 We're in 1st Peter. We're going to be looking at trials Another word for trials is raising kids, but we'll be looking at the subject of trials and So what I'm going to do is I'm going to be actually introducing our study by going over a couple of things to lay the foundation By looking at verses three through five, but we're actually going from verses five through nine today And so let me begin reading at verse three. I'll read verses three through five to lay the context Then we're going to move on into verse six and go to verse nine and look at the subject of trials But to understand trials we need to begin at verse three first Peter chapter one verse three Blessed be the god and father of our Lord Jesus Christ to according to his abundant mercy Has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled And that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of god Through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time We know that the apostle peter is writing a letter to the diaspora to the believers who are scattered And as he is writing to them, he's writing to them a word of hope He has told them that they are pilgrims that they are temporary sojourners just passing through their aliens living in a foreign land Whose home is really someplace else and he's already spoken to him in that fashion And as he's been speaking to them as pilgrims He had made it very clear to them that in order to be considered a pilgrim You need to first and foremost be born again That's what he had spoken about in verse three when he had said that god through his mercy has begotten us again to a living hope And so as we've been looking at this passage, we know that The apostle peter has been writing to a group of people who understand the term being begotten again Begotten again is another way of saying being born again And as i've mentioned to you the word born again or the words born again are not something that were coined by the church We didn't create that that's something that jesus spoke about in john three When he said unless a man is born again, he cannot see he cannot enter into the kingdom of god And so born again being born again is a word or a way of referring to what we would theologically refer to as regeneration Is receiving a new life And the way that you're born again is first and foremost by understanding the fact that before you have life with christ You are literally dead in your trespasses and sins That's what paul says in Ephesians two one that you are dead in trespasses and sins You don't have spiritual life without being born again And so as the apostle peter is writing he's writing to the ones who know that they've been born again They've been begotten once again, and they know that they needed to but because by nature They are sinners The bible makes it very clear that we before we have a relationship with christ are by nature sinners We sin because it is our nature to do so We do not become sinners the moment we sin we sin because we by nature are sinners We're only doing those things that are natural for us to do Now there are those who would argue and say that children are born with a pure nature And they become sinners when they first do something wrong But i believe that those who who naturally Say something like that are people who didn't have any kids Because if you have any kids, you know, it's mother's day. Let's be honest If if you had any kids, you know that those kids by nature are monsters They are little monsters. They need to be born again. They just have to be I mean They're just they're toothless little little monsters that they would they would kill you if they could and and but they can't They're only three months old I mean It's by nature they cry about anything they get angry about anything You didn't you didn't give them what they wanted when they wanted and the first words that they learned when they could Finally form words as me mine. Stop. No those are words that they say and it's natural for them There's something within them There's something within them that's bound up within the heart of the child and the scripture says it's rebellion That comes from their nature by nature. We are sinners and as sinners we simply do that which is natural for us to do And so during the time of the writing the apostle peter is saying you've been begotten again You've been born again. You had to be why because by nature you're a sinner Now that's what scripture says psalm 51 5 Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me So by nature I am a sinner and they knew that and so one in order to be born again You need to understand that by nature you have sin you don't make mistakes or errors simply They're not moral lapses of judgment It is by nature that we do the things that we do And our nature without christ Is sinful and so as they were sinners they also knew that they were captives held in bondage They were living in a cage that their sins had constructed And their iniquities their sins had actually formed a trap for them That's what jesus says when he says if a man sins he's in bondage to that sin Proverbs 5 22 says it like this his own iniquities and trapped the wicked man And he is caught in the cords of his sin. You're trapped by it held fast by it You would stop drinking if you could you'd stop smoking dope if you could you'd stop being violent if you could and you try You even resolve but you can't there's something in you There's a law of sin and death within you and no matter how much you try you realize that you're in bondage to it You're bondage to your alcoholism. You're in bondage to your your your vulgarity. You're in bondage to that porno You're in bondage And that's what is it slavery entrapped by it So one by nature I do those things that are natural for me, which are