BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY
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BIBLE STUDY LESSON
For the week beginning Sunday December 2, 2012
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LIVING WITH HOPE
(The living hope that we have through
JESUS CHRIST)
1 Peter 1:1-12
The Apostle Peter, perhaps, wrote this inspiring letter (1 Peter) while
residing in Rome, near the end of his life. Its purpose was to lend comfort and
encouragement to the Jewish Christian Diaspora, who, were living as foreigners
in the various towns of Asia Minor (now northern Turkey). Here Peter focuses on
“triumph through suffering for CHRIST”, and how the “Christian Hope” will serve
as motivation to make our life here on earth, conform more fully to the word of
GOD, as we go along on your “Christian Journey”.
Peter apparently wrote
this epistle around the time of “the great persecution of the Christian Church”
by the Roman emperor, Nero. Nero, who was an outstanding practitioner of the
form of witchcraft called “Miming”, often used his miming talents to make light
of his terrible persecutions on the Church, by mocking the Christian’s sufferings,
while performing in the theaters in and around Rome. Peter and the other early
church leaders banned miming in the Christian Church for obvious reasons
(witchcraft is “anti-CHRIST”).
Nowadays, because of
our ever-growing desire to be entertained, the so-called “Black Christian
Church” has both “wittingly and unwittingly” re-introduced this demonic form of
entertainment back into church worship services and other church functions,
because we fail to properly research, hardly anything anymore, before we begin
to incorporate it into our programs. However, we’ll let that (miming) be
another Sunday school lesson. For now, let us focus on the Hope of Eternal Life
that is offered through Salvation, through JESUS CHRIST.
Peter’s first letter is
rich in references to and from the Old Testament. Any Jewish Christian would
find special significance in the term “Diaspora” that is translated “scattered”
in the opening lines of this letter, and any Gentile reader wouldn’t help but
notice Peter’s call for living a holy lifestyle, despite their background, or
total ignorance to the Word of GOD. Those Gentile converts would have also been
greatly encouraged by the fact that, even though they weren’t yet versed in the
Word of GOD, they were immediately accepted as “GOD’s people” by the Christian
Community.
In 1 Peter 1, verses
1-2, Peter lays out the theological foundation of “encouragement” to his fellow
Christians who were scattered abroad. In the biblical Greek, the word used for
“encourage” is “parakaleo” (par-ak-al-eh-o), and it means “to call near, and to
invoke by imploring and consoling”. It also means “to be of some good to, by
comforting, through prayer and exhortation”.
He reminds them that GOD had long ago chosen them, and, that they had
also been sanctified by the HOLY SPIRIT through the atoning blood of CHRIST
JESUS. They had been touched by the “GOD-head”, the “Whole of GOD”, and set aside
to do “greater things” with their lives. Here Peter shares his personal desire (v.
2c) that they be showered with an abundance of GOD’s grace and peace upon their
lives.
In verses 3-5 Peter
speaks of the “living hope”, or “wonderful expectation” that comes through the
resurrection of CHRIST JESUS, which promises us a divine inheritance in Heaven.
GOD has preserved a priceless inheritance for HIS people, which is kept “pure”
and “undefiled”, and, kept out of the reach of “change” and “decay”. We are
also protected by GOD’s power, here on earth, until we can receive those
Heavenly benefits of this “wonderful salvation” for trusting in HIM only.
We can come to rest in
the thought that “this life on earth is not the final act of the human drama”. And even though, by choosing the Christian
Walk, we are no longer permanent residents of this earth, but rather, become
citizens of Heaven, it is still necessary, for now, to endure those tests and
trials that are set before us. Those tests and trials are not meant to make us
fail, but rather, are given to us to grow our faith and make us strong and pure,
to better serve GOD’s purpose for us, in this life. To persevere through those
trials and tribulations will bring much praise and glory and honor on the day
when JESUS returns, and is revealed to the whole world (Vs. 6-7).
Faith, Hope, and Love
are the three great enduring things, and of the three, love is the greatest (1
Corinthians 13:13). Our living “hope” is spun by the promise of GOD. We “love”
HIM, even though we have never seen HIM. And though we do not see HIM, by
“faith”, we trust in HIS Word. And even now, we can rejoice with an
inexpressible joy, because our reward for trusting in HIM will result in the salvation
of our souls (Vs. 8-9).
Salvation is something
that every prophet since the beginning of the age wanted to know more about.
They prophesied of this great salvation through GOD’s SON that had been
prepared for mankind, even though they themselves, probably, had many questions
as to what it all meant. They often wondered just what the SPIRIT of GOD in
them was talking about, when HE informed them in advance, about CHRIST’s
suffering here on earth, and HIS great glory, afterwards.
These great men of GOD
were told all these things would not happen in their lifetimes. However, today
this Good News is being preached throughout the world by those who actually
embody the power of the HOLY SPIRIT on a continuous basis. And it is something
so wonderful, that, even the angels are eagerly watching the events unfold in
the lives of those who experience the Christian Hope, by way of a
transformation of the heart, through the power of GOD’s Word (Vs. 10-12).
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
