Embracing Our Spiritual Inheritance and Living Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Living Hope Anchored in Resurrection

Our inheritance in Christ is not a distant promise but a living hope, rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This hope is dynamic and transformative, empowering believers to rejoice and grow even amidst life's trials. The resurrection assures us that our faith is not in vain and that our trials serve a purpose in refining and proving the genuineness of our faith. This living hope is a source of strength and joy, enabling us to endure with confidence, knowing that our faith is being shaped for eternal glory. [02:23]

1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 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."

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to embrace the living hope of Christ today, allowing it to transform your perspective on current challenges?

Day 2: Theology as the Foundation for Worship

Theology and doctrine are not merely intellectual pursuits but are meant to fuel our worship and deepen our love for God. Understanding God's character and promises provides a solid foundation when we face suffering. This knowledge allows us to stand firm, knowing that our trials are temporary and light compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. By grounding ourselves in sound doctrine, we can worship God with a deeper appreciation for His nature and His eternal plan for our lives. [06:32]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: How can you incorporate a deeper understanding of God's character into your daily worship, allowing it to transform your response to life's challenges?

Day 3: Trials as a Refining Process

Our trials are not without purpose; they are designed to refine our faith, much like gold is refined by fire. This process makes our faith more genuine and precious, preparing us for the eternal glory that awaits. By viewing our trials through this lens, we can endure them with joy, knowing that they are shaping us into the image of Christ. This perspective allows us to see our challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation, rather than obstacles to be avoided. [29:18]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: What is one trial you are currently facing, and how can you view it as an opportunity for God to refine your faith and character?

Day 4: Embracing an Eternal Perspective

The trials we face are temporary and light compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. This eternal perspective allows us to endure with joy, knowing that our faith is being proven genuine and that heaven will make amends for all. By lifting our eyes from the temporal and fixing them on the eternal, we can live in the reality of our inheritance and let our trials refine us into the image of Christ. This perspective shifts our focus from the present difficulties to the future glory that God has promised. [26:14]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from temporary struggles to the eternal promises of God, allowing this perspective to bring you joy and peace today?

Day 5: The Unique Privilege of Salvation

Our salvation was part of God's eternal plan, something even angels long to understand. As believers, we have the unique privilege of knowing God not only as Creator but as Redeemer and Friend. This relationship surpasses even the angels' understanding and invites us into a deeper intimacy with God. By embracing this privilege, we can live with a sense of awe and gratitude, knowing that we are part of God's eternal story and that our salvation is secure in His hands. [43:10]

Ephesians 1:9-10 (ESV): "Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude and awe for the unique privilege of your salvation, and how can this shape your relationship with God today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound truth of our spiritual inheritance as believers, drawing from 1 Peter 1:3-12. The story of Yvonne Henderson, a woman who lived as a bag lady despite being an heiress, served as a poignant illustration of how we often live beneath our spiritual privileges. We have an inheritance in Christ that is far greater than any earthly wealth, yet we sometimes fail to access and live in the fullness of it.

Peter's letter reminds us that we are chosen by God and that our true citizenship is in heaven. This identity as "elect exiles" gives us a living hope, a hope that is alive because it is anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This hope is not just for the future; it empowers us to rejoice and grow even amidst trials. Our trials, as Peter explains, are not without purpose. They are designed to refine our faith, much like gold is refined by fire, making it more genuine and precious.

The passage also emphasizes the importance of doctrine and theology, not as mere intellectual exercises, but as fuel for worship and a foundation for enduring life's challenges. When suffering comes, it is our understanding of God's character and promises that provides a sure footing. The trials we face are temporary and light compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. This perspective allows us to endure with joy, knowing that our faith is being proven genuine.

Moreover, Peter highlights that our salvation was not an afterthought but part of God's eternal plan, as foretold by the prophets. This salvation is something even angels long to understand, underscoring its profound significance. As believers, we have the unique privilege of knowing God not only as Creator but as Redeemer and Friend.

