Audio Access Available Above
“Who You Are And What You Have!” • 6.10.18
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We have closed the book of James and entered into the realm of First Peter. According to most
scholars, nearly two decades have passed, but the story remains largely the
same.
- I wonder if any of you wonders
about what happened to the people that we just studied about. In the case of
these believers, their situation actually went from bad to worse!
- Let's find most of our
introduction material as we enter the book. Verse 1.
Text
• I Peter
1:1,2 : "Peter, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be
multiplied." Peter was a fisherman when Jesus
called Him. Christ chose him while he was mending his nets to be a disciple. Now,
nearly 30 years removed, he is His sent one, His emissary.
- Peter's life is an incredible study which we
will not have time to undertake. Suffice it to say, he serves to remind us that
God can do something wonderful with anyone that will trust Him!
- Peter is not writing merely as a
"friend." In embracing this title "Apostle," he informs
them that this letter is an official communique from the Lord Jesus Himself!
- These are His wishes expressed. It is His
will that they hear and understand this. Peter will be the vehicle, but the
voice will be Christ's and He wishes to address some "pilgrims."
- These Christians might have considered
themselves fugitives or refugees because of their plight as a persecuted
people. God calls them "pilgrims."
- They seek a home and until they get there,
they live alongside of the natives of this planet, but always in a state of
transition! In Christ, they and indeed we, are all simply passing through!
- I would suggest that problems arise when
Christians act more like settlers than pilgrims! This world will never feel
like home to the believer. God wants our hearts to be set upon our true home!
- These believers were scattered all over the
Roman Empire, particularly on the Eastern side, just south of the Black Sea.
- When you look at a Bible map, you'll see that
they are all concentrated in a certain area. How did Peter intersect with their
lives? For the answer to that, you'll need to consult with Acts 2.
- On the day that the church was born, at the
Jewish feast of Pentecost, 40 days after the ascension of Jesus Christ, a group
of people crowded into Jerusalem for one of their annual visits.
- Little did they know that God had picked this
very time to send His Holy Spirit upon the waiting disciples. Everyone heard a
noise and gathered round and out came Peter.
- The privilege of preaching the first church's
first message was given to Peter!
- He explained what had transpired and
exhorting all to trust upon Jesus Christ, a message that was divinely simulcast
in every language represented! Where did these people come from?
- Acts
2:9-11 mentions almost every single one that is mentioned by Peter here!
This means that these are likely the original members of the first Church!
- These had heard the speaking in tongues and
Peter was their initial Pastor and teacher!
- These are also those that had been scattered
earlier by Saul's persecution and were now targets of Nero's regime! You wonder
how many thought, "What if I had just stayed home that year!"
- If anything, their plight had gone from bad
to worse. Saul's zeal had initially scattered them back to their home
countries. His work came to a close with his own conversion.
- Caesar Nero however, was a much different
story and according to some historians, Paul's testimony sent Nero on his
maddening descent! Can you imagine their supposed bad luck?
- But their being there on Pentecost and their
subsequent conversion to Christ wasn't an accident at all! These pilgrims are
elect according to the foreknowledge of God!
- The have been chosen, selected, set apart by
the Father. He did this according to His own foreknowledge, literally, the
Lord's own "prognosis." He knew them before they knew Him!
- The issue with the word
"foreknowledge" is a bit tricky. It does not refer to a knowledge of
a person's decision, though it would be true to say that God knows everything
before it comes to pass.
- The Greek word delineates an initiation taken
by God on behalf of a person or people group prior to their acknowledgement of
Him.
- God knew before hand that He would one day
choose a people for Himself and these are a part of that group that God decided
to save and set apart for Himself! You were also chosen!
- That decision was made before the world was
created and before we as His people were formed! Today, in your experience of
time, the Holy Spirit is sanctifying you who have believed.
- The Holy Spirit is cleansing your hearts,
purifying your minds, and allowing circumstances to shape your lives!
- The people that were running from their
persecutors must have wondered if God hadn't forgotten about them!
- Peter lets them know that the Spirit was busy
at work, causing them and us to obey Him. Like them, the Holy Spirit has led
you to hear God's Word, to recognize it's truth and to obey it.
- That obedience first to the gospel, and then
to His Word, is the proof that you have been ceremonially sprinkled, cleansed, with
the blood of Christ.
- We cannot say that we have been cleansed if
we have not a heart of obedience! These that Peter wrote to could say that they
did.
- There was clear evidence that they had
followed the Lord beginning on that inauguaral day!
- Before we move on, do you see the beauty of
the Trinity's work in our salvation? Mark it down! The Father chose us, the
Spirit set us apart and the Son's blood has cleansed us!
- On earth, these pilgrims were being hunted.
In heaven, they had been counted! What a comfort to their hearts this must have
been when they first read Peter's words!
- Peter adds his Lord's desire for them to experience
a greater measure of grace and peace! I love this. Consider what they were
experiencing and how they might have been praying.
