in dryden and this past week was meeting with different men there in the leadership potential leadership position so he'll give us a bit of an update when he gets back uh the lord willing next sunday he will be here so he'll start to travel uh tomorrow he and rebecca will travel back to bc here uh so it'll be uh two or three days to get back here he has an important uh reason to be back because uh this thursday is is amy gallagher and and austin i should have asked austin to rehearse his last name so my apologies austin i won't say your last name because i know i'll mess it up but i was there they're being married this uh this thursday so that's uh that's that's wonderful and we'll pray to we'll continue to pray for you guys that god will bless you uh with a uh with a happy day on thursday and a happy uh happy ending and a a fruitful uh marriage uh so i believe that's it for announcements uh let's let's uh let's turn our bibles as our call to worship to isaiah chapter 51 isaiah 51. so i should say i think most of us know but uh ryan mal jars is is preaching this morning in case you wonder well who's preaching this morning uh we had pastor mike kirkpatrick from the surrey church last week if you weren't with us and uh so today we have uh ryan meljar's which we're grateful to have him here with us this morning so psalm 51 we'll read the first 16 verses to uh to prepare our hearts for worship listen to me you who follow after righteousness you who seek the lord look to the rock from which you are hume and to the whole of the pit from which you were dug look to abraham your father and to sarah who bore you for i called him alone and blessed him and increased him for the lord will comfort zion he will comfort all her waste places he will make her wilderness like eden and her desert like the gardens of the lord joy and gladness will be found in it thanksgiving and the voice of melody listen to me my people and give ear to me o my nation for law will proceed from me and i will make my justice rest as a light of the peoples my righteousness is near my salvation has gone forth and my arms will judge the peoples the coastlands will wait upon me and on my arm they will trust lift up your eyes to the heavens and look on the earth beneath for the heavens will vanish away like smoke the earth will grow old like a garment and those who dwell in it will die in like manner but my salvation will be forever and my righteousness will not be abolished listen to me you who know righteousness you people in whose heart is my law do not fear the reproach of men nor be afraid of their insults for the moth will eat them like a garment and the worm will eat them like wool but my righteousness will be forever and my salvation from generation to generation awake awake put on strength o arm of the lord awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old are you not the arm that cut rahab apart and wounded the serpent are you not the one who dried up the sea the waters of the great deep that made the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to cross over so the ransomed of the lord shall return and come to zion with singing with everlasting joy on their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness sorrow and sign shall flee away i even i am he who comfort you who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die of the and of the son of a man who will be made like grass and you forget the lord your maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth you have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor when he has prepared to destroy and where is the fury of the oppressor the captive exile hastens and he may be loosed that he should not die in the pit and that is and that his bread should not fail but i am the lord your god who divided the sea whose waves roared the lord of hosts is his name and i have put my works in your mouth i have covered you with the shadow of my hand that i may plant the heavens lay the foundations of the earth and say to zion you are my people amen well please turn with me in response that to your right to our first hymn which is 145 d is in david 145 d as in david and i'll ask you to please stand [Music] foreign [Music] oh foreign is is amen you may be seated let's go to god in prayer and ask his blessed be upon our worship services tonight er this morning our gracious and our loving heavenly father we come into your holy presence through your son the lord jesus christ we're grateful father for the fact that you are the all-powerful one you are the one who spoke all that is around us all creation into being in six in the space of six days and all was very good and not only father who you created but you also sustain so that we are able to arise this morning from our beds within in health and and with food and the sun stays in the sky and the earth continues in its uh in its orbit truly lord all these things we speak of of a good god a kind god a holy god a god who's all together different from us we pray lord that you give to us that that sense of reverence as we come before such a holy god this morning here in in this local church we thank you father that that we have your holy word that we have these 66 books that they give to us a knowledge of the things of god we're not left to our own we're not left to look to the creation to to form our own opinions of of of you but rather we've been given all that is required for for our knowledge for understanding and ultimately for our salvation through your holy word so lord we thank you for that word we pray you'd bless that word this day cause us to treasure it cause us to be berean to search the scriptures and be certain that the things we hear are true and are of a right to of a right doctrine lord we thank you for your holy spirit that has been given to us in the absence of the lord jesus christ who has gone up to heaven to be our intercessor on our behalf how we praise you father for the gift of your holy spirit and we pray that spirit might be evident here in this place this morning we do thank you lord that that the spirit of the living god does move and and does remind us of the things of christ in his absence we thank you father for the fact that the spirit is like the wind that we may not be able to see the spirit of the living god but we know the the evidence all around us just as we see the evidence from the wind that father you are evident in this place your evidence in our hearts and we thank you for that thank you for giving us a saving interest in the person of your son the lord jesus christ father we know that we are we were born in in that adamic sinful nature we were far from you in fact we were we're enemies with you we did not come seeking you but rather father you sought us out in and you removed that stony heart from us and you gave to us fleshly hearts that would breathe breathe after you and seek after you and father we we just praise you for that for the gift of salvation the gift of faith to believe in your son the lord jesus christ we pray that christ might be preached it might be evident here from this pulpit this day we pray you'll be pleased to bless the preacher cause him to be filled with your holy spirit and and uh and we pray that he might make much of the person of the lord jesus christ we pray lord this service today would be unto edification and uh for those who are believers and and for encouragement for those who perhaps are downtrodden this day for for the the benefit of of individual souls who know not the things of christ this day we pray lord that you would come in power and that you would move uh in our congregation move in the hearts of each and every one of us in the way in which you deem best we thank you father that you are for zion as we're reminded in this chapter in isaiah that the zion is your holy place you've chosen to place your your it is your dwelling place father so we come knowing that you are dwelling here amongst us we pray that we might know that that that presence and that on that that holiness of god on high here in this place this day father we do think of those who cannot be with us this day we think of uh the the people that some of the some of the women who have perhaps have lost lost their spouses recently and we think of bev and she's in the hospital dealing with with her health issues father how we pray that you would be pleased to bless each one of these ladies cause them to to know your help this day cause them to know your presence your spirit with them we know lord that we take for granted that we get up and rise from our beds and get into our cars or we walk to be here this day and father we we just praise you that that we can be here but we think of those who would love to be here but for uh for reasons cannot be here we pray lord you'd strengthen them by your holy word this day cause them to know that we have not forgotten them but rather they are they are remembered by you most uh certainly most importantly and we pray they would know your presence your smile upon their lives this day father we do pray for our pastor we pray to strengthen him as he has preached this day and perhaps his leading meetings this afternoon with the congregation and dryden do give wisdom father in regards to the way ahead there we we do not want to go ahead of you but on the other hand we do not want to be uh to be