Overview of First Peter

It's Lord's Day.

We will be embarking on another journey through another general epistle. With all that happening, with all this happening globally in our world today and ever-increasing violence such as the days of Noah, we see fear on every hand.

Actually, in third world countries there's persecution toward Christians in a severe way. And I'll be honest with you, we need to be preparing ourselves because persecution's coming. I'm telling you, it's on the horizon and it's already among us in America and the western world here but it's also going to increase.

I just want to tell you that. I'm not trying to be a prophet of gloom or doom but it's the truth. We might as well brace ourselves. So I believe this book is going to be very timely for us going through.

It's going to be very encouraging. There's a great decline in morals, great falling away in the faith among the churches, evangelical churches, apostasies happening. You see false teachers on every hand.

They don't even dare touch on persecution among Christians. It's about your best life now, how you can be rich in Jesus. It's another gospel. It's another Jesus. You see idolatry everywhere. These things could be very distressing and depressing.

Corrie ten Boom, who went through some persecution of her own, said that, you know, when you look within, you get depressed. When you look without, you get distressed. But when you look at Jesus,.

You are at rest.

And that's the truth. And that's what we need to look at is look at Jesus. Our answer is not in the White House. Our answer is in God's house, and it's in God's word. And you and I can make a big difference.

We may be very small, but little is much when God's in it. So, again, persecution is coming to our homeland, and we might as well brace ourselves and get ready. And the greatest encouragement I can give you is from God's word.

Not my opinions, but God's word. If you notice all the hymns that we've already sung about. Firm a foundation. The church is one foundation. Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus, one Lord, one faith, one birth.

This is what we need to focus on is the gospel. So it's a message of hope, and that's what Peter talks about. Peter is the apostle of hope. We're going to look at this. So the book of 1 Peter, no doubt, is a gem.

It's a rich jewel. A great encouragement to persecuted believers in that time, and it can be very much an encouragement to persecuted believers in our time. Persecution can cause either growth or bitterness within the Christian life.

Ravenhill says really persecution sifts the tares among the wheat, and it shows who the true Christians are. Because I'm telling you, when persecution hits, many people are going to start believing, even more so.

The real Christians will stay and endure the fire to the very end, even if it costs their very life, because we've already counted the cost. The Christians have already counted the cost, and our eyes are upon Jesus because we recognize that this life is a vapor and this life is nothing in comparison to eternity.

Now, the right response determines the result of persecution as well. And in writing to the Jewish believers and struggling in the midst of persecution, the apostle Peter here encourages them to conduct themselves courageously for the person and actually for the work of Jesus Christ.

Isn't it wonderful? This is the head apostle. This is the lead apostle. He's the leader of all the apostles, and he was the spokesman for all the apostles. And as a leader and the apostle, which he had the credentials and the qualifications for, he always points to Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church.

Now, Jesus is the head. And also both character and conduct must be above reproach. And having been born again to a living hope, as Scripture says here, we'll be looking at this, and the Christians are to imitate the Holy One of Israel, who is Jesus Christ, who has called them, called us, in a wicked and a fallen world to be light, to be salt.

And the fruit of that character will be how we conduct ourselves that is rooted and grounded in the submission to God. Everything will flow from submission to God and from God. And our submission is, first of all, to God, and then our submission is to one another and to even the government, unless they are against the gospel.

But up until that point, we are to submit. And Peter speaks about that all the way through this book. The Lord Jesus Christ, we're ultimately under His lordship. Citizens to the government, servants to masters, Peter writes to, wives to husbands, husbands to wives, and Christians to one another.

You know, only after submission is fully understood, and you'll see this as we go through the book of 1 Peter, only as submission is fully understood, does Peter deal with the difficult area of suffering.

Now that's important to realize. So the Christians are not to be surprised at all at the fiery trials that comes upon us, which comes upon us, and it's for our testing, our testing which comes for a reason, and as though some strange thing is happening to you.

He said, don't count this as a surprise. Don't count this as strange. Know that this is nothing surprising, but rejoice in the midst of this. And he tells us and he instructs the Christians that are being persecuted in that time and also in this time to do that.

