Good News For God's People Series

GOOD NEWS FOR GOD’S PEOPLE

I Peter 1:1-6

In this life there is no shortage of things that are discouraging and frustrating. Inflation is real, prices are high, and wages are low. For the last four years we have endured various consequences as a result of a worldwide pandemic. The border is a mess, there is crime in the streets, and the citizens of our country are increasingly divided. Nick Saban retired, Eli Gold got fired, and your favorite team probably didn’t win the Super Bowl. (Playful sarcasm intended)

On top of these issues that dominate the news headlines, there are the more personal problems that we deal with. Within this assembly, some of you are struggling with serious health issues. Others have marriages that are in peril. Some have rebellious children, troubles on the job, bills that you can’t pay and many other circumstances that are negatively impacting your life.

Certainly, there is much that we could complain about today. However, if you are a child of God there is ample reason for you to rejoice. Every trouble and struggle that I have mentioned today is temporary in nature. While there are issues that affect our daily lives we must never lost sight of the reality that this world is not our home. We are merely strangers and pilgrims passing through.

In the verses that we have read together, the Apostle Peter provides us with ample reason to rejoice. I would like to walk through this passage and consider some “Good News For God’s People.”

- These verses provide us with some good news about our privilege, our hope, our inheritance, and our security. In verses 1-2 we see:

I. SOME GOOD NEWS CONCERNING OUR PRIVILEGE

There is no greater privilege than being a child of God. It is astonishing and incomprehensible to consider that God is the one who initiated the relationship that we enjoy with Him. In this passage we find several amazing truths about our great privileges as children of God.

Peter addresses this letter to “the pilgrims of the Dispersion” and he also refers to them as “the elect”. Pilgrim (or exile) is a word that speaks to the temporary nature one’s stay in a certain place. “Dispersion” was a reference to the Jews living outside Palestine. On several occasions throughout their history, the Jews were forced away from their native land as a result of oppression and persecution. This designation had a double meaning for Peter’s original audience. They were exiles from their literal/earthly homeland, but as followers of Christ they were ultimately strangers and pilgrims in this world for their true home was in Heaven.

The same is true for us, our sojourn here is very brief compared to eternity. James describes this life as a vapor or a mist that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. But if we belong to Jesus we share in an eternal inheritance.

- As we consider our privileges as children of God we must begin with the reality that:

WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

Peter reminds the Saints that they had been chosen as a result of God’s sovereign grace. Considering the hardships that they were enduing; it must have been encouraging for them to be reminded of their great privilege.

As Christians, we share that very same privilege. We are strangers and exiles on this earth. It is important for us to remember that we have been chosen by God’s sovereign grace and as a result our citizenship is in Heaven.

Paul says in Ephesians 1:4 that God “chose us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace…”

God chose us and called us unto salvation in Christ Jesus. In spite of all of the troubles and struggles that we may face in this life, nothing can change our position in Him!

- We have been chosen and Peter goes on to remind us that:

WE HAVE BEEN CLEANSED

In v2 Peter references the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”. In the Old Testament the blood of a sacrifice would be sprinkled according to the Law. This served as a picture of the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our only hope of being cleansed completely and eternally.

Later in this chapter, Peter says. “you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

The Lord Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and though He knew no sin, He was made sin for us. Jesus went to Calvary and willingly shed His blood for our redemption. The precious blood of Jesus is the only substance in the history of the world that was sufficient to wash away our sins. There is an abundance of bad news in the world today, but the fact that Jesus’ blood has the power to wash away our sins is some eternally good news!