The Only One We Should Look Too

This Sunday night I am going to be introducing our 1 Peter series for our night services. I am really looking forward to opening up the book of 1 Peter and seeing how God is going to speak through this little book into the lives of all of us in those services. What is fascinating though to me, is how Peter begins his letter to these ‘chosen exiles’.

You see in the 1st century paper or writing platforms were really expensive and hard to come by, especially compared to our day, so when an itinerant preacher like Pete, who probably didn’t have a fixed income decided to write to people he really cared about, we can know that what he is writing is important, really important.

Notice what he does not do, he does not start his letter by telling people how awesome they are, he does not begin by pumping them up with false compliments, he does not begin by telling them that he has five keys to success and prosperity. He especially does not begin by pointing people to themselves and telling them that the Bible is about them and how they can unlock the potential in their lives. No Peter does not do any of this. This would be  really confusing for many people today especially if you listen to many (but not all) modern evangelical preachers because that is exactly what they do. They often begin by talking about themselves or their awesome audience, and then they precede to try and show their congregations that the Bible is just a key to unlocking each individuals potential and awesomeness. I can see how many Christians could come to 1 Peter and read the first few verses and say something like, ‘There is nothing in this for me, because it does not speak about me and my potential’ or something like that. I can see that this would happen because many preachers today are not on the same page as Peter, this is sad but vividly real truth about the church today.

Notice what Peter actually does, he points people to the God who chose them, to the God who died for them, and the God who will sanctify them, in other words he begins with an incredible signpost pointing to the God who exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the God who has achieved their salvation and the God who will complete their salvation according to his pre-worked out plan. In other words, Peter knows that he may not get another chance anytime soon to speak to this same group of people, so he begins with that which is of first importance: the gospel.

For the people of God, that which saves us, and that which sustains, guides and blesses us in this life, is the gospel of God, the message of salvation. Therefore Peter is pointing these people away from themselves to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of their faith. He is the one we need to look to, not ourselves.

If we think we can sustain our Christian walk in this life by unlocking in ourselves some hidden potential for greatness, or influence or something like this, we will be disappointed, because we cannot save ourselves, and no matter how hard we try we cannot change this world apart from the miraculous power of Christ. Sure God does unlock potential and greatness in his people, Peter is a prime example himself, fisherman turned world-changing fisher of people, but we cannot look to ourselves, we cannot look to our own effort, we can and we should look to Jesus.

Whether you have already trusted in Jesus as saviour or if you have never placed your trust in him, the message is still the same: Jesus died for you, rose again for you, and salvation is only found by trusting in him, and it is only lived out by trusting in him. This is the central message of the Christian church, and this is what Peter wants to remind these people of with his one bit of parchment: look to God, specifically the God who called them, died for them, and by his own Spirit will make them into his holy people.