The Gifts that Prevail Trials 1 Peter 1:1-12 Lesson for September 1-2, 2012 Karen Conner Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-12 Lesson Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-12 (NIV, NKJ, The Msg, NASB) Central Theme: In the life of a believer, trials will come but God s grace and mercy and His gift of salvation gives us a living hope, a lifestyle of holiness that pursues and nurtures our faith and looks forward beyond trials to an imperishable inheritance. Key Verse: 3b In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. Key Terms Alien/Stranger paricěsaktŏs - smuggled in, introduced surreptitiously Hope - ělpō - to anticipate, usually with pleasure; confidence; expectation; anticipation The Gifts that Prevail Trials I. Introduction (v1-2) II. The Gifts (v3-5) III. The Outcome (v6-9) IV. Further Encouragement from the Prophets (v10-12) Introduction Many people buy these strips from the store to whiten their teeth. They use these to help restore their teeth to a better condition because after years of use, their teeth may not be as white as they used to be. Stained teeth can be covered up for a while through brushing, but eventually something stronger may be needed. Stains from coffee, dark drinks or smoking may have set and people buy the strips to make their teeth look better. These strips are to be applied across the teeth. They are worn for awhile and then taken off. Applied again, then taken off. Over and over, the strips are applied until over time, the strips wear down the yellow. If a person s uses the strips just one time, the stains will not go away. The strips have to be applied consistently over a period of time in order for the process to work. Many of us go for one week being diligent to live for Christ and want that effort to last all year long. We look for long-term change after short-term effort. Let me explain something: Salvation is an act; sanctification is a process. (Evans) Biblical/Historical Context First Peter was written by the disciple Peter to Christians who were experiencing various forms of persecution whose stand for Jesus alienated them from those around them. Peter exhorted these Christians to steadfast endurance and Christian behavior even in the midst of trials and persecution. Mostly likely written in the AD 60s, persecution of the severest kind, that implemented by the government through law and physical repression, had yet to come; mostly likely persecution was social and religious. In any case, Peter exhorts Christians to maintain Christ-like behavior in the face of persecution and not to revert to the behaviors of those doing the persecuting. Page 1 of 8
The Gifts that Prevail Trials I. Introduction (v1-2) A. From: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ B. To: 1. Those who reside as aliens a) Scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia 2. Who are chosen (elected) a) According to the foreknowledge of God the Father b) By the sanctifying work of the Spirit c) To obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood C. Blessings: may grace and peace be yours in the fullest APPLICATION & THOUGHT: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, was a messenger of the Gospel, a commissioner of Christ; this is what it means to be an apostle. He is writing to God s elect, His chosen (verse 1). A bit of controversial scripture on the surface; when we put it into the context of the whole of God s word, it loses a bit of its exclusionary feel. To elect means to choose or select, to determine in favor of, to pick out or choose. When we elect someone as a candidate for the senate or for president, we are choosing them for a purpose: to best represent our own beliefs, or at least come as close as possible. Warren Wiersbe, in his commentary on 1 Peter states, God s election (of us) was based wholly on His grace and love. We cannot explain it (Romans 11:33-36) but we can rejoice in it. (page 20). Well said! When we accept to obey Christ, when we accept that His blood was shed for you or for me, to live out His purpose, He further equips us and sanctifies us through the Holy Spirit, the ultimate advisor, for a life as one who is chosen. In this epistle, Peter is writing to believers who are spread all over Asia Minor, what is largely considered today as modern day Turkey. Pontus was south of the Black Sea; Galatia was centrally located, as was Cappadocia; Bithynia was northern Asia Minor, the place Paul was prevented from going during his missionary trip. Asia was the location of the seven churches John would write to in Revelations. Today, it is an area that is 96.83% Muslim and 3% Atheist, but joyfully there are Christians: roughly 900,000 in a country of almost 71million, 0.13% (Wikipedia) How did they get there? The NASB uses the term aliens. NIV uses strangers. The work is derived from paricěsaktŏs which means smuggled in, or introduced surreptitiously. A handful of citizens from Pontus and Cappadocia were present during the Pentecost, the time after Jesus rose from the dead, before He ascended into heaven. When they returned home, they brought word of all they had seen and heard, paving the way for future missionaries to bring the gospel and to continue to support the message - God s divine Providence! What a realization! The work being done in modern day Turkey today, to bring it to Christ, started two thousand years ago because the Son of God died for all people, everywhere, and right at that moment two thousand years ago, people were present following His resurrection who would hear, and see and know Jesus and His followers and who would be able to carry that message across Page 2 of 8
