WEBVTT - 1 Peter 1:1-9 - Faith Through Trials 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:12.320 Life Audio. Hi, faith listeners, Welcome to the Bible Explain 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.840 podcast and welcome to the Book of First Peter. Now, 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:17.640 for those of you who are new on the podcast, 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:21.000 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I discuss the New Testament, and 0:00:21.120 --> 0:00:24.760 on Mondays and Wednesdays, I talk about the Old Testament. 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:28.080 So now we are in a First Peter chapter one, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:31.360 and I'm excited to dive into this book because Peter 0:00:31.520 --> 0:00:34.600 has a very unique writing style in my opinion, and 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:38.360 also today he gives encouragement for anybody who is struggling 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:42.760 through a trial or a problem, and he reminds everybody 0:00:42.800 --> 0:00:46.080 to continue to have faith. But before we dive into it, 0:00:46.240 --> 0:00:50.440 here is a message from a sponsor. All right, so 0:00:50.520 --> 0:00:54.440 let's read it First Peter one one through nine. I'll 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:57.640 be reading this as usual from the web. For those 0:00:57.640 --> 0:00:59.720 of you who don't know what that version is, that 0:00:59.840 --> 0:01:02.480 is the World English Bible. You can find it for 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:06.280 free on Biblegateway dot com. I believe it's also on 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:10.720 you version for free, but it is the go to 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:14.000 version that I use because other versions of Scripture are 0:01:14.400 --> 0:01:17.960 not within the public domain. They are copyrighted, so I 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:21.520 could get in trouble potentially for sharing them on the podcast, 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:24.600 especially since I'm going through the entire Bible, so the 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:28.120 world English Bible or the Web is completely in the 0:01:28.120 --> 0:01:31.000 public domain, which is why I appreciate it so much. 0:01:31.440 --> 0:01:33.920 So let's read first Peter one one through nine. Grab 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:38.200 your cup of coffee, and let's dive right in Peter, 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:41.080 an apostle of Jesus Christ to the chosen ones who 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:45.400 are living as foreigners in the dispersion in Pontus, Galicia, Kapitacia, 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:48.800 Asia and Bithynia, according to the foregn knowledge of God 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:51.640 the Father in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:55.240 obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. Grace 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:58.760 to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:01.600 and Father of our Lord, Gesus Christ, who, according to 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:04.120 his great mercy, caused us to be born again to 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:07.000 a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:11.040 the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:14.160 fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the 0:02:14.200 --> 0:02:16.919 power of God are guided through faith for a salvation 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:20.040 ready to be revealed in the last time. In this 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:22.919 you greatly rejoice though now for a little while, if 0:02:22.960 --> 0:02:26.280 need be, you've been grieved in various trials, that the 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:28.720 proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:31.720 that perishes, even though it is tested by fire, may 0:02:31.720 --> 0:02:34.720 be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:38.320 the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, not having known, you 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:41.639 love in him, though now you don't see him yet. 0:02:41.680 --> 0:02:45.120 Believing you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:48.080 full of glory, receiving the result of your faith, the 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:53.200 salvation of your souls. So, before we get into the 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:56.840 meat of what this chapter is saying, a little introduction 0:02:56.960 --> 0:02:59.400 to the Book of First Peter. Firstly, it was written 0:02:59.400 --> 0:03:02.560 by Peter, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He 0:03:02.800 --> 0:03:05.720 was the most famous of all of the disciples for 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:09.440 many reasons, his rebuke of Jesus, where Jesus called him 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:15.040 Satan at one point in time, and obviously him denying 0:03:15.080 --> 0:03:18.600 that he even knew Jesus three times. So Peter is 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:22.160 certainly one of the most well known disciples, and even 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:24.600 in the Book of Acts he's mentioned for the first 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:27.800 handful of chapters. Because he was a great preacher that 0:03:28.280 --> 0:03:31.480 brought a lot of people to Christ through the words 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:33.320 that he would speak. And if you go back and 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:37.280 listen to some of Peter's earlier sermons, he's really softened 0:03:37.320 --> 0:03:39.760 a lot by this point, which the Book of First 0:03:39.800 --> 0:03:43.280 Peter would have been written between sixty two and sixty 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:47.200 four AD, right around the time that Rome was beginning 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:52.800 to suffer through pretty extreme persecution under Nero the Emperor, 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:57.320 and Church tradition says that Peter was crucified by Nero, 