pilgrims_and_strangers - 1 Peter 1:1-2

What a thrilling thing it is to be a Christian. And the world doesn't like us because we're a pilgrim people, a scattered people, a chosen people, an obedient people, and enriched people. But we're going to be the people of God because he saved us by his grace.

I read many books and I can always tell when I'm reading a book whether or not the person who wrote it really has experienced what is written. Oh, how easy it is for us to write books for other people or preach sermons to other people and tell them how they should do it.

Peter had experienced failure. He knew how to trust the grace of God for success. Peter knew what it was to go through trial and difficulty. And so Peter, when he wrote this letter, was fulfilling a commission given to him to strengthen the brethren and to shepherd the sheep. This is why we're going to study this book because we need strengthening and we need shepherding. More than anything else today, God's people need strengthening and shepherding.

Why would anybody want to make life difficult for a Christian? We don't go around destroying things. We try to tell the truth. We work hard. We seek to live lives that are a glory to God. We try to obey the word of God. Why would it be that the world would persecute Christians when Christians are making such a wonderful contribution to the world?

Well, in 1 Peter 1, Peter describes for us the characteristics of God's people. And when you understand these characteristics, you'll understand why the world doesn't want us around.

1 Peter 1:1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners or the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you and peace be multiplied.

This is the area that we would probably call Turkey. This is over in Asia Minor. This is the area where Paul wanted to go, but he was not allowed to go. Paul was prohibited by the Holy Spirit of God from ministering in this area, Acts 16:7.

But Peter was the one who ministered primarily to the Jewish believers. You'll recall in Galatians 2:9, that Peter was set apart to be the apostle of the circumcision, that is, the apostle to the Jews. Paul was especially the apostle to the Gentiles, although he did love the Jewish people and sought to minister to them. So here we have the apostle Peter, a very special called servant of God, ministering to the people of God.

Now, in this opening word of greeting, the apostle Peter describes for us the characteristics of God's people. And when you understand the characteristics of God's people, you'll understand why the world persecutes us and does not want us around. To begin with, we are a strange people. He calls us strangers. That word strangers means sojourners, aliens, resident aliens, a temporary residence in this world. If ever you have traveled in another country, you know how that feels, to be a temporary resident.

I can recall when I have ministered to various mission groups on different mission fields, how difficult it is when you don't know the language. Here you are standing in the customs department in a foreign country, in an airport, and they're speaking a language you don't understand. Sometimes they're eating food in the restaurants that you've never seen before. There are customs that you do not really understand. We are resident aliens in those countries.

Well, as far as this world is concerned, this world is not our home. We're just passing through. In 1 Peter 2:11, he writes, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims. And so here we are, our citizenship is in another country. What is that country? That country is heaven. Philippians 3:20, we're told, but our citizenship is in heaven. In Luke 10:20, Jesus said to the disciples, rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

And so the unsaved crowd thinks we're strange. We are strangers from God's point of view because our citizenship is up in heaven. We are strangers from the world's point of view because we don't live the way they live. And so our citizenship is in heaven. Our names are written in heaven.

Our Father is in heaven. Our treasures are in heaven. Our hope is in heaven. Our vision is one day to go to heaven. And all of our joy has to do with heaven. Therefore, we're not too interested in this world except for one thing, to use our opportunity to take others with us to heaven.

I think this is one reason why the world doesn't like us. We don't want to settle down in this world. We are resident aliens. We are pilgrims and strangers. We are only passing through.

You see, a fugitive is running from home. A vagabond has no home. A stranger is away from home. A pilgrim is heading home. And we are pilgrims and strangers. We're away from home, but we're heading home.

Now, because we are a strange people, sojourners, resident aliens, we have broken with the past and we're living for the future and we are unattached in the present. You see, the world wants the security of this world. And people make the statement, well, it's as sure as the world.

I would have you to know that nothing is more unsure than the world. The world is passing away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. We are a strange people, pilgrims and strangers, and the world does not want to accept this or receive us. This is why whenever a Christian does settle down in the world and get comfortable, that person is welcomed by the world.

