Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Here we see the beginning of Peter’s letter meant to be distributed to the churches outside of the home land.

Remember many Christians were forced out of Jerusalem because of persecution occuring in Jerusalem and because of that occurrence several churches are being established in what is modern day Asia which was the target area for the audience of this letter

The purpose of this letter was to encourage the believers to grow in their faith and obedience to the Lord.

ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF STRUGGLE

He does this by constantly reminding them of all that God has done for them through the life death and reseruction of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior

In his book, Six Hours One Friday, Max Lucado tells the story of how he and his boat survived a hurricane.

An old sea man gave Max some sound advise and that was if you are ever caught in a storm in your boat take the boat to deep water, drop four anchors off each corner of the boat, and pray that the anchors held.

Max survived that storm, but he says that he learned an important lesson, all of us need an anchor that will hold during the storms of life.

That anchor he refers to here is our Faith.

The Question then church is What have you put your faith in?

What we choose to anchor ourselves to matters

Peter knows how important faith is and he gives us a great picture of faith here in his letter

It’s a faith which will hold us during the storms of life.

When Peter wrote his letter, things were changing.

In the beginning of the first century church, the government remained unconcerned about this new religious sect.

As the church grew, the constrictions of the government increased and the persecution of the church grew.

Peter is writing to Christians who are finding it increasingly difficult to live their faith.

Does that sound familiar at all?

In today’s society is is becoming harder and harder for Christians to love out their faith.

It’s not easy being a Christian, but we must find a way to live our faith without compromise.

Peter Challenge to is that we would find a way to live an authentic Christ centered faith in the midst of some difficult times.

but here is the best part he does not just issue the challenge here in the first few verses of 1 Peter he gives us the answer and it all boils down to what we place our faith in

When we place our Faith in Jesus it is a timeless faith and tested faith, and it is a true faith

I. Timeless faith - 1:4-5

The question is not if we have faith, every one has faith.

The atheist has faith that his rational reasoning has removed the possibility of God.

He has faith in his intellectual ability.

Others have faith in their abilities, skills, connections, friends, family and themselves.

Everyone has faith.

The question is where is your faith anchored?

Sooner or later the storms of life will begin to blow and then the question becomes will the anchor of faith hold.

Peter gives us three reasons that it is important to anchor our faith in Christ.

A. Faith in Christ is imperishable

How can that be?

Well look where faith in Christ is kept, in Heaven.

Jesus says that we are to put of treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy or the thief steal.

Why do people buy garment bags for suits.

because thee are valuable

Moths could destroy the suits in a short time, but with garment bags they cant get to them so they will natural last longer.

In other words we try and make the suits imperishable

If you leave a suit out for to long and let the moths get a hold of it what will happen it?

You will have little holes all over it and it’s virtually ruined

If our faith is set upon the things of this world, then our faith will perish.

Countless kingdoms have come and fallen, economies have been built and destroyed, and nations have been established and vanished.

All that is left of some of those kingdoms are the ruins you can see in a museum.

Only the kingdom of God has remained constant in the past two thousand years.

Our faith is to be set in heaven, and not on the things of this world.

That is the only way that we know our faith is imperishable.

B. Our faith will be uncorrupted

Have you ever heard the phrase

History is full of leaders who started off with the best intentions but pride, ego, or other flaws got in the way.

If we place our faith in a leader, it is but a matter of time before the corruptible nature of the individual is revealed.

But Christ has no sin, and our faith is in the power of God.

God has absolute power, but it is uncorrupted.

There is no pride or ego in the power of Christ.

In the scope of eternity, Jesus is the only person who has absolute power, but not only that, He is also the only person for whom absolute power has not corrupted, even a little bit.

Our faith can only be incorruptible, when it is placed in Christ.

C. Our faith in Christ is unfading

I know of lots of people who are fad people.

They jump on the latest trend or idea, and about six months or a year down the road, they jump on something new.

Do you need a great example?

Pull out your years books.

Look at the hair styles the clothes you wore, and the tone of the culture.

How much have things changed in the last 20 or 30 years?

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And the faith we have now will see us through the Last Days

II.

Tested faith - 1:6-8

Our faith must be anchored in the timeless nature of Christ, but I can hear the question.

How do you know that a faith in Christ will hold up during the storms of life?

Why should I trust Christ?

Because, this is no ordinary faith, it is a tested faith.

Countless people have placed their faith in Christ and found the anchor holds.

Peter survived some incredible storms of life, and he says here is what I found the faith of Christ to be when it is put to the test.

Peter found a tested faith is valuable, revealing, and centered on love.

A. It is valuable (1:7)

Peter here plays upon a great image, the goldsmith.

A goldsmith would melt the metal down until it became a liquid.

All the impurities would come to the surface and the goldsmith would scrape them off and allow the metal to cool.

He would then come back and repeat the process over and over.

His goal was pure gold.

How did he know when he had pure gold?

When no impurities came to the surface or when he could see his reflection in the melted gold.

Peter says that our faith is like gold, as it is tested, it will begin to bring the impurities to the surface.

When the impurities are removed our faith becomes more valuable.

(1:7) Gold is the standard by which we define value.

We say things like, "worth it's weight in gold", "the golden boy", and "the golden age".

Our jewelry is made of gold and we trade with it.

In Peter's world and in ours, gold was considered one of the most valuable things a person could have.

While gold is valuable, it is secondary to our faith.

Gold can perish, but our faith will endure.

A faith in Jesus Christ will carry us through this life and even into the world to come.

A faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of God's only Son is far more valuable than gold.

Our faith is in something eternal, not in something that can be destroyed.

B. It is revealing (1:7)

The goldsmith knew that he has pure gold when he can see his reflection in the metal.

Our faith should reflect Jesus and reveal Him to a world.

As we grow in Christ, we learn more about Him and His love.

It is only through a life given to Christ, will we begin to see Him as He really is.