It will be worth it all

We’re going to be in 1 Peter.
1 Peter 1, verses 3 through 9. And my question to you this morning
will be, how do you handle going through
a trial? As I was praying about what to
speak about this morning, there were A few passages that came
to mind and they all kind of were going in the same sort of
direction. And the one this morning was
not my first. It was not my second, but it
was my third. And it’s amazing how God has
worked this out, because two weeks ago, Jim Greenacre was
here and he he he spoke to us about how to stand firm. And
I thought, this is working out nicely for what I’m going to
speak about this morning. I’m just going to dovetail off
of him. And then last week, I was unaware
that Ron was going to be in First Peter. So when he said, I want
you to turn to First Peter, utter panic came upon me. But again, it’s working out beautifully
because as Jim Greenacre showed us how to stand firm. Ron showed
us the blessings that we have on the cross. And because of
that, now we can go to First Peter and learn how to deal with
trials. It’s probably no secret to you
about when you look at the news about what’s going on in this
country. Growing up in the church, we heard about persecution. We
heard how the world is hostile to Christians. As a kid growing
up in the church, I knew that was true, but it wasn’t here. We sent missionaries over to
China. We heard about the persecuted
church in China. We sent missionaries all over the world. But I never
heard of, oh, they’re sending missionaries over to the United
States. Persecution. I knew it was true. I knew sufferings for Christ’s
sake were true. But it was in other countries
across the world. It wasn’t here. Now, as we all
know. It’s getting here. And it’s ramping
up fast. So in light of that. We prepare for that. Peter, as
we learned last week, is writing to Christians who are dispersed. He opens up blessed or the first
the first verse is writing to those scattered around these
these different areas. He calls them aliens in a foreign
land. So we know that they’re Christians
and we know that there is dispersed. I got the sermon title this morning. From. A song. Long ago and maybe some of you
know it but it’s called it will be worth it all. And the first
person chorus to that say oft times the day seems long. Our
trials are hard to bear. We’re tempted to complain to
murmur and despair but Christ will soon appear. to catch his
bride away, all tears forever over in God’s eternal day. It will be worth it all when
we see Jesus. Life trials will seem so small
when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face,
all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race till
we see Christ. Now, Peter, the book of First
Peter, One wrote, the body of the book is about suffering,
but the heart of the book is about the cross and Christ. If
you look. Chapter one, verse six, in this
you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been distressed by various trials. Chapter two, starting
in verse 18, servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect,
not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those
who are unreasonable. For this finds favor if, for
the sake of conscience toward God, a person bears up under
sorrows when suffering unjustly. Chapter three, verse nine, to
sum up all of you, be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted
and humble in spirit. not returning evil for evil or
insult for insult. Now, it doesn’t mention suffering
here. It doesn’t mention trials, but assumes Christians are called
not to return evil for evil. Suffering or trials are assumed
here. Chapter 3, again, a little farther down, 13 and 14. Who
is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But
even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you
are blessed. Chapter 4, verse 12. Beloved,
do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you. Chapter 4,
verse 19. Therefore, those also who suffer
according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to
a faithful creator in doing what is right. Chapter 5 verses 8
through 10. Be of sober spirit beyond the
alert your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion seeking someone to devour but resist him firm in your faith
knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished
by your brethren who are in the world after you have suffered
for a little while. The God of all grace who calls
you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you. So suffering is definitely a
theme throughout the book. But I also mentioned that the
heart of the book is about the cross. Chapter one. Again, how do we’re
talking about the cross and how we can maintain hope in the midst
of great difficulty. And he shows us also that we
can rejoice in these trials and suffering that he speaks about
chapter one, verse three through six. Or in verse six in this,
you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been distressed by various trials. Chapter four. Verse 13, but to the degree that
you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing. So that also
at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation. The book of Peter, this section
that we’re looking at today. Has a similar beginning than
the book of James does. OK, if you remember James, he
opens with now in the situation in James is James is writing
to Christians or Jews dispersed in the world also. Many believe
that it was from Acts 12 when Herod was mistreating Christians. They believe this is about the
time frame that James is writing. So he says, James, a bondservant
of God and the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes who are dispersed
abroad. Greetings. Consider it all joy,
brethren, when you encounter various trials. James isn’t going
to kind of lead into it. He just hits him with it. Consider
it all joy when you encounter various trials. Peter here. He kind of starts off with a
doxology and within that doxology mentions their present condition
and then addresses it throughout the book. Because I know. Hey, I know things
are really tough, but things are temporary. He wants you to
know that trials are temporary, but he wants you to focus on
what you have coming as children of God. Ron again spoke about
the blessings of the cross. Because of that, we have an inheritance
that is truly amazing and one that probably we don’t realize