You know, when Lot moved into Sodom, it wasn't long before he became one of the leaders in Sodom. He's sitting at the gate when the angels show up, which means he was one of the one of the elders, one of the mayors, one of the council members in Sodom. And here is Lot in Sodom, but he's not a separated man. He belongs to that society.

Now, he didn't do what they did. And Peter tells us that Lot's righteous soul was vexed with what they did. But God had to take Lot by the hand and drag him out of Sodom. Abraham had no problem with Sodom. Abraham lived in a tent. He was a pilgrim and a stranger.

I notice something else about God's people. They are scattered. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout these various areas over in Asia Minor. The word scattered means dispersed like seeds. We are a people who are scattered throughout the world. And wherever you go, you're going to find somebody who knows the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is because the gospel is for the whole world. And this is because we want to reach the whole world with the gospel. And many of these people were where they were because they had been persecuted. Others were there because God planted them there to bear fruit.

We are a scattered people. Wherever you go, you find Christians. I have heard unsaved people say, well, I'll be glad when the day comes there won't be any Christians around here. That day is going to come. One day God will call his people home and the the world will have exactly what it wants.

I read in the Psalms that Egypt was glad when the Jews finally left because of all the suffering that Egypt had gone through because of them. And the Jews were worshipping the true and living God and the Egyptians were worshipping idols. And the Egyptians were glad when the Jews were gone.

Well, you and I are strangers who are scattered throughout this world. Some of God's people are in heaven and some are here on earth and we're in different parts of the world. You may be listening to me from a hospital bed, wondering, why am I in this hospital bed? Well, God has put you there. He's planted you there.

This word scattered means to be scattered like seed. We are spread abroad. We are dispersed like seeds. And God plants us where he wants us that we might bear fruit. Don't wish that you were somewhere else. Bloom where you are planted. God's put you where you are.

Well, we are a scattered people. And wherever you go, you're going to find the light shining. You're going to find that we're the salt of the earth and sometimes that salt burns the wounds in this world. We're the light of the world. God has scattered us abroad like seed to bear fruit. Thirdly, we are a chosen people. In 1 Peter 1:2, you have the word elect. In the original Greek manuscript, it actually reads, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect sojourners. We are an elect people. And did you notice in 1 Peter 1:2 that all three persons of the Godhead are involved in your salvation?

Every once in a while, somebody will write to me and say, Brother Wiersbe, I don't understand election. Well, I remember a professor in seminary saying, try to explain election, you may lose your mind, but try to explain it away and you may lose your soul. It is in the Bible. Did you notice here that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all involved in your salvation?

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. God the Father has chosen us. Through sanctification of the Spirit, God the Holy Spirit has set us apart. Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has died for us. We are chosen by the Father, purchased by the Son, indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.

Now, it takes all three members of the Godhead for you to be saved. Some people so emphasize election, they forget evangelism. And some people so emphasize evangelism, they forget election. Some are always talking about the cross and they ignore the Holy Spirit. And some, alas, say so much about the Holy Spirit, they forget about the Lord Jesus Christ and the cross. Would you notice, please, that as far as God the Father is concerned, you were saved when he chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world. You find that in Ephesians 1. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.

Now, what does foreknowledge mean? Does it mean he knew beforehand who was going to believe? Well, God knows everything beforehand. This word foreknowledge means more than knowing beforehand. It means planning beforehand. The same word is used over in 1 Peter 1:20, talking about the Lord Jesus, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.

Now, does this mean that God knew that his son was going to die, or that God planned that his son was going to die? This same word is used in Acts 2. In fact, Peter's the one who uses it in his sermon at Pentecost, talking about the Lord Jesus, Acts 2:23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

What does that mean? Does it mean that God simply knew that one day Jesus would die and therefore he permitted it to happen? No. It means that God planned that Jesus would die. This is the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. The death of Jesus Christ was not something God knew, it was something God planned.

Now, your salvation is not something that God knew, it's something God planned. We are elect, chosen, according to what? The foreknowledge of God the Father. So as far as God the Father is concerned, you were saved when he chose you way in advance, chose you to be in Jesus Christ. But don't stop there. Because the Holy Spirit has a work to do through sanctification of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God uses the word of God to accomplish the plan of God.

