The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 19 April 2020 – TOPIC: A LIVING HOPE
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DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020
(Easter 1)
TOPIC: A LIVING HOPE
READ: 1 PETER 1:1-19 (NKJV)
1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2. elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3. Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5. who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7. that the genuineness of your faith, [being] much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8. whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see [Him,] yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9. receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of [your] souls.
10. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace [that would come] to you,
11. searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — things which angels desire to look into.
13. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest [your] hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14. as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, [as] in your ignorance;
15. but as He who called you [is] holy, you also be holy in all [your] conduct,
16. because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17. And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay [here] in fear;
18. knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers,
19. but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
THE MESSAGE:
Peter wrote to believers who had been scattered to several places because of persecution. He addressed them as pilgrims and God’s elect. This means that every believer is a pilgrim on a journey to heaven. They are God’s elect, having taken the decision to surrender their lives to Christ. Therefore they have aligned themselves to the eternal plan of the omniscient God, who chose them from eternity.
The resurrection of Jesus gave the Church a living hope. This hope is alive, active and does not disappoint (Romans 5:5). It is obtained when one becomes born again and this gives such a one access to an inheritance that cannot perish or fade. On this hope, the believer rests his confidence that he will be raised to life eternal like Jesus on the resurrection day. This is the hallmark of our Christian faith which should not be trifled with. Verse 6 encourages believers to be joyful in trials and temptations because trials are means of refining and proving the genuineness of our faith. God allows them to come our way not to destroy us but to make us better. Jesus our Lord passed through them and overcame. We should not give in to bitterness and despair when they come, because he who overcomes, shall be saved.
PRAYER: Lord, enable me rest my life on this living Hope.