1 PETER 1:3-9

TAKING INVENTORY

 

     According to Webster's Dictionary, an inventory is: "an itemized list or catalogue of goods, property, etc; especially, such a list of the stock of business taken annually."

 

Many of you here this morning have been in involved in taking inventories.  Inventory is when one sees how many of each item you use is on hand. Inventory helps a company see if goods are being stolen, and what value they have in the goods currently in stock. Inventory is really an accounting for, and evaluating of, the stock on hand.

 

Taking inventory is nothing new. I had great fun one day while living in Sweet Valley PA.  In the 1940's one of our men had a country store.  While I was visiting him, Edgar Cragle pulled out an inventory of the goods he had on hand in the store in 1945.  The amount of stock was not large at all, but ridiculously low prices were fun to see.

 

The Bible gives us some inventories.

Job 1:23 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

 

If you read 2 Chronicles 9:13-18, you will find another inventory, elaborating upon the wealth of Solomon.

 

Galatians 5:22-23 the "Fruit of the Spirit" - Quote

 

Also, there is the love inventory mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8  - Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

The text which we read this morning contains an inventory in 1 Peter 1:3-7.  It is an itemization, a stock listing of some of the things that you and I have if we have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin.

 

This morning we want to see what we have in Christ.  If we are going to live Godly lives in Christ, we need to understand the great wealth and struggles that come our way with knowing Christ.

 

In Christ we have: A GREAT HOPE

                              A GREAT INHERITANCE

                              A GREAT PRESERVATION

                              GREAT TRIALS

 

A GREAT HOPE Vs. 3

 

Peter gives us a great reminder here.

He begins with the words, "Blessed be God."

The "blessed" often means "happy" as in Psalm 1 or Matthew 5's beatitudes. But here it means "PRAISED"!

 

Peter reminds us to praise HIM!

We need reminders like this!

We forget to worship. We forget to say "Thank you".

 

Even in the worship portion of our services, we forget all too quickly to concentrate on Worshipping God.

 

Psalm 64:6-7 - Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God [is] the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

 

Psalm 48:9 - We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

 

In Verse 3  we are to give praise to the God and Father.

This reminds us that God is a Trinity, or a "Triunity".

 

There is one God, 3 distinct personalities in the Godhead.

 

Our text tells us that He is Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

LORD - He is our Master of Christians.

              A point we often forget.

              We think we control our own lives.

              We act that we are "the boss."

 

John 13:13 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am.

 

JESUS - His personal name which means "Jehovah is                                                                                                                                                                                                                             salvation." He is our Savior.

 

CHRIST - Means "THE ANOINTED ONE.

                  Equivalent to the Hebrew Word, "Messiah".

                  For the Christian, Jesus is KING!

 

 

Why should we praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Through His Son God has shown us "abundant mercy."

 

Alan A Stibbs "Mercy is a word specially used in the New Testament of God's kindness in bringing the outsider and the unworthy, the Gentile, and the sinner to share in His salvation, and in the glories or riches of His Christ."

 

Never think God wants to give us what we deserve!

We deserve Hell!

 

Psalm 18:4 - ...the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

 

Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 

Instead of giving us what we deserve, God, in his abundant mercy has provided a way of avoiding the judgment in Hell which we deserve.

 

As Righteous, God requires punishment.

In Love and Mercy, God sent His Son to take the punishment for our sin.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

1 Peter 1:18-19 - Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

How do I make God's abundant mercy mine?

"HATH BEGOTTEN US AGAIN" speaks of a second birth.

I was born once into earth's family.

I must be born again into God's family.

Natural birth must be followed by Spiritual Birth.

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

That happens when we trust Christ.

 

John 1:12-13 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will  of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

If you have not been born again into the Family of God, please take care of it right now, right where you are (explain).

 

Born once to an earthly family

Born the second time into Heavenly Family

Born once, die twice

Born twice, die once

 

When we are born again through the work of the Spirit of God, we obtain a lively, or a "living" hope.

By the word "hope" the Bible does not mean something wishy washy, like "I hope I graduate."

 

In the Bible, the word "hope" is something that can be looked forward to with anxious anticipation. If you have Biblical hope, you are not only sure of Heaven but you are looking forward to it!

 

Hebrews 6:17-19 - Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: [18] That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: [19] Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast…

 

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love. Priscilla J. Owens http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/e/h/wehavean.htm     

 

·       A living hope is hope of life, life eternal.

·       A living hope reminds me that things will be perfect in Heaven some day.

·       A living hope means that whatever goes wrong this week, it will not be permanent. The hurts of today will be long forgotten by you 100 years from now.

 

The basis of our hope, according to our text, is the resurrection of Christ.

Because Jesus resurrected from the dead, we are assured of the power of God to raise us from the dead.

We are assured that God has accepted Jesus' sacrifice for sin!