slow in our action towards uh towards the the group that desire to to meet and and be a church there uh in in dryden so lord just give give wisdom and we pray that you would just be pleased to to to raise up leaders raise up perhaps even an elder amongst them who could who could lead and who could who could elder the flock there in that in that place bless the the flock in uh in vernon as well we thank you lord for them we thank you for ryan's attention to their needs over the last number of months and we pray lord that your will would be known there as well that you would cause guide us and cause us lord to to to to be able to help that uh that that small group uh that they might be an enlarging group as well that you would bless them with growth and and bless them in the absence of ryan this day and we pray lord that they would know your help and your aid we thank you they've been preserved from the fires in the in the interior we do pray lord that uh for all those who have been affected by these fires that ultimately that they would that they would that they would seek the true and living god that these things as they come close to nature and the fury of nature they would see these are but a small taste of your great power and we pray lord that would turn many to the true and living god that they would not uh that they would not just put put these things aside and and uh and and seek to uh seek to uh to squash the squash their own consciences but we pray that these would would cause them to see the the the true fury of the true and living god that uh that who would want to fall into the hands of the living god that is a fearsome thing and we pray lord that you would do a work of salvation in the hearts of many across this nation of ours and and and in this province lord we think of the uh we think of pastor mike as well in in surrey we pray your blessing upon him we thank you that we were reunited last week to be with him we thank you lord for the grace that that he has and we pray lord you just continue to bless he and the congregation there in south surrey we pray they will continue to grow not just numerically but grow spiritually growing the things of christ and growing their love for you father first and foremost may you fill them with the knowledge of yourself to the to their fullness and we do pray lord they would they would truly uh just uh love you all the more uh as they as they meet together as they encourage one another in the things of god father we do think also of our own nation we think of the sin of abortion we think of the sin of euthanasia these things that that are all around us and we speak very very very very openly about true lord they are an abomination in your sight the taking of of innocent human life we pray lord that you return a conscience to our nation we know lord that we don't look to those who govern over us but we are to pray for them that they would govern as those who will give an account one day for the for the way in which they have led for the way in which they they have uh brought legislation to pass in our nation lord we pray that you would that many would turn to you the true and living god the lord you would bring that you would revive your churches across our nation cause your churches lord to pre to speak truth uh to the to the hearts and ears of those who attend we pray lord that uh perhaps where there are where there are um ministers who who know not the the gospel themselves who know nothing of grace their own hearts lord you would save them and remove them we pray you'd raise up young men raise up new leaders to to replace them that father we might see a revival of your churches across our nation the lord you would you would breathe upon this nation and and cause cause the word of god to go forth and that would be for the salvation of many we know lord that we do we we we we we are in need of you lord we we do need uh you in this in this in these dark days and we pray that uh you would be just be pleased to show mercy upon our nation particularly even during this election father may your may your mercy be upon us and may you be pleased to to put into office those those men and women who would who would influence influence this nation in a good direction rather than towards wickedness lord just be merciful to us we do plead that we need your mercy lord we we are a sinful nation and we truly do turn to you the true and living god father we do lastly pray for those who are persecuted around the world we're reminded in the last hour of those who truly are suffering for the gospel sake they they have they have suffered the loss of loved ones family members loss of pastors loss of buildings and lord how we pray that you would just be pleased to bring down uh the wickedness of the some of these nations they those who are set not upon just just uh usurping power but those who are seeking to bring down the church the numbering church numbering christians amongst them we think of what's going on in afghanistan father where christians are being singled out and executed lord how we pray that you would that you would be pleased to come to their aid and their protection we do pray lord that they would know that you are the true and living god that they would they would not faint that they would not that they would not give up but rather they would persevere and all the more lord we do pray that you just give to them what they stand in need of put a hedge of protection around them we do pray what we do we do also just ask your blessed to be upon uh john and margarita curry as well we pray lord that you would just strengthen them as they have caught this virus down there honduras we pray lord that they would be strengthened that you give to them will they stand in need of this day encourage their hearts we pray they would be encouraged by the things of christ we pray lord that you would bless the work that goes on there bless pastor carlos as he as he leads the congregation this day we pray that he would he would know your help and your aid and your spirit as he preaches your word and we do pray lord you give him unction as well bless the construction of the building father not just be a building but rather it would be a place a beacon of your gospel in that part of the world we do pray that many would come to knowledge of the savior uh as a result of of those who meet there faithfully sunday by sunday lord do we do just bring all these things before you acknowledging the lord that we are in need of you and uh you are a gracious god you're a kind god and a good god and we pray that as we rehearse these things and in the hymns that we that we sing in the scriptures that are read in the in the in in what is preached later we pray lord you'd be glorified in this place and we pray these things in jesus precious name amen well please turn with me in your hymn books once again to our second hymn 425 425 and i'll ask you to please stand so is uh foreign foreign see spaces please turn with me your bibles to ephesians chapter 3. ephesians chapter 3 and we'll read the whole chapter we'll begin at verse 1. for this reason i paul the prisoner of christ jesus for you gentiles if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of god which was given to me for you how that by how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery as i have briefly written already by which when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of christ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his holy apostles and prophets that the gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in christ through the gospel of which i became a minister according to the gift of the grace of god given to me by the effective working of his power to me who am less than the least of all the saints this grace was given that i should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ and to make all see see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in god who created all things through jesus christ to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of god might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in christ jesus our lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him therefore i ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you which is your glory for this reason i bow my knees to the father of our lord jesus christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man that christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of god now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundant above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us to him be glory in the church by christ jesus to all generations forever and ever amen well just a thought there at the end of uh verse verse seven that uh who is uh you know we we've prayed for many years that god would raise up elders that god would raise up young men from our congregation and what would he raise them up to do but to be elders to be elders and pastors and teachers amongst us and it's important that it's not that that they that they do that electing of themselves it is a gift of god we see that very clearly in verse seven it's a gift of god's grace that god is the one who raises them up god could have called angels to be uh to be speakers of truth be uh to be the the purveyor of salvation but he chose not to he chose to raise up men