Alive and Kicking for God!
1 Peter 1:3-7
Intro:
What does it mean to be alive and kicking? It means that we are healthy and active. So, if we say that we are “alive and kicking” for God it means that we are healthy, active and strong our walk for God! It is because we have a kind of hope that keeps us alive – it is because of our “living hope”.
1 Peter 1:3-7 GNT
3 Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, 4 and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away. 5 They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God's power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the end of time. 6 Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. 7 Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Pedro 1:3-7 MBB
3 Pasalamatan natin ang Diyos at Ama ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Dahil sa laki ng habag niya sa atin, tayo'y binigyan niya ng isang panibagong buhay sa pamamagitan ng muling pagkabuhay ni Jesu-Cristo mula sa libingan at ito ang nagbigay sa atin ng isang buháy na pag-asa. 4 Makakamit natin ang isang kayamanang di masisira, walang kapintasan, at di kukupas na inihanda ng Diyos sa langit para sa inyo. 5 Sapagkat kayo'y sumasampalataya, iingatan kayo ng kapangyarihan ng Diyos habang hinihintay ninyo ang kaligtasang iyan na ihahayag sa katapusan ng panahon. 6 Ito'y dapat ninyong ikagalak, kahit na maaaring magdanas muna kayo ng iba't ibang pagsubok sa loob ng maikling panahon. 7 Ang gintong nasisira ay pinaparaan sa apoy upang malaman kung talagang dalisay. Gayundin naman, ang inyong pananampalataya, na higit na mahalaga kaysa ginto, ay pinaparaan sa pagsubok upang malaman kung ito'y talagang tapat. Sa gayon kayo'y papupurihan, dadakilain at pararangalan sa Araw na mahayag si Jesu-Cristo.
Our living hope is based on the…
1. Risen Christ – v3
“Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope…”
All our living and active points of view of our Christian walk is based on the fact that Jesus is risen from the dead. Our faith is based on a living Christ based on a living word that resulted to our living hope in God.
1 Peter 1:23 “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:21 “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our faith is futile, dead and useless. And so this is the basis of our living hope.
1 Corinthians 15:
“14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
“14At kung si Cristo'y hindi muling nabuhay, walang kabuluhan ang aming pangangaral, at wala ring silbi ang inyong pananampalataya.”
“17aAnd if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.”
“17aAt kung si Cristo'y hindi muling nabuhay, walang silbi ang inyong pananampalataya
And if we put our hope in the Risen Christ, we will also be raised from the dead according to His Spirit.
Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
ASND “At dahil nasa inyo na ang Espiritu ng Dios na muling bumuhay kay Jesu-Cristo, siya rin ang magbibigay ng buhay sa inyong mga katawang may kamatayan. Gagawin niya ito sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Espiritung nananahan sa inyo.
This will give us life here on earth and an assurance that we will also be raised from the dead in due time.
2 Corinthians 4:14 “because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.”
ASND “Sapagkat alam namin na ang Dios na muling bumuhay sa Panginoong Jesus ang siya ring bubuhay sa amin, tulad ng ginawa niya kay Jesus, at dadalhin niya tayong lahat sa kanyang piling.
This is our living hope because of the risen Christ!
2. Rich blessing – v4 Mayamang Pagpapala
“And so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away.”
His blessings are so unique that they are not the same as the treasures in this world. And so, we look forward to these blessings, as our inheritance in heaven is kept for us. These heavenly blessings will reflect what kind of blessings we are focused on while here on earth.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are.”
ASND “Huwag kayong mag-ipon ng kayamanan para sa inyong sarili rito sa mundo, dahil dito ay may mga insekto at kalawang na sisira sa inyong kayamanan, at may mga magnanakaw na kukuha nito. 20Sa halip, mag-ipon kayo ng kayamanan sa langit, kung saan walang insekto at kalawang na naninira, at walang nakakapasok na magnanakaw. 21Sapagkat kung nasaan ang inyong kayamanan, naroon din ang inyong puso.”
And so while we are living and focused to receive our blessings, our hearts is tuned to His love and mercy and that keeps Him as our blessings. His very presence is already our true riches here on earth and in heaven.
Sabi nga ng awit “Ikaw ang yamang hinahangad at ang pangarap kong sasapat Panginoon. Higit sa yaman ng mundo higit sa luho at kinang nito…Ikaw ang yaman ko ang tanging yaman ko Panginoon.
