1 Peter - Following Jesus Sample

Well, that changes everything ...’ We sometimes say that about some momentous event. In our verses today, Peter reflects on the event which really did change everything.

As Peter reflects, a great cry of adoration and worship rises up within him: ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!’ (v. 3). As we read on, let’s pray that our hearts would be stirred in the same way.

Peter praises God because he has given us ‘new birth’. A mother gives birth to a baby. When you were a baby, you were on the receiving end of that experience. That is how your physical life began. The same is true of your spiritual life. It begins with a ‘new birth’ and that new birth is a gift.

Lots of privileges may belong to a baby just because he or she has been born into a particular family. The same is true of believers.

• When God gave you new birth, what two things were you born into?

 You have been born into an inheritance (v. 4). An inheritance is wealth which is yours. You may not have this wealth yet, but it will certainly be yours one day.

You have also been born into something which you do experience now. You have been born into a ‘living hope’ (v. 3). Believers have been born into a new life which is filled with hope. We live every day knowing for certain that we will live forever with Christ.

• What has made this new birth into a living hope possible? Look again at verse 3 and find two things – one flows from the other.

Jesus’ resurrection really is the event which changes everything. The penalty for sin is death. That is what we deserve. But Jesus died to pay for all our sins. His resurrection confirms that the penalty for sin has been paid in full.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, God can treat us with great mercy. Mercy means not getting the punishment we deserve. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, what awaits us now is not death but life. We can be confident that we will share Christ’s resurrection life. Praise God!

We have been given new birth. We have begun. But there is so much more to come.

Pray 

Praise God that in his great mercy he has given you new birth into a living hope through Jesus’ resurrection.