Lessons From I Peter
1 Peter 1:5-7 (11/23/17)
November 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* This verse makes me think of a power drill with a cord. * It’s capable of such good but not unless it’s plugged into the source of power. * We are the same - we are powerless unless we’re plugged into God through FAITH. * I was at a billionaire’s home and they had a big wall around their property. * So long as we stayed inside that wall his security team would protect us. * If we stepped outside we were not protected. * Our faith is what keeps us inside God’s boundaries - obedience proves our faith. * When we’re there we get his protection and His power. * vs 6-7 - our faith is built through trials.
1 Peter 1:10-12 (11/26/14)
November 26, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Disclaimer - We're not trying to be theologians with this study (that's not our gifting!), but to simply convey what we have learned through researching many books along with the Bible on the subject. Most of what we talk about below comes from a book entitled "The Gospel Of The Kingdom" by George E Ladd. When Adam sinned death entered the world and Satan was given authority to reign. God had a plan to deal with this - to bring His kingdom to the earth do destroy Satan, sin, and death. In the OT, through the prophets, God foretold the coming of His kingdom to the earth, but none of them knew exactly what it would look like. They did know this about the kingdom of God - it was: 1) The redemptive rule of God manifested in Christ. 2) The destruction of God's enemies (satan, sin, death). 3) The realm in which the blessings of God can be experienced. The mystery of God's kingdom, that which angels long to look into, is this: God's kingdom is here now, even though evil still exists. Here's why it's a mystery - the prophets prophesied that God would send a Messiah (Christ) Who would usher in His kingdom where God reigned supreme and that God's enemies would be destroyed and where God's people could enjoy it's blessings. Everyone expected a physical king with a physical kingdom. Then Jesus shows up: 1) He didn't look or act like a king and He didn't take a physical throne. 2) Satan, sin, and death still existed - God's enemies weren't destroyed. 3) It sure didn't "feel" like God's kingdom was here - the experience was different than they thought. People were like, "wait a second, you mean the Messiah came and died and rose again, and now God's kingdom is here but we can't see it?" "Yes," the apostles would reply, "but you can experience it." Here's what happened: 1) Christ was killed and shed His blood as the final sacrifice, thus redeeming all mankind once and for all. 2) Christ "defeated" satan, sin, and death by His ascension, but He hasn't destroyed them yet. 3) We can now experience God's kingdom in our lives where we can be victorious over satan, sin, and death. God's kingdom is here now in partiality but not in totality. God gave us more information about His kingdom in the New Testament, thus revealing the "mystery" of the kingdom. It will take place in three stages: 1) At the arrival of Christ (this is The Age To Come) - He came to set up God's spiritual kingdom in the hearts of people before God would set up His physical kingdom. 2) At the return of Christ (beginning of Millenium) - Satan is bound in the abyss, but he's not destroyed. 3) At the end of the Millenium - Satan, sin, and death are once and for all destroyed. If we just had the Old Testament we would have thought that at the arrival of Christ we would be at stage three, but it didn't work out that way and therefore was very mysterious! A mystery - they didn't have all the information in the OT times but now they did in the NT times.
1 Peter 1:13 (11/22/18)
November 22, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Everything in your life rises and falls on the thoughts you think. * Peter tells us that the power of Christ in our lives starts with our thinking. * He’s telling us to “take control of your thinking!” * Whatever you think you will become. * Good thinking leads to life. * Bad thinking leads to death. * Brain science has caught up with this truth as we see the thoughts you think actually create physical cells in your brain. * Good thoughts look like flourishing trees. * Bad thoughts look like dead trees. * Good thoughts are based on truth. * Bad thoughts are based on lies. * vs 2:11 - lust takes place in the mind and wars against your soul.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (11/25/15)
November 25, 2015 • Benham Brothers
• Peter was preparing his readers for the suffering they were going to face. • Therefore - since the prophets knew Jesus was coming but that another generation of people would get to see Him...... • Paul lists five things we need to do to prepare for persecution: • 1) Prepare your minds for action - you do this through renewal so your brain can catch up with the new identity. • You also need to think offensively (KJV says "gird up the loins" of your mind). • 2) Keep sober in spirit - don't be intoxicated by anything other than God. • It also carries the meaning of "keeping watch." • 3) Fix your hope on God - focusing on the reward, not the results. • Faith concerns itself with the reward / Ambition concerns itself with the results. • 4) Be obedient children - the devil wants us to forget that we're God's kids. • 5) Be holy - be set apart (like a chocolate chip in a batch of cookie dough).
