May 25, 2025

Pastor Dave's sermon begins at 19:12 min into the video. The music "To God Be The Glory", "Goodness of God" , "Wonderful Merciful Savior", "Before The Throne Of God (Before The Throne)",  "He Knows My Name", and "The Doxology" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

God's Work: The Foundation of Our Salvation

Pastor Dave continues his study through 1 Peter, focusing on the foundational truths that shape our identity as pilgrims in this world. His sermon explores the complete work of God in our salvation, emphasizing that from beginning to end, our redemption is entirely His accomplishment rather than our own effort. God's mercy and grace are presented as the foundation of our salvation, leading to our response of worship, thanksgiving, and rejoicing. This foundation should free us to live boldly as transformed people, knowing that the same God who initiated our salvation will complete it. As discussed last week, as pilgrims passing through this world, we're called to live differently—with an eternal perspective and hearts full of gratitude for His abundant mercy and grace. He explores the Trinity's work in salvation, highlighting the Father's foreknowledge and election, the Son's sacrificial blood, and the Spirit's sanctification. The concept of being born again (or “borned again” as said in the South) is addressed, emphasizing the understanding of spiritual rebirth.

Scriptural Basis:

1 Peter 1:1-9

• Verse 2: Election according to God's foreknowledge and sanctification by the Spirit
• Verse 3: Being "begotten again" through God's abundant mercy
• Verses 6-9: Rejoicing in our living hope despite trials

Supporting References:

• John 3:7 - "You must be born again"
• Romans 10:9 - Confession and belief for salvation

Pastor Dave’s Key Points:

God's sovereign choice is a profound mystery where divine election works alongside human response. Just as we accept Jesus choosing His twelve apostles without question, we can trust in God's sovereign choice in salvation while acknowledging our need to respond in faith. The Trinity's collaborative work is evident in this process: the Father foreknows and chooses us, the Son provides justification through His shed blood, paying the full penalty for our sin, and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, setting us apart from sin and enabling obedient living.

Sanctification is both a process and an act, with the Holy Spirit's work including convincing us of truth, convicting us when we stray—much like a spiritual GPS recalculating—and correcting our direction back to righteousness. Our born-again identity signifies a complete transformation: from sinner to saint, from unrighteous to righteous, from dead to alive, and from living for self to living for God's glory.

Mercy and grace are defined in this context as follows: mercy is not receiving the hell we deserve, while grace is receiving the blessings we don't deserve. Both are abundant, multiplied, and never depleted, providing a foundation for our spiritual journey.

Our Response: Blessing God

The natural response to God's work should encompass worship, which involves declaring His great value, and thanksgiving, where we acknowledge Him as the source of all blessings. It also includes praise, both public and private, as a celebration of His work, and rejoicing, which is a loud, joyful expression of our gratitude.

The Call:

Pastor Dave invites anyone seeking salvation to speak with him or other church elders. For believers, the call is to respond to God's magnificent work with lives of worship, thanksgiving, and joy that reflect our new identity as God's chosen people. Personal reflection involves considering two closing questions: "What is God's Word and Holy Spirit saying to you today?" and "How will you respond?" For those not yet believers, the salvation decision involves responding to God's call by placing faith in Christ alone. Gratitude practice encourages us to begin acknowledging God as the source of all blessings through daily thanksgiving.