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More Precious Than Gold
1 Peter 1:3-9
by Jim Westmoreland
Last Sunday, we celebrated Easter, remembering that Christ was
raised from the grave, overcoming death and all the forces of
evil. Easter is a momentous event that keeps on happening in
the church. Today is not a "low" Sunday because it is the Sunday
after Easter.
Rather, this is the Sunday when we realize that the Easter joy
continues! The risen Christ is not confined to a grave, a garden,
a room or to any group of people. The Gospels tell about his
appearances. He is clearly on the move, and he continues his
movements, moving to wherever the disciples are gathered,
leading them, and prodding them into the world to live new lives
in the light of the resurrection.
What does that mean for us today! How do we live new lives in
the light of his resurrection?
In today's lesson from Acts, Peter preaches about the truth of the
resurrection. The once-disheartened, cowardly disciple is now
the leader and chief preacher for the church. Evidently, whatever
happened in the raising of Jesus on Easter keeps on happening
among Jesus' followers. That Peter is boldly leading, preaching,
and testifying even in the face of a mocking mob is in itself a
kind of validation of the resurrection.
And in this Sunday's Gospel reading from John, Jesus is not
only raised from the dead, but he also returns to his disciples.
He makes not just one appearance but many. He not only reveals
himself to his gathered disciples behind locked doors but, when
the absent disciple, Thomas, says that he needs visible, tangible
presence in order to believe, the risen Christ comes and gives
him just that.
The risen Christ seeks out his disciples to reveal himself. His
appearances are not accidental, but are on purpose. He not only
shows himself to his frightened followers but works with them
and gives them what they need in order to follow him into the
future after his ascension.
In short, Easter keeps happening. This isn't the end; it's just the
beginning. After the risen Christ shows up all over Jerusalem
and Galilee, who knows where he might show up next?
How do we live our lives in the light of his resurrection? Let us
hear the word of the Lord from 1 Peter 1:3-9:
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By
his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and
into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power
of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the
last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you
have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of
your faith—being more precious than gold that, though
perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise
and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although
you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do
not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an
indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the
outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter was written to Christians who were suffering and being
persecuted for their faith. Persecution is something that we
know little about. Except that, occasionally, if we say too much
or speak too directly about our faith, we will get the message
that it is to be kept to ourselves. For too many, our creed has
been to blend in and not make waves. But, here Peter writes
words of encouragement to people who were suffering because
of their faith.
Peter's opening statement in verse 3 is an statement of praise to
God. It may seem odd, given the circumstances, but it was the
usual Jewish practice to begin a letter by praising God. After the
statement of praise, Peter goes on to remind his readers of the
wonderful blessings that they have received through Christ. The
Lord's mercy was poured out upon them, and in the rest of the
passage for this morning Peter outlines four areas of mercy, four
gifts of grace, that are given to believers. They are 1) a living
hope, 2) an inheritance, 3) a safekeeping and 4) a perfected
faith.
v3. We have received a living hope in the resurrection of the
dead. Jesus has broken the bonds of death, and, because he lives,
we live also. When we go to the cemetery to bury a loved one in
the Lord, we hold onto this hope. We believe that God has
prepared a place for them. We know all too well that the body
will weaken and die, but death is not the final word. No, in the
last day we will come alive. We will rise from the dead.
Without Christ, Death is a terrible thing. It cuts us off. It seems
to deny everything beautiful about the human spirit. It is so
terrible that many people have an aversion toward aging and
death. We fear it and try to put it out of our minds. The aged in
our community are easily ignored. We try to deny the aging
process as the media constantly promotes vitality and youth.
Death is the unspoken subject; something especially hidden
from children. Death is a terrible thing, a horror. Yet, it need not
be, for in Christ it has lost its sting.
The second gift of grace that we have received is an
inheritance, v4. Our possessions, health, relationships, etc., all
make a strong claim on our affections. We want all the good
things in life, and we want to hold to them and keep them. It is
very easy to come to see them as part of the blessings of
discipleship, the blessings of God.
