I want to introduce you to first Peter first let me get you going here a little bit with me So you think about this book Who wrote the book of Peter who wrote first Peter? Peter right the answer is not first Peter and then who wrote second Peter Peter the second or something like that Apostle Peter wrote the book of Peter It's kind of an odd thing if somebody told you and you'd never read the New Testament You just kind of heard the gospel stories Somebody if you heard all the gospel stories you kind of drank them in it if you got done with You know the idea that Jesus is a central character But also do you say are there really important characters in the gospel stories? Okay Peter James and John those are really big right? Pharisees are pretty important as a group But you'd think Peter James and John so if Peter Is going to write a book what kind of a book would you expect him to write? Somebody said it say it louder You'd expect in the second to To give us a gospel now the truth is that Peter apparently is the source long Standing church tradition from way back the beginning is is that Peter was the source of Mark that Mark wrote down The things that Peter told him as he recalled The events around Christ's life, but Peter did not write a gospel But did he write this isn't really is it what you would expect the Apostle Peter to write It doesn't fit maybe at first but then again Maybe this great spokesman and I witness of the Apostles and of the ministry of Christ is giving us something that we should expect Once you ask you to turn with me to the last thing from the gospels or More or less virtually the last thing that Peter did comes from John chapter 21 I think it may shed a little light on the book of first Peter Comes from that period after the resurrection were in the last chapter John Before the resurrection led to the ascension there was a period you know of some weeks Seven weeks more or less in which Jesus occasionally appeared to the Apostles and Other times they seemed to have been at loose ends not quite knowing what to do John 21 is one of those occasions when Peter Basically, I don't know what's going on exactly, but he says I'm going fishing as if you know Haven't had any appearances lately haven't you don't know what the study of prepare for right now must go fishing that's something we know how to do and So he goes fishing and They're fishing at night, which was the custom and Lord comes to them at night help some Keshe some fish and Talks to the disciples afterwards verse 15 says this When they had finished eating Jesus said to Simon Peter Simon son of John do you truly love me more than these Now these could mean these other men or could mean these things like the fishing implements Doesn't really say Peter is a little bit humble this time. He doesn't say yes. I love you more than these He might have said that earlier, but remember he does denied Christ not too many days earlier and so he doesn't say I love you more More humbly he simply says yes Lord you know that I love you Jesus said Feed my lambs And again Jesus said to him Simon son of John do you truly love me? He answered yes Lord you know that I love you Jesus said take care of my sheep Third time he said to him Simon son of John do you love me? He was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time do you love me? He said Lord you know all things you know that I love you Jesus said Feed my sheep now there's more to it than that This little interaction between Jesus and Peter has been discussed many times some of you perhaps have heard messages or lessons on this passage Sometimes people stress the idea that Jesus sort of forces Peter to confess three times and presses because Peter denied him three times To as it were give a kind of a rebuke through a series of rhetorical questions Some of you probably have heard that Jesus uses different words here for love As if to say do you love me agapato agape the pure excellent God like love twice And then the third time as if he's really doubting Peter's sincerity. He says fill out oh fill a the love of friendship or affection It's true that the words change agape agape actually agapato agapato fill out oh But I really don't think that's the main point I think the main point is this Jesus Know is that Peter denied him three times and although it hurts to be asked three times Well, Jesus is also doing is giving him a chance to confess three times three denials three confessions you know that I love you you know it you know it and Then three reinstatements Because every time that Peter denied Christ any one of them by themselves will be enough to bar him forever from his role as an apostle But instead Jesus tells him three times over we can almost say I Reinstate you I reinstate you I reinstate you He says feed my lambs take care of my sheep feed my sheep three times over and That I believe is what first Peter is it's not a gospel But it is a feeding and a caring for the sheep of God in a time of persecution and a challenge to the Christian faith It's not a gospel. That's true But it is a book that is most needful in a time of impending persecution That's sort of a basic view of the matter Let me just race through a few other points just to get us oriented to the book a first Peter Peter is an apostle See writes he's an apostle and I witness to the faith again We might have expected more, but this is what we have The language of first Peter indicates that he has been in heavy contact with his fellow disciples and of course with the teachings of Jesus The language of Peter and this sometimes throws people is similar to the language of Paul especially books like Ephesians and some