Question

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A Living Hope

1 Peter 1:1-12 

Key Verse: 1:3 

1. Read verses 1-2. What do the words “God’s elect” and “exiles” tell us about them (1b)? How did they become God’s elect and for what purpose (2)? How did Peter bless them (2b)? 

2. Read v. 3-4a. How did Peter view God (3a)? What has God given us? What is the significance of “new birth” (Jn 3:6; 2 Cor 5:17)? What characterizes “a living hope”? 

3. Read v. 4b-5. What is the difference between inheritance in heaven and on earth (4a)? How does God help us until this inheritance is realized (5)? What does a living hope, an inheritance in heaven, mean to you? 

4. Read v. 6-9. How did the early Christians respond in the midst of trials (6,8)? What meaning could they find in their suffering (7)? What is the end result of suffering in Christ (7b,9)? 

5. Read v.10-12. How did God make this salvation known (10-12)? What was the role of prophets and preachers? How does the progressive revelation of grace give assurance? What would the prediction of the Messiah’s sufferings and glory mean to early Christians?

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Attachment

• 1 Pe01-01-12-q-2024.docx

Message

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A Living Hope

1 Peter 1:1-12

Key Verse:1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has 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. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,”

We thank God who richly blessed our Easter Bible Retreat last weekend. This Bible retreat was special because all messengers were chosen from our 2nd gen young leaders. Their messages and testimonies were fresh and sincere. Personally I was amazed by their understanding of the word of God, their attitude toward it, and perseverance in the midst of their busy school study and even sickness. We saw the hope of God for a bright future through them and continue to pray for them to grow as spiritual leaders for the world and for the next generation. Amen!

1 Peter is Peter the Apostle’s first letter to the suffering Christians who were scattered around Asia Minor. At that time Christians received persecutions from the Roman government and opposition from their own people. The suffering Christians hid themselves in caves or catacombs or remote places where their enemies couldn’t reach. They were fearful and discouraged by constant sufferings. In this letter Peter encourages them to restore their hope and faith in Christ Jesus. Peter encourages them to restore their identity as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. (2:9-10) Let’s see how Peter encouraged them to restore their hope, faith, and identity through this passage.

First, God’s elect and chosen people (1-2) In his greeting Peter reminds them who they are in the sight of God. Look at verses 1,2. “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” Peter called them God’s elect because they were chosen by God  according to his foreknowledge. The fact that they were chosen according to God’s foreknowledge means that God knew everything about them from their birth, at present, and even in the future. God chose them with his good and special purpose. They must have been deeply discouraged when they were persecuted. They lost their heart when they were opposed by their own people. They must have thought that they were forgotten by God and abandoned by people. We also feel the same when we are in the time of extreme difficulties. We think that we are forgotten by God and abandoned by people. But this is not true. God has been with us and known everything about us. We must believe that God is good and that he has a plan for our lives in the midst of sufferings. Peter repeats their identity as God’s elect and a chosen people even though they lived like exiles scattered around the Asia Minor. We must believe in God and keep our identity as God’s elect and chosen people no matter what happens to us, even in the midst of extreme difficulties. Amen!

How did God choose and make us his people? According to verse 14, before we were called by God we lived in ignorance with our evil desires. We were children of the devil, and our destiny was hell. But in God’s mercy and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we were born again and became children of God. By the sprinkled blood of Jesus our sins were washed away and we became Jesus’ pure brides. Now as God’s elect and his chosen people we live according to God’s will. We obey Jesus’ words and offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness. Even though we are not recognized by this world, we are God’s elect and his special possession. 

Our Easter Bible Retreat 2024 seemed to be an ordinary family retreat to the eyes of this world. But, to the eyes of God it was an extraordinary and very special event because our children and young leaders delivered gospel messages from the first night to the last day. Where can you find a place where high school students delivered the gospel messages on Good Friday and Easter weekend? We are the only ones!  This is the reason why the retreat was special and our children are extraordinary. We pray for all young messengers to grow as spiritual leaders for the world and for the next generation. Amen!

Second, a living hope (3-4) To those who are hungry, filling their stomach with delicious food is their hope. To those who are poor, being rich is their hope. To those who are sick, complete healing and quick recovery is their hope. To Tim Chung, gaining a sufficient MCAT score and entering a good medical school is his hope. To Michael Lanier, passing the qualification exam is his present hope. What is your hope today? In this way our hope is escaping our present agony and fulfilling our wish for the future. However, these kinds of hope often disappoint us as time passess by. After our present agony is gone, another agony is coming up. When we achieve one goal, another project waits for us. To our dismay such a joy of freedom and the excitement of achievement do not last long, so we are disappointed. Some call this kind of hope ‘temporary hope’ or ‘earthly hope’. 

But Peter introduces the diaspora a quite different hope and new hope from this perishing hope. He called it ‘a living hope.’ Look at verses 3-4. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has 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. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” According to this verse, the living hope is our inheritance which is kept in heaven for us. Earthly inheritance will perish and disappear when we die. It is valid only for this earth. Steve Job, the founder of Apple Corp, didn’t take any money from his bank account when he died. All possessions and assets on this earth will not be inherited forever because we all die, and all these earthly inheritance will not be valid in heaven.

