1 Peter - Chapter 1 Summary

Laying the Foundation for Joy

Application: The student will realize the unique source of joy that is available to those who know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Last week application: The student will determine not to put hope in the world's getting better but in the coming of Jesus Christ.

FROM THE VERY FIRST DAYS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, CHRISTIANS HAVE FACED DIFFICULTIES.

FROM THE TEMPTATIONS AND SUFFERINGS THAT COME FROM THE WORK OF OUR EVIL ADVERSARY TO THE FALSE TEACHING THAT SEEMS ALWAYS TO BRING CHALLENGES TO EACH GENERATION.

LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN IS HARD AND WAS NEVER PROPOSED IN SCRIPTURE TO BE EASY.

WE NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO BE STEADFAST.

THE LETTERS OF PETER DO EXACTLY THAT, ENCOURAGE US.

PETER'S FIRST LETTER SHOWS US THE MEANING OF TRUE GRACE.

HE EXPLAINS THAT MYSTERIOUS UNION OF PRESENT SUFFERING AND THE GLORY TO COME.

HE SHOWS US IN HIS 2ND LETTER HIS STRONG URGING FOR US TO BE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THAT COMES AS A RESULT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGH SALVATION.

JUDE LATER GIVES THE SAME ENCOURAGEMENT BUT FIRMLY TELLS US TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH WITHOUT FEAR.

1ST PETER WAS WRITTEN BETWEEN 64 & 67 A.D. AND IS ADDRESSED TO JEWISH CONVERTS IN ASIA MINOR.

IT WAS WRITTEN FROM BABYLON WHICH IS UNDERSTOOD TO MEAN THE CITY OF ROME, THE MYSTICAL BABYLON.

IT WAS A TIME OF MUCH PERSECUTION UNDER NERO WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN VIEWED AS THE MOST BLOODY ROMAN EMPORER IN HIS TERRIBLE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAITHFUL.

HE ILLUMINATED THE ROMAN CITY AT NIGHT BY COVERING CHRISTIANS IN TAR, HANGING THEM FROM POSTS AT THE STREET CORNERS AND SETTING THEM ON FIRE.

PETER AND PAUL WERE BOTH VICTIMS OF THIS MONSTER.

BEFORE WE JOURNEY INTO OUR PASSAGE OF TODAY IN PETER'S FIRST 12 VERSES, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REMIND OURSELVES OF THE VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP PETER HELD WITH OUR MESSIAH.

LET'S CONSIDER THESE FACTORS AS WE BEGIN:

PETER'S NAME IS MENTIONED IN THE GOSPELS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE EXCEPT JESUS HIMSELF.

NO ONE SPEAKS MORE IN THE GOSPELS THAN PETER EXCEPT THE LORD.

JESUS SPOKE DIRECTLY TO PETER MORE THAN ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL.

JESUS REBUKED PETER MORE THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.

PETER WAS THE ONLY DISCIPLE TO REBUKE JESUS.

PETER CONFESSED JESUS MORE BOLDLY THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE, AND WITH GREATER ACCURACY.

PETER DENIED JESUS MORE FORCEFULLY AND PUBLICLY THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.

JESUS PRAISED PETER MORE THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.

JESUS ADDRESSED PETER AS SATAN, SOMETHING NOT HEARD
FROM HIS WORDS TO ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.

PETER SHOWED SOME OF THE EARLIEST OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD WHEN HE PUT OUT HIS FISHING NETS AGAIN AT THE COMMAND OF JESUS AFTER HE HAD FISHED ALL NIGHT AND CAUGHT NOTHING.

PETER STEPPED OUT OF THE BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAGING STORM AND WALKED ON THE WATER TO JESUS.

PETER WAS THE ONE WHO COMFORTED JESUS WITH THE WORDS OF “LORD, WHERE WOULD WE GO FOR YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE”.

PETER, ALONG WITH JAMES & JOHN, SAW THE TRANSFIGURED JESUS.

