Peter

Q: What does the Bible say about the elect?

The Bible teaches that the elect are chosen by God according to His foreknowledge and through the sanctification of the Spirit. The concept of the elect is rooted deeply in Scripture, notably in 1 Peter 1:1-2, where Peter addresses his audience as 'elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.' This phrase indicates that God's choice of His people is not random but intentional, based on His perfect and sovereign will. The term 'elect' points to God's foreknowledge and His active role in salvation, emphasizing that believers are chosen to be in a special relationship with Him. This concept is further supported in Ephesians 1:4-5 where Paul writes, 'He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.' Thus, the elect are those whom God has foreordained to receive His grace and ultimately salvation.

Q: How do we know God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

God's sovereignty in salvation is affirmed throughout Scripture, highlighting that salvation is entirely the work of God. The sovereignty of God in salvation is a foundational doctrine in Reformed theology, firmly established in passages such as Romans 8:28-30, which outlines the golden chain of redemption: 'For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.' This indicates that God actively orchestrates the salvation of His people from beginning to end. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we see that salvation is a gift from God, declaring that 'it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.' These scriptures underscore that human effort and merit play no role in salvation; rather, it is entirely by God's grace and His decision to choose and save His people, confirming His sovereign plan.

Q: Why is obedience important for Christians?

Obedience is crucial for Christians as it reflects our love for Christ and our transformation through the Holy Spirit. In 1 Peter 1:2, the apostle emphasizes 'obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,' highlighting that obedience is an essential response to God's grace. Obedience is not a means to earn salvation but rather an expression of our love for Christ, who declared in John 14:15, 'If you love Me, keep My commandments.' Furthermore, obedience is evidence of the transformation that occurs in believers through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, guiding us to live according to God's will, thereby demonstrating that we are indeed new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian's life marked by obedience brings glory to God and fosters peace and assurance in their faith.

Q: What does Peter's life teach us about failure and grace?

Peter's life exemplifies how God's grace is sufficient even in our failures and contradictions. Peter's life is a powerful testament to the truth that God's grace is more profound than our failures. Throughout his journey, he experienced both moments of great courage, such as proclaiming the gospel at Pentecost, and moments of severe failure, like denying Christ three times. Despite his shortcomings, Peter was restored by Jesus after the resurrection, showcasing God's readiness to forgive and restore those who falter (John 21:15-17). This narrative illustrates that our weaknesses do not disqualify us from God's love or purpose. Instead, God's grace covers our sins and empowers us to fulfill the calling He has placed on our lives. As Peter himself would later write in 1 Peter 5:10, 'But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.'

Good morning. First Peter. First Peter. Peter. An apostle. of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, five different regions in the Roman Empire, probably addressed to dozens of churches, elect according to the four knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied.

Let's pray. Lord, what a blessed privilege it is by thy grace to be enabled to open your word that you've written and the grace to believe that this is your word. How we thank you for your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, our salvation. How we thank you for the forgiveness of sins that's in him. How we thank you for the fellowship we're allowed to enjoy in your gospel. Be with all your people wherever they meet together, and Lord, let us hear from you. In Christ's name we pray, amen.

I want to begin a study of 1 Peter And this is going to be a little bit different, whatever that means, but I just want to talk about Peter to begin this study. The man, Peter. I would say that Peter is probably the New Testament figure that we can identify with more than the others. Peter, you know, through his blunders were given such great truth from the scripture. And I think all of us may identify with Peter. He was a man of great contradictions. You know anybody else like that? A man of great contradictions. A man loved by Christ.

Peter. You know, a lot of the writers of scripture, we're not given much biographical information about, we're given a lot about Peter. Let's begin with Peter being a fisherman. He was very blue collar, unlike Paul, he was very blue collar. He was the brother of Andrew, and I love it when Andrew brings him to the Lord. The Lord identifies him, thou art Peter.

He knew him already. Isn't that the truth with regard to all of God's people? He foreknew us. He's always known us. Thou art Peter, son of Jonah. Thou shalt be called Cephas, a rock, a stone. The Lord knew him. And the Lord has always known me. The Lord has always known you. If you're one of his, he's always known you. I love the way he was one of the inner circle.

