This Is Temporary

Introduction

They had heard the message. It was a message which spoke of sacrifice, commitment, and death. They had been looking for the one who was to come and this one who spoke was forceful and certain. He spoke of the one who claimed to be the Messiah. And with great conviction he spoke of this one who had died, was buried, and was raised from the dead. They believed. They demonstrated their faith in baptism. They were so joyful. But it didn’t take long for unbelievers to begin to tear at their spiritual convictions. These unbelievers were not content to not believe but insisted that believers deny their new faith. And within weeks, these new believers were being scattered throughout the world. They were forced to leave Jerusalem and return to their home.

Perhaps this is the way it began. Perhaps it was that these new believers from Pontus, Cappadocia, and Asia were in the audience on that day in Acts 2. Perhaps they heard Peter speak. Perhaps it was his message which convicted them of their sin and that Jesus was indeed who he claimed to be. Whatever the connection, Peter writes to believers in the area of what is today Turkey. He writes for one main purpose: this world is temporary. You are strangers and aliens in this world. Do not give up your heavenly citizenship in order to avoid suffering in this world. As he writes in 5:12, “With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.” That’s his purpose.

Peter’s readers were suffering. Slandered, maligned, socially ostracized, jobs lost, families destroyed. These believers have begun to question the wisdom of their faith. And they need to know how they are to respond to all of these trials and the suffering. Peter addresses their concerns and gives them practical spiritual direction about how to conduct their lives as strangers in this world. Over the next several weeks, Dwight and I will enter 1 & 2 Peter with you and try to understand God’s wisdom for those first century believers and God’s principles for living in our world as well. While cultures and situations change, we are still encouraged to understand that this world is temporary. Temporary suffering will be replaced with eternal salvation.

The Text

In the first two verses, Peter expresses the important values of these early believers. He calls them God’s elect and strangers in this world. From the beginning he establishes that God’s people and the world are diametrically opposed to each other. But he also establishes that God is directing this process. Through his ability to know the future before the future unfolds, God chose his people. Those he chose were chosen for holiness. This holiness was possible because of the work of the Holy Spirit. This holiness was to lead to obedience to Jesus for he is the originator of the new covenant with God.

From the start, Peter reminds his readers of who they are in relationship to God—chosen; how that relationship is possible—holiness through the Spirit’s work; and the purpose of this relationship—obedience to Jesus. But Peter isn’t through defining their spiritual lives. In verse 3, Peter says they have a new birth that brings hope which is based on the resurrection. This new birth gives us a new identity. It brings us into a new family. It is Jesus’ being raised from the dead which gives sense to what is going on in this world. It is the resurrection which speaks of great hope for us as we live in this temporary world. Because of the resurrection we know there is a great inheritance to come. This great inheritance is being kept for us until our own death. We look forward to heaven, but in the meantime there is suffering to go through.

But this suffering is not without meaning. This suffering demonstrates that we are living for God. This suffering results in praise for the one who gave his life for us. And this suffering demonstrates that the heavenly salvation is truly waiting for us. In verses 10-12, Peter concludes with an interesting section. The prophets spoke of a time to come when God’s chosen one, Jesus, would bring such a salvation. They spoke by the power of the Holy Spirit. As he, the Spirit provided words for the prophets, their words pointed to Jesus. These prophets predicted that Jesus would suffer. The same Holy Spirit which gave words to the prophets brought the gospel to these believers. It is the same message. It was a message of Jesus’ suffering, his death, and his resurrection. Peter says even the angels just like the prophets longed to see and understand the message about Jesus. These believers had greater understanding and insight than the prophets or the angels because they lived after the cross rather than before it. Peter’s point is clear—look at who you are in relationship to God. Look at how the Spirit is leading you to holiness and obedience to Jesus. Realize that the sufferings confirm your faith and validate your eternal salvation. These would have been important words to these initial readers. But what about us? What impact do they have on us?

So What?

Peter seems to have little to say to us. After all while we may not be endorsed in our faith by our culture neither is it extremely hostile towards us. In some ways this acceptance deceives us. This tolerance may lead us to think that there is no need to take a stand. Those to whom Peter wrote were suffering because they were living by different priorities, values, and allegiances than their neighbors. These differences were noticeable. These differences made their neighbors uncomfortable enough that they heaped abuse on them. Are we willing to suffer alienation from our culture out of obedience to Christ? I fear that we who call ourselves believers are not very distinguishable from unbelievers. We divorce at the same rate. We have the same addictions. We seek the same forms of entertainment without question. We try to dress just like everyone else even if it is immodest.

Peter challenges us to look at the values that we are accepting in our own lives. We are not living as strangers and foreigners. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves (Mark 8:34). Somehow we have twisted Jesus’ call to mean that we are to avoid pain and suffering at all costs. Doesn’t Jesus mean that it is better for us to suffer unfulfilled desires than to sin? We lie to avoid the consequences of truth. We cheat on an exam to avoid suffering the loss of reputation or the consequences of failure. We engage in sexual sin to avoid the suffering which comes from having physical wants unmet.

We must see our lives as a culture within a culture. We are strangers in this very temporary world. Do not avoid suffering for comfort. Do not exchange the immediate pleasures of this world for eternal salvation. We wear a different name. We have been called to obedience. Let us hear and obey.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.