Reading of the Christmas Story

• LJ Shrieve

THE BIRTH OF JESUS
LUKE 2
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
 
THE SHEPHERDS AND THE ANGELS
8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors!
15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told. [1]

• “LJ, there is a lot going on in that story. What is the one thing in that story that is prominent for you… other than Jesus being born?”

 
2 Sets of Visitors at Christ’s Birth

• Shepherds -“8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”[2]
• You who? Yoo hoo! Who is he talking to? Shepherds.
• What is the sign to the shepherds? “This will be a sign to you shepherds.”
• Reading of the Mishnah – Brent Sutton
• Baba Kamma 7:7 They do not rear small cattle in the Land of Israel, but they do rear them in Syria and in the wastelands which are in the Land of Israel.
• They do not rear chickens in Jerusalem, on account of the Holy Things, nor do priests [rear chickens] anywhere in the Land of Israel, because of the [necessity to preserve] the cleanness [of heave offering and certain other foods which are handed over to the priests].
• They do not rear pigs anywhere.
• A person should not rear a dog, unless it is kept tied up by a chain.
• They do not set traps for pigeons, unless they are thirty ris (4 miles) from a settlement.[3]

 

• Why is that important? One regulation in the Mishnah “expressly forbids the keeping of flocks throughout the land of Israel, except in the wildernesses—and the only flocks otherwise kept, would be those for the Temple-services” (Bab K. 7:7; 80a).
• Map of Israel
• From Nazareth to Bethlehem – 90 miles
• From Jerusalem to Bethlehem – 5.5 miles
• Israel – 3 Slides
• Wilderness – 3 slides
• Modern Bethlehem
• Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and the surrounding fields were not in the wilderness where ordinary flocks of sheep were kept.
• Therefore, according to the Jewish regulations, the flocks under the care of the shepherds near Bethlehem must have been for the Temple-services.
• These shepherds watched over sheep destined as sacrifices in the Temple at Jerusalem.—that the shepherds that kept sheep in and around the fields of Bethlehem were not ordinary shepherds.
• They were shepherds hired by the temple in Jerusalem to prepare lambs for sacrifice in Jerusalem.
• “This will be a sign to you.” You who? “You shepherds that keep sheep destined for Passover, destined for sacrifice, you’re gonna find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

 

• “Wrapped in swaddling clothes,” four words, is one Greek word, “enswathed.”
• Now, why is that significant and why is that a sign?
• Traditional rituals done before burial may include:

 

• Taharah – A person who has died is ritually bathed so as to leave the world as pure as he or she arrived. Prayers and psalms are recited. The deceased is then dressed in tachrichim. To preserve modesty even in death, men perform taharah for men and women perform taharah for women.

 

• Tachrichim – A person who has died is clothed in a white cotton or linen burial garment. Today, many people are buried in their own clothes. Many men – and women, if they usually wore one – are buried wearing their tallit (prayer shawl). Many people are also buried with a small amount of earth from Israel under their heads.

 

• Sh’mirah – Traditionally, a Jew who has died is not left alone from death until burial. Sh’mirah can be translated as ‘watching’ or ‘guarding’ and a shomer – a person who guards the body – can be hired to perform this ritual.

 

• I’ve gotten this from Jewish guides and Arab guides, and when Jewish guides and Arab guides actually agree, I listen.
• I’d like to find it in literature, and I haven’t yet found it in the early literature, but the tradition that has come down through the ages is this: that it was culturally taboo for a woman to be buried in anything other than her own linens.
• And therefore, on a trip, a woman would take a strip of linen cloth with her, in case she died on the journey; she would be wrapped in her own linens for burial.
• It was culturally taboo not to be buried in your own linens. Mary is heavy with child.
• She comes from Nazareth down to Bethlehem. Having her own linen cloth in case something happened to her would be a natural.
• And when the baby is born, she wraps this baby in a cloth that would normally be used for burial, and lays it in a manger.