Three disciples were with the Lord in a special way. Peter, James, and John. Peter's the first named in the apostles. And somebody thinks, well, I don't feel like I'm in the inner circle the way he was. Well, I don't either, but he was. And the first thing we read of him after the Lord made known unto him who he was with the fish, remember? Cast on the right side, they brought in a great load of fish. He'd said, we've been fishing all night and we've taken nothing. Nevertheless, if thou wert, we'll let out the net. And they pulled in that great haul of fishes and Peter, for the first time, understood who Jesus Christ really was. And do you remember what he said? Depart from me. I'm a sinful man, oh Lord. You don't want to have anything to do with me.

That's how Peter felt when he first saw who the Lord was. It was Peter who walked on the water. You remember when the Lord was walking on the water and Peter said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come to thee on the water. None of the other disciples asked that, but he did. And I love to think of him putting his leg over the end of the boat, the edge of the boat, getting on the water, walking toward the Lord.

And then he took his eyes off Christ. And he saw the wind boisterous, the waves, and he cried out as he began to sink, Lord, save me. And the Lord reached forth his hand and took him and said, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And that tells us what doubt is. Doubt is just not looking to him. If you're not, if I'm not looking to him, I am doubting. And that's what he was doing at that point.

And through him, we are given this valuable instruction. Peter, the next, The time we read of Peter is in Matthew chapter 16 when the Lord looked at his disciples and he said, whom do men say that I the son of man am? And they put him in some high cotton. Some say you're Jeremiah, some one of the prophets, some Elijah. And actually that was a insult to the Lord to put him in the place of men. They thought they were giving him Good statements about men. Then he said, who say ye that I am? Remember Peter's reply?

Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas. Flesh and blood didn't reveal this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven And thou art Peter, and upon this rock, this confession of me, I'll build my church. Who builds a church?

He does. And the gates of hell are not gonna prevail against it. And I think of Peter at this time, and I try to put myself in his place. My chest might be going out a little bit. Maybe it was when he was walking on the water, too. Look at me. Where's John? Where's James? I'm the only one doing this. That's when he began to sink.

Well, here, he's feeling very good about what the Lord said about him. But just in this same chapter, he says to Peter, get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an offense to me. For thou savors not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. And that's when Peter said, the Lord told him, I'm going to die. No, not so, Lord.

His death is his greatest achievement. It's his greatest glory. And Peter was saying, we don't want you dying. He was savoring the things of men. And the Lord said to him, put yourself in Peter's place. I wonder how he felt with all the disciples standing around. And the Lord said to him, get thee behind me, Satan. Well, I bet that took the wind out of his sails.

It was Peter who said, Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Seven times? He thought he was being very gracious. Seven times? And the Lord uses this to say, not 70, but 70 times seven. to give us some understanding of forgiveness. Peter thought there was a limit. The Lord says there is no limit till 70 times seven.

It was Peter who said, Lord, we've forsaken all, what's in it for us? And through this stupid statement, we're given the glorious parable of the workers in the vineyard. It was through Peter asking this, what's in it for us? What are we gonna get out of this? That's where we find out that everybody gets the exact same thing. The 12 hour workers, the one hour workers gets the exact same thing, which is Christ, which is all. Through Peter's silly statement, we're given this.

And what about the Mount of Transfiguration? The Lord appears to, Peter and James and John, the inner three on the mountain, and he's transfigured before them. His face shines as the sun, his clothing becomes white and glistening, and Moses and Elijah are speaking to him at this time, and they're watching, and then Peter answers. Nobody asked him anything, but he still answers.

It's good for us to be here. Let's make three tabernacles. He's putting Moses and Elijah on the same plane as Christ. I don't suppose anything more stupid has ever been said, and I'm not talking about an intellectual problem, but how blasphemous. Peter, how can you say that? Let's make three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, one for Elijah.

Bright cloud overshadows them and they hear the voice from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. Once again, through Peter's blunder, we're given one of the most glorious statements made by the father himself. This is my beloved son. In whom, not with whom, but in whom. If you're in him, he's well pleased with you. Hear ye, him.

