Bible Commentaries
1 Peter 1

Verses 1-12

1. INTRO:
   1. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!” Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er; Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
   2. Follow the leader: Story about our 3 day hike into ______.
      1. Explain trail/path we hiked. Forks in path(broken branch laid across)[spider web in face, must be wrong way]. Group of 4 that got lost (no problem just walked all the way around village).
      2. This is the Christian’s life/path. Lock onto Peter leading out front. Let’s hike.
         1. Last thing Jesus told Peter was Tend My Sheep! Let’s let him tend. Follow his lead.
   3. Why is Peter such a great book to study together?
      1. Who knew Jesus better than Peter? - Imagine 3 years w/Jesus...continually. Imagine having a bible question...you turn around & ask Jesus! Imagine getting to see Moses & Elijah (Mnt of Trans). Imagine getting to introduce 3000, then 5000 people to Jesus. Imagine getting to launch...The Church!
   4. Background:
      1. Probably 12yrs after last record in Acts 15; & 6yrs after difference w/Paul(Gal.2)
      2. Grace had been silently but really continuing its work in deepening & maturing Peter’s experience, & the result is what we find in these 2 Epistles.
      3. Analysis - It is not systematic or logical in arrangement.
         1. Why? Because it was based on the spiritual needs of the readers.
      4. Book Overview/Main Breaks - 2:11 & 4:12 (Note: new sections start w/Beloved)
         1. Our Privileges (1:1-2:10); Our Duties (2:11-4:11); Our Trials (4:12-5:14).
   5. Here Peter brings out some glorious facts concerning salvation: The Source of our Salvation; The Guarantee of our Salvation; The Joy of our Salvation; The OT Prophets & our Salvation; & The Angels & our Salvation.
2. SWEET SALVATION!
   1. THE SOURCE OF OUR SALVATION! (1:1,2)
   2. The Author (1) - Peter (not Simon)
      1. Yet he does start 2nd Peter with his double name, maybe recalling the 2-fold aspect of his life before & after discipleship to Christ.
   3. The Destination (1) He address Christians, Pilgrims (temp residents, in exile. We also are only temporary residents of this world...we are citizens of another!) They were Dispersed (scattered); throughout 5 divisions of the Roman Empire.
      1. Now Turkey today (clockwise starting at 12 o’clock). Today 98% Muslim/pray for.
      2. Note: 2 regions Paul was forbidden by the H.S. from entering earlier…Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them Acts 16:6,7
         1. God had plans for these regions…but also timing!
   4. The Purpose (5:12) Twofold, what he wants to accomplish:
      1. Exhorting/Encouragement/comfort - Comfort includes 3 thoughts: (1) making strong (2) making brave (3) making happy.
      2. Testifying - strong or earnest personal witness. (i.e.) Peter adds his own personal assurance to what he writes.
   5. The Reason (1:6) The Christians to whom the Apostle wrote were experiencing a time of trial. (also 3:14, 4:12,16).
   6. The Place (5:13) written from Rome, code named Babylon.
   7. Chosen by the Father (1,2a)
   8. Made holy by the Spirit (2b)
   9. Cleansed by the blood of the Son (2c)
   10. Sprinkling - In the OT there were 3 occasions when sprinkling w/blood is mentioned:
       1. The Cleansing of the Leper.
       2. The Setting Apart of the priest for the service of God.
       3. The Obedience of the covenant keeper(the people).
          1. Ex.24:6-8 And Moses took…half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient." & Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words”
          2. Through the blood of Jesus Christ the Christian is cleansed from sin, set-apart for His service & is called to obedience to Him!
       4. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to trust His cleansing blood; And in simple faith to plunge me, ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
   11. THE GUARANTEE OF OUR SALVATION! (1:3-5)
   12. Begotten us again - regenerate, a new beginning, a new birth, born again, salvation.
       1. The infusion of divine life is an idea which was widespread in the ancient world. (LKGNT; pg.744)
   13. (3) The Proof: It is guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ.
   14. (4) The Permanence: It is kept in heaven for us.
       1. In 1949, a Mr. Wurm was broke & out of a job. One day he was walking along a San Francisco beach when he came across a bottle with a piece of paper in it. As he read the note, he discovered that it was the last will and testament of Daisy Singer Alexander, heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune. The note read, “To avoid confusion, I leave my entire estate to the lucky person who finds this bottle and to my attorney, Barry Cohen, share and share alike.” According to Boyd, the courts accepted the theory that the heiress had written the note 12 years earlier, and had thrown the bottle into the Thames River in London, from where it had drifted across the oceans to the feet of a penniless and jobless Jack Wurm. His chance discovery netted him over $6 million in cash and Singer stock. How would you like to have been making Mr. Wurm’s footprints on that San Francisco beach? What a find!
          1. Now let’s compare Jack Wurm’s our inheritance in Christ. You have become an heir with Christ. Your eternal future is secure! Think about what you have. Think about what it will mean to you 100 years from now. Try to imagine the eternal life, the eternal happiness, the eternal gratitude, the eternal peace, the eternal profit. The psalmist said that this “inheritance shall be forever.” $6 million doesn’t even begin to compare with our spiritual inheritance! Our Daily Bread, November 26
   15. (5) The Power: God’s mighty power assures us that we will safely arrive in heaven.
       1. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease; Just from Jesus simply taking, Life and rest, and joy and peace.
   16. THE JOY OF OUR SALVATION! (1:6-9)
   17. (6) The Promise - This joy can be ours even in the midst of trials.
   18. (7-9) The Products - Our trials produce a 2-fold fruit:
       1. They increase our faith in God (7) [#2 They increase our love for God]
          1. Acid Test! - A severe trial is sometimes called an “acid test.”
             1. This term originated during times when gold was widely circulated. Nitric acid was applied to an object of gold to see if it was genuine or not. If it was fake, the acid decomposed it; if it was genuine, the gold was unaffected.
             2. In God’s view, our faith is “much more precious than gold,” and it too must be tested. But these “acid tests” are positive ones. The Lord is working to reveal genuine faith, not to expose false faith. During hard times, though, we may feel overwhelmed with the fear that our faith is decomposing.
             3. It’s good for us to remember that God is not an arsonist; He’s a refiner.
          2. Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith!
       2. They increase our love for God (8-9)
          1. Story(whom having not seen, you love): A young girl looked into the face of her father who was an unbeliever & asked, “Papa, do you love Jesus?” He explained, “Honey, He died long ago & that was the end of Him.” She explained the resurrection just as she learned in Sunday School. He asked, “how can believe in someone I haven’t seen?” She didn’t know how to answer that at first. Then she said, “Papa, how old was I when mama died?” “Only 6 months.” “Then I can’t say I ever saw her, for I don’t remember her at all. But you have always tried to make me love her by telling me how good & kind she was. I do love her, too, although I have never seen her that I can remember.” He then broke & asked her to pray for him to have a new heart w/which he could love Jesus as she!
          2. I never saw my grandpa Jim...How do I know he existed?
             1. Eye witness testimony & documents. [Same with Jesus!]
   19. THE OT PROPHETS & OUR SALVATION! (1:10,11)
   20. (11) They could not fully comprehend all their prophecies concerning the future work of the Messiah. Especially regarding suffering(grief) & glory.
   21. (12) They knew that their prophecies would not be fulfilled until after their deaths.
   22. THE ANGELS & OUR SALVATION! (1:12)
   23. They long to know more about this wonderful subject. Angel talk will be fun later :)
   24. Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
       I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
       And I know that Thou art with me,
       
       Refrain:
       Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
       How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
       Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
       Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
       Wilt be with me to the end.