1 Peter: Part 1 (Sermon Title??)

SERMON PREP NOTES

INTRO/1:1-2

RENIHAN

INTRO TO 1 PETER

-In his typical intro, Peter: announces himself, addresses himself to churches in roman provinces, and offers them a prayer

-General epistle to be passed around to the Christians in these different provinces/regions

-The Setting, & Date of 1 Peter: Written by Peter, From Rome, in the 60’s AD, to Churches in Northern Asia Minor

*During the reign of Emperor Nero (who was famous for his persecution of Christians among other vile things)

*what was happening in the capital in Rome with Nero was likely trickling into these local provinces & their authorities

*seemingly living in Rome later in his life at this time, Peter was well aware of the uptick of persecution

*Similar persecution was already happening at the hands of Jews

-Peter is preparing these Christians for increased suffering & persecution, and reminding them to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, and reminding them that they can be hopeful in that (like Christ) suffering leads to glory

-The Author of 1 Peter: Peter, the Human Author (Spirit is the ultimate author, ala 1:10-12)

*We’re dealing with an older, wiser, more sanctified version of Peter by this time

*”Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ”

-His identity is wrapped up entirely by who He is in Christ

-His birth name was Simon! Jesus gave him the name Peter, and obviously he loves this Christ-given name

-”Apostle”: one who has officially been sent out on the authority of Jesus Christ to speak on His behalf

*Jesus was the Cornerstone of the Church, and the apostles were part of the foundation

*Had Peter ever been to these 5 provinces? We don’t know, but it doesn’t matter b/c of his apostolic authority

*How did fisherman Peter write in polished Greek?

-Bi-lingualism was common in Galilee

-Peter had decades of teaching/learning experience since Jesus called him

-He had help! He wrote “by Silvanus” (5:12), who was likely one of his skilled Scribes who helped put Peter’s Words/Teaching to paper

*Peter’s life and testimony

-called by Jesus, taught by Jesus, corrected by Jesus, warned by Jesus, loved by Jesus

-Peter’s Lows

*Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus declared His suffering & death

*Peter told Jesus not to wash his feet

*Peter declared that He would never deny Jesus, but denied Him 3 times

*Peter cut off a servant’s ear trying to defend Jesus

*Peter was rebuked & corrected by Paul when his conduct wavered between how he interacted with Jews vs. Gentiles

-Peter’s Highs

*2 of the most important confessions of faith were made by Peter

-Matthew 16:15-16 (you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God)

-John 6:67-68 (Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life)

-Peter saw Jesus’ miracles, walked on water to Jesus, saw Jesus transfigured, saw Jesus betrayed/arrested/falsely accused/die on a cross/resurrected/ascended

-Peter saw the events of Pentecost & preached sermon there, given Vision of Clean/Unclean animals/people (1st to bring gospel to gentiles)

-Peter was imprisoned, helped lead the Jerusalem Council

-In the face of Nero, Early Peter would have wavered in faith and wanted to lift the sword

-In the face of Nero, Later Peter stood firm that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God

-If you sat down with Peter, what would He say about Christ?

*Among many, 4 things:

-Jesus is Truthful, Jesus is Powerful, Jesus is Merciful, Jesus is Faithful

*Application we can draw from Peter himself:

-1) Age should soften us, not harden us

*Peter was well-equipped (largely from his own failures & sufferings) to encourage believers

*like the Titus 2 men are to model

-2) Before and above everything else, our identity should be found in Christ Jesus

*Peter was who he was based on what Jesus said (life was defined & shaped by Christ)

*regardless of our calling and circumstance, our identity is in Christ

*when we were baptized, we were declared a new person/identity (child of God, spouse/bride of Christ)

*Is your life hidden in Christ or someone/something else?

*Are you a Christian 7 days a week or 1?

-The Structure of 1 Peter

*common themes:

-suffering, submission, the hopeful expectation of coming glory

-gives us a glimpse into life in exile (elect exiles of the dispersion)

HOME AWAY FROM HOME (1:1-2)

-Peter calls Christians “migrants/pilgrims/dispersed exiles”

-2 Main Points:

*I. The Metaphor

-Peter uses a metaphor to describe Christians. But these only work when they are connected to reality!

*What are the words Peter uses?

