January 10, 2010

Introduction

      From the beginning, life was a gift to me. I was born into a post-war, baby-boom, middle-class, suburban family; a life of luxury by no means (going by American standards), but always had what was needed; a good school system, good neighbors and friends, every opportunity for a good life;

privileged to go to college at a unique school of music; coming to faith in Christ in those years; good jobs teaching and leading music; then a great wife and three kids; grad school, ordination, and serving as pastor for three terrific congregations (of course the very best here at 1st Pres Salt Lake City). I have always seen these opportunities and experiences in life as gifts and gains. Life is good.

      But then 2006 arrived. The loss of a friend and colleague in ministry; 1st Pres took a hard hit with the difficult resignation of our associate pastor. It was a struggle to manage the emotions, decisions, and process not only within myself but with many members and friends of the church.

      Then came the realization of drug addiction with one of my kids and the loss of

what should have been normal, joyful teen years. Weeks and months of treatment were a draining challenge for me and my whole family. Thankfully, three years of sobriety and continued recovery have ensued. Please continue to keep us in you prayers.

      Then came the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” with the impending loss of my marriage. Since last June this congregation has been gracious, loving and caring to both me and my wife. But as you can imagine or know first hand, separation or divorce is hard. So, these last three years are hardly years I see as a gift. Life has good times and bad times; joys and sorrows; successes and failures.

      In his book, A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss, Gerald Sittser, professor of theology at Whitworth University writes about his own reality of losses in life. He was driving when a drunk driver slammed into his van killing his wife, daughter and mother. In a fraction of a second his life was changed forever. “Sooner or later all people suffer loss,” he writes, “in little doses or big ones, suddenly or over time, privately or in public settings. Loss is as much a part of normal life as birth, for as surely as we are born into this world, we suffer loss before we leave it.”

      The apostle Peter knew all about such losses in life as he ministered to Christians in that first generation who often had to run for their lives and hide out in catacombs just to stay alive. He writes this general pastoral letter to the persecuted church. He offers them hope as their life in Christ, a real epic drama, unfolds.

I. Knowing God’s Comfort and Hope (vs. 1-5)

      Let’s have a look at the words and phrases Peter uses to bring God’s comfort and hope. In verses 1-5 we read of “God’s elect, chosen by God the Father, the work of the Spirit, sprinkled with the blood of Christ, grace and peace in abundance, new birth, living hope, inheritance, shielded by God’s power, salvation itself.”

      I could preach a full sermon on each of them. So, I guess we’ll be here for a while. First of all, if you are a Christian, you are “God’s elect, chosen according to the foreknowledge of the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” Here’s the essence of the New Covenant. “Chosen” originally was applied to the Hebrew people, the Chosen Nation.” Peter and Paul (no longer Simon and Saul) apply this “chosen-ness” to Gentiles as well. Typical of human prejudice and hatred, it had been said that “God created the Gentiles to be fuel for the fires of Hell,” that God loved only Israel of all the peoples on earth. But the New Testament is insistent: in Jesus the Messiah and Savior, the mercy, privileges, and grace of God have gone out to all the earth, to all people, even to those who would never have expected them.

      And here we are, 20 centuries later, on the other side of the world, most or all of us “gentiles” from many different nations or ethnic groups, blessed by God in the saving grace of Jesus Christ! Although this “good news” may seem to us “very old news,” Peter has this little phrase that is meant to amaze (did you notice it?): “Even angels long to look into these things.” Fellow pastor Eugene Peterson sees it this way: “Angels are lined up, leaning over the balcony of heaven, trying to get a look at what’s going on. Salvation is what’s going on below – an epic drama that spans human history, personal encounters with God in each and every generation.”

      Friends, never downplay the miracle of us even being here this morning in this sanctuary, worshiping God and praising our Savior. It is with this miracle of faith that Peter reminds his readers of God’s comfort and hope even in the midst of very difficult times. “God has his eye on each one of you, determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you in faith and obedience through the sacrifice of Jesus.” Peter says, “May everything good from God be yours – grace and peace in abundance.” The Lord offers his comfort and hope.

II. The Drama of Suffering, Grief, Trials (vs. 6-9)

      Then in verse 6 he writes, “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

      I love this imagined accident report from a construction worker needing some time off. “When I finished doing the brick work on the third floor, there was a whole pallet of bricks left over. Attaching them to a pulley, I went to ground level and began releasing the line. Unfortunately, the bricks were heavier than I was. The pallet started coming down and I was going up.

      “I decided to hang on since I was too far off the ground to jump. Half way up, I met the bricks and received a hard blow to my shoulder. Reaching the top, I banged my head on the pulley beam, got my fingers pinched and jammed in the pulley. When the barrel hit the ground the bricks fell off. Now I was the heavier and started falling at high speed. I met the pallet coming up and badly injured my shins. When I hit the ground, I landed on the bricks getting several painful cuts and bruises. I unthinkingly let go of the rope. The pallet came down giving me another blow on the head, putting me in the hospital. I respectfully request sick leave.” I think it was Einstein who said, “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.”

      All of us have good days and bad days: sometimes through no fault of our own; but often brought on by our own stupidity, arrogance, neglect, or mistake. Yet God allows or even brings various trials into our lives for the purpose of strengthening our faith and deepening our dependence on the Lord. “These things have come,” writes Peter, “so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Wonderful Scottish preacher William Barclay wrote, “There is a grace to match every trial and there is no trial without its grace.”

      Most of us have not nor ever will face the kind of persecution that these early Christians faced in the first few centuries of the church. And there are significant numbers of followers of Jesus around the world today who indeed face similar severe trials for their faith. But all of us have and will face losses in life that are difficult to bear. Peter’s letter (God’s word for us) wants us to know the fruit that is born in our lives through times of trial. He wants us to look to the Lord for his presence and work in our lives during these times, knowing that our struggles can even bring “praise, glory and honor” to Christ.

      Again, Professor Sittser wrote, “It is not, therefore, the experience of loss that becomes the defining moment in our lives… It is how we respond to loss that matters. That response will largely determine the quality, direction, and the impact of our lives.”

Conclusion

      If you want to know how much people matter to God (how much you matter top God!), you simply have to ask, “What price did the Lord pay to be in relationship with us?” The price paid reflects the value of the relationship. Later in chapter one, Peter writes, “You were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you with the precious blood of Christ.”

      So as you and I continue our way through this life, with all its ups and downs, gains and losses, hold on to the fact that God paid the ultimate price in this epic, very real drama, to show his love to you. God’s word offers comfort and hope to all who trust in him.

Let us pray together.