Will you turn with me to 1 Peter
1 Peter chapter 1. We'll look at a few verses here
by way of introduction and then go to chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter
1. A recurrent word throughout this
epistle and also his second one is the word suffering. God's people here at this time
that Peter wrote to were suffering greatly. A little less than a year before
Peter wrote his epistle, the Emperor Nero, the Roman Emperor
Nero, had deliberately burnt Rome to the ground. He wanted
to build a greater monument to his glory. The people suspected
that he'd done so and were ready to revolt and overthrow him. So he needed a scapegoat, somebody
to direct attention away from himself. That's one of the favorite
tools of politicians, I believe. And there were some people there
that suited his purpose exactly because the populace already
held them in contempt and suspicion. They were Christians. So he blamed
the burning of Rome on Christians and they began to hunt them down
and torture them and murder them by the hundreds. They were drug
through the streets behind chariots. They were thrown to the lions.
They were dipped in tar and burned as human torches to light Nero's
garden. Now that's what they were going
through when Peter wrote these words, wrote this epistle. They
were enduring very real trials, very real persecutions. But Peter speaks to them about
God's equally real grace. Real grace for real need. He reminds them of real mercy,
real salvation, and a very real Savior. Look at verse 1 and 2,
first of all, in chapter 1. Peter and an apostle of Jesus
Christ to the strangers scattered, they'd been driven from their
homes, scattered throughout Pontus and Galatia and Cappadocia, Asia
and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you,
and peace be multiplied. Your earthly goods, possession,
had probably been diminished. But God's grace and mercy and
peace to you is always multiplied. It's never less. As James wrote,
the God of our salvation giveth and he giveth and he giveth more
grace. You still have, Peter reminds
them, a good hope. Now how's that possible? These
people, as I said, were enduring severe persecution, had lost
everything. Many of them, hundreds of them,
had lost their lives. So what was the grounds of this
hope that Peter directs them to? And it's not a what. They'd
lost most what's, but it was a who. Look what he says in verse
3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. which according to his abundant
mercy had begotten us again unto a lively hope." A lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. A living
hope and a living Savior. That's what Peter believed. That's
what he reminded those believers to look to. And that's what God's
people in every age look to. We serve a living Savior. Remember the words of the angels
to the weeping, broken-hearted, confused women to the tomb early
that morning, the tomb where they had seen just a few days
before his body laid. Remember what the angels said
to those women. He is not here. He is not here,
He is risen. When our Lord was making His
way to Calvary, bearing His cross, women were weeping, and remember
His words to them, He said, don't weep for me. Don't weep for me. Now, if those words were true
on that occasion, they were certainly true concerning the angels' words
to these women. Weep not for Christ. He's not
here. He's arisen. He arose after obtaining. He wouldn't have risen otherwise.
He arose after. obtaining eternal redemption
for us. He arose after he accomplished
everything he came into this world to do. Everything that
he intended to do, he did. He cried, it is finished. When
he had trod the winepress alone, when he had by himself purged
our sins in his own body on the tree, he arose. Will he now lose what he purchased
at such a great price? Will anything separate these
believers Peter wrote to? from the love of God? Can anything
or anyone, any human power? And of course, the answer is
no. He'll have all that he purchased,
and he'll never leave nor forsake one of his own. Never. Turn,
if you will, back to Hebrews chapter 2. We're told this in
so many places, but here in Hebrews chapter 2, We're reminded that he became
flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones for the very purpose
of redeeming his people. In Hebrews 2 verse 9, but we
see Jesus. This is what the faithful apostle
was directing the hearts and minds of those suffering believers
to, to again look unto him. But we see Jesus. who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man. For it became him, was necessary
for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory." Many sons unto glory. all the way home to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. Turn back,
if you will, to 1 Corinthians 15 along the same line. Paul
reminds the church at Corinth of the very same thing. In 1
Corinthians 15 verse 20, but now, But now, I like that, don't you? But now, as the angels told the
women, he's not here. He's risen, just like he told
you. Go and tell his disciples that he's risen and he'll meet
them in Galilee. But now, is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept, of
all those that he represented? For since by man came death,
by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every
man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterwards they
that are Christ at his coming." One more in John's Gospel chapter
12. Our Lord spoke this very truth
himself. This was the night of his betrayal by Judas. This was the night that they
would come to the garden and take him. And just prior to that,
not long before that, he spoke these words to his disciples.
