Archive for the '1 Peter' Category

1 Peter 5:14c

Published on March 14, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

 

Peace to you all
 
Peter pronounces a blessing upon believers in Asia Minor. “Peace” generally carries the idea of prosperity of soul.
This epistle began with an affirmation of peace (1:2) and now it closes with an affirmation of peace.
We never get away from our need of grace and peace.
who are in Christ Jesus
“In Christ Jesus” narrows the crowd down. There is a special peace given to those who hold the same status that Jesus holds before God. This is also the audience to whom Paul wrote,
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Amen
“Amen” means so be it, or, I believe this. Peter believes in His message. The grace of God will carry them through any suffering they might face (5:10).
Principle:
We all need to look beyond our present difficulties to see God’s grace in everything that comes our way.
Application:
We have hope because God is sovereign (1:3). We have a model in Christ for our suffering (2:2). If we understand and accept these two ideas, we will be able to face any heartache that may come our way.
If we view suffering in this way, our souls will prosper in God’s grace. We constantly need to acknowledge God’s grace if we are to have peace in our souls.
I hope that God blessed your hearts in the study of 1 Peter.
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1 Peter 5:14b

Published on March 13, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to 1 Peter

 

“Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

 

with a kiss of love
 
The kiss of greeting was a display of Christian kinship (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26). This kiss took the Christian beyond a formal greeting. The Christian community included both slaves and freemen. A Christian kiss demonstrated oneness in Christ between them. This dispelled prejudices that arouse from social distinctions. There is no condescension or lack of respect when one extends this kind of greeting.
 
The Christian kiss signified a familial friendship among members of the household of faith. It was a special greeting and sign of special affection and appreciation. But before we run out and grab all the young girls or handsome men in the congregation, we need to understand the purpose of this greeting. This greeting was in no way erotic. It was comparable to a warm handshake in our day. Today a kiss implies much more than a greeting.
Generally, the kiss took place between members of the same sex. It was the custom of people for the men to kiss men and women to kiss women in that culture. We still see women kissing women today but few men kiss each other in our culture. I, for one, am glad the custom has changed!
Principle:
We need to focus on others, even in times of suffering.
Application:
There is a tendency for those who hurt to become self-absorbed. You can almost hear them say, “Why should I care about others when I have my own problems with deal with?” Suffering too often robs us of compassion toward others.
The Christian life is a family affair. We should face suffering together. We should be there for one another when the going gets tough. The worst thing we can do is to attack one another during times of duress. Do you hurt when others hurt?
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1 Peter 5:14

Published on March 12, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to 1 Peter

 

“Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

 

Greet one another
 
“Greet” carries the idea of to welcome, or salute. When we greet others, we extend to them courtesy. In the first century, greetings of courtesy were important to honor other Christians. When we greet one another, we draw them to ourselves. We welcome others into our lives. Romans 16 uses this term 21 times.
 
Five epistles close with “greet one another with a kiss of love [Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians and 1 Peter].” Giving deference to other Christian was obviously a great value in to the early church.
Principle:
Peter commands Christians to make a point of expressing love to each other to give them respect.
Application
Do you make a point to express love to other Christians? Respect is foundational to love. Love is foundational to respect.
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1 Peter 5:13g

Published on March 11, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

my son
 
John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas but he was of no relation to Peter. Mark was Peter’s disciple. He was his son in the faith. Peter may have led Mark to Christ. Paul led Timothy to Christ and referred to him as “my dearly beloved son” and “my son in the faith.” Both of these great missionaries placed a priority on discipling others.
 