fully what it entails. He needs us to be heavenly-minded. He wants us to look past the
trial, or through the trial that we’re currently in, and see what
we have in Christ. Let me read the whole passage
here. 1 Peter 1, verses 3-9. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away. Reserved
in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this, you
greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your
faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even
though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and
glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you
have not seen him, you love him. And though you do not see him
now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy, inexpressible
and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls. Now you look at this passage
and granted, as I was preparing the sermon, I’d come to a point
and go, oh, well, I’ll have to explain this. And to really fully
do all of that would take. It would take Ron. Maybe a year. I’m going to give
you an overview this morning, an overview of first Peter three
one three three nine. The first key to maintaining
hope in trials is praise. Blessed be the God and father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s how Peter starts this
section off. We as children of God who have been enlightened
as to who God is and and to the gospel. should never be lacking
in worship and praise. Praise is never to be dependent
upon our situations. Whether in good times, difficult
times, in times of plenty, in times of lack, God is to be praised. If nothing else, for who He is.
The word blessed means worthy of or worthiness. God is worthy
of praise. God should be worshipped and
praised just for who he is. Because he is God and there is
no other. I’ve used a passage in Second
Chronicles before in sermons, but. Take a moment at some point
to read Second Chronicles 20 and I’m just going to take you
there real quick because I’m going to do a brief. Look at
that right now. King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah,
has been told that there are armies coming out against him
and he does not know what to do. So he gathers and in the
passage says all of Judah, men, women and children are out there
and he declares fast. And they pray. He leads the nation
or Judah in prayer, and basically he says, Lord, I don’t know what
to do. but our eyes are on you.” And then, in verse 14, in the
midst of the assembly, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jehaziel,
the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah. And the word that
he brought was, Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great
multitude. For the battle is not yours,
but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them.
Behold they will come up by the ascent of these and you will
find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of
Jerro. You need not fight in this battle station yourselves
stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. Oh Judah
and Jerusalem do not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow go out
to face them for the Lord is with you. The next day they rose early
in the morning. I’m in verse 20 of 2 Chronicles
20. They rose early in the morning
and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went
out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants
of Jerusalem. Put your trust in the Lord your
God and you will be established. Put your trust in his prophets
and succeed. When he had consulted with the
people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who
praised him in holy attire as they went out before the army
and said, give thanks to the Lord for his loving kindness
is everlasting. He sent the worship team out
in front of the army. Usually not a good strategy. But he trusted. Matthew Henry when writing about
this passage in Second Chronicles 20 said that praise and thanksgiving
should be their vanguard or their foremost part of the army advancing
before the army. Jehoshaphat called a council
of war and it was resolved to appoint singers to go out before
the army to charge in the front. who had nothing else to do but
praise God to praise his holiness which is the beauty which is
his beauty to praise him as they did in the temple without ancient
and good doxology which eternity itself will not wear threadbare. Praise the Lord for his mercy
endureth forever by this strange advance toward the field of battle
to hush fat intended to express his firm reliance upon the Word
of God to animate his own soldiers to confound the enemy and to
engage God on their side. For praise pleases God more than
all the burnt offerings and sacrifice. Praise, especially in times of
trouble, shows our confidence and faith in God. That is not
wavering. In Psalm 34, David starts out,
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually
be in my mouth. Once again, Matthew Henry wrote,
a good Christian’s condition is never so bad, but he has great
reason still to bless God as a sinner has always reason to
mourn, notwithstanding his present prosperity. So good people. in the midst of their manifold
difficulties have reason still to rejoice and bless God. Conditions, circumstances are
no excuse for not worshiping and praising God. Habakkuk 3.16-18
I heard, and my inward parts trembled, that the sound, my
lips quivered, decay enters my bones. And in my place I tremble,
because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the
people to arise who will invade us. Though the fig tree should
not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield
of the olives should fail and the fields produce no food, though
the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle
in the stall, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in
the God of my salvation. So the first key to maintaining
hope in trials is praise. The second key is to focus on
the prize. Now, I really didn’t want to
use the word prize here, but I got the P thing going. Prize
to me, nowadays, prize, I picture a box of Cracker Jack, and for
you under 20 or 25, I don’t know if you even know what Cracker
Jack is, but you’d get caramel corn with little nuts in there
and you’d have a prize. And the prize was one of those
plastic rings that had the space so it was a one size fits all,
or this little book, whatever. It just seemed like a cheap thing.
