Series Overview, Part 1

Introduction to the 1 Peter Series Overview

0:02 On the Lord's Day morning of July 23rd of this year, we completed our verse-by-verse studies in the book of 1 Peter. That series of messages and expositions began in December of 1997, and with the exception of several messages addressing our peculiar needs during the major disruption in our congregation in 1998, the book of 1 Peter has been our Lord's Day morning diet for more than two and a half years, 101 messages to be exact.

0:41 Now, for some who may think that two and a half years is a long time to be considering a portion of the Word of God with just five chapters, listen to the words of John Brown, whose commentary on 1 Peter concludes with these words, and that, This commentary has been a tremendous means of blessing to many, and I thought I had the quote from John Brown, but somehow it must have been left on my desk. I am sorry. C1a, it says in my notes, and 1a is not there. But basically, John Brown, when he was coming to the conclusion of his studies, said that,

1:23 For sixteen years I have been in the midst of expounding this epistle. And then he says that during that time, many have gone into the presence, of Christ and that such a lengthy exposition he doubted he would undertake again in his earthly pilgrimage and then said it was a reminder to him and should be to his people of how quickly our days passed and before long all of us will stand in the presence of God. Now, in seeking to bring our studies in this book to an orderly and helpful conclusion, what I plan to do tonight and again, God willing, two weeks from now, from tonight,

Reasons for the Series Overview

2:03 is to give a summary of the major blocks of truth found in the book of 1 Peter, especially as that truth clusters around the major theme of that letter. Now, I've chosen to do this for two reasons. The first relates to those who have not been present for the expositions themselves. I trust that these two messages, by way of overview, will whet your appetite,

2:32 and that in time you will either borrow or buy the taped sermons in order to get into your spiritual bloodstream those nutrients from the word of God which we, as a congregation, I trust, have absorbed over the course of these two and a half years. And then the second reason for giving this two-message overview relates to those of us who have been present for most, if not all, of the expositions.

3:02 I trust that this two-message overview will help us all to put the major issues of the letter into categories that will make both remembrance and recall more likely as we complete our earthly pilgrimage. Don't chide yourself that you cannot remember everything you hear preached. I challenge myself to give back my own outline on a Monday, and often I'm embarrassed. And how little I've retained in terms of the actual pegs around which the exposition centered or on which the exposition hung.

3:42 Much good is received by the worshipful, believing, concentrated attention to the preaching of the word that we are not able to give back in well-framed sentences. Your nourishment in terms of your physical well-being does not depend in your being able to remember precisely what you had to eat at every meal during the last month. Much was eaten, enjoyed while it went down. It's been assimilated and eliminated, and you sit in good health as a result of it.

4:20 And I've often found, particularly young Christians who chide themselves unnecessarily, that they cannot recall in the titles of the sermons, the heads of the sermon, and I would relieve you of that unnecessary burden. However, on the other hand, we must so absorb the word of God that we can recall it in times of need, that when God brings us into circumstances where this or that portion of the word has been given to be a peculiar help to us, we must have some measure of grasp upon those particular portions in order to recall them, and to turn to them, and to remember them. And to receive present aid from them.

The Central Pastoral Burden of 1 Peter: Suffering and Lifestyle

5:04 And so it's my purpose in this two-message overview to help us all with establishing in our own minds and hearts these basic categories within which Peter sets the truth by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, especially in relationship to the central burden of the letter. Now that brings us to our first concern tonight, and that is to remind you of the central pastoral burden of the book of 1 Peter. And what is that central pastoral burden? Well, I've stated it a number of times this way.

5:45 It is to instruct, to comfort, and to exhort the believers in Asia Minor in the light of their present and future suffering for the sake of Christ. In a very real sense, there are two words used with unusual frequency in 1 Peter that highlight this theme. The first is the word anastrophe, which is translated your manner of life, your pattern of life. We would say in current verbal expression, the lifestyle that we live.

6:22 And this word is used 13 times in the New Testament, and six of them are found here. In 1 Peter, Peter is concerned with the lifestyle, the anastrophe of these believers in Asia Minor. And he is concerned with that lifestyle, particularly in relationship to the frequency of this second word, the verb to suffer, paschal. That verb is found some 24 times in the epistles.

