Category: sermon

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE

1 Peter 2:1–12 (LSB)

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.” 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief corner stone,” 8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed. 9 But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul, 12 by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe them,  glorify God in the day of visitation.

Introduction

When Solomon finished building the temple, Israel gathered for a breathtaking moment. The ark was carried into the Holy of Holies, the priests withdrew, and suddenly the glory of Yahweh filled the house like a cloud so thick the priests could not stand to minister.

Solomon prayed a magnificent prayer, but in that prayer he made a stunning confession:

“Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27)

Solomon understood that the building was not the true dwelling place of God. The temple was a sign—a pointer—to a greater reality.

God’s real “house” was the people who obeyed Him, loved Him, and carried His name among the nations.

Throughout the chapter, Solomon repeatedly says that when God’s people pray, repent, seek forgiveness, or walk in His ways, God hears from heaven and acts. The building did not make Israel God’s house. God’s presence among His people made them His house.

And Peter picks up that same theme:

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5)

Just as God filled Solomon’s temple with His glory, He now fills His people with His Spirit. Just as Israel was meant to display God’s greatness to the nations, the church now displays His excellencies to the world.

Solomon’s temple was glorious—but it was only a shadow. The church is the reality.

There is something fascinating about the way our minds work with language. Over the years, as a soldier in Europe and later as a missionary in Asia, Africa, and Australasia, I picked up portions of several languages. I learned enough to communicate, enough to buy food, ask directions, and preach with an interpreter. But I never learned those languages well enough that I began to think in them. No matter what language I was speaking, my mind always returned to English—the language of my childhood, the language of home.

I believe Peter was much the same. He wrote this letter in Greek, but he thought deeply in the language of the Old Testament Scriptures. Behind his words are the great themes of Israel’s Scriptures—covenant, family, priesthood, sacrifice, holiness, temple, and the presence of God.

And that is why the word house becomes so important in this passage.

A house is more than four walls and a roof. A house can mean a family. It can mean a household. It can mean a place where people belong. It can mean a dwelling place.

Peter is writing to Christians who were scattered throughout the Roman world. They were strangers. They were exiles. They were living away from what was familiar. Some had lost homes. Some had lost security. Some had lost social standing. Some were being ridiculed and slandered because they belonged to Jesus Christ.

But listen carefully to what Peter does not say.

He does not say, “Try to become God’s house.”

He does not say, “Work your way into God’s family.”

He does not say, “Build a house that God might someday visit.”

Peter states a fact. He declares a reality. He tells struggling, scattered, slandered believers what is already true of them:

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house.”

“But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.”

“You once were not a people, but now you are the people of God.”

The verb is are. Present tense. Settled fact. Divine accomplishment.

You may be strangers in this world, but you are not homeless. You are already God’s house.

Men may reject you, but you are already chosen by God.

You may be scattered across the earth, but you already belong to God’s family.

You may be living in a hostile world, but God has already built you into His house.

And that is the message of this passage:

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE!

Not because we attended God’s house.

Not because we visited God’s house.

Not because we talked about God’s house.

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—because God made us His dwelling place. Because God made us His family. Because God built us together as His spiritual temple.

We do not become God’s house by our effort. We reflect God’s house by our living.

The identity comes first. The behavior follows. God does not command us to make ourselves His house; He tells us we are His house, and then calls us to live like everything that means.

Peter shows us two great realities.

We are His family.

We are His temple.

And because both of those realities are already true, both of them ought to become visible—for the glory of God.

I. WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE BECAUSE WE ARE GOD’S FAMILY

1 Peter 2:1–3, 9–12

Being God’s house begins with belonging.

Before God ever changed your behavior, He changed your identity.

Before He changed what you do, He changed who you are.

Notice the order in Peter’s letter again. He does not say, “Act like a chosen family, and then you will be one.” He says, “You are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”—and then, on the basis of that, he tells us how to live.

Think about that!

Chosen.

Royal.

Holy.

Possessed by God.

That is not your aspiration. That is your identity!

You belong to Him—not because you earned it, but because He chose you.

And when you know that you already belong to God, it changes the way you live. Life does not create the identity. The identity produces the life.

But notice something else. Though we are God’s family, there are still things that can cling to us that do not belong in God’s house. Peter says: “laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”

Notice—he does not say these things will un-family you. He says to take them off—like a garment that does not match the family you were born into.

These are not accidental sins.

These are relational sins.

They contradict our identity.

They destroy families.

They destroy churches.

They destroy fellowship.

They destroy testimony.

Malice wants to hurt somebody—but that is not how family behaves.

Deceit wants to fool somebody—but that is not how family behaves.

Hypocrisy wants to pretend before somebody—but that is not how family behaves.

Envy resents what somebody else has—but that is not how family behaves.

Slander wants to destroy somebody’s reputation—but that is not how family behaves.

Peter says, “Lay it aside!”

Take it off!

Throw it away!

Get rid of it!

Not to become God’s house—but because we are God’s house!

You cannot fill the house of God with bitterness and call it family life.

You cannot pray for revival while nursing resentment.

You cannot ask God to bless the church while destroying one another with your words.

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—and these things have no place in us!

A. We Are His Family, So We Long for the Word

Peter says:

“Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”

Peter takes us to the picture of a newborn baby.

Why a newborn? Because a newborn baby does nothing to earn its place in the family. It does not qualify for membership. It does not pass an interview. It is born into belonging—and everything about its life flows from that.

And what does a newborn baby know?

“I need milk!”

A baby doesn’t need a seminar on hunger.

A baby doesn’t need someone to explain the nutritional value of milk.

A baby wants it!

And Peter says that ought to describe the Christian’s relationship with the Word of God.

“Long for the pure milk of the word.”

The word “long” describes an intense desire. It means to crave, to yearn for, to desire deeply.

Notice the logic: the appetite is the evidence of life. A baby longs for milk because the baby is alive. A believer longs for the Word because the believer has been born again.

In other words:

If God has given you spiritual life, you will have a spiritual appetite!

The appetite does not make you family. The appetite proves you are family.

But that raises a sobering question:

What is wrong with a Christian who never wants the Word?

What is wrong with a believer who can spend hours looking at a screen but cannot spend fifteen minutes in Scripture?

What is wrong when the newspaper is more interesting than the Bible?

What is wrong when social media gets our attention, but God’s Word cannot hold it?

Peter says, “Long for the pure milk of the word.”

Why?

“So that by it you may grow.”

God never intended for you to remain spiritually immature.

He wants you to grow!

He wants your faith to grow.

He wants your understanding to grow.

He wants your holiness to grow.

He wants your love to grow.

He wants your witness to grow.

He wants your prayer life to grow.

God wants you to grow!

The psalmist said, “O taste and see that Yahweh is good” (Psalm 34:8).

Once you’ve tasted God’s goodness, you ought to want more!

Have you tasted His goodness?

Have you tasted His mercy?

Have you tasted His forgiveness?

Have you tasted His grace?

Have you tasted the sweetness of His Word?

Then come back for more!

Open the Book!

Read the Word!

Study the Word!

Believe the Word!

Obey the Word!

Preach the Word!

Live the Word!

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—and God’s house feeds on God’s Word!

B. We Are His Family, So We Proclaim His Excellencies

Peter says:

“You are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.”

Those words echo Exodus 19:6, where God called Israel a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” They echo Isaiah’s declaration that God’s people were formed so that they might declare His praise (Isaiah 43:21).

But Peter tells us why God has given us this identity:

“So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Notice—Peter does not say God saved us in order to make us a people. He says God made us a people in order to show Him off!

We were chosen for a purpose.

We were purchased for a proclamation.

There is the reason for the identity!

God didn’t save you so that you could sit silently.

God didn’t bring you out of darkness so you could hide in the shadows.

God didn’t show you mercy so you could keep it to yourself.

God saved you so you could tell somebody!

The word “proclaim” means to announce, declare, make known.

We do not witness to become God’s people. We witness because we are God’s people!

In other words:

Tell it!

Tell what He has done!

Tell who He is!

Tell what He has saved you from!

Tell what He has saved you to!

Tell how He brought you out of darkness!

Tell how He brought you into light!

Tell how He forgave your sin!

Tell how He gave you mercy!

Tell how He changed your life!

Peter says, “You once were not a people, but now you are the people of God.”

That is your testimony!

I once was lost—but now I belong to God!

