Back in 1 Peter 1, Peter addresses
those to whom he writes, believers of course, as strangers. Strangers. Strangers in this
world. This epistle was written, most
commentators agree, in about 65 AD. Within a year of Nero's
persecution of Christians, those to whom Peter wrote, Nero had
burned Rome in order that he might build palaces to his name,
his honor, his glory. And people were aware of it,
suspected that he's burned Rome. And they were ready to revolt.
So in order to direct attention away from himself, there were
a group of people there that folks were already more than
willing to believe anything concerning, no matter how outrageous, called
Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. And they killed them,
slaughtered them by the hundreds. Nero would douse believers in
tire and set them on fire to light his gardens while he had
a party. They were drug through the streets
behind chariots, tied to chariots. They were thrown to the lines
for entertainment. Now this is what these people
were enduring when Peter wrote this epistle. So he had to give
them something, of course under the direction of God's Holy Spirit,
something real, something substantial, because what they were enduring
wasn't child's play. It wasn't make-believe. They
were laying down their lives. They were being hunted and persecuted
and murdered for the cause of Christ. So Peter writes to them
and reminds them of their position before God, of their state. Despite what they were going
through, Peter says, God's not forgotten you. God has a purpose
and he simply reminds them of this great salvation. Notice
again, if you will, verse 2. There Peter speaks partly, or
in part rather, of a past blessing, a past blessing. God won't forget
you because he's known you from eternity. He's chosen you to
salvation from eternity. You're written on the palms of
his hands. He won't forget you. He's well
aware of where you're at, what you're going through, and when
he's pleased to put a stop to it, one way or another, he will,
because he's loved you everlastingly, therefore, he chose you, as Peter,
or rather, Paul tells us in Romans chapter 8. Elect according to
the foreknowledge of God. I remember reading a sermon about
Mr. Spurgeon, and he said sometimes
when he's feeling in a spiritual frame, when his graces, I think,
the way he put it, are active, and he feels strong in faith,
he feels like he can soar toward the heavens by faith, thinking
of God's love for him, and then he thinks elect, chosen in him,
before the world was. And he says, then he just comes
down, just comes down again at the feet of Christ where he bows
before him in enduring worship and says, hallelujah, what a
savior, chosen in him. Thou art my first elect God sent
concerning his son and then chose us. the body, all of his members,
all believers of all time in Christ our head. And then in
verse 3, Peter speaks of a present blessing. Look there again if
you will. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy,
always abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope. That's a present blessing, a
lively hope, a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead. Because I live, he told the disciples,
you shall live also. Paul said, if Christ be not raised
in 1 Corinthians 15, then our faith is vain. A dead Savior
doesn't save anybody. Christ left on the cross or in
the tomb saves no one. Oh, but by the resurrection from
the dead, as you've heard me often say, God gave his eternal,
complete satisfaction to the work of his Son. He was buried
for our sins, because of our sins, but he was raised again
because of our justification, and thereby he is a living hope. Our hope is based upon a living
Savior by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That's a solid, sure, and certain
foundation. And then in verse 4, Peter reminds
them of a future blessing. To an inheritance incorruptible. Look at these four adjectives.
to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away,
reserved in heaven for you. Remember what the captain of
our salvation said that night that he told his disciples, I'm
going away, but you'll see me again. Let not your hearts be
troubled. Don't be overwhelmed by what
you're about to pass through. In my father's house are many
mansions. I go there to prepare a place
for you, for you. Lonnie, he said, if I go to prepare
a place for you, I'll come back for you to take you to be where
I am and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Paul speaks of
that future blessing and inheritance reserved for you. Remember as
we said concerning verse one, they most likely, These people
to whom Peter wrote that were being persecuted, being murdered,
they very likely lost whatever inheritance, whatever earthly
possessions they had, they had to flee and leave them behind.
But Peter said, you have one possession. You have an inheritance
reserved in heaven that can't be taken away, that can't rust,
that can't corrupt, that can't be defiled, and it's just waiting
your arrival. Isn't that good news? An inheritance
incorruptible, reserved in heaven, reserved by the Prince of our
salvation, reserved by Him who is our mediator, reserved in
heaven for you. The Great Shepherd says, this
is for you. He does everything for you. He
does everything for His sheep. This world remains as it is because
he's yet calling out his sheep. Brothers and sisters, you know
that. The only reason this world remains, God is yet calling out
his sheep. Christ is yet calling out his
bride. And when that last one, when
that last one for whom he shed his precious blood, that last
one that he became responsible for before the foundation of
the world, that he agreed in that covenant of grace to do
everything necessary to accomplish their salvation. When by that
same grace, they're called out of darkness into his marvelous
light, he'll exclaim, time will be no more. And he'll wrap this
world up and lay it aside and so shall we ever. All of his
elect be with the Lord. To that inheritance reserved
in heaven for you. Now that brings us to our text.