-ESV “exiles”: The Greek word (parepidēmoi)…meaning not among your people

*”demoi” = people group or nation

*”epi” = among (think epidemic, not pandemic)

*”para” = beside (think parachurch)

*epidemoi means “among the people”

*paraepidemoi means “not among the people” (outside of being among your people)

*used in Genesis when Abraham was passing through Hittite land, and in Hebrews talking about those died in faith

-ESV exiles “of the dispersion”

*not merely not among their people

*specifically had been used to for the Jews who had been dispersed in the ancient world rather than in physical Israel

*John 7:33-35. “Does He (Jesus) intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks…?”

*Peter calls Christians in Roman provinces “exiles of the Dispersion”

-How could Peter do this to largely non-ethnic Jewish Christians in Roman Provinces? How could he say this to people who included many Gentiles who literally had lived there their whole life?

*Why does Peter describe the recipients with these words, and what is the reality this metaphor describing?

-He uses it metaphorically because they are “elect” exiles of the Dispersion

-They have been chosen by—consecrated and set apart—God to inherit salvation…a new people with a new identity, born from above and destined to ultimately return to their new true home

-As the gospel advanced through the Greco-Roman world, it collected the elect & their identities were transformed. The more they are transformed, the less they belong to these 5 Roman provinces. The less they fit in, and the more they become exiles dispersed.

-If we are elect exiles of the Dispersion, it means that we are not of this world. We truly don’t belong where we live

-Sobering Parallel: The OT Nations destroyed the Temple of Israel, Plundered the Nation of Israel, and dispersed them throughout the world. Later in History, the Jews & Nations destroyed Christ the Temple, and dispersed Christians throughout the world. But here’s the big difference: Jesus rebuilt His temple 3 days later, and Jesus is constructing a new temple, which is the Church. So all throughout the world, you have the people of Jesus that belong to His temple & worship/obey/serve Him. They are elect exiles dispersed throughout the world who He has given them a heavenly inheritance and celestial Kingdom.

*Is this all just otherworldy? Is it all just future? No. Jesus has also given them in this present age the Church, the forestaste of the Kingdom of Christ. The Church in fact is the Kingdom of Christ manifesting itself in this present evil age.

-The church (local outposts) is our home away from home. Here we eat the food of our home (the Lord’s Supper), and sing the songs of our people, and tell the true tales of our home.

-Peter depicts the church as the fulfillment of Old Covenant Israel, saying that they’re elect exiles of the Dispersion…pilgrims on their way to their heavenly inheritance/home

*II. The Reality (home away from home)

-the church should be the home away from home for dispersed elect exiles. How so?

*5 things that prevent the church from being a home away from home

-1) if a church is unholy (very much of this world….an undisciplined church)

-2) if a church is man-centered (pastor personality-driven, focused around him)

-3) if a church is preference-driven (preference driven)

-4) if a church is entertaining (attractional, focused around the programming, music, etc.)

-5) if a church is nationally or ethnically oriented (political rallies, split traditional/contemporary services)

*6 reasons why the church is/should be a home away from home

-1) worshipping the same God (this unites all sorts of different backgrounds)

-2) being consecrated by the same Spirit (people from 5 provinces elected & same origin story)

-3) being sprinkled by the same blood (all purified by Christ’s blood)

-4) obeying the same Lord (living under the same authority/by the same code)

-5) having the same reason for being exiles (reasons 1-4)

-6) have the same destination as pilgrims (all headed to our heavenly city)

-If the elect have the same family identity/name, inheritance and destination, until that time the church is our common home away from home

*we’re not scattered to be alone. we are scattered to be together and to help each other on our way home!

*may we walk together on our way home!

-elect exiles: simple phrase with profound, encouraging meaning for us.

ELECTION & PRETERITION (1:1-2)

-the doctrine of election can swing to different ditches

-”to those who are elect exiles…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…”

-connecting “elect” with “according to the foreknowledge”

-3 Main Points:

I. Election Unto Eternal Life

*Peter writes that these recipients have been sanctified by the Spirit and sprinkled by the blood of Christ

*why? B/c God chose/elected them for this (He chose to save them in Christ). God purposing to save in eternity.

*why do we believe this? B/c the Scriptures teach it. God has spoken on the matter. We must believe it.

