朝聖者的書信
彼得前書一章1至5節
1耶穌基督的使徒彼得寫信給那分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞西亞、庇推尼寄居的，
2就是照父神的先見被揀選，藉著聖靈得成聖潔，以致順服耶穌基督，又蒙他血所灑的人。願恩惠、平安多多的加給你們。
3願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父神！他曾照自己的大憐憫，藉耶穌基督從死裡復活，重生了我們，叫我們有活潑的盼望，
4可以得著不能朽壞、不能玷污、不能衰殘、為你們存留在天上的基業。
5你們這因信蒙神能力保守的人，必能得著所預備、到末世要顯現的救恩。
信息分享
今明兩天，我們都會研讀同一段經文，因為彼得前書這幾節經文包含了極之豐富的含意，值得我們去細讀。
彼得前書是其中一卷最早寫成的書信，信中充滿了作者對讀者的親切鼓勵。彼得首先教導信徒如何面對苦難，接著，便勸勉他們過聖潔的生活。
彼得的這封書信，是寫給當時散居各地的猶太人基督徒。活在那個時代的猶太人已經很苦，他們若是基督徒的話，就更苦上加苦了。他們在社會上飽受到歧視、欺淩，和甚至是嚴峻的壓逼。
彼得說他們是「分散」到各地居住。「分散」一詞，與農人撒種的時候，故意把種子「分散」地播種，乃屬同一個字詞。農人把種子分散地撒在地上，是希望種子在不同的田中生長；同樣地，神要祂的兒女分散在各地居住，也是希望他們在不同的地方成長和結出果子。
彼得在第2節提醒讀者，聖父、聖子和聖靈全都有份參與在救恩的工作中。聖父預定了救恩的計劃；聖子藉著犧牲流血來成就了救恩；聖靈引導眾人得著救恩和活出得救的生命。
神為何要預定這計劃呢？第3節告訴我們，這是出於祂對我們的大愛和大憐憫。神竟然如此地愛護我們，是否令我們感到很驚訝，感到受寵若驚呢？試想想：神愛你，祂因為愛你，所以便為你預定了救恩。此外，祂愛你，所以祂每天都看顧你。祂會永遠保守你，因為祂愛你。
你今天若然犯了罪，神也會赦免你，因為基督曾為你的罪受死，而你亦已經接受了基督的救恩。可是，你卻絕不可因而繼續犯罪。不過，當我們因一時軟弱而犯錯跌倒，我們卻要緊記，因著神對我們大愛和大憐憫，祂仍然願意赦免我們，只要我們真心認罪悔改，神必不捨棄我們，我們永遠是祂的兒女。
反思：
耶穌竟然愛我！
THE PIGRIM EPISTLE
1 Peter 1:1-5
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Message
Today and tomorrow our reading from 1 Peter will cover the same verses. There is so much in these first few verses that we could spend several days studying them.
1 Peter is one of the easiest epistles to read. It is a warm letter of encouragement. First, Peter talks about suffering and then, he says Christians should live holy lives.
Peter wrote to Jewish Christians who were scattered throughout the world of that time. Life was very hard for them because they were Jews and also because they were Christians. Jews and Christians were hated in the old world and suffered very much.
Peter speaks of these people as being 'scattered'. This word is the same word that farmers use for sowing or scattering seed. A farmer sows the seed where he wants it to grow. Christ puts his children in places where he wants them to grow and bring forth fruit.
In verse 2 Peter reminds his readers that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were all involved in salvation. The Father planned our salvation. It is the Son of God whose blood saves us. It is the Holy Spirit who applies it to our lives.
Why did God the Father plan all this? Verse 3 tells us. It was because of his great love and mercy. Isn't that wonderful? Could you take that thought with you today and think over it again and again? God loves you. He planned your salvation because he loves you. He cares for you day by day because he loves you. He will always keep you in his hands because he loves you.
He will forgive you if you sin today because Christ died for you and you have accepted him. That is never an excuse for sin. But sometimes we fail even when we don't want to. God's love and mercy covers that. We will always be his children and he will never forsake us.
A TREMENDOUS THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Jesus loves even me.