1 Peter 1:1; 5:12; John 21:15-19; Intro. to 1 Peter (1)

Imagine for a moment that it is the year 65AD.  You are part of a group of Jewish Christians (they weren’t called Messianic Jews in those days; they were Christians; or as Peter calls them, pilgrims of the Dispersion).  You are all gathered in secret in a city in a part of the world that we know of as Turkey today.  In the past year you have been hearing of some gruesome events involving your Christian brothers and sisters in Rome.  Some are being sewn up in animal skins so the dogs will be more inclined to tear them apart.  Others have been clothed in wax shirts and used as human torches to light the courtyard for the emperor, Nero.  Many in your own group, perhaps even you, are being pressured by old (Jewish) friends to return to the old way rather than risking the same persecution.  The pressure comes from employers or spouses (especially the unsaved husbands of some of the sisters) as well as from some of the local governmental leaders.  
 

You are gathered because one of the elders in your group is going to read a letter from the Apostle of Jesus, Peter.  Peter was actually living in Rome and is acquainted with real persecution.  Of course Peter was an eyewitness of the suffering of the Savior.  It is known in your group that Peter himself crumbled under the pressure of those hours of suffering, denying Christ.  But it is also known that Peter was restored by the Lord and you all know these things because Peter has been willing to share these things.  You also know that since those difficult days Peter has had great boldness to declare the good news of salvation in the face of great opposition and that he is well acquainted with the inside of Roman prisons as well as with God’s power to deliver from prison.  Likely you have also heard Peter’s expectation, from the Lord Himself, that his life will end in martyrdom for the Name of Jesus.

You and your group have a fondness for Peter.  For one thing, as some today put it, Peter is a man of kindred spirit.  Brave, impulsive, confident, unstable, affectionate ... Of all the apostles his career is most vivid in memory, his character is most human and real (Eerdman; see Bibliography for details on people referenced in these studies).  We can identify with Peter.  Furthermore, Peter is an Apostle specially commissioned to take the Gospel to the Jews (Gal. 2:7-8), to your people.  There is no division here; Paul was the Apostle to the Nations or Gentiles and Peter acknowledged him (2 Peter. 3:14-16).  Both Jews and Gentiles are saved (Rom. 1:17; 3:28-30; Gal. 2:15) and sanctified (Gal. 5:6) in the same way.  

So Peter has sent a letter and it’s going to be read to your fellowship.  It comes in a time of increasing persecution from one who has suffered for the Name of Jesus the Messiah.  It couldn’t come at a better time for a letter of hope, one in which Peter will remind you all of the true grace of God in which you stand.