Salvation – Page 10 – Three Minute Bible

July 21, 2020July 21, 2020

1 Peter 2:10 — Party Clothes

Picture of a banquet room set up for a wedding feast.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I once attended a church whose pastor was a master storyteller. I have never in my life had the pleasure of being entertained by someone so gifted in making a story come to life. Often, the story illustrated a Bible passage. One Sunday, he told a story about the parable of the wedding banquet from Matthew 22: 1-14.

The story was told in his unusual, vivid style. I remember it to this day. The mental images he conjured in my mind are indelible. Sadly, his telling of the story seemed to muddle the point of the Biblical account.

July 18, 2020July 18, 2020

1 Peter 2:7 (b) — Choices

Picture of white arrows on a green background with the words "Possibility" placed next to the arrows.

But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…”

Have you ever been one of those people who hate to make choices? I have. I would overthink every little decision. When I finally made a decision I would wonder if I should have chosen differently. Another version of this was the knocking of opportunity. Should I take this opportunity or wait for something better?

All this overthinking and worrying resulted in stress. It also meant I never felt certain about anything. Ironically, finding Jesus put an end to all that anxiety. Suddenly the question, “Is this God’s will?” trumped everything.

July 17, 2020July 18, 2020

1 Peter 2:7 (a) — New Eyes

Picture of reading glasses and clear letters through the lens.

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.

Yesterday we talked about Jesus being the “cornerstone of reality.” In today’s passage, Peter points us to the people who believe.

Something interesting is going on here. The “stone” Peter talks about looks different depending on belief. We will talk more about the unbeliever’s view tomorrow (Lord willing!). The believer’s view alters everything.

July 15, 2020July 16, 2020

1 Peter 2:5 (c) — At the Foot of the Cross

Picture of the cross silhouetted against the morning sky.

…offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This may be one of the most important verses in the Bible. Oh, I know…it looks benign. You can read it and think, “Nice verse…” and go on with your reading. But when I look at this verse I see all the threads in the Bible coming together into one place.

I can guess what you are thinking. You are probably thinking, “Okay, Jeff. Go ahead. Show me how this ties together all the threads in the Bible. But remember, this is ThreeMinuteBible.com, not TwentyYearBible.com, okay?” Okay. Fair enough. Since we are constrained on time, I will use large brush strokes again and see if I can paint a picture of what I see.

July 13, 2020July 13, 2020

1 Peter 2:5 (a) — Building Blocks

…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house…

What kind of house do you suppose that Peter is visualizing? What kind of house would Jesus want to be a part of? I realize that Peter is using a metaphor of sorts here and he doesn’t mean a house like anything we have ever seen.

July 12, 2020July 12, 2020

1 Peter 2:4 (b) — Door to Door

Picture of a door knocker on an old door.

… rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—

There are several ways of looking at Jesus. Each one highlights a different aspect of who and what he is. I don’t claim to understand them all myself. However, as I have matured in my faith, I find that my understanding of who Jesus is has changed.

Yesterday, we explored the meaning of Peter’s reference to Jesus when he calls him a “living Stone.” (See “Cornerstone”) We learned from the comments yesterday that Jesus is also referred to as the “Capstone.” (See Zechariah 4: 7 – Thank you, Rich!) Ron gave us a collection of verses pointing to God’s nature as Alpha and Omega. He is both the beginning and the end of all things.

July 7, 2020July 7, 2020

1 Peter 2:1 (a) — Inside Outside

A man's head half out of the water stares at the camera

Therefore, rid yourselves of …

In our post, “Checklist for Love,” we outlined some of the key points Peter has made in the first chapter of his letter. Today we begin the second chapter with, “Therefore…” As Pastor Rich loves to remind us in Bible study: “Always ask the question, ‘What is the ”therefore” there for?‘”

Peter has finished summarizing his thoughts by saying (in effect) people die, God’s Word is forever. Therefore…

July 5, 2020July 6, 2020

1 Peter 1:23 — Two Camps

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

When Peter addresses his letter to “the elect” (verse 1) who is he writing to? This question speaks to one of the hidden assumptions that we all make when we think or talk about the Bible.

Generally speaking, people fall into one of two camps. In the first camp, let’s call it the world view camp, people believe (i.e. – assume) that the Bible was written by people about God. In the second camp, we can call this God’s view, people believe that the Bible is written by God through people. There is a radical difference between these two points of view.

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020

1 Peter 1:18-19 — Many Moons

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Imagine, if you will, that the year is 1912. BC. Before Christ. It is many years after the flood, and Noah’s family has repopulated the earth. Everyone you know is a relative, but like today, not all the relatives get along.

Tribes have separated and arguments break out. Already some people have turned their backs to God. There is a shortage of manpower and it is not unheard of that one tribe will raid another. Children and women are taken and used as slaves. If the men cannot be subdued, they are killed. Life is hot, difficult, and harsh.

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

1 Peter 1:17 — Boxes

A check box on a piece of paper next to the words, "I Agree."

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

The question today is what does Peter mean when he writes, “…a Father who judges each person’s work impartially…?”

Wait a minute…

Doesn’t Peter know about grace? Doesn’t he understand that if we believe in Jesus we get a pass on judgment? How can he say that God is judging our “work?” What is going on here?