We should hear a caution in these verses about not being caught
up in a version of the ever-popular, prosperity gospel. Most
popular TV preachers can’t resist it. It sounds good. It is what
we want to hear. Its basic message is this: “If we have faith,
God will reward us with material blessings.” There are two
parts to this problem. In every generation and society there are
those who have more than others. And, there are more people at
the bottom than at the top. Does this mean that their faith is
defective, that there is something wrong with their faith? No, it
doesn’t. Neither is it a justification to ignore the needs of those
who have less than I do.
The worst part about this way of thinking is that, inevitably,
people start reversing the process. It goes like this. If faith and
righteousness imply material blessings from God, then material
blessings imply faith and righteousness in the person who has
the material things. This is not only bad logic but bad theology.
In the rules of logic it is a fallacy to conclude that because A
implies B that B implies A.
But, bad theology is a persistent problem. In seminary Old
Testament studies we learn how the prophets battled this false
connection between material things and God’s blessing. There
had developed a belief that, because Israel had the Temple and
the ark of the covenant, that Jerusalem could not be destroyed.
Now described as Popular Theology or Davidic Theology, it
blinded the people from God’s direction, and they were self-deceived and arrogant while the prophet’s preached that God
would judge the nation for its sins and its pride.
When the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, the notion of God
being obligated to bless them was shaken up. But, like all bad
theology, it resurfaced soon after Herod rebuilt the Temple and
remained in tact, even though they were a vassal state to Rome,
until Rome destroyed that Temple in 70 A.D. Although material
blessings are part of the bounty of God, they have little to do
with discipleship. The inheritance that we receive is eternal.
The third grace that we receive is that we are kept safe from the
forces that surge around us, both seen and unseen. The Lord
keeps us safe until that day when all will be revealed. Of course,
the Evil One will use all his guile and cunning to break our
confidence in the Lord. Persecution, trouble, hardship,
temptation, and the like, invade us daily, but through the power
of the living God, we can stand against his assaults. No one can
take away our faith. People have suffered because of their faith.
God will stand with us to keep our faith safe. He will give us
the strength to persevere. He is the giver of life and of salvation.
And the fourth grace that we receive is that our faith is being
perfected. In vs.6-9 Peter describes our faith as being put to the
test, as being purified and proved by the trials we face.
Persecution, trouble and the inherent difficulties that are ours in
our walk along the narrow way, prove our faith. Peter used the
image of the refiners’ fire. As gold is tried and purified by fire,
so our faith is tried and purified by trials. This may seem
troublesome now, but the present difficulties are nothing to
compare with the glory that awaits us. As our faith is
strengthened, the more we taste and anticipate the blessings of
eternity.
Hear again the last four verses of our text from 1 Peter 1:6-9: “6
In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to
suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your
faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable,
is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and
honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not
seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him
now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and
glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.”
This season of Easter, which continues 50 days following Easter
up to Pentecost Sunday, is a special time for Christians to
celebrate the ultimate reason for our hope: Christ is risen, and he
invites us to rise with him to new life. Let us know that God
has given us 1) a living hope, 2) an inheritance, 3) a safekeeping
and 4) a perfected faith. As we are being tried and tested,
remember that . . .
Easter is an invitation to try again with God's help to break that
addiction we had given up all hope of ever breaking.
Easter is a chance to work at renewing the marriage we had
given up all hope of ever saving.
Easter is an opportunity to reach out to our neighbors who, in
our busyness, we neglect.
Easter is an invitation to look at our lack of love and seek God
for compassion.
Easter is a chance for those whose hope is weak to regain their
vision of what can be!
Easter is an opportunity to renew our faith.
Easter is a chance to "renew our strength and mount up with
wings as eagles; to run and not faint." There's something better
coming.
As our faith is tested and perfected, Peter writes that it is more
precious than gold. When we leave here to start a new week,
let us remember what is important, that our faith is more
precious than gold. Don’t fear the hard times. They only
refine us to make us stronger. Amen.
Century Christian Church, March 30, 2008 - Sermon by Jim Westmoreland
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