ways similar also through the language that's found in Hebrews I have a little chart for you that I hope turned out reasonably well in which first Peter Chapter three verses three to seven is Compared to in its comments on the way women should conduct themselves and Dress and treat their husbands compared to Ephesians chapter five first Corinthians 14 and first Timothy chapter two I'm not going to run through that with you, but you can just see that though that not only are the concern similar But the language is similar as well a lot of the same words as well as the same concepts They Established they're teaching the same way by grounding it in the prior work of Christ and in fact not only here But in many occasions the language of Peter and Paul is similar critics I don't like to talk about too much in this class, but I will just for a minute critics say that the reason for this and if you're ever working with somebody Is secular universe or your self went to a secular university critics say that Peter is similar in its approach It's theology its language to Paul because it wasn't really written by Peter was written by somebody who wanted to Give the idea that Peter and Paul were in deep agreement about things and that this is not indeed Peter's own idea, but the idea is a someone put into the mouth of Peter in order to give the impression that the rift between I don't believe it was one, but people say there was The rift between Peter and Paul Peter having a more Jewish gospel Paul a more gentile or any gospel that this rift Which never really was healed Was indeed healed that is a say by putting words in Peter's mouth They give the impression that Peter and Paul were one even though they weren't well I think that's you know this first of all there's no evidence for such a rift between them except what we have of course in that one place in Galatians chapter two where Paul rebukes Peter but by acts chapter 15 they're all in agreement and things are taken care of I think it's much easier to say There's a simpler more logical explanation that is that all the apostles saw the same things They were members of the same group. They spent time with each other They agreed as to what the gospel was They were members of the same team and like any group that has the same vision members of the same team They're going to start talking in similar ways that would apply to a sports team to a military team to a team at work Around your house you and your children or your parents those with whom you spend a lot of time just start talking similarly That's natural when you agree about things so we don't need to go through a stretch for that I'll simply call your attention to an outline of first Peter next page and you're In your outline there I'm not going to go through it with you point by point. We'll go through it in much more Detail a little while I do want to say this just going to spend you know an hour and a half or two hours at the most on Peter and So what I'm going to do is operate thematically here and I'm going to call to your attention three themes That more or less coincide with the movement through the book So the first theme is holiness is the mark of a Christian chapter one around verse 13 through chapter two Maybe verse three maybe verse 10 a second social relations within church and third the Prove of persecution solutions to the problem of persecution later but half of chapter three and all of chapter four Persecution does not take up the whole of the book of Peter But he does have his eye on it all the time He has his eye on the difficulty of living in this world as a Christian and as a result That shows up that interest in living a difficult life as a Christian this world shows up first and last in the book If you just notice in chapter one verses 3 to 11 he praises God for the secure hope that God's elect have Even though they suffer trials now for a little while He puts suffering in the context of doxology praise the God with which the book opens and a statement of confidence that God will take us through the end A statement of confidence join at the end of the book chapter one chapter five verse 12 He says I write encourage a Couraging and testifying to you that this is the true grace of God in which you stand even while Satan proules And while persecution looms you can stand the book it begins and ends with Promises that despite the difficulties in life you will stand Because it's not always easy to stand then or Now for that matter so a little bit of an introduction to the book of first Peter and then let's let's look at the book itself Let's say somebody has a question lightning quick question about first Peter Okay, ready to go I really just wanted a drink of water. That's what that was about what page are we on? 56 first Peter chapter one Peter opens with a section in which he praises God He says praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ In his great mercy has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Praise be to God, he says He's given us this hope now watch into an inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade kept in heaven for you now will translate kept in heaven for you who through Faith are kept. I know it's as shielded in the NIV But it's actually the word kept again a different word for kept kept in heaven for you who through faith are kept by God's power until the coming of the salvation That is ready to be revealed in this last time Now his overture to His faithful people is this You are God's elect you're called to a living hope You are strangers and exiles in this world chapter one verse one says Difficult as it will come your way, but there