1 Peter 1:1-2

Intro:

We have spent the last 10 weeks walking through the book of Esther.

And something we saw through this time was a People of God Living as Exiles!

The Jews we read about were not in THE LAND THAT FLOWED WITH MILK AND HONEY!

Instead, they were in Persia

In a land where they were at the Kings discretion…

They King’s decisions on receiving a new wife affected them!

The King’s signet ring sent decrees that would cause the annihilation of the Jews!

The King’s scepter had to be extended for them to approach the king!

They were living as Exiles!

However, the Lord never forgot them!

They were His people and his providential hand was present the whole time!

And having finished our time, there is no doubt of God’s faithfulness and deliverance that He had toward His people!

Today, I want to remind you that WE TOO are LIVING AS EXILES TODAY!

The Christian lives in a world that is simply not their home!

Now, God created a paradise for man to live in…..YET man was banished from it because of SIN!

And Man took on a new home…

A home that in their own sin…. loved…

They are given over to it in their depraved mind…

Following the course of this world….doing what is right in their own eyes…

Having every intention of their heart and mind being evil….

Living in the passions of their flesh…

Being sons of disobedience, children of wrath!

BUT NOT FOR THE CHRISTIANS!!!

Hebrews 13:14 CSB

14 For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come.

Philippians 3:20 CSB

20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:1 CSB

1 For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.

John 14:2–3 CSB

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

And because of this reality….that WE ARE NOT HOME…..

We must come to understand that we ARE LIVING AS EXILES in a CROOKED and PERVERSE GENERATION!!

As exiles, we have to live with the curse, our weakness, suffering, and death.

But there is a LIVING HOPE….

That will get us through….

That will give us Endurance…

That will anchor us down…..

We long for this Heavenly home…..BUT WE HAVE HOPE EVEN NOW!!!!

And this is What 1 PETER is ALL ABOUT!!!

Today we are going to just look at the First 2 verses of 1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Peter 1:1–2 CSB

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Here, we simply have an introduction to a letter.

Just as we say…Dear so and so…..Sincerely, Jerry Horine

This would have been a common way to start a letter in this Time!

Peter says, ITS ME…..PETER, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ thats writing to you.

You know….

The one that was told to cast the Net to the other side of the boat…bringing in a multitude of fish!

The one that walked on Water and saw the Transfiguration of our Lord!

And yes, the one that denied Jesus three times…But was restored on the bank of the Sea of Galilee

AND IT WAS ME that STOOD AMIDST THE LARGE CROWS AT PENTECOST AND SAID,

Acts 2:38–41 “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.”

Yes, It’s Peter, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST….But thats enough about me….

PETER says I WRITE TO YOU….

1 Peter 1:1 “To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

And by the extension of God’s GRACE….we TOO are the CHOSEN EXILES that Peter is writing to!

I. Living as EXILES means that we live DISPERSED!

It says that they were dispersed abroad!

And Peter gives the names of 5 different locations that are all in what is Modern Day Turkey!

Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia

However, they did not start out dispersed….

This great MOVEMENT OF THE SPIRIT started when they were GATHERED in Jerusalem!

It was A Festival called SHAVUOT where Jews Pilgrimaged to Jerusalem to celebrate WHEN GOD GAVE THE TORAH AT MT SINAI

It was 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus

And there were Jews from just about everywhere you could imagine!

The Bible puts it this way…

Acts 2:1–12 CSB

1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

And it is at this point that PETER STANDS UP AND PREACHES!!!!

BUT CATCH THIS!!!

Acts 2:8–9 “8 How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,”

1 Peter 1:1 “1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

I love this….

There is a good chance that those in Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia THAT WILL BE READING THIS LETTER could have BEEN AT JERUSALEM ON PENTECOST AND HEARD PETER PREACH!

And now, they having repented and been baptized…would have taken the Gospel back home with them!

And so Peter’s Letter is going to Jewish Christians as well as Christian Gentiles that would have responded to the Gospel!

Churches have been born and Peter is giving further Devine instruction to them!

We too are dispersed abroad!

I share all of this because THIS IS JUST HOW OUR GOD WORKS!

Churches are all across the Globe….but he uses His Word to give us Devine Instruction still to this day!

But the BEAUTY and THE POINT I AM TRYING TO GET TO IS THIS….

WHILE WE ARE DISPERSED, WE ARE NOT ALONE!

On Wednesday Night, we looked at where Baptist come from and what it means to be Baptist….

And one of our conclusions IS THAT IT MEANS WE ARE COOPERATIONAL

We cooperate together for the GOSPEL!

