Exiled

[1Pe 1:1-25 ESV] 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5  guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Peter is one of the most influential people in the Gospel story. In this letter, Peter is reviewing the trials that he has gone through and is communicating to the churches that they too shall endure trial until the end. Over the next few months, we will be studying these letters he wrote and reflect on how our lives intersect with the context of these letters.

How would you act differently if you lived like you are living in a foreign land? Peter is writing to the ones who have been exiled from Israel and are experiencing trials and troubles because of their exile from the main body of the church. They are living away from their home that they have always known.

Throughout history, God's people are known to be nomadic and aliens in the world. The reason for this is the affect of sin and the affects of the fall of Adam and Eve. Remember, Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for agreeing with the serpent and eating the forbidden fruit. From that moment on, we are disconnected from our true home and will not know peace. Even though Christ has redeemed us, we are still not home.

Israel failed to enter the promised land and they were deemed to wander. Once they entered the land, they fell away and were scattered. Through all this failure, God works through and among his people. In the New Testiment, there is a new oppressing nation, Rome, that is occupying Israel and God's people are oppressed.

God hears our cries for freedom and yet, we will never be at home here in this life. We operate as exiled ambassadors waiting for our savior to arrive and claim the whole world for his own. We operate within the kingdoms of the world while operating by the Kingdom of Heaven.

These letters are generally written 25 years after Stephen was put to death by the zealots which included Saul. This subject is hard for those in the US to comprehend due to the comfort that we have experienced throughout our lives. Even though the US is known as a "Christian" nation, it never really, truly was. Many Americans are only nominally Christian and live more secular lives than Holy lives.

We are the
* Elect
* Chosen
* Exiles
* Born again

Questions -

* Is God in charge of your salvation?

* Do you have a choice in your salvation?

God has positioned The Bridge in a way that we yearn to see the Body united. We long to see the Bride of Christ united, thus we are "The Bridge." We come from various beliefs and interpretations of whether or not we believe in choice or predetermination. Amazingly, we can honor both lines of thought because, no matter the belief, in Christ alone through his holy spirit, we are saved. As one body, through the light of God's revelation, we should focus on walking with God all of our days.

It is good to examine our faith -

"Timeless salvation"

Savlation is described as
* Past
* Present
* Future

ALL AT ONCE

Romans 8:29

[Rom 8:29 ESV] 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

In seeing the elect before time began, he planned that they would be transformed into his image.

Even in this letter from Peter, talks about God's foreknowledge of our salvation.

John Wesley called this prevenient grace - in that God sets us up to come to know him.

We do not have anything to do with this plan, but that eventually we recognize this grace that has been extended to us. Our salvation occurs long before we exist on the earth. The moment we are saved happens without our foreknowledge and yet we are covered by the blood of Christ because He knew us first. There is a moment in our life that we realize the grace of Christ has intersected our lives. We live in that salvation moment for eternity, and our salvation continues to happen as we live out the rest of our lives.

Even now, we live in a moment of salvation because of God's grace. We are continuously being rescued and guarded through faith.

In the future, we will be finally rescued in "the last time". (1 Peter 1:5 guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time). This is described as being removed from the stain of sin and being justified before God. There is an ongoing moment were we are being cleansed from our sin. We believe that God wants to place Christ's spirit in us. He calls us "more than conquerers" and that we will, one day be free from the burden of sin.

We should long to experience the fullness of God.

When are we saved? Yes. We are saved in the past, present and future. God is "Yes" and "Amen"

How are we saved? Through Grace. Eph 2:8-10 - You are saved through grace by faith, not of yourself. We are God's workmanship created for good works.

[Eph 2:8-10 ESV] 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

It's all about what Christ has done, salvation is part of his being. All of him, the spilling of his blood, the breaking of his body, the revealation of his glory in the coming kingdom is Salvation.

Christ is not created, He was with God in the beginning, we was the Word, He IS with God from the beginning, He IS the Word.

What now? How big is the salvation? Are we just Saved??

NO IT'S MUCH BIGGER!!

Our response is -

REPENT
BELIEVE

Every time we have an encounter with the Spirit, we are led to REPENT, and to BELIEVE deeper than we could have imagined.

By believing in Christ, we live with more fullness everyday of our lives.

One man speaks and collectively we hear Him, but individually, God calls us to follow His leading.

At the end of the day -

Will you deny everything else, and give yourself whole heartedly to Christ???

What does this even look like?

We believe Christ and want to follow him.

My fears and unbelief prevent me from completely following Him. Oh, GOD, break down the fear and unbelief in me!!

The Choice

Joshua: Strong and Courageous

[Jos 1:9 ESV] 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Review - we have been discovering what strong and courageous looks like. Today, we are looking at Joshua's final words.

What do Joshua and the Lord think are the most crucial things to remember. These final chapters cover what happened 25 years after the conquest of the promised land. Joshua is about 110 years old. He purposes that Israel will transition well into the next season after he passes.

[Jos 23:1-16 ESV] 1 A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2 Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, "I am now old and well advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. 12 For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you. 14 "And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you."

Joshua reviews what God did for the families of Israel through Moses in the first part of the next chapter.

[Jos 24:1-33 ESV] 1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 "'Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'

14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God." 19 But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD." 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God." 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

God is jealous. We must choose whom we will serve, God or ourselves. God is faithful to follow through with his promises. Not making a choice is the realm of satan, we need to make a choice, we cannot sit on the fence else our choice for evil will be made for us. We are called to remember - remember what God has done for you and those before you. This happens many times throughout the Bible. Specifically, here, there is a history of what Israel has experienced within the lives of everyone who heard Joshua. We are called to repent - depending on whether or not we are currently worshiping something besides God, to reject the temptations of idols. We are called to renew - we should continually renew our covenant with God. We should be surrenduring to God daily regardless of whether we are being blessed or going through trials. This time of year (Fall) typically causes a change in life. Our response should be to say "YES" to God and "NO" to things that would take us away from God's will. Jesus warns his disciples on the last night of his time on earth, that while their flesh is weak and weary, their spirit is strong. We cannot follow God in our own strength. When the law was given on Mount Sinah, God warned the nation to not come to the mountain because they would be consumed because of their wicked ways. They agreed to do everything that God commanded through Moses, but they made this commitment without realizing they could not hold up the law in their own strength. When Moses was with God on the mountain, they asked Aaron to build them an idol to worship. They could not even wait for Moses to return before sliding back into their old ways. Even on these chapters, as soon as Joshua was gone, the nation of Israel began to fall. Even Peter failed to keep his promise to not abandon Jesus or not deny him. Peter FAILED because he made his promises in his own strength and he had not received the power of the Spirit. Jesus' blood speaks of a better, more faithful Word that we need to accept and embrace. We must realize that there is nothing we can offer to the Lord that is righteous or worthy of God.

Paul states, "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

We make empty promises of following Jesus out of our own strength. True strength comes from the realization that we cannot come to Christ without His strength. When we realize that our efforts are fruitless, we can begin to trust the Lord. We cry out to God out of the desperation of our weakness, our nothingness, our ugliness. We are wretches that Christ has chosen to make Holy through His Righteousness. We must realize that our lives have to be wholly God's for him to direct.

Heb 12:25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

This same warning that Joshua gives is echoed in Hebrews. We don't do anything out of our wretcheness, we totally forfeit our lives to God's purposes out of reverence and awe for God's greatness.