I once was in darkness—but now I am in the light!

I once had not received mercy—but now I have received mercy!

That’s why we witness!

That’s why we preach!

That’s why we sing!

That’s why we worship!

That’s why we tell the world about Jesus!

We have good news!

And good news is meant to be announced!

C. We Are His Family, So We Live Honorably Before the World

Peter calls us “sojourners and exiles.”

We are here, but this world is not our final home.

We live here, but we belong somewhere else.

We work here.

We raise our families here.

We serve here.

We witness here.

But we are citizens of another kingdom.

Our citizenship is already in heaven—and that fact determines how we live on earth.

So Peter says:

“Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.”

Notice the language:

Wage war.

Sin is not playing games with you.

Sin is not your friend.

Sin is not harmless.

Sin is fighting for your soul.

The enemy wants to weaken your testimony.

He wants to corrupt your mind.

He wants to destroy your family.

He wants to poison your relationships.

He wants to make you ineffective for Christ.

So Peter says:

“Abstain!”

Don’t flirt with sin.

Don’t negotiate with sin.

Don’t entertain sin.

Flee it!

Not to earn your place in the house—but because nothing unclean belongs in the house you already are!

And then Peter says:

“Keep your conduct excellent among the Gentiles.”

The word “excellent” speaks of what is beautiful, noble, honorable, and admirable.

In other words:

Make your life beautiful for Jesus!

Let the outside match the inside!

Let your conduct preach.

Let your integrity preach.

Let your marriage preach.

Let your kindness preach.

Let your forgiveness preach.

Let your honesty preach.

Let your purity preach.

Let your compassion preach.

Let your life become a testimony that cannot easily be dismissed.

Jesus said, “let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Peter says that even people who slander Christians may eventually observe their good works and glorify God.

Notice: the good works do not make us God’s house. The good works let the world see that we already are God’s house.

What if your life became the sermon someone needed to hear?

What if your neighbor came to Christ because of what he saw in you?

What if your coworker began asking questions about Jesus because of your integrity?

What if your family saw something in your life that made them hungry for God?

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE!

Let the world see what God has already built!

II. WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE BECAUSE WE ARE GOD’S TEMPLE

1 Peter 2:4–8

Peter now changes the picture.

He moves from family to building.

From household to temple.

From belonging to construction.

And notice once more: the construction is God’s work, not ours. “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house.” God is the Builder. We are the building. And at the center of it all is Jesus.

A. Christ Is the Cornerstone

Peter says that Jesus is a “living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God.”

What a contrast!

Rejected by men.

Chosen by God.

The world rejected Jesus.

They mocked Him.

They beat Him.

They crucified Him.

They buried Him.

But God raised Him!

The stone that men rejected became the cornerstone of God’s eternal purpose.

Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.”

He also quotes Psalm 118:22:

“The stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief corner stone.”

Here is the foundation of everything in this passage: God laid the cornerstone. The house does not exist because we built it. The house exists because God laid the Stone.

Jesus is not a decorative stone.

Jesus is not an accessory.

Jesus is not one option among many.

Jesus is the cornerstone!

And because the Cornerstone is already laid, everything must line up with Him.

Your theology must line up with Him.

Your marriage must line up with Him.

Your morality must line up with Him.

Your priorities must line up with Him.

Your ambitions must line up with Him.

Your church must line up with Him.

Your whole life must line up with Jesus!

If Christ is crooked in your thinking, your life will be crooked.

If Christ is pushed to the side, your life will become misaligned.

If Christ is removed, the entire structure collapses.

Christ must be the cornerstone—because He already is!

And Peter gives us a warning.

For those who believe, Christ is precious.

But for those who reject Him, He is “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”

There is no neutral ground.

You will either build upon Christ—

or stumble over Christ.

You will either surrender to Him—

or resist Him.

You will either crown Him—

or reject Him.

Jesus demands a response.

B. We Are Living Stones

Peter says:

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house.”

Look at that phrase:

“living stones.”

God is building something alive!

He is not constructing a monument.

He is not creating a museum.

He is not assembling dead religion.

He is building a living house!

And you are part of it—not potentially, not eventually, but truly.

You matter.

You have a place.

You have a purpose.

You are being shaped.

You are being formed.

You are being fitted.

The Master Builder is working on you!

Notice: you did not place yourself in the building. God placed you. The stone does not choose the wall; the Builder chooses the stone.

Sometimes that shaping hurts.

Sometimes God has to cut away pride.

Sometimes He has to remove bitterness.

Sometimes He has to break our self-sufficiency.

Sometimes He has to reshape our priorities.

Sometimes He has to humble us.

But don’t despise the Builder’s hand!

He is fitting you for the house you already belong to!

And here is something else we must understand:

A living stone does not exist by itself.

Peter is talking about a house.

A building.

A people.

We need one another.

The church is not a collection of isolated Christians.

We are being built together.

We need the brother who encourages us.

We need the sister who prays for us.

We need the believer who corrects us.

We need the saint who walks beside us.

We need one another because God is building a house—and no house is one stone!

And what is the purpose?

Peter says:

“To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Our lives become offerings.

Paul says in Romans 12:1:

“present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.”

That’s worship!

Worship is not merely what happens when the music begins.

Worship is what happens when your life belongs to God.

You worship when you obey.

You worship when you serve.

You worship when you give.

You worship when you forgive.

You worship when you resist temptation.

You worship when you love someone who cannot repay you.

You worship when you tell somebody about Jesus.

You worship when you surrender your will to God.

Your life is the sacrifice!

So bring Him your life!

Bring Him your mind!

Bring Him your hands!

Bring Him your feet!

Bring Him your home!

Bring Him your marriage!

Bring Him your possessions!

Bring Him your future!

Bring Him your dreams!

Bring Him everything!

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—and the house exists for the praise of its Builder!

III. WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

Now we come to the great purpose of it all.

Why did God build this house?

Why did He save us?

Why does He sanctify us?

Why did He make us His family?

Why did He make us living stones?

Peter gives us the answer:

“So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

God built this house to display His glory.

The church does not exist merely to make us comfortable.

The church exists to make Christ known!

We are not saved merely to sit.

We are saved to serve.

We are not saved merely to receive.

We are saved to give.

We are not saved merely to be blessed.

We are saved to become a blessing.

We are not brought into the light merely to enjoy the light.

We are brought into the light so that we can shine!

Here is the key that unlocks the whole letter: we do not live well in order to become God’s house. We live well because we are God’s house—and the watching world needs to see what God has already done.

The world desperately needs to see a church that is alive.

It needs to see Christians who believe what they preach.

It needs to see Christians who love one another.

It needs to see Christians who forgive.

It needs to see Christians who stand for truth without hatred.

It needs to see Christians who live holy lives.

It needs to see Christians who are not controlled by the spirit of the age.

It needs to see people who have been transformed by Jesus Christ.

The world needs to see God’s house—not a building, but a people in whom God actually dwells.

And that means the question is not merely:

“Do people know that I am a Christian?”

The question is:

“What do people think about Jesus because they know me?”

That’s the question!

What does your family think about Jesus because of you?

What does your neighbor think about Jesus because of you?

What does your coworker think about Jesus because of you?

What does your church family think about Jesus because of you?

What does an unbelieving world see when it looks at your life?

Does it see Christ?

Does it see grace?

Does it see holiness?

Does it see mercy?

Does it see truth?

Does it see love?

Does it see Jesus?

The house is already built by God. The question is whether the windows are clean enough for the world to see the Light inside.

Conclusion — WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE — SO LIVE LIKE IT!

Peter’s message to scattered believers is God’s message to us today:

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE!

We are His family.

We are His temple.

We are His witness.

We are His worshipers.

We are His living stones.

That is not a goal to achieve. That is a grace to display.

Stand on the Cornerstone!

Build your life on Jesus—not to get into the house, but because you are in the house!

Let Him shape you!

Let Him sanctify you!

Let Him use you!

Let Him fill you!

Let Him send you!

And perhaps you look at your past and think, “God could never use me.”

Maybe you see your failures.

Maybe you see your wounds.

Maybe you see the years you wasted.

Maybe you see the choices you regret.

Maybe you see the things you cannot change.

Listen to me:

Your past does not have to be your future!

Your failures do not have to be your identity!

Your wounds do not have to be your destiny!

Your history does not have to determine your eternity!

God is a Master Builder!

He takes broken lives and builds something beautiful.

