1 Peter 1:1-12 – Living Hope
Peter wrote this
letter to Christians throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia
to encourage them, because they were being persecuted for their faith. Peter’s name was Simon, but Jesus changed it
to Peter in John 1:42. The name Peter means rock or stone.
We have every
intention to do what is right. Then
sometimes life just takes over and we say “Oh, whatever”. Have you ever felt that way? Peter knew what it was like to mess up and he
failed Jesus miserably. He thought he
had faith until he was tested. He denied
Jesus 3 times. God knew his heart and
completely changed him. The Christians to
whom he was writing were messing up and said, “Oh, whatever” and “Why should I
be different? We as Christians should be
different, because we were chosen. There
is always a redemptive purpose in every mistake we make. We don’t know what today will bring, but we
know to whom we belong.
Peter describes
Christians as God’s elect, strangers in the world and having been chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God through the sanctifying work of the
Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood. – (1 Peter 1-2). Elect means chosen to be given new life. Verse 2 shows us the Blessed Trinity – The
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Peter praised
God and all He has done through our Lord Jesus Christ. – (1 Peter 1:3). Lord means He
has complete authority. Jesus is His
human name and means God who saves.
Christ means Messiah meaning the one whom God has anointed. Peter reminds the suffering Christians why
they should praise God. “In his 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 – kept in heaven for you.” – (1 Peter 1:3-4). Suffering should be expected. It’s God’s way of purifying and validating
our faith.
Principle:
The living hope
of Jesus Christ can transform our response to life.
Where is your
focus when you are suffering?
How much do
events of today impact your hope?
How is your
faith in Jesus Christ resulted in glorious joy?
How confident
are you that your salvation is secure?
1 Peter 1:13-2:3 – Living Holy
What is God’s
purpose for His children? He wants us to be holy, because He is
holy. He wants us to be self-controlled
and to prepare our minds for action. He
wants us to set our hope fully on grace given to us. He wants us to be obedient and not conform to
the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance. – (1 Peter 1:13-16). Holy
means to be good, pure, set apart, spiritually whole or sound. Holy means to belong to God alone. The Holy Spirit makes us holy. Does that sound like you? This doesn’t mean Christians will never sin,
but with God’s help we must try to avoid it in our lives.
Peter refers to
Jesus as the Lamb without blemish or defect.
– (1 Peter 1:19). In the Old Testament God commanded a sin
offering for the peoples’ sins. They
were to sacrifice a lamb without blemish or defect to atone for their sins, but
this sacrifice was only temporary. They
had to keep doing it over and over because they kept sinning. Jesus was perfect with no sin. He was our sacrificial lamb who died on the
cross once and for all for all the sins of mankind. If we believe this and trust and obey Him, we
are a new person in Christ. We are
born-again, which means we died in our sins and our old ways of life. We are born-again in the Spirit through
Jesus. We are now living as a new person
made possible through the saving blood of Jesus.
Principle:
As believers
live a life of holiness others will encounter God’s pure sincere love and
goodness.
How are you
prepared for a life of goodness?
How are you
under indoctrination of the world?
How will you
describe the way you love people? Is it
conditional or like Jesus?
1 Peter 2:4-25 – Living Example
Peter says we
are like living stones. What does
that mean? Jesus is the cornerstone or the foundation like that
in a building. The cornerstone is the
first stone put into place. He is also
the capstone, which is the last
stone put into place. He is the
beginning and the end. God builds a
house with people. We are being built
into a spiritual house (the church) to be a holy priesthood. We are living stones and are to be like Jesus.
– (1 Peter 2:4-6).
Jesus is the
stone that makes man stumble or reject Him, because they disobey the message He
brings. People continue to stumble over
Christ today by refusing to believe the Bible.
They think it is not relevant.
They don’t believe what Jesus says.
They think He is not the only way to the Father. They think He was a good man and teacher, but
not the Christ. They think they know the
truth and refuse to find out for themselves who He really is. He does not desire people to stumble. We do that ourselves. We are not chosen because we are perfect, or
from a certain family, or have wealth.
We are chosen because He loves us.
As Christians we
have privileges. We are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God and we have
received God’s mercy. We are aliens and
strangers in the world, but we can still live without conforming to the world’s
standards. We can abstain from sinful
desires, live good lives so others will see our good deeds and glorify God when
He returns. The Holy Spirit lives in us. We are children of God and should live
differently from the world. – (1 Peter
2:9-12). People look at Christians
and see how we behave. Be careful people
are watching you.
All authority
comes from God. – (Romans 13:1-2). We are to submit for the Lord’s sake to every
authority instituted among men. We
complain about the government and others in authority just like they did
then. We should remember God put them in
their positions and we are to respect them and leave their judgments to God. –
(1 Peter 2:13-25). How are we able to do that? We can do this by being conscious of God and
knowing we are doing what He commands.
Then this is commendable before God. – (1 Peter 2:18-21).
Jesus was our
example of how to suffer unjustly. When
He was arrested and beaten, He did not retaliate or make threats or even complain. He entrusted Himself to God who judges
justly. – (1 Peter 2:23). We are to persevere in unjust suffering as
Christ did.
Principle:
Believers are called
to live as examples of the attitude, character and commitment of Christ by
entrusting ourselves to God.
Do you
complain about your government leaders?
How do
non-believers describe you?
What attitude
or character of Christ do others see in you?
What is
keeping from entrusting yourself to God?
Do you have
faith and courage to do that in everything in your life?
As believers we
are chosen for hope and empowered for holiness so others will have a glimpse of
the Savior.
Join me here
next week for our next study of 1 Peter
3-5. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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