With the current circumstances many have concluded that it is not easy being a Christian. However, we are being encouraged to live a life of faith without any compromise.
Sermon Objective: Members of Buruburu Community Centre Church of God and all those who will listen and read this sermon via Facebook and whats app will be challenged to place their faith in Jesus.
Introduction
Max Lucado in his book, Six Hours One Friday, (pg. 15), tells the story of how he and his boat survived a storm. An old sea man gave Max the advice to take his boat to deep water, drop four anchors off each corner of the boat, and pray that the anchors held. Max survived that storm, but he says that he learned an important lesson: all of us need an anchor that will hold during the storms of life. (Adapted from LifeWay)
The faith that we have in Jesus Christ is our anchor. It is important to ask ourselves questions like: Where is our faith anchored? Who do we trust in during seasons of storms? These could be ministry storms, family and marriage storms, storms at our places of work etc. Peter the disciple of Jesus Christ knows how important faith is and he helps us to understand how and where we can anchor our faith during seasons of storms. During the first century the church was facing storms, these storms were from the government of those days. The government was not concerned about the church, persecution was on the rise and believers began scattering all across. As the church grew persecution also grew. Peter is writing to a people who are finding it increasingly difficult to live their faith.
Even today the same is happening, but we must remain focused to having our faith anchored in Jesus our Solid Rock. Peter writes to helps us gain some understanding into how to live a genuine Christ centered faith in the midst of the storms we face each day.
1. Endless faith 1:4-5
Different people have faith in different things. There are those who believe in the physical things of this world, there are those who trust in chariots, those who trust in connections and friends, skills and abilities, other have placed their faith in their education. Even the atheist has faith that there is no God. The question is: Is your faith endless faith? Our faith must be endless and secured in Jesus.
Peter gives us three reasons that it is important to affix our faith in Christ.
A. Faith in Christ is imperishable
Jesus teaches that we are to put our treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy or the thief steal. If our faith is set upon the things of this world, then our faith will die.
Kingdoms have come and fallen, economies have been built and destroyed, and nations have been established and disappeared. It is the kingdom of God that has remained standing, we are therefore advised to have our faith affixed on Jesus Christ where we are assured of imperishability.
B. Our faith will be uncontaminated
Throughout history we have heard of many leaders who started off with the best intentions but pride, ego, and corruption got in the way. If we place our faith in a leader, it is but a matter of time before the corruptible nature of the individual is revealed. Jesus Christ has no ego or pride in his power, he is the only person who has absolute power, whom absolute power has not
corrupted. Our faith can only be uncontaminated when it is placed in Jesus Christ.
C. Our faith in Christ is unfading
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the faith we have now will see us through the Last Days.
2. Verified faith 1:6-8
Most people have asked; why should I place my faith in Jesus Christ? And how will this faith help in times of trouble? Well, so many people in the Bible had similar questions but when they learned to have their faith in Jesus they stood firm because Jesus’ faith is verified faith. It is not ordinary faith. Peter would tell you that he survived unbelievable storms of life. From his letter and the first chapter here is what I found the faith of Christ to be when it is verified.
Peter found a verified faith is valuable, revealing, and centered on love.
A. It is valuable (1:7)
Peter in this verse gives an illustration of the goldsmith. A goldsmith would melt the metal down until it became a liquid. All the impurities would come to the surface and the goldsmith would scrape them off and allow the metal to cool. He would then come back and repeat the process over and over. His goal was pure gold. Peter says that our faith is like gold, as it is tested, it will begin to bring the impurities to the surface. When the impurities are removed our faith becomes more valuable. (1:7) Gold is the standard by which we define value. In Peter’s world and in ours, gold was considered one of the most valuable things a person could have. While gold is valuable, it is secondary to our faith. Gold can perish, but our faith will endure.
A faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is far more valuable than gold.
B. It is revealing (1:7)
The goldsmith knew that he has pure gold when he can see his reflection in the metal. Our faith should reflect Jesus and reveal Him to a world. As we grow in Christ, we learn more about Him and His love. It is only through a life given to Christ, will we begin to see Him as He really is. Our faith begins to reflect that deeper knowledge of Jesus, our lives will begin to change.
C. It is centered on our love for Christ (1:8)
Peter talks about how we love Christ even though we have not seen Him. In Hebrews we have the definition of faith, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). The essence of faith is that it does not require our sight or proof. But notice that faith is “reality”. Just because something is not seen does not negate its existence. No one has seen his/her brain but we all believe that we have a brain so is with Jesus, we
believe he exists even though we have not seen him.
3. Real faith 1:10-12
So Peter had a faith in Christ that was timeless. His faith was valuable, revealing, and full of love. What worked for Peter can as well work for us; the prophets of the Old Testament found their faith in God to hold. (1:10) God spoke to the prophets and told them that the Messiah was coming. He gave them a hope that the One who could deliver them was on the way. The message of the prophets can be summarized as, “Hang on. God is working and the Messiah is
coming”. It is a message of hope and encouragement. How many people do you know that need to be encouraged not to give up. How many people in this church today need to be told that there help is on its way. Don’t give up for this message is yours.
Conclusion
As I conclude, the word of God encourages us to have our faith anchored on Jesus Christ the Solid Rock and on the scripture-the word of God. When tempest and storms of life come we should be able to stand because we all have faith but this faith must be in Christ Jesus alone
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