- God's people were being brutalized by a
madman. They were being hunted like animals. Instead of praying for a change in
circumstance or government, Peter prays for an upgrade in grace!
- What a lesson for us! How often have we been
guilty of praying for the removal of uncomfortable and trying situations
without asking for an increase in personal grace!
- Think of our Lord's prayer in John 17: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You
should keep them from the evil one!" (John 17:15)
- When Paul prayed three times for his thorn in
the flesh to be removed, the Lord answered, "My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in
weakness." (II Cor. 12:9)
- The biblical model for prayer is not for less
difficulty but for more grace! Verse 3.
• I Peter
1:3-5 : "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God
through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." : Peter erupts into praise. "Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ!" We get our English word "eulogy" from
the word "blessed, which literally means "good words."
- There aren't enough words in any language to
celebrate Him! Everything good that can be said of Him should be said of Him
because of His abundant mercy expressed toward us!
- "He has begooten us again." We who
are Christians are born again! You do not hear that term used much these days,
but every person that is called a Christian by God is "born again."
- Some have sought distance from that term as
if to say that there are two classes of Christian!
- There are not! Upon our believing in the
gospel and our receiving of the gift made available to us by Christ, God by His
mercy alone, brought us to spiritual life and awakened us to a living hope!
- It's an active, ongoing expectation on our
part made a reality because of Christ's resurrection. Christians alone
understand this life in that context.
- We live in expectation of a life that begins
in Christ now and extends beyond all time! Even if we were to die, because of
Christ, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we would live!
- To live, unfettered by the chains of sin's
guilt on earth, would be wonderful enough! But for the believer, there is an
expectation of an inheritance that has been set aside for them in eternity!
- Listen to that choice of words: We have an
active anticipation to receive an inheritance! An inheritance is an allotment
that is not earned. It is given. It is set aside by relationship to a person!
- This inheritance, the riches of God, have
been set aside for us because the One who died and is resurrected has laid them
aside for us!
- By virtue of our being united with Him in His
death and resurrection, we get to share in the inheritance that Christ has
earned! What a word of encouragement for these downtrodden followers!
- Many of these men and women, lived in fear
for their lives and had little hope of maintaining any of their worldly
possessions. They had been kicked out of homes and cities for the sake of
Christ.
- Their lives, at this time in history, were
cheap commodities, tossed aside by an Emperor who believed killing Christians
would cover for his own atrocities.
- Peter tells them, "It doesn't matter
what you lose here. You have an inheritance there!"
- Listen to his description of it. It is
incorruptible and undefiled. It cannot decay and it cannot be tainted, soiled
or sullied. It won't waste or give way to any elements that could threaten it's
value.
- There is nothing on this Earth that can boast
of such a claim. Has anyone heard of the "Second Law of Thermodynamics?"
˚ "The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that 'in all energy
exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of
the state will always be less than that of the initial state.' This is also
commonly referred to as entropy." [i]
: As you can see, nothing on this planet can come close! Our inheritance isn't
subject to the laws that govern this planet! Our inheritance cannot spoil and
it is completely secure.
- It is reserved in heaven for you! When a Greek
speaking person used the word translated "reserved," the idea related
to keeping watch over something.
- In fact, the same word is used of the guards
that stood watch over the Lord's rented tomb on the first Resurrection Sunday! Unlike
those soldiers, the watch in heaven is far superior!
- Indeed, beyond our inheritance Peter asserts
that God is watching over them personally!
- "It's no use if the inheritance is kept
secure if you are not!" Listen to the way the sentence is structured:
"reserved in heaven for you, who." The recipients are the ones that
are "kept."
- This is even more impressive word than
"reserved." "Kept" refers to an entire Roman garrison set
in a city to prevent a hostile invasion!
- Our faith in Christ opens the door to the
very power of God Himself which will sustain us until the opportunity of the
final hour, when we will experience His salvation in full. Verse 6.
• I Peter
1:6-9 : "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if
need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.
Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible
and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls." : When you and I think about the full expression of our salvation,
it should be an understatement to say that we "greatly rejoice!"
- In fact, the way that this is written could
easily be translated "leap for joy!" Our acknowledgement of what the
Lord has done and what awaits us causes us to leap for joy!
- When was the last time that you really
thought of all the benefits that are yours in Christ Jesus? Have you ever taken
an afternoon to meditate upon what you have in Him?
- If you ever have, you understand Peter's
words. It's almost too good to be true! It doesn't matter how conflicted we are
in the present circumstance or how close we are to danger.
- When we consider our privilege, we are
overwhelmed with joy! What interrupts our fits of joy are the grievous trials
that we are exposed to now!
- This "little while" is brief
comparitive to our eternal state, but undoubtedly, Peter's challenge at this
time was to communicate to believers who were under a heavy, sorrowful burden.
- The people that were reading this letter bore
up under the presence of a humiliating, painful death. There was heaviness all
around by the various temptations that surrounded them.
