April 26, 2020 –1 Peter 1:1-2 Sermon by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Introduction to 1 Peter
Lectionary Readings for April 26, 2020
Sermon – 1 Peter 1:1-2
Are you alone?
Let me rephrase that. Are you lonely?
Because there is a difference between solitude and loneliness. One is by choice, but the other may not be.
Now, in this time of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, some of us may be finding the loneliness to be a bit more overwhelming than usual. But I am not just talking about being apart from friends or not having any.
Do you feel like an outcast or have you ever? Have you ever felt socially excluded for one reason or another?
And there is a myriad of reasons that you could have felt socially excluded or marginalized.
SOCIAL
It could have been for social reasons. You don’t hang out with the cool kids or have questionable associates. You are judged by the friends and people you hang out with, the activities that you participate in, and the places you go. Perhaps you are marginalized because of who your related to, like when a younger sibling is compared to an older sibling or your parents are known for doing something.
IDENTITY
Or maybe people just think you are the weird one. Perhaps you have been excluded because of your own identity. You have felt or have been marginalized because of who you are or who people think you are, whether it is your race, appearance, gender, behavior, successes, failures, etc. Maybe you have been left out of things because of a physical limitation or some other disability.
ECONOMIC
Maybe you have been socially excluded or felt marginalized due to economic reasons. You and your family don’t make enough money, or you make too much money. Maybe you have been excluded because of where you live, whether that be the neighborhood, the county, the state, and so on. You may feel excluded when you can’t go on trips or participate in activities that others can.
POLITICAL
We have seen incredible divisions in our country over politics. Perhaps you have felt socially excluded or marginalized due to your political views. Perhaps you have felt pressure to keep quiet about your political views. Or you have lost friends over them.
RELIGIOUS
Maybe you have experienced social exclusion or marginalization due to your religious beliefs. Have you felt like an outcast in society because of your religion? Have you lost friends or not been invited to things because of your faith? Maybe you didn’t get a certain job because of what you believe. This may not be as common in Western societies as in other places. But it can happen.
PERSECUTION
In fact, many believe that religious persecution, especially persecution of Christians, doesn’t even happen in Western societies. I have gotten into arguments over this topic actually. They believe that because we don’t face death for our beliefs in this country that persecution of Christians just doesn’t happen. But persecution doesn’t necessarily mean death. There are all forms of persecution. Webster’s defines persecution as “harassment or bad treatment based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation”. The Oxford Dictionary defines persecution as “hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs”. Neither of these things say that you have to die in order for it to be persecution. In fact, neither of them even says that it has to be something physical that happens to you. Persecution of Christians does happen in this country, and it is happening now. I have experienced it. Part of the reason it does occur in the Western world is due to our complacency, but that is sermon for another day. Today, I want to keep the focus on social exclusion and social marginalization due to our faith.
SOCIAL EXCLUSION
Social exclusion and social marginalization can be forms of persecution. And “it is rare for Christians to live obediently even in the Western world without experiencing some kind of social exclusion at some point in their lives or at some level of existence – even if it does not go as far as outright persecution.”[i] While we may not experience torture or martyrdom, we may experience things like loss of friends, prevention of career advancements, and so on. At some point in our lives, if we are living faithfully, we will find that our faith in Christ jeopardizes some element or dimensions of our earthly life, whether it be physical, material, economic, social, etc.
1 PETER
And that is exactly who Peter was writing to in 1 Peter: those who were socially disenfranchised for their Christian faith. Read with me the opening of 1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV).
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Now the opening of Peter’s letter had the typical 3 elements of an ancient letter: the sender, the addressee, and a bit about the purpose. So, let’s examine this a bit.
THE ADDRESSEE
Now, I already told you that the people that Peter was writing to were excluded, because they were Christians. It would have been a mixture of both Jewish and Gentile converts, though mostly Gentile converts. Because Peter freely uses the Old Testament, it is thought that these Gentile converts would have been trained in the Torah as well, perhaps Jewish proselytes that converted to Christianity.
However, they were actually socially excluded on two levels. Peter was writing to people who were outcasts because of both their social situation as well as their spiritual beliefs. They were exiles, a people without a country, scattered throughout the land that we know of today as Turkey. They were aliens who did not have the full rights and protections of citizenship. They belonged already to the lower social and economic classes, not because of their religious beliefs, but simply because of their social situation. They were poor but hardworking people that just had a tough lot in life.
THE SENDER
Peter is the writer of this letter. Peter really doesn’t need much of an introduction. He was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He was part of the inner circle, a close friend of Jesus. Peter does not have to defend his authority like Paul does in his letters. Peter is well-known as an associate of Jesus and a leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem. He is known to be outspoken and brash. Peter was the preacher on the Day of Pentecost. He also had a vibrant ministry in Rome that had such a lasting impact to today. The entire Roman Catholic church is founded on Peter’s ministry to Rome.
