Hope-Filled Exiles
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Text 1 Peter 1:1-5
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 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, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
PETER’S HOPE
PETER’S HOPE
Let’s think back on a timeline of Peter’s Life:
SUCCESSFUL FISHERMAN
DISCIPLE OF JESUS
CHURCH LEADER
& AN AUTHOR
Born in Galilee, probably in the village of Bethsaida. 1?
Simon, a fisherman by trade, moves to Capernaum. 20?
His mother-in-law is living with him
Simon’s brother, Andrew, introduces him to Jesus. 29
Turn to John 1:35-42
Jesus calls Simon Peter “the rock.” 29
Jesus calls Peter to be one of his twelve disciples. 29
AD 30–33
>>As a disciple of Jesus, he had a lot of highs and lows:
He saw & did miracles
He was present with James & John @ Jesus’ transfiguration
He confessed that Jesus is the Messiah at Caesarea Philippi 32
He witnessed the death & resurrection of Jesus
>>He had some lows:
Peter vows to die with Jesus. 33
tried to forbid him to go to the cross
Peter denies Jesus in the courtyard of Annas. 33
AD 33–40
After Jesus rose to life on the, he appeared to Peter and recommissioned him. 33
Three thousand people repented and believed the Gospel when Peter preached at the feast of Pentecost. 33
As a church leader,
AD 40–114
He met with other leaders in Jerusalem to deal with the question of whether Gentiles had to be circumcised to become Christians. 49
He received criticism from Paul at Antioch about his treatment of Gentiles believers. 49
He stood up to persecutors within and outside the church.
As an author,
he was uneducated (compared to the Scribes)
his style is simple, but his Substance is the inspired infallible word of God
he pens 2 letters to the same group of people in Asia minor (now Turkey) 64-65
His earthly end,
He is killed in Rome during Nero’s persecution of Christians 67
He is crucified upside down at his request, because he didn’t consider himself to be worthy of dying in the same way that Jesus did.
TRANSITION: If you would have met Peter BEFORE Christ, I doubt very seriously that you would have predicted this path.
You would have likely mapped out a plan / expectation for this animated fisherman that looked quite differently.
Lot’s of people think about Galatians and Romans being great books about GRACE. And they ARE. They are about the idea of grace, the explanation of grace or the ideas of Grace.
We need that to form our thoughts rightly…but 1 Peter gives us a TASTE and experience of Grace for an everyday people.
GOD HAS NOT CALLED US TO SIMPLY THINK ABOUT GRACE, HE WANTS TO KNOW IT…EXPERIENCE IT!
(John Piper used this word picture about another matter, but I couldn’t help think about it here)
Ideas about grace are like COOKING…but just thinking about them is not eating.
Theological meditations on grace are like DIGGING…but not yet drinking from the well.
I want to EAT…I want to DRINK.
I need to EAT…and DRINK of the goodness of God.
Scripture-FED, Spirit-LED GRACE FOR WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
When I’m struggling…
When I’m maligned…
When it seems like we’re the only ones standing in a world that is losing its collective mind…
WE NEED GRACE!
and when it comes to ordinary people like us…people who have big highs and low lows in their lives…we can lay hold of HOPE.
HOPE
The New Zealander has a word for hope which signifies “the swimming-thought”; because when all other thoughts are drowned, hope still swims.
Unanswered Prayer, Volume 59, Sermon #3344 - Psalm 22:2
Charles Spurgeon
Hope what you please; but remember, that hope without truth at the bottom of it, is an anchor without a holdfast. A groundless hope is a mere delusion.
Christ’s Incarnation, Page 146
Charles Spurgeon
I our Christian hope is just as good as Jesus Christ. Your anticipation for the future lives or dies with Jesus. If He is who He said He was, you can spread your wings and soar.4
A. W. Tozer
PETER, NOW AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, is going to write to a confused, discouraged, harassed, and persecuted people and encourage them to LOOK AT CHRIST - STAND STRONG - EXPERIENCE GRACE - AND SHARE THE LIVING HOPE!
This letter is written to churches that are a lot like ours. While suffering for Jesus is relatively NEW in the WESTERN CIVILIZED world…it was NORMAL for Peter’s readers.
They never said, “why is this happening to me” or “I just don’t understand why there is so much adversity”
ABOUT SUFFERING
ABOUT SUFFERING
Christians WILL suffer.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
After Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra, he and Barnabas..
Acts 14:21–22 (ESV)
…returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Paul would tell young Timothy
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
I think we’ve gotten used to an era where FOR MOST OF US LISTENING TO THIS - it’s been mostly possible to be reasonably COMFORTABLE, culturally ACCEPTABLE, and CHRISTIAN.
As Juan Sanchez notes, “If that time ever ACTUALLY existed, it is NOW PASSING QUICKLY.”
