We are set to launch our walk through 1 Peter, and our recent weeks thinking about heaven could not have been a better bridge, because today’s passage speaks of our imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance in heaven. Even as we go through the trials of this life, we can rejoice because of what lies ahead!

Scripture Reference

1 Peter 1: 3-7

Sermon Notes

Living in light of our reality can be hard if we only consider our immediate circumstances, but as Christians, our reality is very different…

1. Our Reality Is That We Have Been Born Again
   1. Born Again to a Living Hope (confident expectation)
   2. Born Again to an Eternal Inheritance
   3. Born Again to a Salvation to Be Revealed at the End (we are guarded by God’s power, but not from problems, rather from falling away if our faith is genuine).
2. We Should Rejoice in Our Reality, Even  When It’s Hard
   1. Our reality is true  no matter our external circumstances – trials will come, hard times will happen. We have to learn to rejoice in these even if things aren’t going so well – because of our hope, inheritance, and salvation.
   2. Trials demonstrate our faith is genuine – to ourselves and to God. Tested faith is better than gold because tested faith endures forever.
   3. Tested faith will be honored at Christ’s return. Those are our palm branches of victory in heaven!