1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims/strangers/aliens (one who comes from a foreign country to live there by the side of natives, a foreigner, to sojourn in a strange place) of the Dispersion/scattered in Pontus(the sea),
Galatia(land of the Gauls-human characteristics to nature, druids, Celtics),
Cappadocia(province of good horses),
Asia(orient-eastern-area of Turkey), and
Bithynia(a violent rushing),
2 elect (picked out, chosen)
according to the foreknowledge (fore thought, pre-arrangement)
of God the Father,
by the sanctifying work (consecration, purification, for the purpose of serving a deity)
of the Spirit (the one doing the purifying),
to obey Jesus Christ (for the purpose of compliance, submission)
and be sprinkled (purification)
with His blood (blood from violence, slaying and murder)
May grace (favor) and
peace (peace between individuals, tranquility from a soul assured, to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism)
be yours in the fullest measure. (increasing, to multiply)
How long do you need to be in a strange place until it is no longer strange to you?
How long does it take someone from the upper mid west to lose their accent?
How long does it take someone who moves here from another state to learn how to efficiently get from one place to another without directions or a map?
How long does it take for you to feel comfortable in new surroundings?
I was taught that relocating was the 3rd most stressful event in a persons life.
1st was a birth or death in the family.
2nd was a marriage or divorce and
3rd was moving from one location to another.
Relocating is going from the familiar to the unfamiliar its stressful and in some ways scary. Relocating takes away familiarity with your environment. Familiarity is something that brings security and a sense of belonging.
Any time that you go to a new place, be it a school, a church, a store, a job, a town you become aware of the strange sense of not belonging.
Your mind will search to find something to connect with, something that may remind you of a previous location, something that you can associate with, something that will bring a sense of familiarity, belonging and security to you.
In Peters epistle he is writing his letter to pilgrims, strangers and aliens that are dispersed, scattered through out a large region.
Who are these pilgrims, strangers and aliens?
They are children of God sojourning on the earth.
They are citizens of heaven temporarily staying on a strange planet called earth.
They are individual eternal souls who are experiencing a high level of stress and temptation.
They are men, women and children who are wandering in a strange, hostile land full of the landmines of temptation, evil and complacency.
Think that’s a little to far fetched?
Listen to what Paul has to say in Philippians 3:17-21 about how dangerous it can be to live on the Earth.
Paul tells us in Philippians 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that
they are enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose end is destruction,
whose god is their appetite, and
whose glory is in their shame,
who set their minds on earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Do we realize that the citizens of this world have only one future and its name is destruction?
Do we realize that the citizens of this world have a god and its name is appetite?
The citizens of this worlds god is their belly, their ego, and their flesh and its sole purpose is to feed and satisfy self.
Do we realize that their glory, meaning their opinion and judgment, is the very thing that brings them confusion and shame presently and most certainly when they realize the foolishness and emptiness of how they lived their lives by serving and pleasing themselves rather than God?
Do we realize that those who set their minds on earthly things are enemies of the cross?
Do we realize that even Jesus Himself was tempted to serve Himself and avoid the cross?
Pay special attention to verse 23!
Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.
23 But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Pause for a moment and ask yourself.
What are you willing to exchange for the destiny of your eternal soul?
According to Jesus the way to lose your soul is to avoid the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:23 through 29 says…
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ/MESSIAH/SAVIOR the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
WHY DOES GOD INSIST ON DOING THINGS THIS WAY?
29 so that no man may boast before God.
The KJV puts verse 29 this way…
THAT NO FLESH SHALL GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE.
Our problem is we have a twisted perception of God.
God doesn’t want to humble us, God wants us to be humble.
God doesn’t want to break us, God wants us to be broken.
God doesn’t want us to die, God wants us to be resurrected.
And most often, we just don’t get it.
All born again believers are in Gods process of transformation.
All born again believers have their faith tested and stretched.
All born again believers from time to time cry out to God saying…
WHY GOD? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?
WHY GOD? WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?
WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH GOD?
I CAN’T ENDURE THIS GOD.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND GOD.
Peter is well acquainted with those feeling and frustrations!
The reason Peter is addressing his letter to the pilgrims/strangers and aliens who are dispersed and scattered is because Peter is reminding them and you, that like himself, neither of you belong here. Peter wants to refocus their thoughts and intentions along with yours, back on Jesus.
Let me ask you, have you ever been so distracted or caught up in the events of life that even you somehow forgot that God is still on the Throne, that Jesus is still making intercession for you in Heaven and that the Holy Spirit of God who lives inside you is presently waging war with your flesh?
Peters intention is to exhort and encourage all believers to live their lives for the glory of God no matter what the situation. Peter wants to explain and remind them of who they really are, that they are not just aliens living on a strange planet, but true citizens of Heaven. Could you use a Peter in your life? Well, start learning to discern the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit!
Even the Apostle Paul was adamant about overcoming the difficulty of living in the flesh. Paul was possessed by the desire for people to know the truth of the gospel. Paul spent the rest of his life in hardship simply because he chose to live as a light shining in the darkness, like a light on a hill and one not lit and then put under a basket. And for that desire, he suffered not only greatly, but constantly and consistently.
Part 2 coming shortly...
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