Rivercrest Presbyterian Church - Sermons

In the middle of Peter's first letter he addresses wives and husbands. While remembering our identity as believers in Christ, as living stones and a holy nation, we are to live in marriage as God has called us to. Through love, imperishable beauty and honor, wives and husbands are to live so that their spouse notices their gospel transformed life. 

Called to be servants as well as to be rooted in our elect exile identity, Peter is pointing us to the way Christians are to live in an unjust world. With the gospel always before us, we look to Christ as our example to live by, and by grace the world will see His glory in His Church.

The life of a believer as a member of the Church should be a light to the world. This light shines through our good works, but is rooted in our graciously given identity: beloved children of the King.

With foundational elements and truth of gospel proclamation, the Church today through the power of the Holy Spirit, is to be a light to the world. The identity of God's people are secure in His promises.

Christ is the Word of God who is the imperishable seed now in all believers. Therefore, Peter is encouraging the Church today to live as we've been called and to put away relational wreckage. In this we love one another as family with a pure heart, that others who are without Christ may know Him by the way we love one another. 

Our identity directs how we live. For those who trust in Jesus Christ, their identity is secured in His resurrection. In this victory we now live as obedient children as Peter calls us, full of hope and faith to be holy because of the salvation purchased for us in Christ rising from the grave.

Prophets pointed towards the Messiah and looked forward to His redemption and salvation. Believers now, aided by the angels and the Holy Spirit, know Christ as the Messiah and live in the knowledge of His life, death, and resurrection while looking forward to Him fully redeeming all things. 

Jesus is living hope for those who have faith in Him, both in His death and resurrection. He did not stay dead and His promises come to fruition, meaning that the inheritance set before us, one that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading will be kept for us in heaven. Past and future assurance aid the believer in the present, in Christ our living hope.

Peter introduces himself in his first letter as rooted in Jesus Christ. For believers our identity is sealed by the blood of Christ as His beloved. This world is not our home, and living as a Christian will mean rejecting the easy way of the world, but our identity is secure in our Savior. 

Our lament can quickly turn to praise, trust and hope because of the promises of God. Through Christ and His atoning death and resurrection, by faith we can be saved to fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore, knowing we will never be abandoned or forgotten.