-2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

-Ephesians 1:4–8 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight”

-1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

-John 10:14–15 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:26–30 “but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””

-Romans 8:29–30 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

*When Peter says that you are “elect…according to the foreknowledge of God”, Paul says that those whom God foreknows…it is this foreknowledge that predestines us. God knows it b/c He decrees it. Our salvation in Christ was foreknown/fore-ordained/pre-destined by God in Christ before the ages began. In time, this was accomplished by Jesus 2000 years ago applied to us by the Spirit in our own time.

*It seems like people struggle with election moreso for the “other” part of election: God choosing other people to perish eternally (preterition)

II. Preterition

-”I never knew you….depart from me” (Matthew 7)

*These people whom God will judge? None of them will have laid hold of God’s mercy (this is their fault)

-There is a group whom God does not choose to receive eternal life

*there is a group of persons whose salvation God “willed”

*there is a group of persons whose salvation God “nilled” (old english language)

*our confession does not teach that God chose a separate people to be condemned eternally

*our confession does teach that God chose a group of people to receive salvation and passes by the rest

-”preterition”: to pass by or to pass over

-the election of some and the passing by of others

-Why do we choose to present election with preterition?

*b/c God does not delight in the death of the wicked! (Ezekiel 33:11), rather calls them to repentance

-Romans 11:7 “What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,”

-Series of affirmations:

God created man with power to abstain from evil and to obey (and also not to) [action of Sovereignty]

God permitted man’s sin (Adam chose to sin, activating the Fall) [action of Sovereignty]

God left a certain number of men in their sins [action of Sovereignty]

God punishes each one for their own sins [action of Justice]

Man is the cause of sin

The sin of man is the cause of his punishment

God punishes the wicked, not the innocent

God is not obligated to have mercy on all, but He has promised to have mercy on all who call on His Son’s Name

-Why are men sinful? B/c of Adam’s original sin & B/c of our own mountain of sins

-Mankind sins b/c mankind wants to sin. The unbeliever does not want to believe and does not want to love God.

-In the torments of hell, the unbeliever will not say “I wanted to be saved, but God reprobated me/pre-determined that I would be in hell just because.”

*the Scripture proclaims loudly that God does not deny mercy to those who cry out for it! Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!

-those who are punished eternally receive a just sentence for their own wickedness

-God does not punish the wicked just to punish them. It is His perfect justice that is being manifested when the wicked are punished.

III. 3 Conclusions

Justice will not fail

the wicked will be punished with perfect and unstoppable justice

Mercy will not fail

all those who ask for mercy in the name of Jesus Christ will receive it & be saved from punishment

Jesus bears the penalty for all who call upon His name. No condemnation for those in Christ

Praise the God who chose you

gratitude should fill our hearts!

election should cause us to look up to the Giver of this wonderful gift of salvation!

we have been sanctified/consecrated by the Spirit (set apart unto God as holy) and sprinkled with the blood of the Son of God…because God foreknew us and elected us. Praise and adoration is the appropriate response to the doctrine of election! Ephesians 1:6 “to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

CONSECRATED FOR SALVATION (1:1-2)

-Christians Elected for/unto what?

-Peter tells us that these Christians were chosen/elected for 3 things:

God has set us apart as a special special/holy people unto God (consecrated/sanctified unto God)

how does God do this? through Covenants

ex: God’s covenant with Adam (His special relational arrangement with Adam)

ex: God’s covenant with Abraham (set Abraham apart with promise of land & people)

ex: God’s covenant with David (set David and line apart for the kingly lineage)

God has made a covenant with us, which sets us apart from the rest of the world

Ezekiel 36:24–27 “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (details of God’s new covenant with us)

Peter writing to people from 5 different provinces whom God has elected and gathered!

Jeremiah 31:33–34 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.””

God has set us apart from sin

Peter says that we are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ

this is the “pure water” which we are cleansed by! This was the new Covenant promise

Jesus’s blood purifies us and sets us apart from our sin. In Christ’s blood we are cleansed.

the Lord’s table (the cup of the new covenant) reminds us of this cleansing & setting apart from sin

In Exodus, after declaring the Old Covenant to the Israelites, Moses sprinkles the “blood of the covenant” on the people…signifying that God had purified them and set them apart to live unto that covenant

this was animal blood that purified them outwardly (outward nation)

the blood of Jesus Christ purifies the conscience, not just the flesh!