6:54 That is, from Romans through the book of the Revelation, 24 times, the verb to suffer. suffer. Half of them are in these five chapters. Half of the uses the Spirit of God makes of the verb to suffer in all of the epistles is found here in 1 Peter. And so with the

7:14 frequency of that word, lifestyle, manner of life, and suffering, it is clear that Peter's main pastoral burden is to instruct, to comfort, and exhort the believers in Asia Minor in the light of their present and future sufferings for the sake of Christ, concerned that the lifestyle that is worked out in the crucible of suffering will glorify Christ, will validate the gospel, and will result in their progress in grace. And since the New Testament, makes it abundantly clear that suffering for righteousness sake will be the portion of all

7:58 true believers in all times and in all places, we cannot afford the luxury of saying, well, that theme and all the clusters around it had relevance for the people in Asia Minor in the first century, but certainly has little relevance to us. No, our Lord has made it clear in the eighth beatitude that all who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the faithful, who are the sons and daughters of the kingdom, will suffer for righteousness sake. The apostle and his companions make it clear in Acts 14.22 that all believers must, through many tribulations,

8:37 enter the kingdom of God. And the apostle Paul in Romans 8.17 says that we shall be glorified with him if we suffer together with him. And 2 Timothy 3.27

8:52 says, well, all who are willing, all who will to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. As with our Lord, suffering met him on his way to glory, so with all of his people, the path that leads to glory goes through the crucible of suffering. Now, with that theme as the organizing framework of the letter, what directives are we given with respect to the managing our response to that suffering, conducting ourselves and our lifestyle and our pattern

First Directive: Feed Your Soul on the Greatness of Your Salvation

9:31 of life in such a way as to glorify God and to validate the truth of the gospel? Well, for the remainder of our time tonight, and God willing, two weeks from tonight, I will be there in North Carolina next Lord's Day, I want us to consider six foundational directives to suffering saints. And those foundational directives become, as it were, categories within which we can place almost all of the specific stuff of 1 Peter. Six foundational directives to suffering

10:08 saints. What are they? First and foremost, in the midst of suffering for the sake of Christ, Peter instructs us, feed your soul on the greatness of your salvation. What is the most essential thing for the child of God in the midst of suffering for Christ's sake?

10:34 It is this, that in the midst of that suffering for the sake of Christ, that the believer feed his soul on the greatness of his salvation in Christ. Put yourself in Peter's place. As best we know, he is in Rome, in a relative place. He is in Rome, in a relative place. He is in Rome, in a

10:53 relatively short time, he will be martyred for the sake of Christ. Conscious of his commission from his Lord, that beautiful commission described in John 21, that he is to feed the sheep of Christ, he is to shepherd the lambs, feed the lambs and to shepherd the sheep. Peter is fulfilling that task under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He has heard that the believers there in Asia Minor, the very land for which we pray, tonight, the land of Turkey, current Turkey, ancient Asia Minor, the believers in those Roman provinces are suffering greatly for the sake of Christ. Peter sees the storm clouds of intensive

11:38 suffering coming, not only upon himself, but upon those believers as well. And what is the first thing that he does with these believers? Well, the first thing that he does is to set before them the greatness of his salvation. And that is the first thing that he does with these believers.

11:53 The first of their works is the first of their salvation in Christ. He is saying, in essence, my dear fellow believers, who have been thrown into the fire of affliction and difficulty....

12:05 verse 6 he speaks of this, and then right on through the letter, what you need to know and ever keep before you, is this great and glorious salvation that is yours in Jesus Christ. We see this in the opening chapter, after Peter identifies himself and then identifies those to whom he is writing, what is the first thing he does? He breaks out into this eulogy beginning in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begot us again unto a living

12:44 hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unto an inheritance incorruptible. What is he doing? He is saying to the suffering saints, I know you feel the pinch and the pressure of the fire of affliction. I know that your hearts may be filled with fear, wondering where will it all lead? But in the midst of it, my dear fellow believers, lift

13:09 your eyes above and beyond the pressure and the felt sting and the discomfort of your present circumstances. Fix the eyes of your soul on the greatness of your salvation. And he carries it right through this first chapter, moving on from the blessings that are theirs, secured by the resurrection of Christ, the inheritance that is theirs, which is preserved for them and they preserved for the inheritance. And he goes on to speak of them in verse 18, as those who have been redeemed, not with corruption.

13:50 Verse 19, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. And then he goes on in verse 22, seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth. Verse 23, having been begotten again. On into chapter 2, where he speaks of them as being living stones built up into God's spiritual house.