Who is he writing to…
CALLED OUT
CALLED OUT
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
God’s chosen people / Living as aliens / exiles
Jesus would say to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
On THIS side of the grave we are exiles, on the OTHER SIDE, citizens;
on THIS side, orphans; on that, children;
on THIS side, captives; on THAT, freemen. (BEECHER)
Like these who have been scattered by the will of God himself, we are outcasts…
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
You will NEVER FIT IN
The WORLD can put nothing in your HANDS that will ultimately satisfy you.
YOU HAVE FOUND THE TREASURE WORTH EVERYTHING! Jesus Christ, the risen Savior…the lover of your soul!
WHEN THIS WORLD GETS YOU DOWN AND YOU ARE TEMPTED TO DESPAIR,
remember YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT.
You don’t have to spend your time like those without Christ do. You have been called out.
You don’t have to spend your money like those without Christ do. You have been called out.
You don’t have to treat people like those without Christ do. You have been called out.
You don’t have to spend your time like those without Christ do. You have been called out.
Look at verse 2…the children of God are NOT alone:
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
GOD’S PEOPLE MAY BE CALLED OUT…BUT WE HAVE BEEN COMFORTED BY GOD
COMFORTED BY GOD
COMFORTED BY GOD
GOD’S CALLED OUT PEOPLE ARE A COMFORTED PEOPLE.
Notice the entire Godhead engaged in our present state.
“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” - Seen by the Father…planned / orchestrated / He’s all over it!
“Sanctified by the Spirit” - THIS STATE of exile is the sanctifying work of the Spirit
“for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood.” Submitted to Jesus Christ, our Savior
Grace & Peace ARE MULTIPLIED as God Himself is at work in our lives!
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Regardless of how OUT OF SYNC we feel with the culture around us…(and we should feel that way)
Grace & Peace are multiplied in our lives as we WALK IN THE SPIRIT, with our EYES FIXED ON JESUS, spending time with the FATHER!
AND AS WE RECOGNIZE THIS TRUTH…
we see much more than a salutation in verse 3…
WE DRINK FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF GOD’S SALVATION…
WE TASTE THE BREAD OF LIFE…
WE HAVE THE BLOOD OF JESUS APPLIED TO US
and we leap to our feet (as exiles…pilgrims in this weary world) and sing
3 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, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
CROWNED WITH HOPE
CROWNED WITH HOPE
God has given us GREAT MERCY
In WWII, Corrie ten Boom and her family risked their lives to save Jews from Nazi persecution. They were imprisoned for their actions, yet Corrie’s spirit remained unbroken. After the war, she faced one of her former captors with a choice: to either condemn or forgive him. By extending mercy, she exemplified Christ's love in the face of unimaginable hatred. Her story reveals that true mercy embodies sacrifice and the willingness to hope for redemption, even when wounded—it challenges us to reflect on our own capacity for mercy.
God has GIVEN SALVATION TO US
HE SAVED US
God SAVED US TO A LIVING HOPE
THERE IT IS…
The underlying theme of this whole study.
NOT hope for hope’s sake.
NOT, “Oh, I hope this is true…or I hope I can get through this.”
NOT HOPE because of your normal disposition or temperament.
THIS HOPE GUSHES OUT OF THE
“RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD
We serve a LIVING, RISEN Savior
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
AND HE HAS DELIVERING US TO AN INHERITANCE…
(LOOK AT VERSE 4)
IMPERISHABLE, UNDEFILED, UNFADING:
In a world where everything fades.
Just this week, we have seen homes, business, and downtown communities washed away by 1 major storm.
What Jesus gives us will never DIE, DISTORT, or DIM!
The people of God (v5) are being GUARDED & KEPT by God’s power - NOT OUR OWN!
AND THAT IS THE SEEDBED FOR HOPE.
Christ - our Risen Savior - is the source of our living hope!
Jesus Christ - our soon Returning King - is the key to our identity as chosen exiles.
The Father sees you…The Holy Spirit is sanctifying you…and Jesus is calling you to FOLLOW HIM!
We can do it - we can live in hope as we DEMONSTRATE GOD’S GOODNESS TO THOSE AROUND US.
CONCLUSION
We all have friends and family who are NOT CHRISTIANS YET.
They long for something true and lasting…even if they can’t / won’t see it or admit to it
They are trying to fill up on the millions of things this world has to offer
But that is hope IN THIS LIFE ONLY - which leads to MISERY
Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.
Charles Spurgeon
This week, be intentional about the LANGUAGE OF HOPE to yourself…to your coworkers, your family.
RECOGNIZE CHRISTIAN HOPE often runs with GRATITUDE.
Compliment MORE than you complain.
Use a note card, a journal, a note app on your phone, “Dictate it”.
TODAY, I’M GRATEFUL FOR…
RIGHT NOW, I’M GRATEFUL FOR…
“IF I DIDN’T HAVE JESUS, I WOULD……THANK YOU LORD FOR REAL HOPE; LIVING HOPE!”