朝圣者的书信
彼得前书一章1至5节
1耶稣基督的使徒彼得写信给那分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亚西亚、庇推尼寄居的，
2就是照父神的先见被拣选，借着圣灵得成圣洁，以致顺服耶稣基督，又蒙他血所洒的人。愿恩惠、平安多多的加给你们。
3愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父神！他曾照自己的大怜悯，藉耶稣基督从死里复活，重生了我们，叫我们有活泼的盼望，
4可以得着不能朽坏、不能玷污、不能衰残、为你们存留在天上的基业。
5你们这因信蒙神能力保守的人，必能得着所预备、到末世要显现的救恩。
信息分享
今明两天，我们都会研读同一段经文，因为彼得前书这几节经文包含了极之丰富的含意，值得我们去细读。
彼得前书是其中一卷最早写成的书信，信中充满了作者对读者的亲切鼓励。彼得首先教导信徒如何面对苦难，接着，便劝勉他们过圣洁的生活。
彼得的这封书信，是写给当时散居各地的犹太人基督徒。活在那个时代的犹太人已经很苦，他们若是基督徒的话，就更苦上加苦了。他们在社会上饱受到歧视、欺凌，和甚至是严峻的压逼。
彼得说他们是「分散」到各地居住。「分散」一词，与农人撒种的时候，故意把种子「分散」地播种，乃属同一个字词。农人把种子分散地撒在地上，是希望种子在不同的田中生长；同样地，神要祂的儿女分散在各地居住，也是希望他们在不同的地方成长和结出果子。
彼得在第2节提醒读者，圣父、圣子和圣灵全都有份参与在救恩的工作中。圣父预定了救恩的计划；圣子借着牺牲流血来成就了救恩；圣灵引导众人得着救恩和活出得救的生命。
神为何要预定这计划呢？第3节告诉我们，这是出于祂对我们的大爱和大怜悯。神竟然如此地爱护我们，是否令我们感到很惊讶，感到受宠若惊呢？试想想：神爱你，祂因为爱你，所以便为你预定了救恩。此外，祂爱你，所以祂每天都看顾你。祂会永远保守你，因为祂爱你。
你今天若然犯了罪，神也会赦免你，因为基督曾为你的罪受死，而你亦已经接受了基督的救恩。可是，你却绝不可因而继续犯罪。不过，当我们因一时软弱而犯错跌倒，我们却要紧记，因着神对我们大爱和大怜悯，祂仍然愿意赦免我们，只要我们真心认罪悔改，神必不舍弃我们，我们永远是祂的儿女。
反思：
耶稣竟然爱我！
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.