He takes sinners and makes them saints.

He takes strangers and makes them family.

He takes people who were far away and brings them near.

He takes those who had not received mercy and gives them mercy.

He takes people who lived in darkness and brings them into marvelous light.

That’s what God does!

That is exactly what He has already done for everyone who is in Christ—and it is what He stands ready to do for you.

But there is one thing you must settle.

What will you do with Jesus?

Because Jesus is the Cornerstone.

You cannot ignore Him.

You cannot hide from Him.

You cannot remain neutral about Him.

You will either build upon Him—

or stumble over Him.

You may be religious and still not know Christ.

You may attend God’s house and still not be part of God’s house.

You may know the Bible and still reject its Savior.

You may sing the hymns and still have an unconverted heart.

You may know about Jesus without ever trusting Jesus.

So I ask you today:

Have you come to Christ?

Have you repented of your sin?

Have you trusted in His death and resurrection?

Have you surrendered your life to Him?

Have you been brought out of darkness into His marvelous light?

If not, come to Christ today!

The door of the house is open!

Don’t wait for a better day.

Don’t wait until you understand everything.

Don’t wait until you clean yourself up.

You cannot clean yourself up enough to save yourself.

Come to Jesus!

Come with your sin.

Come with your guilt.

Come with your failure.

Come with your brokenness.

Come with your shame.

Come with your emptiness.

Come to Jesus!

He is the living Stone.

He is the Cornerstone.

He is the Savior.

He is the One who died for sinners.

He is the One who rose again.

He is the One who gives mercy.

He is the One who brings us from darkness into light.

And if you will turn from your sin and trust Him, God will place you as a living stone in His house—today, by grace, forever.

And if you already belong to Him, then I remind you of who you are:

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—so live like it!

Lay aside the bitterness—it does not belong in this house.

Lay aside the envy—it does not belong in this house.

Lay aside the hypocrisy—it does not belong in this house.

Lay aside the deceit—it does not belong in this house.

Lay aside the slander—it does not belong in this house.

Get hungry for the Word again!

Get serious about holiness again!

Get passionate about prayer again!

Get burdened for the lost again!

Get bold about the gospel again!

Get surrendered to Christ again!

Let God restore what sin has damaged.

Let God revive what has grown cold.

Let God awaken what has fallen asleep.

Let God rebuild what has been broken.

Let God use you again!

Church, WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE—so let us live like God’s house!

Let this church be a house of prayer—because it already is.

Let this church be a house of worship—because it already is.

Let this church be a house of holiness—because it already is.

Let this church be a house of compassion—because it already is.

Let this church be a house of truth—because it already is.

Let this church be a house of evangelism—because it already is.

Let this church be a house where sinners find mercy.

Let this church be a house where the broken find healing.

Let this church be a house where the lost hear the gospel.

Let this church be a house where Jesus Christ is exalted!

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE!

God has built a house.

God has formed a family.

God has made us His temple.

And He built it all upon one foundation—

Jesus Christ!

It is not our task to become God’s house. It is our joy to reflect that we already are.

So let us come to Him.

Let us trust Him.

Let us surrender to Him.

Let us worship Him.

Let us obey Him.

Let us proclaim Him.

Let us live for Him.

Let us die to ourselves and live for His glory.

And when the world looks at us, may it see more than a religious organization.

May it see more than a building.

May it see more than a denomination.

May it see the living presence of Jesus Christ in His people!

May our lives proclaim His excellencies.

May our homes proclaim His excellencies.

May our churches proclaim His excellencies.

May our worship proclaim His excellencies.

May our witness proclaim His excellencies.

May everything about us point to the One who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

Christ is the Cornerstone.

We are the living stones.

God has built the house.

And the purpose is His glory.

So, church—

WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE!

Amen.

BE HOPEFUL

BE HOPEFUL

1 Peter 1:1-12 LSB

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, made careful searches and inquiries, 11 inquiring to know what time or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He was predicting the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been declared to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

Introduction

Before we step into Peter’s words, remember the story of Daniel—a young man torn from Jerusalem and thrust into the heart of Babylon’s pagan empire. He lived as an exile, pressured to conform, threatened for his convictions, and surrounded by a world that neither understood nor welcomed his faith. Yet Daniel discovered that exile is not evidence of God’s absence but the stage on which God proves His faithfulness. In the lions’ den, in the king’s court, and in every trial, God sustained him, refined him, and displayed His glory through him. Daniel’s experience prepares us to hear Peter’s message: God’s people may be scattered, but they are never forsaken; they may be pressured, but a living hope always holds them.

The people of God Peter wrote to were shaken loose from the places they love. The familiar world collapsed, and believers found themselves scattered into places they never expected to be. That is what happened to the early church in Jerusalem. The church that exploded into existence at Pentecost experienced another explosion shortly afterward—an explosion of persecution. Luke records in Acts 8:1 that “a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” The pressure became so intense that most Christians were forced outward, into the surrounding regions of the Roman Empire. They left the comfort of home to live in places they did not know, among people they could not understand. And the further they traveled, the stranger the world became. They were exiles—not tourists, not immigrants, not settlers—but displaced people living in a world that did not want them.

Peter writes his first letter to these scattered believers. And what he gives them is not a survival manual, not a political strategy, not a plan for escape. He gives them hope—a living hope, a durable hope, a hope strong enough to sustain them in a hostile world. Today, we will walk through 1 Peter 1:1–12 and see how Peter builds that hope, phrase by phrase, promise by promise, until the exiles discover that the world they thought was crushing them is actually the stage on which God is proving their faith, displaying their worth, and preparing their glory.

The Reality of Exile: Pressure From Every Direction

Before Peter gives them hope, he acknowledges their reality. These Christians were living in a world that was stacked against them in every direction, and Peter does not pretend otherwise. He does not minimize their suffering or spiritualize their pain. He names it. And in naming it, he dignifies it.

They were socially ostracized. They were neighbors, but not citizens. They lived near others but did not belong. They were excluded from the social life of the Roman world because they could not participate in the festivals, sacrifices, and feasts that defined Roman identity. Their refusal to join in pagan rituals made them appear antisocial, unpatriotic, and disloyal. In a culture where religion and civic life were inseparable, the Christian who refused to burn incense to Caesar was not merely exercising religious freedom—he was committing social suicide.

They were politically vulnerable. Jesus had warned His disciples that He was sending them out as lambs among wolves (Matthew 10:16). In the Roman world, that meant any neighbor could turn them in to the authorities for interrogation and punishment. All residents were expected to honor the emperor with a small sacrifice. Christians could not do that. Their loyalty to Christ made them appear rebellious. And as exiles, they had no legal protection, no advocate, no due process. A whisper of accusation could bring a knock at the door.

They were economically marginalized. Business in the Roman world was tied to pagan feasts. Those feasts were where deals were made, where clients were found, where networks were built. If you did not attend, you did not work. Many Christians lost their jobs, their income, and even their family inheritance. Becoming a Christian often meant becoming poor. The cost of discipleship was measured not only in persecution but in paychecks.

They were morally out of place. Roman society was enslaved to drunkenness, sexual immorality, and idolatry. These were not fringe behaviors—they were normal, celebrated, woven into the fabric of daily life. But Christians lived by a different moral code, shaped by the Old Testament and the teachings of Christ. Their purity made them stand out, and standing out made them targets. 1 Peter 4:4 says that the Gentiles “are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you.” The world does not hate Christians for being weird; it hates them for being holy.

Women and slaves suffered even more. Male heads of households dominated Roman society. Women and slaves who converted to Christianity were legally considered the property of their pagan husbands and masters. Their faith put them in dangerous positions—submitting to authority that did not share their convictions, living under roofs where the name of Christ was unwelcome, serving masters who saw their newfound faith as insubordination. The cost of following Christ was not equal across the social spectrum; it was steepest for those with the least power.

In every direction—socially, politically, economically, morally—these Christians were pressured, misunderstood, and mistreated. They were exiles in a world that did not want them. And yet, Peter writes to them about hope.

I. Why Exiles Need Hope (1:1–9)

Peter begins by explaining why these believers needed a message of hope. He does not give them a pat on the back or a motivational speech. He gives them theology—deep, sturdy, unshakable theology that can hold the weight of their suffering.