Verse 5. What about in the meantime? In
the meantime. He spoke of a past blessing.
He spoke of a future blessing. But what about in the meantime? What takes place between verses
three and four? What's spoken of there? Oh, look
up, children of God. Here's a rainbow of grace. Because
in the meantime, he says, between glory and your calling, you're
kept by the power of God. You're kept by the power of God,
that same power that called you out of darkness, that same power
that raised you from spiritual death, that same power will keep
you no matter what you may go through, no matter what you may
be called upon to face, no matter what heartache, what trial, He'll
prove the sufficiency of His grace. by His power and keep
you until He calls you home. Between our calling and our homecoming,
between grace experience that Peter speaks of here and glory
realized, he says you're kept by the power of God. Psalm 84,
we spoke of it a few weeks ago. He shall give grace and glory. You remember Bunyan's pilgrim
that we referred to several times recently? Between his leaving
the city of destruction, this word. You remember how Bunyan
portrayed it? He leaves the city of destruction
seeking eternal life. As he goes, as he leaves his
home, his wife, his children, they call for him to come back.
Come back. And he puts his fingers in his
ears, crying, eternal life, eternal life, I must have eternal life. Between leaving the city of destruction
and entering the celestial city, Pilgrim encountered many a trial,
many a temptation, many a battle. Peter says, but you'll be kept. by the power of God. Isn't that encouraging? I'm sure
you read Darwin Pruitt's article in our bulletin this morning,
but I thought it would be very good just to refer to a portion
of it here again. Darwin, this is from a funeral that he
preached or he makes mention of and what he shared to the
folks grieving over the death of their beloved baby boy. His
text was taken from 2 Corinthians chapter 1, which reads thus,
Blessed be the God, verses 3 and 4. Blessed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies. And to the
God of all comfort, who comforted us in all our tribulation, that
we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the
comfort of God. And the title of his article
was, From One Broken Heart to another. And among other things,
Darwin said this, those who go to this place, that is glory,
will never again know loneliness or heartache or envy or hatred. Those who go to this place shall
ever be with the Lord. I offer you this comfort that
those who truly belong to the Lord will never die. They may
shed this tabernacle of clay for the season, but their soul
is as much alive and more than it ever was." And he closes the
article this way, from one broken heart to another, I offer you
the comfort which God himself has comforted me. And you know
what Darwin refers to. Believe it, hope in it, rejoice
in it, and give praise unto him who giveth us the victory." When
I read that, knowing something of what Darwin has shared with
me concerning Kathy, I thought, thank God for his amazing grace. Louie, I didn't admire Darwin.
I admired Darwin's God. The same God, when Job had lost
all, sent him down in scythe-clothed ashes, emblems of his broken
heart, God's amazing grace enabled that man, that's made out of
the same thing as this man that speaks to the same as you are,
said, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be
the name of the Lord. How did Job do that amazing grace? Peter, or rather Paul, sits in
prison. And he says, the time of my departure
is at hand. And he just faces it calmly and
says, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which
the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day, and
not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing. Another example of God's amazing
grace. And we turn to Revelation chapter
7 and we see a multitude that no man can number. And the elder
says, John, these all came out of great tribulation. Can you
imagine? Can you imagine what that would
entail? Great tribulation. These to whom
Peter wrote are included among them. those who were used as
human torches to light Nero's garden, or how many burdens,
how many heartaches, how much suffering, but here's an example,
a demonstration of God's amazing grace. John, they all came out. How did they do that? What's
the explanation, Lester? The same explanation for every
trial that you've passed through. It's God's grace that's brought
me safe thus far, and God's grace will lead me home. That's what
I'm trusting. That's what I'm falling down
on. That's what I rest my case on. Not anything in me, not anything
I have, but all His amazing grace that shall bring us safe thus
far. The hymn writer put it this way,
grace taught my soul to pray. Amen? And made my eyes overflow. Tis grace that's kept me to this
day and will not let me go. Grace all the works shall crown
through everlasting days. It lays in heaven the topmost
stone and well deserves the praise. All between the now of verse
3 and the then of verse 4, Peter says, ye shall be kept. The word means guarded, shielded,
protected by the power of God. Not a wish or a desire on God's
part, but the actual act of God Almighty demonstrating His power
in the preservation of all His people. That's our position in
the meantime. We're in His hands. In the meantime,
between my calling by His grace out of darkness, until I enter
into glory to be with Him. to be with Him forever. In the
meantime, I'm kept by the power of God. In the meantime, I'm
in the hand of the Great Shepherd. And the Great Shepherd says nothing,
no one shall ever pluck Him out. That's where I'm at in the meantime,
in His hands. Could I be in better hands? Could
a believer be in better hands, more loving hands, more powerful
hands, more caring hands than the hands of our great shepherd?