God has set us apart for obedience

“for obedience to Jesus Christ”

“I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ez 36). “I will put my law within them” (Jer 31)

promises for us of the New Covenant in the OT

-3 Points of Conclusion

1 ) The complete package of salvation

-Faith and works are inseparable. The same faith that reaches out to Jesus for forgiveness will serve, love, and obey Jesus Christ

*you can’t pick and choose how to relate to the New Covenant (God determines how the New Covenant works)

-we know what happened to Israelites who lived however they wanted in relation to the Old Covenant

-the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from sin is inseparable from obedience to that same Jesus Christ

*chosen and set apart for both obedience and sprinkling (complete package)

-Q: do you live a Christian life on your own terms? If so, your covenant with God is suspect.

2 ) The Trinitarian Nature of Salvation

-elect exiles according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ

-2 propositions:

the external works of the Trinity are undivided (God is not triple, but Triune)

the One God does all things undividedly (included our salvation)

the external works of the Trinity are appropriated (certain works are attributed to certain Persons of the Godhead)

appropriated in a way that matches Who they are

ex: works of origin/creation usually attributed to the “of none” unbegotten Father

ex: works of redemption/development usually attributed to the eternally begotten Son

ex: works of completion/application of redemption usually attributed to the eternally begotten Spirit

3 ) The Exclusive Source of Salvation

-nothing but the blood of Jesus! There is no other cleansing except by the blood of Jesus Christ

NEW LIFE IN CHRIST (1:3-5)

-This begins the body of Peter’s letter

-These Christians may suffer greatly, but God has prepared a future salvation for them in which they can confidently hope

-3 Main Points

1 ) The New Life of Christ (the resurrection of our Lord)

-the resurrection of Christ is the fundamentally fact and foundation of our faith

*if there is no resurrection, our faith is futile

-How is it that Christ’s resurrection impacts these Christians/us?

*Jesus, truly man, bodily resurrected and inaugurated new life! (immortal soul AND body)

*the new life of Jesus Christ leads to new life for Christians

-”He has caused us to be born again”

1 ) new life unto living hope

-this isn’t merely the hope of future bodily resurrection & new Creation, but Christ Himself, the Living Hope

2 ) new life unto an inheritance kept in heaven for us

2 ) The New Spiritual Life Of The Christian

-what does regeneration mean? what does it mean to be born again?

*it’s not new outer life (yet), but new inner life [new life for the soul]

-what is new life for the soul?

*human soul: real, but not material

*3 faculties of the soul: Mind, Will, & Affections

-New Life of the Mind: the faculty of understanding

*what we believe & what we reject

*natural man suppresses the truth, while the spiritual man’s mind is renewed to understand rightly

-New Life of the Will: the faculty of decision making

*we make choices with the will (will powers decisions)

*natural man makes choices that align with the natural will (not as bad as possible, but bent toward evil)

*spiritual man’s will is being renewed to bend toward choosing what is good

-New Life of the Affections: the faculty of the motions of the soul

*the soul either moves toward what is good (good affections), or away from what is bad (bad affections)

*courage vs. fear; anger vs. delight; joy vs. sadness; love vs. hatred, etc.

*new affections toward Christ himself above all

-the new birth is a present reality! God beginning to do a new work

3 ) The New Physical Life of the Christian

-Those who have been born again are born unto an inheritance

-It’s not just the soul of man that God has saved, but he also has in mind the future bodily resurrection like Christ

*our future inheritance will be received upon receiving our new resurrected physical bodies

-What is our imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance?

*our imperishable, undefiled, and unfading resurrection bodies and new creation that our bodies will inhabit

-mainly in view seems to be our incorruptible resurrected life (1 Cor 15)

-”imperishable”: not succeptable to decay; unable to be disenigrated or decomposed

-”undefiled”: pure, spotless, as it should be, perfect

-”unfading”: like a flower that stays in bloom ; always at the fullness of what it’s supposed to be

-Between the “already” and the “not yet” we have a promise from God: that those in whom the resurrection power of Jesus Christ has begun to work in the soul? Those are the ones for whom the resurrection power of Jesus will give a new physical life. Those who have experienced new spiritual life here and now? They will experience new physical life then and there. This is reserved and kept for us by the power of God Himself!