 

• Now, why is that significant?
• The Mishnah goes on to talk about a site in Bethlehem called Migdal Eder.
• There’s two references to Migdal Eder in the Old Testament.
• One is when Rachel dies; he buries Rachel on the way into Ephrathah or Bethlehem and at a site called Migdal Eder.
• Migdal Eder means “the tower of the shepherds, the tower of the flock.”
• The Mishnah describes that there was a well-known place that was called “the tower of the flock” or “the tower of the shepherds” where baby lambs would be birthed, and older lambs would be prepared for burial– excuse me, be prepared for sacrifice.
• So it just so happens—hint, hint—that God picks a group of shepherds, that birthed lambs and prepared lambs for sacrifice, to be the ones who would hear, “For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior who is Messiah,” κύριος [kurios], “Christ the Lord.” “And this will be a sign unto you shepherds, you kind of shepherds, you’re gonna find the baby wrapped in a cloth lying where baby animals normally are put.”
• Because at night, in a stable– don’t get your theology from a Christmas pageant with a little wooden  crate box.
• Do you know what a sheep or a goat or a cow would do with that little box? It’d be in splinters.
• But they made mangers out of the limestone, or they etched on the back of the cave a shelf, and that’s where they would feed. But at night, they would pick up the baby animals and place them there so they wouldn’t get trampled at night.

 

• “You’re gonna find a baby wrapped in a cloth, very possibly normally used for burial, lying where a baby animal lies.”
• Other than at age 12, when Jesus is in the temple duking it out with the leaders, the next announcement that we have is John 1:29 by John the Baptist, “Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”
• When you go back into Luke, it uses the word ῥῆμα [rhema] and ῥήματα [rhemata], which is a term for the spoken word, because the shepherds go back witnessing, they go back wondering, and they go back worshipping because of everything that had been told them concerning this child.
• Significant announcement, significant announcement to shepherds about redemption that God will provide.
• By the way, the second time Migdal Eder is used, it’s used in Micah chapter 4 about verse 8, which tells you that when Messiah returns to Jerusalem, Jerusalem will be called “the tower of the flock, the tower of the shepherd.” Now, why is that significant? Because Bethlehem is called the City of David; and Jerusalem, when David takes over the Jebusite city, that becomes known as the City of David: the place where he was born, and the place from which he reigned. Migdal Eder, the place from which He was born, and Migdal Eder, the place from which He will reign. Hmm.

 

• Wise men, Matthew chapter 2. The wise men see his star in the East. What would have ever connected a star in the East to a Messiah who should be worshipped?
• A star will arise that will be the symbol of a king of Israel who will be in domination over that territory, over that region.
• Now, don’t get your theology from Christmas music, either. The little song, “There’s a Star in the East”?
• They saw the star while they were in the East and came westward, okay?
• If they went east, it took them a year and a half to get around the world, okay, all the way around. But they saw the star while being in the East.
• They come west, and they come to the house, not the manger. And they don’t see an infant, βρέφος [brephos], but they see a small child.

 

• When they come, they come to Israel; they talk to the chief priest. “Where’s the Messiah to be born?” They tell him it’s in Bethlehem of Judea, and so the wise men come, and that star not only brought them to Israel, not only did it bring them to Jerusalem, but it’s a supernatural star—not a Halley’s Comet or anything like that—because it led them to the house where the baby and the parents were staying.
• Now, what do they say? “We’ve come to worship Him who’s been born King of the Jews.” What gifts do they bring? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
• Gold is a gift worthy of a king.
• Frankincense is sacrificial incense. It’s incense for the altar.
• And myrrh is burial fluid, burial spice.
• Now, I don’t know about you; the last time we brought a housewarming gift to a couple when we were visiting them, it was not a bottle of embalming oil.
• We wouldn’t do that. What would that be saying?

 

• That is the Christmas story…
• Shepherds who are raising sheep for the purpose of being sacrificed.
• Mary, uses a burial linen to wrap her baby in swaddling clothes.
• The wise men bring sacrificial incense and burial spices.
• Not all the world will see this baby boy they are celebrating these next weeks, came as one one-time sacrifice for all of our sin.

 

• And that Messiah is worthy of worship. “We’ve come to worship Him who has been born King of the Jews.
• Two visitors that emphasize: one the redemption, and the other the right to be worshipped as the King of the Jews rather than crucified.[4]

​
[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Lk 2:1–20.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Lk 2:8–12.
[3] Jacob Neusner, The Mishnah : A New Translation (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988), 519.
[4] Class Notes from Dr. Mark Bailey of Dallas Theological Seminary. “What is God Doing on Earth for Heaven’s Sake, Part 2,”, Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics.

