The Benediction

Sermon Text

1 Peter 5:10-11

10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

• Peter's benediction directs suffering believers away from themselves and toward the God of all grace, who has called them to eternal glory in Christ.
• Salvation is God's undeserved gift: the Spirit effectually calls sinners to embrace Jesus Christ as their only hope in life and death.
• Present suffering lasts only a little while compared with eternal glory, and God uses it to perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle his people.
• Christ has paid for sin, risen for his people's justification, ascended, and now rules and works by his Spirit to prepare them for glory.
• God's blessing leads to doxology: salvation and sanctification end in praise of his glory and dominion forever.

• Do I understand God's grace as a gift, or do I still try to earn his favor?
• Is Jesus Christ truly my only hope in life and death?
• How has God used a recent trial to expose sin, reorder my loves, or strengthen faith?
• Which of Peter's four words (perfect, establish, strengthen, or settle) most speaks to my present need?
• When suffering feels long, how can the promise of eternal glory reshape my perspective?
• Does my understanding of salvation end in praise to God, or does it leave me focused mainly on myself?
• Who around me is weary and needs encouragement from this benediction?

Benediction

A prayer or declaration of God's blessing, such as Peter's prayer that God would perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle his people.

Grace

God's freely given favor to undeserving sinners, displayed in Christ's saving work and God's continuing care for his people.

Effectual calling

The Holy Spirit's powerful summons through the gospel by which a sinner is renewed and brought to embrace Jesus Christ by faith.

Sanctification

God's continuing work of making believers more like Christ, including through correction, trials, and suffering.

Doxology

An expression of praise that gives glory and dominion to God, as Peter does after speaking of God's gracious work.

Eternal glory

The everlasting life with God to which believers are called in Christ, making present suffering brief by comparison.