"When You Wish God Chose Someone Else"

Peter 1:1-12 April 17, 2005

Picked – or Picked On?

The movie Fidder on the Roof is delightful, even though it suffers from some questionable theology. For example, when the main character Tevye prefaces a statement with "As the Good Book says," you can be pretty sure it's not going to actually be a quote from the Bible.

But we relate to Tevye because he's an ordinary guy, with typical everyday problems, while maintaining his distinctive Jewish heritage under an increasingly unfriendly pre-revolution Russian government. And when he's got a problem, he carries on a running dialogue with God about it. For instance, at one point we see him pulling his milk cart and leading his horse which has developed lameness in one leg. Tevye half-accuses God of deciding to have a little fun at His friend Tevye's expense by making his horse go lame. He wishes God would pick on someone else and leave him alone for once.

The apostle Peter was another Jew who about 63 AD wrote to encourage some young churches, not in Russia, but to the south in Asia Minor, which we now call Turkey. These young Jewish converts to Christianity were experiencing persecution and other hardships. In his letter, Peter stresses that they're not being "picked on" by God, but they've been "picked" through the gift of faith to be God's chosen people. God has selected them to receive a joyful relationship with Christ now, and a lasting inheritance in eternity – though they may have to weather some storms for their own benefit in the meantime.

Inscrutably Chosen

Despite the problems and sufferings Peter's encountered in his own life as an apostle and a key leader in this new movement known initially as "The Way", he has a strong sense of God's sovereignty and direction over everything that happens – particularly the process by which one becomes a believer in the first place. We see this in verses 1-3 of the first chapter. He writes "to God's elect...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father..." Peter's saying that Christians have been chosen, picked out (not picked on!), specially selected by God, according to His foreknowledge. Apart from God's intervention, we were lost in sin, totally depraved, unable to save ourselves. It's only (v3) "in His great mercy" that we have been given "new birth into a living hope" through Christ's resurrection. There is nothing about turning to God that we can take any credit for, as if we would have done it apart from His intervention. In the eternal scheme of things, we were toast; but God, for no reason we can understand or boast about, illuminated our soul with His marvellous light so we could respond to the Good News about Jesus.

Remember "picking teams" for sports or spelling bees in elementary school? Remember feeling sorry for the person who got left till last because they weren't very good at that particular skill? That can become pretty damaging to a child's self-worth. I was no jock when it came to sports, but I mustn't have been too far below average, for I remember feeling compassion for those who got left till last.

Once there was a boy who didn't have much athletic ability. Every time he and his friends would play some game he was always the last to be chosen. One day two new fellows came to play with them and were allowed to be team captains because they were older. But on that day, the first team captain chose the boy who had always been chosen last before. Can you guess why? …Because they were brothers, and he loved his brother.

So it is with God's election of us. He chose us not because of our abilities, but because He loves us. In a mysterious way, He knew us beforehand, and determined we would become a family of brothers and sisters for Jesus His Son. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit..." (Tit 3:5 NIVUS)

Indecipherable Prediction

V2 says Christians were chosen "through the sanctifying work of the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood." Down in vv10-12 Peter talks about the process leading up to Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection which was foretold centuries before by the Old Testament prophets. This mysterious purpose and intention in the heart of God was given expression verbally and recorded in holy writings, as a witness and confirmation for when it actually happened. He says, "Concerning this salvation, the prophets...searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you..." (1Pe 1:10-12 NIVUS)

It's easy when reading Psalm 22, or Isaiah 52-53, to imagine God had shown the authors some glimpse in their mind's eye of the Crucified One, even though they'd never actually witnessed such a cruel punishment in real life. God supplied them with words and symbols to communicate the essence of what Jesus would have to undergo, although it must not have made much sense to the authors at the time. It still wasn't making sense to religious leaders by Jesus' time – who ever dreamed the Messiah would have to suffer? It was commonly thought the Christ would be a strong, victorious political leader, like David. So the prophets must have pondered long and hard over what the cryptic message really meant. To some, their predictions may have been indecipherable – but they faithfully communicated and recorded the message anyway. Peter says they "searched intently and with the greatest care...Even angels long to look into these things." The words for "look into" are those used for John, Mary, and Peter stooping to peer into the tomb that first dim Easter morning (Jn 20:5,11; Lk 24:12). Like when you're driving the car and you're suddenly enveloped by thick fog or a white-out, you're peering intently trying to discern what's up ahead. The prophets realized God was going to do something wonderful for people and really longed to see its fulfilment.