but not just raise up the most eloquent amongst us sometimes as paul would say he was the least eloquent uh god raised him up and god gifted him with what was required well i i think as i was as i was reflecting upon that i thought well last last week we got to enjoy the benefit of young mike kirkpatrick because god had raised him up through our church and god had called him god had gifted him and and now he is he is in south surrey serving the church there and we were bet we benefited greatly last week from his preaching from his teaching uh from the pulpit here and i think it's just wonderful to see how god has raised up that young man has now put him out he's gifted him he's given him the gifts that were required to be an effective teacher and preacher of the gospel we think of ryan as well who'll be with us this morning uh it's not that ryan is is you know that's what i've appreciated about ryan i think all of us have appreciated he doesn't want to draw the draw the gifts upon himself but rather if the lord has gifted him if the lord has blessed him then that we would see him raised up as a preacher and to be sent out from here if he's been given those gifts and that's what we ought to pray that god would give him those gifts and god would make that an evidence to all of us and that it would be effect he would be effective uh not because of his own power but affected by the power that god gives him as as evidence here in verse seven and then sometimes perhaps we're at a loss well what do we pray for one another when we're at a loss to pray what do we pray for another turn we'll turn to the last few verses of this chapter that'll be the last thing i'll just comment on there's many other things that could have been commented on but the last thing would be the fact that when we are thinking of others and not sure well how should we pray open to ephesians chapter 3 verses 14 to the end and he gives three petitions paul gives three petitions here for the ephesians and his first petition is uh found in verse 16 that they will be given spiritual strength that's something we can pray for one another you know when the waves are raging around us we see this it's a theme a motif throughout all of scripture uh waves are raging all around a rock uh our faith is often compared to that rock that doesn't move that rock even though the pounding waves come upon that rock that rock doesn't move that rock remains firm whether it be a single rock or the cliffs those rocks remain firm and that's what we that's why we pray for spiritual strength there's over 80 verses in in the bible that refer to god being our rock and and therefore that's why we ought to be uh we ought to pray that one for one another that we would have that spiritual strength that would be like that rock uh even though it's uh um it's ravaged by the by the by the by the uh by the waves all around us verse 17 and 18 would be the second thing we could pray for one another and that is that we would ponder the love of christ or ponder the love that christ has for us that christ may dwell in your hearts that we may comprehend what is the width and the length and the depth and the height of the love of christ i kind of just read verse 17 and 18 uh kind of all altogether so in the midst of busyness in the midst of difficulty in the midst of whatever is in your life right now ponder the love of christ that ought to bring encouragement to us that that ought to bring uh delighting in the things of christ if we can if we can ponder and and meditate upon those things that's really what he's calling uh calling the corinthians to do is to meditate and ponder the love of christ and the very last thing um uh he says in verse 19 um the 19b i guess to be filled with all the fullness of god uh all the fullness god to be saturated with the fullness of god we think perhaps of a of a glass if you want a glass of water you're very very thirsty you would want a half a glass you would want three quarters of a glass you want that glass full and not even a concave glass but a but a a convex you know the one that kind of goes over the top you want it absolutely as full as possible as you can get uh well that's uh that that is what paul is praying uh for these ephesians that they would know that fullness of god uh that knowledge of god and where does that come from it comes from holy from the scriptures so we would be in the scriptures that we would that we would be mindful of the scriptures and and uh eating and drinking and sleeping and reading the scriptures all the time that would be our our daily our daily bread uh i think that is paul is what is is is what paul is praying for the uh for the ephesians here that they would know that fullness so as i say if we're wondering what do we pray for one another uh turn to ephesians there's three wonderful things that we can pray for one another pray for spouses pray for children and and pray for one another pray for our pastors pray for young men like ryan who are who are who are desiring that they will be sent from us as elders well let's pray our gracious and our loving heavenly father we thank you for your holy word we praise you lord that you have loved us with an everlasting love we pray lord that we would truly uh focus and center upon the your goodness and your kindness the fact lord that we could ponder for a thousand years for a million years we will for all of eternity the love that the lord jesus christ had for us that he would come to this earth to die upon the cross that he would die that sinner's death not not for his own sin but rather for our sin show us the law this day father we might see the the wonder of the lord jesus christ that he fulfilled that law that he that he dies a perfect sacrifice so that we would not lord how we pray that we would be filled with that fullness of god as well here in this place this day as we're as we are as we have our thoughts and attention and our hearts turned towards you we pray lord that we would we would know that fullness of the true and living god and that we would be filled with these things that we would we would we would that we would desire to to leave this place knowing you and being made in the image of your son the lord jesus christ father we do again just remember uh the the wedding later this week for austin and amy how we praise you for you you do bring young couples together we thank you for having brought them together uh to to to love one another and to be united together uh in in in marriage we pray lord your rich blessing to be upon them strengthen them we do pray cause them to to take up those roles of of of husband and wife in a biblical manner we pray they would love one another and the lord you would be pleased to bless the marriage bless them and cause them to to you to be united uh in their love for you love for one another and and ultimately their usefulness and love for the church of the lord jesus christ here in this place we thank you for that we pray lord your blessing be upon pastor butler we prayed you would bless him with safety as he travels this week to be back here for wednesday we pray lord that you would just be pleased to go before him and hedge he and rebecca in and give them a safe trip and a blessed time together uh over the next few days as they travel so lord we thank you that we can turn to you now the true and living god and we can look into your holy word we pray that you bless the preacher strengthen him enable him lord to to possess all that he stands in need of to to faithfully stand here before the people and declare your word we pray that he would declare it in truth and with excellence and we pray that he might know your spirit as we the we the hearers might know that spirit as well and we pray these things in jesus precious name amen well please turn with me in your hymn books to the last hymn before we hear the preaching and that is hymn number 233 233 and i'll ask you to stand once again please maybe good morning everyone it sure is good to be back here again it's been uh feels like a long time since we've been here well because it has been i guess been been preaching elsewhere in vernon and elsewhere so it's a joy to gather again to worship together and to look at scripture together this morning we come to a beautiful passage of scripture um not that any other scripture is not beautiful but it's a it's it's it's a passage that's written four times like these times that we find ourselves in now we look around at the world we look around we just see the the evil that every every every turn it seems around the world read of things in afghanistan myanmar this morning in the prayer meeting other things going on and um and this passage of scripture just really sets to uh refocus us and and and bring us set our focus right so that we can have we can have peace and that is uh is in first peter so if you have your bibles if you would turn with me to first peter chapter one this morning we'll look specifically at verses three through five the hope that we have the believers hope of glory verses three through five we'll read the entire chapter though to uh to get the context and uh and we'll we'll pray and then we'll look at verses three through five so first peter chapter one peter an apostle of jesus christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion in pontus galatia cappadocia