This Sunday we will be starting a new series in 1 Peter which we are calling Firm in the Faith. Peter is writing to Christians spread across the world to encourage them to continue to hope in God and the salvation he has accomplished in Christ. Life in our world is difficult, and we see and experience tremendous amounts of suffering daily, but this should not lead us to despair or abandon our faith. Peter wants us to remember what God is doing even in the midst of everything – that God will be faithful to save us. Peter also makes God really big in his letter. The bigger we see God in our world and in our lives the surer our hope becomes. If we are going to face everything that life throws at us we need to hope in the Gospel and what God is doing.
This week we will begin our study of 1 Peter looking at 1 Peter 1:1-12. Here Peter wants to remind us who we are as Christians and of our relationship to the world. We are ‘elect exiles’ as he calls us. People chosen by God for a salvation that will be accomplished, and yet we live life as foreigners on this earth as we wait for Jesus. We will be tested through suffering, but that suffering is used of God to refine us. This is what God has planned, and he will be faithful.
Life can be difficult and it is easy to focus more on the obstacles that confront us everyday over Jesus. 1 Peter is a book of hope that reminds us of what Jesus has done for us as believers to make our salvation sure. Peter wants to tilt our head up from the day to day problems of life to remember the hope of our salvation in Christ. He encourages us to have a forward lean to our faith that is looking forward to the completion of our salvation when Christ returns. His message to us is that if you can keep your eyes focused on what Jesus has accomplished and our salvation to come, you can face any obstacle in life-Firm in the Faith. Join us as we hear what God has to say to us as we explore this short and punchy book over the summer!
