Trygve introduces the new Hope College chapel series on the first and second letters of Peter.
Originally preached for Hope College chapel, January 24, 2018.
I. Garage Lounge
From the opening day of the baseball season to the end of the World Series, my garage becomes the Garage Lounge (there are 24 days till pitchers and catchers report! 65 days till Opening Day and the opening of the Garage Lounge!). If the door is open – then so is the lounge. I like to watch baseball games in the Lounge Last summer, I was in a purging mood. I had all these old boxes and bins on the shelf of the Garage Lounge. So I took them down from the ledge and opened them up. I had been carrying these around for years. These boxes were filled – filled with old cards, notes, and letters. Like I said, I was in a purging mood, so I had a big black garbage bag. I took note by note, card by card, and letter by letter and started purging – throwing them out. It was kind of a trip. I was visiting a past life. Talking to people I had not seen or heard from in years. They were old letters from my parents, grandparents, some while I was in college. Old love letters of flames long since distinguished.
What was interesting was reading these letters and overhearing a past conversation. Reading these letters was like visiting my past life and remembering some of the things I was working through at that time. Some of that is dated – some of it is still going on. I kept some of those letters.
I was thinking of this recently because, like me, the church keeps some of its letters that endure – letters that offer sage and wise advice, counsel, and perspective, on issues and challenges that we all face. For example, whenever we are invited to open personal letters that have become scripture, we become part of the community of their intended recipients – a spiritual partnership that transcends time and circumstance.
II. Fun Facts
This next semester in Chapel we will be exploring and overhearing the letters of 1 & 2 Peter. We opened up Chapel with our first week back from break with an invitation for us to consider going to the spiritual gym – to be intentional about discipleship. Last week, inspired by MLK day, we had a week that pivoted around some themes in Civil Rights. Now as we step into the long obedience in the same direction, our team, along with others in the community, will be speaking out of 1 & 2 Peter.
Here are some fun facts. 1 & 2 Peter was written by Peter – one of the 12 apostles – and one of the 3 who was in Jesus’ inner circle (which included Peter, James, and John). Peter – you may remember – is the one who denied Christ three different times. Peter is also the one who was given the “keys to the Kingdom.” Peter was married (1 Cor. 9:5) and sometimes his wife traveled with him. Tradition has it that he was crucified upside down in Rome prior to Nero’s death in 68 A.D. Not long before his death he wrote two letters – letters that have endured – and are part of what we call the “cannon” (the collection of writing that we call the Bible). These writings are authoritative to the Christian community – and we believe that they are useful for “teaching, for correction, for reproof, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16).
1 & 2 Peter are the 60th & 61st books of the 66 books in the Bible. They are the 21st and 22nd book of the N.T. They come after James and before the letters of John. All together they span 8 chapters (5 in 1 Peter and 3 in 2 Peter). Both were written about 64 A.D.
One of the things to keep in mind about 1 & 2 Peter is that they are letters. As letters, they have a personal tone – written by a friend to friends in a community. We know they are letters because they have the standard introduction and greeting – or salutation. Listen to the opening of 1 & 2 Peter:
1 Peter 1-2: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to the sprinkled with his blood: May Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”
2 Peter 1:1-2: “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
In both introductions the author is identified. It’s Peter. He is an apostle. He is a servant of Jesus Christ. He is writing to Christians who have received the gospel – people who are dispersed, scattered throughout a geography that is anything but Christian. It’s important to remember that these are letters.
Why is it important to know that we are reading letters? Knowing the genre of a biblical book is important, because it helps you know how to read it. There are lots of genres of the Bible – history, poetry, apocalyptic, gospels, letters. Much of the New Testament is made up of letters. There are 21 letters (or epistles) in the NT. Letters are personal, written for a particular of the recipient – an individual or community. With a letter we overhear a conversation – issues or questions that they are wrestling with. When you read a good letter it has some themes that the author wants the recipients to listen too.
III . 1 & 2 Peter Themes
In these letters Peter is addressing real issues that Christians face in a world that is not Christian. It speaks to the real life challenges disciples face, and so are useful for us to read carefully and take them to heart.
For example, one of the dominant themes of 1 Peter is the proper response to Christian suffering. Peter is writing to Christians in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile to them now that the Romans, as well as the Jews (at that time), were actively persecuting Christians. In other words, to be a Christian was not safe for you or your family. It’s hard for us to imagine this living here, but in many places in the world, this is still true. To be a Christian means you will be socially or economically ostracized, or worse, it could mean imprisonment, even death. Today there are more martyrs of the Christian faith than any point in history.
How do Christians respond to suffering? 1 Peter takes up this question. What is interesting is that 1 Peter takes the attention off their suffering and onto another – namely Christ. It doesn’t cry injustice, it embraces suffering as a way to grow in holiness. The way to experience suffering is to embrace Christ. He encourages a spirit of perseverance. It is a letter warning retaliation or bad behavior. It calls Christians to stand fast in grace, but to do so showing good in our words and deeds, not undermining authority, not retaliating, but honoring others. It is a letter that calls every Christian to love one another. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21). I think – personally – there has never been a better time for us to read 1 Peter and wrestle with its themes of how to suffer and how to behave in the midst of it.
2 Peter is a letter where one of the dominant themes is equally relevant: False teachers in an age of pluralism – or in an age of extremism – on the left and right spectrums. Here, Peter focuses on the internal opposition caused by teachers whose “destructive heresies” can lead to Christians in error or immorality.
In our context, we don’t use words like heresies or immorality. They sound too judgmental. But in this context they are used often and with force. I think they should make a comeback. Why? There is a direct correlation by how we think about God to how we live our lives. Our theology shapes our ethics. So we need to be careful – are they true to the Gospel, or are they false prophets? You know this, but your degree – or tenure, or ordination and a pulpit – does not make you a faithful teacher. How will you know? Jesus says you will know them by their fruit.
Peter urges us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we grow in knowledge of Him, we will grow in His likeness. This is a day by day process of asking Him to live through us and living for Him.
If you are wondering how to handle not being liked for being a Christian, this is a good letter for you. If you are wondering how to think about suffering as a Christian, how can bad things happen to good people, this is a good letter for you. If you are wondering how to respond personally to injustice and feelings of frustration, this is a letter for you. If you are wondering whether it actually matters what you believe about God or Jesus, this is a good letter for you. If you are wondering how to discern who is a false teacher and who is a reliable one, this is a letter for you.
So let’s together, as a community, listen to these letters from Peter to young disciples in the faith. In fact, let’s not just talk about it here. Let’s make it a part of our lives out there! We want you to take out your Bibles and read them – make reading your Bible as much of your life as snapchat or texting. I want to encourage each of you to read these letters. Over this next semester – read 1 and 2 Peter. Read them again. And then read them again. Pay attention to those places where you wince, feel poked, convicted, encouraged, and inspired. Eat these letters and see if at the end of the semester you don’t feel stronger and more alive in Christ. If you do, you will learn one of the great truths to the Christian life. The truth that we do not live by bread alone!
Amen!