Oh, in the meantime, we're guarded, we're shielded, we're protected
by the power of God. Peter here doesn't write as an
armchair theologian. You know what I mean by that.
Someone who's never experienced what they're writing about. A
Monday morning quarter pie. Oh, no. Peter experienced the
keeping power of the triune God himself. He knew what he was
writing about. How do you know, Peter? Look
at verse 25 of chapter 2 in this very epistle. Peter wrote from
experience. When he wrote these words, He
was writing from experience. Yes, he wrote under divine inspiration,
but he was writing what himself had experienced. For ye were
as sheep going astray. Peter was too. Those to whom
he wrote were too, but are now returned unto who? The shepherd
and bishop of your souls. Peter knew what that was. Turn,
if you will, to chapter 5. Chapter 5. Peter experienced
this as well. Look at verse 8 in 1 Peter 5. He sounds this warning. Be sober,
be on your guard, be aware, be vigilant, because your adversary
the devil, we have an adversary, as a roaring lion walketh about
seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world. Verse 10, but. Oh, I love that word, don't you?
But the God of all grace, the God of all grace. Is that sufficient for this sinner? This sinner, I need a lot of
grace. I need amazing grace, sufficient
grace, mighty grace. Peter says, God has that. He
has all grace. The God of all grace who has
called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that you
have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen,
settle you. To Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Yes, Peter wrote from experience. He said, I know what I'm saying
when I tell you you're kept by the power of God, because I've
been kept by the power of God. No doubt, I'm sure, Peter recalled
that night. And our Lord said, it's written,
the shepherds shall be smitten, and the flocks shall be scattered.
You'll all leave me this night, and I'll be left alone. And Peter
said, I won't. They might, but I won't. Maybe
James will, John, Andrew. Not me. I'm ready to go with
you to death. I'll die with you. And our Lord
said, Peter, before the cock crows twice, you're going to
deny that you're even acquainted with me. You're going to deny
that you've ever known me. Peter said, oh, not so. And Peter
was dead serious, dead serious, leaning on the arm of flesh,
but dead serious. That cannot happen. If I die
with you, surely I won't deny you. And our Lord said, Peter,
you will. You will. You'll deny that you
even know me. But here's another blessed interjection. But I pray for thee, Peter, that
thy faith fail Not. And there's the difference. That's
all the difference, isn't it? Oh, but what a difference. God's
mighty grace. Peter, I prayed for you that
your faith fail not. And when you're converted, when
you're converted, I like that word too, don't you? When, Peter,
not if you're converted, but when you're converted, when I,
by my mighty grace, to myself again. And when that
clock crewed, and Peter looked and saw the Lord standing for
him as his substitute, while he at that very moment was denying
that he even knew him, he was at that moment turned again and
went out and wept bitterly. Peter, when you're turned again,
strengthen your brethren. Peter never stopped believing. He lied. He said, I don't know
the man, but he did. He never stopped believing. Why? I pray for you, Peter, that your
faith fail not. Think about that, brothers and
sisters. In the morning, when you go out to this God-hating,
Christ-rejecting world, When you face insult and persecution,
whatever God may be pleased to send your way, remember this.
Our great high priest is making intercession for us. Peter, I've
prayed for you. I've prayed that your faith fail
not. And Peter's faith did not fail.
He never quit believing. He couldn't. You know why? Because
the gifts and the calling of God, including faith, God says,
I'll not repent of. He'll never take away. Yes, brothers
and sisters, we're kept by the power of God. Guarded, shielded,
kept, meaning we're in a state, kept, in a state of justification. being declared righteous by God
himself that'll never be retracted, that'll never be taken away.
