Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter chapter 1 is
what I'm gonna go to. And it will sound familiar when
I read it, because Joe said it. 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1, I'm gonna read, for
now, I'm just gonna read verses three through five. Verse three of 1 Peter 1. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according
to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith
and unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Verse five, we read, we are kept
by the power of God. And that's my title, Kept by
God. Nowhere do we see in these words that it is us that keeps
ourselves. It does not say we help God keep
ourselves. It does not say God works with
us to keep ourselves. We are but clay pots. We have
no power of ourselves to keep anybody. And I will say especially
ourselves. If we look at another fallen
clay pot for keeping us, we are looking in the wrong place. Looking
to or looking at ourselves is not being kept by the power of
God. God does use something to keep
us, and it is that gift which he gives, and it tells us right
here what it is that he uses to keep us. Faith. I remember
Earl saying, if you are looking at me, or if you are leaning
on me, you are leaning on a broken stick. And I will add, and he
may have said this, I don't know, but I'm adding this. you are
sure to fall. It says here that God through
faith keeps us. That faith which you have heard
of many times in this pulpit by different preachers, the faith
of Jesus Christ. This all being because Jesus
Christ being resurrected from the dead, that's what we read
in this text. Our God, who has all the power,
as we read in John 17, verses 1 and 2, Joe mentioned this too.
These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee, as thou hast given him power over all
flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast
given him. Jesus Christ has all power over
all flesh. If any man is to have any power,
it comes from God Almighty, Jesus Christ. What does he say to Pilate
in John 19, 10 and 11? Then saith Pilate unto him, speakest
thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have
power to crucify thee and have power to release thee? Jesus
answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except
it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered
me unto thee hath the greater sin. So let's just go through
this passage here in 1 Peter, and by his spirit, may we learn
some things about those who were kept by the power of God through
faith. First of all, who is God talking
to through the pen of the apostle Peter here? Let's read verses
1 and 2. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
and to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you
and peace be multiplied. So God is talking to all those
scattered around who are the elect. Elect. That word which some are afraid
to say, Joe was just mentioning this. Or they at least skim by
real fast. Or they mar what God says by
trying to say he chooses us based on us choosing him. What stupidity. The word elect means favorite. God has some people who are his
favorites. He favors some people and others
he does not favor. all this based on His will. He chose us purely based on what
He willed to do and this in Christ. For Christ was and is the Lamb
slain from before the foundation of the world. We see that this
choosing was based on the Son in verse 3. Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It was the intent of God to raise
Jesus Christ from the dead, and in doing so, he begot some favorites
to a living hope. But it also says here, according
to the foreknowledge of God. Is this saying God foreknew us
because we in time would accept him? Again, I will say, stupidity. We accept him because he chose
us, and as it tells us here, we come to begin to know how. Through sanctification of the
spirit. He comes to us giving us life. What do we read in John 17 too? As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. He gives them this life, which
Christ has wrought by his death, and then being resurrected. But
these who have been given life do not walk around being totally
oblivious to who God is and what he has done. They do not walk
around and never know that they have been given life and by whom
this life comes. Because it also says, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. So it says here
it is unto something. Obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ. This life is given them for the
express purpose that they should believe Jesus Christ is all to
them. That all things come to them
by and through Jesus Christ. They are given life so that they
might hear the gospel and be cleansed by that gospel of Jesus
Christ and him crucified. What does he finish that verse
off with? What does it mean when God does this to his favorites? Grace and peace be multiplied. They see where grace comes from
and they see where peace comes from because Jesus Christ is
both. He is the favorite, so he is
grace. He is favored. Scripture also
says he is full of grace and truth. He also made peace with
God on our behalf. He is favorite. And I just keep
saying that because I know a lot of people don't like to hear
me say that. These who are the favorites are
not favorites based on anything they did or anything they do.
Who knows how bad some of those who are whom he chose? I don't
know and I don't want to know. I want to know him who is my
peace with God. But listen, those who are his
favorites are made good before God through Jesus Christ. They are made the righteousness
of God in him. When here spirit comes to them,
giving them life, they are then made to partake of that divine
nature. But those of us who are God's
favorite are favored because of Jesus Christ, because he is
the chosen one of God. Isaiah 42.1, you all know it.
