Our Scripture meditation is based on 1 Peter 1:3-5 from next week’s Epistle Reading, the Second Sunday after Easter. For a meditation on the Gospel Lesson, click HERE.
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
After Jesus’ resurrection His disciples needed reassurance about what had happened. As we bask in the afterglow of Easter, it is good to receive reassurance about what Jesus’ resurrection means to us.
In this passage, the Apostle Peter intimately connects us to Jesus. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so we were “born again”. (v. 3). We had to be raised from our spiritual deaths.
We not only have hope, but a “living hope”, for an eternal inheritance. (v. 3) There are different degrees of hope. Sometimes “hope” is simply wishful thinking. For example, saying I hope to go to Mars one day. Other times hope is based in our own skill or ingenuity, such as hoping to a build flower bed for my wife this spring. But the “living hope” is hope that comes from God. God the Father has promised us this inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for”.
As if this weren’t enough, Peter reminds us that our faith in guarded by “God’s power”. This is tied to God the Holy Spirit, which dwells within us. We received the Holy Spirit when we were brought to faith in Christ. It is one of God’s promises for baptism. (Acts 2:38)
It’s amazing that three short Bible verses can provide us such assurance about our eternal relationship with God.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Our Scripture meditation is based on 1 Peter 1:3-5 from next week’s Epistle Reading, the Second Sunday after Easter. For a meditation on the Gospel Lesson, click HERE.
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
After Jesus’ resurrection His disciples needed reassurance about what had happened. As we bask in the afterglow of Easter, it is good to receive reassurance about what Jesus’ resurrection means to us.
In this passage, the Apostle Peter intimately connects us to Jesus. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so we were “born again”. (v. 3). We had to be raised from our spiritual deaths.
We not only have hope, but a “living hope”, for an eternal inheritance. (v. 3) There are different degrees of hope. Sometimes “hope” is simply wishful thinking. For example, saying I hope to go to Mars one day. Other times hope is based in our own skill and ingenuity, such as hoping to a build flower bed for my wife this spring. But the “living hope” is hope that comes from God. It is certain God the Father is the one who has promised us this inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for” us.
As if this wasn’t enough, Peter reminds us that our faith in guarded by “God’s power”. This is tied to God the Holy Spirit, which dwells within us. We received the Holy Spirit when we were brought to faith in Christ. It is one of God’s promises for baptism. (Acts 2:38)
It’s amazing that three short Bible verses can provide us such assurance about our relationship with God.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 