1.1-2 - Intro
Scripture reading: 1 Peter 3:13-16
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2 – Introduction to 1 Peter
Introduction: Throughout the history of the church there have arisen many who have given their life for the sake of the Gospel. They are martyred for their faith, they never recant of the love and obedience for their Savior. Among them is the author of the book that we are now preparing to study. Even today the rage against the true followers of God continues at an astounding pace all around the world. People are living and dying for their faith. They remain steadfast, grounded to the rock of their salvation. They are not dying by blowing themselves up, they are not committing suicide, they are dying at the hands of others, like sheep before the slaughter. Satan has tried for hundreds of years to remove Christians from the face of the earth, but because of those who stand strong you and I are able to be obedient and to likewise remain strong and steadfast in our faith and obedience.
Central Idea: Peter’s primary message is to trust the Lord, live obediently no matter your circumstances, and keep your hope fixed on God’s ultimate promise of deliverance. (Introduction to 1 Peter ESV.)
Main Transition: We now turn our attention to the book of 1 Peter. This morning as a bit of introduction to the book we are going to meet the man Christ named Peter. We could spend weeks on this colorful Apostle but we are only trying to gain a little knowledge about him for the purpose of this study. We then are going to take an overview look at the book of 1 Peter and finally we are going to look at the foundational theology that Peter basis everything on as the presence of God in the life of the believer is established as the corner stone of Peter’s instruction.
I. The man Christ named Peter
A. Leader of the Apostles
1. Peter is listed first in all of the lists of the Apostles look at Acts 1:13, now look at Matthew 10:2. There are several other lists such as these. No matter Peter’s short comings he was singled out as the leader of the Apostles.
2. Peter was the instigator of the plan to fill the vacated spot of Judas in Acts 1:23-26
B. Peter’s life as a disciple
1. Peter was given his name by Christ, before he was know as Simon or Simeon. The name Peter means “rock” but Peter was not the steady force that is unmovable during his disciple years.
2. Peter was the same one who on the night the mop comes to get Jesus cuts the ear off of the slave of the high Priest, and you think that there is no way that one so bold could ever weaken.
3. Yet before morning of the very same night Peter lives up to the prophecy that Jesus told to him, and Peter denied the Lord three times before the sun rose.
4. Yet, it was Peter that the Lord so often used to teach and instruct this culminates on the shore of the Sea of Galilee at the very end of the Gospel of John where Jesus restores Peter and commissions him to move from fisherman to shepherd.
C. Peter’s life as an apostle
1. Peter’s life as an apostle was just a little more solid than his life as a disciple. He starts out wonderfully strong he stands boldly in the very city that watched as Christ was crucified and preached a message that the Spirit of God used to change the eternal destiny of thousands of souls because of the death and resurrection of Christ.
2. Peter heals and performs miracles, he faces trials and beatings, He boldly preaches salvation by grace through faith to the Jerusalem counsel, but then shows favoritism to the Jews and the law which Paul confronts Peter on.
3. But regardless of this man cracks he stands as an example of redemption and forgiveness from the Lord, a Man willing to be bold for Christ and yet humble in asking for forgiveness.
4. Tradition says that Peter was forced to watch his wife suffer death by crucifixion, just before the where to hang him the same way, yet undeserving to be hung like his Savior, Peter was hung on a cross with his head down
Transition: Peter was a man that many of us can identify with, a man driven by his love for his savior. He was far from perfect but he was humble. He could have held a grudge against Paul for calling him down, but he didn’t he realized his own sin and repented. It is this man that write the book of 1 Peter. Quickly we will look at some of the necessary pieces of this book to help s understand what is taking place in order to apply it the way we ought.
II. The book of 1 Peter
A. The purpose of 1 Peter
1. Peter lays out the purpose of this book in 5:12.
2. Peter, the rock reminds us that we are to stand firm in the grace of God.
Illustration: I am speaking of personal experience when I say that we are not often firm. We do not rest on the security of the grace of God, we forget verse 6-7 of this chapter, we try to exalt ourselves before God’s timing, we hold attacks against us personally and instead of casting on the Lord and moving on we allow the anxiety to build to the breaking point.