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth,
I have put my spirit upon him, and he shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentiles. It is Jesus Christ who was chosen
to condescend. God came down and was made a
little lower than the angels. He was made flesh. God was made
a curse and sin for me and for you if he died for you. Then
in raising from the dead, he raised us with him. And by this,
we are enabled to be partaker of that divine nature. And God,
as we read here, has a specific way that he lets us know about
it all. And one more thing here. It says through sanctification
of the spirit. Is this saying that the spirit
is being sanctified? The spirit of God does not need
sanctifying. So no, this is not talking about
the spirit of God being sanctified, but rather it is the spirit who
is doing the sanctifying. But is the Spirit of God sanctifying
this old man of ours? Luke 5, 37 we read, and no man
put a new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst
the bottles and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. The Holy Spirit of God sanctifies
that new man that he creates. He sanctifies him for the master's
use. What is this use in a nutshell?
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. So now let's move on. What is
it that we are given in Christ as it says here? He has begotten
us again. What does that mean? Has he begotten
us sometime before with life and now he has to give us life
again? Actually, yes. Romans 5.12, what
do we read? Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men, for that all have sin. God breathed in the Adam's nostrils
the breath of life. He walked and talked with God. But then he disobeyed God's one
command, just one. Don't eat of this specific and
only this specific tree. This is the only tree that you
should never eat of. Adam, our federal head, could
not even keep from eating one fruit of a tree when he had numerous
others to eat from. Yet there are those out there
that want to teach that man can keep the law of God, which we
see in the Ten Commandments, but they involve hundreds of
commands that go along with them. Absurd. Man cannot keep God's
law. We cannot even believe God as
we should. What did the one man cry out
that we read in scripture? Lord, I believe, help thou mine
unbelief. So by one man, that man who is
our federal head, we had life before. But because of his disobedience,
death passed upon all men. Now God has to beget us again. But this begetting is to a lively
or a living hope. This hope is not a wish. It is
a sure thing because of what that hope is based on. And we
just talked about it. He was made a curse and sin for
us. Then God raised him from the dead. Had Christ not been
raised from the dead, then we would not have life. because
our life is in him. But let's move on. Verse four,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth
not away reserved in heaven for you. There is an inheritance
spoken of here that all of those who are the favorites of God
will come to possess one day. We do not have it right now,
but we will have it. And turn over to Romans 8 with
me, please. Romans 8. And we'll read about this. Romans 8 and verses 19 through
24. For the earnest expectation of
the creature waited for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature
was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him
who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the
whole creation groaneth and treveleth in pain together until now. And
not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we
are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? the redemption of our body. We
are still in this flesh and we cannot do the things that we
would. We in fact do things we don't want to do and we don't
do the things we should being in this flesh still. But we do
have a good hope. So how is it that we have this
good hope and how is it that we will secure this or possess
this? Verse five of our text. Who are
kept? by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. His favorites are kept by his
power. God is in the heavens, he hath
done whatsoever hath pleased him. That is the kind of power
I need to keep me. What about you? But it goes on
to say through faith. Faith, when we think of faith,
we think of believing God, and it is. Faith is that which God
gives which enables us to believe God in all His promises. All His promises which are given
in Jesus Christ the Lord. What do we read in John 6 verse
29? Jesus answered and said unto
them, this is the work of God, that you believe on him whom
he hath sent. God works the work that enables
his favorites to believe his son. You must believe his son
or you will die in your sins, we read in scripture. God works
in his favorites to believe him. God through faith, as it says
here in 1 Peter 1, is given us and it is unto salvation. This salvation, it says, is ready
to be revealed in the last time. We will one day see that new
body he has promised. He has promised it and he has
made sure it will happen by what he himself has done and does. We do not see it now physically,
but we do see it by faith given by God. This faith does not look
to ourselves for anything. We are not sufficient for anything. Christ is our sufficiency. We are enabled to be partakers
of Jesus Christ now. And one day we will see him face
to face and we'll be like him. But we see all this now by faith. But we do not fully possess it
right now. But we do have a good hope for
it because Jesus Christ raised him from the dead. But we are
not sufficient for anything. And if you would, turn with me
to 2 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians 2. 2nd Corinthians 2. 2nd Corinthians 2 and verse 15.
