Pastorals
1 Peter 4:7-19
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Living in the End Times audio (4MB)
Repent! The End is Near! It’s one of those cheap laughs that people get at the expense of Christians. Some Christians at least. You see it in cartoons, usually on a sign-board held by a man with a long beard wearing a white robe and sandals. And of course there are many variations of the mad man predicting the end.
But in fact it’s no laughing matter is it? We don’t believe the end is coming because we’re out of touch with reality. On the contrary, we believe that God is involved with the world in a real way, that God is in control of his creation. We believe that He’s revealed his intention to bring judgement and justice on this world and to bring in a new creation at a time that he’s set.
And we believe that if the end really is near then we’d better get ready for it before it’s too late. That’s what Peter has to say in this passage that we’re looking at today. He says: “The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers.”
1 Peter 3:13-4:6
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- Written by: Bill Stewart
Living for God audio (4MB)
1 Peter 3:13-4:6
"I've been baptized." Have you been baptized? When? I was baptized on 28 January 1968 in the Holy Cross Anglican Church in Albany in New Zealand. I don't remember it happening; some of you will. But my parents and godparents were there as witnesses. And this certificate tells me that it's true. The great church reformer Martin Luther was baptized on 11 November 1483 in St Martin's Church in Eisleben in Germany. As you probably know, Luther stood up for the Gospel against the most powerful people in the world. He was banned from the Catholic Church by the Pope. And then he was put on trial in front of the Emperor for his beliefs. And he was asked to change his mind. He is reported to have replied: "Here I stand. I can do no other".
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
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- Written by: Garrett Edwards
‘The People of God: Submit, not Submerge’ audio (4MB)
1 Pet 2:11-3:12
This first letter and this passage is a very clear and powerful summary of Christian belief and practice isn’t it? But its also long isn’t it, I really struggled trying to tackle everything in this in one talk, but I’m going to try without glossing over too many things.
So lets get into it. If you haven’t got your Bible open, and perhaps you would like to do that so you can follow along.
In this passage, Peter is appealing to his readers, it’s an appeal to us and what’s his appeal? The central verse I want to focus on this morning is v.17. How does this fit with the topic of ‘Submit not Submerge? The way I see it, Peter breaks it down into these 3 areas, Submit to God, Submit to Authority and Submit to each other. And I hope that through this talk I am able to explain a little of each but also show how in the end, we aren’t doing 3 separate things, but only one.
The core of this passage lies, as it does with the whole Bible, in whether or not we will voluntarily submit ourselves to God. When we become believers, we become God’s people on earth. His people to tell others about him, to explain his will and to live the way he wants us to.
1 Peter 2:1-10
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Built Upon a Living Stone audio (4MB)
Picture a team of stonemasons, preparing to build a great temple; perhaps it’s the replacement for Solomon’s temple that was destroyed by the armies of Babylon. They pick up all the stones that look the right shape to fit into the wall of a building and put them in a pile, ready to use later. Every now and then, though, they find one that’s been broken off in such a way that it’s too crooked to use in a wall. Those ones they cast aside. But then when the construction begins the master builder comes along and sorts through the rejects to find a stone that’s just the right shape to form the cornerstone of the foundation. This is the stone that the rest of the building will be aligned with. It’s the critical stone in the foundation because everything else gets it’s alignment from it.
It’s a great story isn’t it? The reject that becomes the most valuable member. There’s something there that appeals to our Australian love of the underdog, isn’t there? And I guess it’s something we all dream about. Going into an op shop, as I do every now and then, and discovering some treasure - not that I ever do - though I did get a coffee plunger for $2 the other day. But of course this isn’t a picture of some everyday occurrence. No, Peter here is talking about the spiritual temple of God: the replacement for Solomon’s temple, yes, but a spiritual replacement. And notice what he says about it.
1 Peter 1:13-25
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- Written by: Bill Stewart
Living Holy Lives audio (4MB)
If you were watching TV on the April 12, 2009, you may have seen pictures like this one of Captain Richard Phillips shortly after his rescue.
According to CNN.com:
U.S. Navy snipers fatally shot three pirates holding an American cargo-ship captain hostage after seeing that one of the pirates "had an AK-47 leveled at the captain's back," a military official said Sunday. The captain, who'd been held in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean since Wednesday, was rescued uninjured ... Adm. Rick Gurnon stressed that while Phillips was rescued, more than 200 mariners remain captives at sea. "The pirates have a great business model that works for them: See ships, take ransom, make millions," he told reporters.
In Captain Phillips case he was rescued without a ransom being paid. But, as the report said, many sailors have only been released through the payment of a huge ransom. The idea of being "ransomed" was a very powerful image in the world of the first Christians. In fact, if was a life-changing idea! The language of ransom was standard biblical language for "salvation". Jews would have been immediately reminded of their ancestors being released by God from slavery in Egypt. But in the biblical world "ransom" was also a powerful image for Gentiles. They would have been immediately reminded of slaves whose freedom was purchased by the payment of a ransom. But how is that image powerful for us? We know, don’t we, that around the world today millions of people, especially women and children, still live in slavery – much of it secual slavery! But this morning I want you to imagine for a moment that you were Captain Richard Phillips taken captive by pirates off the African coast. ... And someone paid the million-dollar ransom to set you free – without any expectation that you would pay them back? ...
How would you feel?
What would you do once you were released?
How would your life change?