asia and bithynia elect according to the foreknowledge of god the father in sanctification of the spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ grace to you and peace be multiplied 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 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 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 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 of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully who prophesied of the grace that would come to you searching what or what manner of time the spirit of christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of christ and the glories that would follow to them it was revealed that not to themselves but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the holy spirit sent from heaven things which angels desire to look into therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ as obedient children not conforming yourselves to the former lusts as in your ignorance but as he who called you as holy you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written be holy for i am holy and if you call on the father who without partiality judges according to each one's work conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you who through him believe in god who raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in god since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren love one another fervently with a pure heart having been born again not of corruptable seed but incorruptible through the word of god which lives and abides forever because 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 now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you thus far well let us pray our father in heaven we come to you now and lord we look to you for aid for the ministry of your holy spirit to aid in rightly dividing this word of truth rightly expounding it delivering this glorious message that we have here in your word we ask for your aid in listening and and in understanding and applying this message to our hearts lord i pray that as we looked at these things that it would be a means of encouragement and a means of strengthening the the the feeble hearts the the discouraged hearts and and the means of edifying the believers here and lord i pray that it would be a means to bring salvation to the to those among us who do not know you who have not believed in christ as lord and christ as savior so lord i pray for your blessing on this time together lord apart from you we can do nothing so we look to you for assistance for aid and we ask this all in the name of our savior the lord jesus amen so the book of first peter is written um as peter addresses in the in his in the first verse there to the pilgrims of the dispersion in in that area which is now modern day turkey and and these uh these pilgrims here these ones who are who have been dispersed they're they are primarily it's primarily a jewish audience that he's writing to um they are uh they're they're scattered around in this in this area they're a minority in society at this point and and facing various persecutions now there was not a um a full-blown um persecution and for the the whole roman empire was persecuting at that point that came later on in history but but now there would have been um nero was that at the time of this writing nero was was very busy in rome with his persecutions particularly to rome but then there would have been many sort of spin-off persecutions that would have happened it's been you know very obvious obvious in our own experiences in the past you know year year and a half when when when there's any sort of of um animosity shown from leadership leaders towards the church of christ then those who um you know unbelievers are so much quicker again to just let their feelings show on the on the church and these these believers would have been experiencing that same thing so as so peter writes this this this book to them this letter to them to encourage them and and and what he does is he again he shifts our focus away from from these from these persecutions from these trials that they're facing and he shifts their their their focus back to christ and to to god and in the beginning here in the first in the first couple verses here he he in his introduction he gives us this this very theologically rich introduction a trinitarian introduction and and it's full of full of uh of just much glorious truth the doctrines of grace in there where he calls them elect and they're elected according to the foreknowledge of god the father in sanctification of the spirit and and for obedience or i would argue that that uh on account of the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ so highlighting that their salvation is worked out all by all of grace i'm sorry i don't get quite as animated as pastor butler i won't need that so their their salvation is all of grace and and he's really drawing their their attention to that as as as a means to lift them up out of this out of the discouragement that they would have been experiencing as they uh um from from all these trials and various persecutions they would they were facing so so this uh this he now this this passage as we come to now in in in verses three and following here he's he's um it's really to show them that this world this lower world is not the be all and all for believers we have a future hope of glory um coming to us as a an amazing amazing reality and and the the the next big section of this verse of this chapter story verses three through uh three through twelve it breaks down into three sections and he breaks it down um again it's trinitarian in in nature there he breaks it down verses three through five of the the hope of the future focusing on the on on on god the father and then in verses six through nine it's the joy of the present and that's very that is very much the practical application of verses three through five and that's in fact what we're going to look at this evening in our in our evening worship service is so we're going to continue on in verses 6 through 9 and like i said it really becomes that practical practical application what do we do with the truths that we're going to look at this morning and and then the the verses 10 through 12 is the fulfilled anticipation of the past and that's focusing on the work of the holy spirit so so but this morning in verses three through five it breaks down into into three sections again or i've broken it down into three sections here and and uh the first being in in verse three a is the author of salvation and then verses three b and and four a is the nature of salvation and then verses four b and five is the certainty of salvation so so we'll begin with the author of salvation so he starts out with this with this um the the praise here blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ so his his heart is overflowing when in light of what he's just taught in verses one and two there of that salvation is all of grace he he burst forth in this in this praise blessed be blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ it's a it's an outpouring it's the outpouring of a heart that understands grace what grace really is and and and then so he uses this word bless and um this this word is is the the same word that we would use uh eulogy um in in when we when we speak of eulogy at a funeral is is when somebody somebody stands up and gives a speech and they speak you know they speak well of the person that has passed away they speak well the the the things that they did that were good and of just who they are as a as a good person and that's the concept that that uh that peter is is conveying here as well that we're praising he's praising god for the for the redemption of man not only for what god has done we um that that god has orchestrated it all and and he's and he has he's elected according to his foreknowledge he's he's set them apart by the work of the holy spirit and and this was all made possible on account of the obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ not only that but also for who god is that god that god is that this is all proceeded from the nature of god and and praising god for who for who he is that he is a a most loving most merciful god that we'll see here in a minute as he as he says here according to his abundant mercy but first then he says that the the god and father of our lord jesus christ now um we see this phrase often in paul's writings as well the the god and father of our lord jesus christ so it's a it's a very christological phrase um in the sense it teaches us about the person of jesus christ so it says that he's that now he's speaking in relation in regards to the father he says the god of our lord of our lord jesus christ so how can how can god be th be said to be the god of of jesus because jesus is god after all isn't he but you know as christians we understand that the trinity is is you know there's one god we we only worship one god not three gods so how can how can how can the father be the god of the son it's because he's speaking here he's in regards to jesus's humanity that that as a as a as a man jesus was or sorry god was jesus's god jesus said that himself if you remember as he as he was on the hanging on the cross he said ailee ailey lama lama sabactini that was my god my god why hassel