In Christ: The Real Life

IN CHRIST: THE REAL LIFE

4-28-02

I Peter 1:1-12

INTRODUCTION:

The Apostle Peter wrote primarily to believing Jews who were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire.

They were not citizens where they live… but resident aliens.

They had no rights as citizens… consequently they ended up on the short end of the stick.

However, while they suffered on earth… the assurance of their citizenship in Heaven gave them joy.

While suffering prejudice and abuse in life… the truth of their Scriptures produces holiness.

Christmas gave us Jesus as our Christ.

Easter—his death, burial, and resurrection—made Jesus our Christ.

The Holy Spirit made it possible for Jesus to be our Lord—our leader …our pattern …our friend.

TROUBLED TIMES

If Peter had picked up the TODAY News Paper... before writing this epistle... it would be no different than this morning’s news:

· Threats of war... inflation ... hunger amid plenty...

· Evaporating national spirit,

· No unity between the haves & have nots,

· Widening gap between rich and poor,

· Advertising continually makes the poor aware of what they don’t have.

There is LEGAL equality... by force of law, BUT

Social equality comes from within ... out of the heart.

. It must be cultivated,

. It’s a matter of esteem, acceptance, and participation.

It didn’t exist in Peter’s day.

It doesn’t exist today.

JESUS IS THE SATISFIER & EQUALIZER

Peter... in spite of all the bad news and

in spite of all the uncertainty ...

presents Jesus as...

. The great satisfier,

. The effective equalizer,

. The one who is all-sufficient for ALL human problems.

Simon... the fearful fisherman... who denied Jesus 3 times during the night of his trials... now stands as Peter... the ROCK man... refusing to be moved.

The Day of Pentecost is behind him.

The Spirit and power of the Lord is within him.

He knows what it’s like to stand up for Christ.

He’s paid the price by now.

· He’s been arrested and put in jail.

By a miracle of God... he was freed.

· He knows his own crucifixion is coming soon.

Transformed by both faith... and experience... Peter writes to a multi-racial, multi-cultured church...

A church…

· Which... has found equality in the person of Jesus the Christ,

· Which is scattered... yet unified spiritually... and socially.

Standing firm... and with complete assurance... Peter writes:

1: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia",

Quite often ... when we read the salutations... we simply gloss of it.

But, there is a wealth of information in it.

"To the strangers"—aliens is the word in Greek... non-residents.

He tells us... as believers ...

· Our true citizenship is in heaven.

· Here on earth... we’re just temporary residents... regardless of where we may be living... camping... or touring.

We are permanently implanted into the Body of Christ...

· by our faith in the completed work of Jesus as our Christ.

· But... we are temporarily assigned to duty on this earth ... until we are ordered to report up to headquarters.

Peter writes to those then—to us now... who have obtained the same precious faith...

HOW... through the righteousness of God and our savior, Jesus Christ...

Think about it… let it soak in:

. We are accepted by God the father... because of the faithfulness and completed work of Jesus...

. NOT because of any intrinsic value within us.

. ONLY because God so loves us.

We have the righteousness of God, himself... given to us by the same Jesus… who took our sins upon himself:

. Every sin that we have committed... paid for!

. Every sin that we WILL commit... paid for!

God ... the father... sees us as though we

. Have never sinned

. And never will.

We have NO right to feel guilty about our humanity!

We have no REASON to refuse the truth about Jesus as the Christ!

We have no EXCUSE ... to ignore

. The Word of God ... the

. Way of God ... nor

. The Purpose of God!

Peter writes to the:

2: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

This is a continuation of the sentence started in verse 1.

It is addressed to those …who are chosen according to God’s foreknowledge…by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience… and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ’s blood.

May grace and peace be yours in full measure!

This is so important that we know that God knew beforehand—FOREKNOWLEDGE—that mankind would be sinners.

. God knew we would be egotistical ... and self-serving.

. God knew he would have to take on flesh ... to become our savior.