- But there was also a purpose in their pain.
God was allowing the crisis to expose the reality of their faith to them! He
does this by "testing" it, a word synonymous with revealing
authenticity.
- God already knows what kind of faith you
have. He is not surprised by our condition. If they wondered at whether or not
they truly had an inheritance with God, this was one of the proofs.
- As they endured through yet another season of
trial, they realized that their faith was authentic enough to withstand it!
They knew God was at work in them because the believed!
- The greater the challenge, the more refined
will be the faith that rises to meet it! What a joy then to realize that their
relationship to God did indeed prove to carry them through!
- Notice that phrase: Genuine faith is more
precious than fine gold. It is more rare and exceedingly more valuable! Some
would protest and disagree!
- Believe me, that argument is easy to adhere
to when everything is going right. When you have your health and when you have
some modicum of control over your life.
- These people that Peter is writing to did
not! They had lost everything and the only thing that held them together was
their faith in the Lord!
- Peter includes this cryptic note here.
"Even if it is tested by fire." Fire was used to purify alloys and
the Christians that lived in Nero's Rome, were well aware of the fire that he
used.
- History tells us that in Nero's madness, he
covered Christians in wax, suspended them on poles and lit them on fire to
light his garden in the evening!
- That is the kind of fire that their faith was
enduring! Money couldn't buy them out of this experience. Only their faith
could cause them to endure and many entered into eternity through flame!
- Peter assures them that their endurance will
not go unnoticed! Because it's the actual article, it will bring great praise,
honor and glory for them when Jesus is revealed!
- Along with their unswerving faith was another
proof of the reality of the Lord's work in their life. Their love for Christ!
- The first church existed entirely through the
preaching of Christ to them, but they themselves had no knowledge of what He
looked like! Faith gave them eyes to see Him who is not seen!
- One day, when we do see Him and the full
expression of His love toward us, we will be filled with joy that we won't be
able to put into words! That is the purpose of our faith!
- It is what carries us through this season of
trial and carries to our intended end, the salvation of our souls! Verse 10.
• I Peter
1:10,11 : "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of
time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow."
- The salvation that you and I enjoy was once a
profound mystery. The Old Testament prophets were given pieces and pictures
about what you and I now confidently know.
- They lived their lives in genuine
bewilderment. The text indicates that they were always searching for meaning
and made a diligent, thorough investigation. You dog lovers will enjoy this!
- This word was initially used to describe a
dog sniffing out something from the ground! The prophets were not
dispassionate, casual observers. They were bloodhounds!
- They spoke of what would be experienced by
the Early Church, and then sought to figure out when and how this would occur!
This wasn't their own predisposition.
- The Spirit of Christ in them was declaring to
them the truths of Christ's sufferings, as well as the glories to come! Think of how confusing this must have
been for the prophets!
- On the one hand, they are told of Messiah's
great suffering, predicting methods of suffering that didn't yet exist.
- For example, crucifixion wouldn't exist for
several centuries when David wrote about it in Psalm 22. Think about Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 53. "Led like a lamb to the slaughter?"
- For Isaiah particularly, this must have been
confounding! Chapter 53, the chapter
which describes the suffering servant, comes right after the chapter of the
victorious servant!
- They held the puzzle pieces. We hold the box
top with the picture of Jesus Christ! Verse 12.
• I Peter
1:12,13 : "To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they
were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those
who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things
which angels desire to look into." : The NKJV
is not very clear here. The sense is better captured in the NIV.
- "It
was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you."
This was God's way of satisfying their curiosity, letting them know that they
were writing for their future family.
- They wrote these things down as prophesy and
now, these things were history! Christianity has never been a religion of
feelings. It is a relationship based upon historical facts!
- These facts were repeatedly confirmed through
various sources, and what they testified to was inspired and affirmed by the
Holy Spirit!
- These things that they and we know by
experience, the angels of heaven wish to know! They are not redeemed creation!
They are obedient servants of God.
- They know nothing of what it means to be a
redeemed child of God! Consequently, they literally lean down with great
curiosity to see what becomes of us!
Conclusion
- As we look
back upon this passage, we recognize that Peter is conveying His Lord's
encouragement to these believers by pointing them to their position in Him.
- "You are
pilgrims, set on a course that will lead you to a great inheritance." You
will never settle on this planet! Don't make this your home! But how do I know
if I'm an elect member?
- Do you obey
the Lord? Do you love the Lord? Are you continuing to follow the Lord in spite
of your adversity? Friend, that's what a chosen person does! This is the proof
of His work in you!
- But I can't
see it? You're in good company! The prophets that wrote about these events and
the angels that watch over the bannisters of heaven didn't and don't quite get
it either!
- In fact,
believe it or not, you have a more complete picture than they did! Peter is
telling them that you are in possession of greater knowledge of Him!
- It may not be
enough for us all today, but I hope you'll agree, it's a great place to start!
No comments:
Post a Comment