Elect Exiles (1 Peter 1:1-9, 13)
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 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. (1 Peter 1:1-2, ESV)
To the elect exiles. Wherever Peter’s audience was—Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, or Bithynia, all part of modern-day Turkey—they were exiles from their true home. Throughout Scripture, we’re reminded of this fact of our exile. I think God wants us to remember it! We are like the Jewish people, exiled from their home, but God has promised to bring us home to be with Him. Jesus told his disciples before his crucifixion,
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:18)
We experience both the present indwelling of Christ through His Holy Spirit and we have the promised hope of Jesus’ return in the future. Though our lives today might be “grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6), we rejoice. Though we have not seen Christ (1:8), we love him.
Our lives should be defined by this future expectation and hope:
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. (1 Peter 1:13)
How often do you think of the return of Jesus and of the New Kingdom? I think that the authors of Scripture thought about it a lot. Paul says that even creation is waiting for it with “eager longing” (Romans 8:19, cf. 23). How much moreso, then, should we? What will it be like? What will be different?
Pastor Matt loves the Lord of the Rings. I love the Chronicles of Narnia. Yeah, it has its faults, but it’s pretty awesome. In the last book of this allegory for the great story of Scripture, The Last Battle, one character describes his feelings at returning to his true home:
The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
It was the Unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right forehoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried: “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this… Come further up, come further in!
We’re going home.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 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. (1 Peter 1:1-2, ESV)
To the elect exiles. Wherever Peter’s audience was—Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, or Bithynia, all part of modern-day Turkey—they were exiles from their true home. Throughout Scripture, we’re reminded of this fact of our exile. I think God wants us to remember it! We are like the Jewish people, exiled from their home, but God has promised to bring us home to be with Him. Jesus told his disciples before his crucifixion,
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:18)
We experience both the present indwelling of Christ through His Holy Spirit and we have the promised hope of Jesus’ return in the future. Though our lives today might be “grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6), we rejoice. Though we have not seen Christ (1:8), we love him.
Our lives should be defined by this future expectation and hope:
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. (1 Peter 1:13)
How often do you think of the return of Jesus and of the New Kingdom? I think that the authors of Scripture thought about it a lot. Paul says that even creation is waiting for it with “eager longing” (Romans 8:19, cf. 23). How much moreso, then, should we? What will it be like? What will be different?
Pastor Matt loves the Lord of the Rings. I love the Chronicles of Narnia. Yeah, it has its faults, but it’s pretty awesome. In the last book of this allegory for the great story of Scripture, The Last Battle, one character describes his feelings at returning to his true home:
The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
It was the Unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right forehoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried: “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this… Come further up, come further in!
We’re going home.
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