1 Peter 1:16-17 (11/25/20)
November 25, 2020 • Benham Brothers
* God is calling us to live holy lives. * Vs 16 - we are to be holy as He is holy. * Holiness has two components: * 1) Fully devoted - no competing affections. * 100% committed to Christ. * This is a matter of the heart - it’s what happens on the inside. * 2) Set apart - you don’t blend in, you stand out. * People see something different about you. * This is a matter of your actions - it’s what happens on the outside. * How do we remain holy? * Vs 17 - three things: * 1) Consider yourself a foreigner - this world isn’t your home. * 2) Live in fear of God - you will be held accountable for your actions. * 3) Experience “holy awe” (Passion version) - take in God’s goodness with your five senses. * Don’t think about “taking a picture,” think about “taking it in.” * Experience God with your five senses and you will understand “holy awe.” * Holy awe will keep you holy!
1 Peter 1:18-19 (11/23/17)
November 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* There are several Greek words for know. I want to cover two of them: * 1) Ginosko - knowledge gained by information - it comes through the process of education. * If I can explain it then I “ginosko” it. * This is the foundation for religion based on explanation. (Gnostics) * 2) Oida - knowledge that comes intuitively - it comes as a personal revelation. * If we can’t explain it then we “oida” it. * This is the foundation for relationship based on experience. * Peter is saying that redemption is “oida.” * Nobody can be taught to be a Christian. * It’s only something we can “oida” through surrender (just like a husband and wife know each other physically). * Albert Einstein’s wife was asked if she understood his theory of relativity and she said, “No, but I know the doctor.” * Key - ginosko comes after oida. * God doesn’t educate us into redemption - He educates us after we are redeemed.
1 Peter 1:22 (11/23/17)
November 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* We know we are to love God and others, but how? * Luke 7:47 - “he who’s been forgiven much loves much.” * The foundation for loving God and others is forgiveness. * When God forgives us of our sin we love not only Him but His kids! * If I forgave a man his debt of 1 million dollars, how would I expect him to treat my kids? * vs 13 - the foundation is that we have to prepare our minds for action. (NASB) * Loving like this is not easy - it’s the way of the cross!
1 Peter 2:4-5 (11/23/17)
November 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* Peter refers to Jesus as a stone, much like Jesus referred to Him years prior. * Then he says we are to be like the living stone “rejected by men.” * I’m sure Pete felt the sting of conviction as he remembered when he wasn’t willing to be rejected by men, which led to his denial. * Our spiritual sacrifice is to be willing to be rejected by others! * To do this we have to die to ourselves. * But we won’t do that unless we’re tough as rocks - unpenetrable! * We are to be “built up” - God is a builder and He is building us up, stacking the stones! * He’s making us into the Bride of Christ!
1 Peter 2:9-11 (11/30/22)
November 30, 2022 • Benham Brothers • 1 Peter 2:9–11
Satan seeks to rob, kill, and destroy. One of the key things he wants to rob you of is your identity. Knowing who you are is the foundation for living a powerful life and overcoming temptation. Backstory - In the first two chapters of the letter Peter gives some very specific encouragement to the new converts on how to live lives pleasing to God. In 1 Peter 2:11 Pete tells them to abstain from sinful desires. But a few verses before that he tells them how to do it. Knowing who you are will guide you in what you should do. WHO they are (vs 9a): “But you are a chosen people” - God chose you (He “adopted” you). “A royal priesthood” - you are a king/priest “A holy nation” - you are set apart and devoted as the “church.” “God’s special possession” - you are special to GodWHAT they’re called to do (vs 9b): “That you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” Then Pete reminds them of their former lives, lest they forget: Vs 10 - “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Knowing who you were is the foundation for knowing who you are. It keeps us humble. Look back with gratitude, not guilt. Vs 11 - “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” Pete went from who you are to who you were to who you are again! What we do should be born out of who we are. So when the devil comes with his tempting tactics we need to first remember WHO we were then remember who we are!Satan wants us to think about "doing" something. God wants us to think about "being" something. Get the "BE" right and the "DO" will fall into place!
