Who Are You?

-12

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus,Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus,Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,

5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,

11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Introduction: Know Who You Are and Know Whose you Are.

Ask the Children in the Audience what there parents say to them when they are tucked into bed?

Tom and Gayle Parker reminded their children, Remember who you are and whose you are. - Reminded their kids of their identity, both you are loved, and remember you represent the family.

Why is this important?

1 Peter was written to believers who were undergoing persecution from their secular governments. Christians throughout the various regions addressed in the letter are suffering “grief in all kinds of trials” (1:6) for their commitment to “the word which was preached” to them (1:25). They are being slandered, reviled, and mocked because of bearing the name of “Christian” (4:14, 16) and are being pushed out to the margins of society. (Frank Thielman, Theology of the New Testament, 570). Not long after this letter was written, Christians in these locations were being killed for their faith (Spiros Zodhiates, et. al., The Greek-Hebrew Key Word Study Bible, 1644). Peter’s letter is meant to encourage his readers in the midst of their difficult circumstances. While we’re not being killed for our faith today, we do face opposition. How do we remain holy in a world where holiness isn’t very “cool?” Also, how can we help those who are being persecuted for their faith?

Two Different Persecutions possibly -

The Bible often uses imagery of fire to describe trials, like in . Fire is useful if used properly to purify precious metals. By testing the metal with extreme heat, all the impurities rise to the surface where they can be removed. The remaining substance, what survives the heat, ends up being a more pure and more beautiful material than it was before it went through the fire.

49 AD - Under Claudius - He expelled the Jews from Rome because of Riots being Caused in correlation of discussions with Christians -

Persecution under Nero - Much of Rome Burned down, It is said that Nero blamed the Christians - found them and killed them - 64 AD.

We are calling Circumstances of Suffering as Shadows - They are moments when we walk through a shadow, even if they last a life-time they are temporary. They may be scarry, dark, difficult, cold, uncarring.

What are some Shadowy Circumstances?

Universities According to Scot McKnight in 1998

Yet, we might include…probably not for us, being a refugee, persecution in other countries, Christians on the run from ISIS, but also how do you handle having a serious sickness as a Christian, Financial trouble, losing a job, Losing a Boy Friend/Girlfriend, losing a loved one, living in a place where people do not accept you or things about you. How about all those who evacuated from Houston? Not quite the same as what Peter’s audience is going through, yet we might approach them the same.

Vs 6 - On temporariness of trials.

Vs 7 - The Bible often uses imagery of fire to describe trials, like in . Fire is useful if used properly to purify precious metals. By testing the metal with extreme heat, all the impurities rise to the surface where they can be removed. The remaining substance, what survives the heat, ends up being a more pure and more beautiful material than it was before it went through the fire. - So what bubbles up when a Christian Suffers “praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus”

Where you Are is Not Who You Are

Pay careful attention to verse 1 - The Chosen who are residing temporarily. - We often get this switched around. I am a Michigander who is a Christian, A Rock Artist who happens to be a Christian. A Cancer Patient..., A homeless person..., A Student..., LGBTQ…, A Liberal…, A Conservative…, A Pastor…, Circumstancess can then cause us to identify as A Loser…, A Winner...

Henri Nouwen on Identity. (A great way to help people be anchored in identity)- We often Identify ourselves by what we do, what we have, or what other people say about us, and I will add our desires. - Problem they all are circumstancial and waver.

Our Identity is Chosen by God - Compare vs 3-5 to vs. 6

Next, contemplate with the class what life would be like if we had no way to have a relationship with God or go to Heaven (sad, hopeless, useless, etc). Say, “None of us can pay for our own sins – only the precious gift of Jesus’ innocent life can pay our debt.” Read . Ask the children to identify what we receive because of Jesus’ resurrection (new birth, living hope, an inheritance that can never fade, shield of faith, coming salvation, great rejoicing). Reiterate that Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope regardless of our experiences on earth. Say, “No situation is ever too bad, lost, or forgotten by God. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we have the incredible hope that one day everything will be made right again.”

“I’ve heard that in Air Force survival training courses, instructors teach something called the ‘Rule of Threes’: In a survival situation you can last three weeks without food, three days without water, three hours without shelter in extreme conditions, and three minutes without air. But you can’t make it three seconds without hope,” (Levi Lusko, Through The Eyes of a Lion, 97).

So Finding our Identity as a Believe in Jesus is really not about a big search, it is realizing that God has been searching for you and has chosen you to redeem you. Your identity is a “Child of God.” The hard part is how do I live that Identity out.

If we allow our circumstances/trials define our identity they will rock us, but if we let Identity will define then how we live through circumstances, they refine us. We can go through them and learn from them, but not let them define us.

So Finding our Identity as a Believe in Jesus is really not about a big search, it is realizing that God has been searching for you and has chosen you to redeem you. Your identity is a “Child of God.” The hard part is how do I live that Identity out.

Next, contemplate with the class what life would be like if we had no way to have a relationship with God or go to Heaven (sad, hopeless, useless, etc). Say, “None of us can pay for our own sins – only the precious gift of Jesus’ innocent life can pay our debt.” Read . Ask the children to identify what we receive because of Jesus’ resurrection (new birth, living hope, an inheritance that can never fade, shield of faith, coming salvation, great rejoicing). Reiterate that Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope regardless of our experiences on earth. Say, “No situation is ever too bad, lost, or forgotten by God. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we have the incredible hope that one day everything will be made right again.”

Vs 7 - The Bible often uses imagery of fire to describe trials, like in . Fire is useful if used properly to purify precious metals. By testing the metal with extreme heat, all the impurities rise to the surface where they can be removed. The remaining substance, what survives the heat, ends up being a more pure and more beautiful material than it was before it went through the fire. - So what bubbles up when a Christian Suffers “praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus”

We will also may begin to see things differently -

Kid’s binoculars - seeing tunnel vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5_OorfyD4s

According to the Gospel Story - Vs. 10-12 Prophesied by O.T. Prophets.

Conclusion:

Our Starting point in living through suffering, the shadows is to know who you are, and whose you are.

If you are a follower of Jesus, that answer is that you are a child of God, and you belong to God.

If you want to be…Come talk to me after the service.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 1, 33, 46-49, 51, 53, 54 Belgic Confession: Article 16 Canon’s of Dort: Head I, Articles 6-14; Head II, Articles 8-9; Heads III&IV, Articles 6, 10-16; Head V , Article 1-6, 9-13 Belhar Confession: Articles 1-5

Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 1, 33, 46-49, 51, 53, 54

Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 1, 33, 46-49, 51, 53, 54 Belgic Confession: Article 16 Canon’s of Dort: Head I, Articles 6-14; Head II, Articles 8-9; Heads III&IV, Articles 6, 10-16; Head V , Article 1-6, 9-13 Belhar Confession: Articles 1-5

Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 1, 33, 46-49, 51, 53, 54

Canon’s of Dort: Head I, Articles 6-14; Head II, Articles 8-9; Heads III&IV, Articles 6, 10-16; Head V , Article 1-6, 9-13

Belhar Confession: Articles 1-5

Who Are You?

Where are You? What are your Circumstances?

Who Are You? What is Your Identity?