is a reward and inheritance kept for you for three Even while God is keeping you for it It's kept for you and you are kept for it So it come what may and a lot may come He begins with this guarantee of God's sovereign provision Immediately tells us why he starts out with that idea of God keeping and so forth. It is because Verse six in this you greatly rejoiced this idea you've got a reward kept for you Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief and all kinds of trials now a little while is a euphemism What he means by a little while is a little while compared to eternity a Little while can mean a New Testament language as it does for example in in Revelation Ten days can mean your whole life So suffering for a little while may mean You suffer even to the point of death, but it's a little while Compared to eternity and he gives the clue how hard things can get with that phrase a while you suffer in all kinds of trials it's his first point and His last point again in the book is going to be very similar He's going to say I write to you to encourage you that That this is the true grace of God chapter five verse 12 in which you stand now this grace This is the grace of God in which you stand could mean the whole book is about the grace of God that allows you to stand Or it could be the last part of the book The God's grace allows you to stand is the ability to resist Satan who prowess like a roaring line I don't know which one it is, but I do know this the book begins and ends with a reference to God keeping a safe Even in the midst of persecution Now that's the overarching idea But he's not just interested in persecution He's also interested in how we live out our lives in the face of this in this difficult Age that is ours and he's gonna stress three things Christian holiness in this age apart from persecution Proper social conduct the life of Christians in Christian society and the proper response to the coming persecution So let's take a look at the first one and that is Christian Holiness Christian holiness begins with the call the holiness in Verse 13 actually the call proper begins with the notion that we should be self-control Be holy first of all be self-controlled Verse 14 we should be holy he says next as obedient children not He says don't be don't conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance Don't conform yourself to your evil desires and here's why a Little theme that we're gonna have going here and that is we don't really belong to this world and it's desires anyway Watch chapter one verse one is Addressed to God's elect Strangers or exiles in the world Chapter one verse 14 As obedient children Don't conform to evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance or 17 Since you call on a God of judges each man's worship and work impartially live your lives here as strangers In reverent fear chapter two verse 11 One more once Sorry, verse 11 dear friends. I urge you as aliens and Strangers in this world to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul. How do you know the song old song? This world is not my home the course goes I'm just the passing through a razor hand if you know this song You like that song How do you like that song if you know it? How do you dislike that song nobody dislikes it? Was they be here ever told or talked to dislike that song? How do you think there's something kind of fishy about that song?
Nobody thinks there's anything fishy Who said that Would you like to help us get started? You don't know that song is anybody here know that song? It doesn't the song itself doesn't matter. It's just that little phrase this world is not my home. I'm just a passing through There is something a little bit odd about that song isn't it is that is that a good view of the world I Mean doesn't doesn't a Doesn't a reformed the world in life you say that God has an interest in restoring his creation. It's all his that he created the world right and he fashioned it Isn't it true? Isn't it true that we should try to redeem all creation because God in Christ is restoring all things and reconciling all things to himself Is the song beginning to sound fishy yet? No Kicking the takers this morning. They thought it was fishy or whenever it was in another class I was taught this song as a boy I was taught as a college student at a good reform college, but this is a bad song Because it's world denying and we have affirmed the world that all creation is God's How do you perhaps have heard a little a scenario about Christ's relation to culture? How do you have heard of Richard need more? okay Couple dozen of you have heard of Richard need more. Let me just give you a little little scenario He thinks of he thinks of different ways for Christians and for Christ to relate to the culture And I'm not gonna give you all of them here, but one of them is let me see which one should I put up here Christ against culture and It's the responsibility of Christians to oppose the world in this of of this of this age Christ fulfills cultures another one It actually has five let me give you three or four Christ fulfills culture the idea here would be that various cultures can take us pretty far Along distance towards true righteousness and true holiness Or at least toward wisdom or things that help people like you know medicine and cars and so on But to really make something of what we have to press on beyond that and so we have to add to it Christ fulfills culture as a second one And it may be one maybe one more before I give you the one that Calvinists usually choose Christ of culture the idea there is that that Whatever is good in any culture comes from the spirit of Christ kind of dwelling in it the natural Even the natural gifts of humanity are getting their origin of their source of Christ If you like any of these here's one more Christ