3. To understand this we need also to understand why Paul is writing what is the background.
B. The background of 1 Peter
1. Paul is writing to those who are facing enormous persecution.
2. When Nero burned Rome in order to feed his lust to build, the people of Rome were destitute, their homes and lives had been destroyed. They began to revolt against Nero. Nero blamed the Christians as his scapegoat and terrible persecution arose scattering the Christians to the far reaches of the known world.
3. These believers now have nothing of material possessions and they are living in fear for their lives and their families.
Illustration: If they are told by Peter to cast their cares upon the Lord and to stand firm in the grace of God, don’t you think that we should even more so. We who are not facing intense persecution are able to stand firm much more easily, but do we? When the co-worker mocks you for your faith, or the fellow brother or sister in Christ hurt you, or the unbeliever laughs at you when you share the Gospel with them, do you stand firm? Or is it going to take the treat of your life, or the loss of a family member to persecution, or the threat of terrible death before you can stand firm?
C. The recipients of 1 Peter (1)
1. We have already mentioned the recipients of the letter, but lets look at verse one to explore this little bit more.
2. Peter identifies them as aliens, not so much because they are in a foreign land, but because their home is not even earthly, they are residents of heaven
3. They have been scattered and those specifically that Peter is writing to have been scattered into cities in what is now northern Turkey.
Transition: True believers throughout the church age have often been under intense persecution. It is this kind of persecution that led to the founding of our country. No doubt there will be a day, that has already started that the true believers even in this land that has been a sanctuary for Christians will face persecution again. Yet, even now we so much struggle with standing firm, but Peter doesn’t start with the command to stand firm he starts at the presence of God in the life of the believer.
III. The presence of God in the life of the believer (2)
A. Chosen by the Father
1. Peter’s point is so important that in this verse 2 we have the three members of the triunity of God, each one working in the life and Salvation of the believer.
2. If you are a believer today, you were chosen by God. There are two aspect of this choosing that is vitally important to understand.
a. First, is the aspect concerning your will to choose. You must choose to come to Christ. Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. This means you must trust in Christ as Savior in order to be saved.
b. This leads us to the second aspect, God fore knowledge. We serve an almighty all knowing God that did look down time and knew that you would respond to the Holy Spirits prompting. You are elect, all who are elect will come to know Christ as Savior.
Application: This is a weighty doctrine that has rattled in the minds of scholars for years. But we can understand it and by understanding it we realize that we are chosen people of God, we serve a God that cares about us personally and is involved in our lives not just slightly but intimately involved.
B. Sanctified by the Spirit
1. It is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to dedicate you to God. Once you have come to know Christ as Savior the Spirit seals you to God, you are set apart, you are distinct unto God.
2. This puts God’s choice and purpose into effect. You are equipped to be put into service.
3. This means that you are justified having been washed by the blood of Christ, this process continues until you arrive in heaven
4. It is for a purpose to equip you to be obedient to the Christ
C. Obedient to Christ
1. All that God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit does is in order that we not be idle in our service to Him, rather we are to be obedient
2. True salvation produces obedience from the believer.
3. The sprinkling of blood is the sealing of the New Covenant, which gives complete and perfect atonement for sin, but also bring us to the responsibility of obedience to the Lord and His Word
Conclusion: Peter’s message is one of hope for a special group of people, people called by God and sanctified by His Spirit, but facing terrible persecution. The rest of the letter does not sugar coat the inevitable persecution. Peter reminds us however that this is temporary and we are aliens in a land that Satan has energized against us. These persecution while in many cases are excruciating are merely temporary and the blessings are great for those who stand firm while they run the race. All of this is constructing a theological foundation of encouragement. We are chosen of God, sanctified by His Spirit, and we must be obedient to Christ.
This must cause in us a response, Stand firm, you are not standing by your self, cling to the Rock of your salvation. Don’t allow the current of this world to engulf you and make you loose your footing.