Sermon Tone Analysis

Bro. Darrel  Owens

*SUBJECT: GOD'S LESSONS TO US FROM FIRST PETER*

*                        "Introductory Remarks"*

* *

| *Peter wrote to these Christians to encourage them, to explain to them why suffering occurs, and to remind them of their eternal reward at the end of this earthly life (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary).*

|

*TEXT: 1 Peter 1:1-25.*

*INTRODUCTION:*

\\ A.                                        This is the beginning of a study in First and Second Peter.

B.                                         Of course, the apostle Peter is the author.

Peter had a shaky beginning but wound up a strong and mighty warrior for Jesus.

He wrote his first letter about 64 A.D. *1 Peter 5:13* indicates that he wrote it from Babylon.

Some say this may have been Rome because the Jews often referred to Rome as Babylon.

1.                                          Peter had made his living as a fisherman.

2.                                          Evidently, he had no higher education than that of a common man *(Acts 4:13).*

In his and John's speech before the Sanhedrin, people were amazed because they were unlearned men.

They took knowledge of them because they had been with Jesus.

3.

However, having been with Jesus for over three years, and being led by the Holy Spirit, he wrote two very masterful letters.

4.                                          Peter was one of the first the Lord called in the origin of His church, and in the list of the apostles, but never does he claim to be above any of the others.

5.                                          One of the things I love about Peter is that, if the Lord could make something of him and use him, I have hope.

C.                                         *Verses one and two* identify the author and the ones to whom he wrote First Peter:  *"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."*

1.                                          *"Strangers"* - God's people are as aliens in a foreign land.

The word means, "alongside heathen."

It speaks of God's people being placed alongside of the unsaved of this world.

2.                                          *"Scattered"* - placed, or sown.

We think of scattered as something haphazard or accidental.

God placed these people in this foreign land purposefully.

D.                I will be referring to a statement which Peter made in his second letter possibly every lesson.

He said, *"Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you.

I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.

I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles" (2 *

\\ E.                                         *Pet.

3:1, 2).*

The intent of both letters is to give us reminders that stimulate us to wholesome thinking.

We are going to be looking for such reminders as we study.

F.                                           

II.

*THESE SCATTERED STRANGERS WERE THE ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, v. 2.*

A.                                        "*Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied" (v.

2).*

B.                                         Right away we run into a passage that needs to be studied closely.

We'll take it a little at a time.

C.                                         /"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father."/

1.

Many Bible students wrestle with the problem of harmonizing election by God and the free will of the sinner to accept Christ.

This verse should help.

2.                                          All of the saved are the elect of God.

He has chosen them to salvation.

3.                                          But, He made His choice based on His own foreknowledge concerning what choice they would make.

4.                                          This doctrine is also another source of security for each believer.

We are chosen in Him because we repented of our sins and trusted Jesus.

D.                                        /"Through the sanctification of the Spirit."/

1.                                          First, we saw the work of the Father in the believer's salvation, now we see the work of the Spirit.

2.                                          The Spirit's work is to set apart (sanctification means to set apart) the sinner through His convicting power.

Without this no sinner would ever come to Jesus.

When the truths of the Bible concerning the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus are proclaimed, the Spirit takes those truths and works them in the mind of the lost soul.

3.                                          The Spirit's conviction can be heeded or rejected according to the will of the person.

4.                                          The Spirit's work in sanctification only starts at salvation.

He continues to sanctify the saint as He is allowed to work in that heart.

E.                                         /"Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."/

1.                                          Now, we have studied the Father and the Spirit's work in the believer's salvation.

What about Jesus, the Son?

2.                                          The Holy Spirit works with the sinner and brings him to a point of obedience to faith in Jesus.

3.                                          The sinner who comes to the point of placing his faith in the Lord is sprinkled by the blood of Jesus.

He is cleansed from his sins.

*/"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb.

9:22)./*

*/4.

/*The only blood that has any cleansing power is Jesus'.

5.                                                                                          I do not see baptism in this verse at all.

Baptism has no real cleansing power.

It is symbolic.

F.                                          */"Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."/*

1.

This is a typical statement of Paul, but one not to be taken lightly.

2.                                          He wanted them to have a bountiful supply of grace and peace.

They had saving grace and he wanted them to live by grace also.

The peace he spoke of was heart peace - that deep abiding peace that comes as one gives himself over fully to the Spirit's leadership.

G.                                        Did you notice the teaching of the Trinity in these first two verses?

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all taught clearly.

I.

*BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, vv.

3-5.*

A.                                        God is to be blessed because of the new birth.

*     /{3} "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"/*

1.                                          *"Begotten us again" *- the new birth, the same thing that Jesus talked with Nicodemus about in John 3.

2.                                          In this passage God the Father is credited with bringing about the new birth.

Actually, all three persons of the Godhead are instrumental in it (see *John 1:11, 12; 3:5-8;* our text).

3.                                          The new birth is a literal, spiritual birth.

It causes a radical change in the recipient - a change that one can not accomplish on his own.

4.                                          Peter taught that this new birth is *"unto a lively hope."*

a.

We are born again to an ever living hope.

b.

This hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Because He lives, we who believe in Him live.

We will never die because He shall never die.

B.                                         God is to be blessed because of the inheritance He has for us.

*/4 "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,"/*

1.                                          Since God is our Father, we are to receive an inheritance from Him.

We are *"heirs of God; and joint-heirs with Christ" (Rom.

8:17).*

2.                                          God has even given us the earnest of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit *(Eph.

1:14).*

He has assured us that we are going to receive it.

3.

He tells us four things about this inheritance:

a.

It is incorruptible - imperishable; unravaged by an invading army.

Nothing can take this away.

b.

It is undefiled - not subject to pollution by sin.