During the Lord's table, the first Lord's table, he says, you're all gonna deny me. Peter says, this crowd might, but not me. I'll never deny you. I'll lay down my life for your sake. And he meant it, he meant it from the very depths of his heart. I can see these fellas denying you, but not me. Who was the one who denied him? With cursing and swearing. I know not the man.

And his conscience was screaming the whole time he was doing it, knowing that the Lord told him he would do that. in Gethsemane's garden. I don't know why the Lord points out Peter. I guess they were all sleeping, but in Gethsemane's garden, when the Lord had asked him to pray and he comes back, he says, Peter, Peter, couldn't you watch one hour with me? He doesn't say that to the others. He says it to Peter.

When the soldiers come, to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ. It was Peter who cut the ear off of the servant of the high priest. He was gonna take on the whole Roman army. That's how courageous he was at this time, and that fellow had to duck. He was trying to take off his head, and he ducked, and he only took off his ear. I mean, how else would that happen if he didn't duck?

His intention was to kill this man who was after the Lord Jesus Christ, and he manifests Some courage at that time, yet when he's before the little maid who said, you're one of with him, your speech betrays you. I can tell you're talking. That's when he began to curse and to swear and say, I know not the man. You know, the scripture says in Luke's account at that time, when he said that, the Lord looked at him. Can you imagine that look? It wasn't a look of anger. It was a look of love. The Lord looked at him and the scripture says, Peter went out and wept bitterly.

When the Lord was raised from the dead, he told those two women, you go tell my disciples and Peter. I guarantee you Peter didn't believe he was one of the disciples at this time. You make sure you tell Peter, I'm risen from the dead and I go before you to Galilee. Now, during the time that Peter actually knew the Lord was risen from the dead during that 40-day period when the Lord still walked with his disciples. It was Peter who said, I'm going fishing. Now that is spoken in such a way that he's not talking about a one-time thing.

I'm going back to being a fisherman. I've had it with this disciple stuff. I'm going back to being a fisherman. And several of the other disciples says, well, we're going with you. Now, why did Peter make this decision? I don't know, but he's going back to fishing. And while they're out there on the boat, the Lord says from the shore, children, have you any meat? Have you caught anything?

Not a thing. Cast on the other side. And they brought in those 153 fish. And at the time, for some reason, they didn't recognize who it was. And then John said, it's the Lord. And who was the first one to jump in the ocean to get to him? It was Peter. It's the Lord.

I think of after that event, the Lord said to Peter on three different occasions, Peter, lovest thou me? I think of the Lord asking you that question. Lovest thou me? And he said, lovest thou me more than these? And I don't think he's saying, do you love me more than the other disciples do? Because Peter felt much of his failure. And the Lord asked him this three times, I think with some reference to the fact that he had denied him three times. Lovest thou me? And Peter could, appeal to the very omniscience of Christ.

Lord, you know all things. You know how weak I am. You know how sinful I am. You know what a contradiction I am. But you know I love your person. I love everything about you. Do I feel like my love is what it should be? Of course not, but I love who you are. And every believer can say with Peter, yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.

It was Peter who stood up on the day of Pentecost, this man who had denied the Lord 50 days before, he stood up on the day of Pentecost and said, men and brethren, Hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him, that you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain.

He was saying this to the very murders of Christ and he shows such courage at this time looking at these people. He said, this same Jesus whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Christ. That's when they said, men and brethren, what do we do? We're in trouble. And Peter said, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. And you shall receive the promise of the Holy Ghost. And during that sermon, 3,000 people were saved by the grace of God. Isn't that amazing? I don't know if that ever happened before or after.

A few days later, he says to that cripple, in the name of Jesus, rise up and walk. Silver and gold, I don't have any, but what I have, I'll give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. He rose up and walked, and it created a stir, and they ended up being Arrested for that and in trouble for that and I want you to turn to Acts chapter 4 this gives us some idea about Peter Acts chapter 4 Verse 5 and it came to pass on the morrow that the rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together in Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, by what power or by what name have you done this?" Talking about this crippled man being raised up and leaping and so on. Then Peter.

Filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, you rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to this impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all. and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Now when they saw the boldness Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men. They marveled. They took knowledge of him that they had been with Jesus. Don't you love Peter?

