Preaching about hope always makes me ponder during my preparation of what I am most hopeful in and will I grow in that hope this year? What is interesting in Peter’s first letter is the link between new birth, hope, and joy. All of these for Peter are rooted in the historical and supernatural resurrection of Jesus Christ. Flowing out of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is life giving, mind and soul transforming grace for those that out their trust in him. The BIble calls this transformation being saved or being born again. Jesus talked with a religious ruler in the third chapter of John’s Gospel about the essential nature of this new birth and how it comes about. This new birth is meant to lead to the joy of being fully known and fully loved by God the Father, through the sacrifice and raising of the Son, and applied by the Spirit to those that God calls to Himself. This joy is not temporary happiness for when life is going great or just not badly. This is a slowly cultivated, fire that God ignites and continues to stoke for all eternity. So Peter wanted his hearers and us today to know that being born again leads to real hope for today and for eternity. Flowing out of this, he also wanted all of us to know that there is daily joy that will be your strength as you follow Jesus. So what keeps us from real and lasting joy in God? Let me make a few suggestions.
1. Your joy in God is small because yiur joy is dependent on circumstances. This is not what God is after. He wants the living hope of Jesus to be your greatest, most satisfying joy.
2. Your joy in God is weak or nonexistent because you don’t spend time with God in any regular or consistent way. We forget God’s heart for His people and for each of us as His children.
3. Your joy in God is fading because you have forgotten the Gospel is still good news for believers and non believers.
So how you fight for joy in your own heart and in the heart of others? We will look at that next week. But for this week, the first thing you ha e to ask is if you have been born again and have a Mick g hope in Jesus. If that not true for you, your hope and joy will always be lacking. Would you consider reading Colossians 1 and soaking in its truth. Or Philippians 1 & 2 to see Jesus focusing on joy that was to come to help him live well while on earth. Remember the Gospel: there is no better news to cheer the heart and soul! Talk about it with your small group leader or pastors. They are fighting for your joy in God together with you.
Let me know if you have any questions. Look forward to hearing from you.
Grace and peace,
Matt
Theology of Coffee 