forsaken me so jesus is he's suffering he's dying and according to his humanity calling god his god so so peter's here is highlighting the the humanity of christ as as he's already done previously in in verse two we've seen that through the through the the obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of of jesus christ referring to his life of obedience and the and his death his shedding of blood there so um and again highlighting the importance of the the fact that jesus was and was truly truly man that he did come to to this earth as a man in order to earn our salvation and then he says here um and then he also calls the him the father of our lord jesus christ and now that's of course in is in regard to his divinity that jesus is also fully fully god and that's that inter inter trinitarian relationship between between jesus and the father so we have we have we have one god in three persons that relationship between those persons is a is a father-son relationship so that's how he calls him him father so that's why i say it's a very christological statement there because it teaches us of that of the the the shows us of the two natures of christ the both the human and the divine nature united together in the person of jesus christ and and again that is fundamental to understand and do into to rejoice in in regards to our salvation that salvation had to be earned by a man and so therefore god our god came down to this to this earth as a man and then he continues on here and he says he says our our lord jesus christ so so blessed be the god father of our lord jesus christ and and there's in in one way he's showing um a solidarity with them of course these are these are you know the the pilgrims of the dispersion he calls them those who you know who are scattered out throughout there they they may have been there maybe may have not had felt that unity that togetherness as a as a body being just scattered apart so he's sort of he might be you know saying this in order to show that he is he solidarity with them that he is one of them there's a unity between them they're co-heirs with christ you know but but but i think it's it's more so to point out the relationship between between them and christ not not so much between peter and his audience but between between between peter and his audience and christ that that relationship there that's um and that's what we mean when we say that we are we are in christ or we are christians that that we are we are his and he is he is ours he is he is our lord and our savior jesus christ it speaks of that relationship that that bond that is between us and the lord it it it's a it's the bible or we have we we have marriage we experience marriage as human beings as a picture of that relationship that bond between christ and his church christ and his bride it's a it's a close intimate relationship that exists so we are we are his people we are the ones that the father gave to him and that he laid down his life for so let us let's never lose sight of that that that that he is ours he is our our savior the one who has who has who has uh rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought him brought us into into his kingdom and he is our our savior and we are and because of that because of that blessed union now we can have peace with god through union with christ you know for for as in adam all die even so in christ all shall be made alive so that's first corinthians 15 22. so our we are you we are united to christ and and this all proceeds from his abundant mercy according to his abundant mercy it says here and now again he so he's focusing on the grace of god on on god's nature who he is as god that he is abundant in mercy this this this phrase it hearkens back to the old testament we find that often often in the old testament uh numbers 14 verse 18 moses is talking to god he's interceding for the people there and he and he reminds god of what god told him when god revealed himself back in exodus 34 and he says to god just as you have spoken saying the lord is long-suffering and abundant in mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression psalm 103 verse 8 the lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in mercy so those are just those are just two of the of the many many old testament texts that we find that speak of god as abundant in mercy overflowing that that his his his mercy knows knows no bounds it's it's limitless in in our confession the london baptist confession it puts that he is most loving most gracious most merciful they're most being meaning infinite there's there's no there's no bound to it so that's who that's who our who our god is and and and we know we understand that yes god does not extend his mercy to to everyone unconditionally that everyone will be saved because of that because we we understand he will never extend mercy at the expense of of his justice but that's where we know that's where christ comes in when back in verse two again where peter highlighted the the obedience of christ and the sprinkling of the blood of christ that that is the that is that is um satisfying god's justice so that he can ex he can um extend mercy out of the of the the abundance of of of mercy of who he is so so that's just a a reminder and something to to think of if we if we've ever if we ever have that thought that that god is you know is a is a miser pastor butler uses that word often if god god's a miser he sort of doles out mercy and grace you know to a few of the the frozen chosen or whatever but perish that thought because that is that really is is completely counter to what the bible says the bible teaches us that god god abounds in mercy and grace and then and and that's all made possible for god to extend that mercy and grace because of the work of his son who satisfied justice you know in order that he could extend that that mercy so so so never think that god is limited in his mercy in any way it is he is infinite in that and and and here so so again he's when uh when we focus on focusing on who god is and and as as as a as as a abounding in mercy then then from that proceeds what god what god does so from that nature according to that that that gracious character that god has then he he now peter says he begets us on again unto a living hope so so that that we are that god acts on account of of who he is be getting us to a living hope and that's where we come to the then the nature of salvation so we've seen god as the author of salvation now the nature of salvation what what is what does our salvation look like so it says he has begotten us to a living hope and and begotten and that's the the the idea is is being of being caused to be born again so it's a regeneration a new life a a new new birth as believers that is what that is what um that is what initiates we could say the the the christian life is the is the regeneration of the heart by the holy spirit second corinthians 5 17 familiar familiar verse therefore if anyone is in christ he is a new creation old things have passed away behold all things have become new galatians 6 15 for in jesus for in christ jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation and jesus is teaching in john 3 unless a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven so so that it's the idea of of regeneration and that and that's necessary because of of what the bible tells us of fallen humanity that we are dead in our sins that we need regeneration we and that is what from that from the from the abundance of god's mercy he regenerates us and and he regenerates us so we have this new life and this new life now results in a new hope and that is what as what peter says here he's begotten us to a living hope so the hope that now as believers now we have a hope it's a having a prior to being self to being saved we had no hope there was there there there there was we had we had nothing um and now we have this hope this hope of a a living hope he calls it so um hope of eternal life is is i think what he's the idea that he's that he's conveying there that not so much that the hope itself is living that may be that we now we do have a hope in us where we never did before but rather that the hope is a hope of life a hope of eternal life awaiting awaiting us whereas prior to that we did not have that ephesians 2 verse 12 that at that time you were at that time you were without christ being aliens from the commonwealth of israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without god in the world so we've been we've been delivered from this from this hopelessness and now we have a joyful expectancy of of something glorious that is to come something that that now as a as a child of god we are we will we will get to enjoy experience in in the future so uh and and that is what ought to drive our our christian life is this is this hope that we have this new this new hope we've been we've been begotten to a living hope um d edmund hebert um he says here this this new hope is the energizing principle of the new life i like that energizing principle it's what keeps us going is the hope of the future the hope of of the glory that is to come because when we look around at this world like i mentioned earlier that there's there's hopelessness we see so much evil so much terror so much destruction chaos and and and and it's just it's it's