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:02.360 possibly upside down during the year sixty eight AD when 0:04:02.440 --> 0:04:06.320 Nero really ramped up his persecution on the church. So 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:11.040 Peter wrote this letter very soon before he was martyred, 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:15.840 according to church tradition. So that's important in noting because 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:17.640 Peter is an older man by this point in time, 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.039 and he has learned a lot throughout the years. You know, 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:23.560 he started out not being the most loving disciple, not 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.560 being the most faithful disciple, and now at the end 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:31.000 of his life he is extremely loving and extremely faithful 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:34.960 to Jesus because in my estimation, he's been softened by Jesus. 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:39.240 He has seen what love and faith can really do. 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:42.560 I would actually say that out of all the letters 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:46.279 we've covered, so far. James is probably the most blunt, 0:04:46.520 --> 0:04:50.080 and the letters of Peter are probably the most gentle 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.880 out of all of the letters so far. But regardless, 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:56.440 they're all the truth. It just shows the difference in 0:04:56.480 --> 0:05:00.600 writing styles between each of these men that wrote these 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.480 letters to the churches. So with all that being said, 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:06.560 it says Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to the 0:05:06.640 --> 0:05:09.279 chosen Ones who are living as foreigners in the dispersion 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:14.680 in Pontius, Galicia, Capitacia, Asia and Bithynia, according to the 0:05:14.680 --> 0:05:17.839 foregnoledge of God the Father in sanctification of the Spirit. 0:05:18.560 --> 0:05:22.440 So Paul here is writing to it says the foreigners. 0:05:22.800 --> 0:05:26.880 Some versions might say exiles, some might say aliens that 0:05:26.920 --> 0:05:30.159 are living in all of these different communities scattered in 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:34.280 modern day Turkey. So the reason he addresses these people 0:05:34.360 --> 0:05:38.000 as foreigners is not because you know, they came from 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:41.479 Jewish communities and started living in Turkey. But more so, 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:45.480 he's talking to anybody that does not make this home 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:49.480 their home, somebody that is waiting for their heavenly home, 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:52.359 who is kind of just passing through on earth to 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:57.000 their final destination of eternity. And it does not distinguish 0:05:57.080 --> 0:06:00.120 if Peter is writing only to the Hebrews or if 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:02.760 he's writing to a mixed group, which is why most 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:05.559 people think that this letter is for a mixed group 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:08.960 of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus, who are 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:11.760 just waiting for their eternal home. And here's the reason 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:14.960 for his letter. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:18.520 in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:22.160 and be sprinkled with his blood. Grace to you and 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:26.560 peace be multiplied. So he's writing this letter so that 0:06:26.600 --> 0:06:30.640 the church can learn to obey Jesus and be sprinkled 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.479 with his blood. Now, the first part of that, the 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:36.919 obeying Jesus, that is part of the Great Commission. What 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:40.120 does Jesus tell his disciples right before he ascends up 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.800 into heaven. He says, go and make disciples of all 0:06:42.800 --> 0:06:46.880 the nations, baptizing them in my name and also teaching 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:50.839 them to obey the commandments that I have given you. 0:06:51.200 --> 0:06:53.400 So that's the third part of the Great Commission that 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:57.000 a lot of people leave out. But once you become 0:06:57.160 --> 0:06:59.880 a Christian, it doesn't just end there. You have to 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:04.840 learn obedience because that's where true faith really comes in 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:08.200 Faith and obedience go hand in hand, as we've talked 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:11.800 about in the Book of James. So that's why Paul 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:14.280 is writing this letter, firstly so that people can learn 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:18.120 to obey Jesus and also that they may be sprinkled 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:21.920 with his blood. Now this is an interesting idea because 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:24.880 Peter is going back to the Old Testament where the 0:07:24.920 --> 0:07:27.680 priest would actually dip his fingers in the blood and 0:07:27.920 --> 0:07:32.520 sprinkle the blood on the people, and blood has a 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:37.160 spiritually cleansing property to it because the wages of sin 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:40.960 is death. That is a verse we've covered many times 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:46.840 on the podcast before. Basically, the penalty for sin is death, 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:50.600 and the only thing that can remove that