1 Peter
To God's Elect, Strangers in the World
August 20, 2023 | 1 Peter Part 8
August 20, 2023 • Pastor Ken Cline
In today’s continuation of the study of 1 Peter, Pastor Ken says of Christianity: “…you picked the wrong religion.” WOAH! WAIT! WHAT? Ok, ok, I may have taken that out of context for dramatic effect. He does, in fact, have a perfectly good reason for saying it. You’ll just have to listen in to find out. #teaser! Today’s teaching is actually all about being different. Have you ever felt different? Ever felt like you don’t fit in? Well, for Christians, that comes with the territory. We are children of God and set apart from this world. We don’t think like the world, or talk like the world. In fact, a lot of the characteristics and attitudes we hold to – generosity, love, self-control, forgiveness – can actually run contrary to what the world sees as normal. Sometimes that can make things uncomfortable for us as Christians. In fact, Peter says we are aliens and strangers in this world. So, it should come as no surprise when we face some challenges or push back from people when we live our lives for God instead of for ourselves. Peter actually continues by saying that we should live our lives in a way that draws people to God. Sometimes that means making difficult decisions and not participating in the same activities or with the same people that you have in the past, or not lashing out at someone who wronged you. That’s hard. But it would be infinitely harder to have your friends and family miss Heaven because you wanted to fit in. Listen as Pastor Ken teaches us how to live our lives differently with grace, hospitality, love, forgiveness, and other qualities that make the world stop and take notice. Granted, they may only be looking because they think we’re weirdos, but at least they’re looking. And hopefully what they’ll see is Jesus.
July 16, 2023 | 1 Peter Part 4
July 16, 2023 • Pastor Ken Cline
July 16th, 2023 – 1 Peter Series Pt. 4: Winning Your Spouse Who do you think of when you think of an influencer? Someone in power, like a CEO or a president? A 16-year-old kid on YouTube with 10 million subscribers? Maybe a famous actor or recording artist? Now, while all these may be true in different ways, I bet the one person you never consider an influencer is you. In today’s teaching, Pastor Ken is continuing our look at 1 Peter - specifically, the part where we find out that we are called to be influencers for the Gospel. Now, before you go creating a YouTube channel and put all your effort into racking up views, go check out 1 Peter 2:12. It basically says that we should live such good, Godly lives that people around us will be drawn to God. No subscribers necessary. And the people around us can mean our co-workers, our friends, even our spouses. In fact, Pastor Ken emphasizes the kind of influence husbands and wives can have on each other in today’s lesson – especially the wives. If you’re a wife and you’re reading this, you’ll definitely want to listen in. You are in a unique position to be such a positive influence to your husband – whether he’s a believer or not. Husbands, you also have an important role to play. You can influence through your love and respect of your wife. You both have important roles to play, but it will take effort and commitment to both your spouse and to God. Don’t be discouraged if it gets a little tough, besides, men are like waffles and women are like spaghetti. (You’ll have to watch the video if you want that to make sense.)
July 23, 2023 | 1 Peter Part 5
July 23, 2023 • Pastor Ken Cline
1 Peter 3:8-12 is the focus of today's sermon. Verse eight teaches us to work to the same purpose as other believers. Being sympathetic with others, entering into their experiences and listening to their heart. We are to take care of one another, being tender and merciful in our forgiveness. And not to think of ourselves higher than we ought. Verse nine, repaying an insult with another insult is not the Christian way of doing things. We are to reply with blessing. Verse ten through twelve, we are to tell nothing but the truth, and to keep from speaking evil. Note: evil is anything that God says is evil. We are blessed to be a blessing, we are also blessed to be blessed. Scripture says if we do the right thing and we obey God, there is blessing.
June 25, 2023 | 1 Peter Part 2
June 25, 2023 • Pastor Ken Cline
We are Gods chosen people. We are strangers in this world and won’t fit completely into this world. In fact, completely fitting in is a bad sign. Today we spend time in 1 Peter 2:1-10. We are to take off the old, malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. The more we crave God, the more of these things we’ll want to rid. Coming to God is not a one time event. We are being built up into God’s spiritual house as we represent him in the world. A house built with Jesus as the cornerstone, the stone of which we align our lives. We become different people when we turn to Jesus. We take off our old ways of living and embrace the new because we have received the mercy of God.