1: 1 Peter Intro (1 Peter 1:1-9)

1 Peter Series • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Today we begin a brand new series from an ancient text, written by one of the closest disciples of Jesus, pointing beleaguered believers to their heavenly HOPE in the middle of difficult days.

Notes

Transcript

TEACHING TIME

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My Dad tells the story of visiting with his mother for the last few days of her life. Despite the stomach cancer taking over her body, my grandmother had a heavenly hope in the middle of the difficult days. Consequently, when people came to visit and encourage her, they left encouraged. My Mom and Dad would read the Scriptures to her as she affirmed what she heard. She enjoyed listening to Christian music, which was playing when she breathed her last and passed into the other side of eternity.

There should be a difference in how believers LIVE and how believers DIE. And that’s just what we will begin to discover....

Today as we begin a brand new series from an ancient text, written by one of the closest disciples of Jesus, pointing beleaguered believers to their heavenly HOPE in the middle of difficult days.

So, if you ARE struggling in the present, or WILL struggle in future, then listen closely to the encouraging & challenging words of Peter who writes to give Hope for Suffering Saints.

PRAY

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NIV)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

AUTHOR

Peter - Simon Peter - an apostle of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is the author.

Peter’s given name was “Simon”, but Jesus Himself gave him the nickname “Peter” - which means “rock”. In our day we might have called him “Rocky”.

This is the same man who was the primary spokesman for the apostles.

He’s also the same man who is forever known as denying Jesus 3 times when Jesus was arrested.

Peter was the one who spoke to thousands during the Pentecost Festival in Jerusalem, when 3000 people bowed their hearts to the Lord Jesus and were baptized.

Peter was 1 of 3 who was given the privilege to spend more time with Jesus than any other people. For example, Jesus revealed His glory when He took Peter, James, & John up on a mountain and was transfigured in their presence.

Peter saw many miracles, heard Jesus teach on numerous occasions, and was given the power to heal the sick and cast out demons. And, of course, Peter saw Jesus risen from the dead & ascend into heaven.

This letter is likely written in the early 60s of the 1st century, during the reign of one of the most wicked of all Roman Emperors - Nero.

AUDIENCE

Peter is certainly writing to believers, as demonstrated by the term “elect”. It is possible that he is writing to both Jewish and Gentile believers.

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NIV)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia...

The Hebrew people knew what it was like to be scattered to other nations. In fact, God brought ungodly nations to discipline His disobedient people. God had warned them over and over again what would happen if His people turned from Him.

Ezekiel 39:23 (NIV)

And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to Me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.

Now hundreds of years later, many generations of Jews had grown up outside of Israel after being banished.

The particular places Peter is writing to are far north of Israel in an area known as Asia Minor.

These Jewish and Gentile believers were living in cultures that embraced many false gods including the Roman Emperor. In fact, these Caesars - as they were known - not only allowed people to worship them, but began to demand that people worship them. Nero was a wicked & arrogant emperor who demanded to be referred to as, “savior of the world” and “Lord of all the Cosmos.”

[Paul A. Himes, 1 Peter, ed. Douglas Mangum, Elizabeth Vince, and Abigail Salinger, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).]

Christians, however, had to recognize that these titles only belong to the TRUE “Savior of the world” and “Lord of all the Cosmos” - the Lord Jesus. Consequently, followers of Jesus would submit to Caesar, but only bowed to Christ as Lord (Phil 2:9-11) .

Further, followers of Jesus refused to follow the other pagan gods/goddesses that these cultures worshiped. So, despite living in a place they called “home”, these believers were treated like exiles - foreigners who really belonged somewhere else.

But these “exiles” were not abandoned by God. In fact, Peter reminds them of this...

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NIV)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect [who have been chosen] according to the foreknowledge of God the Father...

Like you and me, these believers could bask in the wonderful truth that they have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God. Without getting too deep into the theological weeds, this certainly means that God foreknew - or knew before - those who would respond to the Gospel message and bow their hearts to the Lord Jesus.

