Elect Exiles - Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Welcome/Introduce self
Pray...
Heavenly Father, please have mercy on me, a broken man as handle your perfect word. Guide us all by your Holy Spirit.
Instruct us in your law,
grant us repentance of our sin,
and teach us to love you with our whole heart, mind, and strength.
Let our lives bring Glory to you and we pray that we might be used by you to bring those who are lost into your eternal kingdom.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray,
Amen.
Introduction
Who was Peter?
Who was Peter?
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Peter was one of the 12, and one of the 3
Peter takes Jesus aside to rebuke him...
“Get behind me, Satan!”
Peter is caught sleeping, not once, not twice, but three times...
Peter deny’s Jesus 3 times… Cursing...
[[If there is hope for Peter, there is hope for me]]
Then in Acts 2 Peter preaches the great sermon on Pentecost and 3000 people were saved
Peter went on to be a great missionary to the Jews and the Gentiles
Finally, church history tells us that Peter was ultimately martyred for his faith. (upside down)
What is this book?
What is this book?
Letter
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.
1. Peter claims apostleship in the letter, adding validity.
2. Was widely circulated and copied from the beginning.
3. According to the foreknowledge of God... God knows what’s going on… (remember Daniel)
4. In the sanctification of the Spirit… setting apart, purifying, saving from the power of sin
5. For obedience and sprinkling… ORDER, elect —> for obedience...
Who was it written to?
Who was it written to?
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Specific Christians, but general letter
Dispersion, physical sense and most certainly a spiritual sense
3. Elect Exiles...
Elect Exiles
Elect Exiles
Elect:
means, “called out ones” “pick out” “to select”
In the same way Peter was chosen, we are chosen by God to be Jesus’ disciples
Jesus uses this language:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John uses this language:
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Paul uses this language:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 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.
Peter uses this language, which we’ll see several times throughout this book:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
If God did not initiate a relationship with you, you would be dead in your sin and unable to access God.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
These doctrines are difficult for some. And the reasons are diverse.
Doesn’t seem fair. (God is just, case closed)
Takes away our free will. (our will is enslaved to sin)
Evangelism. (You want to pray to a sovereign God)
Don’t let philosophy bypass the word of God...
What about scriptures that talk about human choice, responsibility, and will.
Yes and amen. We must choose God. We must repent of our sin and turn to Jesus.
The Bible teaches that the decisive factor our choosing God is the fact that God chose us first.
These are not doctrines to argue over, but delight in...
Elect
Blessed be the God and 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 the dead, to 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.
According to his great mercy
HE has cause you to be born again
To a living hope
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you
You, WHO by GOD’S POWER are being guarded through faith
For a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
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.
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
My be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Exiles
Exiles
Christianity was new
Rome was awful, evil, vile. Hypersexualized, idols, murder
Peter actually calls Rome “Babylon” at the end of his letter...
The idea is that we are not at home here in “Babylon”
James actually had very similar things to say in the beginning of his letter...
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.
See how similar...
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.
This is really a throwback to what Jesus said in the sermon on the mount...
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Do we believe this is true?
Elect Exiles
Elect Exiles
Summarize again...
Cannot see Jesus :(
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 is my heart cry...
This salvation that we received was a long time coming...
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.