The Mission

When the Apostle Peter wrote his letter to the church in the northern regions of Asia Minor, he did so as a Jew writing to congregations of Gentile believers.  This is interesting in that Galatians 2:7-8 speaks of Paul being entrusted with ministry to the Gentiles and Peter being entrusted with ministry to the Jews. Yet, here in this letter we read of Peter's pastoral care for churches he likely had never seen.  One of the things we see unfolding in this letter is Peter's expanding view of the Jewish communities in the Gentile regions.  

In language which brings to mind the prophet Isaiah, Peter speaks of the role of the Gentile church. In Isaiah 49:6, we hear the Word of God being spoken through the prophet, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel.  I will give you as a light to the nations, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."  This Word is declaring that the set apart people of God are not set apart to be the elite of the world, but the servants of the world.  In such a spirit Peter speaks of the mantle being passed, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."  (I Peter 2:9)   

Peter addressed the church and called it "God's own people," and with the same stroke of the pen reminded them that their mission was not about self preservation, or being spiritually content with their elite nature, but to serve the world.  It is surely a word the church of our day needs to sit with until it finally soaks into its core values.  The church Christ called into existence is one intended to lose itself, not save itself.  It is to be a city set on a hill, but also a community called to wash feet and to serve the world in a self sacrificing manner.