1 Peter 1:1-2--Peter Greets the Churches of the Dispersion

Read:  1 Peter 1:1-2 English Standard Version (ESV)
Listen:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/1Pet.1.1-1Pet.1.2
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Greeting
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 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.

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We already talked about Peter's 2nd epistle immediately after I talked about The Sermon on the Mount.  I'd like to go back now and talk about Peter's first epistle, because I think we're more ready for it now having read some of the other epistles.  The big theme here is holiness (being set apart for God's kingdom and God's purposes) to be a people and a priesthood like none other.
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Peter starts by greeting the recipients of the letter as "those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."  Here's a map to show you what regions of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) that Peter was writing to.  Again his first important issue to address is their identity.  They are chosen by God to be sanctified (made holy--there's a theme already) by the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ.  The part about being chosen for sprinkling with His blood is going to need an Old Testament references--Exodus 29, Leviticus 4, Leviticus 5, Leviticus 8, Leviticus 14, Leviticus 16, Numbers 8, Numbers 18, Numbers 19, Isaiah 52:15,   In all these cases being sprinkled with blood was a way to cleanse someone or something and to make the person or object being sprinkled holy.  I believe the passage in Isaiah is the most important one here where it is talking about Jesus' crucifixion and says, "so shall he sprinkle many nations...."  Peter is writing to these churches in Gentile areas which may contain both Jewish and Gentile believers, but all of them have been made clean and holy through the Spirit and by the blood of Christ.  By His blood we can have peace with God and each other, so Peter wishes that peace be multiplied to them.

We'll soon find out though that this letter has meaning for all Christians in all places at all times.  Just because we may not have been the group that the letter was originally addressed to does not mean that God didn't intend for us to read, study and learn from this letter.  Let us learn to be the people that God has chosen us to be and let us learn to become what we already are in Christ.

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