14:19 Verse 20, he says, And he summarizes their identity in verse 9 of chapter 2, an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. What is Peter doing? Peter is piling up the dimensions of the salvation that is theirs in Jesus Christ. And all the way on to the end of the letter, where in verse 10 of chapter 5, he says, The God of all grace, who called you unto him, who called you unto him, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. What is he doing? He is saying, this salvation

15:02 is utterly untouched. This salvation is in no way put in jeopardy because of your sufferings. And in the midst of your suffering for the sake of Christ, feed your soul on the greatness of your salvation. In Christ. And if we were desirous of opening up a series of studies on soteriology, the

15:29 doctrine of salvation, what we have in 1 Peter alone, if mastered, would make us theologians. For he shows that salvation, first of all, in its eternal design and purpose. He gives a good, stiff dose of election to suffering saints. Look at chapter 1. After identifying

15:50 himself, Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, the first word he uses with reference to these believers is elect ones. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the elect sojourners. Whatever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, at any time, remember your identity. Remember you are elect ones. When he comes to chapter 2 and verse 9, he says,

16:20 To summarize their identity using rich Old Testament language, what stands at the head of the list? But you are an elect race. Peter says, understand and firmly grasp the reality of your salvation, first of all in its eternal design and purpose. Then grasp it afresh in its past accomplishments in Christ. He speaks of being redeemed by the blood of Christ.

16:51 Chapter 1 and verse 18. He speaks of being brought to God on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ. Chapter 2 verses 24 and 5. Chapter 3 and verse 18. He comes back to it again

17:05 and again. Why? He wants the suffering saints to feed their souls on the reality and greatness of their salvation in Christ. That salvation in its eternal design and purpose. That salvation

17:21 in its past accomplishment in Christ. Thirdly, that salvation in its present privileges and power. He says, you have purified your souls. Verse 22 of chapter 1. Verse 23, you have

17:33 been begotten again. Chapter 2, you have been made living stones. Verse 5, built up into a living temple. These are the present privileges and power of salvation in Christ.

17:47 These are the things that Peter says, suffering saints. Must grasp afresh and upon which they must feed their souls. But then he goes on to speak of that salvation in its future prospects. Chapter 1 and verse 4. He's begotten you again

18:04 unto a living hope. Unto what? An inheritance, imperishable, reserved in heaven. And how does he close the letter? He speaks of this God who is the God of all grace, who has called

18:19 us to his eternal life. Glory. When he addresses them in chapter 2, he addresses them as strangers and sojourners. He uses that terminology to remind them that this world is not their home. They are just

18:33 passing through. That they have a destiny of eternal glory. He reminds them of that again in chapter 4 and verse 13. But insomuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice that at the revelation of his glory.

18:51 Chapter 5 and verse 4. When the chief shepherd shall appear. What's Peter doing? Peter is constantly reiterating the various dimensions of this glorious salvation that God has brought to them in his grace. Salvation in its eternal design and purpose. Salvation in its past

19:13 accomplishment in Christ. Salvation in its present privileges and power through the Holy Spirit. in the context of the church and salvation in its future prospects. In other words, suffering saints don't need little biddies to chuck them under the chin. They need to feed on

19:36 solid theology. That's what Peter gives them. Sound, solid theology, especially soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. And Peter is saying, no matter what kind of suffering comes upon you, no matter what degree of suffering comes upon you, no matter what duration of suffering comes upon you, your true jewels are untouched by anything that men can do to you. They cannot

20:08 touch your great salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul gives us all of this condensed, and stacked together so tightly in Romans chapter 8, verses 35 to 39, where he speaks of all of the things that one can face that could threaten what we are and have in Christ. And he says none of them shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Don't ever buy into the notion that theology is for armchair theologians and for preachers. Don't ever buy into the notion that theology is for armchair theologians and for

20:46 preachers. Don't ever buy into the notion that theology is for armchair theologians and for preachers. But we common folk, we just need nice, happy little choruses to keep us feeling good when things get rough. No, my friend, your happy little choruses won't take you far when things get rough. When the waves of affliction and persecution and opposition begin to beat on the hull of what

21:05 you are, you need to have the ballast of a grasp upon God's great salvation in Jesus Christ.