In John 14:19, Jesus says ...because I live, ye shall live also.

 

Fanny Crosby wrote:

Someday the silver cord will break,

And I no more as now shall sing;

But oh, the joy when I shall wake

Within the palace of the King!

 

Someday my earthly house will fall.

I cannot tell how soon 'twill be;

But this I know- my All in All

Has now a place in Heaven for me.

 

And I shall see Him face to face,

And tell the story - Saved by grace.

And I shall see Him face to face,

And tell the story saved by grace.

 

WE HAVE A GREAT HOPE

 

WE HAVE A GREAT INHERITANCE Vs. 4

 

Most people get an inheritance when someone else dies.

The person who dies leaves behind property, money, jewelry, or something else of value.

 

The great part about this inheritance is that the Lord gives us the inheritance after we die!  This inheritance is not what we leave behind, but what we receive!

 

We often mourn Christians who go on to heaven.

Remember this, that they are enjoying their inheritance in Christ.

 

Commenting on the words in this verse, Douglas McCorkle said:

Incorruptible - untouched by death.

Undefiled - unstainable by evil.

Fadeth not away - unimpaired by time.

 

I especially like the word "undefiled". Our inheritance in heaven will not involve the filthiness of this world.

 

No x-rated movies.

No x-rated people.

No x-rated morals.

No effects of alcohol, pills, hard drugs, immorality.

No lying, no stealing, no murder.

 

Revelation 21:27 - And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

 

And notice that this inheritance is reserved in Heaven for us.

 

When visiting Washington D.C. as a kid I had written a letter to my Congressman.  The end result was we didn't wait on line. We had reservations.

 

Our inheritance in Heaven is reserved, or "guarded" as the word means. Someone has pictured what having a reservation in Heaven means:

 

Think of stepping on shore and finding it Heaven.

Of taking hold of a hand and finding it Christ's hand.

Of breathing new air and finding it celestial air,

Of feeling invigorated, and finding in immortality.

Of passing from storm and tempest to perfect calm.

Of waking up and finding it home!

 

WE HAVE A GREAT HOPE

WE HAVE A GREAT INHERITANCE

WE HAVE A GREAT PRESERVATION Vs. 5

 

Your salvation is not based on your works, or the keeping of commandments, but by faith.

If you have been born into the family of God, it was the work of God!

 

John 3:5-6 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 

It is the Spirit of God that does the work of regeneration, making us born again. Salvation is God's work, not mine!

 

Just as I have no power to save myself, I have no power to keep myself saved.

To be sure, If I am saved, I am changed, and live a changed life. That's part of the proof that I'm saved.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

But it is the power of God that saved me, and it is the power of God that keeps me saved!

 

Our Daily Bread once told of a Scottish preacher named McLeod Campbell: "One day a friend who was filled with doubt and spiritual perplexity inquired, "Pastor, you always seem to have peace of soul. Tell me, How can you feel that you've got such a tight hold on God."

 

"For a moment the minister was silent. Then with a smile, he exclaimed, "I don't always feel that I have hold of Him, but praise the Lord, I know that He always has hold of me."

 

John 10:27-28 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.

 

Able to keep! Yes, able to keep,

Though rough the path, all rugged and steep;

Tender the heart that's caring for me,

Mighty the grace, "sufficient for thee."

 

Able to keep, my weakness He knows,

Strong the temptation, crafty the foes;

God is my refuge, He is my shield

Power almighty that never shall yield.

 

A GREAT HOPE

A GREAT INHERITANCE

A GREAT PRESERVATION

 

GREAT TRIALS Vss. 6-7

 

People who are invited to Christ are sometimes given the impression that if they but trust Christ, all their trials will go away. Troubles will disappear.

 

That's just not true.

Although nobody wants trials or grief, or hurt or hassle, although nobody wants to cry, Vs. 6 tells us why they happen.

 

The key words are "...if need be..."

Trials begin because God deems them necessary for us.

We need trials to increase our faith.

We need them to increase our patience.

We need them to be a testimony to others.

We need them because we need discipline.

 

In some ways, troubles begin, because Satan gets hoping mad, and wants to keep you from being effective for Christ.

Also, troubles begin, because God wants to use the troubles to mature us in our faith.

 

James 1:2-4 - My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

 

Verse 7 - The trials of our faith are likened unto gold that is refined. Gold is heated so impurities can be removed.

When we allow God to refine us through our troubles,

 

The trials refine us, improve us, mature us, make us more productive.

 

The trials make it so God can award us with praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns. That is, if we've heeded the lessons intended for us in the trials.

 

James 1:12 - Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

 

OUR INVENTORY IN CHRIST:

 

GREAT HOPE

GREAT INHERITANCE

GREAT PRESERVATION

GREAT TRIALS