Principle:
All of us should have someone whom we are in the process of discipling.
Application:                                                                                           
Is there someone in your life that you disciple?
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1 Peter 5:13f

Published on March 10, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

THE LIFE OF MARK, Part V.
 
and so does Mark
 
Paul wrote Philemon at the same time and place as Colossians (when he referred to Mark 4:10). At the end of Philemon Paul says,
“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers” (Philemon 1:23-24).
Here Paul calls Mark his “fellow laborer.” Mark was in prison with Paul in Rome. Paul was not ashamed to identify with Mark at this point. In fact, Paul views Mark as someone who works shoulder to shoulder with him under the duress of imprisonment.
We find the final verse about Mark in 2 Timothy 4:11,
“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
“Useful” means profitable. Mark is profitable to Paul for the work of ministry! What a change in Paul’s thinking! Mark came through with flying colors towards the end of his ministry. Barnabas’ confidence in Mark paid off. I wonder if Paul ever had misgivings about not giving Mark another chance for ministry.
It says something of both Paul and Mark that they could reconcile their differences. They were men of character who would not let differences of the past hinder future ministry together.
Principle:
God is the God of second chances.
Application:
How many people go into the ministry and do not make it the first time? They are of sensitive spirit and people easily hurt them. Criticism rains down on them and they become so discouraged that they soon leave the ministry. Then God gives them a second chance. In their second chance at ministry, God uses them together in a marvelous way. Jonah was a failure the first time out but God gave him a second chance. God is the God of second chances.
Can you resist holding a grudge against someone who hurt you in the past? Can you let past injuries be forgotten?
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1 Peter 5:13e

Published on March 9, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

THE LIFE OF MARK, Part IV
and so does Mark
 
Six years elapse between Mark’s desertion and Acts 15:36,
“Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing’” (Acts 15:36).
The gospel team decided to do some follow up work on those who received Christ on the previous mission. Barnabas wanted to take his nephew with them even though he was a failure the first time.
“Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark” (Acts 15:37).
Mark lives down in Jerusalem with his mother.
“But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work” (Acts 15:38).
Paul reasoned that if Mark quit once, he would quit twice. But Barnabas felt differently about that. He wanted to give Mark another chance. “After all, he is young. He failed the first time out, but we need to give him grace. Maybe he will make good this time,” Barnabas might have reasoned. But Paul resisted, “He is not going with me. You can’t depend on him.”
“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:39-41).
The gospel team broke up over a personnel dispute. Each went his own way. They were never to minister together again.
Years slipped by and Paul was imprisoned in Rome. From his cell, he wrote Colossians. In the last chapter, Paul acknowledges that Mark made good.
“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him)” (Colossians 4:10).
Principle:
We want to finish well.
Application:
When it comes to Christian work, it does not matter as much how poorly you begin, what really counts is how well you finish. The score at half time is not nearly important as the score at the end of the game.
(The life of Mark — to be continued)
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1 Peter 5:13d

Published on March 8, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

THE LIFE OF MARK, Part III.
 
and so does Mark
 
Things went along quite well but before long, John Mark deserted the team.
“Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13).
John Mark went home. Some would say that he was a mama’s boy–that he found the work of God getting difficult and quit when the ministry got tough.
The Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:2). He said nothing about Mark. Who invited Mark? His uncle. Many people go into ministry because some person asked them to do it. “My mother always wanted me in ministry, they say.” Yet these people often do not last in Christian work because they have not sought the will of God.
So, John Mark went home. The gospel team continued their ministry without John. Again, in today’s terms, they drove their own car and did their own organizing.
Principle:
God must lead us into ministry, not people.
Application:
If God does not lead you into ministry, you will become cynical, critical, negative and bitter. By the same token, if God does lead you into ministry, you will have a great love for people, including your detractors. And you will understand that your critics keep you from pride.
If we allow people to put pressure on us to go into the ministry, we make a big mistake. We must make sure that it is God who leads us, not other people.
(The life of Mark — to be continued)
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1 Peter 5:13c

Published on March 7, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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"She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son."

 

THE LIFE OF MARK, Part II

and so does Mark
 
When Paul and Barnabas finished their relief ministry to the saints, they returned to Antioch (another 300-mile trip to the north). 
 
Ac 12: 25 “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.”
 
We learn from Colossians that John Mark’s mother was the sister to Barnabas. Thus, John Mark was the nephew of Barnabas. Barnabas invited John Mark to go with them on a missionary enterprise for they could use him in the ministry at Antioch. Mark then accompanied his Uncle Barnabas and also Paul to Antioch.
 
