Personally I would
be inclined to offer words of comfort. “I’m so sorry you’re suffering. I’ll
pray that God will deliver you…hang in there.”
But here’s what the
Apostle Peter said to believers who were undergoing just such suffering:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-7
Though there is
plenty of comfort in the letter Peter wrote, he starts with the glorious,
living hope we have because of Jesus’ resurrection. There are at least four
wonderfully transforming truths we should celebrate on Resurrection Sunday:
1. Christ’s Resurrection
gives us new life. The Bible says we have hearts of stone, that we are dead to God. What
we need is new life. But we can no more engineer our own spiritual life than a
baby can choose her own conception and birth.
It’s a miracle work
of God, and it comes because Jesus rose from the dead. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be
born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead... Our repentance and faith in Jesus are the human side of a divine action
that was begun before time began. Because Christ died and rose again, God can
be save us, forgive us, reconcile us, free us, adopt us, justify us, and change
our stony hearts into hearts of flesh!
2. Christ’s Resurrection
opens heaven. …to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s
power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time. (vv. 4-5)
To receive an inheritance,
somebody else has
to earn something, leave it to you, and then die so you can receive it. Jesus’ life
of perfect obedience earned our entrance into heaven, He wrote His heirs’ names
in the book of life, and then He died. And we inherit!
When Jesus rose again, He went to prepare the place for us
that His blood bought. Our inheritance is eternally secure, guarded not by
human might but by the very power of God.
3. Christ’s Resurrection
brings joy in the midst of trials. In
this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been
grieved by various trials (v. 6)
We Christians experience suffering and joy at
the same time. And it’s clear that these trials are a necessary part of God’s
plan. If necessary you have been grieved. You and I
might rather opt out of this part of God’s plan. But the Lord has ordained
trials as surely as He has ordained future glory.
And we discover
that as we submit to His plan, even when we don’t understand, joy begins to
blossom in the middle of our trials. We end up trusting His character when we
don’t understand His ways. We learn to cling to His promises even though we
don’t see the reason for the very circumstances that make those promises
necessary.
But let’s be clear: the rejoicing doesn’t
come from the trials, but from the certainty that our Jesus has a plan and that
He went to the cross to execute it. His resurrection is the living hope that
glory is coming.
4. The Resurrection
of Jesus Christ gives meaning to our suffering. so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more
precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
While we don’t know the full reason why evil and heartache
invade our lives, Christ’s death and resurrection hint at the divine wisdom
behind them.
One hint concerns our faith. Trials show
what we’re made of. Real Christianity is refined in suffering. Like gold ore,
the impurities of our faith are revealed and purified in the crucible of
suffering.
And one other hint in the last words of the
verse: . Somehow there is praise, glory, and honor for Jesus that would never
have come except for our trials. One day they will be offerings – trophies of
our love – to cast at His feet.
The reason we have hope is Christ. On Good Friday Jesus said, “It is finished,” and on Sunday the Father said, “Amen.”
The reason we have hope is Christ. On Good Friday Jesus said, “It is finished,” and on Sunday the Father said, “Amen.”