They were chosen exiles (vv. 1–2). Peter calls them “elect exiles”—eklektos parepidēmos. The word parepidēmos is a compound of three Greek ideas: epi (presence), para (nearness without belonging), and dēmos (an established people). Together, the word describes someone who lives in a place but whose identity, citizenship, and homeland lie elsewhere. They were exiles—but not accidents. They were displaced—but not forgotten. They were scattered—but not abandoned. God chose them to be where they were. The word “chosen” (eklektos) is the first word Peter uses to describe them—not “scattered,” not “suffering,” not “exiled,” but “chosen.” Before they were scattered, they were selected. Before they were exiles, they were elect. Their displacement was not an afterthought; it was an assignment. As a soldier and later as a missionary, I lived out that experience. It is hard to function in a place where you do not belong. But what made it bearable was knowing I had a purpose for being there. That is Peter’s message: you are not just aliens—you are ambassadors. You are not just refugees—you are missionaries. You are not just scattered—you are sent. The scattering is the sending. The exile is the mission field.

Peter grounds their election in the Trinity: “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood.” The Father chose them before time. The Spirit set them apart in time. The Son saved them through His blood in time. The whole Trinity is at work in the exile. The God who chose them is the God who sustains them. The God who scattered them is the God who keeps them.

They were heirs waiting for their inheritance (vv. 3–4). Peter tells them they have been born again into a living hope and into an incorruptible inheritance (aphtharton—immune to decay), undefiled (amianton—unstained by sin), and unfading (amaranton never losing its brilliance). Three negatives that describe an absolute positive: nothing can ruin it, nothing can stain it, nothing can diminish it. But that inheritance is not in their hands yet. It is stored away—kept in heaven to be given to them when Jesus returns. They were like heirs whose wealth is in a foreign bank. The money is theirs, but they cannot access it yet. The property is theirs, but they cannot live on it yet. The book of Hebrews describes Old Testament saints the same way—wandering, suffering, persecuted, destitute—yet called “people of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38). Peter tells these exiles: you are royalty in rags. You are heirs in exile. You are destined for glory when the King returns. The waiting does not diminish the inheritance. It is guaranteed by it. The word “kept” (tēreō) in verse 4 is the same word used in verse 5 for the believers being “protected” by God’s power. The inheritance is kept for you, and you are kept for the inheritance. Heaven guards both sides of the promise.

They were precious but being refined (vv. 5–7). Peter says God’s power is guarding them through faith. But for now, they are grieved by various trials. Why? Because their faith is being tested—like gold in a furnace. The word peirazō means to prove, to test, to demonstrate the genuineness of something. Gold is refined by fire to remove impurities; faith is refined by fire to reveal its authenticity. They felt like they were living in a cursed generation. The world hated them. Their neighbors distrusted them. Their culture rejected them. But God saw them as more precious than gold. And like gold, they were being refined by fire—not destroyed by it. The fire that burns away dross does not consume the metal; it purifies it. The trial that feels like destruction is actually purification. Peter says the proven faith will “be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The day is coming when the furnace will be opened, and what comes out will not be ash but refined gold—faith that has been tested, proven, and crowned. The suffering is temporary. The glory is eternal.

They were believers who had not yet seen what they believed (vv. 8–9). Peter says they love Jesus even though they have never seen Him. They believe in Him even though they do not see Him now. They rejoice with inexpressible joy because they know salvation is coming. The word agalliō (“greatly rejoice”) means to exult, to leap for joy—it is not a quiet, internal contentment but an overflowing, exuberant delight. And this joy is “inexpressible” (aneklalētō)—too deep for words, too full for language, too glorious for human vocabulary to contain. They were living in a hopeless world—but they were not hopeless people. They were suffering—but they were not defeated. They were marginalized—but they were not forgotten. Their hope was anchored in the future return of Christ, and that anchor held firm even when everything else gave way.

II. Why Exiles Can Have Hope Now (1:10–12)

Peter has explained why they need hope. Now he explains why they can have hope right now, even before Christ returns. The ground of their present hope is not found in their circumstances but in their position in redemptive history. They are living in the era that everything before them was pointing toward.

They were living in the time the prophets longed to see (vv. 10–11). Peter says the Old Testament prophets searched and inquired carefully about the salvation that was coming. The word exzēteō means to seek out diligently, to search with intense effort. The prophets were not passive recipients of revelation; they were active investigators of their own prophecies. They tried to figure out when their prophecies would be fulfilled. They saw glimpses of Christ’s sufferings and glories—the cross and the crown, the humiliation and the exaltation—but they did not know when it would happen. The Spirit of Christ within them was predicting “the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” The same Spirit who inspired the prophecy also produced the longing. The prophets knew the promise; they did not know the timing. Peter tells these exiles: you are living in the days the prophets longed for. You are living in the time when God’s promises are being fulfilled. They were not born into the wrong era. They were born into the right one—the era of Christ’s kingdom breaking into the world. The prophets looked forward to what these exiles were experiencing. The exiles were living in the fulfillment of what the prophets could only imagine.

Even angels longed to understand their salvation (v. 12). Peter says angels “long to look” into these things. The Greek word parakypsai means to stoop down and peer into something, to bend over and examine with intense curiosity. It is the same word used in John 20:5, where John stoops to look into the empty tomb—angels—glorious, powerful, unfallen beings—long to understand the salvation these exiles were experiencing. Angels have never been redeemed. Angels have never been forgiven. Angels have never tasted grace. They have seen God’s holiness, but they have never experienced God’s mercy. They watch the drama of redemption from the balcony, leaning over the rail, straining to understand what it means to be saved by blood. And Peter says: that salvation—the one angels envy—is yours. If angels envy your salvation, you are not living in a cursed generation. You are living in the most privileged era of redemptive history. The prophets searched for it. The angels stooped to see it. And you possess it.

They were not destined to be crushed by the culture but to transform it. Peter tells them that their suffering is not a sign of defeat. It is a sign that they are following in the footsteps of Christ, who suffered, then triumphed. The pattern is always the same: cross first, crown second. Suffering first, glory second. Death first, resurrection second. The Roman world was designed for the devil himself—full of idolatry, immorality, and injustice. But these exiles were placed there to be salt and light. They were not going to be destroyed by the culture. They were going to transform it. And they did. Within three centuries, the Roman Empire bowed its knee to Christ. The empire that scattered the church was conquered by the church—not by swords, but by the gospel. The exiles did not survive the culture; they converted it. The hope that Peter gave them was not sentimental optimism; it was the engine of revolution.

What This Means for Us

Most Christians today do not face the level of persecution Peter’s readers did. But we do face pressure. Our culture is increasingly hostile to biblical truth. We are tempted to compromise, to blend in, to keep quiet, to treat our faith as a private hobby rather than a public allegiance. But Peter’s message is for us too.

We are chosen exiles. We do not fully belong here. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our inheritance is for a future time. We are ambassadors, not settlers. The exile is not a punishment; it is a posting. The pressure is not a surprise; it is a confirmation that we belong to a kingdom the world cannot see and cannot overthrow.

We are heirs of a future kingdom. Our inheritance is secure. Our hope is alive—living hope, not dead hope. Not hope that depends on circumstances, politics, economies, or health. Hope that depends on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The same power that raised Him is the power that keeps us. The same God who appointed the inheritance is the God who guards the heirs.

We are precious to God, even when tested. Trials refine us. Suffering strengthens us. Fire purifies us. The faith that has been tested is the faith that has been proven. And proven faith is more valuable to God than gold—because gold perishes, but faith endures. The furnace is not the enemy; the furnace is the refiner. The fire is not the destroyer; the fire is the proof.

We are living in the time of fulfillment. The gospel has come. The Spirit has been given. The kingdom is advancing. We are not waiting for God to begin. We are living in the middle of what He is doing. The prophets searched for this. The angels stooped to see this. And we are the ones who get to live it.

Our mission is not to blend in but to stand out. We are not here to be absorbed by the culture. We are here to confront it with truth and transform it with love. God has given us His Word as our guidebook—not just a record of what He did in the past, but a manual for how to live on mission today.

Conclusion: The King Is Coming

Peter wrote to exiles in a hostile world—and he gave them hope. Not a shallow hope. Not a sentimental hope. A living hope rooted in God’s choosing, God’s promises, God’s power, and God’s future. We are exiles too. But we are chosen exiles. We are heirs in waiting. We are gold in the furnace. We are believers who have not yet seen what we believe. We are living in the days the prophets longed to see. We are the people angels envy. We are missionaries in a world that desperately needs the gospel.

