1 Peter 1:1-2 The People of God

ELECT

Sermon Title: The People of God

Pray

1 Peter 1:1–2 NASB95

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

Introduction:

Beginning a series on the Apostle Peter’s epistles/letters

Taught every other week

This is God’s Word for you today, and He has chosen me to deliver it, as flawed as I am.

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Peter’s reasons for writing:

God’s plan is intentional.

Exhort the faithful to denial of the world, contempt of it, to be freed from carnal desires and earthly hindrances, and aspire to the celestial kingdom of Christ. Holiness.

AD 63-67 Beginnings of Neronian persecution. Paul killed in AD 64 or so. Preparing the elect for suffering – how to respond. Suffering is normal.

So that they may understand who they are in Christ and why they are in this situation and how they might respond.

Election is a controversial doctrine but it is central to this text and to God’s message for us today. I’ve been in churches where this subject was assiduously avoided. But in the context of this message, we cannot, nor should we avoid it.

Questions: What does election mean? What does it mean to be the people of God? Can we know if we are the elect? Chosen by God unto eternal life?

Answers: Yes. We can and will know by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We need to examine our lives, look at God’s providence, gain faith and confidence and follow Him.

Transition: Answer the question look at three aspects of it: the author, the recipients and the reason for the message.

First Point: The Author. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ”

Explanation:

No one on earth better qualified to write this letter.

Chosen by the Master, along with 11 other apostles, to carry the message. Apostle, (Apostolos), a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”), (with miraculous powers): - apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

Very human, very flawed, God prepared him, all the below formed a chronology of memories

Born in Bethsaida with Phillip, Bartholomew and brother Andrew

Fisherman in Capernaum. Selected to study under the Lord Jesus Christ, before He was known

Not the brightest

Mount of Transfiguration (James and John, Moses and Elijah)

Made an oath he could not keep

Stuck his foot in his mouth at the last supper

Denied Christ’s prophesy of His death.

Great declaration – your are the Christ, the Son of God (Matt 16:13-23) Christ declares this knowledge could only come from His Father, intimating work of the Holy Spirit.

Denial – difference between Peter and Judas? Fled

Redemption- Restoration by Christ

Pentecost – power, sermon-eloquence, clarity, courage

Ministry.

Wrote from Babylon – no evidence He made it to Rome, ever.

Inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16). God led Peter through His life experiences, to form Him to be the perfect instrument of His will.

Illustration: Moses, Noah, Abraham, the Judges, Paul, my life. All were inadequate to the task at hand, or woefully unqualified, until God made them qualified.

Argumentation: Hard-wired. Pre-determined. Genetics. In many ways, these are all ways to legitimize sin and a worldly lifestyle. Is this not a sort of secular predestination?

Application:

Election - How can we know?

Are we obedient to Christ, to the Bible?

Are we growing in our love for, understanding, and obedience to Christ?

One of the ways of discovering if we are elect may come through retrospection. A backwards, forensic look at our lives will reveal to us how God has been calling us. Ephesians tells us that His will for us dates from before the beginning of time.

Its hard to tell in the moment. Do you suppose Peter’s neighbors and relatives in Bethsaida and Capernaum would have expected him, of all people, to become an Apostle of the living Christ and one of the most influential men in history?

Exhortation: Examine your lives and see how God has interceded or intervened. Follow His word.

Second Point: Election and Predestination

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NASB95)

To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:

Explanation:

Elect, Eph 1:3-8

Ephesians 1:3–8 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on 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 on us. In all wisdom and insight

Strangers, aliens, Jews, “elect exiles”.

Pontus, G4195  Galatia, G1053  Cappadocia, G2587  Asia, G773  and G2532  Bithynia. Many of these at Pentecost (Acts 2) – Jews for the most part, but not exclusively

According to the foreknowledge (prognosis) of God. Triune operation:

Father elects

Son reconciles – sprinkling of the blood.

Holy Spirit sanctifies - He grows us

obedience to Jesus Christ – they are faithful and it shows in their works and obedience to His Word.

Illustration: Bill

i. Childhood

ii. Arrest and conviction for pre-meditated murder

iii. Condemned man in a population of condemned men

iv. Seeking clemency (Mercy) – some get it. He is at the mercy of the governor. Few are pardoned.

v. Bill has no power over the governor, the governor is under no obligation

vi. Where it breaks down – pardoned men are released – when we are pardoned, God changes us, but we remain among the condemned. God has a purpose in this.

