1 Peter 1: Who Are We?
Notes
Transcript
Mulgrave Gospel Chapel, 22nd May 2022
Introduction: Why 1 Peter?
Introduction: Why 1 Peter?
Good morning, brothers and sisters. Good to see all of you again.
I thought of sharing from 1 Peter today. It will take me quite a few messages to go through the book; but I thought it is worthwhile, given that the messages are relevant and practical. I will be reading from the English Standard Version today.
Let us pray before we start. [Pray]
1 Peter 1: Background and Context
1 Peter 1: Background and Context
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 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.
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia are names of Roman provinces which are in what we know as Turkey today. In Peter’s days, they were newly incorporated provinces, sort of a frontier land of the empire.
Peter wrote his first epistle probably during AD 50s, when the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled a large number of Jews from Rome at the later half of AD 40s. The Jews were expelled probably because the missionary effort of Christians in Rome. Luke recorded this in Paul’s secondary missionary journeys in Acts 18: 1-2,
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,
Pontus is now western Turkey, one of the destinations mentioned at the beginning of Peter’s letter. Peter wrote to encourage them.
The recipients of Peter’s epistle face the challenge of being marginalised, ostracised and expelled from Rome by the mere fact that they were Christians and Jews. The Romans regarded Christianity as a sect of Judaism in the early first century. They face a society not unlike the one we face today and will most certainly face in the future - a society that is increasing different in values, perspective and attitudes; a society that perceives us as being irrelevant, anti-progressive and even incompatible with the majority.
If you are familiar with the book Operation World, the first few prayer points are telling. If you are not, please familiarise yourself with the book; it is an invaluable resource for prayer. You can access much of the information on their website, too; just google Operation World and you will find them. It is telling that the main prayer point for Australia is this,
“The Church in Australia faces a mighty challenge. The strong influence of Christianity declined as the country became more diverse in religions, and became more secular in its public life and laws. [Only] 52% of the population (according to the 2016 census) say they are Christian, but less than 10% regularly attend church. Many Australians see the Church as intolerant, abusive of its power, and anti-progressive in its values. More people prefer a personal spirituality based on individual preferences, and with no accountability. Almost all mainline churches declined or stayed the same in members, and evangelical growth slowed down.”
So what does it mean to be a Christian here, today? Does it mean supporting more migrants coming to Australia or fewer migrants? What about the down trending of number of Christians in Australia and declining influence of Christianity in the country? We see more and more legislations that erode the influence of Christianity in this society. What does that mean to us? What has future forestalled for us here? It is almost certain Christians will be a minority in this country in the future. What does that mean for us? Would we still have the religious freedom today?
And on broader issues, what does it mean to be a Christian today? How do we engage with the society that is increasingly opposing our values and perspective? Does it mean to be conservative or progressive? Does it mean to be politically right or left? Does it mean supporting Donald Trump or Joe Biden? Does it mean voting for Liberal or Labor? Does it mean supporting Ukraine or Russia? Does it mean supporting Hong Kong/Taiwan or China?
And Peter is writing to them to encourage them on how to respond in this hostile societal environment.
Our Identity and Inheritance - Who are We? What have been given us?
Our Identity and Inheritance - Who are We? What have been given us?
“3Blessed be God the 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 dead, 5to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Peter did not jump in and give us the advice on what to do; but instead, he reminds us who we are first and foremost. His starting point on this is our identity. If we want to know how to respond to the increasing secularisation of Australian society - we need to start by asking this question - “Who are we?” If we want to know how to engage with the people around us, we start by asking “what is our identity?”
And the answer is - We are born again - into a new life, with a better inheritance that the citizenship of Rome - or Australia, or any country in the world could offer, for that matter - we are born into a family with a hope that is alive and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading; kept in heaven, guarded by God’s power. In the same way as the Israelites, we are the elect of God; and just as the Jews were exiled from the Promised Land, Peter’s readers were exiled from Rome; and spiritually, we are now in exile from heaven, our true home - the words Peter used in verse 1 to greet his readers, “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion …” or “of the Diaspora ….” Peter is reminding us that we belong neither to the political left nor right; we are neither conservative or progressive; modern or post-modern; we belong to a political stance that is totally different from every thing else - we belong to the kingdom of heaven, the family of Jesus.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
This living hope and imperishable inheritance is a source of joy for all of us. In spite of this, Peter does not ignore the fact that our present life on earth may still be full of trials and challenges. What then do we do when we face these trials and for some believers, persecution?
The persecution that Peter’s reader endured, and the opposition that we face, are trials that would eventually prove that our faith is genuine - because if our faith is fake, we would have abandoned Christ and seek our personal safety. The fact that Peter’s readers, and us, would believe in one whom we have not seen, and who we are still not able to see even today, yet we still believe, proves that our faith is fair-dinkum. And more than believing - we even rejoice with a joy that is beyond words, a joy filled with glory - because we are convinced that we have receive the fruit of our faith, the eternal salvation of our souls, even when we are on this side of heaven. This is the proof that Peter’s readers’, and our, faith is genuine, and because our faith is genuine, we will receive the fruit of our belief, the perfection of our faith - the salvation of our souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
And this salvation is not just what Peter, Jesus and his other apostles preached - it is a salvation attested to, and witnessed by the prophets of old - prophets of the Old Testament. And the prophecies were given to serve Peter’s readers - and us - because Peter’s readers - and we - need to know and understand that Jesus’ suffering and death were not timely accidents or tragic, or that God has failed or has been defeated in anyway - but a necessity that has been long planned and foretold many times. The prophets and their prophecies are serving us because they tell us the true significance of the Cross, and that the suffering of Christ was part of God’s plan - just like Peter’s readers’ suffering and even our suffering today. Their sufferings - and ours - in the name of Christ, unite us with the experience and purposes of Christ. This is the Cross that Christ calls us to bear because we are his true disciples. The suffering that proves the genuineness of our faith, the suffering that proves to us that we will receive the promises of God, the salvation of our souls.