So, we lift our heads. We stand firm. We hold fast. We live with hope. Because the King is coming, and when He comes, the exiles will finally be at home. Amen.

Evangelistic Appeal

If you have never trusted Christ, hear what Peter is saying: the hope he describes is not reserved for the worthy. It is offered to the weary. It is not earned by the strong. It is given to the broken. Peter’s readers were displaced, rejected, poor, and pressured—and Peter called them chosen. He called them heirs. He called them precious. He called them people of a living hope. That same hope is available to you right now, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Christ suffered—the “sufferings of Christ” the prophets predicted were fulfilled on the cross, where He bore the punishment for sin. And Christ was glorified—the “glories to follow” began with an empty tomb and will culminate in His return. The pattern that shaped Peter’s readers—suffering then glory, cross then crown—is the pattern that saves you. Christ took the cross so you could share the crown. He endured the suffering so you could inherit the glory. He was scattered by death so you could be gathered into life.

Come to Christ. Receive His forgiveness. Enter His inheritance. Become one of the chosen exiles—not a refugee without a home, but an heir waiting for a kingdom. The prophets searched for this salvation. The angels long to understand it. And it is offered to you, freely, fully, right now. Turn from sin. Trust in Christ. And discover the hope that does not disappoint—because the King is coming, and when He comes, every exile who trusted Him will finally be home.

CONTINUE

CONTINUE

2 Timothy 3:14-17 LSB

14 But you, continue in the things you learned and became convinced of, knowing from whom you learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Introduction: The Crossroads of Completion

There is a holy moment that arrives when a believer finishes reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It is a moment of accomplishment, gratitude, and awe. You have walked through the garden of Eden and the flood of judgment. You have followed Abraham from Ur to Canaan, stood with Moses on Sinai, crossed the Jordan with Joshua, and watched David rise from shepherd to king. You have heard the prophets warn, weep, and hope. You have sat at the feet of Jesus in Galilee, followed Him to Golgotha, and stood with the women at the empty tomb. You have traveled with Paul across the Roman Empire and stood with John on Patmos as heaven opened and the New Jerusalem descended. You have read every page, every chapter, every verse. And now you have closed the cover.

But it is also a crossroads. Many stop here—satisfied, relieved, even proud. The goal has been reached. The project is complete. The Bible has been read from cover to cover, and the check can be marked on the list. Yet the moment you close the Bible for the last time is the moment the danger begins. Not the danger of having read it, but the danger of thinking the reading is done. Paul’s words to Timothy speak directly into this moment: “But as for you, continue…” (2 Timothy 3:14). Finishing the Bible is not the end—it is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the God who speaks through His Word. This is Paul’s pastoral plea to a young minister, and it becomes God’s call to every believer who has just closed the final page: Continue.

The letter of 2 Timothy is Paul’s final letter. He is in prison, likely in Rome, facing execution. He has no more sermons to preach, no more missionary journeys to plan, no more churches to plant. What he has is a young protégé named Timothy, and a burden that the next generation would not abandon the Word. Paul’s concern is not that Timothy has not read Scripture. His concern is that Timothy might stop living in it. The command is not “begin” but “continue.” The assumption is that Timothy is already in the Word. The danger is that he might drift from it—pressured by suffering, seduced by false teaching, exhausted by ministry, discouraged by opposition. Into that danger Paul speaks a word that have echoed through every generation of the church: continue.

I. The Call to Continue (v. 14)

Paul begins with a command: “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed.” The Greek verb menō means “to remain, abide, stay rooted.” It is the same word Jesus used when He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). The word describes not a visit but a dwelling. Not a glance but a gaze. Not a passing acquaintance but a permanent residence. Paul is not urging Timothy to merely remember Scripture but to remain in it—to live in it, to stay under its authority, to keep returning to it day after day. The present imperative indicates continuous, ongoing action. This is not a one-time command but a lifelong posture. Continue. Keep on continuing. Never stop continuing.

Paul adds, “Knowing from whom you learned it.” Timothy’s teachers were trustworthy—his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5), and the apostle Paul himself. Their lives validated their teaching. They did not merely preach the Word; they lived it. They did not merely hand Timothy a Bible; they handed him a model. Paul reminds Timothy of this because continuity in the Word is strengthened by the memory of those who first planted it. Scripture is not learned in isolation. God often uses faithful people to plant His Word in us—a mother’s bedtime story, a grandmother’s worn Bible, a pastor’s unwavering conviction, a Sunday school teacher’s patient explanation. And when we continue in Scripture, we honor the legacy of those who taught us. We carry forward what they carried to us. The chain of faithfulness stretches from Lois to Eunice to Timothy to us—and it must not break.

For the believer who has just finished reading the Bible, Paul’s command is clear: Do not treat Scripture as a completed project. Treat it as a continuing relationship. You have learned much—now remain in it. The Bible is not a book you graduate from. It is a book you grow in. The first reading is the foundation. The second reading is the frame. The third reading is the walls. The fourth reading is the roof. And the fifth reading reveals rooms you never noticed before—passages that were there all along but that you were not yet ready to see. The Bible is inexhaustible because the God who breathed it is inexhaustible. You will never reach the bottom of a well that has no bottom.

II. The Scriptures and Their Saving Power (v. 15)

Paul reminds Timothy that “from childhood you have known the sacred writings.” The word brephos refers to infancy—a nursing child, a baby. Timothy was shaped by the Word from the earliest moments of his life. His mother and grandmother did not wait until he was old enough to understand. They planted Scripture in his heart from the beginning, trusting that the seed would grow. And it did. The early shaping became lifelong strength. This is a powerful reminder to every parent and grandparent: the window of spiritual formation opens early, and the Word planted in infancy bears fruit for a lifetime.

Paul calls Scripture “the sacred writings.” The Greek word hieros means “holy, consecrated, set apart.” Scripture is not ordinary literature. It is not merely ancient wisdom or cultural heritage. It is holy ground. When you open your Bible each morning, you step into a sacred space where God speaks. The pages are common paper and ordinary ink, but the words are set apart by God Himself—consecrated for the purpose of revealing His character, His will, and His salvation. Moses was told to remove his sandals because the ground where he stood was holy (Exodus 3:5). The believer who opens the Word stands on the same ground. The holiness has not diminished. The God who spoke from the burning bush speaks from the printed page.

Then Paul makes a profound statement: Scripture is “able to make you wise for salvation.” The word sophia (wisdom) means more than knowledge—it means skill for living. Scripture gives the wisdom that leads to salvation, and salvation comes “through faith in Christ Jesus.” This is a crucial interpretation: Scripture’s ultimate purpose is not information but transformation. It does not merely fill the mind with data; it directs the soul to the Savior. Every page of Scripture—Old Testament and New Testament, narrative and law, prophecy and poetry, gospel and epistle—points to Christ. He is the center. He is the goal. He is the meaning. Luke 24:27 says that Jesus, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, explained “the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” The whole Bible is a book about Jesus. The whole Bible makes you wise for salvation through faith in Him.

If you have just finished reading the Bible, you have walked through the story of salvation. But salvation is not a story you finish—it is a life you live. And Scripture is the daily wisdom that keeps you walking in Christ. The wisdom that led you to salvation is the same wisdom that sustains you in sanctification. You do not outgrow the Word. You grow deeper into it.

III. The Divine Origin of Scripture (v. 16)

Paul now explains why Scripture has such power: “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” The Greek word theopneustos is rare and beautiful—literally “God-breathed.” The word combines theos (God) and pneō (to breathe). It appears only here in the entire New Testament, and its rarity underscores its weight. Scripture is not merely inspired in the way a poet is inspired by a sunset. It is exhaled by God Himself. Every word, every sentence, every verse, every chapter, every book is the very breath of God. The authors were not autonomous writers who happened to be religious. They were instruments through whom God spoke. 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The breath of God moved through the pen of man, and the result is a Book that is unlike any other book ever written.

This observation is vital: When you read the Bible, you are inhaling the breath of God. You are receiving His life, His truth, His voice. The same breath that spoke the universe into existence (Psalm 33:6: “By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host”) speaks through the pages of Scripture. The same breath that God breathed into Adam to make him a living being (Genesis 2:7) is breathed into the Word to make the reader a living soul. The Bible is alive because the Breath behind it is alive. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” It is not a dead document. It is a living voice. And that voice speaks every time the book is opened.