In other words, Peter encourages this audience reminding them of what GOD is saying, “You might be scattered exiles, but you are MINE - God’s elect.

While Tonya and I love each one of you, we have a different love for our children - the same way you do for yours. And I hope that our children know that regardless of how bad things get, their parents LOVE them, PROVIDE for them, and are COMMITTED to their good and God’s glory.

So too, God loves all, but God has a special love & commitment to those who are His elect - His children.

We aren’t even out of the salutation and we’ve already been challenged and encouraged! But wait…there’s more! (feels like a TV add - huh?)

Look at how the apostle Peter understands who GOD is - One God in 3 persons.

1 Peter 1:1–2 (NIV)

Here we see the reality of the Trinity - chosen by the Father, sanctified [set apart for God and made holy] by the Spirit, obedient to Jesus having been sprinkled with His blood. They are…WE are…a forgiven faith family - in a lifelong process of being shaped into the image of Jesus (Rom 8:29).

If they believed this…if WE believe this, this should help us appreciate the multiplied abundance of God’s grace and peace poured into our lives.

HOW MUCH GRACE has God shown you? How many times could He have said, “That’s enough, stop breathing”? Thankfully, He didn’t and you’re here or watching with us today.

1 Peter 1:3–5 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

I want you to REMEMBER WHO is writing to us. This is from Simon Peter - the one who had seen Jesus live in purity, teach with clarity, heal with power, and then…give His life for many…and resurrect from the dead! The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was NOT just a theory or story Peter heard told. He SAW the risen Jesus!

And those who follow the risen Jesus have been given new birth into a living hope. We’re forgiven & free from our sinful past! And we have an inheritance awaiting us in heaven - an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade.

Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever had a valuable gift that was stolen, wore out, rotted, or just lost its luster? The things that used to be worth so much, just aren’t worth that much any more.

That’s NOT how this inheritance works. Our inheritance can’t be stolen, destroyed, diluted, or discounted - because this inheritance is kept in heaven until the coming of that salvation...in the last time. When Jesus returns and we receive our inheritance in full, there will be NO MOMENT in this life that will compete with THAT MOMENT!

But until that day, it is simply by our faith - our TRUST in God’s promise that allows us to rest in the fact that we are shielded by God’s power. This should be great encouragement to you and me! And Peter expected his audience to feel the same way. He continues...

1 Peter 1:6 (NIV)

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Peter knew what it was like to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

He grieved when Jesus was arrested and killed.

Peter and the other apostles experienced all kinds of trials - even being been thrown in jail (Acts 5:17-18) and flogged by fellow Jews (Acts 5:40).

Peter was grieved when his fellow apostle, James (1 of the 3 closest to Jesus), was beheaded by his enemies (Acts 12:1-2), after which Peter was thrown in prison…again (Acts 12:3-4).

So, if somehow you thought or have been taught that followers of Jesus won’t experience tough times, then you have thought or been taught wrong.

Jesus warned of these difficult days and His first followers had to go through it. Why shouldn’t WE?

But, thank God, difficult days don’t last forever, and they often teach us lessons & give us perspective we wouldn’t develop any other way.

1 Peter 1:7 (NIV)

These [trials] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Trials prove whether we really trust God or not. It’s easy to trust Him when things are good. But what happens when tough times hit? These difficult days test the genuineness of your faith and mine. And here’s what is strange.

It’s in the days we never want to experience that we experience the days we never want to go back and change.

Korean Missionaries Facing Death from Taliban

Years ago I shared the story from Francis Chan talking with a missionary pastor from South Korea who had been part of a mission team that was captured by the Taliban while in Afghanistan.

Even though they had been strip searched and had their possessions confiscated, one still had a Bible. She began to tear it apart a hand several pages to each person so they could have and read the Scriptures if taken different places.

Over the days they would share and pray together. They began to pray this way, “Jesus, my life is Yours. Whatever brings you more glory, we surrender. If it brings You more honor, kill me. If it brings You more honor, let me live.”

When the mission team was told they were going to be killed one at a time the pastor said, “The Taliban are going to start killing us and I’ve already told them that I die first because I am the pastor.”