unbelievable there's it's hopelessness there's if we were to to we look at the world we look at those who are without god in this world without hope those you know atheism nihilism the idea that that everything is meaningless you know it leads to utter hopelessness life without purpose and and that's why we see things like suicides you know it grow more and more suicide and and or the other the other option is or the other what we have this also see is materialism you know people people getting more stuff buying more things trying the next thing whatever it may be and and we'll we'll see in a minute here that um that that peter will contrast our our future hope of that that we have he contrasts it with everything of this world so materialism is not the answer because because he'll see how it's it's so it's it it's still everything in this world is still subject to the effects of being in a fallen world but as believers now we have a we have a hope we know where our future lies and we ought to live our lives in light of that that with our focus is on is on the the future on the glory that is to come and knowing that that is our ultimate end this world is not is not the the end-all be-all and this this hope that we have it's a it is a sure hope it's it's grounded in the in the reality of the resurrection of jesus christ he says he's begotten us to a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead so the the the the fact of the of the resurrection the reality of the resurrection that it did indeed happen that jesus rose from the dead that is the foundation the ground for our hope as believers turn with you with me for a minute to first corinthians 15. first corinthians 15 12 to 22. first corinthians 15. now if christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead but if there is no resurrection of the dead then christ is not risen and if christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty yes and we are found false witnesses of god because we have testified of god that he raised up christ whom he did not raise up if in fact the dead do not rise for if the dead do not rise then christ has not risen and if christ is not risen your faith is futile and you are still in your sins then also those who have fallen asleep in christ have perished if in this life only we have we have hope in christ we are of all men the most pitiable but now christ has risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep for since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead for as in adam all die even so in christ shall all be made alive so the the without the resurrection our faith would be empty would be meaningless it would be hopeless but but we know that because of because christ rose from the dead and entered glory we can be assured that whoever is in christ will then likewise rise from the dead and and and enter this glory as well he speaks of christ here as the first fruits now the the first fruits in a in a crop spoke they indicated what the what the the rest of the crop was going to was going to look like and it's that concept here of that as christ we know he rose from the dead we know he entered glory it is indicative of what is going to happen to us as believers we will also rise from the dead we also will enter enter glory with christ so the resurrection is the base of all our hope as as believers the the basis for it proves to us that the that our sin has been paid for in full that christ is no longer in in in the state of paying for sin because a payment has been made in full so now he was risen from the dead it proves that christ had perfect obedience to the law of god that is that he was us that spotless and acceptable sacrifice into god and it proves that death is conquered in in the sense that um that that christ has has taken away the power of death in in that he has paid for our sin and and and that he has lived a life of obedience so now that death has no power over us we we um calvin here says john calvin he says he cannot be the author of salvation to others if he himself has been altogether vanquished by death so so but now christ rising from the dead we know that we will rise from the dead and enter that same glory hebert again saying here indeed our hope is our sure basis for personal assurance as to our past present and future our hope is anchored in the past jesus arose our hope remains in the present jesus lives our hope is completed in the future jesus is coming and that's what that is what we are we are looking to as as believers looking to the to the future our hope is anchored in the past that christ arose and it's and it looks to the future that christ is is coming and that and and what we will receive um receive as being believers in christ and that's where peter peter continues now in uh in verse four here he says we we've we've been begotten 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 so the the concept of of an inheritance that as believers we will receive an inheritance that that that implies adoption um you know only only only children receive an inheritance so it shows it it implies that we have been adopted into the family of god galatians 4 verse 4 through 5 says but when the fullness of the time had come god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons so so so we have been adopted god is now our father because by because of our union with christ god is now our father we are his sons and daughters and and something else with in regards to inheritance is that it is inheritance is something that's freely given inheritance is not earned in any way it's important to just uh just to to understand not gonna um focus too much on that now but it is grace is free and this inheritance that we receive is free we do not need to to to earn that but what is this what is this inheritance you know the bible speaks often of it often it often uses the word inheritance that the believers will will will receive will will will inherit acts 26 verse 17 and 18. um paul paul there is he's recounting his conversion to king agrippa and he's and and and as he's recounting what jesus said to him jesus saying i will deliver you from the jewish people as well as from the gentiles to whom i now send you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan to god that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me hebrews 9 15 and for this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance so what is what is this inheritance now the bible speaks of it as inheriting eternal life matthew 19 19 um inheriting salvation hebrews 1 verse 14. um and and we see but we see both of those words in this passage here as well this this eternal life or this living hope or um or in verse six the we see salvation the salvation of our of our soul so that is that is um that's part that's part of it there of of this inheritance the um salvation that we are that we receive eternal life but it's not simply the the the the concept of eternal life you know an abstract sort of concept and the forgiveness of sins but there's you know there's more to our inheritance that the bible speaks of uh you know because heaven is not sitting sitting back on a on a fluffy white cloud playing a harp for all of eternity that's not at all what what heaven is the bible the bible tells us that that there's going to be a new heaven and new earth there's going to be a a new creation all things are made new that we will have our bodies we we just we just read that in first corinthians there that are that we will receive our physical bodies back a glorified body to be sure you know so it is a it is uh and we see new jerusalem and you know that that that idea there's a there's a new creation with a new a new city there's a but it's dwelling in the presence of god and in the presence of yahweh himself so it is a it is a physical inheritance that that we will that we are receiving and and um and it's important to important to understand that to think of these things that that sometimes i think we can just sort of look at eternal life as an abstract concept rather but rather it we are headed for uh a new heavens new earth a new creation that we will that we will inherit and and uh and peter really highlights here how how he contrasts it to the to the the present world that we find ourselves in now this temporal realm that we are we are um that we are living in right now as we know it today so he says first here he says that it is it is incorruptible so it's it's not or or not subject to decay perhaps your bible uses that translation so it it does not belong to this fallen earthly realm that this realm where you know where all creation all of creation is groaning romans 8 tells us you know so it's a it's a it's a death proof inheritance it is not subject to the effects of death there will be no more no more death no more dying no more no more decay so it is that it's that that heavenly realm that jesus spoke about where he says where neither moth nor rust will will corrupt where thieves will not break through and steal so it is it is not subject to to death to the effects of death and because and because of that then it is it is undefiled he he says here now in this this second characteristic it is undefiled so it's untouched it's untouched by sin that's the idea there so there's there's there's no there's no sin no sorrow no no sign no pain so it's