This will keep our living hope alive and active especially in loving God.
3. Revelations of the end of time – v5 Kapahayagan sa mga huling panahon
“They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God's power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the end of time.”
These revelations include all our blessings and rewards and also our salvation. Let’s face the fact that not all are going to be raptured by Jesus as mentioned in…
Matthew 24:39-42
“and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
This is the revelation that God will divide his own and what is not his. He will divide who is the goat and who is the sheep among us.
Matthew 25:31-46
“31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Have we noticed that what the sheep did was the opposite of what the goats did? But this is the difference between the righteous and the wicked when the end time is here. And God will reveal this on that very time only.
His revelation includes who is faithful and not.
Matthew 24:45-47
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”
At that end of time, the wicked and the saints will be revealed…
Matthew 24:10-13
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
But those He has chosen will be preserved by Him through His power and through our faith in living for Him. He said “They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God's power for the salvation…”
4. Rejoicing of the proven faith in God – 6, 7 Ang pagsasaya sa napatunayang pananampalataya sa Diyos
“Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
There is rejoicing and celebration in heaven when we are welcome by God in heaven. And so we are focused, we are fighting, and we are fervent to be faithful until the end.
Matthew 25:21, 23 “‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
He will let us complete the task given to us though there are trials, temptations and turmoil on this life we live, yet God is always in control until the end!
James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
ASND “Mga kapatid, magalak kayo sa tuwing dumaranas kayo ng mga pagsubok. Sapagkat alam ninyong nagdudulot ito ng katatagan sa inyong pananampalataya. Kaya tiisin ninyo ang mga pagsubok upang maging ganap at walang anumang pagkukulang ang buhay n'yo.
Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
ASND “Natitiyak kong ipagpapatuloy ng Dios ang mabuting gawain na sinimulan niya sa inyo hanggang sa araw ng pagbabalik ni Cristo Jesus.”
Also, the problems we encounter is not that hard since it is only temporary compared to the glory we will experience when we are in heaven. According to verse 6 “Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer.
Look at 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
“Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit hindi kami pinanghihinaan ng loob. Kahit na unti-unting humihina ang aming katawan, patuloy namang lumalakas ang aming espiritu. Sapagkat ang mga paghihirap na dinaranas namin sa mundong ito ay panandalian lamang at hindi naman gaanong mabigat. At dahil sa aming mga paghihirap, may inihahandang gantimpala ang Dios para sa amin na mananatili magpakailanman at hinding-hindi mapapantayan. Kaya hindi namin pinapahalagahan ang mga bagay na nakikita sa mundong ito kundi ang mga bagay na hindi nakikita. Sapagkat ang mga bagay na nakikita ay panandalian lamang, pero ang mga bagay na hindi nakikita ay walang hanggan.”
Illustration:
In his book, Life before Death, Ian Leitch, a Scottish preacher, talks about three luxury ocean liners, the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth, and the QE2. He says, "When they built [these ocean liners], they did not test them in dry dock. They didn’t leave them in dry dock and get big hoses on them to see if they would leak. They got those ships out into the open ocean to put them through sea trials. These trials were not intended to sink the ship. These trials were to prove that the ship was seaworthy." (Ian Leitch, Life Before Death! A Restored, Regenerated, and Renewed Life, Green Acres Press, 2007)
In the same way, God sends trials our way, not to sink us, but to prove that our faith is real! Then, when it is all said and done, we will give Him praise, glory and honor for the great things He will have done has through our magnificent faith in Him.
So our living hope is that whatever may happen, we will be enlightened, encouraged and envelop by God through His mighty power!
Conclusion:
And so our basis of our living hope is to put our whole trust, surrendering our whole life to God with full dependence on Him because there is…
1. Risen Christ
2. Rich blessings
3. Revelations at the end times
4. Rejoicing of the proven faith
If we have God’s living hope, then we will never worry (mag-aalala), we will never weary (mapapagod) and we will never be wary (ingatan pa ang buhay sa mundong ito.)
What Does Hope Do for Mankind? By John Maxwell
Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.
Hope motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope energizes when the body is tired.
Hope sweetens while bitterness bites.
Hope sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope believes when evidence is eliminated.
Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.
Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.
Hope endures hardship when no one is caring.
Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.
Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.
Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging.
Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.
Hope brings victory when no one is winning.