Because as you know, the grounds of our justification is Jesus
Christ himself, and we're kept by the power of God, kept in
grace, in mercy, in salvation. In other words, we can sum it
all up with just two words, kept in Christ. Joe, in Christ. In Christ. Oh, once I'm His,
I'm His forever. Nothing from His love can sever,
completing Him nowhere else. I remember listening to Brother
Henry preach a message one time. Don't ask me where it was. Not
important. But someone asked him, Henry,
do you believe in eternal security? Do you believe that once God
saves a sinner, that he's saved forever? And Henry said, well,
it depends on who does the same thing. If you're asking me if
man plays a part, no, I don't believe. But if salvation's of
the Lord, if salvation's by grace alone, through faith alone, in
Christ alone, yes, salvation is for eternity. It depends on
who does the saving, and God does the saving. I didn't put
myself in Christ, and I can't, thank God, take myself out. We're kept, shielded, Guarded
and protected. Those who are the kept, consider
that now. Those who are the kept, they're
his people. The same ones that Gabriel spoke
of when he said, Joseph, call his name Jesus. He shall save
his people from their sins. They're his sheep. He said, my
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and
I give them eternal life. No one can pluck them out of
my hand. They're his church, his bride, that Paul referred
to him as being in Ephesians chapter 5, whom he will present
to himself without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And yet they're
sinners, every one. everyone unable to keep themselves. Knowing that being the case,
what a blessing it is to look at these words again and be told,
we're kept by the power of God. God will keep us. And that brings
us to the last point, the keeper. The keeper, who's that? Who's the guardian or kept by
the power of God? The power of God. Turn, if you
will, to Revelation chapter 5. Let's look at this again. Revelation
chapter 5, verse 1. The book of God's eternal decree. God's purpose to save his people,
for example. Yes, chosen in him, elected by
the Father, as Peter said, but unto the sprinkling of blood. Verse 1, and I saw in the right
hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on
the backside sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with the loud voice, who, who is worthy to open the
book? and to loose the seals thereof."
Who is able? Who has enough merit, not just
power, but who has enough merit, enough worth, enough value in
the sight of a holy God? Who's able to approach the throne
of God, take this book representing God's purposes, God's decrees,
and bring them to fulfillment? Who can do that? Because that
includes, that involves satisfying divine justice. That involves
living a life of perfect obedience before the Holy God. That involves
all those things necessary to bring a sinner to glory. I ask
you again, who is worthy to accomplish such a feat as that? Who can
satisfy divine justice? Who can fulfill God's purpose
of grace? Who can satisfy God's holy law? And God's not easily satisfied. That despite what we're told
today, God doesn't accept just anything and everything. He says
it must be perfect to be accepted. With that in mind, who's worthy? And no man, verse 3, No man in
heaven, in earth, under the earth, was able to open the book, neither
to look thereon. And John said, I wept much, as
indeed he might. And we well might mix our tears
with John if no man was found, because if not, none would ever
be saved. If justice is not satisfied,
God will not justify a sinner. But look at verse 5. Oh, precious Redeemer. And one
of the elders saith unto me, Weep not, behold. Look at this, John. Look at this. I'm going to show you one that's
worthy. I'm going to show you one that's
able to satisfy God's demand. I'm going to show you one that's
able to ransom all the sinners entrusted into his care. I'm
going to show you the surety, the shepherd, the bridegroom.