According to scripture sinful and two they form a trap for me. I'm held captive by them and then three They knew that they'd be accountable for the lives that they live They knew that ultimately that they would stand before a judge and they knew that judge was god Because that's what happens Ecclesiastes 12 14 says for god will bring every work into judgment Including every secret thing whether good or evil God will bring it all into judgment one of these days. He will give an account of themselves before god and they knew that So they're in sin in bondage to it in one day standing before a judge And they knew that they were guilty But that knowledge that that awareness within them had opened them up To a message that would bring freedom of salvation and that's what the gospel message is intended to do The gospel message is intended to give us freedom not to continue in sin But freedom to have victory over it And a freedom to no longer be in bondage to it And to know what it's like to have joy and peace and love and all the things that we desire so much But simply can't obtain and so they heard that message in the gospel of jesus christ And they received that message in the gospel of jesus christ and they they became aware of the fact that That they could have life in christ And they opened the hearts to him and acknowledge him as their lord and savior romans 10 9 and 10 says That if you confess with your mouth the lord jesus and believe in your heart that god has raised him from the dead You will be saved for with the heart one believes unto righteousness And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And so these are people who have been begotten again. These are people who have been born again These are people who at one time were slaves to sin through their nature And now have been set free by jesus christ no longer are they afraid to stand before the judge because they know that they are now declared to be Not guilty They heard the message of the gospel and instead of turning a deaf ear to it They opened with faith and received those things that were said embraced them And were saved Now they have a living hope Now this living hope that they have is jesus christ who is our hope, but also it's a hope of resurrection They in other words have a relationship with life himself Jesus said i am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me And so when you receive christ you who at one time dead in your trespasses and sins Are now made alive in christ And you have a living hope because jesus is alive and you shall live also and beyond that You also know that though you be planted in the ground one day you'll be resurrected You have a resurrection hope In job 14 verses 14 and 15 It says if a man dies Shall he live again? All the days of my hard service i will wait till my change comes You shall call and i will answer you You shall desire the work of your hands. You're going to call me out of the grave And one of these days i'll be with you And now you're born again Now you have an inheritance your inheritance is fellowship with jesus And that begins here on earth and continues into eternity Heaven is our home the world is not our home. We're just passing through we're pilgrims But as we pass through we eagerly await being with jesus christ and that that eager expectation of being with jesus is what is the fuel to our fire It motivates us it affects the way that we live. We want to be prepared and ready to see him when we do Paul said in philippians 123 i am hard pressed between the two having a desire to depart and be with christ Which is far better Well, this inheritance is reserved in heaven for us And as i pointed out to you last time we're together heaven is the most secure place in the universe nothing evil can ever enter in We according to verse five are the ones who are kept by the power of god through faith for salvation Ready to be revealed in the last time kept by the power of god The word kept means to be protected by a military guard Believers are being kept by the power of god through faith I thank god that we have the military that protects us I thank god for the law enforcement personnel who patrol our streets And who protect us And i thank god that i feel secure when i have The knowledge that we have those who are ever vigilant to make sure that nothing harms us to the best of their ability But i especially take comfort in knowing that my god is always vigilant His eye is always upon me his ear is always open into my prayer and he has surrounded me And then he will keep me We are under attack. There's no doubt about it But we are being divinely protected as we march to heaven And we're protected by the power of god We do go through hard times remember with me and first peter that that first peter is actually written to those Who are suffering they're going through persecution they're having trials and they're having difficult times And so he's writing to a group of people who are undergoing very harsh times And he's saying to them listen it may be difficult, but you're not alone Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death you are not alone god is with you his rod and his staff They will comfort you he will protect you he will be with you He will never leave you nor will he ever forsake you And you need to understand that but yeah, you are going through tough times. You are going to have opposition. Yes I wish I could stand up here and preach a message that says just give your heart to christ and you'll never have a bad day again I wish I could but i'd be lying Because i've discovered that as i gave my heart to the lord that sometimes walking in the world seemed to flow a lot easier Because when i got saved then the trials began to come and then i began to have a war against my flesh And desires