1. What is/are your past Christmas Family tradition(s)?

Jeremy & Danielle - On Christmas Day, we and  Jeremy's family gather at his parent's house.  Jeremy's mom starts our festivities by inviting everyone to sit in the living room together while she reads to us from her bible.  She is very intentional about the passage that she chooses and beautifully ties it to family, Christ's birth, and all that is on her heart.   We then eat together, do a white elephant exchange and play games/cards.
Scott & Jenny - Christmas Eve service all together @ 11:00 after family  gathering.
Bill & Anna - Traditions are spending Christmas Day together with the family and cooking Prime Rib
JD, Beth & Hannah - when our children were younger, we would always let them open one gift. Not their biggest gift but usually something they could play with.
We would go to the grandparents (Jd or Beth’s parents depending on where we were that year) and have Christmas with them, then go to Christmas Eve service. Service always seems to bring us back down from the chaos of the season and really focus on what’s really important.
JD and Beth would always end up staying up wrapping presents well after midnight. (You might call it procrastination)
 

1. What is/are your current Christmas Family tradition(s)?

Jason & Sasha – Getting read Twas the night before Christmas before bed. We still do this with our kids, even in teenage years they are excited for this.
Jeremy & Danielle - Even though the kids are grown, they still spend the night at our house so that we can get up in the morning together.  We usually have lasagna or chicken paprikash for dinner, play games, do a puzzle, watch a movie...
Jerimiah & Lynnae - We have a lot of Christmas traditions! We start off the season doing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes with the kids. We also always find a way to give and be generous in some way.  The kids have a "Cousin Christmas" with their cousins and they all buy and exchange gifts for each other. We always wear coordinating or matching Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve and Day. We do Christmas activities as a family (Christmas at the Zoo, Winterlights, driving around looking at Christmas lights).
Jonathan & Monica - We wrap matching pajamas for the kids to open on December 1st. We do morning cookie baking with grandparents each mid-December. We love driving around and looking at neighborhood Christmas lights on random evenings and visiting White River Christian Church's drive up light show. We dance party to Christmas music after dinner alot of evenings. We do Christmas Eve with grandparents at their house.
Jayci & Silas - Currently, we go and see family on Christmas Day. However, since I have met Jaci we have made it a tradition also to see her grandparents, somewhat distant family, her dad and stepmom, and also her mom.
Brandon & Madison - Celebrate Christmas adam (dec. 23rd) with madison's family . Christmas eve we split between madison and brandon family - so we will do christmas eve afternoon with madison family and then go over in the evening to brandons grandmas. Sleep at our own house and split christmas day between the pruetts and cartwrights.
Frank & Lisa - Baking day with my daughters and their families with the highlight being having the 6 grandchildren ages 2-11 to ice sugar cookies. Always a fun mix of pools of icing, generous sprinkles, spit and snot. There is always a yellow snowman in honor of my dad.
Gathering with small group for breakfast-for-dinner pitch in, reading of the Christmas story, and white elephant exchange with gifts like the most difficult jigsaw puzzle (a box of sawdust) – See Photo
 

1. How have you incorporated Luke 2 into your Christmas season?

Jason & Sasha - Luke 2 was always recited by my Grandmother (by memory) up till her passing.  The next year my Nephew took the helm (on his own) and has recited it ever since
Bill & Ann - As far as Luke.  Incorporated in a informal way.    Watch Charley Brown Christmas
 

1. What is the greatest present/gift you have ever received at Christmas?

Jerimiah & Lynnae - We got engaged on Christmas day! So that was definitely our greatest gift.
Loren & Lee – Well our anniversary is the 21st,  so I would vote for that. 
Jeremy & Danielle - Jeremy's favorite childhood gift was an Evil Knievel!
Frank & Lisa - Schwinn Sting Ray 20” bicycle
One of my most memorable gifts growing up was a set of 4 snow tires stacked next to the tree for the 1970 Nova that I was driving. Now that’s love!
Giant gifts from Frank!  So far, an apple watch (which may have saved my life because it let me know I had atrial fibrillation), an engagement ring and a honeymoon cruise. Can’t wait to see what he gets me this year 😊
Brandon & Madison - Madison - engagement ring, Brandon - first bobble head
 

1. What is the first Christmas gift that you can remember receiving?

Jayci & Silas - Jaci’s first Christmas gift that she can remember receiving was a toy vacuum cleaner.
Scott & Jenny - A dollhouse that my Dad made for me.
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah - Thunder Cat sword
Lynnae - Baby Alive doll or Barbie mannequin head that I could style her hair
 

1. What is the one thing you look forward to during the Christmas season?
   Jason & Sasha - We both look forward to time with family, even the distant ones that for the rest of the year we don't mind their distance.  ( lol) and I look forward to the Fried oysters and oysters stew.

