A. Opening illustration: A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen. Talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see. He expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order that he might be full, admits he is wrong to he can be declared right, and goes down in order to get up. He is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and is happiest when he feels worst. He dies to he can live, forsakes in order to have, and gives away so he can keep. He sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge. - A.W. Tozer
B. Background to passage: One of the most theologically rich greetings in the NT. It is written to churches located in the northern region of what is now Turkey on a courier route. There is debate as to whether or not this letter is primary toward their suffering for their faith or just suffering in general. I have found personally that this book is so practical in its help toward the heartbreak and hardship of life that it has helped me get through the most difficult times in my life. That’s my prayer for this series. Peter begins his encouragement for their endurance by reminding them who they are in this life. He describes in detail their salvation as the ground for their hope.
C. Main thought: Focusing on what God has done for us in salvation will help us get through the truth that the world is not our home and we will not find satisfaction, rest, or peace except in Him.
1) Chosen and Favored by the Father (v. 1-2)
a. Peter calls them exiles of the dispersion. The term references the exile to Babylon of the Jews in the 5th century BC. His point is that these Christians are now scattered away from their homeland. He is trying to communicate that this world is not their home.
b. Now, he says that they were also the “elect” or chosen or according to the foreknowledge of God. The word has covenantal overtones; that’s probably why it includes “the Father.” His choice of you as a believer is based on his love and goodness toward you, just as his covenant with Abraham, Moses, and David. The bible teaches that he knew us before the foundation of the world and chose us to be his children and it brings him joy.
c.
d. Illustration: find a good story of adoption that demonstrates the loving choice of parents on a child.
e. The fact that we look to a homeland not made with human hands, a homeland that is not physical, helps us not to look for ultimate satisfaction, rest, and peace in the things of this world. All the toys, possessions, power, position, recognition, trophies, relationships, jobs, friends, food, health, wealth, self-improvement, or self-confidence will never bring what you need. Look to Christ. Long for your home! If you consider yourself a believer, do you live with an other-worldly perspective? Do you evaluate how the thing that you are doing, saying, saving, living for, dying for, longing for effects eternity. Jason’s dad, Randall, gave me his corvette to go to prom one year.
f. Mary is called the highly favored one when we get to Christmas each year, but in election and adoption by a loving Heavenly Father all believers are highly favored. We seek favor in this world from the aforementioned things, but genuine favor flows from God. If you are not a believer today, know that God’s blessing and favor is available to you today. Peace will come from Him. Satisfaction will come from Him. You may not be delivered from your situation. You may not be healed. You may not have money or a good job. There may be tragedy in your life, but you will have the favor of God to help you endure. Christ is the sufficient one, and the Father wants you.
g. The reason that this was comforting thought was three-fold. 1) It shows the absolute sovereignty of God in all things, especially salvation. This is crucial in crisis. 2) It directs the glory and boasting of salvation away from man and to God. 3) And it grounds the security of the believer into the character of God. You don’t have to worry about losing your salvation. Don’t let this doctrine bother you. Embrace truth because it is there. This doesn’t create an unfair, unloving, nor ungood God. Nor does it teach coercion of the will, nor absence of real meaningful choice. It champions the sovereignty of God and does not cause Him to be dependent on mankind for His actions, and give Him all the credit for salvation
2) Made Holy by the Holy Spirit (v. 2)
a. Peter notes here the fact that when one repents and believes, the Holy Spirit sets him/her apart and
makes them holy. He is not talking about a practical holiness where we progressively become freer of
sin, but the justifying initiation of the new life as were are born of the Spirit. These last two phrases are
the explanations of the salvation that they were chosen for. Paul also tells us that the gospel and the
understanding of the salvation is provides is a lifeline for all believers, long-time and brand new. The
Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Christian life and comes to live inside of us. The presence of God dwells
in us.
b. Argumentation
c. Illustration: Tired of struggling with my strong-willed 3-year-old son, Thomas, I looked him in the eye
and asked a question I felt sure would bring him in line: "Thomas, who is in charge here?" Not missing a
beat, our Sunday-school-born-and-bred toddler replied, "Jesus is." I heard a story the other day of two
boys going to school, and they were talking about their families. One boy said he had figured out a
system for getting along with mom. He said, "It's very simple. She tells me what to do, and I do it."
What a thought!
d. If you are a believer, if you have turned from sin and turned to Christ, you have been made holy in the
eyes and assessment of God because the Spirit has descended on you. You have been set apart as holy
unto the Lord. Yes, we are to live as holy, but that it is because we have been made holy.
3) Sprinkled by the Blood of Christ to Obedience (v. 2)
a. The final aspect of his trinitarian explanation of salvation is callings of the gospel. God chose all those
who would believe to be sanctified in the Spirit, but also to be sprinkled by the blood of Christ and
obedience to his gospel. The blood that was sprinkled in the OT was for the removal of and cleansing
from sin. God chose believers to be the recipients of the provisions and benefits of the death of Christ.
However, before Peter mentions that, he speaks of the obedience to Christ. Other places in the NT speak
of the obedience of faith or obeying the gospel as the beginnings of the Christian life. There is a
reception of the whole gospel when a person becomes a Christian. Jesus becomes the king of your life.
b. Argumentation
c. Illustration: “Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; you
see, they do not live in cities of their own, or speak some strange dialect. . . They live in both Greek and
foreign cities, wherever chance has put them. They follow local customs in clothing, food, and other
aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the unusual form of their own citizenship.
“They live in their own native lands, but as aliens. . . Every foreign country is to them as their native
country, and every native land as a foreign country. “They marry and have children just like everyone
else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are
passing their days on earth but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the
laws in their own lives. “They love everyone but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain
life. They are poor and yet make many rich. They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor.
Their names are blackened and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are
treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others. “When they do good, they are punished as
evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens
and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.”
d. Genuine faith and repentance of which the bible speaks is accompanied by embracing Christ as your
Lord. There is no faith that allows one to continue the life that he once lived. Being a Christian is not a
mental assent to a set of truths. It is not just an exchange of one set of beliefs for other. When you are
sprinkled by the blood of Christ, and faith comes, and repentance comes, and the beauty of Christ is now
evident, biblical faith launches you into a joyful pursuit of the commands He has given.
A. Closing illustration: some say home is where you hang your hat. Some say home is wherever your heart
is. Some say home is friends and family. Some say home is where you came from, grew up in, remember
the most sweet things from. Don’t know if any of you came from Knoxville, but some of you came from
FL, KY, SC, AL, ME, CA, but we are all citizens of another country if you believe.
B. Salvation is a comfort to those that are suffering because it is something that can never be taken away or lost. It reminds us who is truly sovereign. It reminds us to the favor that God has placed upon us from before the foundations of the world. It reminds us of our Father. If you have never repented, believed with all that you are, and began to follow King Jesus, let today be the day.
