1 Peter 2:1-12, This world is not our home; we are called to be witnesses, otherwise we could be at home

Review:
• Theme: Living for Christ in the midst of persecution and suffering
• Chapter one:
• Stand firm (we are going to suffer)
• We have an incredible and secure hope (the prophets didn't understand and the angels can't understand)
• Our reward is not here on Earth (we are aliens)


Timeline (key events):

~33 A.D.	Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection
~48	First book: I Thessalonians
64	Fire destroys most of Rome;  Nero blames Jews (means Christians too)
~65	1 Peter
~68	Death of Peter (historically crucified head down)
70	Jerusalem and Temple destroyed
~90-100	Last books: John, 1 2 & 3 John, and Revelation



1 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV) — 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.


• In verse 1, Peter reaches a conclusion based on the previous section, what does he mean "therefore rid" -- why?
• Physical life is temporal
• Eternal things are the only things that will last
• Specifically, how does that apply to his list in verse 1?
• The listed sins are all part and parcel of living a temporal life on earth
• Why the analogy of the newborn baby in verse 2?
• A new Christian is like a newborn baby
• We need nourishment to grow up (spiritually)
• What does the word long (crave (AMP; NIV84)) mean?
• The word ἐπιποθέω [epipotheo /ep·ee·poth·eh·o/] means, in one of it's definitions, to lust or harbor forbidden desire.  I don't think we see the Word of God in that manner.  The Word has become very ho-hum and hardly something to crave since it is everywhere
• But what if we don't grow up, we are still Christians, so what does it matter?
• We have only tasted that the Lord is good.  There is much more if we are willing to pursue the relationship more deeply
• If we don't drink spiritual milk, we will never be able to handle spiritual meat


1 Peter 2:4–10 (ESV) — 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.


• The living Stone (capital S)  is Jesus Christ.  How are we, living stones (small s) like Jesus?
• Our message has also been rejected
• We are also chosen (with foreknowledge)
• We are precious to God
• We are part of God's building, which is the church
• 1 Cor 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
• 1 Cor 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church .
• What are our sacrifices?
• Phil 4:18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice , pleasing to God.
• Heb 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. 
• Heb 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
• Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices , holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.
• Eph 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
• We need to dissect verse 9. 
• Who was the book written to (1:1)? The dispersed
• This passage could be very specific to Jewish believers, but the benefits would still be the same because we are created to be one body, the church. In the next section we will identify similar verses for Gentiles
• What does Peter call the Jewish believers?
• Chosen people
• γένος [genos /ghen·os/] n n. From 1096; 21 occurrences; AV translates as “kind” five times, “kindred” three times, “offspring” three times, “nation” twice, “stock” twice, “born” twice, “diversity” once, and translated miscellaneously three times. 1 race. 1a offspring. 1b family. 1c stock, race, nation. 1c1 i.e. nationality or descent from a particular people. 1d the aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort.
• Ephesians 1:4 (ESV) — 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
• Royal priesthood
• Only used two places in NT, v5 and v9, meaning a body of priests, but Revelation use the idea three times
• Revelation 1:6 (ESV) — 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• Holy nation
• ἔθνος [ethnos /eth·nos/] 164 occurrences; AV translates as “Gentiles” 93 times, “nation” 64 times, “heathen” five times, and “people” twice. 1 a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together. 1a a company, troop, swarm. 2 a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus. 2a the human race. 3 a race, nation, people group. 4 in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles. 5 Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians.
• Ephesians 3:6 (ESV) — 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
• 2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV) — 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
• People belonging to God
• λαός [laos /lah·os/] 143 occurrences; AV translates as “people” 143 times. 1 a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language. 2 of a great part of the population gathered together anywhere. Additional Information: For synonyms see entry 1218, demos.See entry 5832 for comparison of synonyms.
• Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
• What is the purpose of this peculiar group of individuals, which we also call the church?
• To declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light
• How are we doing?  When was the last time you did that?
• In my mind verse 10 seems to support that Peter is talking to all believers and not just to the remnant.
• But it could apply to Jews since once they were not a people and they did receive special grace from God 
• I believe there is a "remnant" and I believe God has a special plan to fulfill for the nation of Israel.  I'm not convinced this passage makes that argument.  I especially do not believe that it teaches that the church is now Israel, which is what Replacement Theology does teach from these verses.
• Incidentally, verse 10 uses the greek word laos people both times


1 Peter 2:11–12 (ESV) — 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.


• Now comes the application.  When Peter calls us "aliens" and "strangers," what is he referring to?
• Our peculiarity, which he had just described
• Alien in the Greek meaning "away from a home"
• Strangers in the Greek meaning "away from where you would make a home"
• Implication:  This world is not our home
• Song: 
This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
Chorus
O Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
Pasted from <http://my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2/nothome.html>
• What is the admonition?
• Abstain from sinful desires
• Why?
• Wage war against our souls
• What does that mean?
• We are in a spiritual battle
• Sin does something to us spiritually which is not good. I think it also draws us into this world as our home
• Live good lives
• Why?
• Living good lives will not protect you from accusation of wrong (God is always concerned about our witness -- that is why we are aliens and strangers, otherwise we could be home, but we have a purpose here)
• But some day, the unbeliever will recognize your good deeds and will have to glorify God
• If Jesus came today, would those around you be force to say, well, he/she really did live in a way that I have to admit - I should have listened -- OR -- But God, he/she lived just like me, how was I to know I was living wrong?
• Are you bringing them into the Kingdom or are you sending them away?
• Are gracious and gentle to others or are you an ugly representative of Jesus Christ on earth?