-What is death? it is the separation of the soul from the body.

*to be mortal means that it is possible for your soul to be separated from your body

-Those in Christ will truly be immortal

*since the body will be indestructible, then the soul will never be disconnected from the body (no death)

-3 Closing Applications, aside from comfort:

1 ) Praise God for His Great Mercy

*“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”…

2 ) Praise God for His Work

*”he has caused us to be born again…” (He did it!)

3 ) Praise God for His Power

*”who by God’s power are being guarded” (He will guard and keep us/our inheritance)

-Our God, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, has brought new life to mankind. In His death and His resurrection from death, He has given us, His elect exiles, new spiritual life and a new birth…and He will give us new physical life one day, so that we can see Him and be like Him. So live in hope and live in praise to God, by whose mercy, works, and power we have been saved.

TRIALS IN THE IN-BETWEEN (1:5-9)

-The in between refers to the time between when we’re born again when God’s salvation begins to work in us, and that future time when we will experience God’s salvation fully

-4 Points in considering Trials in the In Between:

1 ) Trials are “for now” and “for a short time”

-verse 6…”in this you rejoice, though now for a little while if necessary, you have been grieved be various trials”

-trials characterize/mark this in between time in which we are living

-we must expect trials in this life and be prepared for them

-the “short” in between time of suffering must be seen in comparison to eternal glory

*it doesn’t feel short, but is a vapor in the wind compared to eternity!

*Peter gives us a positive look at the brevity of life by saying that trials are “for now” and “for a short time”

*the brevity of our lives is the door that enters into our heavenly inheritance! It is not a curse, but a blessing

*Q: are any of you older in years? be encouraged that the curse of death will give way to the blessing of eternal life and your heavenly inheritance

2 ) Trials are manifold/many and variable

-verse 6…”if necessary you have been grieved by various trials”

-we experiences trials in the in between b/c God, in His wisdom, has deemed in necessary for our sanctification

*who decides if it’s “necessary” that we face trials? God does.

*trials are necessary in God’s providence as He sanctifies us.

-various trials, facing sin outside of us and sin insides of us in this in between

*God doesn’t tempt us with sin, but He does permit us to encounter temptation

*He works on us when we face temptation

-trials grieve us…trials of loss, temptation, etc.

3 ) Trials purify and prove our Faith

-verse 7…”so that the tested genuineness of your faith—though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

-when our faith is put to the test, courage or cowardice is revealed

-the hard things in life prove the genuineness of disciples’ faith

*parable of the sower

-God allows the heat to be turned up in our live, so that our pride & imperfections can be brought to the surface

*trials cause us to cling closer to God and His promises

*temptations teach us. If you touch the fire and it burns you, you won’t want to touch it again.

*God uses both our successes and failures to sanctify us

*Church discipline is graciously used to awaken and restore us

*It’s often those who have fallen flat on their face and been restored who combine experience & knowledge to teach others

*as God proves our faith, we in a sense prove His love for us

4 ) Trials Grieve Us, But Glorify God

-verse 7…”so that the tested genuineness of your faith—though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

-God uses trials to sanctify us—and they grieve us—but ultimately result in glory given unto God

-Peter is talking about a future time when God will be glorified, but it also applies to here and now

*2 Corinthians 7:8–11 “For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.”

-godly grief & repentance proves the genuineness of our faith, which glorifies God!

*1 Thessalonians 1:6–8 “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.”

-our faith can be found as clearly evident and encouraging to others

-Q: if you are suffering afflictions and difficulties, do you submit to that? Do you submit that your grief may be a cause of glory unto God? And are you willing to undergo this trial because it brings glory to God?

-We need to remind one another, in our suffering, of the promises of the Lord!

-Conclusion: in this in between for now and for a little well, we must endure necessary and manifold trials and temptations in order to purge and prove our faith…so that though we are grieved, God is gloried by the result.

-Q: what do the test and trials you undergo reveal about you?

-Trials are a cause for repentance and resolving unto God a greater and renewed obedience

-Endure affliction while resisting temptations. Christ is not only the source of our forgiveness but our obedience as well.