So I really didn’t want to use the word prize, however, Paul
uses it in Philippians. Verse 314, I press on toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus. The prize is heaven. The prize is our inheritance.
The prize is heaven. As I mentioned, Peter began with
a doxology. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away.” As I
mentioned, the inheritance is heaven. It’s eternal life. It’s
salvation. In verse 5, a salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time. Salvation means rescue or deliverance. Now you may say, Peter wants
me to look through trials to my salvation. Salvation, I already
have my salvation. Salvation happened back here
when Jesus got a hold of me and my sins were forgiven. It’s probably
what most people think of when they think of salvation. They
think of something that happened back here. But salvation is continuous. We continually need to be forgiven
our sins. Verse John 1 9, if we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Our nature didn’t change, our
status changed, we still sin. We still need forgiveness. Thanks
be to God, we are now seen through the righteousness of Christ.
It’s not just a past thing, it’s continuous. If it was a one time
event. Then we wouldn’t need to have
confession here, would we? If it was salvation that changed
this forever and we didn’t sin anymore, well, then that would
be a one time event, but we know the truth and that’s not that’s
not the case. Peter wants us to concentrate
on our salvation in its fullest form when we will no longer be
strangers and aliens in this forest of foreign land, but we
will be home. He wants us to look to eternal
life in heaven because that is our inheritance. What do you think about when
you think about heaven? I ask few people this and I don’t know
if it’s because guys tend to me more visual women seem to
be more cerebral or I’ll give you that okay when I when I hear
about heaven you know sometimes I think about what John’s description
of Revelation was and there’s emerald this and a rainbow coming
here and I’m going hmm not necessarily the way I would decorate but
I But that’s not what we should be concentrating on. Who knows
what heaven will be like? John was trying to give a description
of what he was seeing. We focus on our condition. Where
we will no longer be riddled with sin. We no longer will have sorrows. We will be like Christ. We will have our new bodies. One wrote, the inheritance Peter
writes of is the full, final salvation from the curse of the
law, from the power of sin, from the presence of sin, from the
decay of sin, from all decay, from every stain of iniquity,
from all temptation, from all grief, all pain, all death, all
punishment, all judgment, all wrath. Eternal, full salvation. There’s a lady back in California. in our days of California who
was riddled with cancer. Was for years. Ruth Berry was
her name. Yet she maintained just that
she was full of grace. But she was in pain for years.
Her death was a blessing. Truly a blessing. And I got to
sing at her funeral. And the song I sang was called
No More Night. And the first verse and chorus
say the timeless theme. Earth and heaven will pass away.
It’s not a dream. God will make all things new
that day. Gone is the curse from which
I stumbled and fell. Evil is banished to eternal hell. No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again. Craziest to the great I am we
will live in the light of the Risen Lamb. That is what we have
to look forward to. Our inheritance is when we will
be completely delivered from sin and judgment in the fullest
sense. In the future, Paul said, when
we will be delivered from the wrath to come. That’s 1 Thessalonians
1.10. So salvation in its fullness is our inheritance. How did we get this salvation? Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy. The cause is mercy. That’s how we got our salvation. And as we move on, the next verse
is Peter, as if we needed it. It shows us why we should be
blessing and praising God. why He is worthy of praise. Micah
7.18 says, He delights in mercy. God is a God of mercy. 2 Corinthians
1.3 says, He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. It’s a reminder that salvation
is all who’s doing, God’s doing. God saw our condition and saved
us. One wrote that mercy refers to
compassion. and relief given to those whose
condition has overpowered them. Our condition had overpowered
them. Ephesians 2, you know it well. And you were dead in your
trespasses and sins. Dead meaning dead. Unable to
respond. Resuscitation needed. But God,
later in verse 4, being rich in mercy, because of his great
love with which he loved us, even when we were dead, unable
to respond in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved.
