1 Peter 1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves
but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels long to look.
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded,
set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead
and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you!
When you talk to the millennial generation, they say - "Hey, that's great Jesus died for me and wants to save the world. And so we remember Easter with bunnies and easter eggs and, hopefully, Church and good lunch. But isn't it kind of sad that Jesus died and the world sorta goes on and all those old guys in robes died pretty young? I mean, it's all good sure, but they all died - that's well, um, not to be rude, but it's sort of bad marketing. Isn't it?"
Honest conversation is a good thing. You learn what gate is closed and what to say.
The Book of Revelation tells us Heaven is 12 Open Gates.
God has an open door policy. Prayer is something God values.
Everyone should feel comfortable with asking God.
That's one of the reasons there is a class called the "Alpha Course" - ask all the questions you ever wanted.
Look at this passage - this is Peter. The man buried by Emperor Constantine 80 feet under the Vatican alter. The Catholic Church worked for 60 years using architects and biblical scholars to decide the bones of the 62 year old Hebrew were indeed those of Peter. The Church did not want to make a mistake in this announcement.
Peter was a favorite of God's. Peter made a lot of mistakes. Tried to walk on water and fell in. Then denied Jesus and didn't try to walk upon his own righteousness - swimming to meet the Victorious and Living Jesus and have breakfast - where Peter - having obtained Forgiveness from GOD Himself - promptly starts fussing.
Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
I'm sure Peter has more authority in Heaven than the keys to 12 open gates - but with "real" Peter - Jesus might have smiled!
Peter does indeed have a rock to stand upon:
Matthew 16:18 ~ Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church.(Scripture for Today talked about this in greater detail, with more pictures in an earlier post.)
This rock was placed above Peter in the cemetery. The bones around Peter, those other bones are still somewhat preserved, however do not compare to the remains of Peter. The Vatican alter is 80 feet above Peter's tomb that Emperor Constantine surrounded the grave with a pink marble relatively intact from 370 A.D.
The graffiti commenting on Peter as a servant of God, matches the plaster in Peter's home in Capernaum. Peter's house became a house Church in continual usage.
Jesus was being figuratively true in telling his disciples about Peter being a rock Jesus would build an unborn Church upon. And Jesus was being literally true. Jesus being God, sees very far in the events of the world and our human hearts.
So, they all overcame fear and died young for Jesus.
Well, not exactly. Peter died at age 62. In 62 A.D., this isn't really, really young. Yes, some of the disciples died young. And some died telling of the angels and of Heaven opening to them. They were far more impressed with where they were going - into God's Heavenly Kingdom - and not regular ol' life. What the Disciples record seeing - as Heaven opens - is recorded today when people return from near death experiences. Many people back from these Heavenly experiences are vastly joyful - not for survival - but the incredible joy they have found in discovering God is True. For Real. All those promises - Matter. And are far beyond what we can even - imagine.
So who actually is this letter above addressing?
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
These are the apostles, of course. The brothers of Jesus are recorded going forth with their wives (yep the old guys with robes where young and married!) The Dispersion is not just Jews who have left Israel - these are the "multitudes" who saw with their own eyes that Jesus raised the young man on the way to be buried in Nain, Judea and saw him alive and well. Not just Lazarus. They knew because they had seen the dead live - that Really and Truly - Jesus Is Alive.
"Multitudes" filled the 36 Acres of the Temple. It's fact based up on historical documents that Passover in the Temple in Jerusalem drew about 2 million people. The records of Temple Purchases are still available. So Multitudes could have very well meant 2 million people - just like the Times Square photo of 2 million people turning out to see the end of World War II.
A letter, perhaps 16 years after the death of Jesus - would have a hard time traveling by boat to reach a few apostles.
16 years is the length of time that the Emperors took - before the Name of Jesus as God - began to bother them with the miracles the size of The Acts of the Apostles. The Emperors began putting to death people and Scripture. For a few years? No, almost 400 years.
Making Papyrus 46
an amazing and perfectly reserved set of 300 chapters of the Scriptures from the time of Disciple John ( -who lived to be verbally fighting lack of faith and making new disciples in the 2nd Century A.D. Really old!) .
Now, John, when you read his Books of the Bible - you cannot help but melt. This is the man who never deserted Jesus except for that itsy - bitsy time he sort of asked to be really important in Heaven and get a good reward. John walked with awe with Jesus and found God to be... Love! John writes a vast amount of Love and pride in the people he has encountered who walk and serve God.
Peter - when Peter writes of Jesus - you see how much Peter wants to help Jesus. Because with Jesus are the "Words of Life."
So who lived to be old - old? The people who stayed with the ones serving Jesus. John lived to be so old you see why we see 14 generations every 500 years. Forget only the good die young! Luke stayed to the end with Peter. Mark stayed with Peter. Mark stayed with Timothy with Paul. These men - live to be Really Old. Titus lived to be very old and was very favored as being a loving, loving Christian. Titus was one of the 70 first disciples discussed in the New Testament.
You see - the Christians did not get cut a break for getting Constantine to become Christian and make Christianity "the good deal." Christians went for loving people to understand God loves them. And this love changed the world.
We don't stand upon our own goodness.
The Disciples were afraid and sinful. When they discovered that "Heaven is For Real" - they found a huge pearl of amazing value - and they began to sell all they could to obtain that Field.
They wanted Jesus to know - that He died and they could receive forgiveness. And in gratitude and In Love - they want others to know that Jesus Is The Real God.
Father God, God of Love, Live in my heart. I want the adventure of seeing You more and more. Your path for me is a plan of a Hope and a Future.
Keep me on Your path and help me to discover the unique person You have created in Your Love. Bless me with Your Blessings. Protect me. Help me to be wise. Forgive me. Know all of my variations and shades and sins.
Because You are about these things You value most in us - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We love what You love to bring forth. Dwell in me Lord Jesus again.
Thank You Father God for the movie "Do You Believe?" It's wonderfully, wonderfully done and expresses Your Love so well. In Jesus we always are able to give You one thing You did not give us first - Gratitude. Thank You Father God. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves ♰
1 Timothy 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost
Titus 3
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
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