Hype as a noun means extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion.
Text Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-9 (NIV)
Main Idea: Believe the Hype.
1. Vs 2. Sanctifying work of the Spirit
• The sanctifying work of the Spirit involves all the things the Spirit does or prompts in us to not only make us more like Christ but to give us Christ’s perspective on life.
• The Lord has an impressive rest-of-your-life planned for you, meaning He is at work in you and around you to impress upon you His unfathomable love for you and His day-by-day purposes for you.
2. Vs. 3 Great mercy which led to New Birth
• From the standpoint of your relationship with Christ, there is nothing but love going with you into this coming week, and regardless of what transpires there will be nothing but love coming out of it. Great mercy.
• And new birth is what happened to you when you said “yes” to Jesus.
3. Vs. 4 An inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,
• What on earth can never perish, spoil or fade? So, this inheritance that is ours is unlike anything we’ve seen or experienced on earth.
• Luke 16:22 suggests that angels will be our escorts. On “Angel Airlines,” there is no “coach seating.” Are you certain that you have a reservation in heaven and you’ll be boarding that flight?
4. Vs. 6-7 Trials prove our faith to be genuine.
My friend, brother and fellow elder Jim Allen had a stroke as he stood at this podium. And he has shared many times since, that’s when he knew that he really believed what he believed about Jesus.
Trials prove our faith to be genuine – not to God – but to us.
If we believe God knows us better than we know ourselves,
and loves us more than we love ourselves,
does it not follow that He will do a better job
caring for us than we can for ourselves?
And if that is true, doesn’t it also make sense
to trust Him when He handles our requests differently
or on a different timetable than we would?
“I have my plans. You have your purposes. Where the two diverge, I desire Your purposes over my plans.”
5. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him;
• It’s not religion. It’s not just a relationship. It’s love.
• He has the time, the capacity and the desire to receive all our love. And it is not only returned, our love is but a response to His love. We love because He first loved us. And He has loved us with an everlasting love that is beyond human knowledge. (1 John 4:19; Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 3:19).
• The Lord’s love is like a buffet that extends into infinity. It doesn’t matter how many people are calling upon Him, there is plenty of love to go around and no waiting in line.
6. You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
• After 40 years as a pastor, I recognize that what is most important is not what the Lord has done through me but what He has become to me. My joy is inexpressible and glorious.
• As I abide in Him (John 15:5) it is the fruit of my relationship with Him that is my greatest gift to the world. It is what He chooses to do with me, not what I choose to do for Him that matters.
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