video - the passions that prevent adultery - John Piper

there's nothing more powerful than the one guarding you

[You] who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
(1 Peter 1:5 ESV)

You are being guarded by God's power!

This is not accidental, to be guarded is intentional security and protection. It's not that you happen to be in a safe area near God and better make sure you stay there. God is actively guarding you.

What can come against you? There is no greater power than the one guarding you!

Everything fades and rots. Except this

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,(1 Peter 1:3-4 ESV)

It won't last

Any other sort of inheritance will not last. Everything loses value, deteriorates, fades and seems less attractive tomorrow than it did today. Money, houses, land and even titles or power will not last.

This is different

What is this inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading?

Well, in heaven, where this inheritance is being kept, we will walk on streets of gold - the most precious material we can imagine here is the equivalent of concrete there! We won't be walking around obsessed with the streets, the high point of heaven is that God lives with us. That will never perish or fade.

Not earned

We don't deserve this. Like any other inheritance, somebody else has earned it. It belongs to them and through their death they give it to us. The only difference is that Jesus returned from death and will enjoy it with us forever!

back to the future

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV)

Reading Peter's encouragement to persecuted Christians, it is striking how future-orientated it is, and how my talk of the gospel seems to have a greater focus on the past and present. Past, present and future are all important in the gospel story but how often do I think about the latter?

they desired to see what we see

turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Luke 10:23-24)

Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56)

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12)

It can be easy to think that it would have been so much easier (or better?) to have lived at the time of Moses or Elijah or another Old Testament character. What could be better than personally witnessing God parting the red sea or sending manna or any of the other dramatic stories we read? 

Jesus (and Peter) in the passages above tell us it's the other way around. The prophets and even the angels looked forward to our day. They desired the day when God's promises weren't just promises anymore but fulfilled realities. The day when the message of the gospel, the good news about Jesus' life, death and resurrection, was fully known was the day in which they longed to live. If we think that message is less exciting, fulfilling or sufficient than the signs that pointed towards it, then we've misunderstood those signs completely.