And we are to rejoice. And we are to rejoice as partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Isn't this the way God makes us? Isn't this the way God makes His mature believers in Jesus?

It's through suffering.

No wonder the Christians overseas are so strong. They even say, don't even pray that God delivers us out of suffering, but that God will keep us in the suffering because they know they're closer to God in Jesus Christ.

It's foreign to us. But I'm telling you, as God allows this in His sovereignty and suffering to come, I'm telling you, it will purify us as believers in Christ. And this is the theme. This is why I'm talking about this, because this is the theme of the book of 1 Peter.

Submission, suffering. It's the response to life that is truly the climax of one's submission to the good hand of God Almighty,.

Who is our Creator.

Christians, true Christians, just don't fit in. And that's not easy. It's not easy for the first century church, and it's not going to be easy for us. And it's not easy, and you know what I'm talking about.

So Christians are suffering all over the world, right? And the Christians in modern day Turkey, in that time period in which he refers to, needed to know why. They needed to know how to deal with the suffering.

They needed to know how to live in the midst of suffering. And most important, most important, they needed to know that all this suffering was not in vain. There was a reason for it. There was a reason for that suffering.

And that's what Peter speaks of. Paul speaks about it too. But Peter specifically speaks to it here. So the apostle Peter writes to these persecuted Christians a letter he addresses to them as a pastor.

Not just an apostle, but as a pastor as well. Like James. We saw this with James. And you know, where did they get this instruction? From the greatest sermon ever preached. From the Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the Sermon on the Mount.

This is where they got the foundation. Actually, James and Peter and John and even Paul and everything, it's all commentary on the teachings of Jesus Christ from the Gospel. From Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

So, these issues were very important. There's two issues here in the intro here. Number one, to testify the truth. To testify the truth. The truth. The more they know Jesus themselves, the more they know themselves, and the vile world in which they live in that's so depraved, the better they will understand and get a grasp on how to live wholly in the difficult situation which they were facing.

And secondly, it exhorts them to live accordingly, to live wholly. In a nutshell, basically, the book of 1 Peter reflects this focus and Peter explores on the doctrine first, like Paul, and then he encourages the Christians to apply it to their own personal lives.

So, before we do an overview, and that's what I'd like to do today, there's no way I'm going to cover everything, but I'm going to try to do a quick overview of further details of this wonderful epistle, and there's going to be selected scriptures and just kind of get acquainted with everything, with the author, with Peter, and who wrote it and the people whom he sent it to, and particularly the situation, the message that prompted him to write it.

Now, turn with me very quickly. Let's open up to 1 Peter. Isn't that a wonderful thing? We begin this new series in the general epistle of 1 Peter. Let's just look at one verse here, the introduction verse, and it's going to be beautiful what comes afterwards.

Oh my goodness. But let's look at just verse 1. Hear the word of the living God. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Pathenia,.

Who are chosen.

Let's stop right there and let's pray. Our Father, we just sense Your presence now, and we know that You're here among us. Jesus Christ, Your Son, and the blessed Holy Spirit, Lord, we bless You and we bless Your name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, as David said. Bless Your holy name. Your name is to be hallowed. Your name is holy. And Lord, we not only bless You, we praise You, we thank You. We thank You, Father, with thanksgiving in our hearts for the holy word of God.

Your word, this is the revelation that You've given to us. There's nothing that compares to it on the face of this entire world. It's so precious. It's so precious. Lord, we pray as the psalm says, Spirit of God, our teacher be, show us the things of Christ in me.

Father, may You be glorified and honored as we study this wonderful epistle. And Lord, I pray that You would anoint each and every one of us today. Give us eyes to see Jesus. Give us ears to hear Jesus.

Give us a heart to perceive and to understand and obey the truth that's before us, Lord. There's so much. It's so deep. Deep calls into the deep. But Lord, You bring it to where we can understand it through Your Holy Spirit because we're born again of the Spirit of God.

Lord, we pray this all for Your glory. In Jesus' name we ask, amen and amen. Well, as I broke ground already, I'd like for us to look at just three parts of this verse as an overview of 1 Peter. And again, it's not going to be an exhaustive one.

I'm just going to consolidate. There's much more material I could have put in here, but because of time, it's just utterly impossible to put everything in here. But there's much that could be said about this.

