Intro:

Written by Peter

To Gentiles scattered throughout modern day Turkey.

Outline

• 1:3-2:10  Who they are as God’s people, and where they are going
• 2:11-4:11 How to live as exiles in a hostile world
• 4:12-5:11 Following Jesus example – suffering then glory
  

1. We are scattered exiles v1

God’s elect, chosen

Written to Gentiles 1:14,18; 4:3

Every Gentile Christian can consider themselves personally chosen by God

Exiles scattered

Link with OT – who exiled in Babylon

Link with Peter’s day – Jewish Diaspora (scattering)

Deliberately identifying readers with the Babylonian exile – they too are exiles.

This world not our home, world hates us (John 15:18-19)

Hostile – ‘soft persecution’; situation similar to ours

Recognise that we are strangers living in a hostile world

Do you see yourself in this way?

2. Chosen and belong to God v2

‘According to the foreknowledge of God the Father’ 

God chooses us before the creation of the world

Setting His covenant love on us

Comforting truth:

Even as exiles we belong

At the centre of God’s plan for the world

Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit

Sanctification = set part

Thinking of our conversion – 

Spirit linked with proclamation of the gospel 1:10-12; New birth 1:23-25

We can know for certain therefore that we belong it is a work of God

Also the ‘Spirit of glory rests on us’ 4:14 in days of suffering

Bringing assurance and help to stand firm

‘To be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled in His blood’

Another way of speaking of our conversion

Sprinkled with his blood linked to Ex 24

Covenant language, Ex 24 people said they would obey and were then sprinkled in animal’s blood.

We are sprinkled in Jesus’ blood establishing the new and better covenant

Bringing forgiveness, cleansing from sin and the Spirit of God dwelling in us (Jer 31)

We respond in obedience

Part of our obedience is to follow the example of Jesus as seen in 1 Peter

When we get it wrong we still belong because we are sprinkled in the blood of Jesus

Series: 1 Peter (2020)