Chapter 1

1  Peter

Part 1

Introduction: Living As Sojourners

1 Peter 1:1[1]

[Slide 18] Today we are beginning a new series.  Our focus will be I Peter. We’re going to be here for awhile.  We’ll take a couple of short breakaways—one at the end of this month, focusing in on the upcoming election, and then again in December, focusing in on the ‘greatest gift ever given.’

We’re going to go through this letter verse-by-verse so that we can discover what God is saying to us today.  So I encourage you to put your Bible marker at 1 Peter so that you can readily find it in the Sunday’s to come.

This morning we’re going to cover 4 questions:

• How to do I get the most from this study?
• Who wrote the book?
• When was it written?
• To whom was it written?

I.     [Slide 19] How to get the most from this study

As we start our study, let me give a couple of suggestions for getting the most out of this study

A. Read 1 Peter this week.

It’s short— only five chapters, with a total of 105 verses—and you can easily read it in one sitting. I would suggest that today or tomorrow that you read the entire Book.  Then starting Tuesday, you read chapter 1, Wednesday, chapter 2, Thursday, chapter 3, Friday chapter 4, and Saturday chapter 5. If you do that, you’ll get a basic grasp of the message that will help you as we journey through the book together. 

B. Get excited about your Salvation. 

I want you to savor your Salvation like you would savor a chocolate pie. Put a piece on your tongue and then just let it melt . . . let your tongue savor the rich delicacy, like this delicacy:

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV) 3 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,[2]

Can you begin to feel the edge of that truth? 

Remember Ephesians 5:18-1(ESV)9? Paul tells us 18 Do not get drunk with wine. . ., but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

One of the marks of ‘Spirit filling’ is that you will break out in praise , singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart!  So Peter writes: 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

You let that sink through your crusty calluses . . . and you’ll become Spirit Filled and break out singing:

[Slides 20-25]

//Bless the Lord, O My Soul

And all that is within me

Bless His holy name\\

//He has done great things\\

Bless His holy name

Bless the Lord

O my soul,

And all that is within me

Bless His holy name

To God be the glory

Great things He hath done

So loved He the world

That He gave us His Son

Who yielded His life

An atonement for sin

And opened the life gate

That all may go in

//Praise the Lord\\

Let the earth hear His voice!

//Praise the Lord\\

Let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father

Thro’ Jesus, the Son,

And give Him the glory

Great things He hath done! [3]

II.   | 1 Peter,an apostle of Jesus Christ,  To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen §    2 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:   |

Background

To feel the intensity of this book, we need to answer a few basic questions:

 A.  [Slide 26] Who wrote this book?

That’s an easy one. We’re told right up front that it was Peter, the “Big Fisherman” from the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.  

1.      Peter, The ‘Rock’

There is much that can be said about Peter.  Matthew tells us that he was ‘the first’ among the Twelve [Matthew 10:2]. Through out the Gospel he is seen as being bold, “quick-tempered, impulsive, emotional, easily roused by an appeal to adventure, loyal to the end.”[4] and nervy enough to ask questions [cf. Matthew 18:21; 19:27].

He often spoke for the group . . . like in Matthew 16:

13 When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”[5]

I believe it is here that we get Jesus’ take as to Peter.  It was Jesus who changed his name from Simon Barjona to Peter meaning ‘Rock’ . . . Jesus’ penetrating gaze cut thru the rough exterior and his failures to his very core . . . There he saw a rock-like man, dependable, immovable, equal to the emergencies and crises that would confront him."[6]

And as we work are way through 1 Peter, the ‘rock-like-character-trait’ that Jesus identified in Matthew 16 becomes clearly apparent.  Peter has grown up, sort of speak.  He is solid, unwavering . . . and he exhorts his readers to be the same.

2.      Peter, The Apostle

Second, note that Peter identifies himself as “an apostle of Jesus Christ,” not “remember me, the guy that denied the Master.”  But “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Peter’s identifying himself as “an apostle of Jesus Christ” is in keeping with the definition set forth in Acts 1:21-22.  When they were picking a successor to Judas . . . they looked for a man “who accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus was on earth, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—a man who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

So as used here, an apostle was a man who had seen the risen Messiah and who had been sent forth by Him, with His full authority to plant the flag of faith in every community to which His master led him. Peter, who in the past had often put his foot in his mouth, is now the mouthpiece of the King of kings.[7]

B. [Slide 27] When was it written?

It was written around AD 64, the year that Emperor Nero burned Rome and blamed it on the Christians, touching off a wave of persecution that spread across the Roman Empire.

John MacArthur writes:

Rome, that great city, filled with thousands upon thousands of people, city streets were narrow,  lined with wooden apartment like structures.  Once the fire was started, it consumed the city.  The flames leap easily across the narrow streets and consume the wooden buildings like kindling.

The first three days and nights the fire spread rapidly.  Occasionally checked but not totally put out, it broke out again, each time worse.  Before it was done it had consumed most of the homes.  The Roman people believed that their emperor, Nero, a maniac, had himself set their city on fire.  They believed that he did it because he had this incredible lust for building.  And for him the great challenge of life was to build, and in order to build he had to destroy what already existed so that he could build it again.