But there's three aspects of the overview that I'd like to draw to your attention that we will look at. First of all, number one, we will look at the writer.

The writer.

Number two, we will look at the recipients. The recipients. And number three, I'd like for us to look at the message. Those three things please keep before you because it's critical and important to see where we're going as an overview here.

The writer, the recipients, the message. Let's look at the writer. The writer is identified. He identifies himself without question. There's no question whatsoever that the text in verse 1 says, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

An apostle of Jesus Christ. He's qualified, isn't he? He's a qualified apostle. He's a sent out one. Apostle is one who has seen Jesus Christ personally. Now, there are some liberal teachers that have questioned whether a common blue-collar fisherman, and that's no surprise to us, right, that a blue-collar fisherman like Peter could have ever penned this letter, especially since Peter and John were both called unlearned and ignorant men in Acts 4 .13.

That's the way the world looks at it, and the liberals still look at it just the same way. But however, this phrase actually only means laymen without former schooling. That's all it means. That is, they were not professionals.

They were not professional leaders. And we must never underestimate the training that Peter had for three years with the Lord Jesus Christ, and he learned from the greatest. That is the one that counts.

Amen. I'd rather sit under Jesus and think of it for three years than to sit in 30 years in a scholarly synagogue learning from priests and so forth. I tell you what, three years would be more than enough.

And nor should we underestimate or ever minimize, I should say, the work of the power of the Holy Spirit in Peter's life. Because if you read through the Gospels, you and I know that Peter was a changed man, especially when it comes to the day of Pentecost.

And we're going to look, first of all, from Peter here. And Peter is a perfect illustration of the truth that is expressed in 1 Corinthians. I wrote this down, and I thought this was good for the introduction of Peter.

In 1 Corinthians 1, verses 26 -31, you could go there if you like. These are the words of the Apostle Paul. And Paul understood this, and this is a man that was once a Pharisee of Pharisees, a scholar of scholars, and Paul the Apostle had to unlearn everything and learn from Christ Himself in three years in Arabia, in a desert.

And Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and this is the way God considers the calling, and we're going to look at Peter's calling, the Apostle calling. And Paul says this, For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, not many, but God, there's the transition, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.

And God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. And the base things of the world and the despised things, I'm sorry, the despised God has chosen. This is what God's chosen.

The things that are not so that He may nullify, the things so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that just as it is written, let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.

Now, that's Peter. Peter is chosen, he's called from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the writer, Peter, he was also given the name Simon. That's his Gentile name in Scripture. If you look at it, every time he's called Simon, Simon, that is his sinful, carnal, yes, Gentile name.

Anytime he's rebuked from Jesus, he says, Simon, Simon. In other words, that's your sinful condition. And it also identifies him as the Gentile Simon. But Jesus changed it to Peter. And anytime there's a change in a person, remarkable as this, it's changed, his character's changed.

Which means, Peter means a stone. A stone, a living stone. And the Aramaic equivalent to Peter is Cephas. So, Peter was a man with three names. Wow, could you imagine having three names? But anytime he's referred to Simon, he means he's sinful.

And you notice sometimes, I think, there's a few Scriptures that mention Simon Peter. Well, I guess John was trying to put together that whether he's Gentile, he's in the flesh, or he's in the spirit.

He couldn't determine his heart. So, that's pretty much the sum of it. So, we have the name Peter. And Peter means rock. And God made him a rock. Jesus made him a rock. Jesus renamed him. Nearly 50 times in the New Testament, he's called Simon.

50 times! And perhaps, again, and I get this from Warren Roosby, perhaps the two names suggest a Christian's two natures. An old nature, Simon, that has proved to fail. And a new nature, Peter, that can give victory.

And that is so true, isn't it? Simon, yes, Romans 7 right there. And Simon, he was only another human piece of clay. But Jesus Christ made him a rock. Jesus made him a rock. Now, he was raw material. And if you notice, he was always the apostle that was the leader that was always asking questions.

You can picture him, he's right behind Jesus constantly asking questions, separate questions. And we'll be looking a little bit into that more or what else. He just constantly, he's the spokesman. And any time you read in the gospel, his name is always first.

