Part 2 of 1 Peter 1:1-2...The Senior Saint Peter Gives Us His Thesis Statement

 

We had a great mini reunion in Michigan with all of our 4 kids and their spouses and the 11 grands.  The lake produced for a great fish fry of small and large mouth bass, bluegill and perch.  The memorial service for Stephanie's father went well with more attending than any of us expected.  The opportunity for our whole family and especially all of our grands to experience a funeral and graveside together was very meaningful to Stephanie and I.  We also had the extra blessing to see some of the congregation from our 2nd church, the Porter Free Methodist Church.  


The ladies of SCC hit the trail again.  This was the East Inlet Trail about 3 miles up overlooking Grand Lake in the distance.  The trees are changing and I am assuming to see snow on the peaks again soon.


I frequent different coffee shops in Grand Lake and Granby.  This picture is across from me in one of the coffee shops in Granby.  I think it is a depiction of Jesus reaching out to one who is drowning.  He is offering His hand.  I feel like that when I am teaching from God's word on Sundays.  Jesus is offering a hand to us as we read, study and apply His words.  I especially see it with the study of 1 Peter.  The persecuted Christians probably felt like they were drowning in the hostility of the day to them and Peter is giving them Jesus' words to pull them back up from despair to rejoicing.

It is amazing that Peter comforts these persecuted Christians with going back to the basics about their salvation.  His thesis statement includes the fact of the Trinity; the connection of their salvation to each person of the Godhead; and the obedience to Jesus needed in the midst of this hostility.  God planned their salvation; Jesus purchased their salvation; and the Spirit is polishing their salvation.  Their salvation comes from a sovereign God; their salvation required the completed sacrifice and resurrection of a willing suffering Servant, Jesus; and their salvation is being matured through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  

Their salvation is past, present and future.  Their salvation is past because it is tied to what Christ has already done on the cross and emerging and leaving an empty tomb, justification.  Their salvation is present because of the process of sanctification directed by the Holy Spirit transforming them daily to be more like Christ, sanctification.  Their salvation is future because it results in a day when they will stand before a holy God in a new heaven and earth, glorification.  A focus on this salvation is the answer to them residing as aliens, elect exiles, in this hostile environment.

Peter will now take this thesis statement and its parts and develop them through the rest of the letter.  We will learn more about God the Father and what is included in the "according to."  We will learn more about Jesus Christ and our Biblical response to who He is.  We will learn more about the Spirit and how He is carving us daily to be ambassadors of Christ to this broken world.  Jesus' hand is outstretched offering a hand up through a deep dive of what has been given.

Adam   (link to sermon video below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8P-EnoLFGo&t=14s

A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 40th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2026 at 5:55 PM

    It was so wonderful to see your Families. THE memories of your outing with all your families together ❤️ what a blessing to see all of our Cousins . PASTOR Adam what a wonderful Memorial Service..and Stephanie ..Janice and Mom..Thank you for being such great caregivers for your Father...with Love and Thankfulness Ken and Marilyn Taylor.

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