A Living Hope: Anchored in Mercy, Secured by Resurrection - Troy Postlethwait

I want you to open your heart today as I speak to you—not just as a preacher, but as someone who deeply desires for you to understand the richness of what God has given us. I’m talking to you about something so powerful, so beautiful, and so necessary for your life: a living hope. Not a dead hope, not a shallow optimism, but a living, breathing, powerful hope—rooted in the mercy of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That’s what I want you to grasp from 1 Peter 1:3–5.

Let me begin by telling you the first reason why this hope is alive: because God is merciful.

I’m not standing here claiming that I’m righteous on my own, and neither are you. None of us can say that. Romans 3:23 says it plain—we all fall short. But Peter opens his letter by praising God for His abundant mercy. That’s the foundation of our hope. Not our perfection. Not our deeds. But God’s mercy. I want you to think about that—God chose to give mercy while we were still sinners, while we were still broken. That’s what Paul says in Romans 5. God didn’t wait for you to clean up your act. He stepped in with mercy when you needed it most.

And that mercy—it gives birth to hope.

Now, the second reason this hope is living is because Jesus is alive.

I want you to turn with me in your heart and mind to 1 Corinthians 15—one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible. Paul says that if Christ is not risen, then our faith is useless. If Jesus stayed in that tomb, then I have no message to preach, and you have no reason to believe. But He didn’t stay in the tomb. He rose. And because He lives, I have a living hope. You have a living hope. The resurrection isn't just a historical event; it's the very heartbeat of our faith. You remember how the disciples felt when Jesus died? Lost. Defeated. Hopeless. But when He appeared alive, everything changed. Their fear turned to boldness. Their doubt turned to faith. They were reborn in their hope—just like you can be.

And here's the third reason that this hope is alive: because of the nature of our inheritance.

Peter uses three powerful words to describe what’s waiting for you in heaven: incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading. Let me break that down for you.

Your inheritance is incorruptible—that means it’s not subject to decay. It won’t rot. It won’t erode. Unlike everything in this world, what God has prepared for you is eternal.

It’s undefiled—it's pure. There’s no sin, no stain, no moral compromise in what God is offering. You ever get around something that rubs off on you in the wrong way? The world does that to us. But your inheritance is untouched by sin.

And it’s unfading—it doesn’t lose its beauty or value over time. It won’t wear out like the things of this earth. It’s everlasting. And here’s the best part: it’s reserved. God has your name on it. Set aside. Guarded. Waiting. For you.

But this hope is also living for one final reason: because you are kept by the power of God.

You’re not just stumbling your way to heaven, hoping you make it. God is guarding you, watching over you, surrounding you like a divine military guard. That word "kept" in verse 5? It’s a military term. It means God has posted a guard over you. He’s not only protecting your inheritance—He’s protecting you on your journey toward it.

But I want you to notice something here: you are kept through faith. That means you’ve got to trust Him. You've got to hold on. You can’t let go. Because, yes, the Bible teaches that believers are secure—but it also teaches that believers can become unbelievers. That’s why I’m urging you—stay faithful. Keep walking. Keep trusting. Because God is holding you, but you’ve got to hold on to Him.

So let me bring it all together for you. Why is our hope alive?

Because God is merciful.
Because Jesus is alive.
Because our inheritance is eternal and pure.
Because we are guarded by God’s power through faith.

And that living hope—oh, it gave the early Christians joy. Even in trials. Even in pain. Because they knew what was coming. And you can know it too.

So I want to ask you today: Do you have that living hope? Is it burning inside of you? Or have you neglected it? Are you living like someone whose inheritance is being guarded in heaven? Or are you still lost, still wandering?

You don’t have to be. God’s mercy is still here. Jesus is still alive. Your inheritance is still reserved. And God's power is still available—to keep you.

So if you haven’t received that mercy through faith, repentance, and baptism—come. If you’ve drifted away, if you’ve let go of the hope—come back. There’s no better time than now. Why don’t you come, as we stand and sing the song of invitation?