Living Hope

Be Alert and Sober-Minded

July 11, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

In this final sermon of the Living Hope series, Pastor Kenny Ortiz examines the last section of 1 Peter 5. He reminds believers that there is a future grace awaiting Christians, so let us guard one another to ensure that no one is devoured by the devil. We must be alert, and sober-minded, and cast our anxieties on God, because he cares for us. We learn that Christians will win our war against sin and the devil, but not because of our own will but because Jesus prayed for us and because Jesus died for us and because Jesus rose from the dead.

Shepherd the Flock Among You

July 4, 2021 • Joe Rigney

In this sermon, Pastor Joe examines 1 Peter 5:1-5 and, simultaneously, seeks to model for the congregation the exhortation found in the passage. In this passage the apostle Paul gives insights into the role of the elder and exhorts the elders to shepherd the people well. We are reminded that, ultimately, Christ is the chief shepherd, the overseer of our souls. Christ rules his church and governs his church and guards his church. He leads us and he feeds us. The elders are to model Christ for the people and lead them well and exhort them to set their hope fully on the grace that is coming and to rejoice as we share in Christ's sufferings.

When Christians Suffer

June 27, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell examines 1 Peter 4:12-19. In this passage, the apostle Peter returns again to the topic of suffering, which has been a major theme throughout this book, but here especially, in these verses, Peter dives into this topic with more detail. He gives us here the Christian perspective on suffering, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. This is a sermon on how to suffer as Christian.

Life Together After COVID

June 20, 2021 • David Mathis

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis examines 1 Peter 4:7-11 and exhorts us to remember the times in which we live, rely on the strength and grace of that Christ supernaturally supplies, and to remember our calling, that is to fulfill the command to love another because, as Peter reminds us, love covers a multitude of sins. In the post-pandemic world of the next few months and years, there will be moments that seem foreign or awkward that were once normal, and there will be a temptation to just "move on" and seek to just put it all behind us—a temptation to forget what living in a global pandemic was like. Instead, however, we ought to seek to use this next season of life as an opportunity to re-engage relationships in a gospel-centric manner; an opportunity to proactively demonstrate hospitality to one another without grumbling. In this season we will have new opportunities to love tangibly through greeting and inviting each other into our homes.

Worst Problem, Best News

June 13, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan clearly asserts that our biggest problem is the fact that our sin separates us from God. Pastor Jonathan examines 1 Peter 3:18-4:6 and clearly shows how Christ is the answer to that massive problem. Jesus is our supreme treasure, and he was the one who solved our sin problem. In his death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled God's purpose for us, he defeated our enemies, and he proved that suffering does not have the final say.

Holiness, Hope, and Fear

June 6, 2021 • Mike Schumann

In this video, Mike Schumann examines 1 Peter 3 and reminds us that we are called to represent Christ in this age, no matter what face. We ought to be prepared to speak of Jesus and proclaim the hope he has promised us. We may encounter social unease or even harm for the gospel. We're not to be seek ought suffering, we're not to be looking for opposition, looking to pick a fight, for that would not fit with a gentle, respectful tone. But we are called to be prepared to speak, and we will, if we find ourselves to be so captivated by the unique, perfect, holiness of our Savior and the heaven-centric hope that he has promised us.

To Wives and Husbands, Women and Men

May 30, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan examines 1 Peter 3:1-7. This passage covers some essential ideas and doctrine related to marriage that seem controversial in our modern culture, specifically with the Bible's call to women to submit to their husbands, and the Bible's call for men to use their authority in a God-honoring manner. However, we must be willing to be informed and governed by the Scripture, rather than our culture and its norms. The enemy wants to destroy our souls and our marriages and our churches and our witness. He wants to destroy us by distorting the truth. Our greatest defense against the enemy's tactics is not an interpretation of the Bible that is appetizing to the world, but it's the right understanding of the Bible's teaching and its right application.

Keep Your Conduct Honorable

May 23, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

In this sermon Pastor Kenny examines 1 Peter 2:11-25 and exhorts us to keep our conduct honorable. The apostle Peter gives us this exhortation and grounds this in our identity in Christ, which Peter has been unpacking throughout the early segments of this letter. Ultimately, Peter gives us these exhortations: Abstain from the passions of the flesh. Keep your conduct honorable. Be willing to submit. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Herein we are reminded that submission, and the accountability that comes with it, humbles us, and keeps us in check. Submission to authority is good for us, it is an instrument of sanctification in our lives and helps is to keep our conduct honorable.