Among many others, he said this in John 12, verse 23. And Jesus answered them, saying,
The hour is come that the son of man should be glorified. Verily,
verily, truly, truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground, and of course he's referring to himself, except
a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, and he did, If
it die, it bringeth forth much fruit, without question, without
a doubt. Now, let's look again back in
1 Peter. Look what we read in verse 4
of 1 Peter chapter 1. Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, Having, I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, okay,
I've got it. Chapter one, I'm in the wrong
epistle, I was in 2 Peter. Verse four of chapter one in
1 Peter. To an inheritance incorruptible
and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for us, no earthly king no monarch, no Roman emperor, no persecution,
regardless of how severe, could touch this heavenly inheritance,
could take away the true riches that these believers had awaiting
them in glory. It's beyond the reach. of all
earthly power. It's reserved in heaven for them. What a hope that is. Not only
for them, but for you and I as well. And look what we're told
in verse 5. While we're going there, while
we're enduring whatever God calls upon us to endure, he says, in
the meantime, in the meantime, and I keep thinking, of the persecution
that these believers were enduring. How refreshing and how comforting
these words must have been to their hearts when they read this
epistle and heard it read, to be reminded, though you have
lost all your earthly possessions, though you've been scattered
abroad, Though you're a stranger in this world, you have an inheritance
that fadeth not away. It's reserved in heaven for you.
Our Master said, I go and prepare a place for you. And until you
arrive there, be assured of this. Rest in this, verse 5, who are
kept by the power of God. Our keeping doesn't lie within
our own power. Aren't you glad it doesn't? Who
are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed in the last time. Kept. We must be. We must be kept by the power
of God. Remember what our Lord said.
I give my sheep. The great shepherd said, I give
my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish. They, all
of them, not one shall perish. I give them eternal life and
they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand. Can you see that? Can you see
that? Neither can any man pluck them
out of my hand. But he didn't stop there. The
Father which gave them to me is greater than all, neither
can any man pluck them out of my Father's hand. In the hand
of our great Redeemer, in the hand of the great Shepherd, and
in the hand of our mighty God, no wonder He said we can never
be plucked out. In His hand, in his heart, in
him, how safe and secure God's people are. He told his disciples
again that night in John 14, I am the way. I'm the way. Grace has put us
in the way, grace keeps us in the way, and grace will bring
us all the way home, all the way to glory, all the way to
Christ. Look what Peter goes on to write
in verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though
now for a season, if need be. There's a needs be for the suffering
of God's children. There's a purpose in it. Ye are
in heaviness through manifold temptations. Real sorrow in the
world, but also real joy. Turn right back, if you will,
to John's Gospel again. John chapter 14. And this is what he speaks to
his troubled disciples. He told them, I'm going away
and because I told you that, sorrow has filled your heart. He said, I won't leave you as
orphans, but I'll come to you. But look what he says in verse
27 of chapter 14. Peace I leave with you, my peace,
real peace. lasting peace. My peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth,
fleeting, temporary, not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Look at verse 22 of chapter 16.
Look what he says here. And ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again. Now,
the disciples did. Literally, they saw him again
in three days after this. Ye now therefore have sorrow,
but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and
your joy no man taketh from you. Now, back in chapter 1 of 1 Peter,
look what he goes on to say. And remember, these words are
to God's people today, to you and I. Verse 7. The purpose of
these manifold temptations that you're enduring are for this,
that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than
of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might
be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom, though
now ye see him not yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory." Now turn, if you will, to chapter 5. Let's
read a few verses here as the apostle concludes his letter
to these suffering believers. Verse 8 of chapter 5 he says, Be vigilant, because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the
same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in
the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto
his eternal glory, by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered a
while, after, there will be an end to it. After that you have
suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle
you. To Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. You have an adversary,
Peter reminds them, that's true. He's a roaring lion, that's true. Seeking whom he may devour, that's
all true. But Peter didn't stop there,
did he? He also tells them this, you
have one greater than the devil. You have one greater than that
adversary, fierce as he may be, and it's the God of all grace,
but... You have this. But the God of
all grace, is that not the place to begin? If you would be encouraged,
look to God. Don't look to man, but begin
with God. Let's begin the message there.
God. God. Now that makes the difference,
does it not? That makes our call to His eternal
glory not a mere wish on our part, but a certainty on the
part of God. But God. The God of all grace,
isn't that a sweet note? Doesn't that have a sweet ring
to it? Doesn't that give you a sweet
feeling of repose in the arms of your everlasting God? God makes a difference. Moses said during those years,
40 years, of journeying in the wilderness, pitching ten every
night, taking it down every morning. Moses wrote in Psalm 90, Lord,
thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. No certain
dwelling place here, but you've been our dwelling place in all
generations. Oh, what a comfort that is. He
says, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Remember what our Lord said?
Fear not, little flock. It's your father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. This is his will. This is his
purpose for you. This is God's intent. This is God's purpose. The God
of all glory and the God of all grace. Does that matter? Does
that make a difference? If he's God, it does. If he's
God, it makes all the difference. Peter says, look, be reminded,
but the God of all grace, the true God, the one who declared
himself to be, I am the Lord. Remember what he said to Jeremiah.
