S3E306 – 1 Peter 1-3: Not My Will

Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Epistles Sunday. 1 Peter 1-3. I’m calling today’s episode “Not My Will.”  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash Comments on 1 Peter 1 and 2 In chapter 1,  Peter called the people to holy living. He told them not to slip back into their old ways of living to satisfy their own desires. “…their own desires…” And then in chapter 2 when talking to slaves he said that they should submit to their masters with all respect. Not just when the master is kind, but when he is cruel. And then dropping down again a few verses, Peter says, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering…” The common thread here is that we are not to put our own desires or our own rights above all else. We are to remember that we are slaves of God, and put His desires and His agenda ahead of ours.  Let me complete the thought, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” When Peter says this, he does so as he remembers that horrible night and early morning when Jesus did suffer for me and for you. Peter was an eye witness to the horrible ordeal Jesus suffered. Jesus could have, at any time, called down a legion of angles to wipe out those who were beating him. He could have released Himself from the pain and the chains that held him. He could have insisted on His rights as the Sovereign of All that is! But He didn’t. He suffered so that we could be saved from the wages of our sins. And we must follow His example. If God puts us in a position of suffering, then we must prayerfully submit to His will, knowing that He loves us and trusting that His will is right.  Since I know how much He loves me, I do trust Him. And any suffering I have gone through in my life truly has brought me closer to Him. It is worth it. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-2 NLT; Ch. 3 NCV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00He was an eyewitness. INTRO S12E312 – 0:09Well, hi there. Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Epistle Sunday. We’ll read the first three chapters in the book of 1 Peter, and I’m calling today’s episode, “Not My Will”. The show notes page for today’s episode is lifespringmedia.com/s12e312. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get started. 1 PETER 2 (NLT) – 0:411 Peter, chapter 1. (1) This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. (2) God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. (3) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, (4) and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. (5) And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (6) So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. (7) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (8) You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. (9) The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (10) This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about the gracious salvation prepared for you. (11) They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. (12) They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. (13) So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. (14) So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. (15) But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. (16) For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (17) And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” (18) For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. (19) It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (20) God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. (21) Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. (22) You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. (23) For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. (24) As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass;their beauty is like a flower in the field.The grass withers and the flower fades.(25) But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. 1 PETER 2 (NLT) – 4:441 Peter, chapter 2. (1) So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. (2) Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, (3) now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (4) You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. (5) And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. (6) As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,chosen for great honor,and anyone who trusts in himwill never be disgraced.” (7) Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,“The stone that the builders rejectedhas now become the cornerstone.” (8) And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble,the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. (9) But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (10) “Once you had no identity as a people;now you are God’s people.Once you received no mercy;now you have received God’s mercy.” (11) Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. (12) Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. (13) For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, (14) or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. (15) It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. (16) For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. (17) Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king. (18) You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. (19) For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. (20) Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. (21) For God called you to do good,...