Hope Is An Inheritance
1 Peter 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 spoil or fade.
I love that song we sing in church, Living Hope*
Hallelujah to the one who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope!
What am I looking forward to this season? Seeing family? Going home? A nice meal with loved ones? Those are wonderful things to hope for. In today's scripture, Peter’s hope is something to get really excited about. Something that can never spoil or fade. It lasts forever and never gets boring! The hope is an inheritance. Did you know God has an inheritance for you?
It seems insane that any of us should get an inheritance from God the Father when we’re not even part of the original family. We’ve become children of God through the life and death of Jesus, reconciling us to the Father. As Peter writes - we have a 'new birth.' That’s wild. What is this inheritance we’ve been given? Can we access it now? Is it only for heaven when we die?
Here’s the news flash: God’s inheritance is not gold and silver or a mansion in the sky. Don’t get me wrong that would be cool. God the Father is the giver of good gifts, but there’s something way cooler than that - Jesus himself. Imagine what being one with Jesus would be like in heaven. Yes, pause here - imagine! Now, here’s the kicker: the Bible says that we’re 'in Christ' right now!
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!' (2 Cor 5:17)
The inheritance is here NOW. It’s not just for heaven. Get ready to be changed. Get ready to be made new. Get ready for Jesus living in you. Hope is coming, and hope has come - it’s an eternal hope, a living hope. Hallelujah!
Prayer - Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free….
*Living Hope (Phil Wickham)