Thats why, when you (WHO ARE DISPERSED IN ANDERSON COUNTY)…

GIVE to Friendship…

You are providing a meal for an EXILED missionary’s family DISPERSED IN THESE SAME LOCATIONS TODAY…..modern day Turkey

You are helping provide hope to EXILED brethren DISPERSED in Tennessee and Carolinas from the Storm!

You are partnering with EXILED Brothers and Sisters in seeing the NATIONS COME TO JESUS!

We are Dispersed, But not Alone!!!!

II. We are not randomly EXILED, but are CHOSEN.

Peter reminds us that our Exiled Lives have purpose!

Exile is not something that happens to some of us and not the rest….

But rather, IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST…..YOU ARE AN EXILE!

And not only an exile….But CHOSEN BY GOD…in fact the Greek word is Elect Exiles.

But the beauty of this idea really comes in verse 2!

Our Election, God’s Choosing of us is DISPLAYED through a Supernatural Work of the TRINITY!

1 Peter 1:2 CSB

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

According to the Foreknowledge of God the FATHER.

I want this to sink in with you…

God the Father has FOREKNOWN you for all of eternity!

We may initially think that God looked through the scope of time and foreknew whom would be His elect!

BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS!!!!

The Biblical word for knowledge has a deeper understanding than just an awareness!

With knowledge comes an intimacy!

Jeremiah 1:5 CSB

5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Psalm 139:1 CSB

1 Lord, you have searched me and known me.

1 Corinthians 8:3 CSB

3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.

This means that in God’s CHOOSING of us….we ARE KNOWN and have been KNOWN for all eternity!

Jesus was Foreknown…

1 Peter 1:20 CSB

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you.

And By Grace through Faith, we too are foreknown…..

Romans 8:29–30 CSB

29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

This is the DEPTH of God’s LOVE for you as HE HAS KNOWN YOU INTIMATELY FOR ALL OF TIME!

Romans 11:33 CSB

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways!

According to the Foreknowledge of God the Father

Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit

Now, let this one Sink in!

God not only foreknew you, but the Holy Spirit is the source of your sanctification.

Again, God’s choosing of you is not based on cleaning yourself up or bringing yourself to a place of sanctification....

But rather, in His Choosing we are sanctified through the work of the Spirit.

To be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ!

Our choosing has purpose and result!

In knowing we are His, our life should reflect OBEDIENCE to Him!

Ultimately, that obedience only comes from Christ IN US!

Jesus is the only one to have ever walked in perfect obedience!

And for us to walk in obedience is seeing that we truly have joined in his death and raised in His life!

we have been chosen to Obey, what a blessing!

And if that is not good enough, we are reminded here that the Blood of Christ has already been sprinkled on us!

Now being Sprinkled with blood is a weird thought...

Until you See that Christ as brought us into the Nee Covenant.

Exodus 24:6–8 CSB

Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the other half of the blood he splattered on the altar. He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and obey all that the Lord has commanded.” Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”

What Peter reminds us here is that it is only because of the Sacrifice of Christ that we can be His chosen People!

And as Christ inaugurated this New Covenant...

We can say, THROUGH CHRIST, WE WILL DO AND OBEY WHAT THE LORD HAS COMMANDED!

What amazing work of the Trinity!

And we are the recipients of this Work...

Chosen by the FOREKNOWLEDGE of God the FATHER

Throught the SANTIFICATION of God the HOLY SPIRIT!

To be OBEDIENT and SPRINKLED with the blood of God the Son, Jesus Christ!

We are not randomly Exiled, but CHOSEN

III. GRACE and PEACE are offered to those in EXILE!

Peter's hope in the words that follow is that they would give GRACE and PEACE to those who hear them and love by them!

Peter understood that Grace was not deserved!

He looked at Jesus after having betrayed Him 3 times.

However, Jesus tells him to feed His sheep and calls him to preach the First Sermon with the Power from on High Given at Pentecost!

Peter knew that there was no peace outside of Christ.

John 6:67–68 CSB

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.

John 14:27 CSB

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

Peter knew the power and warmth of this Grace and Peace!

May Grace and Peace be MULTIPLIED to you!

You who are living the EXILED LIFE...

There is Grace and Peace offered to you!

Let me ask you a question today...

How comfortable are you in this place, in this world?

If you are not careful, we make a home out of this place.

We normalize Sin

We lean into worldly principles

We place earthly things and activities above those of God.

We work for our treasures here on earth.

You may even become somewhat comfortable in this place.

But the truth is that this world has no comfort to give.

But there is a Christ who says, Matthew 11:28-30

Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This Workd is Not my Home!

This world is not my home I'm just a-passing through My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me From heaven's open door And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you If heaven's not my home Then Lord, what will I do?

The angels beckon me From heaven's open door And I can't feel at home In this world anymore