 

1. Do you have a favorite or sentimental decoration or ornaments that you look forward to displaying?

Frank & Lisa – There is a globe ornament Lisa and I bought at Disney that is sentimental.
I bought a craft kit to hand sew and embroider an angel tree topper. I quickly realized that I was in over my head and asked Grandma if she would finish it for me.  She agreed. Later, she gave me the beautiful topper wrapped in tissue in a gift box. My gentle Grandma who never, ever cussed said “Here’s your damn angel, don’t buy any more kits.” The angel is on top of my tree today, and she is much loved. –
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah- Penguin stuffed animals and decor and my dad's Christmas mug
Lynnae- For our first Christmas married, my Nana (grandmother) made me a beautiful Santa with her mother's, my great grandmother's coat who I was blessed to know and loved very much. I love it because it has a piece of each of them.
Boys also have ornaments and a few for us over the years and those are always fun to look at each year.
Scott & Jenny - Our nativity set, our youngest daughter always sets it up. Our handmade ornaments that we have collected throughout the years.
Loren & Lee – We hide a pickle in the tree and the child who finds it gets a gift.  Lee - See photo
Jayci & Silas - We enjoy displaying our Christmas villages. Jaci’s mom has a tradition of gifting her a new village each year and it is fun to open the new villages each year and display them the next Christmas.
Jonathan & Monica - Monica: Snowbabies, nativity, and snowman collection / Jonathan: Christmas ornaments personalized from my preschool and elementary school principal each year.
JD, Beth & Hannah - we have a cabinet of Lenox Santa figurines that we have received from JD’s parents over the years and we keep them out all year long.
Jason & Sasha - We have a tree that was my Grandmother's that we still set up. And our glow mold nativity scene that was my Grandfather's
 

1. Do you have a funny Santa story or pictures?

Jeremy & Danielle - Jeremy's Grandma made us a tree skirt for a wedding gift.  We still bring it out. We have a nativity that we have put out for over 25 years. Decorations come and go, but the nativity has always been a staple in our house.
Brandon & Madison - Madison - my dad stomped on the floor making it sound like Santa had landed on our roof. Brandon - Mom called the jewelry store at the castleton mall to see if the "real" santa was the one there that day so we could go get our picture taken with him.
Frank & Lisa - December 24, 2010- Audrey had yet to see Santa that year, so we set out to correct that problem.  We loaded a jolly group in the car and set out to find him.  Who would have guessed that he would be only a few blocks away waving to passersby on the side of the road!  We pulled over and asked Santa for a chat. Once we provided a chair, a life-long memory was made. Perhaps a bit of a traumatic one for Audrey. – See Photo
Loren & Lee - Loren - When I was 8 or so, I had become a doubter.   But that Christmas I got a left-handed catchers mitt.   I had looked everyone and never saw one.   Also, it was an expensive gift,  and my family was strapped.  So,  I was back in the believer camp for couple more years.
Show video
Bill & Anna - Best Christmas story.  When Mike was about 5.  Bill took him to meet Santa   Mike is sitting on his lap.  Santa says what is your name.  Without batting an eye, Mike says if you were really Santa you would know my name. 
JD, Beth & Hannah - when our children were small, JD would dress up in his Santa suit and go into their bedrooms after they were asleep. One year, we were at Beth’s parents and they lived on a busy street, JD went out to the street and waved at cars going by around midnight. It was corny but fun!
Jonathan & Monica – See photo
Jason & Sasha - We have a picture of Caleb and Grace on Santa's knee where Grace was balling her eyes out. Little did they know that the scary Santa was one of my uncles. – See photo
 

1. What are you looking forward to this Christmas?
   JD, Beth & Hannah - JD - just being with family, and enjoying Christmas with Addy (and having hot water finally🤣)

Beth - Giving gifts to others, spending time with family, and our family games
Hannah - serving others, worship and games with the family.
Jerimiah & Lynnae - Jerimiah - This year, like every year, I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. Lynnae - I'm looking forward to my mom and siblings being in town. We are so spread out now it makes me very happy when we can all be together.
 

1. What is your favorite Christmas carol or song?

Jonathan & Monica - Monica and Kids: Little Drummer Boy performed by For King and Country and Mary Did You Know by Mark Lowry / Jonathan: Welcome To Our World by Chris Rice

Crisis in the Churches of Northwest Asia

• The Christians throughout the Empire are suffering severe persecution.
• Peter has received word that the churches in northwest Asia are suffering massive attacks.
• They are distressed and in great need of encouragement.
• The persecution has become so bad that the Gentile Christians are being tempted to revert to their past pagan lifestyles to lessen the heat.
• Some believers are rebelling against local authorities because of the mistreatment and slander they are receiving from them.
• There is conflict in the home; husbands and wives are bickering.
• In some of the churches, the elders are exercising too much control in their attempt to keep the believers faithful during the pressure.

