What does God think of you?

To those who don’t feel they’re home. They know pain. The heartache has become part of who they are. They live in a hostile environment. They don’t know who they can trust. They are not where they want to be. Here is a letter.

It is either in the mid-60’s AD prior to the Nero persecution or it is post that era under Domitian’s reign. It doesn’t matter when for the content is appropriate for either and it still is for us today. Here it is:-

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” (1 Peter 1:1-2)

He uses his nickname given by Jesus. But it wasn’t his name that was important it was his role within the Church. He was an apostle of Jesus Christ. After the death of Judas, Peter gathered the believers together and said, “It is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22)

It was a must. The Resurrection of Jesus. It was everything. The central message was from the beginning “Christ is alive! I have seen Him!”
When they were asked, “Were you there?” They had to be able to say “Yes”.
They couldn’t say “No but I was told Jesus had risen”. It had to be personally experienced.

It still is everything. It still has to be personally experienced.
Your testimony has to be about you and it is unique to you. No one has your story. Your story that says Jesus is alive and my changed life proves it.

The resurrection is central to everything. If we lose that then we have nothing. Our message continues to be in every high and low, mountain and valley …Jesus is alive! To those who need a miracle today … Jesus is alive! If He is alive then anything is possible! The Apostle Peter tells us this.

His letter is addressed to the Christians in modern day Turkey. They have been scattered and are living as strangers in a strange world. Peter brings encouragement to persevere and how much we need that even today in 2023.

It isn’t what we look like in our eyes or from the world’s viewpoint that will encourage us. We all need to see ourselves from the viewpoint of God. Peter tells us:

You are meant to be here. This is our moment. We have been chosen (chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father).

You are not alone. We are in partnership. He is working through us (through the sanctifying work of the Spirit)

You are called to do His work. When we make mistakes He cleanses us and we start again (to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood).

This apostle is calling for the followers of Jesus not to give up.

Something we all need to hear.