Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Wednesday, 30 April 2014 - 1 Peter 1:17-23

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Wednesday, 30 April 2014 - 1 Peter 1:17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; 20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.--World English Bible
As the Lutheran Study Bible says, "First Peter...explores issues of community, mission and suffering--issues these young faith communities may have been facing." "The reading reminds us that even Jesus faced temptation, rejection and suffering; it should be no surprise, then, if believers and the community today also suffer because of our faith. We still need encouragement in Christ's mission. I am thinking especially about the growing diversity that calls us to new mission exploration. In the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the immigrant population has grown by thirteen percent in ten years. This mission at the very least may involve a big challenge and maybe some struggle. We too need to hear and be reminded that Christ "was revealed at the end of the ages for (our) sake." We engage in God's mission with the sure and certain affirmation that Christ came "for our sake," that we might follow in his steps.
Help us, O God, to follow you into our neighborhoods to listen and care for all those whom you love. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Vern Rice
Mounds View, Minn. 
Master of Divinity , 1964
1 Peter 1:17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile.
18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.

23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.--New Revised Standard Version
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