PETER SOUGHT OUT THE TRUE MEANING OF FORGIVENESS WHEN HE ASKED THE LORD HOW MANY TIMES ONE SHOULD FORGIVE A BROTHER. (7 TIMES? NO, 70 TIMES 7)

PETER TRIED TO COMMAND THE LORD NOT TO WASH HIS FEET, ASKING JESUS TO WASH HIS WHOLE BODY.

PETER HEARD JESUS PREDICT HIS DENIAL 3 TIMES AND ANSWERED “LORD. I WOULD DIE FOR YOU”.

PETER WAS HONORED WITH A PERSONAL MEETING WITH THE RESURRECTED JESUS (LUKE 24:34)

PETER RECEIVED A PUBLIC RESTORATION OF HIS RELATION WITH JESUS IN FRONT OF ALL THE OTHER DISCIPLES (JOHN 21).

SO AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK INTO OUR ASSIGNED PASSAGE, WE SEE THAT PETER INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS AN APOSTLE.

THIS INTRODUCTION IS SO VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER NEW TESTAMENT OFFICE ATTACHED TO THE PHRASE “OF JESUS CHRIST”.

WE NEVER READ OF TEACHERS OF JESUS CHRIST OR PROPHETS OF JESUS CHRIST. OR EVANGELIST OF JESUS CHRIST.

PETER DOES NOTHING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN OR JUSTIFY HIS POSITION BY ADDING A PHRASE SUCH AS “BY THE WILL OF GOD” AS PAUL DID FROM TIME TO TIME.

UNLIKE PAUL, PETER'S APOSTLE POSITION WAS NEVER CHALLENGED AND THIS BEGINNING PHRASE ESTABLISHES HIS AUTHORITY.

WE SEE HE IS WRITING TO THE STRANGERS IN OTHER LANDS AND HE DEFINES THE LANDS TO WHOM HE ADDRESSES HIS THOUGHTS.

HE CALLS THEM STRANGERS TO REMIND THEM AND US THAT HE IS TEACHING THAT ALL BELIEVERS ARE STRANGERS IN WHATEVER LAND THEY LIVE.

OUR HOME IS NOT HERE AND WE ALL ARE BUT PILGRIMS PASSING THROUGH ON OUR WAY HOME TO ETERNITY WITH THE LORD.

HE IMMEDIATELY TELLS THEM HE IS WELL AWARE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DISPERSED TO OTHER LANDS BY SAYING THEY ARE SCATTERED.

THESE LANDS PETER MENTIONS ARE ALL OUTPOSTS OF CHRISTIANS AND WE SEE THAT THE LETTER WAS NOT WRITTEN TO ONE CHURCH OR CONGREGATION IN THE LANDS, BUT WAS SENT TO ALL CHRISTIANS.

NOW IN VERSE 2 PETER GRANTS THEM & US HIS DESCRIPTION OF THESE BELIEVERS.

HE IS VERY CAREFUL TO REFER TO ALL CHRISTIANS WHO WILL HEAR HIS LETTER AS ELECT.

THIS MEANS CHOSEN BY GOD IN A PARTICULAR AND UNIQUE SENSE.

NOT CHOSEN NOW, OR RECENTLY, OR AT CONVERSION DAY, BUT PETER SAYS THEY WERE ALL CHOSEN ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

IN EPHESIANS 1:4 PAUL IS VERY CLEAR ON THIS SAME TEACHING, SAYING WE ARE CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

THIS FOREKNOWLEDGE INCLUDES PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF EVERY BELIEVER'S RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL BUT IS NOT SOLELY DEPENDENT UPON IT.

GOD MADE IT CLEAR TO MOSES THAT HIS MERCY IS AT HIS PLEASURE ALONE.

NOTICE WE ARE TAKING ACCOUNT OF GOD'S KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL THINGS, AS HE POSSESSES FOREKNOWLEDGE, WHILE WE POSSESS ONLY PAST AND PRESENT KNOWLEDGE.