1 Peter 3:1-2 (12/5/19)
December 5, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* The gospel brought newfound freedom to many people. * So Peter had to talk about how to handle that freedom. * He spoke about the necessity for continued submission in three core areas: * 1) Submission to government (1 Peter 2:13-17) - believers didn’t need to attempt to overthrow Roman rule. * They needed to submit to the “institution” of government, not necessarily every law (if it went against the law of God). * 2) Submission to employers (1 Peter 2:18-25) - slavery was the employer/employee relationship back then, and slaves needed to submit to their masters. Why? * So their masters would be won over by their respectful conduct. * God’s way of abolishing slavery was to do it in the heart first. * 3) Submission in marriage (1 Peter 3:1-2) - women were finally honored as first-class citizens in Christianity. * But some women would want to divorce their unbelieving husbands because of this freedom. * So Peter cautioned them against it, and told how women could win over their husbands - by submitting to his need for respect (vs 2). * Vs 7 - Women were so elevated now that the husband’s relationship to God was tied to how well he treated his bride. * Men didn’t see their wives as equal to them, but now, with the gospel, they had to. * Submission is about WINNING. The gospel would win people over through submission in these core areas.
1 Peter 3:1-9 (11/26/17)
November 26, 2017 • Benham Brothers
*** This study precedes the one I did on 2 Peter 3:15 on 11/26/17 *** Jesus told Peter to love Him by FEEDING MY SHEEP!!!! It’s all about RELATIONSHIP. •Peter wrote to encourage persecuted Christians amidst their suffering. •How does persecution happen? Through PEOPLE! How do we fight it? With PEOPLE! •Satan wants us to fight AGAINST each other in little personal wars. •God wants us to fight ALONGSIDE one another in a spiritual battle. •The key to victory is SUBMISSION! First to God, then to each other. •Relationships aren’t about you and your spouse/friend/brother/sister/etc but about you and Jesus. •Relationships are the opportunity to live and love like Jesus. •Peter shows us a pattern - Salvation - Submission - Suffering. •God allows suffering so we can learn the value of submission. •In our world submission means defeat, but in God’s world submission is the greatest weapon for victory! •In 1 Peter 2 he tells us to submit to authorities and bosses, then he shows how Christ submitted to the point of death - all of which brings God glory. •1 Peter 3:1 - “In the same way” - here’s what this looks like in a marriage relationship. •“so that” - submitting is about getting something - so that “they may be WON….” •Submission is the way we play to win! •vs 2 - Men need RESPECT - this is about admiration. •Two ways to show admiration to a man: •1) Thanks - thank him for what he does. •2) Praise - praise him for who he is. •vs 7 - Women need HONOR - this is about prioritization. •Men show she is priority through sacrifice (Ephesians 5:25). •Three cycles: •1) US cycle - when a woman feels prioritized and the man feels respected they are energized by each other. They “respond” to each other. •2) Me cycle - when a woman doesn’t feel prioritized and the man doesn’t feel respected they drain each other. They “react” to each other. •*** We typically withhold what they need when we don’t get what we need. •3) God cycle - when one spouse chooses to meet the need of the other UNCONDITIONALLY. •This is where the idea of submission comes in - we do it “as unto the Lord.” •In this cycle we have the opportunity to earn a heavenly reward. •Matthew 25:40 - “whatever you’ve done to the least of these……” •Matthew 5:46 - “if you love others when they love you, what reward will you get?” •In summary, in all relationships we are to be: •1) Harmonious - this is about MUTUAL SUPPORT. •Harmony occurs when different voices all sing from the same sheet of music. •This is about embracing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. •2) Sympathetic - this is about SHARED SUFFERING - deliberate participation in the suffering of someone else. •The key to being sympathetic to step into someone’s experience. •3) Brotherly - this is all about ACCEPTANCE. •Acceptance is the foundation for intimacy - “in-to-me-see.” •4) Kindhearted - this is about MAKING PEOPLE FEEL GOOD INSIDE. •Our goal is to make someone feel good inside. •5) Humble in spirit - in the Greek this means a “LOVING MIND.” •Our hearts will go where our minds take them. •We need to “proactively think positive thoughts” about each other. •vs 9 - Submission is about getting a reward! •Our greatest blessing should be God getting glory through us.