FAITH & JOY IN THE IN-BETWEEN (1:5-9)

-The in between refers to the time between when we’re born again when God’s salvation begins to work in us, and that future time when we will experience God’s salvation fully

-The Christian life in the in between should be marked by faith and joy

-2 Main Points:

1 ) Faith in the In Between

*verse 5…we are guarded by the power of God through faith

*verse 7…trials test the genuineness of our faith

*verse 8…we believe in Jesus

*verse 9…our faith leads to the salvation of our souls

-3 Considerations of Faith

A ) The Origin of Faith

*Where does saving faith come from? It’s not natural to man, so it must come from God

-this saving from comes from God by means of the regeneration of our soul (new birth)

-regenerate faith is not only knowledge & assent, but trust in the truth of the gospel/Christ

B ) The Object of our Faith

*faith is not a fuzzy feeling, a spiritual high, or a one-time decision

-it’s an exercise of the soul…an exercise of knowing, assenting, and trusting upon Jesus Christ!

*verse 8…”though you have not seen Him, you love Him…believe in Him…”

*faith is not an abstract idea, but is God the Son who lived, died, lived again, rules, and will come to judge

C ) The Outcome of our Faith

*verse 9…”obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls”

*the “telos/destination” is the salvation of our souls

*those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ? Their destination is the salvation of their souls

-it’s not the salvation of our bodies…at least not now!

-our bodies can be torn to pieces and die, but the soul is saved!

*God is given glory for this outcome of the salvation of our souls!

-faith revealed on the last day results in praise and glory and honor unto God (v7)

-the church is a means of God’s grace to strengthen our faith throughout this in between!

2 ) Joy in the In Between

*verse 6…in this you rejoice (in the new birth and inheritance)

*verse 8…you rejoice with joy that is inexpressable

-3 Considerations of Joy:

A ) Joy Mingles With Grief

-verse 6…”in this you rejoice, though now…you have been grieved by various trials”

-we have to avoid the idea that sadness of grief is inheritently sinful

-How do we hold joy and grief together? By understanding the nature and reality of man

*the affections of the soul (motions to or away from things perceived good or bad)

*there are many things that move our soul on a daily basis

-is it not possible that trials are bout a cause for grief and joy?

*like having both steak and beets on your 1 dinner plate

-if something hurts, it hurts! if something brings about joy, it brings joy!

-as Christians we acknowledge grief, but we must not be overcome/conquered by the grief

*how?

B ) Joy Follows Belief

-if grief is unavoidable, how do we overcome it? By faith

*by faith in Christ, we believe that our suffering will end!

*we must believe that b/c of the Person & Work of Christ…

-our present suffering will not last forever!

-our present suffering is purposeful! refining our faith & glory unto God

-believing (by faith in Christ) that our suffering is temporary & purposeful, at that point joy begins to be recovered and balances out & overcome the grief

*James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

-Q: do you believe that God will limit your suffering and bring it to an end, and that all of it is purposeful? Are you willing to submit to it?

C ) Joy Brings Relief

-God is without passions. He’s without movements of the soul caused by objects

-We move from grief to joy, grief to joy, grief to joy

*but when we bring saving faith into this, joy brings relief to the grief!

-verse 8…”you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressable and filled with glory.”

*indescribable joy for the culmination of our salvation and the inheritance that awaits us

-our very real grievous trials shrink in comparison to the joyous riches of glory in Christ to come

-our joy is in the Lord, our Savior!

-Q: do you believe in God the Son for you? Is He (and His work) the object of your faith?

THE GRACE DESTINED TO BE YOURS (1:10-12)

-2 main points, and 3 applications

-2 maint points:

1 ) The Unity of God’s Revelation

*Ephesians 3:1-12 and 1 Peter 1:10-12 both teach us that God has 1 united plan and purpose and that His revelation all testify to this one united plan and purpose

*The Unity of God’s Revelation in 6 Points. Peter points us to the unity of God’s revelation in:

1 - “the grace that was to be yours”

*The OT prophesied about the grace that we now experience in the NT

*The OT prophesied about a future grace that all the nations would enjoy

-this gospel for all the nations is not a detour from the OT, but the destination of the OT

-Christ is the end of the law. All the OT finds its culmination in Jesus Christ. Grace to you.