Nero found a front row seat in the Tower of Maccenas, and watched the raging inferno consume the city of Rome.  Historians tell us that he was rather charmed by the flames.  In fact, considered them quite lovely.  People who tried to put out the flames were eventually hindered and where the fire was stopped a new fire was purposely started.  The people were totally devastated.  Their culture, in a sense, went down with their city.  The Temple of Luna, the Ara Maxima, the great altar, the Temple of Jupiter Stator, the Shrine of Vesta, all the religious elements of their life was destroyed, their very household gods were even burned up.  So it was not just an economic loss and a social loss, it created religious chaos and confusion to realize that their own deities had been unable to deal with the destruction, and in reality had been consumed by the fire.  The people were homeless.  They had not only lost their homes but they had lost one another in death.  And they had lost their gods. [8]

As a result, resentment and bitterness abounded. It was deep and deadly.  Nero realized that things were not good.  He needed a scapegoat, so he chose the Christians.  And he spread the word as fast as he could that they were the ones who set the fires . . . touching off a wave of persecution that spread across the Roman Empire.

C. [Slide 28] To whom was it written?

V1 tells us that Peter wrote to believers scattered throughout

Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

These areas in are located modern-day Turkey.

1.      He identifies them as ‘aliens’. 

A better rendering would be ‘strangers,’ ‘sojourners,’ or even ‘foreigners’. He identifies his readers this way, because this earth, this life, is no longer their home.  As Christians they are ‘strangers’ “just passing through.” This really doesn’t make sense to most of us . . . to feel the intensity, you have to move to the south side of Chicago, or to Pilsen, where you mix with people who don’t look like you, talk like you, think like you, or live like you.[9]

They have a set of values you don’t share, speak a language you can’t understand, and eat food that seems strange to you. You pick up the paper and you can’t read it. You turn on the radio and it doesn’t make sense. You’re standing on a sidewalk and you can’t communicate with anyone.[10]

2.      But there is more. 

He is writing to people who were born and raised in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. They spoke the same language, wore the same clothes, ate the same food, and shared the same culture. But now these hometown folks had embraced the gospel of Jesus and everything had changed for them. “Now you’re a stranger in your own town,” Peter says.

The same thing happens today whenever the gospel penetrates a nation, a city, a town, a village, an office, a classroom, a business, a factory, a neighborhood, or a family. Nothing is the same as it used to be. Everything has changed because you aren’t the person you used to be. Now you are a stranger to people who have known you for a lifetime. That’s hard for us as Christians to face up to.

3.      In 2008, in practical terms:

§         If you are a businessman and have decided as a Christian not to cheat, lie, or double-cross, if you’ve decided to deliver what you promise, you are a stranger in the world.

§         If you are a husband and you have decided to be faithful to your wife because you are a Christian, you are a stranger in the world.

§         If you are a Christian teenager, and you have decided to live for Jesus in the halls of your high school, you are a resident alien.

§         If you are a worker on a job, big or small, full- or part-time, blue or white collar—and you have decided to do your work as unto the Lord, not as pleasing men but in order to please God—if you have decided that money will not be the determining factor in your life, then you are a stranger in the world.

§         If you are depressed and discouraged and you have said, “No, I won’t turn to drugs or alcohol to handle my problems,” you are swimming against the tide, and you are a stranger in the world.

§         If you are working in an office where coarse language, profanity, and loose talk are the accepted norm and you have decided not to join in, God bless you, my friend. You are a stranger in the world.

§         If you come to a place where in order to get ahead, you have to compromise some of your Christian values, and you decide not to do it, get ready for trouble.[11]

4.    | The world was once our home—the active, busy center of all our thoughts, desires, and affections. But when grace planted imperishable principles of life in our bosom, it at once separated us from the world in heart and spirit, if not in actual life and walk. We are strangers inwardly and experimentally, by the power of divine grace making this world a wilderness to us. (J. C. Philpot. Pearls). |

One of the key character traits of people of faith is given to us in Hebrews 11:13, “They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

Peter writes in v14, “Do not conformed to your passions.” Or as Paul writes: “Do not be conformed to this world,” or as he tells the Corinthians, “separate yourselves from the darkness,” stop living

like the world.  We are strangers to . . .[12]

| §         its views, §         its thoughts, §         its desires, §         its prospects, | §         its anticipations,§         in our daily walk,§         in our speech,§         in our mind, | * in our spirit,

• in our judgment,
• in our affections.[13]

|

So Peter is writing to strangers in the world who have been scattered by God in many places. So let me be the first to welcome you to the “Fraternal Order of Christian Strangers”.

III.  Point of Action

Though this is introductory material, and we have just scratch the surface, there are a couple of practical truths that we can grab a hold of.

