Life in Exile
Starting Sunday April 19th we will be beginning a new sermon series at CPC Wallingford. Together over the course of a number weeks we will be studying the book of 1 Peter. I believe that this study will be one of great importance for our church family as we continue to worship together via livestream and pray together via zoom and Facebook live.
In a real sense we have been exiled. We have been exiled from our church home and from one another. I believe that the church is more than a building but, but I also believe it is certainly not less than a building.
The church of Jesus Christ is a gathering of brothers and sisters in Christ in a physical location.
It is the holy hugs and kisses.
It is the taking and eating of the bread and wine.
It is the tears and the laughter.
It is the strong and weak.
It is the young and the old coming together in one place, as one body, to receive the words of God and to be his hands and feet to one another.
This experience of exile is nothing new. Exile seems to be one of the primary experiences of God’s people.
Adam and Eve exiled from the Garden of Eden. The Israelites exiled in the wilderness and God’s people exiled from the promise land when they were taken into captivity in Babylon. In fact the whole epistle of First Peter is written to exiles. Peter begins his letter in chapter 1 verse 1 by writing, “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”
Peter is writing to Christians who are facing the pain and trials of being exiled both physically and spiritually. The truth is, as long as we are in this world we are exiled from our true home. The historical moment we are experiencing now is beginning to open our eyes to the spiritual reality that every human faces.
Saint Augustine wrote about this experience when he said, “Because you (God) have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.”
I like to think of this letter from Peter as a compass that points us to true north by reminding us of our identity as the family of God, how our suffering in this world is a witness to the work Jesus, and that "he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
God has not left us in exile. He is present with us and “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)
I am looking forward to hearing from God through this letter from Peter and finding hope for our hearts in exile.
In the love of Christ,
Mike