Imagine the impact at Pentecost and to Jewish listeners who'd been familiar with the prophets being read every Sabbath in the synagogue, suddenly to hear these obscure passages making perfect sense as the events of recent days – Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection – fulfilled them! Click – a light just turned on! So Peter says the prophets weren't serving themselves but Christians by speaking as they had. Our Risen Lord on the Emmaus Road pointed out that the tragic events of the previous days simply "had to happen" because of what the prophets had spoken. "He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"" (Lu 24:25-26 NIVUS) It had all been indecipherably predicted – but Jesus' history supplied the key that made it all make sense. So the Bible is a real source of confirmation for believers trying to interpret their purpose and times.

Inexpressible Joy

God's choosing of us and grace toward us isn't just a thing of the past; we experience this grace in the present, here and now. Peter describes the current benefits Christians enjoy in vv8-9: "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1Pe 1:8-9 NIVUS) Here are four essentials for human existence, inasmuch as God created us with a spiritual element to our being that yearns for satisfaction. "You love Him" – to know God through Jesus in an intimate love relationship is vital for real human happiness. "You believe in Him" – faith supplies a sense of assurance, reason for living; His Lordship gives us direction and purpose. It says we "are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" – literally, we "rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and glorious". Peter's got so much joy, he's a little redundant in talking about it! And we are receiving faith's goal, its target or objective, namely, "the salvation of our souls." Healing, wholeness, justification, being "put right" as a divine Surgeon might set a dislocated bone back in its socket. Our Shepherd "restores our soul" when everything around goes haywire and threatens to knock us off-balance. Salvation empowers us to become obedient to Jesus, according to v2, and to enjoy the cleansing that "sprinkling by His blood" provides in the depth of our conscience; He makes us morally pure, eliminating all the past grime of our failures and sin. Oh, how great and freeing it feels to be completely forgiven and clean!

AW Pink observes that salvation is four-fold: it provides deliverance for us from sin's pleasure, sin's presence, sin's power, and sin's penalty. Jesus rescues us from all that when we call on His Name - Saviour.

In 1Corinthians 13, the "love chapter", Paul says three things remain or abide: faith, hope, and love. They are what really matters, what really fills our tank of basic needs as humans. In v3 here Peter spoke of our "living hope"; vv8-9 add to this not just faith and love, but also joy and salvation. Whatever hardships may arise, this fistful of lasting intangibles give us an invisible power source to keep going. They also help inoculate us against the counterfeits with which the Tempter may try to waylay us.

Inevitable Persecution

Peter's writing about 63 AD; he addresses his letter to "strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia" etc. Persecution is a fact of life for his readers. They are "scattered" in the first place because of opposition from the religious leaders in Jerusalem that arose with the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 (see 8:1,4). Hyper-Jewish vigilantes like Saul (before he was converted) went from synagogue to synagogue, harming Christians physically, driving them out of town, or attempting to turn Roman officials against them.

At first the Romans identified Christians with the officially-sanctioned Jewish religion. But increasingly, and especially with the reign of Nero, Christianity was becoming recognized as something new and different, a threat to the established order – especially as Christians refused to worship the emperor or join the army, or were involved in civil disturbances. Thus they were suspected of being atheists or traitors. Nero used the burning of Rome as an excuse to turn Christians into human torches. Around this time Paul was beheaded; Peter, not having the rights of a Roman citizen as Paul did, was crucified.

The Life Application Bible notes, "Another source of persecution was the Christian's own family. Under Roman law, the head of the household had absolute authority over all its members. Unless the ruling male became a Christian, the wife, children and servants who were believers might well face extreme hardship. If they were sent away, they would have no place to turn but the church; if they were beaten, no court of law would uphold their interests." Some other reasons Christians were persecuted: "They refused to worship at pagan temples, so business for these moneymaking enterprises dropped whenever Christianity took hold. They didn't support the Roman ideals of self, power, and conquest; and the Romans scorned the Christian ideal of self-sacrificing service. They exposed and rejected the horrible immorality of pagan culture." Can you see how some of these same factors apply today? We're not good for business - we don't got to the casino or racetrack; we don't shop on Sunday. We're not as aggressive or ruthless in our approach to corporate or political life. We make others uncomfortable or feel judged when we don't participate in the immoral habits that society condones. The centuries have rolled by, but we're "in it together" with the early Christians as far as being different and targets for persecution goes. We'll ‘stand out' – just as those 30+ liberals stood out from the rest of their caucus when they voted against changing the traditional definition of marriage this past week. They deserved the applause they got from the Conservatives whom they joined in the vote.