And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might
show us the surpassing riches of grace in kindness toward us
in Christ Jesus. To say we were overpowered in
our condition is truly an understatement. Again, we were dead. You can’t
respond when you’re dead. There is no life. There is no
ability to respond to anything. Now I learned this week in the
study that there’s a difference between mercy and grace and sometimes
they can be used interchangeably. John MacArthur put it this way,
mercy refers to misery or belongs in the category of misery. Grace
belongs in the category of guilt. Blind Bartimaeus cried out, Son
of David, have mercy on me. Jesus, see my blind condition
and let me see. He was calling out for Jesus
to heal his physical infirmity. He wanted his sight. For us,
it might be something like, Lord, I’m out of a job. The timing
belt’s out on my car. And now the water heater goes
out. Have mercy on my condition. When people are in a desperate
condition, they cry out for what? Mercy. The penitent sinner, knowing
his desperate state, ashamed to even lift his eyes, called
to God, have mercy on me, the sinner. Likewise, we were in
a desperate, miserable condition, but we didn’t know it. God opened
our eyes and showed us that only by his grace could we live and
have our misery relieved. God saw us and had mercy on our
condition and then saved us by His grace,
relieving our condition. If mercy is the cause, the effect
is now that we have been born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Again, long ago,
A writer wrote, every unconverted person is a hopeless creature. Whatever he pretends to of that
kind, talking about hope. Whatever he pretends to of hope
is all confidence and presumption. The right Christian hope is what
a man is born again unto by the Spirit of God. It is not from
nature, but free grace. Those who are born to a new and
spiritual life are born to a new and spiritual hope. The hope
of a Christian has this excellency. It is a living hope. The hope
of eternal life in a true Christian is a hope that keeps him alive,
quickens him, supports him and conducts him to heaven. Hope
invigorates and spirits up the soul to action, to patience,
to fortitude and perseverance to the end. Do you have that kind of hope?
Does hope do that to you? Does hope take you through when
you’re tired, when you’re in a difficult place? Does hope
take you through that? Does it invigorate you? As human beings, when we are
born, we have an inheritance, and I’m not thinking about the
one that when your parents die, you get,
or that type. I’m thinking about a spiritual
inheritance. We all have one when we’re born. However. According to. Paul. In that same Ephesians chapter
two. We were by nature children of
wrath. Our inheritance was hell. As children of wrath, our inheritance
was eternal damnation, weeping and gnashing of teeth. But God,
being rich in mercy, the cause, through Christ’s death and resurrection
has allowed us to become children of God. And now our inheritance
is the fullness of salvation, which is eternal life in heaven.
For the Christian here, it’s as bad as it gets. For the unbeliever
here, it’s as good as it gets. Asaph in Psalm 73, one of my
favorite Psalms, goes through and for 15 verses begins My feet were about to slip. I
almost stumbled and fell. And then he goes on and says,
but the godless, they seem to be doing all right. OK, there’s
no pains in their life. They they seem to thrive in whatever
they do. And then finally, he comes to
a point and says, then I perceived their end. And he realized. They have no future. They do
not have this inheritance that we have. The resurrection is key, because
without the resurrection, we don’t have that eternal inheritance. We don’t have this hope. We don’t
have eternal life. We don’t have victory over the
grave. First Corinthians 15, 12 through 18. 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, not even Christ
has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is in vain. Your faith also is in vain. Moreover, we are even found to
be false witnesses of God because we testified against God that
He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead
are not raised. For if the dead are not raised,
even Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins. Then
those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we
have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are, of all men,
most to be pitied. The power, the resurrection is
key because it gives us that victory over death. No resurrection, no hope. No
resurrection, no inheritance, no eternal life. Also, we need
to know that this inheritance is permanent. It’s imperishable
and undefined. Imperishable there in verse four
means it can’t be touched. Basically, the Greek is not touched
by an invading army. It can’t be hurt. It can’t be
touched. It can’t be damaged. And it’s undefiled. It will not
fade. It is free from any stain. This inheritance is guaranteed. It will not fade away. Our inheritance, the ones maybe
my kids will get, they may not get it. Those of us who have
inheritances, you may not get it. You could die. Someone could challenge the will.