Weep not, behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Root
of David hath prevailed. hath prevailed to open the book
and to loose the seven seals thereof. He's prevailed with
God to bring to pass God's purposes, his decrees concerning the everlasting
salvation of his people. The lion of the tribe of Judah
exclaims, I come to do thy will, O my God. In sacrifices for sin
and burnt offerings there was had no pleasure. Then I said,
in the volume of the book it is written of me, I come to do
thy will, O God. And behold our great shepherd,
behold our high priest, bowing his head, exclaiming, just prior
to bowing his head, it is finished. He was made sin, and we're made
the righteousness of God in Him. John quit crying, and behold,
the Lamb of God. Look at Him, John. Look at Him
from any view, from any angle, and behold, He's altogether lovely. There's no spot in Him. View
Him from any side you want, and He's altogether lovely. Lonnie, He's perfect. He's perfect,
Bobby. He's absolutely perfect. Like the bride in Solomon's Song,
she says, he's perfect. She asked, if you've seen my
beloved, tell me where he's at. Well, how will we know him? If
we should see him, tell us something about him. How is he any different
from any other? And she said, oh. There's not
another like him. There's not a beloved like mine. He's the fairest among ten thousand. He's the lily of the valley. He's the bright and morning star. He's all together. All together. All God's divine attributes blend
perfectly. He's altogether lovely. Now after you've pondered that
for a while, add this to it. I'm in Him. Believers are in
Him. We're accepted in that one, that
worthy one, that altogether lovely one. Verse 7, Revelation 5, and
He came. and took the book out of the
right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken
the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell
down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden
vows full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And
they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy. to take the
book and to open the seals thereof. Why? For or because thou wast
slain and by that death, by that sacrifice has redeemed us to
God. Has redeemed us to God. I hear people talk about a possibility
redemption. I find no comfort in that whatsoever. Just the opposite. Oh, but the
book, God's word declares he had redeemed his people. He has,
has hence, redeemed us to God by thy blood. Oh, the precious
blood of the crucified one has taken away our sins forever,
blotted them out out of every kindred and tongue and people
and nation, and has made us into our God, kings and priests, and
we shall reign upon the earth. Oh yes, that's the keeper of
our souls. On Christ's is sinking sand, kept by the
power of God. In the meantime, between our
calling and our entering glory, in the meantime, we're kept by
the power of God. For I came down from heaven,
here our great shepherd again, I came down from heaven, not
to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And
this is the will of him that sent me, that of all which he
had given me, I should lose none, not one. Is it any wonder that
they cast their crowns at his feet? Who else is worthy? Who else deserves the praise?
He deserves all the glory from whom we have received all the
grace. In Mark chapter 4, he tells his
disciples, let us pass over into the other side. In verse 1 of
chapter 5 we read, and they arrived at the other side. But in between,
In the meantime, a great storm arose and he was asleep. You
remember, the disciples woke him up and said, we're gonna
perish. And he stood on the deck of the
ship and said, peace be still. And the seas laid down at the
voice of their creator. Just laid down at his feet. And
there was a great calm. And Peter looked at John and
said, have you ever seen anything like this? Louis, have you ever? What manner of man is this, they
said? Even the winds and the waves
obey him. And then they arrived at the
other side, kept by the power of God, no matter what may happen
in between. Mr. Toplady, commenting upon
that verse where they asked the master, carest thou not that
we perish? He wrote this, as long as his
head is above water, he's safe. That is his church, his people.
The church is cast into the sea of this world, and afterwards
into the sea of death, and Christ their head keeps himself aloft
in heaven. Is there any fear or possibility
of drowning a member of his body? Christ must be drowned first,
or that member must be pulled from Christ, and both are impossible. By virtue of this union with
Christ, we see that on Christ's safety, ours depends. If he is safe, so are we. If we perish, so must he. Turn if you will to Jude, Jude
chapter, Jude verses 24 and 25. I can't think of a better benediction to send you home
with than this. Jude 24 and 25. There was a man
lived some years ago by the name of John Kent, a faithful
preacher. and a very able hymn writer. In one of his hymns, he wrote
this. He said, "'Twixt Jesus and the chosen race subsists
a bond of sovereign grace, that hell, with its infernal train,
shall never dissolve or rend in twain. Hell's sacred union,
firm and strong, how great the grace, how sweet the song, that
worms of earth shall ever be one with incarnate deity. One
in the tomb, one when he rose, one when he triumphed o'er his
foes. One when in heaven he took his seat, while seraphs sung
all hell's defeat. This sacred tithe forbids their
fears, for all he is and has is theirs. With him their head
they stand or fall, their life, their surety, their all. When that man lay dying, With
what little strength he had left, and with his last breath, he
raised a feeble hand, already cold, with the chill of death
on it, and he says, I rejoice in hope. He says, I'm accepted. I'm accepted. And he fell asleep
in the arms of Jesus, kept by the power of God. Jude 24. Now
unto him that is able to keep you from falling, It occurred
to me when I looked over my notes this afternoon that I will be
attempting to preach, to speak from God's Word to fellow pilgrims,
strangers, believers, brothers and sisters in Christ that are
kept by the power of God. I believe. by God's grace, by
God's power, that we'll be in glory one day, together, forever. In just a little while, we'll
see Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Won't that be
something? Won't that be something? In the
meantime, now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory
with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory
and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Amen. Lord bless you.