Faith in the Crosshairs 1 Peter Precious (1:17-25)

Review Shadow of Nero's PersecutionShadow of Nero's Persecution Point: "Live out the faith in the midst of suffering"Point: "Live out the faith in the midst of suffering"

Review God will never give me something to take me away from him, his people or his Lordship in my life − Didn't come from him OR − I'm misusing it

1 Peter (ESV)

Early Church= 3 Types of People − Slaves WarWar BankruptcyBankruptcy Sale (self or parents)Sale (self or parents) BirthBirth − Freemen − Freedmen Period of service and/orPeriod of service and/or Payment of price- often by someone elsePayment of price- often by someone else RedemptionRedemption

Spiritually-Speaking − Slaves WarWar BankruptcyBankruptcy Sale (self or parents)Sale (self or parents) BirthBirth − Freedmen Period of service and/orPeriod of service and/or Payment of price- often by someone elsePayment of price- often by someone else Redemption or ransomRedemption or ransom

Spiritually-Speaking − Slaves "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?""We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin- John 8:33-34

"You shall be holy, for I am holy…" 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, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers…

…not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

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.

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;

for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you- vs

Gird, sober-minded so you can set hope, be holy… And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds… If= since

Father= family connection Judges impartially= according to reality- not appearance

Father= family connection Judges impartially= according to reality- not appearance- looking for what is good and right

Father= family connection Judges impartially= according to reality- not appearance- looking for what is good and right Present tense- todayPresent tense- today − Discipline − Trials and Hardships − Enemy − People

…part of the problem is that we don't know how to define 'blessing.' A blessing is not always easy, painless, simple, comfortable or expected.

…A blessing often comes wrapped in the mystery of darkness. But I am learning this truth - anything that makes us cry out to God can be counted as a blessing" -Mary Southerland

God's discipline is not punitive, but correctional. Helping me become all I was created in Christ to be

Father…judges impartially − Final sense- last day …we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil - 2 Corinthians 5:10

…conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile… 2 Types of People − Slaves who belong to this world − Freedmen who belong to the Lord − Adam, Eve, Jesus- free from the beginning

The more I try to make this "home," the more enslaved I become The more I focus on and live for my real home, the more I truly free I become

Exiled for a time and a task "I'm not going to take them out of the world, but I'm going to make them mine, so they no longer belong to the world…"- Jesus

…conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers…

futile ways: Ignorance- "It is hard to investigate and to find the framer and the father of the universe; and, if one did find him, it would be impossible to express him in terms which all could understand"- PlatoIgnorance- "It is hard to investigate and to find the framer and the father of the universe; and, if one did find him, it would be impossible to express him in terms which all could understand"- Plato

futile ways: Ignorance- The supreme cause, by all men dreamed of and by no man known- Aristotle − The gods are unknowable and totally uninterested in men and the universe − Mystery and power, but never love

futile ways: Dominated by unquenched desire − Extreme poverty while the rich feasted on outrageously expensive fare − Chastity forgotten 8 Husbands in 5 years- Juvenal8 Husbands in 5 years- Juvenal 23 rd husband by 21 st wife- Jerome23 rd husband by 21 st wife- Jerome Orgies and "unnatural sensuality" looked on as normalOrgies and "unnatural sensuality" looked on as normal Society constantly looking for newer and wilder ways of gratifying it's lustsSociety constantly looking for newer and wilder ways of gratifying it's lusts

futile ways: Futility of life − "Sun can rise and set again; but once our brief light is dead, there is nothing left but one long night from which we never shall awake"- Catullus − "Life must always be futile when there is nothing on the other side of death" - William Barclay

futile ways: IgnoranceIgnorance Unquenched DesireUnquenched Desire FutilityFutility All of these devalue people and value self above others

…conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers… From Slaves to Freedmen by way of payment

Payment was made in order to satisfy a debt What debt?

ransomed…not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. The price= Christ's blood

Value comes from scarcity and endurance − Silver − Gold − Precious Metals and Diamonds Precious blood of Christ

Conduct yourselves with fear…ransomed (set free from slavery to futility) with the precious blood of Christ… How does that change how I see my freedom as a Christian?

Saving Private Ryan: "Earn this!"

…with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. Walk like an Egyptian

…with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot − Emancipation from slavery − Deliverance from death

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.

God was Redeemer before he was Creator

Jesus is not an emergency measure to deal with an unanticipated problemJesus is not an emergency measure to deal with an unanticipated problem

God was Redeemer before he was Creator Jesus is not an emergency measure to deal with an unanticipated problemJesus is not an emergency measure to deal with an unanticipated problem The problem was known before the world was created- yet God still created itThe problem was known before the world was created- yet God still created it

God was Redeemer before he was Creator God already knew you were going to sin before he saved you, yet he loved and accepted you anywayGod already knew you were going to sin before he saved you, yet he loved and accepted you anyway

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.

The crucifixion cannot be understood apart from the resurrection If Jesus died but did not raise, we have a dead former miracle-worker who can offer nothing to anyone I can follow the teachings of a dead teacher. Or be loved and transformed by a living Savior

Pain did not bring salvation- it was simply the mechanism Love called for and allowed the pain for the purpose of redeeming slaves to freedom in Christ

A life lived in conscious awareness of the sacrifice of Christ produces: Reverence for the giftReverence for the gift Actions that glorify the GiverActions that glorify the Giver God is using events to refine me into what he's called me to be. Instead of shaking my fist and blaming God, I thank God and live for him

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;

Futile ways: − The gods don't love us- no value in them − Desire turns people into the means to selfish gratification And throws them away afterwardsAnd throws them away afterwards − Futility- there is no afterlife, so use people now to get what you want

God's Way: By obeying truth (salvation), we were purified morally The evidence of and purpose for purification (holiness) is that we would love God and others (Matt.22:36-40)

God's Way: We don't need to love one another as though we were brothers and sisters. We can love one another because we really are brothers and sisters

The purpose and evidence of holiness is glorifying God by treating people as valuable and equal partners in the faith for their benefit − Reason for the Great Commission − Foundation of marriage − Basis of unity

The evidence of holiness is not: − Morality. The Pharisees had that − Bible knowledge. An atheist can possess that − Number of people in a church. Cults have that − Really long prayers that impress. Jesus warned against that. The evidence of holiness is sincere and fervent love

Conducting my life in reverence for Christ's sacrifice means knowing God is judging how I love fellow believers

Worked backwards, how I speak of and treat people, esp. other believers, is a primary evidence of my walk with God

Does my life honor the sacrifice of Christ's blood that was violently shed to ransom me from a life of futility?

2 Types of People: SlavesSlaves FreedmenFreedmen Which am I? Does it show in how I live and how I treat others?