1 Peter 2:4-12

We, as Christ-followers, are a holy priesthood and are servants of Him.  He is changing us and molding us all the time, which is awesome.  He also is letting us work for Him in this world that is so out-of-whack.  With this in mind - we are to be waging war against ourselves and letting Him lead us in what should change.

1 Peter 2:1-3

I don't want to sound like a broken record - but I am not sure who is reading this so I need to be sure to communicate this well.  We need to change!  We, because of the grace that covers all sin and every evil thing, need to walk with Him and let Him lead us.  This does not give us more grace or more salvation, but is just the right response to a gift in this way.  One must never miss this in all these books.  So, when Peter tells us to rid ourselves of all evil, malice, etc he is not doing so to help us "be better before God" or to act a certain way for the sake of our reputations.  He wants us to be free because we are.  He wants us to stop doing these things because they rob others of joy and do not show grace to others.

Let me tell it a different way.  Perhaps you have read Matthew 18:21-35, but if not, please read it really quickly. Now do you see what I am talking about?  God gave us grace, so our lives should be in such a way that we show grace to others - that would eliminate most malice in our lives.  Because God forgave us and gave us grace, we must not rob others of the joy He can give them too.  And now, we bear the mark; we are ambassadors; we are servants of Him and must live like it.

1 Peter 1:13-25

Here's the crazy thing about grace: it changes everything.  This is what Peter is saying.  Once we know about it, we can't live the same way.  We are ignorant and foolish in our sinful lives.  We do what we want, are prideful, mistaken and, well, broken.  We know we need more, but we just search for it more and more.  We look for happiness in all the wrong places and we grow in our foolishness.  Then we find the answer, are filled and fixed - given a chance to live hopeful and peaceful lives.  With this we cannot stay the same.  Therefore grace is free but costs us our whole lives.  Now we need to live differently, holy - as He is.  We give up our hopes, dreams and lives and He gives us them back, renewed and different.  Our hopes and dreams may be the same, but with a new focus and purpose.  Surrender to Him all that you have and see what God is going to do.

1 Peter 1:3-12

There is no excuse - a Christian cannot be without joy.  Even trials cannot take away the joy and experience that our savior, Jesus Christ, came, lived, died and rose again for us all - and this is personal to you and I (if you believe)!  This is something that surprises me.  There are so many who act as if this life is all there is.  They act as if everything is crushing them and making them collapse.  We have a hope that is bigger than this.  We have a promise that sustains it all.  Live out this promise today!

1 Peter 1:1-2

This is a typical beginning to a letter where the recipients have been scattered and are now living far from where they originate.  Peter is using this method, which shows he is speaking of Jews in other lands, specifically Asia Minor, and helping them along in their faith.  This is similar to Paul’s mission – only Paul was more mindful of the Gentile (not of Jewish descent) believers, while Peter was more mindful of those that were Jewish in blood (circumcised, living by the law, etc) and possibly were Jewish in faith as well.

One thing that can be hard to understand, but something that will help with understanding the Bible is that there are two ways in which one can be “Jewish.”  Most of the time, in the New Testament, when one is called “Jewish” it means that they have Abraham to claim as their “father.”  This means that they can trace their lineage to him and therefore are a member of God’s chosen nation – Israel – by blood and birthright.  

This means that they harbor a long history of rebellion and disbelief with God, followed by periods of following Him and getting things together and growing in their deep faith of Him.  This is partly due to the name, Israel, which means, literally, “wrestles with God.”  Moses was Jewish, as was virtually everyone in the Old Testament worth writing about (btw – who are some non-Jewish heroes?).  As a people, they also believe, as they were told, that the Messiah would be from their people.  We as Christians believe He has already come, Jesus, and has freed this world from its normal pattern.  Amen.  Also, this means one can be “Jewish” (bloodline) and not believe in God at all – as the nation of Israel today is secular.  Claiming to be Jewish (or Israeli) is no different from us saying, “I am American” (or German, Irish, Tutu, Chinese, etc).  When I say, “American” I do not consider that to be a religious statement – so we have to figure out which one is being given to us.  Is the person talking about a people group…

Or a religious group, which is the second meaning.  You could say you are Jewish and this means that you actually believe the Jewish faith.  You read the Tanakh (Jewish Scripture – basically our Old Testament), follow the law, practice the feasts and celebrations and mourn that the Messiah hasn’t come along with the destruction of the temple.  A person who is Jewish does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah and a whole host of other things.  If you hear someone say, “I am a Messianic Jew” that means they believe that Jesus is Messiah and are 1)following Him while being of Jewish descent and/or 2)are still practicing many Jewish customs within the freedom Christ has afforded through His blood.

Now that you are thoroughly bored or confused – which “Jewish” people is Peter writing to?  For one, they are “The Chosen” which shows that they, in Peter’s writings, believe that Jesus is Messiah.  They are Messianic Jews of some kind.  We also see this by Peter’s statement – “grace and peace to you” as they are now free from the law and are saved by grace, not works.  What gives you your salvation?  Do you trust that being good will get you in?  Sorry, this is not how it works.  We must fall into the arms of Him who died on our behalf.  Grace and peace to you – and more to come in the days ahead as we dive into Peter’s letter to the scattered.

1 John 5:13-21

This is basically the conclusion of the letter John has written.  Much of the same material we have read before comes out again.  We have eternal life - God hears us when we pray.  One of the things I have been struggling with recently is the "according to His will" part.  This is an ongoing struggle in my life and mind for years now.  How do you read it?  What do that mean to you?

Some of us run to "what is the will of God?" and others of us use it as an easy answer when things don't go our way.  Have you ever had something you really wanted not happen?  Did you pray about it?  Did it comfort you to know it "wasn't in His will?"  I don't know that it helps that much.  However, I do know that those who have a close relationship with God (see earlier posts) have a better sense of understanding these things.  We should be chasing after this - and let the rest just happen.  How great would it be to pray and know what God wants to do?  (btw - come to Districts this year cause we are talking about this stuff)?  I want that - so I am chasing after God in this amazing relationship with Him.

Oh, and keep yourselves from idols.  This seems an odd ending, don't you think?

1 John 5:1-12

What if I told you that following God brings life?  Many of us think that God is going to destroy our lives and make things different.  Somehow we believe that change is the worst thing - or that our lives are just fine as they are.

At least one implication I see in this passage is that we are meant to change - and to have real life!  Verses 11-12 here show us that Jesus alone gives life - eternal life.  The earlier verses show us what aspects of life Jesus affects - all of them!  Jesus came, lived and showed us how so that we might really live and have it to the full.  It is not change for the sake of changing or different so that we can be weird.  It is these things because we are broken, ruined vessels that bear His image and need to be redeemed into what He wants.  It is our redemption that leads us to change - that leads us to love.  How are you living your redemption on a daily basis?

1 John 4:7-21

As I read this passage, I see two things that help define a true believer in Christ: 1)the love that a believer has for God and others and 2)a dependence upon the Holy Spirit.  God loved us – He gave His son as a sacrifice and gives the Holy Spirit to those that believe in His Son.  Now because of His love, we love Him and therefore love one another.  This should be the thing that separates Christians from the world: our love.  Let me ask: How loving are you?  How dependent on the Holy Spirit are you?