Christ our Living Hope!

“I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Yeshua, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Yeshua. May everything good from God be yours!” 1 Peter 1:1-2

God’s grace and abundant mercy is available to us now and as an inheritance to come! The above passage is about salutations and greetings, acknowledgments and hope. Peter writes to a group of struggling Christians, whose hope is on the verge of extinction and whose options are limited. These are mostly Jews who have been disconnected from their homeland and all that they know, but also Gentile converts who are scattered from their families, careers and status because of their faith. They are all strangers in a foreign land; both Jew and Gentile, scattered physically and spiritually. Much like any believer in Christ, we are all foreigners as the world is not our real or permanent home, our true home is to come.

• Dispersion (Greek diaspora) – Means “dispersed” or “isolated,” a colloquialism that referred to the Jews who had scattered or moved away from their homeland (John 7:35; 1 Peter 1:17; 2:11). For us, it means we are strangers living in a foreign world; our real home is in Heaven (1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalm 39:12; Hebrews 13:14). This epistle was an “encyclical” letter, meaning it was copied and sent out to many churches in Asia Minor. The sequence of the names of the readers in this epistle may reflect the courier’s route and schedule, or those who were on Peter’s heart.

• Sanctification – The application of our redemption, of setting us apart from sin (Galatians 6:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). This is the growth we experience in Christ, our trust and obedience. This is not saving action; it is a response action where we become more like Christ’s character. The work of the Spirit intercedes in us; our response is our progressive growth and spiritual formation in Him (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 24:26; John 15; 17:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 2:10).

• Obedience – Our continual acts of trusting in God and obeying His precepts (John 6:28-29; Ephesians 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:9). We are chosen for obedience! This is not initiated by us, it is only a response by us. Our part is our answer to and responsibility to His election and sanctification. The Will of God is sovereig and true, He places us where we need to be for His glory (2 Corinthians 1:1-3).

• The blood of Christ – This goes all the way back to the O.T. rituals of sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood for redemption, which Christ now takes the place of. It was the initiation of the Covenant of God to Israel; now, it is the Covenant of God to us. It means we have a covenant, that we are forgiven (Genesis 4:10; Exodus 24:7-8; Luke 9:23-24; 23:34; Hebrews 9:11-14, 18-28; 12:24; 1 John 1:7).

The continual act of trusting in God and obeying His precepts are our responsibility. This will help us enjoy our inheritance and receive a blessing of God’s special favor through the love of Christ. We are called to be joyful, thankful and glad, so it overflows to others around us. Then, we can grow and endure through all things! Why? Because we will face trials and sufferings, they are a part of this world and life, there is no escape from them. We can either learn to grow or withdraw and stagnate!

1 Peter 1:1-2 is a call to continue in prayer and faithfulness. In that way, we can continue to be better used by our Lord. We are to remain firm in our faith even when life is falling apart around us, when we do not see hope or light at the end of the tunnel. When we persevere in our faith, we allow God to use us more, we learn and we grow further in Him.

The more we endure, the more we grow, the more we are used, the more we go through and so forth. This is the spiral of our faith-building that draws us higher and higher in Him. When we are growing, we are ministering too. As our faith grows, we are more likely to hear God’s call, see the needs of others and find opportunities to serve. Our faith development is not to be selfish, although the primary benefit is for ourselves, we are to focus on how it affects others. Through growth we inspire, encourage and minister to others!

Questions

1. Why do you suppose Peter starts off his letter with a song of praise? Have you ever done that in your correspondences? Why or why not?
2. What would a blessing or God’s special favor mean to you? What is it? How could you receive it?
3. What does it mean to you that God’s grace and abundant mercy are available to you now as well as being an inheritance to come?
4. If your hope was on the verge of extinction, your options limited and you felt desperate, what would it take to bring you comfort? How have you responded to people in these circumstances?
5. How can the favor of God speak cool, quenching words to Christians in distress? What can you and your church do to be better at being a refreshment to those in need or distress?
6. How can you do better at continuing in prayer and faithfulness?
7. How can you be better used by our Lord? Is there something you’re holding back or are lying to yourself about?
8. Why are we called to remain firm in our faith even when life is falling apart around us? How would this help us see hope or the light at the end of the tunnel?
9. How can you respond to His call to be encouraged and to stand firm? How can you be a better encouragement to others?
10. When we persevere in our faith, we allow God to use us even more than He does now. Is this a truth in your life? Why or why not?
11. Why is our faith development not to be selfish? How would you describe being selfish with faith?
12. What are you going to do to grow further in Him? What do you need to help you grow and be consistent or sincere?