HOPES — LIVELY OR CRUSHED
In speaking on I Peter I picked up on the theme of “Lively Hopes Versus Crushed Hopes” Think of how many things could have crushed the hopes of Peter and yet he had a lively hope because of the resurrection of Christ. 1. His Poverty. A poor background as a fisherman in an occupied country. 2. His Pedagogy. Peter was an unlearned man by the standards even of his day (Acts 4:13) 3. His Personality. He was pugnacious and impetuous (Matthew 16:13,23 John 18:10,11) ). 4. His Predictable Pusillanimous Behavior. He denied his Lord with cursings (Matt. 26:30, 69-75.) 5. His Probably Pooped Status. He had put in many decades of faithful and no doubt difficult service. He could well have been just plain worn out by now. Yet he found the renewal of Isaiah 40:28-31 6. Persecutions. With his people he faced present and future fiery trials. (I Peter 1:6; 3:14-16; 4:19; 5:9.) By way of contrast I…
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