there's it's it's free from from any any sort of defilement because of there is no evil there in order to defile it so that threat no longer exists jesus says has conquered that and further on or actually in the second epistle of peter in chapter 3 verse 13 he says nevertheless we according to the promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells so if we just think about think about that for a minute in contrast to you know the world that we live in now in the world we live in we see so much unrighteousness unjustice and and and we look we we have this hope as believers of a new heaven a new earth wherein righteousness dwells it's a it's a glorious thought to think of we will not have to we will not there will be no more discussions of oh did you see what happened there oh did you see what happened there that that will not be it it's it's it's perfect it's it's it's glorious and it does not fade away that is the last thing he says here it does not fade away so it's not subject to the effects of time here on this lower world everything changes with time time goes on and and things change things come things go but but this inheritance that we have is not subject to the effects of time it will be it will be glorious for all of eternity nothing will change turn to revelations for a minute the book of revelation chapter 21 gives us a little insight there of the of the of the inheritance that we have the this new heaven this new earth revelation 21 verses verses 1. 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 mercy 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 then he who sat on the throne said behold i make all things new and he said to me right for these words are true and faithful and he said to me it is done i am the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end i will give of the water of life freely to him who thirsts so both of these both of these passages here in first peter and in revelation 21 they both describe our future glory the in terms of of what it is not right it's not subject to decay it's not defiled it does not fade away there's no death there's no sorrow there's no crying no pain so in this life we experience so much of that don't we there's there's all around us we see the effects of sin the trials that we go through hardships death sorrow loss of jobs loss of friends loss of family you know but but heaven is is so glorious that that it's it's almost too glorious for words here he has to use you know it can only be described in terms of what it of what it is is not it's not like our present life and that is something to be to to be so encouraged by it's not that our present life is is only ever only miserable that's not the point but the point is is that it is it is we we will not experience any of those negative things that we have on this lower world in in glory that is to come and that glory is a is a it's a guaranteed it's it's certain so we don't need to we don't need to worry that that perhaps maybe it might not be so we have this assurance here of the the certainty of salvation in the second half of verse four now the certainty of salvation so he says here that it is it is it is um so first we see that that the the inheritance itself is preserved so this this inheritance that we have it is that is preserved here that it's reserved in in heaven for you so it's it's it's in heaven it's meaning it's it's beyond the the the realm of this lower world it's and it's it's beyond the reaches of the of the effects of death the effects of evil and and sin and time it's it's outside of that so it's reserved in heaven it cannot be affected by that and then also here that the the heirs are preserved us as believers we are we are preserved in in order to get to experience this future glory here so he says um he says that we are we are kept kept by the by the power of god unto or unto through faith sorry i lost my lost my spot who are kept by the power of god through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time so kept here kept as a is a military term the idea of being of being shielded and now it's it's you know we are we are the ones being shielded there we you know we're not doing the shielding we're not doing the keeping but we are it's passive form so we are being we are being kept and we're being kept by god's by god's power now turn to romans eight for a minute we again we can where paul here really highlights the power of god in in keeping us as his children keeping us as as as heirs of this glory romans chapter 8 verse 31 what shall we say then to these things if god is for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things see there's that inheritance that he speaks of who shall bring a charge against god's elect it is god who justifies who is he who condemns it is christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of god who also makes intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for your sake we are killed all day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for i am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of god which is in christ jesus our lord so very clear there very clear that god he did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us then how how how much more how how shall how shall then he not with him also free to give us all things so so we can be assured that is that we are kept for this salvation not on our own power but on but through the power of god by the power of god and it's it is through faith he um peter says here it is through faith but faith is is not the power faith is not the the the holding power it's not the it's not the condition you know but but it's the it's the means here it's the it's the the um you know when back in verse two we saw the the the the we we read the word the foreknowledge of god and it speaks of that foreknowledge and the concept there is that is is is not a concept of foresight it's not god looking you know through time and seeing something in us but it is that that god is set his love upon us in eternity past and and that el electing grace of god it proceeded from who god is as a as a loving god that was that's the the idea there and it was and it was not it's not conditional to anything outside of himself so so you know anything that that we did but is strictly from who god is by is is is what he does in in election and so it's the same thing with the with the power of god um of preserving us unto this salvation it is not it's not conditional to anything outside of god himself it's not conditional to how much faith we have in you know but it but rather it proceeds from who god is as sovereign god and in that power the power is not conditional to outside forces outside causes and and of course as paul highlighted there in in romans that it is not also cannot be be overcome by by any other principalities powers any sort of spiritual force any sort of tribulation anything there's nothing that can overcome that power that power that god that that the power of god for preserving us unto salvation so um and then he says here then that it's ready to be revealed ready to be revealed so that that everything the everything has been um accomplished there's nothing more that needs to be done before the you know it for our salvation all has been accomplished and that has all been accomplished through the work of of the lord jesus christ in in time and space through the work of the of the holy spirit in our hearts and according to the to the election electing grace of the father in eternity past so everything everything is done and it's and it's now it's ready to be ready to be revealed so it's it's just awaiting that perfect timing of the lord when when when he chooses to re to reveal it and then it's fully realized by us so so we can say that yes we are heirs now that that we have this hope now that we are saved now but yet we do not have that full realization of of of these things of of what is all encompassed in that that that will be that is ready to be revealed at the last time here so that's the when we experience the the the consummation of all things the ultimate end of of this world and then that becomes the this inheritance this this salvation of our souls becomes full reality to us and then we will fully understand it we will we will there will be faith will not be necessary anymore because we will now see it so we so then we will be able to to to say that we we we we see it we don't need that faith anymore so right now we don't have that full reality but we can be assured we can be assured of of the reality that it is there that it is coming and and part part of that and peter doesn't really get into it here so much but um but we we don't have the full reality but what we do have is the holy spirit in our hearts as a as a deposit as a as a guarantee that god will in fact fulfill these things for us that god has given of himself in in in in the person of the holy spirit in our hearts living in our hearts as that as that guarantee that he will in fact um bring this to pass that he has that he has said that he has promised that he will do ephesians 1 verse 13 to 14. in him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory so so it's that guarantee of that inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession so on so so now time is continues on until all of christ's church is is