Introduction to 1 Peter

Even though each of us is different in personality, most of us are alike when it comes to remembering other people. We usually remember their wrongs and quickly forget the goods things they’ve done. You think I am wrong? Let’s go through a few biblical characters and see what we think of them:
1) Jonah

You think of him as the man in the belly of a big fish, because he was running away from God’s call to his enemy city, Nineveh. But we don’t think of him as the evangelist who preached to half a million people at one time and all turned away from their wicked ways.

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking about his uncontrollable passion with strength, as a lustful and undisciplined womanizer. But do we know him as a ruler of Israel for over 20 years with a flawless record?

A street lady, hooker, madam, a prostitute from Jericho. How come we don’t think of her as the great-great-grandmother of David in the Messianic lineage mentioned in Matthew?

So when we think of Peter, we think of his three denials of Jesus. He has a foot-shaped mouth, because he often inserted his foot into his mouth and took it out just long enough to exchange it with the other foot. A historian Josephus described the Galileans: “They were ever fond of innovations, and by nature disposed to changes... They were ever ready to follow a leader and to begin an insurrection. They have never been destitute of courage.” The Talmus says of the Galileans: “They were ever more anxious for honor than gain. Quick tempered, impulsive, emotional, easily roused by an appeal to adventure and loyal to the end.” Peter was a typical man of Galilee.

But Peter was considered the leader among the disciples of Jesus. He even made the climactic confession of Christ as Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

As the first 12 chapters of Acts, Peter became a major moving force in the formation of the early church. Peter was considered the most powerful figure in the Christian community and the first pope of the Catholic people.

Peter is the author of two of the most wonderful letters of compassion, hope and encouragement ofall the New Testaments.

We all have chapters in our lives we wish we could erase and that nobody notices. We might even wish that we could change their opinions of us.

However, two truths remain:
1) If it hadn’t been for those chapters in our lives, we would most likely be very proud people.

Some of us would not pay attention to God at all. God had to take us down to the lowest level, so He could get our attention.

2) If we didn’t go through trials, we really wouldn’t have grown in maturity or gained depth of character.

I find myself growing more in the Lord and moving myself closer to God, while I go through the trials and tests. These times of suffering, builds us and molds us more and more into the conformity of Jesus Christ.

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing—we’re behind.” “Wow,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”

Mankind cannot live without hope in this world. It has been said that a man can live without food for forty days, four days without water, four minutes without oxygen, but only four seconds without any hope in his heart. Hope is brighter when we are in the midst of dark despair and discouragement. When we face trials and tests in our lives, some of us more than others, the trials and tests can dismantle our courage and the fight in us.

Peter understood about hope in Christ Jesus. Jesus didn’t write off Peter, he denied Jesus three times. Jesus restored him three times. A painful lesson Peter learned that he would never forget. The hope in God is not another Christian concept to Peter, but is the very one holding Peter in place. We have a living hope through Christ’s resurrection, a calm hope through personal submission to God, and a firm hope through faith in God.

Peter starts his letter with “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ”. He doesn’t start with his ugly past. It was as if he were thinking, “I’ll start right where I am.” He is not dwelling in the past, since he couldn’t change it. He knows that he can do all things God gives him to do with God’s power. How about you? Are you dwelling on what you did? Are you letting your past eat you alive? Are you muddling in your past despair? Sometimes all too clearly and painfully we see our own inadequacies, but we must, with equal clarity, call to mind Jesus Christ’s sufficiency to touch us with His grace. Our insufficiency is covered and replaced with Jesus’ sufficiency.

2Cor. 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What does Peter say to someone facing a trial? We find four points from 1 Peter.
1) Trials may vary, but we are valuable to God.

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Trials produce grief and the intensity varies. But God thinks that we are more valuable than gold. So He is refining our lives through the fire of trials and reshapes us from the inside out!

2) The tests God brings may seem unreasonable and inexplicable. However, God has His reason for allowing them in our lives.

1 Peter 2:18-20 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do well and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Many times in our trials, we cannot understand why God is allowing these trials to come our way or what He is doing in our lives with these trials. He does not owe us an explanation, but we owe Him obedience.
Jesus never promised that the Christian walk is easy. The only easy thing He promised is His yoke and burden.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

While we are living on this earth in these human bodies, trials and tests cannot be avoided. Ever since the first human fell into sin, the whole earth is under cthe curse of sin. To set us free from the curse of sin that results in eternal death, the Son of God Himself took our sins. While we still go through the pain of trials, we are sharing the sufferings of Christ as a way of participating in Christ’s glory.

Philippians 3:10-11 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Yes, trials are torturously difficult to endure, but the day of restoration is coming! We have reason to hope whatever our circumstances. Someday we will see His glorious face full of joy. Jesus Himself will give us our eternal reward.

Even though it is easy to throw the towel in and give up, we need to reach up and grab the Hands of God to get up again.

We can be used by God to help others who are in the same situation as you were.

2 Cor 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

3) A word of encouragement of hope is more precious and valuable than a thousand thoughts never expressed.

Peter didn’t just pray for those who suffered, he wrote them a letter of encouragement that we are going to study. Reach out and touch someone by the power of God!

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