Go with me, if you would, back
to 2 Peter 1. 2 Peter 1, there is a word that is used
over and over again throughout 1 and 2 Peter that emphasizes
what Christ and the things of Christ are to Peter and to all
of God's people. And that word is precious. Precious. It's used over and
over again. He said in verse one, Simon Peter,
a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us. He said, the faith that God gives
to his people. And if the Lord will allow us
to, we can really enter into this. The faith that God gives
to his people, Peter said, that's precious. And it is, isn't it? It is. It's precious in the sense
that it's rare. It truly is rare. God-given faith, true God-given
faith in Christ and in the things of Christ and in the word of
Christ. That's a rare thing to find.
That's a rare thing to find in another human being. Therefore,
it's precious. It's precious in the sense that
it's rare. It's precious in the sense that
it's valuable, very valuable. Hebrews 11 verse six says, without
faith, it's impossible to please God. The scripture says, the soul
who has faith in Christ has life in Christ. Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. In all things, faith in Christ,
faith in all things, the value of the gift of faith, so valuable,
it's precious. So his faith is precious, and
if you look at 1 Peter 1, go back a few pages to 1 Peter 1. Verse 18, Peter said, for as
much as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation, received
by tradition from your fathers, but you were redeemed with the
precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot. Peter said, his blood is precious. And it is, isn't it? How could
we begin to describe the preciousness of his blood? How could we begin
to describe the preciousness of His blood? It is the most
valuable substance that there is. The most costly substance
that there is. It was the only thing valuable
enough to pay the great sin debt that God's people had against
Him. It was the only thing that could
pay it. There wasn't enough corruptible
things in the world to pay it. So his faith that he gives is
precious. His blood that he gave is precious. And look at 1 Peter 2, verse
six. 1 Peter 2, verse six, Peter said,
wherefore also it is contained in the scripture Behold, I lay
in Zion, a chief corner stone. What is that stone? That's a
person. That's Christ. That's the Lord
Jesus Christ. He said, behold, I lay in Zion,
a chief corner stone elect. God, the father said, I choose
him. Behold my servant, mine elect. God's people are elect in him. God's people are only chosen
in him. The father said, I choose Christ.
And every soul that the father put in Christ is chosen in him. So verse six says, wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion, a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious. and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Verse seven says, unto you therefore
which believe, he is precious. He's precious and oh, he is,
isn't he? So precious. The song says, Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know. fills my every longing, keeps
me singing as I go. Another song says, all that thrills
my soul is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is more than life to me. God's people can say that. God's
people can truly say that. He is more than life to me. He's more than this life to me. That song says, and the fairest
of 10,000 in my blessed Lord I say. One more says, oh, the
unsearchable riches of Christ, precious, more precious than
gold. His faith is precious. His blood
is precious. He is precious. And if you look
back at our text, go with me back to 2 Peter, One, verse four
says his promises are precious. Verse four says, whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by
these you might be partakers of the divine nature Having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust. Exceeding
great and precious promises. That's what God's people have
been given. That's what they're holding to. That's what they're
looking to and clinging to. That's what they believe. That's
what they trust. His precious promises. All the promises of God are precious. In 2 Corinthians 1.20 says they're
all yay and amen. They're all yes and so be it.
He said it, he'll do it. Now this is what I want us to
focus on tonight. The first word in verse four
says whereby. Whereby, that means through what
was just said in the first three verses. Whereby, in that. Because of that, through that,
we have been given these exceeding great and precious promises. He went on to say in verse four,
that by these, you might be partakers of the divine nature. That by
these, you might have hope. Partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. I've titled this message, my
hope is built on. That's the title. Because of
that, through that, whereby, because of those things, my hope
is built on. Now let's see what is said in
the first three verses. And in this, every child of God
is going to be able to say, yep, my hope is built on that right
there. That's what my hope is built on. All right, verse one,
it says, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
to them that have obtained like precious faith with us. Now, here is where the hope that
is in a child of God begins. This is where hope, true hope,
This is where hope begins. It begins with the faith that
God gives to all of his people. Every single one of them. Faith
in the word of God. God opens their eyes, God opens
their ears, God opens their heart. And all of the sudden they have
faith in the word of God. That means faith in the person
of Christ. And it also means faith in every
word that God has written concerning Christ. You can't separate the
two. You cannot separate the two.
