This last Sunday, the CEO (Dr. Willie Nolte) of our Transformation Ministries denomination was the guest preacher for our church’s continued sermon series through the book of 1 Peter for our online video Worship service. Pastor of pastors Willie gives the illustration of a jigsaw puzzle, where you start putting the pieces together and certain parts of the picture begin coming visible. You focus and become engrossed on finding more individual pieces of those emerging items within the picture, but there comes a time when you just need to stop, take a step back and take a look at the whole big picture. The same is true in our Christian walk and growth. It’s important to hear God’s Word in pieces, but need to periodically stop and see what we have been taught.
1 Peter 1:1-9 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, Being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
As we have gone through the book of 1 Peter over all these last week, what are the main points, keynote teachings, living principles and central understandings that we have been hearing? Let’s go back to the beginning and then identify the four big pieces of this book’s learnings. The Apostle drops this incredible teaching, deep Theology and phenomenal Doctrine throughout this epistle (New Testament writing in an elegant and formal didactic letter) directed or sent to a group of people, and us today. In the end, the Apostle brings it back to the us being the family of God in the deep teaching of the Gospel. Right now, the situation may not seem, look or feel good, but some many things are true, powerful and applicable, which are bracketed in this wonderful concept of being in the people of God under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The first big message to remember from 1 Peter is that we are exempt from hardship and suffering. The Apostle is straight up honest. As Christian, the people of God, the Church, we are not exempt from trouble. What we learn from this portion of Scripture is that hardship and suffering actually connects us to our Lord Jesus Christ. Our suffering is not redemptive, like Jesus’ suffering was redemptive. Christ suffering on the Cross brings about our forgiveness and wholeness. Jesus was our example as He persevered, He didn’t give up, He humbled himself, He was obedient to the Father and model complete reliance. We are connected when we do the same. We all have to decide what we do with the time that we have been given. The second connection that hardships and sufferings make is between each other. It is so important that you know that you are not alone in the suffering. What the deeper, powerful and significant dynamics in being the church that is is that when we come inside a relationship with God through Jesus, is being body of Christ, the family of God and the fellowship of Believers. We are connected to brothers and sisters in Christ that we may never see or know around the global, but by the family of God, we are connected while we go through this time on earth. God is sovereign and when He brings us out of this situation, the question will be: Will we have grown according to God’s purposes?
Let's continue Dr. Nolte's message on the Big Picture in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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