ILLUSTRATION: THE SLEEP SON
A mother watched her son begin to drain of energy as the week went on. By the end of the week he’d lost his desire to get out of bed. She heard the alarm go off through his bedroom door. Apparently he just kept punching the little snooze button on the top. Finally, after 3 or 4 extra rings she walked in and said, ‘Son, it’s time to get up.’
He peeked out from under the covers, ’Can you give me a good reason to get up?’ She said, ’Yes. First, it’s Sunday - time for church. Second, you’re 43 years old and you know better. Third, you’re the pastor and they expect you to be there.’
(as funny as it is [and it probably applies to all of us at times does it not?]
– (Still) - WE ALL NEED ENCOURAGEMENT – which brings us to our study of 1 Peter.
THEME:
…to ‘Encourage and Strengthen’ a small group of Christians whose world had been and was continuing to be turned upside down!
1. those scattered in Acts 8:1b-4 [SCR]
2. those scattered would soon to see more persecution (1 Pet. 3:14-16) [SCR]
written at a time of an Emperor named Nero was in reign. One Writer – a’ deranged man’.
• Nero executed Paul upon his 2nd arrest.
• Nero used Christians as a scapegoat for the fire of Rome in July AD 64
• Nero’s example caused other emperors to follow his example.
QUICK SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF PETER [SCR]
• Originally called Simon – ‘hearer’
• His Father, “Jonas” was a fisherman. He had 1 brother Andrew.
• Simon and Andrew Partnered with John and James to continue in their father’s profession.
• They all were disciples of John the Baptist before being called by Jesus.
• Upon his calling, Simon seemed to be closest to the Lord and also the leader of the disciples.
• Simon was given the name ‘Peter’ signifying a stone or a rock.
• He led the disciples to begin the first NT church.
• Peter was forced to watch his wife executed. He shouted ‘remember the Lord’ to her
• At Peter’s execution, he requested that he be hung upside down as he felt he was unworthy to be put to death in the same manner as Jesus.
• It is believed that Peter and Paul both were put to death approximately the same time in Rome.
As I read about the history of this people, I began to believe that OUR DEFINITION OF PERSECUTION IS DIFFERENT THAN DURING THIS PERIOD!
TRANSISTION
This is a group that needed encouragement – THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS A COST TO FOLLOW JESUS!
cost some their family; -- cost some their homes;
Yet, Peter encourages them to feel blessed. As I read of the history of Peter and this group he is writing to, I couldn’t help but Consider What It has COST FOR ME TO FOLLOW JESUS?
[SCR] WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT HAS IT COST YOU TO FOLLOW JESUS?
Now let’s be real:
i. Is it something other than a little time?
ii. A Friend or Two
iii. Any Persecution
Think about it: WHAT HAS IT COST?
We normally think of a COST in a negative sense. But Peter shows that the COST is negative ONLY when one considers this earth as all there is to life. But in the weeks to come, Peter reminds us and encourages us that this life is all there is ONLY TO THOSE WHO HAVE DECIDED THE COST IS TOO MUCH!
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY!
WE ARE CALLED for a PURPOSE. Our lives have a TREMENDOUS MEANING.
BEGIN TODAY TO CAPTURE THIS SIGNIFICANCE! Allow God the freedom through the Holy Spirit to BRING VICTORY AND JOY IN YOUR LIFE – EVEN IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION!
PRAYER
READ VERSE 1[SCR]
1. Peter – ‘an apostle’
‘One Sent Forth’ – Specially trained by Jesus & specifically called by Jesus
- not only was he sent forth as a disciple but also as the leader of the 1st NT Church
2. We need to break this opening up IN TWO DIFFERENT PARTS:
NIV – ‘to God’s elect’ – ‘strangers in the world’
NKJ – ‘… the dispersion’
LIT – ‘to the chosen … the dispersion’
PART 1: ‘elect’ – ‘chosen’
Q: What does it mean to be one of ‘the elect’ or ‘the chosen’?
Does this mean that God chose who would or would not be saved? If so, then it would not matter your choice would it?
A: Although GOD initiated our calling, WE STILL must CHOOSE TO RESPOND to that calling!
READ 2 PETER 3:9-10
It is God’s desire that ‘none should perish’ - 2 Pe 3:9 BUT (Vs. 10) ‘will come like a thief’. IF his WILL is that ‘no one perish’, then WHY VERSE 10?
In Addition, WHY DOES CHRIST HIMSELF SAY…
LUKE 13:3 ‘Unless you repent YOU TOO will all perish’? Why does He warn us?
HOW HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO HIS CHOOSING?
PART 2: ‘strangers in the world’ ‘pilgrims of the dispersion’
Once accept God’s Invitation to receive Christ, WE ARE NO LONGER OF THIS WORLD.
FOLLOW:
The LITERAL reference - Peter is writing those that were scattered in Acts 8 who are now living as strangers in a Gentile world. (The word “Dispersion” is referring to the original Jewish residents now living in Gentile Countries. The cost to abandon their jewish law and customs was GREAT!)