in my heart to do things that i shouldn't do And i discovered that it isn't an easy walk, but it is worth the walk. It's it's worth every moment of it But we're going to have our difficulties and and the bible is very clear about that Paul writing in 2nd corinthians 4 8 and 9 said it like this He said we are hard-pressed on every side yet not crushed We are perplexed but not in despair Persecuted but not forsaken struck down but not destroyed. We're knocked down, but we're not knocked out We're walking with the lord and we're going to be victorious. We are kept by the power of god Now imagine for just a moment what that means what power is greater than the power of god What is greater? What does god tremble at? What has got afraid of? Is there anything in this known universe that god is afraid of? Then we'd say oh no, I was afraid you'd show up. I don't think so God is afraid of nothing. What is more powerful than god? Is there any created being that is greater than he? There have been those who will say well if god is so great can he create a a rock too big for him to pick up God is great, but he's not stupid I mean just because you put god before an illogical statement doesn't make that statement logical the fact that god is god And god being omnipotent meaning he has all power and god being rational Why would god an all-powerful rational being even be conceiving such an object? And so it makes no sense whatsoever But people will use those arguments to try and say your god is not powerful But god is and what is greater than god who is greater than god? And if god is the one protecting us If god is the one shielding us if god's power is all around us Then that causes me to know that my life is under the continual watchful care of god himself We are kept by the power of god And this power of god is provided in behalf of every believer and it is ours through faith You see to believe is our work While the exertion of the power is of god In Philippians 1 6 it says being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you Will complete it until the day of jesus christ God began a work and god will continue that work and god will complete that work and as i walk with him I have security in that work because my god is with me never leaves me nor does he ever forsake me So in the midst of all the assaults In the midst of the attempts to destroy us God is there his power Unlimited and he guards us In the Psalms in Psalm 91 verses 14 through 16 it says Because he loves me says the lord I will rescue him I will protect him For he acknowledges my name He will call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him With long life. Will I satisfy him? And show him my salvation I will say of the lord. He is my refuge and my fortress my god In whom I trust My god will secure me and I will trust him. That's how it works as a christian How was this protection experienced? What makes this real to us? Well, you experience and realize this through trusting god to be true to his promises Faith in god places us in a position to experience the keeping power Of god so when you're under attack You're going to realize your own powerlessness. You're going to see your own inadequacy But in that you call out to god who is powerful and adequate And he delivers us And when he delivers us he rescues us it strengthens our faith Like the psalmist said in psalm 32 6 through 8 therefore let everyone who has godly pray to you While you may be found Surely when the mighty waters rise they will not reach him You are my hiding place You will protect me from trouble And surround me with songs of deliverance And then god answers i will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will counsel you and watch over you So we're kept through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Now in this when it says we are kept it's a picture of god As a soldier escorting people through hostile territory and bringing them to safety and freedom behind friendly lines He's simply saying that god is going to bring us to the final goal, which is salvation in jesus christ Now what we need to do Is we need to rejoice greatly in him for that because as he said all of these things We pick up at verse 6 and it goes on to say this In this You greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you've been grieved by various trials That the genuineness of your faith Being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire May be found to praise honor and glory at the revelation of jesus christ Whom having not seen you love Though now you do not see him Yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls We go through trials. We're going to be looking at trials Because that's what the apostle peter is writing about that's what he's referring to in verse 6 He speaks about being grieved by various trials Suffering is never denied by the christian We recognize the suffering we go through as being temporary And because we know that it is only temporary we have the ability to rejoice because We know that not only are they temporary but the result of going through trials Is really going to be for our good Now we know that various testings are not part of god's original intent But the testings come because of the fall And we do have these testings that come You can go through various things physical persecution verbal assaults You can be the victim of gossip You have economic pressures spiritual heaviness You can have marital struggles You have problems with your children. You can have physical illness There can be problems in your home with your parents You can have problems on the job You can have problems with your neighbors You can have problems with your in-laws. You can have problems in a variety of ways And we all go through them Every one of us goes through these