This series is based on the idea that we desperately need “new” and that new is available to us through Jesus.

Living Hope Is Purchased
-"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," (verses 3-4)
-There is a direct and indelible tie between the resurrection of Jesus and the availability of hope. No resurrection, no hope.
-This hope is purchased by Jesus and his work on the cross. And it is alive - it cannot die!

Living Hope Is Present & Future
-"and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (verses 4-5)
-Peter is saying there is hope now because of what Christ has done and hope in an inheritance you have that will never fade away.

Living Hope Is Powerful
-"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (verses 6-9)
-This living hope does something in us: we can have joy even in our suffering, it strengthens and grows our faith, we are refined.
-Living Hope gives us vision for our future, for the ultimate salvation that will be revealed.

There are two kinds of people:
1. Those who desperately need new hope. Hope that is alive right now.
2. Those who need to bring hope to others. They never want someone to experience life without hope.

Which one are you today?

Verses for further study/reflection:
Romans 5:1-5
Zechariah 9:11-12
Isaiah 43:16-19
This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

Colossians 3:1-4
1 Corinthians 15:12-28
John 3:3
John 3:5
Romans 10:9
2 Corinthians 5:17
Lamentations 3:23