To have faith in Him is to have faith in every word concerning
Him. Faith in the word is in the person
and it's in the book concerning Him. It's to have faith in every
word concerning us too. is to have faith in every word,
every single word. To have faith in His word is
to have faith in every word of it, every word, every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God. What do believers believe? If you wanna separate the difference
in a true believer and someone who's only giving lip service,
what does a true believer believe? Here's the answer. Every word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God Every word that is said
concerning Christ, salvation, man, every word, every single
word. The word says, Christ is holy,
harmless, and undefiled. And the word says, I am ruined,
wretched, and dead in sin. God-given faith says, I believe
that. I truly do believe that. Sometimes
you'll run into people and quote the word. Sometimes the Lord
will open a door and you'll be able to quote the word, just
quote a verse of scripture to somebody. And sadly, the response
will be, I don't believe that. Well, God-given faith does. True
saving faith does. Says, I believe that. This word
says God chooses sinners and sinners don't choose God. God-given
faith says, I believe that. This word says Christ does all
the work in salvation, and man does none of the work in salvation.
God-given faith says, I believe that. I see it, I hear it, and
not only do I believe it, I rejoice in it, and I find hope in it.
I hope in it. God-given faith says, I even
believe that the faith that I have is not of myself. That's God's
gift to me. I don't even get the glory for
believing. I can't even make a work out
of believing. I believe that without Him working
in me and performing the work of faith for me, I could never
even believe. It's not my faith. This is what
God-given faith says. It's not my faith. It's His faith. It's the faith of Christ. It's His faith that He gives. He's the author of it. He's the
finisher of it. He's the performer of it. He's
the object of it. God-given faith says, I believe
that. I do. Whatever this word says
concerning anything, I believe that. So that's the foundation
of a believer's hope because he knows the fact that I believe
means God has already shown kindness to me. Understanding that he
couldn't even believe unless God in love and kindness hadn't
first given him faith to believe and perform that work in him.
Just to believe gives hope because it means God has already shown
kindness. It's the evidence of the fact
that God has already looked my way. I believe His word. So because
of His faith, this light, precious faith that all of God's people,
it says, obtain, a child of God can say, I have hope. I have
hope. Look with me at Acts 24. Acts chapter 24, the apostle
Paul said in verse 14, but this I confess unto thee,
that after the way which they call heresy, heresy, they say, I can't believe
you believe that. He said, after the way which
they call heresy, so worship I, the God of my fathers. believing
all things which are written in the law and in the prophets,
and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that
there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just
and unjust." He said, because God has given me faith in him. and faith in His Word. Because
of that, I have hope. I have hope in this resurrection.
I have hope of escaping this corruption. All because of His
Word. Faith in His Word. Go with me
back now to 2 Peter 1. Verse 1 says, Simon Peter, a
servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ, grace and peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. He said righteousness. Salvation,
grace, peace. In the promise of His Word, we
have the promise of His justice. We have the promise of His righteousness. The fact that He must do right.
We have the promise of peace with Him through His grace. The promise of His justice. His
just, righteous dealings with our sin. We have the promise
that God is a just God and a Savior. We have the promise that He has
justly justified His people. That's a critical thing to know
and believe in and hope in, that He has justly, rightly, righteously
dealt with our sins. and it's satisfactory to God. It's satisfactory to the law.
Everything is put away rightly. Christ did it all perfectly and
rightly, so rightly that the just demands of God, His just
dealings on our sin, they'll never be brought up ever again.
That's why it's so critical. If it was not put away rightly,
Then our sins could come up again and have to be dealt with again,
but God put them away. It's over, they're done. Righteousness
has come through Christ our Savior. Grace and peace have been multiplied
through His sacrifice for us. That's what came from His sacrifice
on our behalf. Grace, this free gift, free blood,
free redemption. and peace, grace and peace, peace
with God has been multiplied to God's people through his sacrifice
for us. And his word says, there's therefore
now no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus. Because justice
for our sin was satisfied in him. Because justice says the
war is over, it's all over. Justice now demands for grace
and peace to be multiplied to God's people in Christ. That's
a wonderful demand. Look with me at Hebrews chapter
six. I love this portion of scripture. I love what these verses say
right here. Hebrews 6 verse 13, it says,
for when God made promise to Abraham, God made a promise.
Abraham was clinging to a promise. His hope was in a promise. God
made a promise to Abraham. And it says, when God made promise
to Abraham, because God could swear by no greater, He swore
by himself. I love the thought of that. Because
there was nothing greater for him to swear his oath to Abraham. He swore by his own self. Verse
14 says, saying, surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying
I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently
endured, he obtained the promise. For men barely swear by a greater
and an oath, for confirmation is to them an end of all strife,
wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise
the immutability of his counsel." He confirmed it by an oath. It's
not going to change. He made a promise. He confirmed
it by an oath, and it's not going to change. Verse 18, that by
two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope that is set before us, which hope we have
as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which
entereth into that within the veil." Our hope goes all the
way into the veil. Verse 20 says, whether the forerunner
is for us entered, even Jesus made and high priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek. All of God's people can say,
my hope is built on His justice. His absolute justice, the justice
that demands what's right. This is what my hope is built
on. When He dealt with me, He did it right. He did it right,
and it's done. Because my sins were paid for
within that veil by my high priest, Jesus Christ my Lord. Because
of that, His oath and His covenant and His blood support me in the
whelming flood. When all around my soul gives
way, He then is all my hope and stay." Jeremiah penned in Lamentations
chapter three, he said, this I recall to my mind, therefore
have I hope. This is what gives me hope. And
this is what gives God's people hope. It is of the Lord's mercies
because blood was already shed and God is already satisfied.