Peter wrote partly to prepare new believers for the persecution that was inevitable. He says in vv6-7 that we "greatly rejoice" in those five factors we just talked about – loving Jesus, believing in Him, experiencing hope, joy, and salvation – "though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith— of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire— may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1Pe 1:6-7 NIVUS)

Hardships and trials are bound to befall believers; we have an enemy who seeks to undo us. Whether it be accidents like horses going lame or falls from lifts that smash elbows or woodstove soot exploding through the house or diagnosis or a cancerous lump or threats to the next generation's concept of marriage or persecution by the authorities – "all kinds of trials" will come. Peter's Greek word can mean "experiment, trial, proving." The apostle says it may be necessary for us to undergo these troubles: "you may have had to suffer grief..." Why? He suggests two reasons: refinement now, and reward later. Refinement as by fire that is used to remove the dross from gold, so our faith, which is of "great worth...may be proved genuine." So we'll know that we know, for sure. And reward later - resulting in "praise, glory, and honour" when Jesus is unveiled and returns for His church.

Peter echoes another apostle, the Lord's brother James who writes in his first chapter (1:2f), "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance;" when this has finished its work, we become "mature and complete, not lacking anything". Persevering in persecution brings perfection.

Some flowers, such as the rose, must be crushed if their full fragrance is to be released. Some fruits, such as the sycamore, must be bruised if they are to attain ripeness and sweetness. Some metals, such as gold, must be heated in the furnace if they are to become pure. The attaining of godliness – the process of becoming a mature Christian – requires special handling. It is often through pain, suffering, trouble, adversity, trials, and even temptation that we develop spiritual discipline and become refined and enriched.

Imperishable Inheritance

So, in summary so far, we are Inscrutably Chosen, through an Indecipherable Prediction, experience Inexpressible Joy despite Inevitable Persecution, and, finally, have an Imperishable Inheritance. In vv4-5 Peter says God has given us "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade— kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." This is better than any earthly inheritance a parent or grandparent could bequeath us: we'd have to give that up when we die. God's inheritance goes on forever. It's "kept" or guarded for us in heaven, and won't ever perish or wear out or corrode or wither or be stolen - in contrast with this world's treasures. Jesus counselled us to "store up" for ourselves treasures in heaven rather than "on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Mt 6:19 NIVUS) In the meantime, Peter says we ourselves through faith "are shielded by God's power" until we are finally saved at the last time. The imagery is that of a military garrison; we are safe inside God's fort, with His cavalry standing guard. The apostle's trying to convey the idea of ultimate protection: the inheritance is in safekeeping, and the heirs have bodyguards 24/7.

Glory surPasses Suffering

How can we find our way through this earthly maze of tears and trials? With the help of God's "GPS" system - not "Global Positioning System" but "Glory Proves Suffering" (OK, maybe it's a little corny, but if it helps you remember – go with it!). The dictionary says "to prove" means "to test by experiment, standard; to establish a true; to be found by experience or trial." Isn't that what Peter's trying to communicate here? Our sufferings prove that our faith is real, it's the genuine article; we discover the Lord helps us cope through the tough times, and that reinforces our love for Him and our assurance He'll look after us till the very end. Glory Proves Suffering.

Jesus said on the road to Emmaus, "Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?" This is the pattern, the secret about Suffering Messiahship, the prophets foretold: v11, "the Spirit of Christ in them...predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." We see this echoed later in chapters 4(13) and 5(1) when Peter says, "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed...I...a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:" Sufferings and glory go together in that the former proves that we qualify for the latter, by God's grace.

How many here have ever stayed in a Holiday Inn? Have you ever had envious thoughts about being the founder? But even they had trials. Wilson Johnson was the founder of Holiday Inn motels. He once said, "When I was 40 years old I worked in a sawmill. One morning the boss told me I was fired. Depressed and discouraged, I felt like the world had caved in. When I told my wife what had happened, she asked me what I was going to do. I replied, ‘I'm going to mortgage our little home and go into the building business.' My first venture was the construction of two small buildings. Within 5 years I was a multi-millionaire! At the time it happened, I didn't understand why I was fired. Later, I saw that it was God's unerring and wondrous plan to get me into the way of His choosing."

Now, don't take from that that troubles mean you're going to become a millionaire! The point is, God used trouble to re-direct Wilson Johnson to something for which he was more suited. Often sufferings do not have such happy endings; but they nevertheless are a means of discovering God's grace.

In 1895, Andrew Murray was in England suffering from a terribly painful back, the result of an injury he had incurred years before. One morning while he was eating breakfast in his room, his hostess told him of a woman downstairs who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any advice for her. Andrew Murray handed her a paper he'd been writing on and said, "Give her this advice I'm writing down for myself. It may be that she'll find it helpful." This is what was written:

In time of trouble, say, "First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest." Next, "He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child." Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow." And last, say, "In His good time He can bring me out again. How and when, He knows." Therefore, say: "I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time."

        No, God's not "picking on" us or having fun at our expense. He's making even our trials work together for the good of those who love Him. In the meantime, we can rest secure in His love and sovereign protection, assured He's chosen us for a glorious purpose. Let's pray.