Something could happen to the house, the money, a car, the
items, whatever they are, something could could happen to them. Also,
items get old and they fall apart. Our inheritance, our spiritual
inheritance will never fall apart. It never changes, just as God,
the one who provides it, never changes. And finally, it’s reserved
for you. The Christian has a reservation
that will never be given up, a membership that will never
be revoked. We have been given the Holy Spirit
as a seal, a guarantee of our salvation. God never unchooses. And aren’t we glad of that? Because
we are not faithful. He is. He never puts out a recall
on those whom he has elected for salvation. Ephesians 1 verse
13, In Him you also, after listening to the message of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed
in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who was given as a pledge
of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God’s own
possession to the praise of His glory. So, Keys to maintaining hope. We’ve got praise. We have focusing
on the prize. And third is God’s preservation. Trust in God’s preservation.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled
and will not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are protected
by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time. The preserving of the child of
God is due to the power of God. As human beings we have weaknesses
and the only reason we are able to be preserved is by the power
of God through faith. Second Corinthians 12, 9 and
10, Paul discussing the thorn in his side, maybe ask God three
times that it be relieved. And he has said to me, my grace
is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses. Most
gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so
that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am
well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses,
with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ’s sake. For when I
am weak, then I am strong through Him.” In this case, God did not
remove the thorn, but His grace sustained Him. Again, for grace,
for by grace you have been saved through faith. Faith is a sovereign preservative
of the soul. A state of grace unto a state
of glory. One wrote many years ago. So
it’s preservation through faith. He gave us the faith. It’s a
gift from Him. He will preserve it. Even though
we are weak. Fourth key to maintaining hope
in the trials is to be confident that there is purpose. purpose
in your trials. When I preach James 1 1 through
4. The points were that trials are
planned, they’re promised, but there is a purpose and there
is a purpose here. Blessed be the God and father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy,
has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away reserved
in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith
for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this you
greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary
you have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your
faith being more precious than gold which is perishable even
though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and
glory and honor. at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now the trials here, it says
various trials. Peter is writing to those who
are suffering persecution. Sufferings and trials here are
not just persecution. They’re all the trials. They
are what God chooses to bring us through. God uses difficulties to teach
us various things. They’re going to be different
for each person. They’ll be different according to your spiritual maturity. But he uses those trials. It’s
not just a persecuted Christian in a foreign land who is being
persecuted for the sake of Christ. It’s through any trial that we
go through. He uses gold as an example. Purification process in gold
that you probably have heard a lot about, it’s well known,
it’s the separation of the dross. You heat it up, clear off the
dross, heat it up again, take off the dross to make it more
pure. It’s a discovery of the soundness
and goodness of things, the purification process is. Gold does not increase
and multiply by trial. In the fire, it rather grows
less because you’re taking some off. But faith is established,
improved and multiplied by the oppositions and afflictions that
it meets with. Gold must perish at last, but
faith never will, because it’s God who is sustaining it, as
we just learned in the previous section. but it’s for our good. It’s to grow it. It’s to grow
our trust in Him. You say, ok, how do I know that I’m
doing ok with this? Each trial that you are taken
through, if you come out trusting God, you’ve made it through that. Your faith is real. And it will
get more and more Maybe more or more difficult. And maybe
through the trial, you may not handle things perfectly. I certainly
don’t. But at the end, if I come out
and go, God is faithful. He is taking me through. My faith
is intact. We also need to know that these
trials. Are temporary. And that’s hard
to say to somebody going through a trial. A couple of years ago,
God was working with me on some issue. I’m guessing it took six
months. You asked me in the second, third,
fourth, fifth month that this is temporary. No, it’s not temporary. It’s gone on forever. Now, if
I compare that to what the Kurds have gone through, I’d be going,
yeah, mine was a lot more temporary than theirs. But there are still
others who have gone through sufferings and trials for years
and years and years and years. And it’s a hard thing to say,
hey, that’s just temporary. They’re in the midst of it. Peter is saying here, they are
temporary in light of eternal glory. We are told that our life
is a vapor. And that’s hard to understand.
