Violet Baptist Church: LifeGroup Materials
Jan/Feb. 2015 Sermon Series
Anchored – Hope for the Future
1 Peter
Week 1 – Hope No Matter What Comes Your Way
The Apostle Peter penned a letter to the early Christians. These were not just any Christians. These
were Christians who were hurting – people who had been scattered around the world because of their
faith in Christ and obedience to God. These were people who were persecuted – their lives disrupted
because of their faith in the resurrected Christ.
Peter refers to these people as exiles. They were people with no home; people with no temporal
certainty. You could say these people were likely short on hope – at least the kind of hope we think
about today - the kind of hope we refer to when we tell a traveler, “I hope you have a safe trip.” The
kind of hope we mean when we tell a person suffering from an illness, “I hope you feel better soon.” Or
the kind of hope we mean when we are running late and we say to ourselves, “Our only hope of arriving
on time is if traffic is light.”
This type of hope is the reason why many of the ancient philosophers considered hope just another
word for disappointment. According to the Greek poet Euripides hope was something that, “beckoned
many men to their undoing.” Generations later Friedrich Nietzsche called hope “the evil of evils”
because “it prolongs men’s torment.” For these men and many others, hope was little more than an
empty promise or a fleeting sense of security.
In Peter’s letter to the exiled church, he breaks into praise in verse 3 when he says, “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. (emphasis added). This hope Peter talks about doesn’t sound like our modern view
of hope – this is a hope anchored to something much deeper and more profound. Let’s look together at
this passage and explore the heart of hope.
Scripture – 1 Peter 1:1-5
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
1
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen 2according 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.
3
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, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is
kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming
of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Violet Baptist Church: LifeGroup Materials
Jan/Feb. 2015 Sermon Series
Observation
If ever there was an Apostle who was qualified to speak on the subject of hope, it has to be Peter. This
Apostle with the “foot shaped mouth” had experienced many moments where all hope appeared to be
lost. No moment in his life could have been more devoid of hope than when he denied knowing Jesus 3
separate times on the night of Christ’s arrest. But now he pens a letter to the scattered believers. You
can imagine that those painful moments of betrayal had to be racing through his mind as he prepared to
write this letter. Peter’s praise for God is anchored to a deep and abiding sense of his own personal
hope: a hope that was solidified when Jesus restored their relationship on the shore of the Sea of
Tiberius in John 21.
Look at the verse where Peter talks about this living hope. Notice that this living hope is not the primary
object of Peter’s praise. Peter says, “In His (God’s) great mercy He has given us NEW BIRTH into a living
hope…” It is our New Birth that is the reason we can experience and embrace a living hope. There is no
power on earth, no amount of personal effort, no human relationship, and no set of temporal
circumstances that can generate Living Hope. The source of this hope is supernatural; it’s a hope that
comes from above not from within; it is a Living Hope based on God’s merciful gift of a New Birth.
What does Peter mean when he says that the source of Living Hope comes from a New Birth? Take a
moment to share with your group how you came to receive this New Birth.
When Peter talks about New Birth, what (or Who) does he say is the source of this New Birth?
There are 2 infinitely important words Peter uses regarding the idea of New Birth. What do each of
these mean to you, and what is your personal response to these?
1. Word 1 – Great Mercy
2. Word 2 – Given
Peter continues to unpack the rationale for this merciful gift of Living Hope in verse 3. He goes on to say
that there was a cost associated with our New Birth and Living Hope. The last phrase of verse 3 reminds
us that this cost was the death of Christ. Peter says that because Jesus died and demonstrated His
authority over death by His resurrection, we have Living Hope. How does the resurrection of Jesus
provide us with Living Hope?
Violet Baptist Church: LifeGroup Materials
Jan/Feb. 2015 Sermon Series
You might be tempted to think that God’s merciful gift of a new birth into a living hope would be enough
– and of course it was be! But Peter says that God’s not content with just giving us a living hope. What
more does a living hope-filled Christian receive from God as seen in verse 4?
Where does Peter say this inheritance is located? (Extra credit – how does this relate to Paul’s
admonition in Colossians 3:1-2?)
Peter uses three powerful words to describe the enduring qualities of this inheritance. What do each
mean and in what ways do these provide fuel for our Living Hope?
1. Never Perish
2. Never Spoil
3. Never Fade
This group of verses ends with an amazing picture of God’s great mercy for His people. Peter writes that
our inheritance in heaven is “through faith shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” Take a moment to picture God the Father standing
between you and the one thing that would seek to rob you of your hope. Can you think of anything that
could prevail against the power of God that shields you? Think of the attributes of God and list those
that come to mind. These are the same attributes God uses to shield you and me from the challenges of
life that seek to steal our Living Hope.
Application
The core message of this week is “Because of Christ there is hope no matter what comes your way.”
God chose Peter to write the words of this letter and express the praise which comes from God’s gift of
New Life and Living Hope. Within your group, discuss the events of Peter’s life which gave rise to Peter’s
hope. In what ways can you relate to Peter’s experiences to fuel this Living Hope for you? (some ideas
for your discussion…)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Peter’s call to follow Christ and become a fisher of men
Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on water
Peter confession of Jesus as “the Son of the Living God”
Peter’s denial of Jesus
Peter’s restoration by Jesus
Peter’s big sermon in Acts 2
Violet Baptist Church: LifeGroup Materials
Jan/Feb. 2015 Sermon Series
The way we use the word “hope” and think about “having hope” in our modern world is so different
from the Living Hope Peter expresses in this passage. When you think about this Living Hope, what
words, emotions, and expressions of praise come to mind?
In contrast to this Living Hope (anchored to the Person and Work of Christ) there is worldly hope. What
are the characteristics of a worldly hope? Are there times in your own life where your response to the
storms of life was based on a worldly hope?
In the extra credit reading above we looked at Colossians 3:1-2 where Paul writes, “Since, then, you have
been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” How does this verse relate to this lesson
on Living Hope? What does this imply about the focus of our heart and mind?
Within your group, take a moment to share about a time where the storms of life were raging and you
responded with Living Hope. Contrast this experience with a time where you responded with worldly
hope. In what ways can you use these experiences to impact others?
Peter promises that God will use His limitless power to shield you, by faith, until the last day of your life.
In what ways have you seen or experienced God’s almighty protection and divine intervention?
Living Hope only comes to those who have received the gift of new birth. Do you know someone who
could use Living Hope? What steps could you take this week to tell them about the God’s gift of New
Birth?
Violet Baptist Church: LifeGroup Materials
Jan/Feb. 2015 Sermon Series
Prayer
Praise be to you my God and Father! In Your great mercy you gave me new life, living hope, and the
promise of an inheritance in heaven. Thank you that by your great power you shield my life during the
trials of this world because I know these come to prove the genuineness of my faith. Although I cannot
see you, I love you and believe in you. This love fuels an inexpressible and glorious joy as I praise you for
my salvation in Christ. Help me to set my heart and mind on things above where Christ is seated and
remain securely anchored to the promise of hope for the future.
Pray specifically for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ways to bless others with our living hope experiences
To stay anchored to Christ during the storms of life
Ways to express the joy of our living hope
Ways to share the message of the new birth and a living hope with one who is lost