At the revelation of Jesus Christ how will you be found?

Last week we ended with the Inheritance we have, which is Christ, and why we should desire it more than anything this world has to offer us. Today, I truly want us to deeply understand the importance of him bing our inheritance and how our lives should live in such a way where the world can see that we care about souls and not more of this world.

If we claim Christ as our Lord and Savior, our King and Redeemer, our One and only and the one we live for then our life should reflect Him correct, we should be living in such a way where He is indeed leading us whether we get laughed at or hated or not, because we know that nothing we go through here on earth can keep us from the eternal joy that awaits us.

We pick up today in 1 Peter 1:6-9 which says:

“You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith  — more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire  — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

What was Peter talking about in verses 3-5, the inheritance we have in because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he didn’t stay dead, he rose again to show us that hope is really his name, his desire for us to walk in. That this inheritance is kept in Heaven for us by God’s power. Nothing and no one can take it away from him, and no one can steal it from us, we all have the gift of knowing that He is our inheritance.

Now picking up in verse 6, we see Peter saying, “You rejoice in this” … My question for us today is, are we rejoicing in this beautiful truth that we can with hope in christ wait for and continue to endure on this earth for?

ENDURING IS NOT ALWAYS RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES.

Most that come into relationship with Jesus think that it’s going to be easy, that we are all just going to be sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya. But what we are promised in John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

What does that say? We will suffer. We will be laughed at. We will be shunned. We will be ignored. 1 Timothy 1:8-9 says, “So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” Also reading Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

We are called to not be ashamed of the Gospel, why?

BECAUSE ITS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE. The Gospel was the only way that you and I were made known about the love of God for us, the forgiveness that we have because of the cross of Jesus Christ, our salvation, our redeemer, our healer. Why do we suffer because Christ suffered on our behalf that we may have a way to be one with God.

Going back to 1 Peter 1:6-7, “You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith  — more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire  — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

For a short time. We read that and are like, umm it doesn't feel very short Lord, things are getting crazy down here. This trial I’m in feels like an eternity, doesn’t feel like it’s getting anywhere, what am I suppose to be learning? But I am here to tell you what Peter is telling us. He is telling us that these trials must happen, if necessary, that these trials happen so our faith may get tested to see if it’s genuine.

genuine: authentic. real. unadultered (not mixed or diluted with any different or extra elements; complete and absolute.)

Unadultered is just wow. I honestly can’t imagine how many times I have allowed the temptations of this world cheat on the one who LAID HIS LIFE DOWN for me. Why do we choose to continue to add the world’s ways into our lives? Why do we long for an approval from the world that cares nothing about us?

From my personal story, the desire of approval from people stemmed from the brokenness that came from growing up, the enemy tearing a family apart, not feeling good enough or wanted in school and just deciding to be mean to people. I am thankful for the few that chose to still be kind despite me and to this day 2 of those people are my closest longest friendships. Approval of man is something that will always lead us to do this that are not part of God’s desire for us, it leads us away from knowing that in Him we are enough, that he created us and placed gifts in us and upon us, that he may receive the honor and glory as we walk here in our temporary home.

So……. to close I’ll end with this question.

WILL JESUS FIND US PRAISING HIM, GLORIFYING HIM, SERVING HIM, HONORING HIM when He returns for his bride or when he takes us home? What will your funeral look like? Will people come and praise God for your life because they knew you loved him with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, and you loved them just the same?

Will we be found faithful and stayed true to His eternal, abiding word?

We can never compare this world to how faithful and true He is, how consistent he is… yet we keep going back to all that is inconsistent, all that is not faithful and it all leads us to being disappointed, angry, jealous, and many other emotions that we may not even know but when we stay fixed on Christ, we can trust that even when things look crazy, we can rest and have peace that HE is with us, HE is providing all that we need to remain in Him, we just need to receive by faith and live in it.

WHEN HAS HE EVER DISAPPOINTED YOU?

It is a hard question to ask.

There may be some repentance that needs to take place, but that is awesome, because we must live in a constant humble state to repent and draw near to him, because as scripture tells us, when we draw near to God, he draws near to us and the devil will flee as he sees us resisting him and desiring to submit to God! (James 4:7-10)

May our prayer be, “Lord God, I want to be found holy, un-adultered, submitted and praising you!”