There's a pecking order. And Peter is always at the top. He's the head apostle. No one speaks in the gospel as often as Peter did. And Jesus spoke more to Peter than any other individual. Jesus rebuked Peter more than any other disciple.

Isn't that the truth? Amen. He was wounded a lot and he learned a lot. But you know, that's the substance and that's the qualities of a leader. He asked questions. He's constantly asking questions after questions.

And he's right there. Peter was the only disciple who dared to rebuke Jesus. And I'm sure he regretted it. And he did. Peter was the one that confessed Jesus more boldly and accurately than any other disciple.

He was the one that actually said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said, Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Peter denied Jesus more forcefully and publicly than any other disciple.

Jesus praised Peter more than any other disciple. Think of this. Jesus addressed Peter as Satan alone among the disciples. Could you imagine the Lord looking at you and saying,.

Satan, get thee behind me. That happened.

He was in the flesh one moment. Next moment, he understood. I'm sorry, he was in the spirit. He understood who Jesus really was in his person. But he didn't understand his work. That he came to die on a cross and he said, Be it far from you, Lord.

And he said, Satan, get thee behind me. Jesus said that. Jesus addressed him just about more than any other disciple. Peter was right there. Since Peter is so prominent in the gospel records, it is worthwhile to remind ourselves some of the important mentions of Peter in the record of biblical history from the gospels.

And I wrote these down. This is not a exhaustive list. You could probably find more. Because there's so much there with Peter. His name is mentioned more than any other in the gospel records outside of Jesus Christ.

Think of that. In Mark 1 .35 -9 .39. In Mark 1 .35 -39. The scripture says when Jesus woke up early in the morning to pray before the sun came up. Simon Peter.

There's that.

Led the other disciples on a hunt to find Jesus and tell him what he should do. In Matthew 10 .10 .1 -42. I'm not going to read all that. But in a nutshell, Peter went on a unique outreach trip with the other disciples.

In Matthew 14 .24 -33. Peter stepped out of the boat during a raging storm. And walked on the water. Defied the laws of gravity more than any other man that ever lived. Outside of Jesus the Lord himself walking on the water.

And you know the story there. In John 6 .68 -69. It was Peter who said, Lord to whom shall we go? For you have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that you are the Christ the son of the living God.

In Matthew 17 .1 -9. Peter saw personally Jesus transformed along with James and John in his glory. Together with Moses and Elijah. Actually Peter is the one that spoke out and said let's build a tabernacle.

One for Moses and one for Elijah. And then the father himself rebuked him.

Wow.

Isn't that the truth?

And the father says, this is my beloved son.

Hear him.

Peter was the one that asked Jesus how many times we should forgive a brother that sins against us. Quoting the high number of seven times. And Jesus said more than that. Seventy times seven. In Matthew 19 .27 -30.

Peter was the one who asked Jesus after the encounter with the rich young ruler. What the disciples would receive for giving everything up to follow Jesus. In John 13 .16 -20. Peter was the one who insisted that Jesus would not wash his feet.

And then he commanded Jesus wash all of them. Peter is a character isn't he? But he speaks for all of us isn't he? He speaks for all of us. Matthew 26 .30 -35. Peter heard Jesus predict that he would deny him three times.

And Peter replied, even if I have to die with you I would not deny you. Go all the way to death with you Lord. In Matthew 26 .35. And the rest of the disciples agreed. In John 18 .1 -11. Peter was the one who cut off the right ear of Malchus.

And we know he was not just aiming for the ear either. And the servant of the high priest, I'm sorry, when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. In Matthew 26 .26 -75. Peter denies Jesus three times. He was actually cursing and swearing that he did not even know the man.

Refusing to even name the name of Jesus. And in John 21 -10. Peter was the one who ran with John, the disciple. We know John outran him. To the tomb on the morning of the resurrection. And after hearing the report of the women that the body of Jesus was not in its tomb.

And in Luke 24 .34. Peter was the one who received a personal visit from the resurrected Jesus on the day of the resurrection. And in John 21. I love this. After even the denial three times. Peter received a public restoration from the Lord Jesus himself.

