Living Hope

Living Hope — 1 Peter 1:1–9

Alex Hogendoorn – April 5, 2026

Tagline

The resurrection of Jesus does not just give us a hope to hold onto — it gives us a hope that holds onto us.

Sermon Summary

Peter writes as an eyewitness. He was there at the empty tomb, he saw the grave clothes, and he met the risen Jesus multiple times — including the morning on the shore when Jesus restored him by name. The resurrection didn't just give Peter something to believe; it made him a new man. That is the word he uses: born again. Not improved or repaired, but a new beginning of life. And the hope that comes from this resurrection is not merely true or merely powerful — it is itself alive, grounded in the One who cannot die. The inheritance it points to is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading kept in heaven securely by God for us.

The sermon traced three things this living hope does for us now. It guards us — we are held within the perimeter of God's power, and nothing reaches us that has not first passed through him. It sustains us through trials — the grief is real, the joy is real, and they coexist; the trials are not random but serve a purpose that redeems them. And it gives us a joy that the visible world cannot explain or offer. Peter marvels that these believers love Jesus without having seen him, and that their joy is beyond telling and saturated with glory. We do not work up this living hope. We come to the empty tomb, we admit our need, and Jesus — who makes himself known — is the one who births it in us.

Group Discussion Guide

Icebreaker Question (pick one)

1. Playful: What is something that has genuinely surprised you this past week — good or bad?
2. Meaningful: Has there been a time in your life when your hope was running out? What kept you going?

Opening Prayer

Ask the Spirit to speak through the Word and to lead your time together.

Scripture Reading

Read 1 Peter 1:1–9 aloud as a group.

Main Discussion Questions

God Revealed The passage begins with a burst of praise for "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" — meaning Jesus has made the Father fully known to us. Look over verses 3–9 together. What has God done for us in Jesus, according to Peter?

Humanity Mirrored Which is hardest for you in your faith right now: attacks on your faith from outside, the trials that wear you down, or the distractions and temptations that pull your attention away?

Gospel-Centered Vision Peter describes blessings that are already ours and an inheritance still to come. How does holding both the "now" and the "not yet" together help you face what you're currently going through?

Transformed Living The sermon's central claim was that the living hope holds onto us even when we can barely hold on. Have you experienced that — a time when hope itself wasn't enough, but Jesus kept you anyway?

Sharing and Witness When did you last have a chance to talk about this hope with someone outside the church? If that opportunity comes this week, what would you tell them?

For Further Study

• John 20:1–18; 21:1–19 – Peter at the empty tomb, and Jesus restoring him on the shore — the eyewitness backstory behind this letter.
• 1 Peter 1:13–21 – Peter draws out the implications of this living hope: holiness, fear of God, and love for one another.
• Romans 5:1–5 – Suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope — hope that does not put us to shame.
• Romans 8:18–25 – Present suffering is not worth comparing to the coming glory; hope that is seen is not hope.
• Hebrews 6:17–20 – Hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, entering into the presence of God.
• James 1:2–4 – The testing of faith produces steadfastness — a parallel passage on trials and their purpose.
• 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 – Outwardly wasting away, inwardly renewed; the light and momentary troubles achieving an eternal weight of glory.
• Revelation 21:4 – The inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading — its final arrival.