A new book of the Bible to study through...1 Peter...
I finally made a decision about the direction over the next months while in Gaylord and really I think the decision was made for me. After looking at Jesus so much in the Gospel of Matthew and his multiple interactions with Peter and looking at the denials of Peter and the restoration of Peter on the seashore with Jesus and Peter's first sermon on the day of Pentecost, it seems that looking a Peter was a good progression.
So last Sunday we did a run through of Peter's life found in the book of Acts to get set up for his writings of 1 & 2 Peter at the end of his life. Peter now speaks to us with much experience and you still hear the fire in his voice when it comes to Jesus and His resurrection. He is in Rome and it is a hard time to be a Christian. Nero is on the war path to eliminate the people of "The Way" and so Peter is instructing the Christians scattered abroad on how to respond and cope with this much persecution.
First, Peter addresses the persecuted Christians in the provinces of Rome in now known Turkey as "aliens." Strangers, foreigners, not of this land is the terms he uses to talk to these followers. Why? In severe persecution, you need to realize that this is temporary and this is not your home. As a Christian we are not of this world. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus and where is He? Heaven, at the right hand of God. In the world we live in, we need to be reminded to have an eternal perspective on how we live, we are aliens of this world.
Second, Peter addresses the group as scattered. This lets the persecuted Christians know that they are not alone and there are others who are also going through what they are going through. This is another thing that is needed for those heavily persecuted that others are literally dieing for the faith too. Holding to Biblical Christianity today (it seems so odd for me to call it that but with our watered down definition of the word "Christianity" today so it needs to be distinguished that we are talking about Christian who literally believe in the what the Bible says) is getting a more lonely place. We need to be reminded that there is always a remnant who hold that high view of Scripture.
Third, Peter calls them chosen. They were selected, elected, picked and by who? God. Those persecuted Christians needed to know that they were on God's team by God's pick. Peter will continue to flush this out and so we just opened up the door to this action of God. Chosen from the foundation of the world, chosen to be called, called to be faithful. It really does matter when you were picked and who picked you. And therefore I ended the sermon just after one verse with much to come just to finish verse 2. I have been chosen and I have been called and I am to be faithful to the God who chose me and knows that I am going through what I am going through.
This is such an important passage and I am going to try to be more thorough than I have ever had going through this book. With that, life is very busy with a men's retreat to teach through this weekend and then a memorial service the Saturday following and my continued work at the church while searching and praying for God's next call for me. Sometimes it is very hard to focus.
Adam
So last Sunday we did a run through of Peter's life found in the book of Acts to get set up for his writings of 1 & 2 Peter at the end of his life. Peter now speaks to us with much experience and you still hear the fire in his voice when it comes to Jesus and His resurrection. He is in Rome and it is a hard time to be a Christian. Nero is on the war path to eliminate the people of "The Way" and so Peter is instructing the Christians scattered abroad on how to respond and cope with this much persecution.
First, Peter addresses the persecuted Christians in the provinces of Rome in now known Turkey as "aliens." Strangers, foreigners, not of this land is the terms he uses to talk to these followers. Why? In severe persecution, you need to realize that this is temporary and this is not your home. As a Christian we are not of this world. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus and where is He? Heaven, at the right hand of God. In the world we live in, we need to be reminded to have an eternal perspective on how we live, we are aliens of this world.
Second, Peter addresses the group as scattered. This lets the persecuted Christians know that they are not alone and there are others who are also going through what they are going through. This is another thing that is needed for those heavily persecuted that others are literally dieing for the faith too. Holding to Biblical Christianity today (it seems so odd for me to call it that but with our watered down definition of the word "Christianity" today so it needs to be distinguished that we are talking about Christian who literally believe in the what the Bible says) is getting a more lonely place. We need to be reminded that there is always a remnant who hold that high view of Scripture.
Third, Peter calls them chosen. They were selected, elected, picked and by who? God. Those persecuted Christians needed to know that they were on God's team by God's pick. Peter will continue to flush this out and so we just opened up the door to this action of God. Chosen from the foundation of the world, chosen to be called, called to be faithful. It really does matter when you were picked and who picked you. And therefore I ended the sermon just after one verse with much to come just to finish verse 2. I have been chosen and I have been called and I am to be faithful to the God who chose me and knows that I am going through what I am going through.
This is such an important passage and I am going to try to be more thorough than I have ever had going through this book. With that, life is very busy with a men's retreat to teach through this weekend and then a memorial service the Saturday following and my continued work at the church while searching and praying for God's next call for me. Sometimes it is very hard to focus.
Adam
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