In Acts chapter 10, we have the story of the gospel being sent to the Gentiles, and you remember what happened. Peter was up in a trance, praying on top of a house, and the Lord gave him a vision. Remember the sheet let down from heaven, filled with all manner of unclean beasts that you were forbidden to eat? And the Lord said, rise, Peter, kill and eat.

Peter said, not so, Lord. No, no, nothing unclean has ever touched my lips. What God has cleansed, call not thou common unclean. And it was done three times. Then Peter's brought before Cordelius and he brings the gospel to that man. Peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. And then you think of Acts chapter 15. Peter gives the confession of every believer.

These people were saying you need to be circumcised to be saved. He said, why do you put a yoke on the disciples that neither we or our fathers were able to bear? We believe that by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they. Us Jews will be saved like the Gentiles. They won't be saved like us, we'll be saved like them by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, Peter. how we admire him.

And then we have the event in Galatians chapter two where courageous Peter is so afraid of the men that come down from Jerusalem, was so desperate for their approval, so caring of what they thought, that when he was sitting there eating with the Gentiles, they come in, he gets nervous, rises up, walks away and sits down with the Jews and What does Paul say?

He said, this is dissimulation, this is hypocrisy, this is a denial of the gospel. He said that to Peter publicly before everybody. And can you imagine how humiliated Peter was? He knew it was true, but oh, how humiliated to be called out publicly and to be made look bad publicly.

And yet when Peter talks about Paul, He calls him our beloved brother Paul. Our beloved brother Paul. Speaking of these things, talking about his writings, which they that are unlearned and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do also the other scriptures. He's giving the writings of Paul the same authority as the Old Testament scriptures. Our beloved brother, Paul.

This man, the Lord said, you're going to die by crucifixion. You're going to stretch forth your hands, and people are going to take you where you don't want to go. And church tradition says he was crucified upside down. because he didn't feel like he should be crucified the same way the Lord was. That may be the case, we don't know, but his death glorified God. I think that's a powerful, powerful, it's not even a good enough word to say, that his death like that would glorify God. And even then, when the Lord said that to him, he said, what about John?

Peter, if it's my will for him to tarry till I come, it's not your business. You follow me. Even then, Peter. Peter's humility depart from me. I'm a sinful man. His mock humility, thou shalt never wash my feet. True humility, mock humility, phony humility in the same person is pride. I'll never forsake you. Yet he denied him his weakness with cursing and swearing, his courage as a prophet on Pentecost preaching to those people, his cowardice before the maid, his fear of man in Galatians chapter two when he changed tables.

Yet what grace our beloved brother Paul, Peter loved his Savior and his Lord. Peter was a contradiction. We see that. You don't know anybody else like that. Peter was a contradiction in terms. But Peter was somebody the Lord loved, the Lord died for, the Lord saved, the Lord gave him a new heart. And this is the only thing I'll consider In closing, in this, and we're going to get back more into it, Peter starts out with a statement with regard to the Trinity. Right off the bat, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Let's look what he says in this letter. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an apostle was someone who had seen Christ in the flesh, was taught directly by Christ. There were only 12. Paul took Judas' place. We read of the 12 apostles of the lambs. That's why when somebody says, I'm an apostle, they're liars. There were only 12 apostles.

Peter was one of them. The first one mentioned, as a matter of fact, oh, how dear he was to the Lord Jesus Christ, this man, Peter. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Isn't that what God's people are?

Strangers. This world's not my home. I'm looking for another country, a better country. This world's not my home. And I love the way he begins this description of these strangers, elect. You know, I read something like this and I think of people denying election. And all the, what planet are you from? You don't have a clue with regard to who God is if you deny election. He begins by addressing these people as the elect.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. God the Father. Through sanctification of the Spirit. God the Holy Spirit. Obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, God the Son, you're elect to His obedience and the sprinkling of His blood. The power of His blood, grace unto you and peace be multiplied.

Peter

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the elect?

How do we know God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

Why is obedience important for Christians?

What does Peter's life teach us about failure and grace?

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Peter

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the elect?

How do we know God's sovereignty in salvation is true?

Why is obedience important for Christians?

What does Peter's life teach us about failure and grace?

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

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