Understanding the text
Nothing challenges our faith like the ongoing experience of “various trials” (1 Peter 1:6). But these trials also present us with great opportunities to grow in our faith in ways that ease and comfort cannot. Peter knows the Church was experiencing difficulties and wanted to encourage them. But how do you do that? What is it that encourages and empowers Christians to endure faithfully and patiently in the midst of trying times? Rather than appealing to inner strength and commitment, Peter points us to the objective reality of the gospel.
First, Peter reminds us of God’s past redemptive works. We have been elected by the Father, cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and sanctified (set apart) by the Spirit. Then he reminds us of our future in Christ because we have been “born again to a living hope.” Consequently, we have an inheritance that cannot fade (1 Peter 1:3-4). Additionally, Peter reminds us that we are being guarded and protected by God, even in the midst of trials. Therefore, though our trials may present us with a variety of difficulties, they cannot rob us of what God has done. While our difficulties are temporary, the blessings of God in Christ are eternal and unchangeable.
Additional scripture
1. Ephesians 1:3-14
2. Psalm 29
3. Numbers 23:19
This, in short, is the difference between us and the others who know not God, that in misfortune they complain and murmur, while adversity does not call us away from the truth of virtue and faith, but strengthens us by its suffering.
—Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage
Applying the text
1. How do you typically respond when your faith is tested by difficulty?
2. What redemptive works of God does Peter list in the first 12 verses of this letter?
3. How can recalling the redemptive works of God (past, present, future) empower you to patiently and faithfully endure trials?
1 Peter 1:1-12
Knowing Our Hope
September 15, 2019 • Pastor Jon Needham
1 Peter 5:12-14
November 24, 2019 • Pastor Jon Needham
Understanding the text The world is full of false and empty gospels that offer vain hope and strength. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ is able to save, sustain, and transform us because it is the truth. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are objective historical events, and therefore have genuine power. As Christians, we must be on guard against false hopes and false gospels. As a church family, we are to “stand firm” in the truth of Jesus. Even Peter, an Apostle and eyewitness to the resurrected Jesus, needed other people in his life. Without the support and friendship of people such as Sylvanus and Mark, he could not have accomplished the work that God had given him. Consequently, standing in the truth of the gospel is a community project that requires us to live in brotherly love with one another. As we live in this truth, we increasingly experience the peace of Christ. Additional scripture 1. Ephesians 6:10-20 2. John 14:6 3. 1 John 4:1-6 Applying the text 1. What are some of the false hopes or gospels you are tempted to believe? 2. How has Peter demonstrated his own neediness in 1 Peter? 3. Take a moment to list the people in your life that you depend on. Pray for them, giving thanks for their presence, and ask for God’s protection and provision in their lives.
1 Peter 5:1-11
November 17, 2019 • Pastor Jon Needham
Understanding the text Peter has exhorted us to obey Christ and resist sin. We are to endure suffering while witnessing to the world of the saving power of God. This isn’t a solo project. Rather it’s a team effort and requires that we exercise humility towards one another. Elders are to oversee the Church of Christ. They are to serve the body through teaching, preaching, prayer, and practical care. In this, the elders serve under Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, seeking to glorify God, not for personal gain. Additionally, the Church is to act in humility towards one another. We are to leverage our strengths and gifts for the sake of one another, pursuing each other’s joy and flourishing. We can humble ourselves knowing that it is God who defends and protects us. In this, we are able to lay aside our anxiety and resist the sin that fear, uncertainty, and the desire to be in control so often leads to. Additional scripture 1. Hebrews 13:17 2. Acts 20:17-35 3. Romans 12:3-8 Applying the text 1. How does the gospel transform the way we think about leadership and authority in the Church? 2. How does the gospel transform the way we think about submission to one another? 3. How can anxiety and fear lead to sinful and destructive behavior (Genesis 3:6)?
1 Peter 4:12-19
November 10, 2019 • Brian Bailey
Understanding the text Christ promised His Church that suffering, opposition, and difficulty in the world would be the normal experience, not the exception. However, not all suffering is the same. Peter makes an important distinction between two fundamentally different causes of suffering. The first is the kind of suffering that comes from wrongdoing. We are warned against this kind of suffering. The second kind of suffering is the suffering that comes from being obedient to Christ. When we experience this kind of suffering, we are to rejoice. When we suffer for obedience, we are reminded that Jesus’ crucifixion preceded His resurrection. Likewise, when we suffer for doing good, we need to remember that ultimately our suffering will lead to resurrection. Additionally, suffering for Christ’s sake deepens our assurance because it confirms that Christ is indeed in us by His Spirit. This deepens our confidence in God and we are able to trust and obey Him in the midst of suffering. Additional scripture 1. John 15:18-19 2. James 5:7-11 3. Philippians 3:8-11 Applying the text 1. When was a time that you suffered for doing good or for obeying God? 2. How does Jesus’ death and resurrection give us power and hope in the midst of suffering? 3. In what sense does suffering for the sake of Christ give us assurance of our union with Christ?