We Are Held Secure By God Series

We are held Secure by God

Am June 28th 2008

1 Peter 1:1-2

Introduction

Many people try to find security in many different areas of life, some try to find it in a good job, others try to find it in a family name or heritage, and still even some try to find it off of the fortunes and work of others. However in all these things there is no real security.

During a conversation with a trapeze artist the performer admitted the net underneath was there to keep them from breaking their necks, but added, "The net also keeps us from falling. Imagine there is no net. We would be so nervous that we would be more likely to miss and fall. If there wasn’t a net, we would not dare to do some of the things we do. But because there’s a net, we dare to make turns, and once I made three turns -- thanks to the net!"

True security can only be found in God. When we are sure in his arms, we dare to attempt big things for God. We dare to be holy. We dare to be obedient. We dare, because we know the eternal arms of God will hold us if we fall."

As we begin today in the book of first Peter it is important for us to understand that Peter is writing to people who are suffering and hurting, people who are being ridiculed and persecuted because they lived for Jesus Christ.

Peter is writing to five Roman Provinces where most of the believers had apparently tried to hide and find safety. Imagine the fear, uncertainty, and insecurity; the wandering about and the looking for a safe place and for a way to earn a living. In some cases the believers didn’t know where there next meal would come from. These believers were being literally hunted down for brutal slaughter, imagine the fear, concern, restlessness, sleeplessness, anxiety, stress, uncertainty, insecurity, and a pounding heart at the slightest shadow or noise.

These believers desperately needed strong encouragement and security. How do you shore up and strengthen a person who is suffering and hurting so much? There is one way, and only one way, they must know that they are saved and be absolutely sure that they are under the care and love of God. This is were we will find ourselves in the first section of this book of first Peter. Today we will learn truths about the security we have in God.

Read Scriptures: 1 Peter 1:1-2

I. Because I am held Secure by God, my true home is in Heaven.

Vs. 1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,”

True Believers are only strangers scattered over the Earth. The word means alien, pilgrim, sojourner, visitor, or exile. The idea is, is that this not our permanent residence. We are citizens of heaven, our true home is in heaven with Jesus.

This means that no matter the troubles and trials that we experience on this Earth it is only for a time, because you see one day we get to go home with daddy and we will not have to experience these things anymore.

This means that we should keep our eyes and minds focused on heaven as our permanent home, focused on how short life is, focused on how uncertain, insecure, and short-term all things on Earth really are. What security to have as a believer, to know that all of this is temporary.

II. I was Chosen by God to be His Child, therefore I am held Secure by God.

Vs. 2a “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”

We didn’t choose God, God chose us. I didn’t find Jesus, Jesus found me. This passage is just like the passage we studied in Romans a few Wednesday nights ago it is not meant to teach that God chooses some for heaven and condemns the rest to hell. It is meant as an encouragement to a people who are severely persecuted for there faith.

The foreknowledge of God means He already knew before hand. God already knows exactly what is going to happen. If we understand God’s foreknowledge then we can trust him when he says that “He works all things out to good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”

How can God work all things out, because he already knows the events and things that will happen. So we can rest assured he knows what is going on, we can trust Him, we can believe Him. There is no greater security and assurance than to know that a follower of Christ I was chosen by God, because I was chosen “nothing can separate me from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”