PETER WRITES 1 PETER

• Year: A.D. 65
• From: Rome
• To: The churches in northwest Asia: Pontus, North Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia.
• Provocation: Peter encourages his Jewish and Gentile brethren in their suffering, which is being shared by their fellow Christians everywhere (5:9).
• He exhorts the Gentile brethren not to revert to the lifestyle they lived as pagans.
• He exhorts the church to yield to their local authorities and gives practical instructions to family members about how to treat one another.
• Peter also charges the elders to lead by example rather than by force.
• Throughout the letter, Peter uses the general Greek word for suffer (pascho) twelve times—more than in any other NT letter.
• Given its excellent Greek style, the letter was scribed by Silas (Silvanus), who was with Peter in Rome.
• Peter is a Galilean fisherman. While he no doubt could speak and write a little Greek for business purposes, his Greek writing skills were minimal.
• Peter closes the letter by sending greetings from John Mark and the church in Rome.
• He calls Rome by its code-name “Babylon.”
• Peter sends the letter with Silas who reads it to each of the churches.[1]

 
GREETING
1 Peter 1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ:

• Peter had quality time with Jesus.
• He was able to watch Jesus live and teach.
• This is the prerequisite for being an apostle.
• Even Paul, who never knew Jesus during His earthly ministry, is considered an apostle because he met Christ on the Damascus Road.

To those chosen,

• The letter of 1 Peter was circulated throughout various Christian churches or various groups whom God chose.
• Here, Peter is not speaking of election in a Calvinistic sense where God chooses some individuals to believe and others for eternal punishment.
• He is generally speaking about the church being God’s elect group. The New Testament clarifies that this group includes Gentiles (see also Romans 9:30). 

living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

• God had a plan for salvation before time began. Peter has this in mind with his use of the term “foreknowledge.”
• He is not speaking of an individualistic view of election or foreknowledge.
• God had a plan of redemption, a foreknowledge of what He would do and what would happen.
• This foreknowledge was a call for all to obey Jesus.
• Christ by receiving the Gospel.

through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient

• In this context, obeying Jesus Christ is believing in the Gospel.
• All who believe are sanctified, or set apart, by the Holy Spirit for God.
• Believers are reserved to display God’s grace.
• This would be an encouraging truth for these believers to think about during the persecution they were experiencing under Nero. 

and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
 
A LIVING HOPE
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

• Believers are cleansed from their sins by the death of Christ but made new creations through the resurrection of Christ.
• Because of the resurrection, we are given new natures completely compatible with God (see 2 Peter 1:3-4).
• If the resurrection is not central to our theology, we will only have half of the Gospel.
• We will understand that Christ died for our sins, but we will not understand that the life of Christ saves us.
• Our inherent regeneration happens because of Christ’s resurrection.

4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

• Christians cannot lose their salvation because it is inherently imperishable.
• Christ’s work was so perfect that nothing we do can make it void.
• Furthermore, Christians have a new heart that inherently believes in Jesus (see Romans 6:17).
• As a result, our salvation is reserved in Heaven.

5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

• God protects His children, though not always physically.
• While we face trials and tribulations during life on earth, persecution that may even lead to our deaths, our spirits are kept safe and will be preserved into the afterlife.

6 You rejoice in this,

• Joy is the natural outcome of understanding God’s grace in Christ.
• If our beliefs are not producing joy, then we are misunderstanding the Gospel or forgetting our cleansing from sin (see 2 Peter 1:9).

even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials

• Christians are not immune to the negative impacts of the world.
• Christ did not die and rise again to somehow obtain earthly victory for His children.
• Instead, Christ gives us salvation forever untouched by persecution and other worldly trials.
• As we focus on this, we will find joy in our lives during the most distressful times.
• Peter is giving us a place to go in faith, allowing us to process life emotionally in light of the truth. 

7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

• The evidence and outcome of true faith is priceless.
• It may not amount to much in this life, but has eternal value and will result in praise, glory, and honor at Christ’s return.
• This is especially pertinent to Peter’s context.
• The church was experiencing a great deal of persecution, some of which resulted in death.
• In fact, Peter was likely killed under this persecution from Nero.
• Therefore, the Christians were to keep a heavenly perspective during earthly turmoil and find joy in the truths of the Gospel, which are forever untouched by the ways of the world. 