penalty is 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:54.520 a substitute taking the place of it. So basically a 0:07:54.600 --> 0:07:58.960 substitute dying in place of the person who sinned, and 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.600 an Old Testament day, that was the lamb, that was 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.720 the sacrifice that the people would do, and so the 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:08.800 sprinkling of the blood on the people was a picture 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:12.000 of how they are being cleansed through the blood of 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:17.280 that animal. But of course animals cannot possibly take away 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:22.840 sin permanently because they're animals, they are not perfect. Somebody 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.920 had to come and be a perfect sacrifice, and that, 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:29.400 of course was Jesus. So we're no longer sprinkled with 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:32.959 the blood of the animals any longer, but we're sprinkled 0:08:33.000 --> 0:08:36.840 with Jesus's blood. And this is important to note because 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:41.640 sometimes people like to take the idea of Jesus's blood away, 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:44.800 as if it's like too gruesome to really talk about, 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:48.160 or as if it's really weird to discuss. But it 0:08:48.240 --> 0:08:52.000 is important to know that Jesus actually shed his blood 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:55.719 for us. His blood was everywhere when he died up 0:08:55.720 --> 0:09:00.319 on that cross. His blood flowed for us. And that's 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:03.480 important to note because the blood is what takes away 0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:06.400 the sins of the world, because the Old Testament says 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:10.280 on multiple occasions that the life is in the blood. 0:09:11.120 --> 0:09:15.640 So Jesus shed his life his blood for all of us, 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:20.200 and so now we are sprinkled with Jesus's blood. But 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.520 why does Peter want to remind all of these Christians 0:09:24.080 --> 0:09:27.920 about that particular fact Because it invokes a sense of 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:30.600 reverence for who Jesus is and what he has done 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:34.440 for us, And a lot of times Christians forget the 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:38.440 reverence part. They forget what Jesus truly did for them, 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:41.240 and they think more about what more can Jesus do 0:09:41.320 --> 0:09:44.840 for me? Like if I worship God, what can I 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:47.600 gain in return? What more can he do for me? 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:51.960 But he already did enough because he sacrificed his life, 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:55.480 he allowed his blood to flow out of him for 0:09:56.040 --> 0:10:01.280 all of humanity, for everybody. So finding the Church of 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:07.280 this fact is kind of reorienting them, saying, remember Jesus's 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:09.960 sacrifice and what he has done, and be sprinkled with 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:15.000 that blood. Understand the forgiving nature of Jesus's blood, the 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:18.240 love that he has for all of us, and obey 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:21.880 Jesus because he loves you that much. And then he says, 0:10:22.120 --> 0:10:25.120 grace to you and peace be multiplied. This is something 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:28.360 that many of the apostles when they first start their letters, 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:31.200 will say to the churches, grace and peace be to you. 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:35.040 Both those things are again something that I think the 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:38.559 Church tends to struggle with. This is something that Jesus 0:10:38.600 --> 0:10:42.360 talked about in the churches in Revelation, that a lot 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:46.400 of them have lost their love, lost their grace, and 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:50.320 unfortunately we're being gracious towards people they shouldn't be gracious 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:54.160 to inviting theology in that was corrupt. That is not 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:56.240 what we're supposed to be gracious to. But we are 0:10:56.280 --> 0:10:59.520 supposed to be gracious for our fellow brothers and sisters 0:10:59.559 --> 0:11:03.080 in Christ. And we're also supposed to have peace in Jesus. 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:05.840 And remember the grace that Jesus gave to us. So 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.960 now in verse three it says, blessed be the God 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:11.520 and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:14.960 his great mercy, caused us to be born again to 0:11:15.080 --> 0:11:18.600 a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:22.240 the dead. So the idea of being born again was 0:11:22.400 --> 0:11:25.720 first talked about by Jesus himself in John chapter three. 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:29.920 This is when a religious leader named Nicodemus came to 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:34.120 Jesus by night, and so Jesus answered some of his questions. 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:37.360 And here's what it says, starting in verse three. Jesus 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:40.160 answered him, most certainly, I tell you, unless one is 0:11:40.280 --> 0:11:44.720 born anew, he can't see God's kingdom. Nicodemus said to him, 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:47.280 how can a man be born when he is old? 