Introduction: I love church history. That is, I love studying the history of Christian believers through the centuries. Why? Well, it’s easy to become myopic. That is, it’s easy just to be so self-absorbed that one only sees the immediate. To use a shooting analogy, it’s easy to just focus on the 50-meter target and discount all the other targets. It’s easy to miss the forest for the trees. For many folks in our day, God has been banished, and politics is their religion. It consumes them. They wake up craving the latest breaking news. They’re glued to what’s ‘happening now.’ They want to be tracking the latest posts or tweets or whatever they’re called now. They crave the latest gossip. They live lives perched on the limbs of the immediate. But they miss the historic, the enduring, and the true. Here’s what I mean. Follow me . . .

Scriptural Connection: In coming weeks, I will begin teaching through Peter’s two New Testament letters. Why? One reason is straightforward: I’ve taught line-by-line through Matthew for over a year now, and we’re nearing chapter 28 next week, Matthew’s ending chapter. The ‘Great Commission’ passage is there, and it’s often quoted but less often understood and lived out. Christians are to go out proclaiming Jesus as Lord because death could not and did not hold him. He walked out of the tomb, was seen by hundreds, was touched, spoke, ate, and taught. In other words, empirical evidence undergirds all of Christ’s earthly ministry. We Christians welcome honest investigation. Bring it.

And Peter, a pillar of the 1st century Christian church, opens his first letter by writing to persecuted, dispersed Christians scattered across the Roman Empire. Due to persecution by Rome, he encouraged them with this opening salvo:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you” (1 Pt 1:1-2).

Questions: Do you see what all Peter’s introducing? First, he’s an apostle, an eyewitness of the Lord Jesus. Second, he’s writing to Christians (“elect exiles”) scattered across the region. Third, it’s all known to the omniscient God of Scripture. Fourth, he tells us why—“for obedience to Jesus Christ.” It’s all right there. Peter was an eyewitness and friend of the Lord Jesus; Christians are persecuted by their plights but are known to the all-good and all-wise God; and we’re to labor to be obedient witnesses.

Encouragement: Is the world a mess? Yes. It has been before. Just ask Peter. Just ask the 1st century Christians/elect exiles dispersed across the Roman Empire, being persecuted for being Christians. Nothing’s new, folks. Be of good courage. There’s a long line of saints who came before you and me. We’re not special. Our job, like theirs, is to be faithful in our time.