A. First, Don’t forget the lesson of Lot

It was when Lot stopped being a sojourner, and became a resident in Sodom (Ge 13), that he lost his consecration and his testimony and everything he lived for went up in smoke! (Ge 19)

Keep reminding yourself that you are residing as an alien in this present evil age

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. [Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB95)]

Peter's point in using the word sojourners was and is to hammer home that God's people are transitory . . .  We need to continually remind ourselves:

This world is not our home,

We’re just-a-passing through
Our pleasures and our hopes

are rooted it eternity

at the foot of the throne

of the great God of Heaven[14]

Consequently we need to live our lives in light of eternity.  God wants His "chosen out ones" to live like it (like they're chosen out of this world which is passing away) and to focus their spirit, soul, heart and mind on the world to come.

B.  Second, in regards to Peter, failure in the past does not necessarily nullify your purpose in the future.[15]

We all need to take a lesson from Peter.  Peter made some colossal mistakes . . . the biggest was his denial of his relationship with Jesus . . . not once, but three times.  But Jesus never let up on him . . . he drove past the flimsy exterior to the core of this man . . . and in John 21 Jesus recommissioned him, “Tend My Lambs.”  And so he did.

It was Peter that lead the replacement of Judas’ in Acts 1. It was Peter who took the platform following the ‘rush’ of the Holy Spirit. It was Peter who healed the lame man at the temple in Acts 3.  It was Peter who dared to defy the Sanhedrin in Acts 4. It was Peter that confronted Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.  It was Peter that confronted Simon the magician in Acts 8.  It was Peter that marched over to Cornelius’ house, a Gentile, to give him the gospel.  It was Peter that penned two significant letters.  He understood pain . . . he was well acquainted with suffering.[16]

It is easy to condemn our selves when we have fallen.  But Peter shows us how to grasp the extended hand from heaven and get back into the battle.

B.  Third, We will always be strangers in the world.

I am sure most of us would rather be popular than persecuted. If given the choice, we’d rather not be square pegs in round holes. We might like to give up being strangers in the world. As we delve into Peter you’re going to get the idea that it’s not easy to be a Christian in the world.

That’s why v2 ends with a wonderful phrase: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” Some translations say, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” His prayer is, “May you have more and more of God’s grace and God’s peace.” This is our compensation for being strangers in the world. There are no limits on God’s grace or God’s peace. We can never come to the end of either one.

• We may be strangers in the world—but we have God’s grace in abundance.
• We may be misunderstood and reviled—but we have God’s peace multiplied to us.
• We may or may not be popular or successful or wealthy or promoted-–but God sets no limits on the grace and peace he will give us.
  
  

Prayer:

Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High. Blessed be our God who reigns forevermore. You alone are the God of time and eternity. All creation bows before you. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

• We pray not to be made rich, but to know our riches in Christ.
• We pray not for comfort, but to know more of your strength.
• We pray not for an easy road, but for grace to walk the Calvary road.
• We do not ask for the world’s applause, but for courage to walk pleasing in your sight.
• We do not ask for rest, but for more determination to do your work in the world.
  
  

Teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom. Make us strong to do your will. Help us to embrace our calling as your people, chosen and redeemed, and strangers in this world. Grant us tenacious, winsome courage that we might cheerfully serve you.

And finally, we ask for grateful hearts so that we not take you for granted but will rejoice in all things. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

----

[1] Chuck Swindoll, Hope in Hurtful Times (Fullerton, CA: Insight for Living, 1989); Drew Worthen, 1 Peter http://www.cyberstreet.com/calvary/1Peter.htm  William D. Mounce, Greek For The Rest of Us, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing) pp. 63-71, 74-77; Ray Pritchard, “Strangers in a Strange Land,” 1 Peter 1:1-2, http://www.keepbelieving.com/sermon_series/Strangers-in-a-Strange-Land--I-Peter-46; John MacArthur, “The Man Who Was a Rock”; PreceptAustin, 1 Peter, http://www.preceptaustin.org/

[2]  The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

[3] Bless His Holy Name (Andrae’ Crouch @1973 by Bud John Songs, Inc. published in The Celebration Hymnal @1977 by Word/Integrity)p. 55;  To God Be The Glory, The Celebration Hymnal @1977 by Word/Integrity, p. 56.

[4]Chuck Swindoll, Hope in Hurtful Times (Fullerton, CA: Insight for Living, 1989); p. 2.

[5] Matthew 16:13-16 (ESV)

[6] Wuest, K. S.  Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans

[7] By designating himself an "apostle of Jesus Christ", Peter called attention not to himself (as he often seemed to do in the gospels) but to the One Who commissioned him.

[8] John MacArthur, The Man Who Was a Rock

[9] Pay Pritchard, Strangers in a Strange Land

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ray Pritchard, 1 Peter 1:1, Strangers in a Strange Land,

[12] Cf., Psalm 119:19, “I am but a stranger her on earth; Psalm 39:12, “I am a stranger with you and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.”

[13] J. C. Philpot, Pearls, http://www.preceptaustin.org/1peter_verse_by_verse_11-12.htm#1:1

[14] Jim Reeves  This World Is Not My Home

[15] Chuck Swindoll, Hope in Hurtful Times, pp. 7-8.

[16] Ibid, pp. 4-5, 7-8.