The Holy Spirit now calls Barnabas and Paul to a missionary expedition further into the Roman Empire. The local church at Antioch sent them out on this mission (Ac 13:1-4). They took John Mark with them.
 
Ac 13: 5 “And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John [Mark] as their assistant.”
 
John Mark was their “assistant.” He did the odd chores. He set up the P.A. system, drove the car and organized their meetings. He did the legwork. 
 
PRINCIPLE: The work of God needs people to do the legwork.
 
APPLICATION: The work of God needs people to do the legwork. Every ministry needs this kind of person. Thank God for each of them. These are the people who do much for the kingdom of God. However, we hear very little about them. They work behind the scenes. If it were not for them, very little kingdom work would get done. 
 
(The life of Mark — to be continued)
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1 Peter 5:13b

Published on March 6, 1998 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

and so does Mark
 
THE LIFE OF MARK, Part I
 
The “Mark” of this verse is the Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark. The New Testament mentions Mark in five books. We meet him first in Acts 12, “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12).
 
The church at Antioch (300 miles north of Jerusalem) sent relief by Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Acts 11) because of a wide spread famine in Judea. In Acts 12, the gospel team was in Jerusalem. Terrible events transpired while they were there. Herod executed James the apostle with a sword.
When Herod saw that this pleased his constituency (this is all that a politician needs), he threw Peter in jail. Herod wanted to execute Peter after Passover. The night before Herod was to execute Peter, the church was in an all night prayer meeting praying for Peter. When Peter knocked at the door, the people praying did not believe that God answered their prayers!
Principle:
God answers even faithless prayer.
Application:
We often enter prayer not believing that God will answer our prayer. God answers even faithless prayer.
We need to develop a mechanism that will help us recognize when God does answer prayer. My method for doing this is to write down my prayers. When God answers the prayer, I write “answered” beside the request.
Whatever method you chose, you need to strengthen your faith by seeing how God answers prayer in your life.
(The life of Mark — to be continued)
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1 Peter 5:13

Published on March 5, 1998 in 1 Peter. 5 Comments
Read Introduction to 1 Peter

 

“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”

 

She who is in Babylon
 
“She” may refer to a congregation with whom Peter is staying.
“Babylon” the city was almost non-existent in the time of Peter. It was located in what is now Iraq today, in the Mesopotamian valley. There is no evidence that Peter ever went to Babylon. He was, however, in Rome in the final years of his life. Silvanus and Mark were both colleagues whose ministry was nearer to the city of Rome.
“Babylon” may be a code name for the city of Rome. If Babylon does refer to Rome, Peter might have used this code name to protect the Asia Minor Christians from persecution. Rome became a catalyst for persecution of Christians throughout the world.
John Mark also sent his greetings to the churches in Asia Minor. Paul located John Mark in Rome in an earlier concern (Colosians 4:10). This also gives evidence that Babylon is Rome.
elect together with you
“Elect” is a double compound word made up of three words: with, out of and elect. “Elect” is a compound word meaning to being selected together with. “Elect” means called out together with others. An elect person is a person chosen together with someone else. God is the one who does the choosing.
This is a corporate word. We are part of one big family of God and our home is not of this world. Our home is heaven. God elected people from various parts of the Roman Empire to be His church (1:2). They would possess salvation and a relationship to God.
greets you
Churches should care for one another. They should love and pray for one another. Does your church have fellowship with other churches? Do you do things together?
Principle:
Christians everywhere are joined by the bond of Christ.
Application:
Wherever Christians may live, they have a bond in Christ. Churches which are great distances apart should have affinity for one another. Although distance separates them, they are one in Christ. We need to look over the fences of our narrow viewpoints and embrace other believers for the cause of Christ.
We are united by God’s common election. Continents may be separated by oceans, but they are parts of the same globe. In fact, under the ocean, continents blend into one.
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