Intro to 1 Peter

Introduction

Welcome to our NEW study which will take us through to Easter

Our theme for the next 12 weeks will be

HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT, and LIVING RIGHT.

This is not a do and do not series

- BUT rather a Friend of Jesus sharing with us

Peter was:

a hearer of Jesus’s voice

a walker along side of Jesus

a watcher of the Crucifixion

and a witness to HIS ascension

Peter will be teaching us about living right, living with HOPE

I hope you will make sure to be here as we unfold the Book of First Peter together

Theme of 1 Peter

Peter writes this letter to ENCOURAGE CHRISTIANS in context and TODAY

that persecution will be there.

There will be tough times

BUT CHRIST IS IN CONTROL [slide]

It is said that the Book of James(which we studied last year)

and 1 Peter are parallels in theme and message

Following Jesus was not meant to be easy

That is tough to hear, isn’t it

so many People that become Christians are told a lie

it is not a magic carpet ride, or a life of fairy dust showers

but a CHANGE — a COURAGE — and a KNOWLEDGE that goes beyond understanding

OUR LIFE IN JESUS roots in HIS LOVE for US

HIS adoption of us

HIS provision and HIS providence for US.

WE ARE LOVED

its not about happiness but a change in US that we see things differently.

We have a LIVING HOPE inside of us

No matter what we TRUST that Jesus has a PATH and A PURPOSE.

YOUR worst FEAR on Earth is under CHRIST’S CONTROL

Let me tell you a little about Peter

Peter

If you are coming to learn your Scriptures better and better then you know the stories of Peter.

Peter was a fisherman

Peter was Jewish

Peter was married

Peter was called by CHRIST to follow HIM

Vowing to never disown Jesus, then on that third rooster crow he denies Him

Peter was the first to go to the EMPTY TOMB

Peter was a man of passion

Peter cut off the guards ear when they came to arrest Christ

Peter was BOLD — i will go with you --- He said to Christ

Peter was impetuous — rash and emotional

Peter saw the MINISTRY of CHRIST

PETER saw the Crucifixion

and PETER saw the Resurrection

PETER saw the ASCENSION

Peter preached the first GOSPEL presentation

and Peter preached to the first GENTILE in Cornelius

Peter loved Jesus

I say that PETER was like most of US

Peter in Acts 4:13 was described as UNEDUCATED, and COMMON

Peter studied and learned and was lead by LOVE FOR JESUS

Peter ends up dying for Jesus and in fact insists on being crucified upside down because he didn’t deserve to die like Christ Jesus

There was a change in Peter as he aged, and most of us can relate to that change

Peter is likely 50-60 years old if we assume he was 20-30 when meeting Christ

from an Uncontrolled personality to a passion for the PASSION

a MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Peter would be martyred for his FAITH

IN THIS Letter we don’t hear that RASH EMOTION but he here a MATURE FOLLOWER

a MATURE LEADER

A man standing on the FOUNDATION OF CHRIST and ENCOURAGING HIS PEOPLE

to STAY FIRM and LIVE IN HOPE

Peter was killed on a cross — upside down

Peter was martyred and it is likely that NERO centered on Peter because of HIS leadership

NERO believed that the Christians set the GREAT FIRE of ROME in 64 AD.

Peter learned that his power was only from HIS POWER

Peter went from his Strength to HIS Strength

Peter changed. Peter became.

Peter lived a Holy and Right Life

and writes this letter to the church.

Book of 1 Peter

Peter wrote this letter in about 62 AD

and the context is always Key

Most Scholars believe Peter was in ROME

There is a verse at the end of this book about BABYLON

but in context Babylon was a used a reference to the EVIL way the enemy of Christ.

Babylon was also a symbol of Rome

This was a time of intense persecution on Christians

in 8 years the TEMPLE in Jerusalem would be destroyed

Peter himself would be killed within 2 years of this letter in ROME

By Emperor Nero

and historians believe that he was killed on

The Book of 1 Peter is a lesson in the reality of this world

We are not in control of much, but we can control our perception

We can chose to view things through

Positive Praising Eyes or negative blaming eyes

This can manifest into WHY ME

Instead of What YOU have for me

James 1:2 “2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,”

Peter will teach us that ALL things come from God, the good and the bad

our reality as Christian is that it is All for HIS GLORY

Peter writes this letter to Christians giving in Persecution

Peter is reminding them

WHO JESUS IS?

WHAT THE GOSPEL IS?

WHERE we fit into the PLAN

WHEN we are to Focus on

HOW we are to react to persecution, sickness, disappointment

Hey we know it....

Suffering Exists

CHRIST suffered more than MOST of US

FIRM, FOCUSED, FOUNDATION

YET HE stood FIRM

CHRIST stayed FOCUSED

CHRIST kept perspective on the FOUNDATION of it all

Living Right

Living Right is having the FIRM FOUNDATION of CHRIST

Living RIGHT is having FOCUS on the GOSPEL

Living Right is standing Firm on CHRIST

The reality is that we all drift we all question we all struggle

BUT we have the SPIRIT of GOD to bring us back to CENTER

Trials --- BRING EM --- we will grow from them

DOUBTS — BRING EM ON --- We will learn who to TRUST

LIES --- NO PROBLEM --- LIES will reveal TRUTH

God is working on US

ALWAYS

Living Hope

Friends the message today and for eternity

is WE ALWAYS HAVE HOPE

We chose that state of MIND

WE CHOSE OUR VIEW OF AN ISSUE

I have learned to chose that Jesus has my back

I have learned not to fear for FEAR IS LACK OF TRUST

Illustration:

Many years ago my pastor in Lancaster received a scary diagnosis

He had cancer.

He announced it from the pulpit one Sunday

He paused and you could hear the congregation moan, you could feel the sadness

He looked out at the congregation and said

PRAISE GOD FOR THIS.....

GOD will either HEAL ME or TAKE ME TO HEAVEN

HEALING OR HEAVEN

either outcome i fully submit to today.

Friends I WILL NEVER forget the serenity in that statement

I started that day to adopt that attitude

Restoration, Health, Financial, Relationship STRUGGLES

This study on 1 Peter will strengthen us to to shape our minds

GOD YOU ALONE ARE IN CONTROL

I submit to YOU

HEAL ME, RESTORE ME, USE ME

or bring me to HEAVEN TO BE WITH YOU FOREVER.

Some times we will get broken in order to be RESTORED

Some times we will struggle to be USED by HIM

but all the TIME

WE HAVE A LIVING HOPE IN CHRIST JESUS

Lets pray.