2 - “the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories”

*why is it the nations have received this grace destined for them?

-b/c Jesus suffered and entered into His subsequent glory

*the nations get to enter into this glory!

3 - “the things that have now been announced to you”

*these OT prophets were serving the things that were now being announced in the NT

*the prophetic and the apostolic message agree!

*what the prophets declared through mystery, prophecy, and typology…the apostles proclaim with boldness and clarity!

4 - in the same Spirit

*how can various authors over a large span of time proclaim the same message? by the Same spirit speaking

*”the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating” (OT Prophets)

*”who preached the good news to you be the Holy Spirit” (NT Apostles)

*It’s God’s revelation throughout redemptive history

5 - the same Christ

*the same Christ appears in the prophetic writings and the apostolic message

*the same Spirit spoke through them (prophets and apostles) and spoke through them about the same Christ!

*the prophets predicted Christ’s suffering and glory. the apostles announce his completed suffering and ascension to glory

*Isaiah 53:10–12 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

-GLORY AS A RESULT OF SUFFERING…FOR HIM AND HIS PEOPLE!

*Luke 22:37 “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.””

*Jesus quotes Isaiah 53 about himself

*Acts 8:34–35 “And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this (Isaiah 53), about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”

*The Prophets predicted the sufferings and subsequent glories of the same Christ that the apostles now declare

6 - The Same Gospel/Good News

*the gospel of the OT & NT is the same gospel!

*one plan of salvation for all the nations

*”revealed to them (OT prophets)…the things now announced to your through the preaching (by apostles) of the gospel”

2 ) The Privileges of the Church

*3 privileges to consider:

1 ) the Mystery is now revealed

*this is a privilege of “time” (we’re not waiting for Messiah to suffer and then enter into glory)

*all we wait for is His 2nd coming now! We proclaim His death until He comes

2 ) Jesus Christ became a man (not an angel)

*a privilege that we have by way of union with the Person, Jesus Christ

*”things into which angels long to look”

-Hebrews 2:14–17 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

*Christ was incarnated, not angelized!

*We experience union with Christ in a way that angels don’t. This is a privilege!

-Angels are very interested to learn in something that they don’t fully comprehend b/c they aren’t humans!

3 ) We have passed from death to life

*Jesus did not redeem any fallen angels

*The elect angels confirmed them in their innocence/righteousness

*we have a far different experience than the elect angels!

-we were dead in our sins and trespasses, but God made us alive

-we pass from death to life in regards to the soul, and also the bodily resurrection!

*angels know nothing of this for themselves experientially!

*kind of like men with women (they know what giving birth is but not experientially)

-Angels long to look into the unveiling of the mystery (the proclamation of the gospel)

*where is the gospel preached and the mystery of Christ unveiled? In the Church!

-perhaps we should consider this reality more to help motivate us in our worship!

-what a privilege it is that we have passed from death to life. May we love and long to hear the good news proclaimed to us week in and out!

-3 Concluding Points/Applications

1 ) The Unity of God’s Revelation (1 author) confirms the authority of God’s revelation (He is the author)

2 ) The Clarity of Revelation leads to greater motivation

*In verses 3-9 Peter is able to proclaim the completed work of Christ in motivating believers to persevere in faith

*we’re not living in a time of mystery now! We know what happened and what is to come

3 ) The Clarity of Revelation leads to great condemnation

*what did Jesus say to the Jews he visibly proclaimed the Kingdom before? Woe to you!

*Jesus Christ has suffered and entered into glory. And if you trust in Him, you too will inherit the glories that He has won for all those who receive Him by faith

CLOWNEY

-For contextual introductions to 1 Peter, see pages 1-10 of Clowney’s “the message of 1 Peter”

-For exegetical commentary on verses 1-2, see pages 11-26 of Clowney’s “the message of 1 Peter”

-For exegetical commentary on verses 3-5, see pages 27-34 of Clowney’s “the message of 1 Peter”

-For exegetical commentary on verses 5-9, see pages 34-37 of Clowney’s “the message of 1 Peter”

-For exegetical commentary on verses 10-12, see pages 37-41 of Clowney’s “the message of 1 Peter”