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.920 Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb 0:11:49.920 --> 0:11:52.560 and be born? Jesus said, most certainly, I tell you, 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:55.559 unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.480 enter into God's kingdom. That which is born of the 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:01.400 flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the 0:12:01.440 --> 0:12:05.040 spirit is spirit. Don't marvel that I said to you, 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:07.880 you must be born anew. Now. The one thing in 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:10.200 John three that stumps a lot of people is where 0:12:10.280 --> 0:12:14.800 Jesus says, you must be born of water and spirit. 0:12:15.360 --> 0:12:19.480 If not, you cannot enter into God's kingdom. People wonder 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:23.080 is the water referring to baptism? Is it referring to 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:28.800 the washing away of sins? Like? What is it referring to? Exactly? Well? Personally, 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:32.040 I think that that's answered in John chapter four, which 0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:35.679 is the very next chapter, where Jesus goes to a 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:38.520 well and a woman is there, a woman of Samaria. 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:42.559 And Jesus says to this woman in verse ten, if 0:12:42.559 --> 0:12:45.320 you knew the gift of God, and who says to you, 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:46.880 give me a drink, you would have asked him and 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:51.200 he would have given you living water. Then she says, sir, 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:53.120 you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep, 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:55.240 So where do you get that living water? Are you 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:57.520 greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well 0:12:57.520 --> 0:13:00.120 and drink from it himself? As did his children in 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:03.480 his livestock. And Jesus answered her, everyone who drinks of 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:05.960 this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the 0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:08.360 water that I will give him will never thirst again. 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:10.640 But the water that I give him will become in 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:15.280 him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:18.199 So that's what I think Jesus meant when he was 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:22.440 telling Nicodemus, you must be born of water and spirit. 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:24.760 In other words, you must be born of the living 0:13:24.840 --> 0:13:29.319 water Jesus himself, who produces this spring of eternal life 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:31.920 inside of you. And you also must be born of 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:34.960 the spirit. In fact, Jesus mentions that to the woman 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:38.600 as well in verse twenty three of John four. But 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:41.920 the hour comes, and now is when true worshippers will 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:45.360 worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:49.560 seeks such to be his worshippers. God is spirit, and 0:13:49.600 --> 0:13:53.360 those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:57.199 So basically, Jesus told Nicodemus, if you do not have 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:01.000 the living water inside of you, the water that Jesus 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:03.800 gives you, and if you also don't have the spirit, 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:07.080 the Holy Spirit, guiding your life, then you have not 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:11.160 been born again, So you must have these two things 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:13.840 in order to be born again. So that is what 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:17.400 being born again means, and Peter mentions it in First 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:20.720 Peter one, verse three. Blessed be the God and Father 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:23.640 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:26.760 caused us to be born again to a living hope 0:14:26.840 --> 0:14:30.600 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to 0:14:30.680 --> 0:14:35.320 an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't fade away, reserved 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:37.840 in heaven for you. So a couple things I want 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:40.760 to mention about that first thing is that he's referring 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:43.400 again to the foreigners, the Christians that are living as 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:47.360 exiles on this earth, who are waiting for their inheritance, 0:14:47.400 --> 0:14:50.600 who are waiting for their true home. He says, you 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:54.640 are going to go to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:59.080 that doesn't fade away, reserved in heaven for you. And 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:02.000 that's a really beautiful thought that God is actually setting 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:06.560 aside stuff for us, like rewards personally reserved for each 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:10.160 one of us. If you go to Revelation two and three. 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:13.400 Jesus talks about this in some length to his letters 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:15.720 to the churches, he says at the end of every 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:19.080 single letter, to the one who conquers, I will give 0:15:19.160 --> 0:15:21.920 him this, And one of them is interesting because he says, 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.400 to the one who conquers, I will give him a 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:29.000 white stone that has a name on it specifically for 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:32.600 you that nobody else will know except you. So you're 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:35.840 going to be given like a brand new name from Jesus. 