Argumentation: Arminianism – that God died for all of us, and some of us who are good enough are enlightened enough to turn to Him in faith, and so He favors us. This was me, this is most American Christians. We like to think that God saw some merit in us, that makes us “worthy” of saving. That we are not all bad.

Application:

Election is good news, because we are all condemned to begin with by our own sin. If you understand the gravity of your sins, understand your need of a redeemer and a saviour and turn to Christ, this occurs not because you had a great idea, we are too sinful to come to this conclusion on our own. Its because you were enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and that means you have been pardoned, God has shown you mercy and you have eternal life. That’s not the case with everyone.

Spurgeon: Whatever may be said about the doctrine of election, it is written in the Word of God as with an iron pen, and there is no getting rid of it; there it stands. To me, it is one of the sweetest and most blessed truths in the whole of Revelation; and those who are afraid of it are so because they do not understand it. If they could know that the Lord had chosen them, it would make there hearts dance with joy.

Exhortation: This is a message for depressed, dejected Christians, and it is a message of joy. We are children of the King with a glorious future. Serve God because He has already demonstrated His love to you, that while you were yet sinners, Christ died for you. If you have not turned to Christ in faith, He calls you. Leave the way of sin behind. This is the proof of your election.

Third Point: The reason for the message – God is blessing you, v. 2 “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

Explanation:

This was a time of wars, rumors of wars, turbulence, persecution and suffering, but God is going to bless them, This is the time of the Emperor Nero or Domitian – they hate Christians for not worshipping them, and for refusing to participate in the sinful, corrupt society that enables them (the leaders) to control their people. Subliminally, they fear this movement.

Grace and peace.

- Grace - χάρις

charis

khar'-ece God’s favor

graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

= Peace-εἰρήνη

eirēnē

i-rah'-nay = shalom in Hebrew

Probably from a primary verb εἴρω eirō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.

In this time of turbulence and conflict, they are not going to receive grace and peace, they already have it. Peter is telling them that their grace and peace are to be multiplied. God is going to increase their peace and grace. They need to understand that they are already God’s people, whom He chose before the beginning of the world. They need have no fear – if God is for them, who can be against them?

This is an exclusive message – He is not writing to unbelievers – He is writing to Christians. None of the assurances or encouragement Peter provides here apply to non-Christians.

Illustration: East European orphans. No expectation of blessings, unless adopted. If adopted by loving parents, they are then blessed, and they can expect their blessings to be multiplied over time. They have hope.

Argumentation: Some get this concept backwards. If I’m good enough, I’ll get blessings. If I appease God, He will bless me. We cannot do enough “good” to be righteous in God’s eyes. That only happens if we respond to His call, and turn to Him in faith. Then, and only then, can we expect grace and peace.

Application: This lesson is for Christians: the Lord wants us to focus on Him and our eternal destiny. We cannot ignore our present difficulties and circumstances, but need to seek insight from Him on how these difficulties and understandings are helping us in the long run, in our journey toward heaven. It is through these insights, that our grace and peace may be multiplied.

Exhortation:

We are God’s chosen people and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

We should be bold and brave in our witness, in our testimony to others. This is a lost and fallen world and many will die in their sins, with eternity in death and destruction

Some will hear and respond to God’s message - we need to tell them the good news, without fear.

Many will reject us and God’s message, but the penalty for that will be on their heads.

Amid the trial, turmoil and turbulence in our lives, as Christians let us rest certain that our reward is not here, but it is to come. We need to run the race.

Conclusions:

Lessons for Christians

an intro for what comes next

Review

1. Peter

2. the recipients

3. the purpose

What comes next in this book:

Praise be to God for our role in His plan

Our purpose in God’s plan – a royal priesthood for mankind.

Trials are coming, but God will see us through.

Gospel Appeal

Concerned you are not part of the elect? I would be too. Those who are not a part of the elect will suffer the wrath of God for all eternity. But there is good news.

You are not here by accident. God wanted you to hear this message and think about these things.

Fear is a Godly emotion, particularly if you fear a thrice holy, almighty God – Turning to Christ because of your guilt and your fear the penalty of your sins is a legitimate reason to turn to Him. He loves you, He is holy, and he can make you holy as well, through the blood shed by Christ Jesus. If you have not already done so, flee to Christ, and be assured of your salvation – your eternity with God in heaven.

Pray.