“A Hope that can’t Die”

1. “A Hope that can’t Die” Peter’s affirmation of life and the good in 1 Peter 1:3-12

2. 1 Peter 1 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

3. A song? • After the introduction… • Remember who Peter is writing to. • People separated from ancestral roots and households, marginalized at work and in their communities • But the letter doesn’t start with consolation • Scholars have come to see these opening verses (3-5) as a song sung at baptisms in the first century • Why start like this?

4. Joining the song • Songs are we say important things we don’t understand • Life is mysterious, God is unknowable, and sometimes things are hard • So Peter invites his readers into a song they already know before he gives any advice • He wants to sing with them before he talks to them (Peter is giving up his right to speak first!) • Look at what’s in the song…

5. What God does shows who he is • Verses 3-5 • Peter blesses God! • The God who moves out of mercy • The God causes us to be “born again” (Babies can’t birth themselves) • The God who brings real hope • The God who guards the future • Language of salvation! • Want to key in on one thing here

6. Hope • “A living hope” • “The Real American Dream” by Andrew Deblanco • What do you notice? • Story? Transcendence? Cynicism? • The book goes onto paint a bleak picture • “The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations” • How to find meaning?

7. Existentialism • Definition • Starts with the individual • Posits meaning from the good of the thing itself, doing good is its own reward • Great system of thought for people who got it together or for people who don’t suffer much • Kierkegaard was the forerunner of this and an ardent Christian • Later generations would disconnect transcendence from existentialism • Theoden (LOTR)

8. Dying hopes • LOTR • Battle within the characters for hope • Human beings are inevitably shaped by their view of the future • The story you believe will shape your life • The Greeks in the first century believed that one had to fear nothing, desire nothing, possess nothing to be safe • Ultimately, all stories come to an end • They die. • All hopes are dying hopes, all stories are dying stories

9. living hope • The Christian story is one in which death isn’t the end • Where do you put your hope? • Reputation, education, family, etc. • Sinking sand…in the end (unless you get a different story) they all come to nothing • Helmut Thielickeqoute • Eph. 2:12, 1 Thess. 4:13 • Resurrection! V.3-9 • “In the fullness of time…” (Gal 4:3-5, Eph. 1:1-10) • Is your hope dying or living?

10. Enter the story, sing the song! • Verse 10-12 • Peter talks about the prophets • God invites us to bring our small stories into His big story • A story that the angels of God want to look into, investigate, and hear • The Gospel is that God is healing and redeeming, that evil will die and good will go on • Why? • “According to His great mercy”