struggles in one form or another Every one of us goes through trials But the bottom line is there's a purpose in them He says in verse 7 that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes He wants us to know that though gold is one of the most precious metals faith is more valuable because gold perishes and faith grows When you have a relationship with God in your testings What God wants to do is he wants to strengthen you and purify you He wants to build you up because ultimately you're going to grow in such a way that you will bring him glory So you go through your various times of trial you go through your times of testings and they can be fiery they can be hot Many years ago when I was a young student at Biola. I had a professor and we used to use at that time a phrase We used to use the phrase I want to be on fire for the Lord and my professor dr. Moore Once was speaking to the class who was lecturing the class and he is saying Something about I wanted to be on fire for the Lord because that's a phrase that we would use we young people would say I just want to be on fire for Jesus And I'll never forget my professor who was dearly loved by me dr. Moore I remember when he said one day how many of you speak about wanting to be on fire for the Lord He says I want to remind you of something fire burns and fire consumes And that's the truth fire burns and fire consumes And the fiery trials that we go through The times that we go through these testings the times that we have these problems are intended to purge us That's what we're going through the refining fire is what it is In psalm 66 verse 10 the psalmist said for you oh god have tested us you have refined us like silver Proverbs 17 verse 3 says the refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold But the Lord tries the hearts And so we go through a refiner's fire The goldsmith takes some gold ore He begins to heat it up and as he heats it up And it gets to its boiling point the impurities called dross begin to rise to the top And as the dross rises to the top The goldsmith takes and begins to scoop off the residue the impurity and he gets rid of it And he continues to allow it to boil and the impurities continue to rise And the goldsmith knows that it is pure When he can look into the gold and see his own reflection What the Lord does with trials in our lives Is he allows those fiery trials to exist So that what's inside of us rises those things that are impure So that they may be scooped away and dealt with And the way that they're scooped away is through confession because as you're going through this purging process Rather than it turning you away from god It causes you to draw nearer to him And as you're crying out and saying god i need your help through that refining process These things are coming to the top and then you begin to discover yourself confessing And asking god for help and asking god for strength And saying things to the lord that you may normally under different circumstances not even consider Because when you go through trials that's what happens your faith is being purified Trials have a purpose Now sometimes We don't realize what that purpose is as they're going through it One of my favorite passages in the new testament is found in in the gospel of john in chapter 13 It's it's the story where the lord jesus christ is there at the supper and Where jesus takes a basin And he takes a towel girds himself And begins to kneel at the feet of his disciples and begins to wash their feet and as he's doing that The men there are wondering what is the master doing because the task that he's performing Should have been performed by by a house servant and here's the lord. Here's a master Who's actually divesting himself of of his excellence if you will in their sight And kneeling down as a servant washing their feet and as he's doing that it horrifies his beloved apostle peter and and when he comes to to peter jesus says to him Are you washing my feet? You'll never wash my feet And the lord jesus says if i don't wash you you have nothing to do with me and that's where Peter says well then give me a complete bath my head and my feet just bathed me And the lord says no if you've been bathed all needs to be washed as your feet But then he goes on to say something and one of my favorite scriptures found in john 13 verse seven is what i am doing now You don't understand but later on you will That is something i've learned over time It's something that some of you are learning right now when you're going through trials when you're going through problems When you're going through this moment of purging you don't understand it And sometimes you may be thinking oh no am i going to survive this has taken so long I remember a young woman approaching me after one of the services once and she said pastor Can you pray for me and i said of course what can we what can i pray about She says i'm going through a trial and it's so long i've been going through it for so long It's been three weeks It's mild i said shut up get out of here. No i It's been three weeks Three weeks For this young woman three weeks was an eternity But some of us have been going through trials For 30 years For 40 years. They're called children. That's another story. I'll teach you on children Some of us have been going through trials in the same kinds of trials as a matter of fact We have been going through trials since the day we got saved and began recognizing them as trials So some of them in your case have been just going on for as long as you've been saved I've been going through 41 years of trials One thing after another One thing after another one disappointment after another one painful experience after another One thing breaking one finger off then breaking another thing and another