Transforms culture Like that responsibility of Christian to To change the world for the Lord to get in there and get involved in politics and Social action and you know and see if we can bring more of the will more of the reign of Christ the bear This is kind of new to you. I'm getting that feeling. How do you like number one Christ against culture? Raise your hand. I'm not gonna hold you to it I'm not gonna mark you up or down if you guess right Christ against culture nobody likes it Christ fulfills culture. Anybody like that one? Nobody likes that one either Christ up culture. Anybody like that? Couple people nod their heads three people Christ transforms culture. Do you like that? Okay, that's getting the largest number. How many of you are afraid to raise your hand? All right I'm gonna tell you that that in the circles That give the largest number of students this seminar if I can put it that way This is the this is the main view this is considered to be the Calvinistic view That's just a tiny bit of church history if I may you know John Calvin is You know looked upon as the originator of of a of a Saturialogy Dr. Salvation that has its focus on God's sovereign Working Salvation is of the Lord. That's Calvinist but that's not all Calvin did Calvin also looked at refugees coming to a city and started things like a silk industry in town started other Textile industries tried to close down taverns where there's lots of drunkenness and gambling and so on He was interested in social reform. He was interested in providing decent jobs for people and so forth So Calvin is considered to be one who has this view of Christ transforms culture and in this day Whether you've heard of these labels or not It's certainly true that a lot of Christians are advocating that that evangelicals should stop They're withdrawal from the world and stop giving the world You know if we have 60 or 70 million evangelicals, we should make more of an impact on our culture We hear that kind of language a great deal from all quarters and there's something There's a lot of truth to that little ideal But I want to urge upon you something else and that is that Peter says that Christians are strangers are exiles are aliens in this world There's a sense in which Peter does us a great service in a in a culture That has been so much influenced by Christianity Although we're long ways for being a Christian nation, I believe but lots of influences Even things even things as simple as the idea that when an ambulance is behind you should pull off You know not every nation on earth has a high view of human life Which is born out and a little thing like that That whatever is going on you must pull over somebody could possibly be dying But it's just given That's an influence of Christianity in our culture not every culture has that concept that you pull over for an ambulance Lots of Christian influences and furthermore You know there are lots of Christians in this world But we have to hear what Peter has to say what Peter has to say to us is there's a sense in which we really don't be long here The old song which I was trying to get some of you say you didn't like but you all did The old song has a lot of truth in it We are kind of passing through yes It's true that the Lord will restore the heavens and the earth and he will give us resurrection bodies And if the song would lead us away from those principles that Jesus cares about our bodies And is going to restore and purify all the creation and do his will in the new heavens and the new earth If an emphasis on our on alienation would would wipe that out then we would have a problem, but this we do need To realize there's a sense in which we'll never fit here the Christians will always seem kind of strange to a lot of people That no matter how nice you are no matter how logical your explanations of what you're doing are some people will look at you and say After all the explanation is done You're nuts What is wrong with you? To believe that stuff Now Peter's going to get into that a little bit more But this is a testimony that we need to receive from him that that holiness Sometimes is radically nonsensical To the world around us. Maybe the easiest example that would be sexual more is You know, what is wrong with you Christians that you won't have a little fun. How many of you heard that at some point in your life? You know, it's just it's just recreational sex. Why don't have some fun? Why deprive yourselves you purits and fun haters? Why don't you go out and just get loaded once about drink your cares away? Come on. What's wrong with you? The world doesn't understand and and we'll never be comfortable We'll never just playing fit in and we shouldn't really want to Peter says Okay, be holy because You should no longer live for your evil desires because you don't really fit in this world and it's desires number two Be holy Peter says verse 14 15 16 17 be holy because I am holy God says and He calls us to be holy to be like him. That's the imitation motif Number three, we should be holy because we are redeemed from our former empty way of life by the blood of Christ the Lamb of God the precious blood more precious than silver or gold We've been redeemed Fourth, we should live holy lives because holiness minimizes Suffering in this life It does allow us to live the best possible life that we can we'll get to that a little bit more in a minute So holiness Holiness means then those four things and if I can just define full holiness