WE KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND IS NOW HAPPENING BUT GOD KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

AN ESSENTIAL RESULT OF ELECTION IS SANCTIFICATION AND OBEDIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST SHED TO TAKE AWAY SIN OF THE SAVED.

THIS BLOOD REPLACES THE NEED TO SPRINKLE BLOOD ON SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS FOR THE ATONEMENT OF SIN AS WAS DONE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

• EXODUS 24:5-8 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OLD COVENANT AT SINAI.

• EXODUS 29:1 AT THE ORDINATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS.

• LEV 14:6-7 AT THE PURIFICATION CEREMONY FOR A LEPER

THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS ACCOMPLISHES THE SAME THING, AS FIRST HE FORMED A NEW COVENANT AT THE LAST SUPPER AND ALL WHO COME TO BE HIS THROUGH GRACE GIVEN IN FAITH ARE CLEANSED FROM THE CORRUPTION OF SIN.

IN VERSE 3 PETER DEFINES THIS MATTER FURTHER BY MAKING SURE THAT GOD WHO IS THE FATHER OF JESUS HAS BEGOTTEN US AGAIN.

JESUS TAUGHT THIS FIRST IN HIS CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS BY SAYING THAT UNLESS A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

THROUGH VERSE 5 PETER PRAISES AND GIVES THANKS FOR THE LIVING HOPE INTO WHICH ALL BELIEVERS ARE BORN.

THE HOPE LIVES BECAUSE IT IS BASED UPON SOMETHING INCORRUPTIBLE, NEVER TO FADE AWAY, AND RESERVED FOR US IN HEAVEN.

THOSE UNSAVED DO NOT POSSESS THE CAPACITY TO RECEIVE THIS HOPE.

THAT WOULD BE LIKE THINKING A BLIND MAN COULD ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE SUNSET OR THE BEAUTY OF PAINTED ART.

HE HAS NO CAPACITY AND THEREFORE CANNOT RECEIVE SUCH BEAUTY.

AFTER SALVATION PETER TEACHES THAT WE ARE KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH.

THIS KEEPING PROVIDES OUR SECURITY THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE TRIAL OR SPIRITUAL WARFARE OF LIFE BRINGS, WE HAVE NO FEAR OF LOSING OUR HOPE BECAUSE IT IS KEPT FOREVER BY THE GREATEST POWER KNOWN, NOT BY OUR OWN STRENGTH.

SALVATION ACTIVATES THIS PRESERVING POWER FOR US AND WITH THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE ARE GUIDED THOUGH THIS JOURNEY UNDER THAT POWER.

NOW IN VERSES 6-9 PETER OPENS UP THE DISCUSSION TO THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIAL FOR THOSE WHO ARE SAVED.

WE SEE QUICKLY THAT HE BEGINS WITH A MUCH DIFFERENT TEACHING.

HE SAYS THAT WE WHO ARE SAVED ARE SUBJECT TO MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS WHICH ARE HEAVY IF NEED BE.

PETER SAYS THAT FOR US TO BE SO GRIEVED IS NECESSARY, AND THAT GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR THE TRIAL AS WELL AS THE DEGREE OF THE HEAVINESS IT BRINGS.

OUR FAITH IS TESTED BY THE FIRE OF SUCH TIMES.

OUR FAITH IS NOT TESTED BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT YET KNOW THE DEPTH OF OUR FAITH OR HOW MUCH FAITH WE HAVE IN OUR HEARTS AND SPIRITS.

IT IS TESTED BECAUSE WE OURSELVES DO NOT YET KNOW THE DEPTH OF OUR FAITH & DEVOTION AND GOD'S PURPOSE IN SUCH TESTING IS TO DISPLAY IN US THE ENDURANCE OF OUR OWN FAITH.

• FAITH IS TESTED TO SHOW WHETHER IT IS TRUE FAITH AND SINCERE AND SECURED WITHIN US TO FACE THE TRIAL.