Because Scripture is God-breathed, it is authoritative. It is trustworthy. It is sufficient. It is living. And this is why you must continue reading it daily. You cannot live spiritually on yesterday’s breath. The Israelites could not store the manna—they had to gather it fresh each morning (Exodus 16:4). In the same way, the believer cannot live on last week’s reading. The breath of God is available every day, but it must be received every day. The Christian who stops reading the Word is the Christian who stops breathing spiritually. And a person who stops breathing does not stay still—they begin to die.

IV. The Practical Usefulness of Scripture (v. 16b)

Paul lists four functions of Scripture, each one essential for daily Christian living. These four functions describe a complete cycle of spiritual care—what the Word does in the life of the believer who continues in it.

Scripture teaches. It instructs in truth. It forms doctrine, shapes convictions, and builds a biblical worldview. The Greek word didaskalia means teaching, instruction, doctrine. The Word tells us what is true—about God, about ourselves, about the world, about salvation, about the future. In a culture that is confused about the most basic realities—what a human being is, what marriage is, what justice is, what truth is—the Word teaches with clarity and authority. It is the corrective lens through which everything else comes into focus.

Scripture reproves. It exposes error. The Greek word elegmos means conviction, refutation, evidence of wrongdoing. The Word confronts sin, reveals deception, and warns us when we drift. It does not merely tell us what is right; it shows us where we are wrong. It is the mirror that reveals the face we cannot otherwise see (James 1:23–24). The believer who continues in the Word will be continually corrected—not because the Word is harsh, but because the human heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and needs constant recalibration.

Scripture corrects. It restores us. The Greek epanorthōsis means “to set upright again, to restore to an upright position.” It is the language of a physician resetting a broken bone. Scripture not only rebukes—it heals and redirects. It does not merely say “you are wrong”; it says “here is the right way, and here is how to walk in it.” The Word that wounds also binds up. The Word that breaks also heals. Hosea 6:1 says, “Come, let us return to Yahweh. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.” The same Word that convicts also restores.

Scripture trains in righteousness. It shapes character. The word paideia refers to disciplined training, like an athlete preparing for competition or a parent raising a child. It is not casual instruction but rigorous formation. The Word does not merely inform the mind; it forms the character. It does not merely produce knowledge; it produces holiness. The believer who continues in the Word is being trained—day after day, verse after verse, chapter after chapter—into the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 says God’s purpose is that believers be “conformed to the image of His Son.” The tool He uses is His Word.

These four functions show why daily Scripture reading is essential. You cannot be taught once and stay taught. You cannot be corrected once and stay corrected. You cannot be trained once and stay trained. The Christian life requires continual exposure to the Word because spiritual growth is continual. The athlete who stops training loses condition. The soldier who stops drilling loses skill. The believer who stops reading loses ground. The Word is not a one-time inoculation. It is a daily nourishment. It is not a graduation ceremony. It is a continuing education.

V. The Goal of Scripture (v. 17)

Paul concludes with the purpose: “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Now, in case you women might be thinking that Bible training is not for you, the Greek word anthrōpos is generic—it means “human being,” not “male.” There is a separate Greek word for man as masculine (anēr). This word anthrōpos applies to any human being—male or female, young or old, new believer or seasoned saint. The Word equips every believer for every good work. No one is excluded. No one is excused. No one is told, “This does not apply to you.”

The word artios (complete) means “fully fitted, perfectly prepared, complete in all its parts.” It is the word used for a ship that is fully rigged and ready for sea, or a tool that is perfectly suited for its task. Scripture equips you—shapes you, strengthens you, prepares you—for every good work God calls you to do. The word exērtismenos (thoroughly equipped) is a compound word that intensifies the meaning—”fully furnished, completely outfitted.” The image is of a worker stepping onto the job site with every tool in the belt, every skill in hand, every resource available. God does not send His people into the world unequipped. He gives them His Word, and His Word prepares them for everything He asks of them.

This is an important observation: Scripture is not merely for knowledge; it is for mission. God uses His Word to prepare His people for His work. The Bible is not a museum to be visited; it is a workshop to be used. The reading that ends at Revelation does not end in a display case. It ends in a life equipped for good works—works of mercy, works of witness, works of service, works of love, works of justice, works of holiness. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” The Word prepares us to walk in the works God prepared for us. If you stop reading Scripture, you stop being equipped. You stop being prepared. The good works God planned for your life remain undone because the tool that would have equipped you for them is sitting on the shelf.

Application: Why You Must Continue

You have finished reading the Bible. That is wonderful. But now you stand at the threshold of something greater—not less. The first reading introduced you to the terrain. The second reading will reveal the depths. The third reading will change you in ways the first two did not. Each reading of Scripture is a deeper plunge into the same ocean. You never reach the bottom, and you never tire of the water.

Continue—because Scripture is your anchor in a world of shifting truth. The culture around you is constantly changing. What was celebrated yesterday is condemned today, and what was condemned yesterday is celebrated tomorrow. Truth has become a moving target, and those who chase it are exhausted. But the Word of God does not move. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” His Word is the same. It is the fixed point in a spinning world. The believer who continues in Scripture has an anchor that holds when everything else gives way.

Continue—because Scripture is your daily breath from God. You need fresh air every day. The breath you breathed yesterday sustained you yesterday. Today requires today’s breath. The God who spoke once speaks continually, and His voice is in His Word. Open it. Breathe it in. Let it fill your lungs and strengthen your soul.

Continue—because Scripture keeps you wise in salvation. The wisdom that led you to Christ is the wisdom that keeps you in Christ. You do not graduate from the gospel. You grow deeper into it. The same truth that saved you will sanctify you, sustain you, and secure you until the end.

Continue—because Scripture teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains you every day. You are a work in progress. The Word is the tool God uses to finish the work He began (Philippians 1:6). Every day you open the Bible, the chisel strikes the stone. Every day you read, the Sculptor shapes the sculpture. The work is not done. The masterpiece is not finished. Continue, and let the Artist keep His hand on the work.

Continue—because Scripture equips you for every good work God has planned for your life. The world needs believers who are prepared, not merely enthusiastic. The Word is the equipment. The works are the mission. God has prepared good works for you to walk in—and the Word is what prepares you to walk in them.

Finishing the Bible is not graduation—it is an invitation. God is calling you deeper. He is calling you to daily fellowship with Him through His Word. So continue. Continue tomorrow morning. Continue next week. Continue next month. Continue next year. Continue until the day you see the Author face to face. And when you open your Bible again, remember this: You are not starting over. You are continuing in the very breath of God.

Evangelistic Appeal

If you have never trusted Christ, hear this: the Word that Paul commands Timothy to continue in is the same Word that calls you to begin. The sacred writings are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The Bible is not a closed book for the uninitiated. It is an open door for the seeking. It tells you everything you need to know about God, sin, judgment, grace, and salvation. It reveals Jesus Christ—His life, His death, His resurrection, His offer of forgiveness and eternal life. You do not need to understand everything before you come. You need to understand these things: Christ died for sinners and rose again. The Word that points to Him is the Word that saves. Open it. Read it. Believe it. And begin the life that does not end—because the Word that saves is the Word that sustains, the Word that equips, the Word that continues. Come to Christ today, and let the Word that is able to make you wise for salvation become the Word you continue in for the rest of your life.

WHEN BABYLON FALLS

WHEN BABYLON FALLS

Revelation 17:15-18 NET

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns that you saw, and the beast — these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by deciding to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 As for the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

One of the great purposes of the Book of Revelation is to record the visions God gave to John about the future—visions that begin in John’s own time and stretch all the way to the end of history. John is told in Revelation 1:19 to write what he saw (the visions), what is (the present condition of the churches in chapters 2–3), and what will take place after these things (the unfolding of God’s plan). Last week we saw how John was lifted into heaven and given a glimpse of the new universe in Revelation 4—a universe centered around the throne of God, where elders fall, and living creatures sing “Holy, holy, holy” without ceasing.

Today’s text, Revelation 17:15–18, comes from one of the visions that describes the future—how we get from where we are now to God’s ultimate plan for the universe. These verses show us the fall of a religious-political system that once dominated the world. They show us how God brings down a power that had corrupted nations, persecuted believers, and exalted itself above Christ. And they remind us that our allegiance must never be given to any earthly institution, no matter how impressive or ancient, but to Christ alone.