I am the Lord. Is anything too hard for me? With that God trusting him, Our
eternal salvation being dependent upon Him, our being called unto
His eternal glory is all His doing. It's all based upon His
will, and He has His way. He has His will in the armies
of heaven among the inhabitants of the earth. None can stay His
hand. I find that comforting when I
read such a promise as His will to give us eternal life and eternal
glory in His Son. Turn with you to Psalm 115. Very familiar, but I think it'll
do us good to read it together, look at it together. Psalm 115. The psalmist, oh what a checkered
life he led. He didn't sail to heaven on a
bed of ease, did he? David, his enemies surround him,
mockingly, where is your God? Verse 1 of Psalm 115, not unto
us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for
thy mercy, for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen
say, where is now their God? I'm so thankful David answered
that, aren't you? Just like Peter did. But our
God, that God of all grace, but our God, our God, is in the heavens. above all, greater than all,
ruling over all, and he hath done." Well, that's not hard
to understand, is it? If he's God over all, God in
the heavens, then he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Well, we would expect nothing
less than that, wouldn't we? He's God. Turn, if you will,
to Isaiah chapter 57. Look at this verse of scripture,
Isaiah chapter 57. This great God, our God, dwells
in the hearts of his people. Verse 15 of Isaiah 57, For thus
saith the High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose
name is Holy, that's God. I dwell in the high and holy
place. But my soul, look what he goes
on to say, with him also, with him also that is of a contrite
and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and
to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And listen, you need not
turn there, but listen to these words recorded in Nahum chapter
1. Listen to what our God says here. The Lord is slow to anger and
great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord
had his way in the whirlwind and in the storm. And the clouds
are the dust of his feet. The Lord hath his way. He executes his purpose and his
will always everywhere. He rebuketh the sea and maketh
it dry, and dryeth up the rivers. The mountains quake at him, and
the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea,
the world and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before
his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness
of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are thrown down by him. The Lord is good, a stronghold
in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him."
That one that Peter refers to as the God of all grace. All grace. Not some grace, but all. All that this sinner will ever
need. Remember what he said to Paul
concerning his thorn in the flesh? Paul, my grace is sufficient
for thee. And I believe since God changes
not, since our great Savior is the same yesterday, today, and
forever, that if his grace was sufficient for Paul, then it's
sufficient for me, and it's sufficient for you. It's his amazing grace. It's quickening grace. He says,
live, and we live. It's partening grace, forgiving
grace. As we read in chapter 1, it's
preserving grace and keeping grace. Grace that takes us all
the way to glory. Not some grace, but all grace. And notice, He's not the God
of a little grace. No, we're great sinners, and
we need great grace, and he's the God of all grace, grace that
is worthy of God, grace that comes from our great God. All
grace must be and has to be more than an offer, does it not? Do you find comfort in that God
offers to save? God is attempting to save, God
perhaps will save, but He requires your assistance. Oh no. Peter says, look, suffering believer,
be reminded of this. May God direct your gaze back
to Him who is the God of all grace. And that being so, it's
more than an offer, is it not? It's God that actually does the
work. Paul said, He that's begun a
good work in you, the work of His grace, the work of salvation,
He that has begun a good work in you will complete it. We'll
carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ. Peter goes on to
write, "...but the God of all grace who hath called us." Who
hath called us? Past tense. God has already called
us by his grace. Will he stop now? Remember what
Paul said in Romans 8? Him, or those rather He called,
them He also justified. Them He justified, He also glorified. God will do it all. Did His call
work? Was it successful? Always, every
time, in everyone. He calls us out of darkness to
what? Into His marvelous light. Did
we come? Yes. Yes. His call of grace is
always effectual. He called us by His grace like
the Apostle Paul said. but God. There it is again in
Galatians 1. I was a blasphemer. I was injurious. I was a persecutor. I was a blind,
lost religionist, but God. Thanks be unto God. But God,
who called me by His grace and revealed His Son in me." Was
it successful, Paul? Did it work, Paul? Were you brought
down, Paul? Did you become a believer, Paul?
