Sharing Your Hope Introduction Welcome to Church on the 5th! We are so glad you are here!! And we are grateful to all the hosts who arranged for us to use their clubhouses so we could engage in neighbourhood church. Thank you to our brunch coordinators and we are grateful you brought a dish to share. We are currently studying the book of 1 Peter on Sundays at Gracepoint. In 1 Peter 4:10 we read: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” The talents, time and treasure that you steward from the Lord are indeed a gift from Him. As you steward your “treasure” you are invited today to give financially to Gracepoint Church using the Church App, e-transfer, the website, etc. Give not out of obligation or duty but rather in response to God’s provision in your life. God is good and He has been generous towards you. Opening Prayer Worship Song God You Reign Lincoln Brewster | Mia Fieldes © 2008 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia; Integrity's Praise! Music Verse 1 You paint the night You count the stars and You call them by name The skies proclaim God You reign Your glory shines You teach the sun when to bring a new day Creation sings God You reign Chorus God You reign, God You reign Forever and ever, God You reign Verse 2 You part the seas You move the mountains with the words that You say My song remains God You reign You hold my life You know my heart and You call me by name I live to say God You reign Bridge Hallelujah hallelu Hallelujah hallelu (repeat) 1 Peter 3:13-16 (NIV) 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:13-16 (NIV) Make God the Source of Your Hope v. 13-15a We are invited to “revere Christ as Lord” (v. 15). To honour Him in our lives, not just as Saviour but also as Lord. We are to regard Him as the Lord of all areas of our life. He is not just #1 amongst many variables in our lives but #1 above all other facets of our lives. Turn to 2-3 others near you and answer the questions that are on your app or on your handout. What does it mean to you to “revere (honour, reverence, exalt) Christ as Lord” (v. 15). What does that look like in your life (i.e. priorities, time, resources, relationships, choices, etc.)? Having Christ as Lord shifts how we react to the things that could potentially frighten us (v. 14). Are you facing a fear now? Or can you recall a time when you shifted from fear to peace because you were living under Christ’s Lordship? Have personal reasons for your hope v. 15b Jesus is to be more than just the forgiver of our sins; He is the Lord. He is to be more than just our Saviour, He is to be our boss, the CEO of our life, our Lord. He is not to be just one of many things in our lives but the One above all things. Jesus encouraged us to “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). It’s not enough to just believe in God. Jesus’ half-brother James wrote: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19). Mere cognitive believing in God is insufficient. There’s a world of difference between believing in God and making Jesus Lord. It’s a daily denial of self and taking up one’s cross to follow Him. After the challenge to set Christ apart as Lord, Peter continues by writing “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) We are to always be prepared; this means at all times in all circumstances with all people. The preparation comes not from acquiring sufficient knowledge but rather that we have a living hope found in God. When Christ is Lord in your life, you are already a person of hope. Don’t be afraid that you don’t have the right answer. If you know John 3:16 you know enough. Peter’s first readers of this letter wouldn’t have even known John 3:16! We all fear that someone will ask us a question that will stump us, like, “If the Bible says Cain got married, where did he get a wife from?” We are not sharing Bible trivia (or speculation in the case of Cain’s wife), we are sharing the hope that we have experienced in God. You don’t have to know all the answers to all the questions. Knowledge is good, but having a living hope within you is far more powerful than an apologetic. If you’ve experienced the living hope found in Christ, you have a hope to share. If you can testify to some version of “I once was blind but now I see” (John 9:25); you have a story of hope worth sharing. Express your hope to others with respect and integrity v. 15c-16 Back to our Bible verse: 1 Peter 3:15. We are to be prepared to give the reason for the hope that we have. Peter then gives us some instructions on how to do it: “But do this with gentleness and respect.” In sharing our hope, we value the other person. The implication in the statement in v. 15 “to give an answer to everyone who asks” is that there is a dialogue happening. Sharing hope is not a monologue and it especially not something we ram down people’s throats. We can either light a candle or curse the darkness. Jesus invites us to be candle-lighting type of people in a dark world. He said, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). If you find that complaining and anger are your common reactions to the world around you, you are probably driven more by fear than by love. And the Bible promises perfect love drives out fear. With Christ as your Lord, the fears of this world diminish. Turn to 2-3 others near you and answer the questions on the handout or in the app. What is one personal reason you have today for being a person of hope (i.e. answered prayer, truth of the Bible, your experience with God, the hope of the resurrection, etc.)? Peter’s hearers were suffering mightily and yet they experienced “living hope”. Share a time when you struggled or were going through a trial, but you experienced hope and God’s presence during that difficult season. Who is one person you know who is needing to experience God’s presence and hope this summer? You have a living hope within you. You are Christ’s ambassador in exile wherever you live, work, learn or play this summer. God will use you for a God-given purpose. Let me lead us in a prayer, and when I pause, you can pray out loud, the first name of a person you desire to share your hope with this summer. Worship Song Living Hope Brian Johnson | Phil Wickham © 2017 Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs; Sing My Songs; Bethel Music Publishing Verse 1 How great the chasm that lay between us How high the mountain I could not climb In desperation I turned to heaven And spoke Your name into the night Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness Tore through the shadows of my soul The work is finished the end is written Jesus Christ my living hope Verse 2 Who could imagine so great a mercy What heart could fathom such boundless grace The God of ages stepped down from glory To wear my sin and bear my shame The cross has spoken I am forgiven The King of kings calls me His own Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever Jesus Christ my living hope Chorus Hallelujah praise the One who set me free Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me You have broken every chain There’s salvation in Your name Jesus Christ my living hope Verse 3 Then came the morning that sealed the promise Your buried body began to breathe Out of the silence the Roaring Lion Declared the grave has no claim on me (repeat) Jesus Yours is the victory Ending Jesus Christ my living hope Jesus Christ my living hope Prayer Next week we will have a church picnic after the worship service at Crescent Park in South Surrey. Bring along a lunch and lawn chairs and join us for the fun.