Notes 1st Peter Lesson 1
I. V.2 and the cause of our inheritance.
A. It was because of God's mercy.
B. We are born again on the basis of the Resurrection.
C. It it is the work of the Spirit to bring about obedience.
E. In order that we may be sprinkled with blood.
F. So that grace may be ours in the fullest measure..
II. V. 3.-5 We ought to give thinks to God because of His mercy.
A. That is the reason we are born again.
B. We now have a living hope through the resurrection.
C. An inheritance which is imperishable.
a. Undefiled.
b. It will not fade away.
c. It is reserved for us in "heaven."
d. Our in inheritance is protected by the power of God.
e. This salvation will be revealed to those of faith, in the last time.
III. V. 6 - 9 Suffering is cause to rejoice.
a. It will only last a little while.
b. How one endures will be the proof of faith.
c. Your faith is more precious than things of this earth.
d. You have been tested by fire.
e. All of this allows you to give praise, glory and honor to Jesus Christ.
f. It is an amazing faith, that lets us rejoice, even when we have not seen the Lord.
g. The outcome of this faith will be the salvation of our souls.
IV. Vs. 10-12. So what about this Salvation we are speaking about.
1. Salvation and Grace from the forgiveness of sins to eternal glory.
a. They predicted the Person of Christ, His eternal preexistence and His deity. Isa. 9:6 and Micah 5:2.
b. Time of His birth: Roman Empire - Daniel 2:44
c. His place of birth - Bethlehem. Micah 5:2
d. Lineage of His birth. Son of David. 2nd Samuel 7:12; 16 and Psalms 89:3.
e. Perfect character of life. Isa. 11:1-6 and 53: 9,11.
f. The wisdom of His teaching. Isa. 11: 1-2
g Miraculous works. Isa. 35:5f; 61:1ff
h. The suffering of Christ.
(1) Betrayed by a close friend for 30 pieces of silver. Psa. 41:9, Jn. 13: 18 and Zech. 11:12
(2) Silenced during his trial. Isa. 53:7
(3) His crucifixion. Pierced hands and feet when crucifixion was not used. Psalms 22:16 and Zech.
i. His atoning death. Isa. 53: 5-6, 11-12.
j. Dividing lots for His clothes. Psa. 22:18
k. His death with the wicked. Isa. 53:9
l. His burial with the rich. Isa. 53:9.
2 Yes, the prophets wanted to know.
1. What person.
2. What time.
(3) It was the "Spirit of Christ within them" that predicted His suffering and the glories to follow.
(4). They were told that they were not serving themselves, but you (us) and;
(5) We heard these things when the gospel was preached.
Some Comments about Prophetic Odds.
c. Odds of 8 prophecies of Christ's suffering being fulfilled in one person: 1 to 10 to the 17th power. This number would be 1 with 17 zeros after it. This number of silver dollars would cover the entire state of Texas 2 feet deep. Mark one of those silver dollars with an X and scatter it among the myriads of coins over Texas. The odds of your selecting at random on the first try that coin marked with an X is the odds for these prophecies to be fulfilled in one person. Evidence that demands a verdict by, McDowell, p. 167.
d. Odds of 48 prophecies of Christ's being fulfilled in one person: 1 to 10 to the 157th power or one with 157 zeros after it. Evidence that Demands a Verdict, p. 167. To see the enormity of this number imagine that the earth has 100 billion people living on it (it actually has about 5 billion it). Guess how many earths of 100 billion inhabitants it would take to total 10 to the 157th power? What if the galaxy contained a hundred trillion earths, each with 100 billion people? One hundred trillion times one hundred billion will be only 10 to the 25th power. Not, lets assume that our universe has 100 trillion (1 with 14 zeros after it) galaxies, each with a hundred trillion earths each with a 100 billion people. This would still be only 10 to the 39th power. A hundred trillion universes, each with 100 trillion galaxies, each with a hundred trillion planets, each with a billion people will still only 10 to the 53rd power. Now what do you think the chances are of predicting 48 specific items of the nature of the Biblical prophecies about Christ and they being fulfilled in one person? If we had the people in 100 universes, each with 100 trillion galaxies, each with 100 trillion earths, each with 100 billion inhabitants, there would not be enough people to find that one person. And yet, this has already happened. The only answer is that the Bible is God's Word, that Jesus is God's son and that the Bible promise of our eternal inheritance is just as certain as the more than 200 prophecies already fulfilled in Jesus.