Second Directive: Fix Your Eyes on Christ, the Perfect Sufferer

21:15 Secondly, Peter, in giving the gospel, he says, Giving them foundational directives as suffering saints not only makes it clear that they must feed their souls on the greatness of their salvation in Christ, but secondly, in the midst of your suffering for the sake of Christ, fix the eyes of your soul upon Christ, the great and perfect sufferer. In the midst of your suffering for the sake of Christ, fix the eyes of your soul upon Christ, the great and perfect sufferer. In the midst of your suffering for the sake of Christ, fix the eyes of your soul upon Christ, the great and perfect sufferer. eyes of your soul upon Christ, the great and the perfect sufferer. In the section beginning in

21:57 chapter 2 in verse 13, where Peter is calling believers to be submissive to every ordinance of man for the sake of Christ, for the sake of the Lord, he then focuses, particularly in verse 18, upon house slaves. And as he's addressing these house slaves, Peter knows that not all of them have ideal masters. Some of them have masters that are unreasonable, that are insensitive, that delight to abuse their servants. And so Peter's going to address that situation. Verse 19,

22:36 for this is acceptable. If for conscience toward God a man endures griefs, suffering wrongfully, if in order to have a good conscience, that he embraces the sovereignty of God that has placed him in his circumstances, and to keep a good conscience, he's going to be obedient even to an unreasonable master. Peter says, what glory is it if when you sin and are buffeted for it, you take it patiently. But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For here unto were you called.

23:12 You are part of that elect nation, elect race, that royal priesthood, that called company of people, called out of darkness. And here unto were you called. One of the specific ends of your calling into a state of grace is this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example. Now in chapter 3 and verse 18, you will say Christ suffered for us to bring us to God. You are part of that elect nation, elect race, that royal priesthood, that called company

23:42 of God. That's focusing upon the vicarious nature of his sufferings, by which alone we have acceptance with God. But Christ did not suffer simply and only to be the one way of access to God. He suffered to set an example for his suffering people. Christ suffered for you,

24:03 leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. In what particulars? Verse 22, who did no sin? Neither was guile found in his mouth. He was perfectly innocent. There was not a blemish in him

24:21 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. You house slaves, what do you need to know? What do you need to do when you've sought with all of your heart to relate to your master as unto the Lord?

24:43 You've been submissive in anything except any demand that he would make that would cause you to break God's law. And even when you've received no or little thanks, even when you've been reproved and chastised, when you've done what is right, you don't bolt, you don't rise up in self assumed rebellion against your master. It pleases God when you patiently take this mistreatment. Why?

25:12 Because you are following in the steps of your master. And when you are in that situation, he wants them to think in terms, what did Jesus do? We had a little joke among some of us that we wanted to change the what would Jesus do, the WWJD bracelets and necklaces into three letters. What Jesus did.

25:38 It is not for us to think what he would do. We are called to follow his steps, well marked out in the pages of Holy Scripture. What did he do, in particular, when receiving abusive treatment that was undeserved? When he received verbal treatment, reviled, what did he do? He did not respond, pit for tat, abusive words for abusive

26:04 words. He did not revile. When he suffered, he didn't threaten. God will get you. You see,

26:12 he didn't threaten. He would have had a right to threaten. I'm your judge. In the last day, you'll stand before me. But he didn't threaten. He didn't revile. He didn't threaten. But he committed. And

26:27 as we pointed out in expounding verse 23 of chapter 2, there is no object of the verb committed. He committed to him who judges righteously. What did he commit? He committed himself, committed his cause, committed all that he was in the will and power of God. He committed himself to the will and

26:43 and purpose of God into the hands of God whose servant he was as the long-promised servant of Jehovah in those precious passages in Isaiah. So what is he telling these servants to do? In the midst of their suffering, and surely those who were suffering in other circumstances, who knew what it was to be reviled, who knew what it was to suffer, Peter would learn from this passage that in the midst of my suffering, I must fix the eyes of my soul upon Christ, the great and the perfect sufferer. Peter reminds them of this again in chapter 4 and verse 1.

27:27 For as much then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind. Seek to get inside the revealed truth of God, or let the revealed truth of God about the mind of Christ in the midst of suffering become your mind. Fix the gaze of your soul upon Christ in the midst of your suffering. He is the great and the perfect sufferer.

27:56 And you and I must constantly keep him before the eyes of the soul. And how do we do that? We do that by frequently reading in the gospel records. That's how you do it.