1 Peter 3:7 (11/22/18)
November 22, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Women in the first century and before were not treated as equal with men. * They were seen as servants and a means to an end (children). * Christianity busted that up and placed extreme value on women. * Peter uses a picture to describe how men are to treat their wives - with honor as a weaker vessel. * Think about a 50-gallon oil drum used on a farm for feed and water and whatever else. * It’s left outside and you can beat the dog-mess out of it but it won’t break. * Now think of a priceless vase passed down to you from your great grandmother. * You take that vase and put it on top of the fireplace for everyone to see, but you treat it delicately. * The reason you treat it delicately is because of its value. * There are other breakable things you don’t treat with such honor as the vase. The vase is far more valuable. * This is how Peter sought to change the paradigm of how husbands saw their wives. * God wants husbands to treat their wives like this so much that He tied our prayer life to the carrying out of this command. * When men treat their wives this way their prayers will be answered.
1 Peter 3:7 (11/26/13)
November 26, 2013 • Benham Brothers
1) Consideration 2) Respect leads to 1) Submission 2) God hears your prayers Considerate - you "consider" her over yourself. Her needs trump yours Respect - you "honor" her for who she is, you "thank" her for what she does REWARD - she will: Submit - if you do these things she will submit gladly God hears your prayers - this is very serious! 1 Peter 5:8 - The easily devourable The devil is going to stop by your house even though you have the blood on the door He's looking to see who's inside He will come in and wreack havoc if someone isn't there that's stronger than him If our houses (hearts) are filled with Christ then he will leave It's not enough to just have blood over the door-post - we gotta be filled with the Spirit
1 Peter 3:8 (11/25/15)
November 25, 2015 • Benham Brothers
• Peter was preparing his readers for the suffering they were going to face. • Five things Peter lists for standing strong in the midst of persecution: • 1) Unity of mind - not uniformity where everyone believes the same but unity where everyone loves the same - they all have the same goal. • 2) Compassion (sympathy) - lose sight of yourself and step in other's shoes. • 3) Brotherly love - two greatest commitments are vertical and horizontal - loving God and loving others. • 4) Tender heart - be soft toward the things that God is soft towards - what breaks your heart? • 5) Humble mind - seeing yourself through the grid of who God is and who you are in relation to Him. • vs 9 - God's divine business plan - imagine someone tells you they'll hire you to just be insulted. • The only way you'd take the job is to focus on the reward for taking it. • WW - Christians can live on one of three levels: • 1) Satanic level - return evil for good. • 2) Human level - return good for good and evil for evil. • 3) Divine level - return good for evil.
1 Peter 3:9 (11/22/18)
November 29, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Imagine you’re out of work and need a job, bad. * Someone comes to you and says he has a business proposition. * He says, “I will pay you to be an ‘insulted’ person…” * Then he offers to give you $1000 per insult. * You’d probably take it. * But the only way you could make it through the insults was to focus on the reward for doing it. * This is what Peter is talking about here. * God rewards those who are insulted for Him! * Now that’s a great business plan! * Wiersbe: * 1) We can return evil for good - this is the satanic level. * 2) We can return good for good - this is the human level. * 3) We can return good for evil - this is the divine level.