Then the man telling Francis the story countered and said, ‘No. I am a pastor and I am your elder. I die first.’

Then the other responded, ‘No, you are not ordained. I am an ordained senior pastor. I die first.’ And sure enough, he was the first one that was executed.

2 or 3 of the missionaries were killed before the rest were released. That pastor told Francis that one by one these people would come up to him and say something like this: “Pastor, don’t you wish we were still there?" Their experience in the comfort of home and without persecution just wasn’t as tangible and powerful as what they experienced in the middle of the mess, when they sensed the powerful Presence of Jesus.

Why is that?

Maybe it’s because in those moments they were AWARE that they were 1 breath away from being with Jesus on the other side of eternity.

Maybe it’s because in the middle of the struggle they didn’t care about who was more intelligent, good looking, wealthy, or fun to be around. Maybe they just appreciated other believers who demonstrated sacrificial love for one another.

Maybe it was trusting - knowing - depending that they were truly forgiven; that they had an inheritance that would not perish, spoil, or fade - kept in heaven for them.

And maybe they touched the edge of eternity, experiencing the powerful Presence of Jesus that will only be outmatched when they see Him face to face.

[persecutionworldwide.com/francis-chan-hostages/] [Video: youtube.com/watch?v=s6eKxCH0LdM]

It’s this kind of genuine faith in our Great Savior that is of greater worth than any earthly treasure - even gold. And on the Day that Jesus returns, we will suddenly be overwhelmed with this reality that I find quoting to myself more and more:

Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last. - C.T. Studd

And now we conclude today’s study with this test of sorts:

1 Peter 1:8–9 (NIV)

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Again, think about WHO is writing and who he’s writing TO. Peter knew Jesus. Peter spent several years with Him, seeing all He did and hearing all He said. But Peter’s audience…like you and me…have not seen Him. Yet, Peter knew that his recipients LOVED JESUS.

How can you tell when someone really loves another person? They think about the other person, talk about the other person, look forward to spending time with the other person. This is what Peter knew about these people - they were willing to face various kinds of trials for the One they had never seen, and they looked forward Jesus’ return, because…they love Him.

And those believing and loving Jesus - they are…WE are currently receiving - the salvation of our souls.

Our minds ARE being transformed

Our lives ARE - right now - being restored;

Our thoughts, actions, and words are being made clean, all of which results in inexpressible and glorious joy that find only in our unseen Savior…Who will one day be seen.

Do you LOVE Jesus? What evidence from your life would demonstrate that? If He returned today, do you think He would say that you really do love Him?

Do you have questions or need some help? Talk with us. Call us.

STAFF

DEACONS

A teenager approached me last week and asked something like this: “How can I start to seek Jesus more consistently?” I told him some of these and will add a couple for us:

FEET2FAITH

Open the Scriptures first (10-minute challenge).

Pray throughout the day.

Live like Jesus is with you.

Spend time with people who love Jesus.

PRAY

Discussion Questions

What challenged/encouraged you most from today’s teaching? Explain why that was most impactful to you.

When you consider WHO is writing this letter, what makes his experiences & insights so significant for us to carefully consider? Name some lessons we can learn from the life of “Rocky”. (e.g. You might not want to ‘correct’ Jesus and have him call you ‘Satan’)

Read 1 Peter 1:1-2. Have you ever seen or considered that Peter mentions the Trinity (1 God in 3 persons) in the work of salvation and sanctification? (It’s okay to use a dictionary for difficult terms like “sanctification”.) Explain your answer.

Read 1 Peter 1:3-5. What’s the greatest material possession you have inherited or bought to this point. Who will it be passed on to when you die and what does that tell you about how important that THING is? What is different about what believers inherit according to this passage?

Read 1 Peter 1:6-7 and share some difficult days that have caused your faith in Jesus to grow.

Read 1 Peter 1:8-9. If you love someone, there should be evidence. What are some evidences that you love Jesus? (e.g. time seeking Him) Does this cause you any concern? If so, share why.