for a moment It means that we should be set apart set apart from the world We reject our evil desires the empty way of life Individually we're also going to see in a few minutes that there is a social component to holiness Christians shun the sins that mar Christian community They don't just care about their own holiness They're also zealous for the holiness of their community and Part of that is while we're trying to influence this world Christ transforms culture really should 60 million evangelicals should have more impact than they do and we should wonder what's wrong? But we also recognize that there's a sense in which Christians are basically against the mainstream of almost every culture that's ever been I Put it to a different way Peter is not a real optimistic or real evangelistic book Peter has this sense That we're separate from the world the world thinks we're strange We'll talk about that words at place where he says it we'll talk about it more in the second half and The best way to change the world is sometimes by simply saying no to the world one scholar's name is Wolfgang Schrock With the name like that you better have good things to say said The more the church has sensed its alienation from the world The more it has been able to influence the world It's a lot of wisdom in that maybe can I read it again? The more the church has sensed its alienation from the world The more it has been able to influence the world the way to change the world is not by being the world's buddy Because that won't happen unless you go over to their side Recognize how different you are We're going to stress the Lordship overall of Christ overall things It's sometimes Lordship of Christ overall things means rejection of many things This has its impact on as I was alluded to a moment ago the possibility of evangelism when Christians live well The world doesn't always understand why In this seminary we rightly talk about apologetics and outreach and evangelism and things like that And we rightly look for opportunities. I hope you look for opportunities to testify to your faith wherever you are whatever your station life may be at work If you're not a full-time student and so on James sorry the gospels maybe maybe the letters of Paul would give the impression that you know we should expect good results But first Peter chapter two watch first Peter chapter two verses 11 and 12 term with me suggest That no matter how good a life you may live no matter how brightly your light shines the pagans may not ever get the point Dear friends, he says I urge you as aliens and strangers in this world to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul Live such good lives among the pagans that stop right there. Don't read anymore live such good lives among the pagans that Sometimes are led to believe that you know Peter would finish it off by saying the pagans will want to know why you live so well? Or they'll ask you how you're how it is that you're such a wonderful person and so altruistic and kind and loving and sacrificial that you live such a good life that people will want to know Why that light burns inside well sometimes But sometimes Peter says Sometimes you will live such good lives that though they accuse you of doing wrong They may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us You know what that means you know what the day he visits us is What is it? It's the judgment day That is you will live beautiful lives and and the pagan will say I Accused I accuse and the only time they finally stop accusing is when Christ returns and then they have to admit that they were wrong to accuse you And it will never happen in this life I'm not urging you to despair of evangelism, but this is part of the biblical testimony We're that strange to the world at times He goes on to tell us in chapter three verses 15 and 16 Some things about the hope that we should have as Christians another very well-known verse that I don't think we always necessarily get quite right in Your heart, he says set apart Christ as a Lord he's talking about Not being received well here Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you To give the reason for the hope that you have Do it with gentleness and respect keeping a clear conscience and notice what comes next So that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander Peter does not say lives such a good life and gives such a good answer that they'll become Christians. What does he say? Live so well answer so gently That they'll be ashamed of their slander. They'll still slander But they'll feel bad about it That's that's the hope that Peter lays out here. I could go back and in fact I will go back and talk about this Even lined by line be prepared to give an answer that little word given answer It's actually a Greek word which I will transliterate for you if I can refrain from writing any Greek letters up here Opologia you probably recognize a word in there, right? Apologetics that's right and and we sometimes link apologetics with giving a reason for the faith and we link apologetics without reach and Evangelism even are in our curriculum. We do and again I want to make it absolutely clear. I'm not against that. I'm all in favor of that And I think that what's taught in that course is wonderful But what he's saying here is that the the answer that you give is actually this word Apologia is actually a word from the court system and the idea is that you have been hauled in front of the court to give a defense for yourself and Even this little word which seems so innocuous in the English and can be innocuous in the Greek be prepared to give an answer to Everyone who asks that word