28:11 You make it a point of principle with your own handling of the word of God that I will not go many months without some reading in the gospel records where I see the life of my Lord Jesus lived out in a hostile world, and I see where his footsteps went, and I am called to follow his steps. That's a tremendously necessary category when we come into the midst, when we come into the midst of suffering. And of all the things that the Spirit of God could have highlighted in the sufferings of Christ, it's interesting that the Spirit of God highlights the verbal suffering first.

28:56 Who, when he was reviled, when he was the object of vile and abusive speech, we would think that was the least of his sufferings. What about the blows upon his face? What about the crown of thorns? What about?

29:12 The horrible tearing of the flesh on his back when he was scourged? All very true, but the Spirit of God is highlighted when he was reviled.

29:25 Reviled, not again.

29:29 And frankly, at times I'm shocked at how little so many of God's people have seemed to take seriously what Peter says. Surely, when vile and abusive speech is heaped upon you, you must vindicate yourselves. And what is often meant is, you must strike back and give tit for tat under the guise of vindicating yourself.

29:59 What caused the heathen leader to marvel was not what Christ said, but what he didn't say.

30:06 Pilate marveled at his silence, for he knew that for envy he had been delivered. That's the second great thing that we must constantly keep before us as God's people. What? What did Jesus do when he suffered?

Third Directive: Pursue a Life of Holiness and Growth in Grace

30:26 I am called to follow his steps. So in the midst of our suffering for the sake of Christ, Peter has instructed us to feed our souls on the greatness of our salvation in Christ in all of its dimensions, from eternity past in electing grace and purpose, to the pledge of the consummate glory of sharing in his glory, at the second coming, and everything in between. And then, when suffering for the sake of Christ, we are to fix the eyes of our souls upon Christ, the great and the perfect sufferer. And thirdly and finally for tonight, in the midst of our suffering for the sake of Christ,

31:11 we are to continue to pursue a life of holiness and growth in grace. In the midst of our sufferings for the sake of Christ, we must continue to pursue a life of holiness and growth in grace. Peter sounds this note very clearly in the first series of imperatives. Remember the indicative, imperative categories.

31:37 After the great indicatives of verses 3 through 12 of chapter 1, the first imperative is this, girding up the loins of your mind, be sober, set your hope perfectly on the grace to be brought unto you, at the revelation of Jesus Christ, look at your future salvation, and meanwhile, what are you to be concerned about? As children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your formal lust in the time of your ignorance, but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves holy in all manner of living, because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy,

32:22 and that call to holiness in the midst of the crucible of suffering is picked up and repeated throughout the entire letter. Chapter 2 and verse 1, putting away therefore all wickedness and all guile and all hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings, as newborn babes long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that you may grow thereby unto salvation. You mean I am to grow in the midst of this opposition, this unreasonable hatred? Yes, Peter says, in the midst.

33:01 You are to pursue universal holiness. You are to seek to be holy as he is holy. Chapter 2 and verse 11, Beloved, I beseech you, as sojourners in pilgrims, those who know they are on their way to a better place while here, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, having your behavior, your manner of life seemly among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. And then he descends to particular categories of practical holiness.

33:44 Civil holiness, chapter 2, verses 18 to 17. Domestic holiness, 2.18 to 3.7.

33:51 Ecclesiastical holiness, chapter 3, verses 8 to 12. He then deals with generic holiness in the face of a wicked devil in chapter 5, verses 8 and 9. In other words, when this letter came, in which Peter makes it very clear that he knows these saints are suffering, they could not hear the letter read, nor could anyone read it without coming to this conviction. Pressured circumstances are no excuse to get careless about universal holiness.

34:22 No excuse whatsoever. There is to be this passion within our hearts to pursue that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. No amount of suffering, no combination of suffering for any length of time is in any way to be an excuse for slacking off in the pursuit of universal holiness. In fact, Peter tells us in chapter 1 and verse 6, that it is the very trials into which we are brought, by which God purifies our faith.

35:01 God underscores the genuineness of that faith. Verse 6 of chapter 1, wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you've been put to grief in manifold trials, that the proof of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is proved by fire, may be found unto the fire of fire. found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Those three categories, my brethren, are the first of six, and between now and next week it may be that I will think there's another valid category, but as of tonight, I do believe

Summary of the Three Directives and Their Foundation

35:42 there are six major categories by which we can, as it were, collate most of the data found in the book of 1 Peter. However, seeing it in its immediate setting, it is an apostolic directive to suffering saints to instruct, to comfort, and exhort them in the midst of their present sufferings and in the light of their future sufferings. What is Peter telling them they must know, they must do? Well, first of all, they must have a growing grasp and a constant rejoicing in the wonder and the glory of their salvation in Christ.