It is just a few simple words, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,” but there is such power and authority behind those words. Could you imagine the reaction those simple words would have caused? Here I am, someone who is the lowest of the low in society getting a letter from Peter! He wasn’t writing about them. He wasn’t writing to other Christians to help them. He was writing directly to them.
THE PURPOSE
That brings us to the purpose. Why was Peter writing to them? Peter is reaching out to these scattered exiles to remind them of three things.
First, Peter is reminding the Christians of their identity. They are “God’s elect” who were “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” Basically, the Christians are God’s people, called by God. Their primary identity is being a part of God’s family. It is not whatever race, nationality, gender, or class they are. They are a child of God, made in God’s image, chosen by God.
Second, Peter is reminding the Christians of their sanctification through the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people teach that sanctification only occurs after conversion or justification, but that is not biblical. Peter speaks of the sanctifying work as something already in progress and still in progress. It is an on-going, lifelong process. Sanctification involves the initial repentance and separation from sin, spiritual formation and spiritual growth of becoming more holy and righteous throughout life, and the final act of God when God brings His people into complete holiness for all of eternity. It is an all-encompassing process.
Third, Peter is reminding the Christians of their purpose. They called to follow Jesus Christ. They are called to a life of obedience to live for Him. Jesus gave His life, His blood so that they could have life. We are called to be children of God, which brings it full circle back to their identity.
LIFE TODAY
Peter’s words still ring true today. As Christians, our primary identity is found in God. We are made in His image, and we are His children. Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit is still an on-going process. The Holy Spirit is still actively working on our hearts, souls, and minds today. And finally, our purpose is found in following Jesus Christ. We need to be engaging constantly and consistently with building our relationship with Jesus and living according to His will.
Whenever we are feeling alone, excluded, or like an outcast, we need to remember who we are. We need to act as Christians in a Christian manner, understanding that our identity is found in God, not our social groups or situations. And no matter what happens in our social, economic, or political situations, we can remember that we are in God’s hands. God is above it all.
STAY TUNED…
Over the next several weeks, we will be exploring the rest of Peter’s letter. 1 Peter has 3 major themes running throughout it: salvation, the Church, and Christian life. I hope that you join us. Take some time to read through 1 Peter Chapter 1 this week. Next week, I will be focusing on 1 Peter 1:3-12. I hope that you have a wonderful week!
[i] McKnight, S. (1996). 1 Peter (pp. 17–83). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
Introduction to 1 Peter
Lectionary Readings for April 26, 2020
- Acts 2:14, 36-41
- Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19
- 1 Peter 1:17-23
- Luke 24:13-35
Sermon – 1 Peter 1:1-2
Are you alone?
Let me rephrase that. Are you lonely?
Because there is a difference between solitude and loneliness. One is by choice, but the other may not be.
Now, in this time of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, some of us may be finding the loneliness to be a bit more overwhelming than usual. But I am not just talking about being apart from friends or not having any.
Do you feel like an outcast or have you ever? Have you ever felt socially excluded for one reason or another?
And there is a myriad of reasons that you could have felt socially excluded or marginalized.
SOCIAL
It could have been for social reasons. You don’t hang out with the cool kids or have questionable associates. You are judged by the friends and people you hang out with, the activities that you participate in, and the places you go. Perhaps you are marginalized because of who your related to, like when a younger sibling is compared to an older sibling or your parents are known for doing something.
IDENTITY
Or maybe people just think you are the weird one. Perhaps you have been excluded because of your own identity. You have felt or have been marginalized because of who you are or who people think you are, whether it is your race, appearance, gender, behavior, successes, failures, etc. Maybe you have been left out of things because of a physical limitation or some other disability.
ECONOMIC
Maybe you have been socially excluded or felt marginalized due to economic reasons. You and your family don’t make enough money, or you make too much money. Maybe you have been excluded because of where you live, whether that be the neighborhood, the county, the state, and so on. You may feel excluded when you can’t go on trips or participate in activities that others can.
POLITICAL
We have seen incredible divisions in our country over politics. Perhaps you have felt socially excluded or marginalized due to your political views. Perhaps you have felt pressure to keep quiet about your political views. Or you have lost friends over them.
RELIGIOUS
Maybe you have experienced social exclusion or marginalization due to your religious beliefs. Have you felt like an outcast in society because of your religion? Have you lost friends or not been invited to things because of your faith? Maybe you didn’t get a certain job because of what you believe. This may not be as common in Western societies as in other places. But it can happen.
