Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3-5,23 - 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 perish, spoil or fade—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…For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Ephesians 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Titus 3:4-7 - But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 3:6 - But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

1 Peter 2:21 - To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

1 Peter 3:15-16 - But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Conclusions:

• God’s comfort flows to all believers when they suffer for Jesus’ sake, and it equips them to comfort others who are in trouble
• Paul perceives that in the exaltation of Christ and in the Christian’s union with the exalted Christ ultimate issues are involved—issues that pertain to the divine realm and that in the final analysis are worked out in and from that realm
• Salvation is not achieved by human effort or merit, but comes through God’s mercy alone
• The imperishable seed is doubtless the word of God, which is imperishable, living and enduring
• Failure to persevere reveals that a person is actually not a child of God, whereas perseverance is the hallmark of His children
• The patient endurance of injustice is part of God’s plan for the Christian
• The Christian is always to be a gentleman or gentle woman, even when opposed by unbelievers

Application:

• Do you suffer for Jesus sake?
• Are you spiritually united with Christ?
• Your salvation is from God's mercy alone.
• Have you repented and believed in Christ?
• Are you persevering?
• Are you patiently enduring?
• Are you a gentleman or gentle woman?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Will Meet Your Needs

Philippians 4:19-20 - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 23:1 - The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 - We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Conclusions:

• My God is personal
• “Meet all your needs” is a promise given to a church that had sacrificially given to meet Paul’s need
• Paul is concerned not only about his own situation but also about that of the Philippians
• The true measure of God’s blessings to the church is His provision of glorious riches
• Shepherd is a widely used metaphor for kings in the ancient Near East and also in Israel
• The Lord is the Shepherd of Israel
• In Psalm 23:1, David the king acknowledges that the Lord is his Shepherd-King
• Jesus is the Shepherd of His people
• If the Lord is your King, not only will you not be in want, you will enjoy goodness (by God’s definition) all your life
• The triad of faith, hope and love is found often in the New Testament
• Faith produces action
• Hope is not unfounded wishful thinking, but firm confidence in our Lord Jesus and His return

Application:

• Do you sacrificially give to meet other's needs?
• Is the Lord your King?
• Do you have firm confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ and His return?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Know My Father Also

1 John 2:21-24 - I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

John 8:19 - Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

John 14:23 - Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

John 15:4 - Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

1 John 1:3 - We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

Conclusions:

• John makes it clear that the Word was with God and was God and reveals God
• Jesus stresses that the Father is known through the Son and that to know the one is to know the other
• Love and obedience are linked
• The believer has no fruitfulness apart from his union and fellowship with Christ
• A branch out of contact with the vine is useless
• “Fellowship with us” is participation with us in our experience of hearing, seeing and touching the incarnate Christ
• Fellowship is the spiritual union of the believer with Christ—as described in the figures of the vine and branches and the body and the head—as well as communion with the Father and with fellow believers

Application:

• Do you know Christ?
• Do you obey Jesus teaching?
• Do you have union and fellowship with Christ?
• Are you in union with Christ, the Father and fellow believers?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible