This World is Not Our Home

Chris Roberts

1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

0 ratings

· 1 view

Notes

Transcript

Pastor Chris Paraphrase

Peter, and apostle of Jesus Christ,

to the elect exiles (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia) according to the foreknowledge of God, through the sanctification of the Spirit, into obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The Author: Peter

May be the most relatable of the apostles.

Denied the Lord three times.

Cut a guys ear off.

Argues with Jesus

One of the inner three of Jesus’ disciples.

Became the clear leader of the 12 and the early church.

Witnessed the transfiguration

The only one who got out of the boat when Jesus was walking on the water.

When he preached at Pentecost 3000 people got saved.

The Recipients: - 5 Descriptions

Elect

Don’t let this scare you.

As much disagreement as there is on the doctrine of election one thing all orthodox Christians agree on is that the elect represent all who are and will be saved.

So when Peter says that they are elect in a very real sense he is just saying that they are genuine believers.

If you have questions about the doctrine of election I suggest you come back this evening for our discussion on the topic.

For Peter’s purposes however, understand that he is making clear that these are genuine believers.

We later learn from Peter that his audience is primarily gentile believers.

Exiles

Other terms: pilgrims, sojourners, the idea is that they are temporary residents in a land that is not their home.

Peter has specific exiles in mind those of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

The concept that Peter is communicating is that they are exiles because of their election. They are elect exiles according to the foreknowledge of God.

We will speak more about God’s foreknowledge and election this evening.

What we need to understand is that they are exiles because of their election.

God’s choice to draw these believers to Himself resulted in their persecution, and God was not surprised by this.

Peter uses a literal reality to introduce a spiritual truth.

The Truth: for anyone who is a genuine believer this world is not their home. We are all elect exiles.

Why?

Because our citizenship belongs to another land. Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Peter develops this as a theme in his letter, for instance see 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,”

Hebrews 13:14-16 “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

What does it mean that we are exiles?

Believers will never be completely comfortable in this life.

The world will not recognize you as one of its own. 1 Peter 4:4 “In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

The observable difference between a true believer in the world will give opportunity for both evangelism and persecution.

Jesus Himself spoke of the differences between a citizen of heaven and of this world. In Matthew 4 He compared it to wheat and tares that were growing along side of one another.

Unfortunately, there will always be a wolves in sheep’s clothing. People who look like citizens of heaven but are really of the world. We of course sometimes get it wrong in the other direction as well. We assume that someone is not a citizen of heaven based solely on their appearance.

Remember where your home is. Be in but not of the world. Long for those happy golden shores.

Sanctified

Our sanctification is both the cause of and a result of our election, that is our salvation.

To be sanctified means to be set apart.

All true believers have been set apart by God and are being set apart by God.

When you accepted Christ you were positionally sanctified. Your standing before God changed. You are no longer His enemy you are His child.

As you live the Christian life you are being progressively sanctified. This means the more you grown in your faith the more like Christ you will become.

This reality of sanctification is through the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification is the outworking of our election in Christ Jesus.

While sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit it does require your cooperation and effort.

What steps do you take on a daily basis to be set apart for God’s purposes?

Do you welcome conviction or does it offend you?

You will not grow in sanctification if you do not welcome conviction.

Obedient

When was the first time that you obeyed God? - When you accepted Christ.

So like sanctification, obedience is both a part of your salvation experience and a result of it.

I am not saying that there is some act of obedience that you must accomplish to be saved, but I am saying that getting saved itself is an act of obedience.

One living in obedience is constantly being cleansed with Christ’s blood and is thus “set apart” from the world. 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

This leads to our final description of the elect exiles.

Sprinkled

Exodus 24:3-8 “So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and 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.” And 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.””

Israel made a promise of obedience to God, mediated through sacrifice. The blood splattered on the altar represented God’s agreement to reveal His law and extend forgiveness, and the blood sprinkled on the people signified their consent to obey.

The sprinkling of the blood of oxen signified the covenant of Moses in the Old Testament. Peter uses the sprinkling of Christ’s blood as a figurative picture of our covenanted status in Christ.

The elect have been figuratively sprinkled with the blood of Christ and found the forgiveness only available in Christ.

Related Media

Related Sermons