But more importantly, if the Old Testament prophecies foretold the suffering of Christ - and gives meaning to our sufferings, then the Old Testament teachings are all the more relevant to us today when we face the sufferings that the Old Testament foretold. And this is where Peter gets into next.
Our Attitude - How do we live?
Our Attitude - How do we live?
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
If this is who we are - Children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus the Messiah, and Citizens of the Kingdom of God, what then shall we do in this present world, where we live as exiles, aliens and strangers?
Firstly, we must be prepared and ready in our mind; the Greek literally means, “gird the loin of your mind” and “being clear-minded always” - for what? For the persecution, temptations and trials come our way; and set our eyes on the source of our encouragement - the grace that we will receive when Jesus comes again - and most of all, if we are brothers and sisters in Christ and children of God, do not fall into passions and temptations which is moulded after our previous life - the old life before salvation - which is informed by ignorance. Do not be tempted to take short cuts; do not be tempted to sin, do not be tempted to do things in the worldly manner, because we have been born again - and the one who calls us into our new birth is holy; the Spirit who gives birth to us as new a creation is holy - and so we must also be holy. Peter writes, “since it is written”; where was it written? It is written 5 times in Leviticus, 11:44, 11:45, 19:2, 20:26, 21:8.
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
These last few verses are a reminder of how important it is for us to be holy. The God whom we call Father, the God of the New Testament is also the God of the Old Testament; the God of Peter is the same God of the Jews; God the Father of Jesus, is the God the Father of the nation Israel. And this is a God who judges impartially, literally, the God who does not “give face” in Greek. The Greek word here is only used in the Bible and nowhere else, and Peter probably has Deuteronomy 10:17 in mind here, which if translated literally, says,
“YHWH your God, he is the God of gods and the Lord of lords; He is the great and mighty God, He fears nothing and he does not give face or take bribe.”
He is not going to do away with justice just because we are his children. He is not going to close one eye just because we are in the family. Therefore, we are to conduct ourselves with fear as exiles and strangers in this land - because we have already been ransomed once with the precious blood of Christ - and this is our second chance. So, do not squander this second chance. But we are not doing this alone - God knew before He even created the universe that we would mess up; and He has set in place the plan to save us - though this plan is only made known now, and that, for our sake, so that we can put our faith and hope in Him - God - and His Holy Spirit will sanctify or purify us, as Peter says in verse 2.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So what does all this mean? What does Peter want us to do when he asks us to conduct ourselves with fear throughout the time of our exile? Peter wants us to be obedient to God’s truth. And what does that obedience look like? Love one another with a brotherly love; sincerely and with a pure heart. This was counter-culture in Peter’s day; and it’s still counter-cultural today. People act in self-interest; not the interest of others; the currency of interaction is benefit - what benefit do I get out of joining this social group? What’s in it for me in this relationship? What do I get out of coming to church today? But as children of God, citizens of heaven, we are to love one another without ever asking “what’s in it for me.” We love one another because that is who we are - our new nature, our new self - Peter puts it this way, “since you have been born again, not with perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”
Peter is quoting from Isaiah 40 here. What does Peter mean by “living and abiding word of God”? Living in the sense that God’s word is not dead - it will surely come to pass; living also in the sense that it gives us new life into God’s kingdom when we believe in it. “Abiding” in the sense that God’s word - in this sense as promises - will stay and will come true.
Isaiah 40 is the magnificent chapter that began a new section in the prophecies of Isaiah. After 39 chapters of woes and judgment, Isaiah began his magnificent prophecies of the Messiah with chapter 40, starting with these words to comfort a people able to go into exile, a nation soon to be totally destroyed; with all its religious institutions and much of the tradition totally abolished. Isaiah 40 starts with the call to comfort God’s people - despite the impending doom and destruction, disaster and calamity - that despite all these, God has not forgotten His people, and He is not too weak to save them. He will save them when the Messiah come. And as surely as the Messiah has come, as Peter’s readers knew - and as we know - the Messiah will come again.
And this is the living, abiding good news that has been preached to us.
Summary:
Summary:
How do we face the challenge of a world, a country, a community that is drawing itself further away from our Judeo-Christian tradition? How do we engage with a society that is increasing different from us? First of all, we must be clear of who we are - what is our identity; what are our values, our perspective, our priorities, our identity, and what we have. We are citizens of heaven, brothers and sisters of the Messiah; children of God; this is something we celebrating, our source of great joy and hope. We are born again into God’s kingdom through His living and abiding word - the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and we are certain that the promises will come true.
Peter will go on to chapter 2 to show us how to get our own life in order, in chapter 3 our family in order. In chapter 4, how do we live our daily life and in the last chapter, our church in order.