borders and bodies of water to an unknowing audience and pave the way for our modern day missionaries. May the grace and peace be there in the absolute fullest indeed!! Personal Challenge: Have you accepted your election, your vote, from God? Are you representing His purposes? As a believer, has it ever occurred to you that you are part of the chosen ones who are present to smuggle in, to surreptitiously introduce God s word where you are? Where can you introduce God s word in such a manner? What actions can you take to introduce God s word in such a manner? II. The Gifts A. In His Great Mercy (v3-5) 1. He has given us new birth a) Through the resurrection of Jesus 2. Into a living hope 3. Into an inheritance a) Which is imperishable b) Which is undefiled c) Which will not fade away d) Which is reserved in heaven for you (1) Who are protected by the power of God (2) Through faith (a) For a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time APPLICATION & THOUGHT: These verses are incredibly encouraging to me as a believer. They speak to the past, the present and the future. More specifically, they speak to my identity as a member of the faithful. Even though I didn t, and still don t deserve it, through His Son s death and resurrection I have already obtained a new birth. The old is gone. The past is done. When I accepted Him, I re-entered the world so to speak, I started a new journey. The beginning is behind me; the election is over and it s time to get to work. To do His work is daunting and it s easy to be over run or intimidated, worn out or frustrated. But we have hope. What is hope? ělpō It means to anticipate, usually with pleasure. It is confidence, expectation. We have been given living hope. Living is rooted in the present, the here and now! Living hope is the anticipation, the expectation every day of what we have and what is to come, our inheritance. But before we jump to the future, we need to rest in an important truth. If it s living, it s alive, and if it s alive, it requires nurturing and protection. Soldiers, then and now, generally know where their Page 3 of 8
protective gear is, and that s usually pretty close to their person. Why? Because they may need it at any time; they want to stay alive and their living in anticipation of something bigger than the battle they re in at the moment. We cannot live without nourishment, rest, interaction and neither can our hope. If our living hope is an ongoing anticipation of and confidence in God, we have to do what it takes to keep it alive. We have to protect it. Do you know where God is? Do you know where your Bible is on a Tuesday morning at lunch? Why do we want to keep our hope alive? (Now we can look to the future!) Because, I m looking forward to the inheritance that is in heaven waiting for me; not just any inheritance: one that will never perish, will never fade, will never become defiled in any way. It s hard to wrap my mind around this particular kind of blessing. I can recall times in my life that I looked forward to something, but I had to wait to get it. Usually these were material things: the latest fashions, the coveted passport stamp, a new position. When I finally got it, there was already something new I had my eye on. The bright and shiny was already fading. Too, the anticipation was not always pleasurable. I fretted and worried that I would never be able to obtain it, or that someone else would beat me to the punch. {Teachers: is there a personal story here you can insert?} The inheritance I have is waiting for me in heaven. God s power is personally shielding me in the meantime. It s not going anywhere, it s not going to fall apart, no one else will buy it out from under me. So, I can live in hope because I have something to look forward to, that isn t at risk. Imagine if we all lived as though Social Security and our 401K was an assured nest egg that would keep us as well!! Personal Challenge: Are you walking the journey as though the beginning is behind you or do you keep returning to the starting point? Are you living in hope, in anticipation and confident expectation of God? How are you nurturing your hope? Do you know where God is? Do you know where your Bible is on a Tuesday morning at lunch? o Are you starving your hope? Maybe you re doing a little nurturing, but not enough or even not at all. o Are you binge feeding your hope? You nurture a lot but then freak out at how much time you ve wasted and run around with your to-do list, forgetting and purging everything you just grasped? How does knowing your inheritance is already in place impact the plan you have in place for your future on earth? III. The Result (v6-9) A. Greatly rejoice B. Despite 1. You have been distressed by various trials a) So that the proof of your faith (1) May be refined and proved genuine Page 4 of 8
(a) Like gold (2) May be found to result in praise and glory and honor (a) At the revelation of Jesus Christ 2. You have not seen Him, You do not see Him C. The Outcome 1. You love Him 2. You believe in Him 3. You greatly rejoice a) With inexpressible joy and fully of glory 4. You are obtaining the goal of our faith a) The salvation of your souls APPLICATION & THOUGHT: Peter reassures us. We have salvation! We have a living hope to get us through the days until we can enjoy an amazing future inheritance. Rejoice! In these you greatly rejoice. Jump for joy! There are plenty of reasons, God s gifts, for our past, in our present and looking towards our future why we can have exceeding joy and they are rooted in the fact that we are already, day by day, obtaining our salvation. The challenge comes to maintain that joy in the midst of our trials. Those trials have a purpose, but they don t have to eradicate our hope. Just as the recipients of his letter were facing trials, persecutions, Peter says we will have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. What kinds of trials are you facing? Social? Financial? Relationships? Spiritual? Psychological? Physical? Work? Marital? Peter says we won t just have trouble in one specific kind of trial, but in all kinds of trials. They will be distressing. But even so, we can rejoice. Trials are for a little while; some will crop up and die out and new ones will surface and pass, and there maybe even be one niggling constant that seems to continue like the thorn in your side. We have a constant though that serves as our life raft, something to hold on to: our