In conclusion, we are called to lift our eyes from the temporal and fix them on the eternal, to live in the reality of our inheritance, and to let our trials refine us into the image of Christ. This living hope is our anchor, our assurance, and our joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Living Hope in Christ: Our inheritance in Christ is a living hope, rooted in His resurrection. This hope is not just for the future but empowers us to rejoice and grow amidst trials, knowing that our faith is being refined and proven genuine. [02:23]
2. Doctrine Fuels Worship: Theology is not just for intellectual growth but is meant to stoke our worship and deepen our love for God. Understanding God's character and promises provides a sure footing when suffering comes, allowing us to stand firm. [06:32]
3. Purpose in Trials: Our trials are not without purpose; they are designed to refine our faith, much like gold is refined by fire. This process makes our faith more genuine and precious, preparing us for the eternal glory that awaits. [29:18]
4. Eternal Perspective: The trials we face are temporary and light compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. This perspective allows us to endure with joy, knowing that our faith is being proven genuine and that heaven will make amends for all. [26:14]
5. Unique Privilege of Salvation: Our salvation was part of God's eternal plan, something even angels long to understand. As believers, we have the unique privilege of knowing God as Redeemer and Friend, a relationship that surpasses even the angels' understanding. [43:10]
** [43:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:01] - The Story of Yvonne Henderson
[02:23] - Living Hope in Christ
[04:05] - Doctrine and Worship
[06:32] - The Role of Theology
[09:26] - Mercy and New Birth
[11:57] - The Miracle of Regeneration
[13:08] - Born Again to a Living Hope
[14:38] - Physical and Spiritual Death
[15:59] - Born Once, Die Twice
[17:23] - Confidence in a Living Savior
[19:13] - Keeping Our Gaze on Heaven
[20:51] - The Security of Our Inheritance
[22:53] - God's Shielding Power
[24:06] - Rejoicing in Trials
[26:14] - Light and Momentary Troubles
[29:18] - The Purpose of Trials
[31:04] - Fire of Purification
[32:19] - Becoming Stronger in the Fire
[33:42] - Trusting God in Trials
[35:58] - Inexpressible and Glorious Joy
[38:58] - His Plan from the Past
[40:42] - Old Testament as Christian Scripture
[43:10] - Angels and Gospel Realities
[44:51] - The Privilege of Salvation
[46:42] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

In his great mercy, he's given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. Now, I know that's a lot to get your head around, but to understand Peter's point, we have to look carefully at what is, amid all of those important words, what is the primary driving focus of them. [00:07:11]

The purpose of studying God has never been to make us feel smarter, never been to make us feel superior. The purpose is to stoke worship and deepen love and fuel witness and to sustain your very life. Because when suffering crashes into your life, you either will have something sure and solid to stand on when it feels like all things are giving way. [00:06:12]

You can rejoice and grow in trials because of the living hope you have in Christ. You can rejoice and grow in trials because of the living hope you have in Christ. I know preachers tend to like three-point sermons, but trust me, this one really does break down into three very simple and natural sections. [00:03:01]

In light of the expansive ocean of eternity it really is just a drop Paul says the same thing at the end of second Corinthians 4 therefore we do not lose heart though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [00:26:25]

The proven genuineness of your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. He's saying your trials are custom designed to purify you. Peter may be reflecting on Isaiah 43, which could have easily been our scripture reading. [00:29:45]

Peter then explains, verse 12, It was revealed to them, that is these Old Testament prophets, that they were not serving themselves, but you. Isn't that interesting? It doesn't say they were not serving themselves, but they were serving their fellow Israelites. No, they were serving you in the new covenant era when they spoke of the things that have now been told you. [00:40:04]

And if you belong to King Jesus, you're not being cast away into a wildfire, even if, yes, sometimes it feels like that, doesn't it? But you're not being cast away into some raging, uncontrollable, devastating wildfire. You're being cared for and fashioned by the hands of the master goldsmith. Yes, it hurts. Welcome to the furnace. [00:31:50]

And notice, he speaks of our faith and God's shielding power. We continue to trust. We cling to God's promises, but ultimately we make it. We arrive through the strength of someone else. Don't miss that precious phrase in verse 5, who through faith are shielded by God's power. That's really good news if you're aware of how weak you naturally are. [00:22:57]

Trillions and upon trillions of angels can cry, holy, holy, holy. But only a Christian can also say mercy, mercy, mercy. And we will be praising him forever more for what he has done in coming to interrupt our lives, to reroute us, to bring us on a different trajectory toward heaven and safely home. [00:45:17]

You know what it's like to have a living hope. You know what it's like to have an inheritance. You know what it's like to be shielded. You know what it's like to be forged in the fire. You know what it's like to be sustained in the fire. You know what it's like to be saved. [00:45:04]

And the result of that state of spiritual death, what the Bible calls the wages of sin, is being eternally cut off from the favor and the blessings and the smile of God. But if you're born again to a living hope, if you're made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit, if God turns those lights on so that you can see His glory and His all-sufficient beauty, then even though you die physically, you will never, ever face what the Bible calls the second death. [00:14:23]

Peter specifically mentions the prophets have not been made up yesterday. Heaven's mouthpieces, those who spoke for God. And it's as if they were living and ministering on their tiptoes, leaning forward, looking beyond themselves, beyond their lifetimes to see how their predictions would be fulfilled. And especially, Peter says, those predictions about the Messiah's sufferings and subsequent glory. [00:39:21]

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