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him;

• Notice that Peter is not telling these believers to love God.
• He is recognizing that they have an inherent and natural love for God.
• This is the result of Christ’s resurrection and our new righteous natures.
• So, Christians do not need to love God more- we already love God from the cores of our beings.
• This is the beauty of the New Covenant.
• The people were not faithful to God under the Old Covenant, so God fixed the problem. 

though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,

• The joy produced by the Gospel is inexpressible because human words fail to express the amazing truths of God.
• Even the Bible, God’s written word, is written in human languages.
• Therefore, we need power from the Holy Spirit to grasp the grand nature of God’s love in Christ. 

9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

• The salvation of our souls is the outcome of our personal faith.
• This is the plan God had before the foundations of the earth.
• He has elected the world to hear the Gospel.
• Our place is to respond and obtain salvation.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated.

• The prophets from the Old Testament who prophesied of the grace to come were seeking wisdom from the Holy Spirit to know the details of God’s plan of redemption.
• They sought to know when the Savior would arrive and precisely how this Gospel would impact people.
• There were glimpses of the New Covenant in the Old Testament (see Ezekiel 36:26-27; Jeremiah 31:31-34), but not until the death of Jesus did the New Covenant become a reality (Luke 22:20).

11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

• Most believe, based on the big picture of Scripture, that the Spirit of Christ came upon Old Testament saints but did not live in them permanently.
• Not until Pentecost did the Spirit of God dwell permanently within believers.
• Therefore, Peter is likely talking about not a permanent indwelling in the Old Testament but a temporary dwelling or anointing.
• The preposition within can be translated as both in or on.
• It makes sense, therefore, that in the Old Testament the Spirit of Christ was on people but not indwelling.

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

• The prophets were announcing that which was fulfilled in Christ.
• The prophets spoke of the New Covenant, something so beautiful that angels long to look at it.
• Thus, there was an immense amount of anticipation among the prophets and the heavenly beings for unleashing God’s grace upon the world.

 
A CALL TO HOLY LIVING
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

• Grace is not simply a unique movement of God.
• It is the movement of God.
• Grace is not merely about being saved; we live by grace as saved individuals.
• It doesn’t matter what book of the Bible we study.
• Each book is pointing us to Jesus Christ and nothing else.
• This is what Christians are to focus on.
• We are to not return to our lifestyles pre-Christ.
• Instead, we are to live from Christ by focusing on grace.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 20:7)

• The word holy is used primarily in two different ways.
• First, it speaks of believers as people.
• All believers are holy.
• We have all been sanctified and set apart at faith in Christ.
• But here, Peter has in mind a second use of the term.
• Christians are to be holy in behavior because we have been saved and equipped to live righteously.

17 If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers.

• God, our Father, is the judge of the universe.
• He will evaluate whether something is a work of the Spirit or the flesh.
• However, this does not mean that He will judge Christians.
• Peter is not encouraging believers to live as if they will be judged but rather in light of their Abba, who accepts them perfectly as judge of the universe.
• This is a genuinely humbling reality.

18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,

• God’s enduring word, the Gospel, purifies the souls of all who believe in Jesus.
• This salvation creates a sincere, indwelling love for the family of God.
• Peter is also clear on the permanence of this salvation: It is imperishable.
• The salvation accomplished by Jesus and perfected in all who believe can never be lost.
• Whereas that which is of earth eventually fades and dies, that salvation which is of Heaven endures forever.

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

• Because God is the judge and has saved us in Christ, we can relax when we show up to the judgment.
• The precious blood of Jesus forever speaks in our defense.

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly,

• Christians have been washed and cleansed from all sin and set free from its power.
• Therefore, we are to live lives of love towards one another with God's same love for us in Christ.

23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.

• The world cannot touch our salvation and cannot be interrupted by our actions.
• We are born again of unperishable seed, God’s seed.
• Because God is the author of our salvation, we can rest securely in all He has done for us in Christ.

24 For
All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)
And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.[2]

• God’s truth endures into eternity.
• In the context, Peter has in mind the Gospel.
• The Gospel is the eternal truth of God revealed in Christ.

Because the eternally finished work of Christ saves us, our salvation is permanent and secure.[3]

[1] Viola, Frank, The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA, 2004. 166-167.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Farley, Andrew. www.BibleCommentary.com. 1 Peter.