But we know Peter’s story is a story of redemption. We’ve watched him be completely transformed when the Holy Spirit came upon him in the book of Acts. We remember like his lowest moment when he denied Jesus three times in the courtyard of the high priest, and we followed him all the way the upper room and his ministry, throughout the book of Acts. And we get to know a bit of the boldness of Peter which we will certainly find in…in these letters. And in this letter, it says it’s written to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. These are five provinces of the Roman Empire. Now, they’re all located within modern-day Turkey, but they were all part of the Roman Empire. And Peter used the term God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners because this would’ve been well understood in the Jewish culture. Those living as foreigners or those who had been dispersed or exiled, were those who had been scattered over the world in the different exiles. And more recently at this time, religious persecution against followers of Jesus had dispersed many. And we’re gonna find that Peter is as direct has James. Peter speaks forthrightly and directly, but it’s not condemnation. It's…it’s encouragement, it’s meant to be direct and bolster and lift up people who are suffering hardship and are giving up. That’s a lot of us. To remind us that there is a hope for those who endure. And so, if we’re still kind of like brushing off from James. If we got a good kick in the pants from James, we’re about to get a second helping of that kick in the pants from Peter. So, well, let’s begin. First Peter chapter 1 verses 1 through 12.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another day, another step-in community in the Scriptures. We thank You for this new territory that we are moving into in the letter of first Peter. Holy Spirit come, as we move through these letters. Speak clearly into our lives, into the things that we do, into the postures of our hearts, into the motivations of our wills. May they conform to Yours and may we surrender to Your guidance, we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.