It I get it when you think of everything overall, but I’ve
been on this earth for just a little past 40 years. Thank you. This is all I know. I mean, I go, my whole life,
it doesn’t seem like a vapor because I get up every day, I
do this and do this and do this. In the scheme of things, we’re
a vapor and a mist. Trials are. Temporary compared
to eternal glory. Lastly. The keys to maintaining hope
in the midst of trials are praise, focusing on the prize, trusting
in God’s preservation, knowing that there’s a purpose in your
trials, and lastly, The key to maintaining hope in the mistrials
is what I’m calling an incomprehensible presentation. This really struck
me this week. In this, you greatly rejoice,
even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have
been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your faith
being more precious than gold, which is perishable even though
tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and
honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not
seen him, you love him, and though you do not see him now, but believe
in him, you greatly rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of
glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation
of your souls. Though tested by fire may be
found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation
of Jesus Christ. When I. Just going through that
my immediate thought is God has taken me through all praise and
glory. This is actually saying that
when we come to the end. At the revelation of Jesus Christ
when we arrive Those who persevere will receive praise and honor
and glory from God. This is part of our being saved
to eternal glory. The pledge of God is to bring
us to eternal glory. The final part of salvation is
when we are glorified. Christ will commend his people.
Come, you blessed of my father. It reminds me of the passage
I read earlier in June. Jude, now to him who is able
to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence
of his glory blameless. How is that possible? And though you have not seen
him, you love him. And though you do not see him
now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy, inexpressible
and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls. How do you handle the trial?
If you’re like me, you dwell on the trial. And then finally,
you know what? Maybe if I was a little more
dependent on God and if I praised Him instead of complained or
questioned. Maybe if I’d look to what I really
have coming. Maybe if I know that this is
temporary. You know, God’s going to keep me through this. He’s
going to preserve me through this. I know what a day it will
be. when we get our inheritance.
As I was wrapping up last night, that last thing we talked about
will result in praise, honor, and glory through revelation
of Jesus Christ. The last time I was just simply stunned by
that. And the first thing that came
to my mind was, thy mercy, my God, thy mercy is more than a
match for my heart, which wonders to feel its own hardness depart,
dissolved By the goodness, I fall to the ground and weep to the
praise of the mercy I found. So I called Barbara and she answered
her cell phone really quickly. So I was thankful for that, but
she was picking up the phone to call me. And I was just calling
to say, can we add this song? I know we just did it a couple
of weeks ago, but can we add it? And she says, yeah, I was
just doing a bulletin because she had gotten behind on some
things. So we were able to add the song,
which maybe it’s just me and maybe this whole sermon was for
me. But it struck me, thy mercy,
my God, the song really can go along very well with this section.
Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song. Well, that’s clear
is who God, according to his great mercy, has caused us to
be born again to a living hope. Second verse ends, but through
thy free goodness, my spirits revive and he that first made
me still keeps me alive. That’s preservation. Finally, at the end, all praise
to the spirit whose whisper divine seals mercy. It’s guaranteed
and pardon our forgiveness and righteousness mind, which is
what we will receive when we get to heaven. For our inheritance. What are you focusing on during
your trials? Where is your hope during trials? Is it hope in
your ability to extricate you from a trial? I’ve tried it. Doesn’t work. Fails miserably. And you know what? It keeps the
trial going longer. Where is your hope through trials? Father, we thank you so much
for your promises We thank you for your mercy which saw us in our miserable condition and caused you to save us through
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we look forward,
help us to be heavenly minded in our thinking, not only through
trials, but in all that we do. May we focus on You and what
You have blessed us with, with what we have coming. We thank
You for Your incredible mercy and Your marvelous grace. In
Your name we pray, Amen.