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Summary

Sermon Outline “Until He Comes: Living Hope” - I Peter 1:1-5 The climate of much of our world today: hopelessness. Hopelessness: “Having no expectation of good or success - despair, not susceptible to remedy or cure, incapable of redemption or improvement; giving no ground for hope - desperate; incapable of solution, management or accomplishment - impossible.” (Miriam-Webster Dictionary) Great news & even greater news: He is here! He is coming again! 2012’s theme: Until He Comes - looking for Jesus to come again & living according to that perspective. I & II Peter - begins and ends with a declaration of hope in the soon coming Christ. Verses1-2: We, in Christ, are: grafted into the vine of the true Israel; exiles in this life; elect “according to the foreknowledge of God;” chosen “in the sanctification of the Spirit;” set apart “for obedience to Jesus Christ…;” “for sprinkling with [Jesus’] blood.” Verses 3-5: “According to His great mercy…” Mercy: “eleos” - “kindness or good will toward the miserable & afflicted, joined w/a desire to help them” (Strong’s). “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope…” Regeneration is the work of God in those who believe - Eph. 2:5 Living: “possessing life & vitality,” having life in itself. Hope: expectation - our hope in Christ’s presence & coming is living hope, not just wishing, because it’s based on Him. “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” Our resurrection and eternal life is dependent upon that same proven power whereby He arose “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, & unfading…” Inheritance - “property received (or to be received) by inheritance; what is given to one as a possession” (Strong’s). Imperishable: “not liable to corruption or decay” (Strong’s). Undefiled: “unsoiled, free from that which by nature is deformed & debased or its force & vigor impaired” (Strong’s). Unfading: “not fading away, perennial” (Strong’s) “kept in heaven for you…” Kept: being tended to carefully, taken care of, reserved. “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith…” We are under guard by God Himself & legions of angels under His command. God’s power is distributed thru our faith. We must abide in Christ. “for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” This salvation is “the final end of the new birth” (Faussett). I Corinthians 2:9 Last time/day: “the closing day of grace; the day of judgment & redemption, the day of the restitution of all things (when Christ will right all wrongs) & of perdition of the ungodly” (Faussett). Are you in Christ? Come to Christ today. If you are in Christ, then keep this perspective in mind: This world is not my home & my life is not my own; my God is w/me in the trials of this life, so I will look to Him, I will follow Him. My life is His & He is mine. I will look for Christ’s coming & be about His business until He comes. Let hope fill your heart. Until He comes, hope in Him, submit to Him, obey Him.