• FAITH IS TESTED TO DEMONSTRATE IT'S STRENGTH.

• FAITH IS TESTED, JUST AS PETER SAYS, TO PURIFY IT FURTHER, BY FIRE TO BURN AWAY THE DROSS FROM THE GOLD.

IN THESE MOMENTS IS WHERE WE RELEARN THE GREAT TEACHING THAT THE STRENGTH OF THE FAITH OF THE BELIEVER IS MEASURED ONLY BY THE DEPTH OF OUR SURRENDER.

PETER KNOWS THESE BELIEVERS HAVE NOT SEEN THE LORD, AS HE HAD BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER RESURRECTION, SO HE REMINDS THEM THAT THEY ARE KNOWN TO HAVE GREAT LOVE FOR ONE NOT SEEN.

JESUS WAS NO LESS REAL IN THEIR FAITH BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT SEEN HIM WITH MORTAL EYES.

IN THIS WAY WE ARE ALL TAUGHT THAT JESUS IS THE SAME TO EVERY BELIEVER TODAY AS HE WAS BEFORE HE ASCENDED AS SEEN BY PETER.

WE ALL SHARE THE SAME FAITH, AND NOW PETER SAYS WE ALSO ALL SHARE THE SAME “UNSPEAKABLE JOY”.

THIS PHRASE IS FOUND NO WHERE ELSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND IT EXPRESSES A JOY SO PROFOUND AS TO BE BEYOND THE POWER OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT.

NOW IN VERSES 10-12 PETER DISCUSSES THE PRIOR REVELATION OF THE SALVATION KNOWN BY ALL CHRISTIANS.

HE SAYS IT IS SO DEEP AND FILLED WITH THE GOODNESS OF GOD THOUGH HIS GRACE GIVEN BY OUR FAITH THAT PROPHETS HAVE INQUIRED AND SEARCHED CAREFULLY .

PETER IS VERY CLEAR HERE TO ASSURE BELIEVERS THAT THIS SALVATION PREACHED AND OPENED BY TEACHING WAS NOT A NEW OR NOVEL THING.

THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS LONGED TO SEE THE GRACE OF THE NEW COVENANT.

THEY KNEW SOMETHING OF THE COMING LORD AND OF HIS SUFFERINGS FOR HIS PEOPLE (SUCH AS ISAIAH FORETOLD) BUT THEY KNEW FAR LESS THAN THEY WANTED TO KNOW.

WHILE THE PROPHETS KNEW MUCH, THERE WAS ALSO MUCH HIDDEN FROM THEM, INCLUDING THE CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH (EPHESIANS 3:4-6) AND THE VERY ESSENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE & IMMORTALITY (2ND TIMOTHY 1:10).

THESE ARE ALSO THINGS WHICH EVEN ANGELS DESIRE TO LOOK INTO. EPHESIANS 3:10-11 TEACH AGAIN THIS SAME PRINCIPLE SO IT WAS CLEARLY KNOWN BOTH TO PETER AND PAUL.

JESUS ALSO MENTIONS IN LUKE 15 THAT THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF ANGELS WHEN ONE SINNER REPENTS.

PETER KNEW WELL THE POWER OF THE LORD AND HIS WORD AND ALTHOUGH HE WAS MARTRYED BEFORE THE POWER OVERWHELMED EVEN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, HIS FAITH WAS CLEAR & STRONG.

IN 303 A.D. THE EMPORER DIOCLETIAN COMMANDED ALL FORMS OF THE SCRIPTURE OF CHRISTIANS BE GATHERED AND BURNED THOUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EMPIRE.

PERSECUTION WAS POWERFUL BUT NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH.

25 YEARS LATER THE EMPORER CONSTANTINE DECREED THAT CHRISTIANITY WAS TO FOREVER BE THE FAITH OF THE ENTIRE ROMAN WORLD.