For God so loved the world, mankind, He sent His Son into the world...
John 1:1-5, 9-14
John 1:10 world 2889 Kosmos - the created order - the circle on which we dwell, the abode of mankind
● The inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race
● Specifically, to make an appearance or come into existence among men - spoken of the light Jesus shone upon men
● To dwell among men
John 1:14 Dwelled, or took up His residence with us - as in a tent - to pitch or live in a tent, among us
● For the Christian - dwelling is in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ - even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh (Jn 1:14)
John 17:6-26
In the world, not of the world
John 15:19 “If you were of, or belonged to, the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you are not of, do belong to, the world (I have chosen you out of the world). That is why the world hates you”
John 17:15 “my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
1John 5:19 “we know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.”
1Peter 1:1 “1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
“Simon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ”
● Peter, the reinstated shepherd commissioned to the work of shepherding the church (John 21; 1Peter 5)
● Clothed with humility
● Humble recognition of his position and posture before Jesus
○ A bond-slave - sees himself as one who
■ Belongs to another
■ Without any ownership rights of his own
■ This is a title used with the highest dignity - of believers who willingly live under Christ’s authority as His devoted followers
■ Seeing himself, first, as no different than any other believer - in value or stature
...and yet, sees his role and responsibility clearly
○ Apostle
“To God’s elect…” - 2Peter 1: “To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with, as precious as, ours…”
● Emphasizes equality among the saints
...exiles…”
● sojourning in a strange place; residing in a strange country; stranger; a foreigner, not attached to this place, but here for a time
○ As Jesus came and pitched a tent to dwell
○ So we now, pitch a tent
● Close beside the world
● An active relationship with those in and of the world
● Due to current circumstances as “earth bound”
● Left here on purpose - to minister - the gospel
scattered throughout…” - like seed by the sower
● Thoroughly scattered
● Distributed widely
1Peter 1:2 “...through sanctifying work of the Spirit…”
● Chosen from the world - a people of God’s own
● Set apart by the Spirit for the purpose - to love God and do what God does
● ...and that by Jesus - “Go!! Join Me, and go!”
1Peter 1:3-9 - Value: A faith as precious as ours
● Exuberance: The two sides of joy: Salvation and suffering
○ Joy of the Lord IS strength?
○ Why choose the word exuberance to describe what Peter is describing and exhorting?
● Jesus revealed: our testimony in trying times
○ Joy I’m suffering
○ Trusted outcome
○ Faithful Father
● The salvation of our souls: the hope that we have (later
1Peter 1:13 “...with minds that are alert and fully sober, set you hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus is revealed”
● Ready for action - girded - “tuck and run”
● Sober - not intoxicated - Eph 5:18
● Set your hope on Jesus’ grace - the expected outcome of your faith
● Set yourself apart as God has already set you apart!!
● Go, undeterred… shrewdly - wise as serpents, innocent as doves
1Peter 1:15-16 “15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””
● different (unlike), other ("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world."
1Peter 1:22 “22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
● Purified yourself by loving God and obeying thus producing a sincere love
● Now love one another - deeply, from the heart
1Peter 1:23-25 this world will perish, and our bodies may perish, but God’s word endures forever - as will you - because it is God’s word planted in you that bears the fruit of righteousness…
● James 1:21 “...humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
● Ephesians 1:13 “And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit…”
Seed Scattered
Mark 4:1-20 - as the kingdom moves forward through us, by us
Acts 8:26-40 - as the kingdom moves forward through me
