Chosen and Destined but Still Exiles
Read: 1 Peter 1:1-2 To the exiles of the Dispersion. (v. 1 NRSV) Today’s passage contains a painful dilemma we all know far too well. I am sure you felt
Tim Brown September 1, 2024
When you feel alone, or isolated in your faith, you may feel like an exile. To those who choose to follow him, God offers peace.
All believers in Jesus are people living in exile—if you are a follower of Jesus, your citizenship is in the eternal kingdom of heaven, and everything you do is a reflection of your new life in Jesus.
The book of 1 Peter was written to early Christians who were experiencing persecution, and who had become discouraged in faith. This letter is rich in encouragement to people who felt like exiles, encouragement to hold fast to faith in Jesus Christ.
The apostle Peter reminds us of our place in the family of God—not alone anymore, but chosen and beloved by God. As a result, we are changed, inside and out, to reflect Jesus and share that faith with others.
This devotional series takes us through the book of 1 Peter, and looks into the mysterious way that God grants grace and peace in the midst of exile.
Read: 1 Peter 1:1-2 To the exiles of the Dispersion. (v. 1 NRSV) Today’s passage contains a painful dilemma we all know far too well. I am sure you felt
Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father . . . (v. 3) Did you know that the phrase Peter uses to begin his letter is not original
Read: 1 Peter 1:10-1 . . . things into which angels long to look! (v. 12) Peter’s conviction that there are “things into which angels long to look” intrigues me.
Read: 1 Peter 1:13-21 Therefore prepare your minds for action . . . (v. 13 NRSV) Something doesn’t seem right in verse 13: “Prepare your minds for action . .
Read: 1 Peter 1:22-25 . . . but the word of the Lord endures forever. (v. 25 NRSV) Everything around us is fading away with the striking exception of the
Read: 1 Peter 2:1-9 Rid yourselves, therefore . . . (v. 1 NRSV) A very wise friend of mine often says, “If we are talking about real Christianity, we must
Read: 1 Peter 2:1-9 As you come to him, a living stone. (v. 4) My father was a brick mason, so I learned very early in life the difference between
Read: 1 Peter 2:1-9 But you are a chosen race . . . (v. 9) What enormous encouragement is lavished upon Christian believers in just one verse. We are called
Read: 1 Peter 2:11-25 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable. (v. 12) Peter was assuming several things as he wrote to Christian brothers and sisters in his day, and
Dr. Timothy Brown is the Henry Bast Professor of Preaching and President Emeritus at Western Theological Seminary where he served from 1995-2021. Tim continues to actively coach and encourage former students and pastors who seek help in their preaching life and he has become a certified public school substitute teacher so that he can continue investing in the lives of young people. He is married to Nancy and together they have three children and ten grandchildren.