“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Verse three begins the body of 1 Peter.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

The word “blessed” means praised and applies only to God in the New Testament (Mark 14:61; Luke 1:68; Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 2 Cor. 1:3; 11:31; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3). “Blessed” indicates that God is worthy of praise or commendation. Peter breaks out in a doxology of praise at the beginning of his book. 

“Blessed” here is not the same word we meet in the beatitudes (Mt. 5; Lk 6). This is the word from which we get our English word “eulogy.” We give a human eulogy when a person dies. We speak in their praise.   In this verse, we eulogize God, who is alive eternally. Do you have something good to say about God? Do you exalt and extol him? Both Ephesians 1:3 and 2 Corinthians 1:3 begin with an affirmation of God. 

Peter advances this exaltation of praise in recognition of God’s mercy.

PRINCIPLE: 

God wants us to celebrate God’s resources. 

APPLICATION: 

It is wonderful for a parent to hear children speak well of us. We often hear of parents praising their children, but we do not often hear of a child honoring his parents. God deserves our praise.

God wants us to be more than a sponge that simply absorbs the benefits of Christianity. He wants to hear of our appreciation for his provisions. We speak well of God when we proclaim what he is and does in his attributes and works. There is too little praise of God today and too little speaking well of him to others. 

How easy is it for you to break forth in praise to God? If we understand what he has done for us, our lives would explode with glory to God.