He said, it's of the Lord's mercies that we are not concerned. Our
hope is built on his word. Our hope is built on his justice.
And if you go with me back to second Peter one, Verse one says, Simon Peter,
a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
according as His divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness. His divine power. His divine power. I'll tell you
what gives a child of God hope. His divine power. His divine
power. Turn over to Romans 4. Romans 4, again, concerning Abraham. Verse 17, it says, as it is written,
I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom
he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things
which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in
hope. that he might become the father
of many nations according to that which was spoken, so shall
thy seed be. And being not weak in faith,
he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an
hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God. and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. That's what gave him hope. Who
against hope, believed in hope. Abraham believed in the power
and the ability of his God. And so do we, so do God's people. Abraham believed, he was fully
persuaded that what God had promised, God was able also to perform. And that's what we believe, isn't
it? That's what our hope is built on. Our hope is built on all
of these precious promises that he's given to us in his word
of how he's dealt with our sins and prepared a place in glory
for us. And our hope is built on the
fact that he's able to do what he said he has done and will
do. He's able. Paul said in 2nd Timothy
1.12, he said, I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against
that day. He's able. That leper, that leper
who came to the Lord begging to be healed. Don't you love
that story of that poor man? He was just covered with leprosy.
And he came to the Lord begging to be healed. This is what he
said. He said, Lord, if you will, you can. I believe that's one
of the greatest prayers a sinner could pray. Lord, if you will,
you can. This is what gives God's people
hope. His word, his justice, his power,
his power. He is able. If you will, you
can. Here's the last thing we'll mention
tonight on what gives God's people hope, all right? Here's the last
thing. He can and He will. He can and He will. We have hope
because He is so willing. He is. He is so willing. We hope in His mercy because
He is so willing to show it. Does that not give you hope?
For sinners like us, whenever you are so down and so low and
so wretched and miserable in yourself because of your sin
and what you are, does it not give you hope that the one thing
you need, He is so willing to show it? So willing to show it. Go with
me back to 2 Peter. 2 Peter 1 verse 3 says, Simon Peter,
a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and
our Savior Jesus Christ, Grace and peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according
as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that hath
called us to glory and virtue. His willingness can be summed
up by saying His love. His love. Oh, the love that has
drawn us to Himself. Drawn us, called us to His glory
and His virtue. He's called us, united us, drawn
us to Himself. Oh, the love that drew salvation's
blueprint. Oh, the love that sought me.
Oh, the blood that bought me. Oh, the loving, willing grace
that brought me into the fold, called me into the fold, wondrous
grace that lovingly, willingly brought me to the fold. After
that leper said, if you will, you can make me clean. Right
after he said that, I, again, I just, every time I think about
that whole scenario, I think it's so precious. It is so precious. That poor leper, he said, if
you will, you can make me clean. Immediately, this is what the
Lord said. He said, I will be thou clean. That's beautiful. That's precious, isn't it? Precious,
for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. God
commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. We just quoted what Jeremiah
penned in Lamentations 3. It is of the Lord's mercies that
we're not consumed. He went on to say right after
that, it's because his compassions fail not. They are new every
morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Great
is the faithfulness of His love to His people. Great is the faithfulness. Just like His grace and just
like His mercy and just like everything else that pertains
to us in Him. His love is free. His love is
eternal. His love is infinite. His love
is unchangeable. Never will he turn his love away. Never will he take his love back
from the ones he gave it to. Never. And that fact right there
gives all of God's people hope. It gives them hope. David said
in Psalm 42 verse 5, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And
why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God. Hope thou in
God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his confidence. We hope in his word. We hope
in his justice. We hope in his power. And we
hope in the willingness and faithfulness of his love to us. Every child
of God can say, that's what my hope is built on. That's exactly
what my hope is built on. Verse four says, whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by
these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. If we are going to be partakers
of the divine nature, his divine nature, If we are going to escape
this corruption, it is only going to be by His Word, who is a person. It's only going to be by His
justice, His just dealings with us through that person. It's
only going to be by His power, the right arm of His power, who
is a person. And it's only gonna be by His
love, who is only found in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe
that. I do, I believe that. And I know
that you believe it too. Therefore have we hope. Hope through the precious promises
of our precious Lord. All right, let's close our service
with a hymn. It's gonna be 495.