finger off until my hands are completely free I've got nothing to cling to except the lord and trials are that way they go on and on and on It's like sometimes you're in the beach and you're you're surfing and the the wave crashes over you and you go down And you come back up you grab some air and here comes another wave you go down You come up and you finally think i can't hold my breath any longer Then you have a still for a moment Then you rest and here comes another set Trials one after another and some people say what's the purpose of this? Where's god? I thought he loved me Lord i'm groaning to you my i've made my bed to swim in my tears I have cried out night and day and it doesn't seem like you hear my voice It seems like that heaven is brass and that your ear is deafened to me. What's going on There are a lot of people who understand what i'm saying a lot of people lord I dedicated this child to you and look where they're going now Father we got married and we made our vows to you and look what my marriage has become What's going on in my life and people live like that and they hurt and they cry and they weep and they're in pain Because they go through so much sorrow It's a trial and they think it's never going to be relieved. They're never going to get out of this Something's got to be done. This is useless. There's no purpose to this. This is mindless. God. Don't you hear my cry? Can't you see me? Trials I don't speak of trials lightly I don't try and give pep talks to make you feel good Because I know that some surgery is painful And some things take time to heal from And it doesn't happen overnight sometimes it may take a lifetime for you to finally get your feet Once again stable in certain areas Not because you have no faith but sometimes because it's just a prolonged thing that's occurring So I don't speak lightly of trials I've seen too much loss. I've been to Too many funerals And seen too many hurts and I've heard too many stories But I can tell you that they have a purpose I can tell you that god does not leave you nor forsake you. I can't tell you that he works as good through them I can tell you he conforms you into the image of jesus christ. I can tell you that he'll break you He'll break you and he'll break you again Until you're like he is He will break your heart he will allow it that doesn't sound good does it but it's true He'll bring things into your life because he loves you And because you have said I want to be like you And you have failed to realize he is a wounded healer He was bruised for us And if you're ever going to have compassion you're going to go through things that test and stretch it If you're going to have patience you're going to go through things that will test and stretch your patience If you're going to learn to love you're going to be hooked up and be around those who To be honest with you are not very lovable at all You're going to find yourself if you want humility you're going to find yourself the the the The brunt of accusations and gossip you're going to find Sometimes when you want fellowship that you're going to become lonely because Sometimes a walk with christ seems to be lonely, but it's in those dark moments And it's in those quiet times when the lord speaks most clearly to you and you hear him And you're comforted more by him at that moment than any other time And what trials do is they actually refine you They actually show you what's inside of you It's like what charles spurgeon once said he said trials teach us what we are They dig up the soil and let us see what we are made of They break up that that fellow ground and they show us what's beneath it It's like what Jeremiah 12 3 says but you oh lord know me you have seen me And you have tested my heart toward you You see trials have a purpose they reveal what is really in us and also they strengthen us because Going through trials teaches us to wait on the lord with faith and with confident expectation That's why james said my brother and counted all joy when you enter into various trials knowing this that the trying of your faith works Patience but let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and entire lacking nothing God will work through them. You don't get discouraged because you know my god is around my god is with me My god will not only cause me to survive, but I will thrive and I will become more like him And you learn something about the character of god through your trials You learn that he is good I was speaking to you of Job recently When you begin to read the book of Job and you see in the first two chapters the challenges that come through satan How that the enemy satan Was actually questioned by god When he asked him where have you been And satan responds because he has to and he says well i've been going to and fro I've been back and forth looking for some evil something to stir up is what he's saying I've been going to and fro throughout the earth Have you considered my servant job? When god speaks to satan says have you considered my servant job? Have you put him to the test? Have you put a magnifying glass to his life? Have you looked to see if there's a weakness in his character? Have you something to say about job? Well, yeah, I've considered him. I've seen him you put a hedge about him and I can't touch him But If you took all his possessions, he'd curse you to your face. Oh really take his possessions There goes satan to do his evil things that he does And everything that job has including his children is taken from him in A very short time But in all of this job did not sin against god with his lips Naked I came into the world naked shall I leave it blessed be the name of the lord Again the enemy says to him That he's been going to and fro have you considered job? Well, yes, of course, but