1 Peter
Not Our Home
God Saves (Part 3)
August 27, 2017 • Michael McCracken
In love, God helps us know whether our faith is real. Study Questions: 1. What things stuck out to you from this text? Is there anything in this text that challenges you? 2. Do you often rejoice in your salvation? Why or why not? 3. How does this text change your understanding/view of trials and grief? Can you give testimony of how God has used those in your life to establish and confirm your faith? 4. Where does community come into play in all of this? In other words, how does our understanding of salvation effect our outlook on the need for community?
Set Apart (Part 1)
September 3, 2017 • Jon Paul Dennison
In a world full of false narratives, Peter exhorts believers to be sober-minded and set our hope fully on the grace of God in Christ. This is a necessary prerequisite for us to be sanctified and grow in holiness. Study Questions: 1. What things stuck out to you from this text? Is there anything in this text that challenges you? 2. Why is it crucial that Peter reminds these believers that their salvation is fully a work of God as he transitions to calling them to sanctification? 3. What false narratives exist in our world today? How do you see being primarily emotionally-minded a problem in light of that? 4. In what ways do we tend to supersede THE truth with OUR truth? What overlaps and what doesn't?
Set Apart (Part 2)
September 10, 2017 • Michael McCracken
Peter helps us see the practical context for holiness. As elect exiles we live holy (set apart) lives empowered by the gospel to display the glory of God’s grace to the world around us. Study Questions: 1. What things stuck out to you from this text? Is there anything in this text that challenges you? 2. What does holiness look like in your life right now? Would the world describe you as set a part? Why or why not? 3. Do you struggle to view God as Father…to believe the He loves you and is pleased by your presence? Is it possible that you are putting your faith and hope in your holy living rather than in God? How could the gospel change your view of God? 4. Read and meditate on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13. What would it look like for you to “not receive the grace of God in vain”?
Set Apart (Part 3)
September 17, 2017 • Michael McCracken
The pursuit of holiness will lead to true community. Study Questions: 1. What things stuck out to you from this text? Is there anything in this text that challenges you? 2. When was the last time someone proclaimed the truth of the gospel to you in order to combat a lie that you were believing and living from? If it has been a while why do you think this is so? 3. Do you love people or do you need people to love you?
