Jan. 11, 2026

“BE HOPEFUL”

“HOPE IS A SURE THING”

1 PETER 1:3-12

2 Themes in 1 Peter: Trials & Humility- 1 Peter 5:6

1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

“Pride”-is dependence on self, your own resources.

“Humility”-is complete and total dependence on God.

This transformation is based on the “hope.”

1. Hope Defined- 1 Peter 1:3 

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

vs.3 “a living hope”- something certain, it is for real.

Hebrews 6:18-19 “that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”

Romans 4:18 “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 

“We have faith in hope, we do not hope so!”

2. Hope For God Is Something Certain- 1 Peter 1:3-5

Hope is a sure thing!!!

*Six Reasons For Why Our Hope Is Certain:

*First, God Is The Author- 1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

*Second, “According To His Abundant Mercy”- 1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 1:3 “… who according to His abundant mercy…”

*Third, We Have An Inheritance With God That Is Incorruptible- 1 Peter 1:4.

1 Peter 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

*Fourth, It’s Undefiled- 1 Peter 1:4

1 Peter 1:4 “and undefiled…”

*Fifth, “And That Does Not Fade Away…”- 1 Peter 1:4

“It is sure”

*Sixth, “Kept By The Power Of God”- 1 Peter 1:5

1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

3. Hope Becomes A Reality By Trials And Tribulation We Go Through In This Life- 1 Peter 1:6-9

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.”

Our trials are only for a season, they are only temporary. “A little while..” vs.6

vs.6 “if need be…”- you can count on it, that you will go through trials in this life.

vs.6 “various trials…” or manifold trials or temptations, multi-colored trials.

1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

1 Peter 1:7 “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

In “all” the “trials” God has a purpose and that is to “prove us.”

Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

“A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted.”

1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”

John 20:29 “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

God gives us a hope that is so real that we can rejoice in trials and that we can be “full of glory.” vs.8

*Peter is not talking about being saved, he is talking about saved people.

1 Peter 1:9 “Receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

Three Phases of Salvation:

*Justification- Born again- the Spirit.

*Sanctification- Renewing of the mind or soul

Romans 12:1-2

*Glorification- Transformed completely at the Second Coming of Christ.

4. Hope Prophesied- 1 Peter 1:10-12

1 Peter 1:10-11 “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

Matthew 13:17 “for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

“Little faith will take your soul to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your soul.” Charles Spurgeon

*The prophets paid a price to write the books they wrote and to be used by God as spokesmen and they wrote it to help you and me.

1 Peter 1:12 “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Are you wrestling or are you resting in God’s hope?