The expectation of the early church was that allegiance to Jesus would mean suffering. It wasn’t a matter of “if” but of “when” and “how”. For many, it was the rejection or ridicule of family, friends, and neighbors. For others, it was official persecution, suffering, and death. Peter says, don’t see it as “something strange” (4.13) but to “rejoice” because you suffer with Christ! We’re to suffer as we commit ourselves to living good lives, suffering not because we’re meddlers but because we’re disciples of Jesus. God is at work in our suffering, as he conforms us to the image of Christ and prepares us to share in the glory of Christ.
The Cost of Faithfulness
May 28, 2023 • Steve Hart • 1 Peter 4:12–19, 1 Peter 3:13–18
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Bearing Witness
Restoration: Making All Things New
July 2, 2023 • Steve Hart • 1 Peter 3:13–18
This series is all about what it means to fulfill Jesus' Promise: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. 1 Peter 3.13-18 tells us to Bear Witness includes 3 things: Deep allegiance to Jesus and his kingdom, clear readiness to suffer for Jesus' sake, and a commitment to live good lives - with personal integrity, in committed community, and in service to the world. As we do that, Peter says, we'll have opportunity to respond to those who ask for a reason for the hope that is in us. In the final part of our series, we're giving reasons for hope by looking at the Storyline of the Bible - Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, and Restoration. Each movement propels hope-filled living and gives us intellectually stimulating, emotionally satisfying, and consistently livable answers to life's biggest questions. This week we explore the doctrine of Restoration: God will return to dwell among us as he did in Eden, remaking the world as it was meant to be, eradicating evil and sin, and making all things new!
Redemption: Jesus Is The Answer
June 25, 2023 • Jon Schuler • 1 Peter 3:13–18
This series is all about what it means to fulfill Jesus' Promise: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. 1 Peter 3.13-18 tells us to Bear Witness includes 3 things: Deep allegiance to Jesus and his kingdom, clear readiness to suffer for Jesus' sake, and a commitment to live good lives - with personal integrity, in committed community, and in service to the world. As we do that, Peter says, we'll have opportunity to respond to those who ask for a reason for the hope that is in us. In the final part of our series, we're giving reasons for hope by looking at the Storyline of the Bible - Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, and Restoration. Each movement propels hope-filled living and gives us intellectually stimulating, emotionally satisfying, and consistently livable answers to life's biggest questions. This week we explore the doctrine of Redemption: putting everything right through Jesus, restoring what has been marred and destroyed in all of creation's rebellion against God.
Rebellion: The Unraveling of It All
June 18, 2023 • Steve Hart • 1 Peter 3:13–18
This series is all about what it means to fulfill Jesus' Promise: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. 1 Peter 3.13-18 tells us to Bear Witness includes 3 things: Deep allegiance to Jesus and his kingdom, clear readiness to suffer for Jesus' sake, and a commitment to live good lives - with personal integrity, in committed community, and in service to the world. As we do that, Peter says, we'll have opportunity to respond to those who ask for a reason for the hope that is in us. In the final part of our series, we're giving reasons for hope by looking at the Storyline of the Bible - Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, and Restoration. Each movement propels hope-filled living and gives us intellectually stimulating, emotionally satisfying, and consistently livable answers to life's biggest questions. This week we explore the doctrine of Rebellion: We are alienated from God and living in a world that is unravelling from God's original intent.