The passage is brief but devastating. In just four verses, the angel explains the meaning of the great prostitute’s influence, reveals the shocking reversal of her political allies, and exposes the sovereign hand of God orchestrating the entire collapse. What looks like political upheaval on the surface is divine judgment underneath. What looks like the beast and his allies acting on their own initiative is actually God fulfilling His word. The fall of Babylon is not chaos—it is covenant justice.

Let us walk through this passage under three headings: A Church That Dominated, A Church That Persecuted, and A Church That Loses Its Power.

I. A Church That Dominated (Revelation 17:15, 18)

John is shown a woman seated on many waters. The angel explains that these waters represent “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.” In other words, this woman—symbolizing a religious system—has global influence. She sits on the beast, meaning she is supported by political power. And in verse 18, the angel identifies her as “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” The phrase “great city” is not a compliment. It is an identification. This is the city that rules, the city that commands, the city that sits above kings as though it were God.

For over a thousand years of Western history, the most powerful institution on earth was a church centered in Rome—the city famously known as “the city on seven hills,” just as Revelation 17:9 describes. From that vantage point, this institution crowned kings, shaped empires, and exercised authority over nations. It was not merely a spiritual body; it was a political force. It dominated the world scene in a way no other religious institution ever has. Emperors sought its blessing. Monarchs feared its decrees. Whole populations were shaped by its teachings, its sacraments, and its threats. It claimed to hold the keys to heaven, and it used those keys to lock earthly doors.

Now, Revelation is not simply a history book. It uses symbols. But the parallels are striking. John’s vision shows us what happens when a religious institution becomes intertwined with political power. When the church stops being the bride of Christ and becomes a partner of the state, it becomes Babylon. It becomes a system that uses spiritual language to justify worldly control. The woman holds a cup in her hand, and the cup looks golden—but inside it is filled with abominations (Revelation 17:4). That is the nature of religious corruption: it looks beautiful on the outside, but the substance is poisoned.

And this is not just a medieval problem. Whenever the church seeks worldly power instead of spiritual faithfulness, it becomes Babylon. Whenever the church tries to rule through coercion instead of witness, it becomes Babylon. Whenever the church trades the gospel for influence, it becomes Babylon. The warning is not limited to one institution in one era. It is a permanent caution to every church in every age. The moment the church begins to measure its success by political access rather than gospel fidelity, it has started to sit on the beast.

Revelation warns us that religious power can be just as corrupt as political power. The church is at its strongest when it is faithful, not when it is dominant. The church is at its purest when it is persecuted, not when it is privileged. The church is at its most Christlike when it is serving, not when it is ruling. Jesus Himself refused political power when Satan offered it (Matthew 4:8–10). He told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Any church that forgets this has already begun its drift toward Babylon.

The woman in Revelation 17 dominated the nations. But her dominance was not a sign of God’s blessing—it was a sign of her corruption.

II. A Church That Persecuted (Revelation 17:6)

John says he saw the woman “drunk with the blood of the saints.” That is a horrifying image. It means that this religious system did not merely influence the world—it persecuted the faithful. It used its power to silence dissent. It used its authority to crush those who resisted its corruption. It became an enemy of the very people it was supposed to shepherd. The word “drunk” suggests not just violence but indulgence—a system that had grown accustomed to bloodshed, that had acquired a taste for power, that no longer recognized what it had become.

History bears witness to this. For centuries, believers who sought to follow Scripture rather than tradition were imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Reformers, translators, and ordinary Christians suffered at the hands of a religious empire that had lost its way. Men like John Hus were burned at the stake for preaching the gospel in the common language. William Tyndale was strangled and burned for translating the Bible into English. The Inquisition turned the instruments of justice into instruments of terror. The church that should have protected the saints became the instrument of their suffering.

Revelation shows us that persecution does not always come from atheistic governments or pagan cultures. Sometimes it comes from religious institutions that have lost sight of Christ. When religion loses Christ, it loses compassion. And when it loses compassion, it becomes capable of violence. The name of God can be invoked to bless the very acts God condemns. The cross can be carried as a weapon rather than a symbol of surrender. This is the deepest horror of Babylon: it does evil in the name of the One who is good.

This is why Revelation is so important. It unmasks the spiritual dangers of religious power. It shows us that the greatest threat to the church is not always outside; it can be inside. It can be a system that uses the name of Christ but does not reflect His heart. Jesus warned of this Himself: “A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2). Religious persecution is the most deceptive form of opposition because it wears the clothing of devotion.

The woman in Revelation 17 persecuted the saints. And God saw it. God remembered it. And God judged it. Every prayer whispered in a prison cell was heard. Every cry of a martyr at the stake was recorded. Christ Himself witnessed every abuse committed in Christ’s name. The book of Revelation is, among other things, a book of divine accounting. Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is overlooked. The blood of the saints cries out, and God answers.

III. A Church That Loses Its Power (Revelation 17:16–17)

In verses 16 and 17, something shocking happens. The political powers that once supported this religious system suddenly turn against her. The ten horns—symbolizing kings or political alliances—”will hate the prostitute.” They will strip her of her power, expose her corruption, and destroy her influence. They will “make her desolate and naked.” They will “consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.” The language is brutal and complete. The same institutions that once carried the woman now consume her. The same hands that once elevated her now tear her down.

The same nations that once upheld her authority now dismantle her. The same kings who once bowed to her now burn her with fire. And John tells us why: “God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose.” The verse is one of the most striking statements of divine sovereignty in the New Testament. The political leaders who destroy Babylon are not righteous men. They are not agents of justice. They are, in fact, allied with the beast. They act out of hatred, not holiness. They turn on the woman because their ambitions no longer align with hers. But behind their hatred, God is working. Behind their political calculation, God is fulfilling prophecy. Behind their selfish decisions, God is accomplishing His purpose.

In other words, God uses political forces to bring judgment on a corrupt religious system. God is sovereign even over the rise and fall of institutions. He does not need righteous instruments to accomplish righteous ends. He can use the ambition of kings to judge the corruption of priests. He can use the jealousy of empires to topple the pride of religion. He can use the very powers that once supported Babylon to bring Babylon down.

This is a sobering truth. No religious institution—no matter how ancient, wealthy, or influential—can stand when God withdraws His hand. When a church becomes corrupt, God will not protect it. When a church persecutes the faithful, God will not defend it. When a church becomes Babylon, God will judge it. The institution may have stood for a thousand years, but if it has abandoned Christ, its days are numbered. The walls may look strong, but if the foundation has crumbled, the fall is certain.

And Babylon is still with us. It appears wherever religion is used for power. It appears wherever the church becomes a political tool. It appears wherever spiritual authority is used to manipulate or control. It appears wherever the gospel is replaced with tradition, nationalism, or self-interest. Babylon is not a relic of the past. It is a temptation of the present. Any church in any age can become the woman on the beast.

But Revelation assures us: Babylon will fall. Every false religious system will collapse. Every corrupt institution will be exposed. Every misuse of Christ’s name will be judged. The fall may not come today. It may not come in our lifetime. But it will come—because God’s word will be fulfilled. Verse 17 says so explicitly: the political powers act “until the words of God are fulfilled.” God’s word is the clock. His promises are the schedule. Babylon’s days are measured, and the measure is already set.

Conclusion: Allegiance to the Lamb

What does this passage call us to do? It calls us to examine our allegiance.

Revelation 17 is not a call to attack institutions. It is a call to guard our hearts. It is a call to remember that our loyalty belongs not to church structures, not to traditions, not to political alliances, not to denominations, not to leaders—but to Christ alone. The passage does not ask us to become crusaders against corruption. It asks us to become faithful witnesses in the midst of it. It asks us to look at the woman on the beast and say, “That is not my Lord. That is not my home. My Lord is the Lamb.”

The fall of Babylon warns us not to place ultimate trust in any earthly power. Churches rise and fall. Nations rise and fall. Institutions rise and fall. But the Lamb remains. His kingdom remains. His truth remains. Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Institutions change. Christ does not. Movements rise and collapse. Christ does not. The Lamb is the only constant, the only certainty, the only certainty that cannot be shaken.

When Babylon falls, only the Lamb’s kingdom stands.