36:21 Salvation with its taproots in eternal electing sovereign love. Salvation manifested in the life history of Jesus Christ who procures it for us by the shedding of His own precious blood. Salvation presently applied by the power of the Spirit. Salvation in all of its glorious future prospects.

36:46 It is the believing grasp upon those realities. That under God creates stability and joy in the midst of suffering. Secondly, we must constantly in the midst of suffering fix the gaze of our souls upon Christ as the great and the perfect sufferer. We are called to follow His steps.

37:11 God has foreordained that we should be conformed to the image of His Son. And if He learns suffering by the, learned obedience by the things, which He suffered, Hebrews 5 and verses 8 and 9, surely we are not going to be exempt from the same classroom into which Christ Himself voluntarily went. And when the writer to the Hebrews points to the Hebrew Christians saying to them, look, look, you must look off unto Jesus, author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame. You have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin.

37:54 We are to fix Christ foremost in our gaze and pray that we will be given grace to follow His steps. And then in the midst of our suffering for the sake of Christ, recognize that those very sufferings are ordered, that we might make progress in grace, that we might by God's grace discover aspects of our hearts that otherwise would go undetected to us. That we might be brought more and more into conformity to Him who said, be holy, for I am holy. Now, of course, the assumption in all of Peter's directives is that those who received the

38:33 letter have got something more to work with than what they got in their first birth. They've got something more to work with than they got because of their connection with Adam by natural generation. They have something to work with. They are therefore looking lacking.

38:52 All of this is performed by pure heartedness and a love that has its cap root in God's eternal electing love, that draws its very life from Jesus Christ crucified and risen. It is a living hope, rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is that which has been imparted to them by the regenerating work of the spirit, having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, that lives and abides forever. My friend, if you sehr someone who believes in God, it would always be a partner of God.

The Possibility and Necessity of This Life

39:21 Sit here today, and you've heard what you've heard, and say, there's no way. There's absolutely no way human beings can respond to suffering that way. I've got news for you. Not only can they, they do and they must.

39:36 But God is not like Pharaoh who says, make bricks, and I'll give you no straw. He calls upon his people to whom he has given all things that pertain unto life and godliness. That's the very language Peter will use in his second letter. In his abundant mercy, he has given us all things that pertain to life and to godliness.

39:57 This is not an impossible life. It is the life to which God calls us and for which God equips us by his grace. And if you sit here today and you say, there's no way I can live that way, if you're out of Christ, you've drawn the right conclusion. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and will act as flesh.

40:18 And what you need is what? What these people have. You need that salvation to be found only in Christ, but available to any who will have Christ and that salvation that is in him. May the Lord help us then to profit from our many hours of study in this wonderful book.

Prayer and Concluding Remarks

40:39 And we will have it, I trust, in a new measure of recall when we come into certain situations and say, aha, it's there that God has given the deposit of truth that I need in this present set of circumstances. Let's pray together.

41:01 Our Father, we do thank you for this letter that has refreshed our souls many, many times in the course of our working through it together. I thank you for the blessing of those hours at the desk when my own soul has at times been so watered that if there were no opportunity to preach it, it would have been well worth the study, to know the blessing of your word. Thank you for the many times you have drawn near to us in this place as together we have sought to follow the track of the Holy Spirit's mind revealed through the pen of Peter. And we pray, Lord, that much of what we've received

41:43 will be retained and be available for recall in time of need. We ask you, our Father, that by your grace, this portion of your word would be sealed to our hearts, and in a new way be a conscious companion to us in the remainder of our earthly pilgrimage. We pray for those who sit here, our Father, to whom such things are strange talk. We plead with you that you would yet in mercy stretch forth your hand of grace and power and minister to them in such a way that they may flee to Christ and find in him all that you have promised to every soul, every sinner who will have Christ

42:28 and the salvation offered in him. Seal then your word to our hearts for our good and for your praise. We ask through our Lord Jesus.

42:41 Amen.

42:43 Now we will have just a brief interlude. While some of you need to care for your children, we will then reconvene for our announced congregational meeting. Thank you.