People At Loss
Reading: I Peter 1
Introduction: In I Peter chapter 1, Peter addresses people at loss. People who very possibly lost house and home, property and dignity, freedom and liberty, and security due to the tremendous persecutions upon Jewish persons and Christians. There were no laws in their favor, but only hostility and animosity. Peter addresses these people as a pastor or shepherd trying to encourage a scattered sheep by use of the printed page.
1 Pet. 1:1-2
¶ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
I. To a people at loss Peter reminds them of a better future. “hope” vs.3
1 Pet. 1:3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
II. To a people at loss Peter reminds them of a greater fortune. “inheritance …reserved” A fortune no one can take away from them.
1 Pet. 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”
This is why we are to lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. Heaven’s treasures are reserved in the vault of God’s secure, impregnable bank of grace and Mercy.
III. To a people at loss Peter gives a very encouraging solution to their depravations. “faith” vs.5
1 Pet. 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The authority of God assures them of the “power” to care for them in their plight. And “faith” allows them to see and access God’s Kingdom for what’s necessary.
IV. To a people at loss Peter gives them a reason and purpose for their present plight.
A. A reason to “rejoice”. vs.6
1 Pet. 1:6 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”
B. Something greater and more valuable than the possessions they lost. ~”more precious than gold”
1 Pet. 1:7 a …That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
V. To a people at loss, Peter reminds them that they have the full support of the dearest friend they have ever had~ Jesus Christ
A. A friend coming to their rescue.
1 Pet. 1:7 b …might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
B. A friend totally aware of their trouble.
1 Pet. 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
VI. To a people at loss, they have knowledge that their pain is only temporary.
1 Pet. 1:9 “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
Total salvation is their solution, but they must wait for it.
1 Pet. 1:10 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:”
VII. People at loss have a perfect example to draw courage from.
Christ already went through it in a greater degree, and with a great degree of courage and compassion. “sufferings and glory that should follow.”
1 Pet. 1:11 “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
Notice that it turned out for Jesus in the end, even though His loss included death. Somehow we get this idea that if death is included in our loss, then certain defeat is to be asumed. But this is not true for Christ or saved sheep.
VII. People at loss have certain verifications of these following truths. ” revealed” by the “Holy Ghost”
A. We are not at loss.
1 Pet. 1:12 “Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”
B. Our loss is not something to use as an excuse to drown our sorrows in drunkenness. Jesus will come to solve all problems.
1 Pet. 1:13 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
C. Our loss doesn’t grant us time to pattern after the world, in order to get ahead by the world, to make up for the loss.
1 Pet. 1:14 “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:”
D. Use our loss as an opportunity to separate from the world.
1 Pet. 1:15 – 16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
E. Use our loss as an opportunity to work for the Lord.
1 Pet. 1:17 “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:”
F. God sometimes rids us of material possessions to change our earthly patterns.
1 Pet. 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;”
G. The Blood does it all.
1 Pet. 1:19- 20 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”
H. Jesus changes all the traditions to a new life of faith and service.
1 Pet. 1:21 “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”
I. Jesus changes our attitude toward other Christians.
1 Pet. 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”
J. Jesus changes us by His Word.
1 Pet. 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
K. We learn by His Word to live for what lasts.
1 Pet. 1:24- 25 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
Closing~
So how about you? Are you experiencing some present or past earthly loss. Please allow this 2000 year old message from Peter to encourage your faith so that you will count all loss as gain and earthly gain as loss.
Look at Paul’s encouragement.
Philippians 3:7,8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
You, too, can praise God for this kind of loss. Yet, I realize it is easy to say it.
mjb
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