for asks for those of you know Greek I tell on a number of occasions can mean Ask in a in the sense of interrogation asking in the courtroom and fitting with Apologia, which is definitely a legal term We begin to get the drift and a little bit more Be prepared to give a defense to everyone who I'll say maybe over translate a little demands of you to give the reason and Even the word there is sort of an accounting As if you have to render account and when it's all done when you're given that reason Then the result again will be Not that they'll say oh gee. We're sorry. We charge you. We're sorry. We thought ill of you The result will be they'll keep on slandering it But they'll feel bad about it That's about as good as it gets sometimes There's another passage along these lines is chapter four versus one the four Follow with me there if you would chapter four Versus one the four therefore Since Christ suffered in his body arm yourselves of the same attitude Because he was suffered in his body. He's done with sin. We'll talk about that in a minute But here goes a little more on this thing as a result He does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires but rather for the will of God This is the imitation of Christ motif. He was willing to suffer. You should be two He did not live his life out for human desires. He lived it out for the will of God You should too. It just implied there For you have spent enough time in the past now Peter's main audience therefore we're gonna tell in a second where Gentiles and pagans He says where you spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do Living in debauchery Lost drunkenness orgy's carousing and Testimal idolatry those are the sins of rank paganism sensuality drunkenness and idolatry They think it's strange Verse four that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation and they heap abuse on you How do you know exactly what this is talking about? How many of you are adult converts to the Christian faith and you now see your friends from high school or Your friends from college or your early adult years and they say what what do they say? What happened to you something tell me somebody give your testimony. What do they say to you? Chapin you raised your hand. What do they say to you? They thought you were nuts. Why were you nuts in their mind and
And it's so much fun, right? You're that's what they said you are come on. Let's go. Let's go get loaded. Let's go get drunk Right have you heard it? What's wrong with you Why don't you want to have any fun anymore? Don't you like us anymore? Think we're think you're better than us. Don't you don't you have you heard it? They're not pleased you've gotten your life in order. They think you're strange and They don't just think you're strange Peter says they heap abuse on you self-righteous Holier than now you Christian Don't you know what you're losing? Don't you know what you're giving up? That's what happens sometimes now of course it works the other way often Because maybe your friend was searching to I will tell you that I became a Christian when I was a freshman in college I think I mentioned that before my best friend from high school and I were Converted the same week we wrote each other letters that crossed in the mail The day after I sent my letter I got a letter from him and I didn't it wasn't responding so you know that's great That's wonderful in fact four or five of my high school friends became Christians in the six months after we graduated Is all you know sort of young Existentialistic crypto nihilists or something We thought we were very cool and We were doing our best to hide our despair and the Lord reached us and it's happy that happens a lot of times And we kind of had to get together one year after we graduated and and shared our newfound joy, but it's also true Sometimes they simply abuse you and don't understand that is That's what happens. That's part of Peter's testimony to what it means to be a Christian Means to be thought of a strange to be abused for it now that shouldn't stop us We should still do good. I have a little word in there for you in the outline There's a word that appears a dozen times or a word family or Agatha play at oh and Agatha play us which mean To do good and and good deeds and those words doing good or good deeds Appeared 12 times a new testament six of them come from Peter a Peter tells us that by doing good we can Silence foolish men. It's not always pessimistic chapter two versus working at 15 and here's one that is hopeful chapter three Verse six, he says that a Christian wife can win her husband That's the one place he gives some really solid hope can win her husband by doing good and being an excellent wife Three times three times Peter says it is imperative for a Christian to continue to do good even in the face of suffering even while being abused Just for being a Christian in fact chapter two verse 20 chapter three verse 17 chapter four verse 19 And he does hint just barely hint a couple of times that by doing good we can frustrate the hostility at least of Some of our adversaries will admit that they're they're judging us or harming us unjustly So there is a call to holiness in Peter a unique call That we might say Peter is an austere book It doesn't say do things right and you can count on some results It says do things right and you may get no results, but entrust yourself to God He'll take care of things for you Even if taking care of things for you means only comforting you after your death Even if it only means that you are vindication the end of the slander is at the end of this age And trust yourself to him he'll keep you for it