But God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the inheritance which can never perish, spoil, or fade, because it is kept in heaven for us. Inheritance is given to only children, not to others. God made us his children through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:12) Paul said that children of God are heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ. (Ro 8:16) This inheritance is given through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose again from the dead, he became the first fruits of resurrection. Indeed, we all those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will be resurrected as he was resurrected. As children of God we will receive eternal life in the kingdom of heaven as our inheritance. This is the living hope which is given to us and which never perishes, spoils or fades away. Even though we die, this hope is still valid, and the inheritance continues to heaven. Paul said in Romans 5:5 that this hope never disappoints us or puts us to shame. Amen!

When I heard Grace Choi’s resurrection message at the Bible retreat, I saw her inner joy which came from this living hope. Her joy came from sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and her joy came from the living hope of the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Her testimony was the same as Mary Magdalene’s testimony, which was “I have seen the Lord! He has risen!” Whoever believes in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and holds this living hope experiences such great joy and power. This hope and joy comes when we become witnesses of Jesus Christ and share the good news to the perishing people. Grace tasted this spiritual joy when she talked about Jesus to her closest friend.

Third, strong faith like genuine gold refined by fire (5-9) Thomas A Kempis, a German-Dutch saint, states in his book “The Imitation of Christ” that God allows suffering to his people for two reasons:First through suffering God wants us to depend on him alone. Indeed, we depend on God when we cannot handle present sufferings. Through suffering we go to God closer and our relationship with him becomes stronger. Second, through suffering God wants us to put our hope in heaven, not on this earth. Indeed, when we suffer from this earth, we lose desire for this world and set our hope in heaven. The more we suffer on this earth, the more we long for life in heaven. When the suffering Christians scattered around the Asia Minor confronted persecution and opposition, they lost their heart. Their faith was shaken. But it was time for their faith to be tested and to be proven genuine.  It was time for them to turn to God. 

Peter did not sympathize their suffering and pain with weak words, but encouraged them to greatly rejoice with strong faith. Look at verses 5-6. “Who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” They could overcome present suffering because of the living hope in the future. Paul said the same in the book of Romans. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Ro 5:3-4) He also said in Romans 8:18 which says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Peter taught them that there is another reason why they had to rejoice in the time of suffering and in all kinds of trials. The answer is that God disciplines them to have strong faith like pure gold. Look at verse 7. “These have come so that 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.” Have you ever seen the refining work for gold? When raw gold is given to a goldsmith, he puts it into a furnace until all impure matters melt away and only pure gold remains. He heats up until only pure gold remains. In the same way our faith is challenged, tested, and strengthened by all kinds of trials until our proven genuineness of our faith remains. What is the purpose of refining our faith through the trials? Hebrews 12:10 says, “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.” God disciplines us through trials so that we may share his holiness. Through the trials and sufferings we may give up earthly and fleshly desire and put our hope in God and in heaven as Thomas A Kempis said. God disciplines us to live with this living hope and with pure heart.

Caleb Park wrote his message in the midst of preparation for the ACT. God disciplined him on how to serve God as a priority among his busy schedules. As a result his understanding of Genesis and his writing came out excellent. Danny Lee did the same. Through the message preparation Danny spent lots of time for meditation and presentation. God disciplined him to do the work of God in all circumstances. David Lee had to finish his last semester strong as a senior at high school and work two jobs to support his family. He also joined the praise band. Still, he became strong and delivered the wonderful gospel message on Saturday morning. The faith of all these young messengers were challenged and tested, but they all passed this test and their faith became stronger like diamond and brighter like pure gold. Amen!

What is the end result of their faith? What is our reward when we overcome this world? It is the salvation of our souls. It is the crown of life. Look at verses 8,9. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” John said the same in Revelation 2:10. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” Amen! Missionary James and Esther Lee memorized Isaiah 53 at the Bible retreat. I doubted my eyes and ears when they finished the memorization successfully. It was a great spiritual victory for their family, especially to this couple. We didn’t give them any reward for their wonderful memorization. But the reward in heaven will be great! God will give them the victor’s crown. It is the salvation of their soul. What a blessing and privilege which came from the resurrection of Jesus Christ! What a reward to those who overcome the world! God gave us a great spiritual victory through his Easter Bible Retreat. Amen!

In verses 10-12 Peter emphasizes the value of our salvation and the importance of preaching the gospel. Our living hope, our heavenly inheritance, and the salvation of our soul should not be taken for granted or underestimated. These spiritual blessings are worthier than gold and more valuable than all the treasures in the whole world. In order to find this mystery of salvation all the prophets in the Old Testament searched and studied intently and with great care. They struggled to find out time and circumstances when the Spirit of Christ taught them the death of Jesus and his glorious resurrection. We have studied how the prophet David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and other prophets prophesied about the appearance and work of the Messiah Jesus Christ. We are the blessed recipients from their spiritual struggle and efforts. We are saved by the message of the gospel which was delivered by other preachers and Bible teachers. In verse 12 Peter said that preaching the gospel is the thing even angels long to look for. 

In the opening message for the retreat Joseph Mun said that preaching the gospel is not a burden, but a blessing. This is because preaching the gospel brings the salvation of souls. This is the reason why Grace Choi was so happy after she talked about Jesus for two hours with her best friend. When we preach the gospel, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, and we feel inexpressible and glorious joy. To witness the salvation of souls and to taste inexpressible and glorious joy make our burden light and our yoke easy. David Lee said in his message that the cross of Jesus not only changed history, but also changed many people around him including David himself. Indeed, when we take up our cross and follow Jesus, many people will be changed. When they are changed, the history of the world also will be changed. This is our true and living hope when we live on this earth! Amen!+

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• 1 Pe01-01-12-message-2024.docx