salvation. It is ongoing, assured and is forever. Our faith which helps us get through it, is more precious than gold. Gold is perishable, but our faith is not. The process of refining gold includes putting gold into fire and melting it so that it is possible to separate the pure gold from other elements. Why do we bother with the process? Because pure gold is valuable, it s sought after, it s attractive. It s the least reactive to standard every day conditions and resists attacks by individual acids, not to mention it s meant to have practical uses. Sounds like traits I d like to have! My faith is of greater value than gold. Trials refine it. Trials push against my faith separating my faith in other people, myself, some made up thing from my faith in God, the true source of and reason for faith. Trials help me to refine my faith so that I m not as reactive every day conditions, I don t let the little things get me down, I m not as reactive to people who rub me the wrong way. Did you know that Olympic gold medals are only 1.34% (6g) gold? The rest is 93% silver and 6% copper. They re pretty but they re not the real deal. A true believer s true genuine faith is the real deal. Like those believers spread throughout Asia Minor, we weren t present when Christ was alive, but we love Him. Even though we don t see His physical presence now, we believe in Him, we trust in Him. We rejoice because we have that living Page 5 of 8
hope. We rejoice because we have obtained our salvation. We rejoice because His power protects us, and is with us, sanctifying us and preparing us to receive our inheritance. It s unshakable. Personal Challenge: When was the last time you sought joy in your salvation? What kinds of trials are you facing? Do you consider them temporary (even if they ve been going on for a long time) in comparison to eternity? When was the last time you acknowledged your trust in Him even though you cannot see Him? When was the last time you bit down on your faith and tested it for counterfeiting? IV. Further Encouragement from the Prophets (v10-12) A. They prophesied of the grace that would come B. They searched and inquired 1. To know the time and circumstances of a) Christ s suffering b) The glories that would follow 2. That was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit C. They discovered 1. They were not serving themselves 2. They were serving you APPLICATION & THOUGHT: Isaiah 53:10-12: it was the Lord s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. These are the words of the prophet Isaiah, yet they were not for Isaiah personally. God gave him these words to give His people, but the promises were for those who would come after Him. Prophets like Isaiah were moved by the Holy Spirit to share a message that didn t always make sense, that had no time or specifics attached to it. They were diligent to share it even as they continued looking to uncover the time and specifics. The disciples lived with Jesus, spread the gospel. Jesus commissioned them. For those in Asia Minor, for you and for me. The Holy Spirit moved in prophets, moved those who were being taught by the prophets and later by the disciples, who shared the message, affirmed by the Holy Spirit until it made it through to those in Asia Minor, across generations, to you and to me. Page 6 of 8
{Teachers, be encouraged! You are aligned with many who have come before us! You are both helping to impart the Word as the prophets before us, struggling to understand and comprehend and yet moved to convey His word for His people, and you are simultaneously a recipient of the message!} Closing & Summary An exercise: Play the game telephone. Give one person a sentence to share with the next person, who shares the next message, and then have the last person say the sentence out loud. Then pick four people. Give the first one a sentence to share with the next person. Have the second person repeat the sentence back to the first one to make sure it s right. If it s right, have them share the message with the third person. If it s wrong, have them ask you, the teacher, what is the message, and then have them repeat it back until it s right write it down for them if you have to. When it s right, have them share the message with the third person. Continue this process until the last person and then have that fourth person say the sentence out loud. The purpose to show how God shares and ensures His message stays right and true even though spread through the people, as they are faithful to maintain true to the message, the word stays exactly the same. The gifts, the reassurances of joy even through trials in His great salvation, even the trials themselves, were written for you long before you came into being. You are part of a wide-spread, long suffering, long rejoicing body of believers. God equips those that come before us to lead us to Christ and in a life of Christ. Through His Holy Spirit, He does the same for us. The presence of the Holy Spirit continues the sanctifying refinement of our faith, helps us to nourish our living hope. When we are faithful to attend the teachings of the Word and to ensure the Word aligns with its source, our living hope remains kindled and our joy retains its depth. May grace and peace be with you in its fullest! Closing Prayer Heavenly Father, Thank you for endowing those who came before us with courage to speak out in the midst of those who would oppose your message. Thank you for your gifts and your inheritance. Father, I pray that we would live in the joy of your salvation, that we would maintain perspective of the trials you have for us. I pray that our faith, which is more precious than gold, would be refined to a sheen that would reflect Your glory. In your son s name- Amen Helps: Characteristics of Gold: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gold Page 7 of 8
Demographics of Turkey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/demographics_of_turkey Evans, Tony. Tony Evans Book of Illustrations. Sanctification (806). Moody Publishers. Chicago. (2009) Page 8 of 8