0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:38.560 And these are just some of the things personally reserved 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:41.680 for us. And that's really interesting because God knows each 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:46.120 and every individual person that comes to him. Going back 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.800 to first Peter one, that's what it says, who, according 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.480 to his great mercy, caused us to be born again 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.160 to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 0:15:54.200 --> 0:15:56.480 from the dead. And then in verses one and two, 0:15:56.520 --> 0:16:00.360 he also says to the chosen ones, according to the 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:03.760 foreknowledge of God the Father in sanctification of the Spirit. 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:07.160 So God knows us, and he has known us from 0:16:07.640 --> 0:16:10.960 the beginning of the world. Is what scripture says. He 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:14.120 knows each and every individual person that is going to 0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:18.200 come to him because he has infinite knowledge. I've always 0:16:18.240 --> 0:16:22.760 taken this as Jesus lives beyond time because he created time. 0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:25.360 You know, you and I. We only have a linear 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:28.840 time period, so we can't see what goes on ahead 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:32.160 of us. We have no clue even a second from 0:16:32.200 --> 0:16:35.520 now what is going to happen. We don't know anything 0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:37.640 could take place that we don't have fore knowledge of. 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:41.440 But God has all the foreknowledge because he is outside 0:16:41.440 --> 0:16:43.920 of time and he is not bound by the rules 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:47.120 of time, so he can see ahead of time every 0:16:47.160 --> 0:16:49.560 single person that is going to come to him. He 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:52.280 knows us and he loves us. That's why it says 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:57.320 in Jeremiah chapter one that before Jeremiah was in the womb, 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:00.800 God foreknew him because God has all the power. But 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:04.359 going on to verse five, it says, who by the 0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.400 power of God are guided through faith for a salvation 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:10.639 ready to be revealed in the last time. In this 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.600 you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if 0:17:13.640 --> 0:17:17.480 need be, You've been grieved in various trials. So, yes, 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:21.200 salvation has been revealed to the world. In the Old 0:17:21.200 --> 0:17:25.199 Testament days it was hidden. People didn't quite understand the 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:29.200 message of salvation. They knew that they needed a savior 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.240 to save them, and for them that was the Old 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:36.520 Testament sacrifices. But they didn't quite understand who Jesus was 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:38.520 going to be, who the Messiah is going to be. 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:41.080 Hence why when Jesus came to earth, people had a 0:17:41.200 --> 0:17:44.960 huge misunderstanding of who he was. Even his brothers didn't 0:17:44.960 --> 0:17:47.760 believe in who he was. Everyone, even Peter, had a 0:17:47.760 --> 0:17:51.359 misunderstanding of who the Messiah was going to be. And 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:55.240 now it's been revealed, and Peter has seen this firsthand. 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:58.800 Remember he was there before Jesus died and before Jesus 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:02.359 was resurrected. One of those people who didn't understand the 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:05.600 message of salvation until its mystery was revealed, until Jesus 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:09.520 rose from the dead. Then Peter understood it and understood 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:12.719 it that he was called to be a witness of 0:18:13.000 --> 0:18:17.640 Jesus for the Gospel, so that the gospel message could 0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:20.480 be shown to the rest of the world. That's why 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:23.240 the Twelve Disciples were chosen. They were chosen to be 0:18:23.320 --> 0:18:28.200 witnesses and messengers of Jesus's resurrection, and they are still 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:31.959 witnessing to this day through the letters that have been written. 0:18:32.359 --> 0:18:36.560 And Peter is one of these witnesses who helped people 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:41.000 see the mystery of salvation revealed in Jesus. He says, 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:45.240 in this mystery, in this salvation, you greatly rejoice verse six. 