if you touch his skin You took his possessions, but if you take his health He'll curse you to your face And god gives him permission. We know the story You can touch him, but you can't kill him And before you know it this man who was Of great import this man who was so totally respected by his neighbors and all who would ever heard of him Is sitting in a heap with a broken piece of pottery scraping the scabs off of his skin that is so Filled with pus and infection And here comes his friends Who sit there silently with him And then finally break the silence by making accusations. There's his wife Who says how long will you keep your integrity? Cursed god and die Thank you, baby. I love you very much too, but Probably not the wisest thing that anybody could do curse god and die And we know the story of joe How he went through so much pain The man who at one time was so respected has become the song of children and fools and finally As he's arguing with these men His comforters who we have now proverbially referred to as joe's comforters Because they bring bad counsel in your time of pain They still exist joe's comforters Oh, you've sinned You must have thought something hidden it in your heart, but god saw it And he took away your health and he took away your wealth and the reason you're going through this is because there's some secret sin You have to deal with joe And he argues with them for all those chapters in the book of joe till finally God makes his appearance in the book again It speaks to him Basically first by saying you think you know everything. Let me ask you some questions. Good yourself like a man and respond to my questions Where were you? When I told the sea to go this far and no further answer me if you can do you know the names of all the stars? I can I can tell you I can speak to you their names. I'm the one who cast them out there I created them all where were you joe? Did I ask your advice? on how to do this no And as god begins to speak to him in that ironic meth method Job is just there finally he's He says I've spoken without thinking I cover my mouth I'm in sackcloth and ashes I've heard of you with the hearing of my ear But now I have seen you with the scene of my eye And I abhor myself I'm sorry And the god our god began to minister to job and restored him and he went through all that pain And that's why james again in chapter 5 verse 11. It said to us indeed we count them blessed to endure You have heard of the perseverance of job and seen the end intended by the lord That the lord is very compassionate and merciful. We learned something About god. He is compassionate and merciful So yes, verse 7 says the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire May be found to praise honor and glory at the revelation of jesus christ So there'll be a result your faith is going to be found to praise honor and glory Praise refers to the approval that we as believers will receive from the judge Matthew 25 21 says his lord said unto him well done you good and faithful servant You have been faithful over a few things. I'll make you rule over many things Enter into the joy of your lord Well done. That's what you want to hear one day and you will hear it praise You will have honor honor refers to the honor that god will give to his children in his kingdom Today men look for honor from other men We want to be honored by other men and our honor that you receive from other men other people last a short time People think you're the greatest as long as you're a superstar They think you're wonderful as long as you're getting hits in home runs But what happens when you go over a hundred at baths without a home run? Any angels fans in here What happens to poo holes and others? Before you know it you have people writing to the editor Saying things about them. Why Why because honor from men only lasts a short time It only lasts for a short time You can do everything you can to strive to be approved by your friends And I promise you 10 years after you strive so much They don't even remember you or what you did But for all those years you try to be the most popular person You're in high school. You're trying to be the most popular person everybody you want them to know you So you do crazy things stupid things criminal things So that people will know that you are a real crazy person and and they want to you want them to talk about you And then you go to the tenure reunion. They don't even remember you when they look at you Who are you? Oh, my name is oh, you know what? Did we have classes together? Yeah, I took you to the prom Oh, you were that one that I laugh about Yeah What happens what happens here? We are wanting to be approved by man Jesus said in john 541 through 44 that we are the type he says you are the type who go and look for the approval of Men that you don't look for the approval or the honor that comes from god If you're going to be seeking honor Make it honor that comes from god John 12 26 says if any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be also If any man serve me him will my father honor And then he says you'll receive glory That that refers to our participation in the future life. It's going to be filled with radiance and glory That's why paul could write romans 8 18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory That will be revealed in us. It's worth it. Everything could go through It's worth it for the glory that one day will be revealed At the second coming of christ This occurs at the revelation of jesus christ In first christians 4 5 it says judge nothing before the time until the lord comes We'll both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the councils of the hearts And each one's praise will come from god And he says Whom having not seen you love Having not seen