And he would say, yes. Yes, by God's mighty grace. Call to follow him. Will he lose
any of those that he called out of darkness? Will he lose any
of those that he's begun the good work of grace in? Of course
not. Did he not pray, Father, I will
also that those who have given me, all those who have given
me, be with me where I am that they may behold my glory. That's
exactly what Peter says here, isn't it? But the God of all
grace who hath called us unto what? His eternal glory. Father, I will that they whom
thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold
my glory, the glory that I had with thee before the world began. Do we not read in God's Word
concerning those He called? These are they which follow the
Lamb whithersoever He goeth. And did not the prophet say,
He that is our Redeemer, that was bruised? that trod the winepress,
upon whom God laid the iniquity of all his people? Did not the
prophet say, he shall see of the travail of his soul, and
he shall be satisfied? Oh, if we could see the redeemed
already in glory. what proof it would be of his
effectual mighty grace. I see Job there who said, I know
that my Redeemer liveth. Lot is there, but his soul is
no longer vexed with unrighteous deeds by unrighteous men. Abraham
is there, but he's no longer searching for a city whose builder
and maker is God. He's entered that city that has
no need of the light, or rather of the sun, because the Lamb
is the light thereof. And David, Oh, David, the psalmist,
the sweet singer in Israel, sings a sweeter note than he ever did
on earth. Now he beholds the king in his
beauty, and he said, I'll be satisfied when I awaken his likeness. Yes, to all that God called,
he promises that he shall give grace and glory. Every one of
them. Every one of them. These suffering
believers that Peter wrote to are brought home to this eternal
inheritance that he spoke of, to God's eternal glory. That inheritance is incorruptible,
undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. They're enjoying it now. All
those that suffer for his namesake, Now they're with him in glory.
All their sufferings are ended. They wept for a night, oh, but
the joy, the joy that is now theirs as they behold him who
loved them. And so shall it be with you and
I, child of God. How can we be sure? How can we
be sure of that? Listen again. to the words from
the captain of your salvation. That one who spoke like never
a man spoke. That one who was responsible
for the salvation of all of his people. Listen to what he said. All that the Father giveth me,
shall come to me. And him that cometh unto me I
will in no wise cast out." And he didn't stop there, did he?
He said, for I came down from heaven not to do my own will,
but the will of him that sent me. And this is the will of him
that sent me, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose
none, but raise them up again at the last day. All of his sheep
shall be gathered in the fold of their great shepherd. Every
one of the redeemed shall behold their Redeemer. Every one will
be where he is. Behold, John said, let me show
you a wonder. Let me show you a miracle of
God's grace. Behold, stop, consider this. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. And John said, it doth not yet
appear what we shall be. But we know this, and we're content
with it, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. like him
that was made like unto his brethren. We shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is. Peter says, but the God of all
grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ,
entering into his glory, I can believe when I see it that it's
for Christ's sake. Can you not? Entering into the
glory of God, entering in and sharing in the glory of Christ,
being with all the redeemed in glory, you look at reasons in
yourself, my soul, you won't find any. Oh, you can find many
reasons why it shouldn't be so. But when I look to Jesus Christ,
when I find in God's Word that He'll receive the reward of His
sufferings, that it's given to Him because He earned it, He
deserves it. He merited it. Then I can believe
that God bestows all these miracles of His mercy and grace on His
people for Christ's sake. And then I look to Him and I
realize, oh yes, I can believe that this sinner will enter glory
because I will go there on the merits of Jesus Christ. And I see so much merit in Him.
so much worth, so much glory, and that one who deserves all
that the Father bestows upon him. Father, I will, by my merit,
that all those you gave me be with me where I am. What an astounding
miracle. What a promise. We have to look
forward to the child of God. But looking at Christ, the one
who merits it for us, the one who is worthy, the one God bestows
it upon, we say, oh, it must be so. He deserves it all, does
he not? Yes, I can believe. I can believe,
I can embrace the promise on those grounds that it's His reward
based upon His worth, then this little brain can somewhat get
a grasp of it. The God of all grace. God has
all grace required, all the grace needed to bring all of his people
to glory. He's such a God as I need, the
God of all grace, called unto his eternal glory. Can't say
much about that. Glory? Glory? What will that
be? What will that be? To see Him,
certainly that will be glory. To be like Him, that will be
glory. In Psalm 84 we read, He that
is God will give grace and glory. If we've experienced His grace,
Lord, we'll experience His glory. If we have one, we'll have the
other. It's a sure proof and token that
we shall if we have his grace. One hymn writer expressed it
this way. Let me share a few verses with
you. In the Beloved, it's called.
He wrote, In the Beloved, excepted am I. risen, ascended, and seated
on high, saved from all sin through His infinite grace, with the
redeemed afforded, or rather, with the redeemed ones accorded
a place. In the Beloved, how safe my retreat. In the Beloved, accounted complete. Who can condemn me? In Him I
am free, Savior and Keeper forever is he. Into beloved I went to
the tree, there in his person by faith I may see, infinite
wrath rolling over his head, infinite grace, for he died in
my stead. The chorus says, in the beloved
God's marvelous grace calls me to dwell in this wonderful place. God sees my Savior and then he
sees me in the beloved, accepted and free. But the God of all grace who
hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish,
strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Amen. God bless you.