STRANGERS and PILGRIMS

Oops!...We nearly missed a beautiful gem that Peter slips in, borrowed from the prophet Hosea:

“...were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy”  2:10

Don’t you just love the way this rough and ready fisherman balances his down-to-earth reality with profound use of Holy Scripture.       
Next he gives us some very practical guidance on what is expected of us – as worldlings?                                          

No, as strangers and pilgrims!                                       

Is this how we are to behave?...enjoying porn, acting as if above the law, insulting other people, attacking fellow-believers, bad-mouthing the president, cheating my boss.... Not at all!                                                           

We are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, so Peter reminds us SIX WAYS of the Man of Isaiah 53:

• He suffered for us
• He did no sin
• He reviled not
• He bore our sins in His own body on the tree
• By whose stripes we are healed
• You were as sheep going astray

Yes, by God’s mercy we are now His people - so we’d better act like it.

WHO is the ROCK of our FAITH?

Simon Peter has just eloquently presented the gospel so now turns the spotlight on his listeners - us.

Being a very ‘hands-on’ practical guy, he insists that some things would be better tossed overboard: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, evil talk.... but not God’s Word!...pure milk for the mind.

However, before he can encourage us with what a rich heritage is ours, he feels the need to remind us of just who the Rock of our faith is‘...to Him - the Lord - the living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious to God’, on which we as living stones are laid.

Remember everything happens in 3’s with Peter?...

Well, now he cites 3 Scriptures from his Bible:

 - “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious ...”

 - “The stone which the builders have rejected, the same is made the head of the corner...”

 - “A stone of stumbling and rock of offence...”

Not some cold dumb statue!

There’s no doubt in his mind that he is not the Rock (despite what popes like to claim) so next he borrows from his Jewish heritage to encourage us with our noble calling: “chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, special people of God”.

Wow what a change: darkness to light!

1 Peter 2:1-10

By the way, if you’re looking for more confirmation on just who the Rock of our faith is...

“Moreover brethren, I would not have you be ignorant...they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD - MUCH MORE!

What a surprise to find that everything seemed to happen in 3’s for Peter, whose first name Simon means ‘hearing’ but who sure seemed to be a slow learner (just like me!).                                                                              

However...we open this fisherman’s first letter to discover a profoundly eloquent presentation of the gospel!  Nothing can beat reading it for ourselves and we can find the key to his letter in 5:10... ‘glory after suffering’ – just like our Saviour and Lord.

Notice what gets repeated in his chapter 1 presentation, based on his very personal, very real, privileged experiences:

• Redemption... ‘with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot’ (vv2&19)
• ‘A lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ (vv3&21)
• ‘the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven’ (vv2&12)

...and what he shares from the Scriptures:

• “Be holy, for I am holy”  (v16)
• “All flesh is as grass, all glory of man as the flower of grass...but the Word of the Lord endures forever.”  (v24-25)

Having been imprisoned 3 times, Peter knows all about trials...and the encouragement needed:

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise, honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

We can sure take it from Peter who sure saw it all - silver and gold don’t even come close! (vv7&18)