Long for the Pure Milk of the Word

May 16, 2021

In this sermon, Pastor Ryan Griffith preaches from 1 Peter 2:1-10 which is a transition passage in this epistle. This sermon is the sixth of fourteen sermons in our series on 1 Peter and this text serves as the key for Peter's Old Testament exposition and his encouragement to the persecuted Christians. This passage is packed with Old Testament imagery, allusion, and quotation which helps us better understand what Peter is teaching the Christians. His focus is their identity in Christ, his goal is to reorient them on the bigger picture of the gospel and to exhort them to long for the word of God which instructs them in troubled times. Lastly, Pasto Ryan reminds us, via the apostle Peter's words, that in the midst of harassment and opposition, we have much to be encouraged by. We have a new hope, a new family, a new identity.

How We Love One Another

May 9, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan exposits 1 Peter 1:22-25 and exhorts us to love one another. The apostle Peter gives us this exhortation and roots this in both the atoning work of Christ and the prophecy of the Old Testament from the prophet Isaiah. Here we are reminded that God caused us to be born again—apart from our own ability or choice. We believed the Gospel because God has given us the ability to believe and this is one of the primary reasons why we ought to love one another. This should humble us and inspire us to love others—to love our fellow members of the body of Christ unconditionally just as the Father loved us and foreknew us.

Holy Father, Precious Blood, Future Grace

May 2, 2021 • Joe Rigney

In this sermon Pastor Joe exposits 1 Peter 1:13-21 and helps us to see that the Father pays our debts and ransoms us with something even more precious than earthly material. He pays with the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. This was the plan all along. Jesus was foreknown, chosen before the foundation of the world for this mission, and he was manifested at the right time for our sake, so that through him we might believe in God.

The Bible's Inspiration, Relevance, and Message

April 25, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan exposits 1 Peter 1:10-12 and helps us see how the Bible is inspired by God and how its message is relevant to our lives. We see that the Old Testament prophets described the living hope in the Messiah and their hope in the resurrected Redeemer, alluding to Jesus, and when they wrote their words they wrote them for us today. The same Spirit who guided the prophets in their prophecies of Jesus accompanies the preaching of the gospel of Jesus today, which is the primary message of the Bible, which is why this Book makes our hearts burn. This Book, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is written for me, but it is not about me. This Book is all about Jesus, it reveals the Son of God, and it ushers us into intimacy with him.

Salvation to Come

April 18, 2021

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley exposits 1 Peter 1:3-9. He reminds us that God has caused us to be born again and has given us a living hope! When we come to faith in Jesus, we do not merely conform to a set of facts about Jesus, but we believe in him, and trust him... we entrust our lives to him. This births joy in us and inspires us to honor God in our suffering. And when we face trials, our hearts will shout: “Blessed be God, who according to His Grace Mercy has caused me to be born again!”

Elect Exiles

April 11, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

In this sermon, Pastor Kenny kicks off our sermon series on 1 Peter. This letter is written to Christians facing suffering. This sermon looks at the introduction of this letter. In the brief introduction Peter refers to Christians as "elect exiles" because we, as Christians, are not living in our homeland, which is heaven. We are sojourners in this world, strangers in this land, just passing through. In addition, Peter gives us three key prepositional phrases to describe these exiles: according to the foreknowledge of God, in the sanctification in the Spirit, and for the obedience to Christ and sprinkling with his blood. The Father foreknows, the Spirit sanctifies, and the Son cleanses through his blood. We can be confident in these realities. Therefore, whenever you are suffering in this life, remember that the members of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, they are all cooperating to sustain us.

Cities Church

1 Peter Sermon Series

Be Alert and Sober-Minded

July 11, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

Shepherd the Flock Among You

July 4, 2021 • Joe Rigney

When Christians Suffer

June 27, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

Life Together After COVID

June 20, 2021 • David Mathis

Worst Problem, Best News

June 13, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

Holiness, Hope, and Fear

June 6, 2021 • Mike Schumann

To Wives and Husbands, Women and Men

May 30, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

Keep Your Conduct Honorable

May 23, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

Long for the Pure Milk of the Word

May 16, 2021

How We Love One Another

May 9, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

Holy Father, Precious Blood, Future Grace

May 2, 2021 • Joe Rigney

The Bible's Inspiration, Relevance, and Message

April 25, 2021 • Jonathan Parnell

Salvation to Come

April 18, 2021

Elect Exiles

April 11, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz

Community Group Guide

April 11, 2021 • Kenneth Ortiz