In front of the other disciples and restored them back into the fold. After the resurrection of Christ. No doubt. No doubt. Peter is a very significant and important apostle. And the letter begins. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Isn't that beautiful? Commentator Grunem says this. The supreme importance of the apostles is suggested by the fact that the phrase Jesus Christ. Is attached to no other New Testament office. We do not read of teachers of Jesus Christ.

Or prophets of Jesus Christ. Or evangelists of Jesus Christ. Only of apostles of Jesus Christ. End quote.

No doubt.

This letter is by the apostle Peter. And he says he is an apostle of Jesus Christ. There is also someone else that is associated with him. And you read this in 1 Peter 5 .12. That this letter was associated with Silas.

Silas or Silvanus. And Silas which was one of the chief men in the early church. And we see him in Acts chapter 15 .22. And he is actually a prophet. Silas was a prophet. We see he accompanies Paul. And Acts 15 .32.

And this means that he communicated God's messages to the congregation. As he was directed by the Holy Spirit. So the apostles and prophets worked together. They are the one that laid actually the foundation of the church.

According to Ephesians 2 .20. And once that foundation was laid. They passed off the scene. And the elders basically. After all the apostles dies out. Elders was known to lead the churches. But just to note this.

Also there are no more apostles and prophets in the New Testament. Since in the church today. And if anybody calls himself a prophet or apostle. It's not so. It is interesting that Silas. Silvanus was associated with Peter's ministry.

Isn't that interesting? And as I was studying this. I thought wow. And because he originally went with Paul as a replacement for Barnabas. According to Acts 15 .36 -41. Peter also mentioned John Mark.

In 1 Peter 5 .13. If you look at it. Look at 1 Peter 5 .13 very quickly. He says this. She who is in Babylon chosen. Together with you send you greetings. And so does my son Mark. My son Mark. So certainly that would maintain a concern for him.

And no doubt one of the early assemblies met in John Mark's home in Jerusalem. According to Acts 12 .12. And in the end Paul forgave. And accepted Mark as a valued helper in the work of the ministry. According to 2 Timothy 4 .11.

Peter indicated that he wrote this letter.

At Babylon. Babylon.

That's what it says. She who is in Babylon.

Now.

Where is Babylon? You know this is interesting. Because there was an assembly of believers here. And there was another town in Babylon. In Egypt also. But we have no proof that Peter ever visited that.

So here Babylon is probably just another name for the city of Rome. And that's more accurate. Because we do have reason to believe that Peter ministered in Rome. And was probably martyred there in Rome as well.

Along with his wife. We know he was married. Tradition says that at Peter's martyrdom. That he was not worthy to be crucified like his Lord. So they crucified him upside down. And he wanted that. And his wife was crucified as well.

That's what tradition. Christian tradition says. So Rome is called Babylon in Revelation 17 .5 and 18 .10. So it was not unusual for persecuted believers. During those days to write and speak in code.

As they were persecuted. And that pretty much tells us a little bit about Peter. There's much more we can say about Peter. But I'd like to move on. Let's go to the second part. The recipients. We know the apostle no doubt is Peter.

The recipients as the text says in 1. Are to those who reside as aliens. Or strangers.

Or pilgrims.

Foreigners. Scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. So Peter called them aliens. No it's not the aliens people would think today. From Mars and Venus. But it actually refers that we are aliens as believers in Jesus Christ.

And all believers in Jesus Christ. Are strangers, pilgrims just passing through. This world is not our home. Our home is beyond the blue.

Amen.

And that's the way the Christians is addressed here. Better translation like I said. Strangers, sojourners. They were called strangers and pilgrims in 1 Peter 2 .11. If you look at that very quickly. Look in 1 Peter 2 .11.

He says this. Beloved I urge you as aliens, strangers. And strangers to abstain from fleshly lust. Which wage war against the soul. Abstain from it. Run from it. James says. These people were citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

According to what Paul said in Philippians 3 .20. And therefore we are not permanent residents on this earth. And that's the way we are to look at it. Abraham looked at it like that. And in the eyes of faith.

The center on the future. The city of God. And that's the way we should look at it as well as believers in Jesus Christ. And that we are in the world but not of the world. According to how Jesus prayed in John 17 .16.

