1 Peter 1:1-12
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
St. Peter in an open letter to all people tells us to praise God for giving us hope...That hope (he is talking about here) is that the Father resurrected the Son from the dead...Our living God has made His Son eternal... That is our hope...This specific hope can never perish, or spoil ,or fade for those who keep the faith...
St. Peter was there with Jesus...He was an eyewitness, to His life, His death, and His resurrection...St. Peter would have hope and His hope would be based on his experiences with the Master...
St. Peter knew we live in a world sometimes hostile to us...He knows that the early Christians were suffering and being persecuted for their beliefs in Jesus...He knows that life is hard for all and we regularly face trials, troubles and grief...Faith, unlike material possessions and gold, is strengthened by these hardships...Our material things during times of affliction and trouble mean so much less to us than faith...Faith is increased and strengthened as troubles increase...Jesus is there...The Father is there...This is the reason why faith increases, and the reason hope is there...
St. Peter, a fisherman by trade, knew how others in Israel felt about Jesus ministry...To continue Jesus' ministry would be difficult and he would be tested...He knew how this was going to impact his life and his family's life after Jesus was resurrected by God... St. Peter would face trials and die with his faith...The experiences he had with Jesus and the trials he had in life increased his faith...
We hope for many things in life at different times in our lives... But this is our Hope of Hopes...This is eternal life with the Father and Son...We will realize this when the Son is revealed...
The prophets knew about the Spirit of God...Many of the prophets wrote about a Messiah to come...The prophets were carried on by the Spirit of God and wrote His word...The prophet's search for the Spirit leads us to Jesus...Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life...Jesus is the word, He is the Bible... Jesus is the good news, He is the gospel...
St. Peter tells us of the hope God gives us...Through this disciple and his writings of St. Peter, God gives us another ray of hope... St. Peter, a man, who admits to all, he is a sinner, was chosen as one of the Twelve to follow Jesus...St. Peter even betrayed Jesus, not once but three times...How must have St. Peter felt, when he seen the risen Messiah...Jesus forgave him...Jesus forgives us...Jesus is our hope...