As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when he chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world. As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when he died for me on the cross. As far as God the Holy Spirit is concerned, I was saved that night I yielded to the Spirit's calling. And it took all three to bring me to salvation.

How does the Holy Spirit work through the word? You'll notice in 1 Peter 1:22, seeing that ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. You notice that? The Holy Spirit of God comes to you with the truth of the word of God and reveals to you the salvation of God in Jesus Christ. And then you believe and you are born again.

Now, if you had come to me the night I was saved and talked to me about election, I would not have known what you were talking about. But if you come to me and say, I want to talk to you about salvation, that's something else. Listen to this. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. That's election. Through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. You notice that?

Don't separate election, the work of God the Father, from the work of God the Holy Spirit, who takes the word of God and calls you to salvation. And so we are chosen by the Father, set apart by the Spirit, unto what? Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us that we might be saved. We are saved through his blood. The blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross for us.

Now, it takes all three. Don't separate one from the other. God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit work together in your salvation. We are an elect, chosen people. In fact, Peter likes this word called. You notice that when you read 1 Peter 1:15, as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy. We're called to be holy.

1 Peter 2:9, but he has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We're called into the light. 1 Peter 2:21, for even hereunto were ye called to follow his steps, called to imitate the Lord Jesus. We're called to inherit a blessing according to 1 Peter 3:9. And we are called to eternal glory according to 1 Peter 5:10. We are a called, chosen, elect people. Oh, what a privilege that is.

Now, the world doesn't like this. The world does not like it because we say, look, we're going to heaven. We don't live the way you people live. We're we're a chosen people. The Gentile nations hated the Jewish nation when they said, we are a chosen people, chosen by God.

Well, we are a pilgrim people, we're a scattered people, we're a chosen people, we're an obedient people. 1 Peter 1:2 tells us in 1 Peter 1, unto obedience. Obedience is important in this particular letter. He tells us in 1 Peter 1:14, as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, obedient children. 1 Peter 1:22, seeing that ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.

This is why the world doesn't like us, because we obey God and the world disobeys God. 1 Peter 4:4, in which they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. They think we're crazy. Why? Because we obey the word of God. Peter said, we should obey God and not men. And all around us is pressure to disobey the word of God.

We're an obedient people. And because we're obedient, the world does not like us. The world wants us to run with them to all the foul, dirty things that are going on. We say, no, we're not interested. We're on our way to heaven. We're pilgrims. We're strangers. We don't belong here. Why don't you come along with us? And we'll take you to glory as you trust Jesus as your Savior.

I notice also in 1 Peter 1:2, that we are an enriched people. Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. We have experienced the grace of God. Down in 1 Peter 1:2, he talks about abundant mercy. Now look at this, multiplied grace, multiplied peace, abundant mercy.

Now unsaved people don't have this. God in his grace gives me what I don't deserve and God in his mercy does not give me what I do deserve. And grace is one of the themes of 1 Peter, the true grace of God. We are an enriched people. We've experienced God's grace. We have God's peace. According to his abundant mercy, we've been begotten again unto a living hope.

What a thrilling thing it is to be a Christian. And the world doesn't like us because we're a pilgrim people, a scattered people, a chosen people, an obedient people, and enriched people. But we're going to be the people of God because he saved us by his grace. And we're looking forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because it's going to be a time of reunion.

The older we get, the more we are separated from those we love and for those who care for us so much. It seems like the older we get, the more friends we have in heaven than we have here on earth. It'll be a time of reunion. It'll be a time of redemption. We'll have new bodies, glorified bodies that will exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in their radiance and their glory.

Oh, so often we feel the shackles of this mortal body of ours. So often we feel the burden of just having a body that holds us back. There's so much we'd like to do. Well, one day we're going to have a completely redeemed body. And of course, when he returns, we're going to see him and we're going to be with him and we're going to be like him.

Father, help us to be faithful in the work you've given us to do. And we look forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus. And our prayer is even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. In the name of the Lord, Amen.