A. The Apostolic Proclamation of the Gospel. 1:12
(1) The Apostles were eyewitnesses of what they proclaim. Such historical testimony by such men of integrity gives us assurance of the truthfulness of their record. 2 Peter 1:16-19.
(2) The Holy Spirit guaranteed the truth of what the apostles taught: "by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven." Jn. 14:26.
(3) Angelic attention accompanies their proclamation: "things into which angels long to look." The angels were used to do the will of God with both the prophets and the apostles (Rev. 17:1-18). We are now a little lower than the angles (Heb. 2:5-10) but one day will be placed over the angels. (see 1st Cor. 11:10)
B. V. 13 - 16 So, now we ought to "Prepare Our minds."
a. We must keep sober (temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.)
b. Our hope must be fixed on the Lord' coming. See 1st Peter 1:7.
c. If we are obedient, then we are not conformed to lust.
d. If we are obedient, then we are not ignorant.
e. Then to be obedient is to control our lust and not be ignorant.
f. The if my syllogism is correct, our primary duty is to "Obey."
g. We are children of transformation.
h. We must be Holy. "Holy as I am Holy." Lev. 18-20. See what holiness means as defined by God and not me.
C. Vs. 17-23 - The great conditional clause. IF.
a. God will judge us according to our works.
b. We then must conduct ourselves with fear (reverence)
c. We only have a little time on this earth. v. 17
(1) Our worth cannot be measured.
(2) We were not bought back with Gold or silver.
(3) Leviticus Chapter 25 and the year of Jubilee.
(4) Exodus the 12th Chapter and the Passover.
d. Before the cosmos was founded all of this was planned.
(1) In this last time, these plans came to fruition. Now we have believers in God through Christ.
(2) And all of this is because of the resurrection.
e. How do we purify our souls. Obey the truth. v. 22.
(1) Love the brethren
(2) from the heart.
f. Because - we have been born again by the Word of God.
D. vs. 24-25. The Word of God will not fail us.
a. It isn't like the grass that withers
b. It isn't like the flower that dies.
c. This is the Word that was Preached to you.
Chapter 2: 1-3 The Trespass Offering.
A Summary of the Chapter.
Peter writes to those who are not at home on this earth. They were chosen based on God's foreknowledge because of His great mercy and love.
This people were born again, (1st Peter 3:21), through and by the resurrection of Christ Jesus. Those who are born again have a imperishable, undelfied and a non-fading inheritance. This is reserved in heaven by the power of God.
But, they must suffer yet for a little while. This suffering will be proof of their faith. The outcome of this suffering again is salvation.
It was this salvation and grace that the prophets testified about. They wanted to know about the things that were hidden from them. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but us. Even the angels wanted to know about these things.
So, we ought to be prepared. Out time on earth is very short. A dear price has already been paid for us. The blood of Christ.
We were born again with the Word of God and that Word will last forever. It does not perish like the flowers or grass.
We must change our behavior and long for the pure milk of the word. It is this that will help us grow in respect to our salvation. All of this is because we have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
We are saved by God's grace and mercy.
We have been promised an inheritance, not on this earth but in heaven.
If we must suffer for a little while, God sees that as proof of our
faith.
We are the end product or results as to what the prophets prophesied about.
Prepare our minds and remember the price that was paid for us.
We will soon have life eternal and so is the Word of God.
by Lane Rogers