gathered all of the sheep are gathered into his fold and then comes the end and then we can see here that we are we are headed for glory john calvin again we do not have the full enjoyment of it at present we walk in hope and we do not see the things as if it were present but we see it by faith although then the world gives itself liberty to trample us underfoot as they say although our lord keeps us tried with many temptations although he humbles us in such a way that it may seem we are as sheep appointed to the slaughter so that we are continually at this door yet we are not destitute of a good remedy and why seeing that the holy spirit reigns in our hearts we have something for which to give praise even in the midst of all our temptations beautiful quote by calvin there so so that ends our our uh our exegesis there but the so in conclusion then is first of all peter wants them to understand the the doctrines of grace we didn't look at that in such detail because that's more detail in the in the earlier chapters there but he does highlight it again in verse or in the earlier verses sorry but he does highlight it again in verse three that that salvation is is by grace that is that it is proceeds from god's abundant mercy and because of that then we can know that we are we are secure in in christ that we are secure this salvation is uh we don't need to to worry about losing it in this living this living hope this hope of eternal life that we have is is guaranteed for us so that this serves two purposes one being that you know it protects protects these believers from having their faith shaken you know by a false doctrine that would suggest otherwise i think many of us here are are very familiar with the doctrines of grace and and we don't necessarily struggle with you know could we perhaps lose our salvation but but but if if you if you perhaps do have that you we can know we can be assured that that we don't need to worry about that we don't need to to think you know is my salvation based on my faith or my something from me no it's not it's based on who god is from the the from the character of yahweh himself and um but primarily what peter is doing here right you know he he's he wants to strengthen their faith and and encourage them there and and that is that is what we need to to do as well when we read through this we need to think we need to think of these things as as concrete realities that really that it really will we we really are going to experience this for for all of eternity this is not just an abstract concept you know or something in the future but rather that we we look forward like peter said to a new heaven and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells and and and when we when we dwell on that when we realize that we are headed for glory then then difficulties in this life you know they they they don't uh they don't become so much so deep depressing or so um or leading us to despair but rather we can we can focus on the future that we have the future glory lifting and it lifts us out of our of our lifts us up and sets our focus to the future gives us that hope and that in that comfort and we'll see that uh tonight lord willing the the joy that we can have even in the midst of trials and difficulties how is that how is that possible a big part of it comes by understanding what we as believers have in store for us and and it's also a reminder that to not live our lives as as you know that this that this life is is the end or or we're always looking for the next thing in this life to to give us some sort of feeling of happiness or fulfillment because we will never be satisfied experience teaches us that very very you know when we look back on our own experience that's we we understand that but yet we're so quick to continue to maybe maybe the next the next thing will will will bring us satisfaction but you know but everything in this world is subject to the effects of death and sin and time like peter said here and and so we're going to be constantly disappointed as each thing passes away never find that satisfaction so our our focus needs to be on heaven our satisfaction needs to be on our savior on on christ and and and and our focus on that glory future glory that we have that we will inherit with christ a a a an inheritance so glorious it can only be described in terms of of what it isn't right that is not subject to death or or to sin or to the effects of time that is what we as believers have in store for us and if you're not a believer here this morning the what you have in store for you is is the is the the opposite of what we talked about if you do not come to christ if you do not repent and and come to christ in first peter chapter four a few chapters uh further he says what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of god we saw now what will be the end of those who do obey who who have believed who have come to christ is the glorious the most glorious inheritance that we have coming but what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of god it's everything that that that that the believers end it's everything that it it's it's the opposite of of everything so the believers hope is there's there's no more sorrow no more sign no more pain the unbeliever it's only sorrow only sign only pain it's only it's wailing and gnashing of teeth that jesus said there's there's there's nothing there's nothing bad about heaven we've seen that but there is nothing good about hell nothing you know there's there's a common i i don't know how you would say it but this idea that hell is going to be a place where we can just live our lives without morals or without guilt for um you know for what we do hell will not be like that hell in fact jesus says very clearly that your conscience will be one of the biggest parts that will torment you if you're here this morning you and hopefully you've been here in the past you've heard the faithful gospel preaching and that your conscience will will torment you for eternity if you reject that if you do not obey the gospel of god and and and the other just mentioning with some of the brothers this morning there in hell we we read the with this in the prayer meeting this morning we we read all these stories about the suffering that goes that happens because of the persecution from from wicked wicked men around this world in nigeria and iran and afghanistan and horrible atrocities horrible and and in hell there that there there's that is who you will spend hell with and you're you and there will be no restraint there's right now this world is is is comfortable it's livable because of the grace of god that restrains evil in hell that is all that is god has released those restraints and everyone will be like that i think of the sometimes i think of the the the song that i'm on the highway to hell celebrating that you're on the highway to hell and one of the lines in that psalm or not in that song says my friends will be there too but you will not have friends in hell there will be it will be horrible horrible there's nothing good about hell so i urge you today do not play games with god why would you risk eternity so believe on him come to christ trust in him he but with you are in union with christ through faith in him as your lord as your savior he will bring you into glory with him there's nothing bad in heaven and there's nothing good in hell nothing so repent today please let's pray father we thank you for this passage and i thank you for the glorious hope that we as believers those who are safe in christ have that that we can have this future awaiting us lord what a glorious thought that it is lord how that helps to focus us and or to lift us up out of the the of when we look around at this world lord there's so much chaos and so much destruction and lord this just it strengthens us it encourages us and i thank you for this passage of scripture that that that just helps to focus us on the glory that we have to come so lord i pray this morning that it would be a means of encouragement it means to strengthen the brethren here and lord that it would be a means to sound the alarm for those who are not in christ that they would know that what they have is the polar opposite is horrible lord glory cannot be expressed in words because it is so glorious and and lord the the the horrors of hell is the same it cannot be expressed in words for because it is so horrible so lord i pray that everyone here today who does not know you would run to christ and run to find security in him lord and then i i pray lord we look to you as sovereign god over all things we do not appeal to the dead hearts of man but we look to you that you would be pleased in your mercy to call out of darkness into this marvelous light lord and i thank you for your goodness i thank you for your abundant mercy that you are a god who delights in forgiveness delights in forgiving all kinds of sin and iniquity and transgression and that is all possible through your son the lord jesus and lord i i thank you and we praise you for redemption and i pray this in in christ's name amen all right well we'll close with uh with him number 568 i believe that's the doxology 568. we'll uh stand and sing together please oh foreign the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you all amen you may be seated for a time of meditation you