Game Simon Says

Simon Says - 1 Peter 1:3-16


    “Simon Says” was a game we played often outside, growing up. It is also an electronic game that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1 Peter, Simon Peter, led by the Spirit of Christ, tells us how to live a holy life in an unholy world.


    Simon says…


REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION - 1:3-9:

    Verses 3-9 are all one sentence in the Greek. While the sentence begins with a blessing on God who has initiated all of this, the verb that is at the heart of this long sentence is in verse 6 - “in this you greatly rejoice.”  What is “this” in which we rejoice? It is “hope,” Peter says in verse 3; or, salvation as the object of our hope.


    What does Peter say about this hope in which we should rejoice? First, it is God’s work - verse 3. Peter also, secondly, points out that this salvation cannot be stolen from us (vss 4-5).


    Third, Peter says that as we rejoice in our salvation (which cannot be taken from us), then the testing of our faith will result in the praise, glory, and honor of Jesus Christ - whom we love and believe.


    Finally, in verse 9, Peter summarizes all that he has just said: that we rejoice with inexpressible joy and glorified joy as we obtain the outcome or goal of our faith - the salvation of our souls.


    So, Simon says - “rejoice in your salvation.”


THE PROPHETS SERVED US - 1:10-12:

    The prophets did not understand everything they were preaching. Here in 1:11, Peter brings up the sufferings of Christ, just like he does in 4:21-24, to remind us that Jesus also was persecuted. He was slandered, insulted, maligned, and suffered. In fact, this was all predicted by the prophets.


    But, this was all for our benefit, our sakes. We, then, are recipients of this wonderful series of blessings that had been kept a mystery throughout the Old Testament but revealed through the prophets.


    Simon says the prophets served us.


LIVE A HOLY LIFE - 1:13-16:

    There are two commands, two imperatives, in these four verses: 1.) “put all your hope (vs 13);” and 2.) “be holy” (vs 15). Let’s look more closely at these two commands to see how we are to live a holy life…


    There are two things you have to do before you can hope in the grace of God that is available in Jesus Christ. First, you have to “prepare your minds for action” and, secondly, you have to “keep sober” in spirit. Both of these have to do with the way you think.


    Simon says, “Hope in the grace being revealed to us in Jesus Christ.”


    The second command is in verse 15 - “be holy.” Before we can “be holy” or be “distinct” from the world and “like” God (verse 14), we need not to be “conformed” to this world. Be different from the world. Follow the example of Christ. Talk like Jesus talked. Live like Jesus lived. Have the attitude toward others that Jesus had - His attitude toward His family, His attitude toward His friends, His attitude toward His enemies.


    Simon says - “Be holy.”


    Rejoice in your salvation. The Prophets served us (that’s how important our salvation is to God). Live a holy life (hope on the grace revealed in Christ and be holy).

 Paul Holland