{"id":8124,"date":"2020-03-10T20:00:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T03:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=8124"},"modified":"2020-03-11T19:42:31","modified_gmt":"2020-03-12T02:42:31","slug":"1peter1_1-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1peter1_1-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Nothing Like The Hope We Have in Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 Peter 1:1-12 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today we begin our look at 1 Peter, a letter written by the apostle Peter, one of Jesus\u2019 disciples, probably around 64 A.D. to Christians scattered everywhere throughout five Roman provinces.<\/p>\n

On verses 1-12:\u00a0 When you read this passage, keep in mind the context within which Peter is writing this letter.\u00a0 In approximately 64 A.D., Christians in the Roman Empire are going through severe persecution.\u00a0 Emperor Nero has launched, or is just about to launch, a widespread movement to capture and destroy Christians.\u00a0 He would become famous for setting Christians on fire as human torches for his dinner parties and feeding them to lions in the coliseum.\u00a0 With this background of great persecution in mind, read verses 1 to 12 and you will find that they come alive with so much more meaning and relevance.\u00a0 Likewise, if you have ever been bullied, ostracized, or excluded by others, may you find encouragement from this letter by Peter.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-2:\u00a0 To Christians who have been scattered, displaced, ridiculed, and persecuted, Peter encourages them by saying: \u00a0You may be excluded by society but you are \u201cGod\u2019s elect\u201d (v1).\u00a0 You may have been rejected by people, but you are \u201cchosen according to the foreknowledge of God\u201d (v2).\u00a0 Though you may feel like \u201cstrangers in the world\u201d (v1), you have a home in heaven with the greatest community of all: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (v2). (Notice how all three Persons of the Trinity are mentioned in verse 2.)<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:2 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0\u2026Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
\nOn verse 2b:\u00a0 Your pain may be great and deep, but may God\u2019s \u201cgrace and peace be yours in abundance\u201d (v2).\u00a0 Whenever we go through great pain, God\u2019s grace and peace for us are greater still.<\/em><\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Praise 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,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 3:\u00a0 Though you may be going through much trouble, may your focus be on praising God (v3).\u00a0\u00a0Though it seems like persecution and death are all around you, remember that through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have hope and life, a living hope (v3).<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:4 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 4:\u00a0 Though the world tries to destroy you and what you have, they can\u2019t away the inheritance God has for you (v4).\u00a0 It\u2019s kept for you in heaven, \u201cwhere moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal\u201d (Matthew\u00a06:20).<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:5 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0who\u00a0through faith are shielded by God’s power<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
\nOn verse 5:\u00a0 You are protected by God through faith.\u00a0 Faith is the means by which we access God\u2019s protection and power.
\n<\/em>
\n1 Peter 1:6 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 6:\u00a0 When Peter writes \u201cIn this\u201d you greatly rejoice, what is \u201cthis\u201d?\u00a0 Peter is referring to Jesus coming again, that is, \u201cthe coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time\u201d (v5).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 When we go through great pain and trouble, may we find comfort and joy in knowing that one day we\u2019ll get to see Jesus face to face, and it will all be worth it.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:7 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 7:\u00a0 God always has a purpose in allowing pain.\u00a0 One reason God is allowing that trial in your life is so that your faith can be refined, proved genuine, and result in greater blessing for you and others and greater praise unto God.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:8 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Though 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,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 8:\u00a0 This is the mysterious life of faith, how we love, trust and find inexpressible and glorious joy in Someone whom we don\u2019t see with our physical eyes.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 9:\u00a0 One of the great end results of trusting in Jesus is that we have a deep assurance that our lives are in God\u2019s hands and that we will be with Him in heaven at the end.\u00a0 This is not something that other religions or philosophies can easily provide, since they are based on people\u2019s performance rather than God\u2019s promise.<\/p>\n

1 Peter 1:10-12 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0It 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 10-12:\u00a0 To paraphrase Peter, \u201cChristian, though you may be going through trouble right now, don\u2019t allow self-pity to steal your joy.\u00a0 Never forget how precious is this salvation you have and how lucky you are.\u00a0 This salvation was revealed through the hard work of prophets who carefully searched the Scriptures and their Holy Spirit-inspired hearts in order to point us to Jesus, his sufferings and his resurrection.\u00a0 This salvation has been proclaimed through those who have courageously preached the gospel to you.\u00a0 Now we get to benefit from all their hard work.\u00a0 Even angels are in wonder at this salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, may I never take for granted how amazing and precious is the salvation You have made available to me in Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Thank You that in Jesus Christ I have a living hope and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today we begin our look at 1 Peter, a letter written by the apostle Peter, one of Jesus\u2019 disciples, probably around 64 A.D. to Christians scattered everywhere throughout five Roman provinces.<\/p>\n

On verses 1-12:\u00a0 When you read this passage, keep in mind the context within which Peter is writing this letter.\u00a0 In approximately 64 A.D., Christians in the Roman Empire are going through severe persecution.\u00a0 Emperor Nero has launched, or is just about to launch, a widespread movement to capture and destroy Christians.\u00a0 He would become famous for setting Christians on fire as human torches for his dinner parties and feeding them to lions in the coliseum.\u00a0 With this background of great persecution in mind, read verses 1 to 12 and you will find that they come alive with so much more meaning and relevance.\u00a0 Likewise, if you have ever been bullied, ostracized, or excluded by others, may you find encouragement from this letter by Peter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8124"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8127,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124\/revisions\/8127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}