So he begins his letter by calling Christians aliens. Strangers.

Foreigners. Foreigners.

To what we are. Believers. To the Roman Empire.

To the world.

Then goes on to explain the relationship between suffering and salvation. Now I want you to think of that for a little bit. There is a relationship between salvation and suffering. Suffering is temporary.

It just lasts now momentarily. But it proves our faith so that joy and glory can come later. And when the true Christian gets a glimpse of Jesus Christ and who He really is. And the glories of that other world.

This flesh is nothing. This life is nothing in comparison to what awaits us. Therefore the Christian should be holy as he awaits the Lord Jesus Christ to come back. Or as he enters into glory. And to that day he enters into glory.

But he is to be holy until then. He is to be sanctified. He is to be set apart. He is to be different. And I question people. If they are not different from this world. Because scripture says love not the world.

Neither the things that are in the world. If any man loved the world the love of the Father is not in him. Now I didn't say that. The word of God says that. But if there is people loving the world. You cannot love the world and love God at the same time.

Jesus said that. You cannot serve two masters. But the scriptures say. The believers are the one who loves God. And they love one another. And they long and they love the word of God. If they love God they are going to love God's word.

And stay in God's word. And cherish God's word. And hide it in their heart. Treasure it in their heart. Now after Peter explains why about the relationship between salvation and suffering. Peter goes into what the Christian family is.

What is the Christian family? We are going to be looking at this. Spiritual house. A chosen generation. A chosen race. A royal priesthood.

Royal.

A holy nation. A people for God's own possession. Don't you love that? God's own possession. And that is found in 1 Peter chapter 2. Well therefore Christ is all in all to them. And Christians ought to keep their behavior excellent.

We will be looking at that. How do we keep our behavior excellent? Excellent. For a lost and dying world. So that even though oppressors will glorify God when they see Christ in you. And you know the believers ought to submit to the authorities.

As hard as that is. Sometimes as long as it is not contrary to the word of God. They should submit to the authorities. You see that in scripture. They submit to one another. They honor their spouses. They demonstrate kindness even when suffering.

As a Christian. Even in suffering.

Wow.

That is so much to set before us. It is going to be so good. And honestly as I was thinking about these things. Who set the greatest and finest example of suffering to the glory of God? Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ. You know Peter brings this out too. And we see this. And therefore the Christians should live to the will of God. And use their spiritual gifts to serve one another in the church and the body.

And to glorify God. And then that ultimate purpose. It is not about one person being one above the other. We are actually according to what Paul says. We are to esteem others more than ourselves. We are to serve one another.

And that is the attitude that we should have. And Jesus is the head. But we should come as a servant. Attitude. Peter knew about humility didn't he? Oh he was changed. You see him later on. When he was pretty rough around the edges.

And he is very bolsterous. And he is speaking out. But Jesus and his loving rebukes to him. He was being made in the furnace. And he was being made more humble. And at the day of Pentecost. He was a totally different man wasn't he?

Well suffering tests us doesn't it? Suffering is a way to humble us isn't it? Suffering can humble us. It is the great university that God chooses. It is the back side of the desert. Where God makes his men and women.

It is a way we identify with Jesus our Lord. Paul even said this. That I may know him. And the power of his resurrection. And the fellowship of his sufferings. It never gives us an excuse to sin. Never, never.

But it tells us in Christian suffering. We should still do what is right. So to Peter suffering is something. That the Christians should always see coming. They are as aliens and pilgrims. Foreigners here to be different.

Until Jesus Christ comes in glory. And he speaks about the second return of Jesus Christ. And that is the living hope. That is the blessed hope. Isn't that what you are thinking about now? With all this junk.

And all this violence that is going on. And I say junk. There is much more to it. There are so many lies. And so many things that are going on in our nation. Not the nation but the world itself. We see things.

God is just wrapping things up. And Jesus is going to come back. And when he comes back. And that is our blessed hope. That should comfort us. And he comes back. With power and glory.

Let's look real quickly.

1 Peter chapter 5. This is at the end of it. But notice what he says in verse 10 and 11. After you have suffered for a little while. Don't you notice that a little while. It is just temporary. It is just for a short time.