5.1.32 7.7.2019 1 Peter 1.1-2 Howdy, Stranger

Start:

▾ Start:

• ///Series Intro/// Imagine being a stranger. A resident alien. Think how it would feel for people to look at you differently, to question your loyalty, how you look, how you dress your habits, your diet, your motivation. You don't have to imagine it. It's not something I'm just plucking from the news to get your attention. Peter wrote about it. He wrote about us. We truly are those immigrants, resident aliens in a strange and different land looking to please our Master. We will be looking at Peter's message to us, which in our Bibles is labeled as 1 Peter, for most of the rest of this year. That may seem like a long time for a letter of just 5 chapters. The information is crucial for God's people in troubled times. For God's people-living in this world and looked down upon for our strange customs the message of 1 Peter is relevant, timely, and hopeful.

• ///Series Intro/// Imagine being a stranger. A resident alien. Think how it would feel for people to look at you differently, to question your loyalty, how you look, how you dress your

habits, your diet, your motivation. You don't have to imagine it. It's not something I'm plucking from the news to get your attention. Peter wrote about it. He wrote about us. We truly

are those immigrants, resident aliens in a strange and different land looking to please our Master. We will be looking at Peter's message to us, which in our Bibles is labeled as 1

• Entice: Today Peter simply says.

Peter, for most of the rest of this year. That may seem like a long time for a letter of just 5 chapters. The information is crucial for God's people in troubled times. For God's people-

"Hello."

living in this world and looked down upon for our strange customs the message of 1 Peter is relevant, timely, and hopeful.

"Hi."

"Howdy"

Howdy stranger-to be specific.

Engage:

• Entice: Today Peter simply says. "Hello." "Hi." "Howdy" in the vernacular. Howdy stranger-to be specific.

When in your life have you felt most like a stranger?

▾ Engage: When in your life have you felt most like a stranger?

When you left home to go to

• When you left home to go to college?

college?

When you appeared at the post to begin

• When you appeared at the post to begin basic training?

basic training?

• How about that time you went to a foreign country…or even just wandered into the wrong neighborhood of a big city!?

How about that time you went to a

foreign country…

• Expand: For Christians that feeling of alienation is both spiritual and physical. We are dispersed among those who do not agree with our commitments. We are resident aliens,

or even just wandered into the wrong neighborhood of a

big city!?

• Expand: For Christians that feeling of alienation is both spiritual and physical. We are dispersed among those who do not agree with our commitments. We are resident aliens, here on behalf of our God living righteously amongst those who do not.

here on behalf of our God living righteously amongst those who do not.

• Excite: And it is for this and to this we are called. How exciting to know who God thinks we are! How rich to live in a world which is not in on the joke!

• Excite: And it is for this and to this we are called. How exciting to know who God thinks we are! How rich to live in a world which is not in on the joke!

1 Peter 1:1–2 ESV

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.

1 Peter 1.1-2

• Explore:

• Explore: The reality of who we are is much greater than where we are and what the society thinks of us.

The reality of who we are is much greater than where we are and what our society thinks of us.

• Explain: Peter kicks this epistle off by reminding us of some stuff God has for us.

• Explain: Peter kicks this epistle off by reminding us of some things God has for us.

▾ body of sermon

1 God has a place for you.

▾ 1 God has a place for you.

1.1 To the world we are

• 1.1 To the world we are resident aliens, ragged refugees, unassimilated pilgrims.

resident aliens,

ragged refugees,

unassimilated pilgrims.

1.2 To God we are chosen.

▾ 1.2 To God we are chosen.

1.2.1 It is tempting to think of heaven as that place of residence, rest, and wholeness.

• 1.2.1 It is tempting to think of heaven as that place of residence, rest, and wholeness.

1.2.2 One of the central themes of this letter, introduced in that one word "elect" is that the place Peter has in mind is…The Church!

• 1.2.2 One of the central themes of this letter, introduced in that one word "elect" is that the place Peter has in mind is…The Church!

God is able to balance the messiness of exile with the blessedness of election!

• 1.3 God is able to balance the messiness of your exile with the blessedness of your election!

2 God has a purpose for you.

▾ 2 God has a purpose for you.

2.1 The Father Chooses.

• 2.1 The Father Chooses.

2.2 The Spirit Sanctifies.

• 2.2 The Spirit Sanctifies.

2.3 The Son Cleanses.

• 2.3 The Son Cleanses.

3 God has peace for you.

▾ 3 God has peace for you.

3.1 Obedience brings cleansing from sin

• 3.1 Obedience brings cleansing from sin, washing from Sin multiplies grace & peace to us.

washing from Sin multiplies grace & peace to us.

3.2 These terms grace and peace=apostolic markers of the

• 3.2 These terms grace and peace are apostolic markers of the presence of Christ within His church.

presence of Christ within His church.

Welcome!

▾ Shut Down:

(desired effects)

▾ (desired effects)

• Emotional: When you see something on the evening news that ridicules your faith you will feel like an alien. When a television show calls something noble that the Bible says is

• Emotional: When you see something on the evening news that ridicules your faith you will feel like an alien. When a television show calls something noble that the Bible says is debased you will experience the anxiety of exile.

debased you will experience the anxiety of exile.

• Intellectual: As Christians we have to develop a think skin and a tough mind so that we are not so marginalized by the world that we forget God's declarations about us. Elect, holy,

• Intellectual: As Christians we have to develop a think skin and a tough mind so that we are not so marginalized by the world that we forget God's declarations about us. Elect, holy, cleansed! These are the realities that define our place before God.

cleansed! These are the realities that define our place before God.

• Volitional: If you feel too at home in this world perhaps it is time to be more obedient to what God says about His people. Don't get too cozy with a world at war with our Creator! It is time to embrace the exiled life! When we respond to Christ in faith then we feel at home in the embrace of Grace and Peace.

• Volitional: If you feel too at home in this world perhaps it is time to be more obedient to what God says about His people. Don't get too cozy with a world at war with our Creator! It

• Volitional: If you feel too at home in this world perhaps it is time to be more obedient to what God says about His people. Don't get too cozy with a world at war with our Creator! It is time to embrace the exiled life! When we respond to Christ in faith then we feel at home in the embrace of Grace and Peace.• Choices must be made. You and I stand in a strange land. Won't you respond to the voice of our God who gladly calls us His children?

• Choices must be made. You and I stand in a strange land. Won't you respond to the voice of our God who gladly calls us His children?

is time to embrace the exiled life! When we respond to Christ in faith then we feel at home in the embrace of Grace and Peace.

• Choices must be made. You and I stand in a strange land. Won't you respond to the voice of our God who gladly calls us His children?