I. Blessed be God who BEGAT us – I Peter 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” I Peter 1:3.

We ought to bless the Lord for the great mercy that He has given us in causing us to be born again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The two points I would like to draw from this Scripture are the living hope and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hope in Christ is a living one, an active one and a future one. The hope we have in Christ is alive. It is not a dead or a false hope like the world has. All religious and political systems that offer hope are based on a “hope so” hope, a wishful thinking-based idea that in fact offers no hope at all.

Our faith as believers in Christ is in a living Saviour. Christ is alive today and He is coming again to this world. We have just been reminded about the first coming of Christ in the Christmas celebrations. However, Christ’s Second Coming will be different compared to his first. At the Second Coming of Christ, he will come as a Judge, as the lion of the tribe of Judah and He will come to judge the world in righteousness.

Our hope and faith are active because they change lives, change minds and change eternal matters. The Bible says with abundant mercy God hath begotten us. The word, “begat” means to bring about or to cause something to happen. God in his mercy towards us has brought about a new hope and direction for sinners that were once lost.

Our hope is also a future one because it is by our faith in Christ that we are saved and have an eternal home in Heaven with God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 5:10 says, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” As Christian people, we are encouraged to seek the Lord and to set our minds on things above. This world is not our home we are merely passing through on our way to our home above, the Kingdom of God.

The only true hope found in this world is found in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ because, through the cross of Christ, our hope is found in the eternal Son of God. The hope Christ offers passes all human understanding. It is steadfast and sure, grounded in the Saviour. Come to the Lord Christ this hour and you will find in Him a true hope that is based on certainty.

II. Blessed be God who BLESSES us – Ephesians 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Paul praises God for what He has done through Christ and reminds believers of their position and privileges in Christ. There is a range of blessings found in Christ. The greatest blessing we can have in Christ is the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. The Bible tells us that the ungodly are spiritually dead before God as a result of sinfulness. By the power and love of God, we are made alive in Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. The ungodly become godly, the wicked become righteous, the brokenhearted are made whole, the lost become found and saved in Christ, and the discouraged are comforted in Christ.

In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord said of believers that they are blessed, they are happy because they belong to God. The poor in spirit belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who mourn will be comforted. The humble shall have favour with God. Those who seek after righteousness shall be satisfied. The merciful shall receive mercy from God. Those who seek after holiness shall see God. The peacemakers shall be called the sons of God. Those who are insulted, mocked, persecuted and punished for the sake of righteousness shall have the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus also says that we are blessed when men say all kinds of evil against us falsely on his account. Why? Because our reward will be in Heaven. Christians have a reward in Heaven for their faithfulness that is far better than anything this world affords. What great blessings await us in Heaven we are not told. Whatever they are it will be worth the things we go through on earth for the sake of Christ’s name.

III. Blessed be God who COMFORTS us – II Corinthians 1:3

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” II Corinthians 1:3.

Paul describes God in this verse as, “the God of all comfort.” He goes on in verse 6 to say, “And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” The word Paul uses here for comfort refers to encouragement or consolation given to someone who is suffering or in mourning. Do you mourn over your sin? Are you grieved and sorrowful for your sin? Do you feel the conviction of God over your sin? If so, today is the day to get right with God. Today is the day to have your sins forgiven and your soul cleansed from all the guilt of your sins. Come to the Saviour and know for yourself the comfort of the Lord.

May you say with the Psalmist David and know for yourself the truth of Psalm 32:1-2, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

As this year ends may the Lord grant us the wisdom and knowledge of the Saviour. May He guide us as a fellowship and as individuals. May Christ’s peace and comfort be known in good times and in bad times. May the Holy Spirit minister to us and cause to trust more in the Lord and rejoice in our great God.

I would like to close by reading John 14:26-27, “But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” May the Lord grant us a peaceful 2024. Amen.