I'm going to read 2nd Corinthians 2 verse 15 through 2nd Corinthians
3 verse 5. For we are unto God a sweet saver
of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the
one we are a saver of death unto death, and to the other the saver
of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these
things? For we are not as many which
corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God,
in the sight of God speak we in Christ. Do we begin again
to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles
of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye
are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all
men. For as much as ye are manifestly
declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written
not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables
of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust
have we through Christ to Godward. Not that we are sufficient of
ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency
is of God. We are not sufficient to proclaim
this truth, which is a savor to every man, either a savor
of death unto death or a savor of life unto life. Nothing else,
never a savor of death to life or life to death. But we are
not sufficient to proclaim it and we are not sufficient to
believe it of ourselves. It is all by the power of God.
I remember not too long ago after Earl died, Walter got up and
said something that has stuck with me. He said about him being
the pastor since Earl was gone. And I'm talking about the one
who, when I say pastor, I mean the one who actually is in charge.
He has to kind of run things. Because any man who gets up here
and preaches to you is a pastor. A pastor feeds the flock, okay?
But I'm talking about, as we might call it, the bishop, the
one in charge. Preaching is feeding the flock,
and if you're not feeding the flock, then you ought not be
up here. But Walter said, and I don't have it word for word,
but it's something like this. He said he was not ready for
it. As he expounded further, he said something like this.
We are never ready in and of ourselves. And that's what we
read right there in 2 Corinthians 2 and 3. Our sufficiency is of
God. If we are able to do anything,
it will be the power of God and not of ourselves. This is how
we are kept, and as we read in our text, that is a comfort to
me. If I am to do something for God,
it is because He works in me both to will and to do of His
good pleasure. God helped me not to look to
myself for anything, or I will fall. But we read in Scripture,
we can do anything through Him. So last place I want you to turn,
but turn with me to Philippians 4. Philippians 4. Philippians 4 verses 10 through
13. Philippians 4, 10 through 13.
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care
of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful,
but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of
want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased
and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things
I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound
and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me. We can do nothing if it were
not for God himself strengthening us. But by his power, that is
his strength, might, and authority, we can do all things. My job. I mean, I think about
my job. I really have to be honest with
you. I don't know how I would be where I'm at if it wasn't
for God. I am not that kind of person that's in that place.
me preaching. I would not be here had it not
been for him. I'm not sufficient of myself. So what is the result
of this being kept by the power of God through faith? Verse 6
of our text, 1 Peter 1, verse 6, wherein ye greatly rejoice Though
now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations." We can rejoice in these things.
Knowing that we are given faith to believe God and in believing
Him, we know that we will one day possess eternal life and
be done with this old man. I can rejoice in that. We can
rejoice knowing that God did everything needed to secure that
happening. He paid the debt of sin for his
favorites. No others, just his favorites.
Because Christ died, yea rather is risen again, then we are given
life and the promise of a new body in Christ Jesus. We greatly
rejoice it says here. That word means to jump for joy. That's what the word means. We
jump for joy knowing what God has done for us and does for
us. Because it is by his power we are kept. What is there not to rejoice
in when talking about that? However, we do rejoice. We jump for joy. But at the same
time, we are now in this world in heaviness, this says, through
manifold temptations, or that is, a putting to proof. That's
what the word means. So God puts us through manifold,
or that is, putting to proofs, to prove that faith which he
has given. Let's read verses seven through
nine. That the trial of your faith being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing
of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen ye love, in whom though
now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your soul. These trials, these putting to
proofs that God brings on us is to try that faith. And in
doing so, it causes us to continually to look to Him. These temptations,
these putting to proofs are a trial of your faith. And that's what
it says in verse eight. What do these things do? They
cause the one who possesses this faith to look to the source of
that faith. And we cry out to him, Lord,
increase my faith. Just as I mentioned before, we
cry out like the one man did. Lord, I believe. Help thou mine
unbelief.