APPLICATION APPLIES TO ALL WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO BELIEVE!
We too are to be as strangers in a foreign land. Upon Choosing to Accept God’s invitation of Salvation, God transfers our Citizenship to Heaven!
We are no longer OF THIS WORLD but rather aliens, visitors, strangers to this place and are to live as though we belong to a different culture – GOD’S KINGDOM!
[SCR] READ PHIL 3:17-20a
So PAUL as well as PETER – both APOSTLES - designated with authority – writes to those who have chosen to accept God’s invitation – those who have transferred their citizenship to heaven.
…to live as ‘strangers in the world’ (aliens) -- DOES THAT SOUND LIKE YOUR TESTIMONY?
[SCR] READ VERSE 2 (if careful, you can miss it – almost just looks like a normal greeting)
1. (fr vs. 1 – God’s elect- God’s pilgrims)… ‘have been chosen’
(now before we look into it – consider for a moment what YOU BELIEVE the answer to be?)
What have YOU been chosen for? HOW have YOU been chosen? (think about it a moment)
(you say ‘Pastor, I’m saved!’. GREAT – NOW WHAT?)
(you say again, ‘Pastor, I AM SAVED!’ GREAT! NOW WHAT?)
He mentions all members of the trinity to describe this CHOICE (and what it means)
[SCR] NOTICE EACH MEMBER OF THE TRINITY: GOD- THE FATHER; GOD – THE SON; GOD – THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TO BRING ABOUT OUR SALVATION.
LET’S BREAK DOWN WHAT EACH TELLS US:
[SCR] 2.1 God – the FATHER ‘according to the foreknowledge of God the Father’
Chose US BEFORE WE had the option of choosing Him
[SCR] John 6:44 (NIV)
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
God knew that we needed a way – a way back to him - Only because of His Grace and His Mercy did He provide that way…
[SCR] 2.2 God – the SON ‘sprinkled by His blood’
God the Father sent GOD THE SON to die for us while we were sinners.
[SCR] Romans 5:6-10 (NIV)
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
God desires our fellowship. God desires our praise and our worship. But before Christ, we were dead in sin. But as Eph 2:4 & 5 says “but because of HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US, GOD, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ”.
[SCR] 2.3 God – the HOLY SPIRIT ‘the sanctifying work of the Spirit’
GOD CHOOSES US – We ACCEPT THROUGH THE SON. Then, to Help us –– to equip us – God Lives within us through His SPIRIT.
[SCR] 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV)
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, … because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit (same as our verse 2) and through belief in the truth.
Finally Peter brings it all together.
Peter – writing “God’s elect”… “chosen” now says that through the ‘sanctifying work of the Spirit’ (sanctified – set apart)… we have been chosen… (FOR WHAT?) –
[SCR] Verse 2 - “FOR OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST”.
If we rewrote this verse or section in our update and without the commas, we could say it this way:
To God’s Elect, those who have chosen to be a part of His family, through the blood of Christ and the Equipping of the Spirit have been called to live a life of Obedience to Christ,
GRACE AND PEACE BE TO YOU IN ABUNDANCE!
WHY? Why can we have Grace and Peace in Abundance in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES? BECAUSE GOD’S LIVES IN US! Because God can USE ALL THINGS & TIMES! Because of God’s Love… Oh how I can go on.
Through the WORK OF GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE SPIRIT: we have been CHOSEN FOR:
[SCR] GRACE AND PEACE BE YOURS IN ABUNDANCE!
Are you looking for ENCOURAGEMENT TODAY: CHOOSE CHRIST! UNDERSTAND THE COST! DON’T LIVE COUNTING ON EARTHLY TREASURES! LIVE THROUGH THE SPIRIT IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST! ONLY THERE WILL YOU FIND “GRACE AND PEACE IN ABUNDANCE”!
ILLUSTRATION: LOVING TEDDY
Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone.
Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy either, but at Christmas time he brought her a small present. Her desk was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, but Teddy’s came in a brown sack. When she opened it there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker but Miss Thompson saw the importance of the moment. She quickly splashed on some perfume and put on the bracelet, pretending Teddy had given her something special.
At the end of the day Teddy worked up enough courage to softly say, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother . . . and her bracelet looks real pretty on you too. I’m glad you like my presents." After Teddy left, Miss Thompson got down on her knees and prayed for God’s forgiveness. She prayed for God to use her as she sought to not only teach these children but to love them as well.
She became a new teacher. She lovingly helped students like Teddy, and by the end of the year he had caught up with most of the students. Miss Thompson didn’t hear from Teddy for a long time. Then she received this note: "Dear Miss Thompson, I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my class. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Four years later she got another note: "Dear Miss Thompson, They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it. Love, Teddy Stallard." Four years later: "Dear Miss Thompson, As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year. Love, Teddy Stallard."
Miss Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat, because she let God use her as an instrument of encouragement. SOURCE: Who Switched the Price Tags?, Tony Campolo