So let us pledge our allegiance not to church or state, but to Christ alone. Let us follow the One who is faithful and true. Let us trust the One who will never misuse His power. Let us cling to the One who shed His own blood instead of shedding the blood of others. The contrast could not be sharper. The woman was drunk with the blood of the saints. The Lamb was slain for the sins of the saints. The woman shed blood to maintain control. The Lamb shed blood to give life. The woman ruled by fear. The Lamb rules by love. Choose carefully whom you follow.

Revelation 17 ends with the collapse of a corrupt religious system. But Revelation does not end there. It ends with a wedding—the marriage supper of the Lamb. It ends with a new heaven and a new earth. It ends with a Bride who is pure, faithful, and beautiful. The false bride falls. The true Bride rises. The counterfeit church is exposed. The true Church is revealed. And the difference is Christ. The true Church is not built on political power or institutional authority. It is built on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God—and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

That is the church Christ is building. That is the church we belong to. That is the church that will never fall.

Closing Prayer

LORD, keep our hearts faithful to You. Guard us from trusting in earthly powers. Cleanse Your church from corruption. Make us loyal to Christ alone. And prepare us for the day when Babylon falls, and the Lamb reigns forever. Amen.

DOOR TO THE FUTURE

DOOR TO THE FUTURE

Revelation 4 NET                          

1 After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! 3 And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. 4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne 6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. 8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”  

There are moments in Scripture when God pulls back the curtain and lets His people see what lies ahead. Not simply to satisfy curiosity, but to strengthen faith. Not to give us a timeline, but to give us a hope-line. Revelation 4 is one of those moments. It is a doorway into the future — a prophetic window into the world as it will be when God’s kingdom comes in fullness.

Many readers assume Revelation 4 is a snapshot of heaven as it exists right now. But the text itself tells us otherwise. The key phrase appears twice in the very first verse: “After this… after this.” John is not being shown the present. He is being shown the future. He is not witnessing the current activity of heaven. He is witnessing the future order of the new heavens and the new earth.

Revelation 4 is not a tour of heaven today. It is a preview of heaven tomorrow. It is not a description of the intermediate state. It is a vision of the eternal state. It is not a report of what the saints are doing now. It is a revelation of what all creation will do then.

John is invited to step through a door — a door that opens not into the past, not into the present, but into the future God has prepared for His people. And what he sees is breathtaking.

Let’s walk through this chapter and see what God shows us through this door to the future.

I. THE DOOR THAT OPENS TO THE FUTURE (4:1)

John writes, “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice… said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’”

Twice in one verse, the Spirit emphasizes the phrase “after this.” This is not accidental. It is the Spirit’s way of telling us that what follows is not a description of the present age. It is a prophetic vision of the age to come.

John is not being shown what heaven looks like right now. He is being shown what heaven and earth will look like when God’s kingdom comes in its fullness. The door is not a mystical portal into the unseen realm. It is a prophetic doorway into the future reality of the new creation.

The voice that calls John upward is like a trumpet — the same imagery used at Sinai; the same imagery used at the Second Coming. This is the language of divine revelation and divine intervention. God is about to show John the end of the story, the final order, the eternal kingdom.

And what is the first thing John sees?

II. THE THRONE THAT DEFINES THE FUTURE (4:2–3)

John says, “At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.”

The first thing John sees is not angels.
Not saints.
Not activity.
Not movement.

He sees a throne.

The throne is the central reality of the new creation. It is the anchor of the future. It is the symbol of God’s absolute sovereignty. In the new heavens and earth, everything revolves around the throne of God.

The One seated on the throne is described in gemstone imagery — jasper and carnelian. John does not describe a face or form. He describes glory. He describes radiance. He describes beauty. This is God as He will be revealed when all creation is renewed.

Around the throne is a rainbow — a reminder of God’s covenant mercy. In the new creation, mercy surrounds judgment. Grace surrounds glory. God’s throne is not only powerful — it is safe for His people.

This is the throne of the future kingdom.

III. THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN THE FUTURE KINGDOM (4:4)

John then sees twenty-four elders seated on thrones around God’s throne. They are clothed in white garments and wear golden crowns.

Who are they? They represent the redeemed people of God — the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles, the Old Testament and the New Testament people of God united. They are enthroned because in the new creation, the saints will reign with Christ. They are clothed in white because they have been resurrected and glorified. They wear crowns because they have received the reward of faithfulness.

This is not the church as it exists now.
This is the church as it will exist then.
This is the church in glory.
This is the church in the new creation.
This is the church enthroned with Christ.

Revelation 4 is not describing the present heavenly assembly. It is describing the future destiny of God’s people.

IV. THE MAJESTY OF GOD IN THE FUTURE AGE (4:5–6)

John sees lightning and thunder coming from the throne — echoes of Sinai, symbols of God’s holiness and power. In the new creation, God’s holiness will be fully revealed. There will be no sin to hide it, no rebellion to resist it, no darkness to obscure it.

Before the throne are seven torches — the seven Spirits of God. This is the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In the new creation, the Spirit’s ministry will be unrestricted. There will be no grieving of the Spirit, no quenching of the Spirit, no resisting of the Spirit. The Spirit will fill all things.

And before the throne is a sea of glass, like crystal. In Scripture, the sea often symbolizes chaos, danger, and evil. But here the sea is calm, still, and clear. In the new creation, chaos is gone. Evil is gone. Fear is gone. The sea is conquered.

This is the future world — a world of holiness, peace, and Spirit-filled glory.

V. THE CREATION THAT WORSHIPS IN THE FUTURE (4:6–8)

John sees four living creatures — representing all creation:

  • The lion (wild animals)
  • The ox (domesticated animals)
  • The man (humanity)
  • The eagle (birds of the sky)

They are covered with eyes — symbolizing perfect perception. They see God clearly. They worship God perfectly. They declare, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

This is not creation as it is now.
This is creation as it will be then.
Romans 8 says creation groans now.
Revelation 4 shows creation singing then.

In the new creation, all creation will worship without distortion, decay, or rebellion.

VI. THE FUTURE WORSHIP OF THE REDEEMED (4:9–11)

Whenever the living creatures give glory, the elders fall down and worship. They cast their crowns before the throne. They declare, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.”

This is the worship of the future kingdom.
This is the worship of the new creation.
This is the worship of the redeemed in glory.

The elders cast their crowns because in the new creation, all honor belongs to God. All authority flows from God. All glory returns to God.

This is not a worship service happening right now.
This is the worship service that will fill eternity.

But someone might argue, “why couldn’t this be a vision of what is happening in heaven now?” Okay, I’ll tell you why not. John 3:13 says that right now “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven — the Son of Man.” I don’t care how many people believe that grandma is in heaven, the Bible says no human being except Jesus is there. It doesn’t matter how many preachers preach that believers go to heaven when they die. The Bible says we will be with the Lord when he returns.

VII. THE THEOLOGICAL HEART OF THE PASSAGE

Revelation 4 is not a snapshot of heaven today. It is a preview of heaven tomorrow.

How do we know?

Because the text tells us: “After this… after this.”
Because the saints are enthroned — which has not yet happened.
Because creation is restored — which has not yet happened.
Because the Spirit fills all things — which has not yet happened.
Because chaos is gone — which has not yet happened.
Because worship is unhindered — which has not yet happened.

Because it says people will be there and right now that is not possible.

Revelation 4 is a vision of the new heavens and the new earth.
It is a vision of the future kingdom.
It is a vision of the world made new.

This is the door to the future.

VIII. APPLICATION: LIVING WITH THE FUTURE IN VIEW

What does this vision mean for us today?

1. The future shapes the present.

We live now in light of what will be then.
We endure now because glory is coming.

2. The throne is our anchor.

God is already on the throne — but one day the throne will be visible.
We do not live in a world ruled by chaos.
We live in a world ruled by God.

3. The future worship of God’s people begins now.

We practice now what we will perfect then.
Our worship today is rehearsal for eternity.

4. The door to the future is already open.

Christ has opened the way.
The future is secure.
The kingdom is coming.

Conclusion

Revelation 4 is not a mystery to decode.
It is a hope to embrace.
It is not a puzzle.
It is a promise.
It is not a riddle.
It is a revelation.

God has opened a door — a door to the future — and He invites us to look through it. What we see is glory. What we see is worship. What we see is the throne. What we see is the world as it will be when God makes all things new.

So we pray:

“Come, Lord Jesus.
Bring the future You have shown us.
Make all things new.
And until that day, keep our eyes on the throne.”

Amen.