Peter's initial experience of Jesus was after he had tried to catch fish all night and failed, when Jesus tells him to cast his net into the sea,  he acquires a huge amount of fish.  At this, he tells Jesus to depart for he is a sinful man.  Conviction of sin begins his journey.  Next seeing Jesus walk on water, he bids Jesus to let him come and as he walks, the wind picks up and he takes his eye off Jesus and he begins to sink.  He cries out in fear for Jesus to save him.  At the Transfiguration on hearing the Father's pronouncement about his son, the voice of God causes him to be sorely afraid.  At Jesus trial he denies Christ three times and weeps bitterly after having been told that Satan desires to sift him as wheat.  Only after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends on the church does he have the faith to preach.  But in his second letter he tells the church that it is the will of God that he die on a cross like Jesus.  It is no wonder that Peter tells the church in his first letter to pass the time of your sojourning hear in fear(Ch1:v17)  Aside from God's final verdict of eternal life or eternal damnation, there is a real sense in Peter's first letter to obey God, not only for the final curtain call, but not to think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you (Ch4:v12) but to rejoice that ye are partakers of Christ's suffering.  Like St. Paul, if we share in the suffering of Christ, we will share in the resurrection(Ph3:10), Peter is keenly aware of what the suffering of Christ entails and for that he stresses obedience, holy conversation, and fervent love for the church because we do not know what the will of God is for our life with respect to suffering like Christ suffered.  

    Peter's experience of God shook him to the very core.  It was not a one time experience nor did his faith shield him from dying like Jesus.  For those whose experience of God is sweet, drink that wine in thanksgiving.  For those whose experience of God is bitter sweet, drink that wine in communion with Christ.  God is an awesome, powerful, terrifying God as well as a loving God.  It was the terrifying God that Peter knew.  The church was experiencing great persecution which for many meant martyrdom and it required great faith and courage to keep the faith.  In Peter's estimation one needed a greater fear of God than the fear of the pagan world.  Today we are nearing the great tribulation and persecution is an ongoing experience in many parts of the world.  It is not far from any of us and God may not shield us from sharing in the suffering of Christ.  That is the sober truth.  But if we experience Jesus Christ, let our love for him outweigh the cost of sharing in his suffering.  If we persevere we will share in the resurrection.  Peter's letter is a summation of his experience of God.

amen