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:47.840 Though now for a little while, if need be, you've 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:51.040 been grieved in various trials. That proof of your faith, 0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:53.960 which is more precious than gold that perishes, even though 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:56.920 it is tested by fire, may be found to result 0:18:56.960 --> 0:19:00.560 in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:04.720 So even though we rejoice in salvation, and we should 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:09.840 be rejoicing in salvation as Christians, understanding that Jesus's shed 0:19:09.960 --> 0:19:12.720 blood is his life given for us, we should be 0:19:12.720 --> 0:19:17.120 rejoicing at what God has done for us. But in 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:20.160 this joy that we have of salvation, we are also 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:23.760 going to be grieved with various trials. That is what 0:19:23.960 --> 0:19:26.520 Peter says, and that's actually what Jesus said as well. 0:19:26.840 --> 0:19:29.280 He said, even when you become Christians, you are going 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:33.679 to experience trials and tribulations. But take heart, because I 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:37.600 have overcome the world. So becoming a Christian does not 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:42.960 free us from the pain and suffering of this world. Unfortunately, 0:19:43.040 --> 0:19:45.000 even though we would love for it to be that way, 0:19:45.440 --> 0:19:50.200 it just doesn't work like that, because pain and suffering exists, 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:53.159 because we are still in the sin nature, because people 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:56.560 hate Christianity, and because we are going to be persecuted 0:19:56.880 --> 0:20:00.000 for the sake of Jesus. Because if Jesus was persecuted 0:20:00.400 --> 0:20:03.639 God himself, who showed miracles and who did nothing but 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:07.199 help people through his entire ministry on earth, then the 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:10.960 followers of Jesus will certainly also be persecuted as well. 0:20:11.480 --> 0:20:14.480 So we are going to be grieved by these trials. 0:20:14.840 --> 0:20:18.199 And notice that Peter uses the word grieved here. He 0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:20.800 is not saying, Oh, trials are so fun and just 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:24.760 have joy through them. No, he says, these are grievous trials. 0:20:24.960 --> 0:20:27.760 They are no fun. We all hate them. We don't 0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:31.600 want to go through trials. Trials are terrible. My first 0:20:31.640 --> 0:20:35.280 pastor that I remember used to say something really depressing. 0:20:36.600 --> 0:20:39.760 He used to say, you're either in a trial, about 0:20:39.800 --> 0:20:41.920 to go into a trial, or just coming out of 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:47.760 a trial. In some ways, he's not incorrect. There are 0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:52.000 going to be a lot of trials on earth, disappointments, irritations, 0:20:52.320 --> 0:20:55.680 even small things that just stack up over time. These 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:58.639 are all trials that we have to learn to get through, 0:20:58.960 --> 0:21:01.760 and as Christians, have to learn to have faith through 0:21:01.840 --> 0:21:05.440 these trials. And these questions that we have about God. 0:21:05.600 --> 0:21:07.480 We have to learn to trust in God and have 0:21:07.560 --> 0:21:12.680 faith in Him in spite of the irritations and persecutions 0:21:12.720 --> 0:21:16.080 and trials that we're going to experience. In fact, Peter 0:21:16.200 --> 0:21:19.240 actually says right here that the trials that we experience 0:21:19.800 --> 0:21:23.280 are actually for the proof of our faith. So we're 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:27.199 being tested by how we respond to these trials. And 0:21:27.240 --> 0:21:30.040 that's kind of scary to think about, because I know 0:21:30.840 --> 0:21:32.720 in the trials that I've gone through in the past, 0:21:32.720 --> 0:21:36.120 that I don't respond very well a lot of times. 0:21:36.600 --> 0:21:40.040 You know, as gold goes through the fire to make 0:21:40.080 --> 0:21:43.399 it more pure, So we are refined also by the 0:21:43.440 --> 0:21:45.639 trials that we go through. I don't know about you, 0:21:46.160 --> 0:21:49.359 but the times when I get closer to God is 0:21:49.440 --> 0:21:53.000 through trials and tribulations. It is not during the good 0:21:53.000 --> 0:21:55.400 times in my life. That's when I forget about God 0:21:55.480 --> 0:21:59.359 a lot of times. So our trials actually produce in 0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:03.640 us a greater faith, So they can be good for us, 0:22:04.080 --> 0:22:07.560 especially because they show whether or not our faith is genuine. 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:11.439 They're good for gauging our spiritual health. Do we truly 0:22:11.520 --> 0:22:14.840 have faith in God that He is with us during 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:17.720 these trials, that He is using them for some sort 0:22:17.760 --> 0:22:20.720 of benefit, or do we not have any faith? And 0:22:20.760 --> 0:22:23.080 that's revealed. You know, we might think we have faith 0:22:23.080 --> 0:22:26.280 in God, but then the second some sort of problem arises, 0:22:26.480 --> 0:22:29.280 we lose faith. We forget about who God is and 0:22:29.320 --> 0:22:31.359 the things that He has promised us, and that we 0:22:31.400 --> 0:22:34.560 are going to go through trials and tribulations and sufferings, 0:22:34.880 --> 0:22:37.040 and how we respond to those problems that we deal 0:22:37.119 --> 0:22:41.040 with can really show if our faith is genuine or 0:22:41.040 --> 0:22:43.000 if it needs a little bit of work or a 0:22:43.080 --> 0:22:48.560 lot of work. So now it says, even though these 0:22:48.600 --> 0:22:51.720 trials are tested by fire, they may be found to 0:22:51.800 --> 0:22:54.919 result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of 0:22:55.160 --> 0:23:00.760 Jesus Christ, whom, not having known, you love in him, 0:23:00.880 --> 0:23:04.080 though now you don't see him yet, believing you rejoice 0:23:04.080 --> 0:23:07.800 greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, 0:23:08.119 --> 0:23:12.600 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 0:23:13.640 --> 0:23:17.640 So the result of faith is salvation, is what Peter 0:23:17.720 --> 0:23:21.800 says right here. And also it mentions that even though 0:23:21.840 --> 0:23:25.560 we don't know Jesus, we love him, and even though 0:23:25.560 --> 0:23:28.840 we don't see him, we believe and we rejoice with 0:23:28.920 --> 0:23:32.119 great joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. I 0:23:32.160 --> 0:23:36.840