Mr. Frazier preaches his third sermon in his series on 1 Peter focusing on verses 2:1-10. I Peter is an “epistle of hope”. This entire epistle realizes that the early Christians were “elect exiles” who had been dispersed due to the Roman persecution of the early church. This reality is foreign to those who have grown up in the United States! But as our culture becomes increasingly secular and more hostile toward the gospel, verses like I Peter 4:12 seem more believable. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice, insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” Along the way in life, Christians in the United States have mistakenly made something in the created order as our hope. These are “false hopes” which we will look at in 4 weeks: The world itself; the “American Dream”; Belonging to a specific group; and Politics as the solution. All of these are idols that rob us of our sure and certain hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone! May God lift our affections from these hopeless idols and fix our firm hope on Christ alone.