you love How's that work? I haven't seen jesus face to face One day I will how's that work So a woman goes to the doctor She hasn't been feeling well her husband says You ought to go in and talk to the doctor And she goes in and she has a test Doctor asks a few questions gives her a test. We used to call it the rabbit died You're pregnant You want this baby you'd been desiring this baby And now you're pregnant, but you don't look any differently But you know that within you there's life You haven't been gaining a lot of weight That occurs later And you come home and you say baby I'm pregnant Then you peel the husband off the floor and he says oh really Who's the father you are I'm pregnant Don't look any different But you're starting to feel different A month goes by a second month a third or fourth You start gaining a little weight by the fifth month you begin to put on some weight You're starting to feel movement in your womb You're starting to get used to the baby's habits at a certain certain point you begin to feel the kick You'll even know that at certain times the baby will kick and you'll put your hand there And you can feel the little kick and then you call the husband over and say honey Check this out put your hand right here and a moment later you feel a little kick and he's all right soccer player. Oh, that's great Got a baby And that baby, but you know what that baby goes on seven months eight months into the ninth You've never seen them You've got no idea what that baby looks like you've seen the sonograms those things are ugly You look at the sonogram. You say oh my it looks like the other side of the family. Look at that I hope it out grows that And there it is it's ugly little thing there with a huge overhead and little teen leagues And then one day One day The wife says my water is broken your timing and you realize that The birth pains are coming quicker. We got to get her in you drive over there. You sit down Doctor gets her in after a while They put a gown on you Put a little mask on you You go into that room there you are waiting The nurse comes in the nurse leaves the doctor comes in the doctor leaves leaves you by yourself You're there looking at your wife as a husband. I look at my wife and I'm thinking this is amazing This is so amazing. I cannot believe what's going on right now I cannot believe what's going on right now and then finally It's time And there she is just pushing and pushing and and the doctor says don't stop you got to keep going And you hear that that that that pushing sound that that that your wife is making and you're there just overwhelmed with it And before you know it you hear this sound A baby crying and they take that baby Under a little heat lamp They clean it up they wrap it up like a little burrito And they bring that baby to you And you hold it In your hands Have I never seen this baby though? Didn't you already love it? You already loved it Having never seen yet you loved I was already seeing myself as a dad before that baby ever parted the womb I was a dad The minute they told me and even before I just didn't realize it that I was going to have a baby with my beloved wife And when they handed that baby to me And I held that baby in my hands for the first time And I looked at Marie and I said look baby Look what we have my Korean Then my david my joseph my honor I loved them But I'd never seen them One of these days We will see Jesus face to face I love him But I've never seen him But one day I will That's the hope of every believer Not every religious person by the way Not every person who goes to church But like he had said at the beginning being begotten again That is the hope of every born again Christian believer Having never seen him He doesn't say having never seen him you kind of like him or having never seen him You think his philosophy is pretty good. No, he says having never seen him you love him Do you love him is the question? Do you love Jesus Christ? Christianity is not a system of just rules and regulations It's much deeper than that. Does it have rules and regulations? It has forms of rules and regulations absolutely So there's a call to live in a certain way to honor god. Absolutely But what's the origin of the desire to keep those rules and to live under those kinds of standards? It's the love It's love for jesus christ that one day We will all stand before the judge of this universe And we will give an account of ourselves to god And if the question were to be asked of us, why would I allow you into heaven? It will be because we can say because we have been bought by jesus christ washed in the blood Redeemed by the lamb Filled with his spirit our names are written in the lamb's book of life And it came because we heard the gospel message and believed it and confessed it into salvation And the reason I can be in heaven with you is because he paid the price for me That's how you get into heaven and having never seen him You love him and the day comes when you see his face and you will you will be able to say to him I to I jesus I have been worshiping and praising you and serving you without ever seeing you And now I see you and I simply want to say to you jesus I love you Thank you for what you've done for me Thank you for your goodness to me Thank you for the blessings you poured out in my life and those trials and those testings I passed through because I never was alone. You were with me You showed me what was inside of me, but you also showed me how good you are And you did a work in me that makes me for eternity simply capable of saying I love you And I will worship you and I will praise you forever That is what peter wants us to understand when we go through trials you go through trials But you love him and you will serve him because he's making you like him