SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2009

1 Peter 1:13-25

BACKGROUND:

Peter writes this letter to Christian believers who have scattered for one reason or another to many parts of the known world. Particularly, Peter addresses those in regions he has personally visited. Peter begins by explaining why these Christians should feel special. First, God has – purely through mercy – provided a new life for all believers.  That new life gives them hope through Jesus Christ, who died in their stead, rising from the dead and thereby provided a “treasure” that cannot and will not be spoiled by anything. That treasure will not fade away, wear out or become outdated. It is, in fact that treasure spoken of in the Old Testament time and again by the prophets. Now, those predictions have come to pass...

With that, Peter begins the words of our lesson today with the connector, “Wherefore”...

DEMANDS OF THE NEW LIFE (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Peter explains that there should be reaction on the parts of the recipients of these blessings by God. Christians should embrace what God has done through His Son, and make themselves ready for action.  “Gird up thy loins” is an expression of days past that had reference to the fact that men in those days wore long robes. These garments were not designed for running, and in order to run, a man would have to gather up the low-hanging robe, tie it about his waist, leaving his feet and lets free to maneuver. But Peter is not here speaking literally of a garment, but rather the mind. He is challenging believers to remove that which would hinder the mind from doing its best work. More particularly, Peter warns against falling back into the old ways that these new converts had in their previous lives. Obviously, Satan can be expected to work diligently in that direction. The converts are not to obey the devil, but obey the Word of God...

Then comes the challenge: they are now pledged to One who is holy, and their goal should be to become holy (set apart from the world) as He is holy. Of course, this is a challenge that no human can possibly achieve, but the idea is to strive toward that goal with all one’s might...

COST OF HOLINESS (1 Peter 1:17-21}

The first “price tag” will be to adopt the attitude that this earthly life is a kind of exile; that is, you no longer belong in this world, but you must suffer it to be so until such time as God calls you home. You must also recognize that you are being rescued from exile as a result of a special ransom paid for your release. It is a ransom more precious and more long-lasting that silver and gold. It will never spoil or fade away. This “ransom”, says Peter, was in place before the beginning of the world. In other words, God loved us all and arranged for our release even before we existed...

REGENERATION BY THE WORD (1 Peter 1:23-35)

All of this initiative on God’s part should cause the recipient to become a new person on the inside, There should be love for one another – a love that is genuine and from the heart. It should be the same love (agape) that moved God to rescue us; it certainly had nothing to do with merit on our parts, God just loved us in spite of ourselves. Today, Christians must adopt the same attitude – they must love one another – friend or foe – without regard to merit on the other person’s part. It is this love that sets Christians apart from the world....

DAVID