PERSECUTION
In fact, many believe that religious persecution, especially persecution of Christians, doesn’t even happen in Western societies. I have gotten into arguments over this topic actually. They believe that because we don’t face death for our beliefs in this country that persecution of Christians just doesn’t happen. But persecution doesn’t necessarily mean death. There are all forms of persecution. Webster’s defines persecution as “harassment or bad treatment based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation”. The Oxford Dictionary defines persecution as “hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs”. Neither of these things say that you have to die in order for it to be persecution. In fact, neither of them even says that it has to be something physical that happens to you. Persecution of Christians does happen in this country, and it is happening now. I have experienced it. Part of the reason it does occur in the Western world is due to our complacency, but that is sermon for another day. Today, I want to keep the focus on social exclusion and social marginalization due to our faith.
SOCIAL EXCLUSION
Social exclusion and social marginalization can be forms of persecution. And “it is rare for Christians to live obediently even in the Western world without experiencing some kind of social exclusion at some point in their lives or at some level of existence – even if it does not go as far as outright persecution.”
1 PETER
And that is exactly who Peter was writing to in 1 Peter: those who were socially disenfranchised for their Christian faith. Read with me the opening of 1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV).
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Now the opening of Peter’s letter had the typical 3 elements of an ancient letter: the sender, the addressee, and a bit about the purpose. So, let’s examine this a bit.
THE ADDRESSEE
Now, I already told you that the people that Peter was writing to were excluded, because they were Christians. It would have been a mixture of both Jewish and Gentile converts, though mostly Gentile converts. Because Peter freely uses the Old Testament, it is thought that these Gentile converts would have been trained in the Torah as well, perhaps Jewish proselytes that converted to Christianity.
However, they were actually socially excluded on two levels. Peter was writing to people who were outcasts because of both their social situation as well as their spiritual beliefs. They were exiles, a people without a country, scattered throughout the land that we know of today as Turkey. They were aliens who did not have the full rights and protections of citizenship. They belonged already to the lower social and economic classes, not because of their religious beliefs, but simply because of their social situation. They were poor but hardworking people that just had a tough lot in life.
THE SENDER
Peter is the writer of this letter. Peter really doesn’t need much of an introduction. He was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He was part of the inner circle, a close friend of Jesus. Peter does not have to defend his authority like Paul does in his letters. Peter is well-known as an associate of Jesus and a leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem. He is known to be outspoken and brash. Peter was the preacher on the Day of Pentecost. He also had a vibrant ministry in Rome that had such a lasting impact to today. The entire Roman Catholic church is founded on Peter’s ministry to Rome.
It is just a few simple words, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,” but there is such power and authority behind those words. Could you imagine the reaction those simple words would have caused? Here I am, someone who is the lowest of the low in society getting a letter from Peter! He wasn’t writing about them. He wasn’t writing to other Christians to help them. He was writing directly to them.
THE PURPOSE
That brings us to the purpose. Why was Peter writing to them? Peter is reaching out to these scattered exiles to remind them of three things.
First, Peter is reminding the Christians of their identity. They are “God’s elect” who were “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” Basically, the Christians are God’s people, called by God. Their primary identity is being a part of God’s family. It is not whatever race, nationality, gender, or class they are. They are a child of God, made in God’s image, chosen by God.
Second, Peter is reminding the Christians of their sanctification through the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people teach that sanctification only occurs after conversion or justification, but that is not biblical. Peter speaks of the sanctifying work as something already in progress and still in progress. It is an on-going, lifelong process. Sanctification involves the initial repentance and separation from sin, spiritual formation and spiritual growth of becoming more holy and righteous throughout life, and the final act of God when God brings His people into complete holiness for all of eternity. It is an all-encompassing process.
Third, Peter is reminding the Christians of their purpose. They called to follow Jesus Christ. They are called to a life of obedience to live for Him. Jesus gave His life, His blood so that they could have life. We are called to be children of God, which brings it full circle back to their identity.
LIFE TODAY
Peter’s words still ring true today. As Christians, our primary identity is found in God. We are made in His image, and we are His children. Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit is still an on-going process. The Holy Spirit is still actively working on our hearts, souls, and minds today. And finally, our purpose is found in following Jesus Christ. We need to be engaging constantly and consistently with building our relationship with Jesus and living according to His will.
Whenever we are feeling alone, excluded, or like an outcast, we need to remember who we are. We need to act as Christians in a Christian manner, understanding that our identity is found in God, not our social groups or situations. And no matter what happens in our social, economic, or political situations, we can remember that we are in God’s hands. God is above it all.
STAY TUNED…
Over the next several weeks, we will be exploring the rest of Peter’s letter. 1 Peter has 3 major themes running throughout it: salvation, the Church, and Christian life. I hope that you join us. Take some time to read through 1 Peter Chapter 1 this week. Next week, I will be focusing on 1 Peter 1:3-12. I hope that you have a wonderful week!