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But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” – 1 Peter 1:17-25

The video below is the message from this past Sunday. I’m including this passage today for the Bible study reading so you are able to read it in the full context of the book of 1 Peter and so you have that context fresh for tomorrow’s reading which starts chapter 2.

If you have already listened to Sunday’s message, please read and ponder the passage anew and, if want, you can listen to the message from Sunday again. You may discover new insights having studied through 1 Peter 1:1-16 this past week.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” – 1 Peter 1:13-16

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.” – 1 Peter 1:10-12

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:3-9

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” – 1 Peter 1:1-2

Hi, my name is Pastor Kurt Steinbrueck.

That’s a greeting, but there are things you can learn just from that simple greeting. I’m a Christian, a leader, have German heritage, speak English, and more.

When Peter greets the people in his letter, He packs a lot into a short greeting.

What’s In a Name?
He starts by giving his name and his role, and apostle, a messenger, sent by Jesus who is the Christ of God. It establishes authority in the message because it isn’t his message, it’s a message from Jesus. It also tells you that he’s on a mission. There’s a purpose to why he is writing.

Who Is Peter Writing To?
Next he addresses the people. The places he names are all Christian communities in the area we now know as Turkey. There’s some debate as to whether these were primarily Jewish or gentile communities. Some point to some of the phrases Peter uses, such as the ways of their forefathers being futile and who they engages in some pretty sinful behaviors which were common to the gentiles.

However, we know that the Jews, after a while of living in exile tended to adopt the ways of the people around them. Peter also refers to the gentiles, but does so as a separate group. This implies a Jewish community. What helped me to decide the groups were likely largely Jewish was this greeting. Peter calls the people, the…

elect exiles of the Dispersion.

The dispersion is a specific event in Jewish history when the Babylonians conquered Israel and exiled the Israelites, sending them all over.

In the end, though, this isn’t going to change the way we read the book much and the group was probably a mix of Jews and gentiles since the Christian community would spread the Gospel to their neighbors.

The Trinity and More…
Next, we see that they are Christians according to the foreknowledge of God, who is our Heavenly Father. God is making them holy (sanctification) for faith (the obedience to Jesus) for their salvation (the sprinkling with His blood.

We see the whole Trinity in the greeting. We see the work of God. We see all this and more in one sentence.

Amazing!!