Peter gives final instructions to the churches enduring suffering. In this final section, He says humble yourselves before God's mighty hand by casting your cares upon him.
1 Peter 5:1-5 To Christ's Under-Shepherds
Peter turns his attention to the responsibility of elders / pastors as he instructs the church in how we stand faithfully in a hostile world
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1 Peter 4:7-11 Standing Faithful, Standing Together
1 Peter has shown us how we stand faithfully for Christ in a hostile world. As Peter closes the main body of his letter in 4:7-11, he continues that instruction by showing us what faithfulness looks like toward one another. The world and the culture will always oppose the church of Jesus, and Peter has shown us what standing faithfully looks like in the face of that opposition. Now, in these verses, Peter turns our eyes inward as he shows us how we stand together. The only way the church faithfully endures the slander and opposition of the world, glorifying the name of Christ, and testifying to His gospel, is to do so together. So Peter shows us what the church must be toward one another as he counsels us to prepare ourselves for suffering. When Peter began the main body of his letter in 1:13 he said, "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Here he closes this section showing that it is as a united body of believers that we engage in this preparation. Again, he calls us to be sober-minded for our prayers’ sake. He says that we must love one another and serve one another if we are to stand faithfully, giving a defense for the hope that is within us. Peter’s teaching in this section perfectly embodies our vision at FBC for making disciples and growing as disciples. We can only do so as we worship, connect, and serve. Our unity of love and service to one another is one of the most important aspects of growing in Christ, and it is absolutely essential in our calling to make disciples.
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1 Peter 4:1-6 Arm Yourselves For Suffering
What does it mean to arm yourself for suffering? That’s a catchy title for a sermon, but preparing to endure the disdain, slander, and persecution of the world doesn’t sound like a very fun activity. Yet, that is what Peter has been teaching us all through this letter. 1 Peter 4:1-6 shows us how we, as exiles and foreigners, are to prepare ourselves for the slander and opposition of a worldly culture. Just as a soldier prepares and trains before going into battle, Peter tells his readers to arm yourselves with the same perspective on suffering that Jesus had. And Peter doesn’t just give us the command and leave us to figure out the details. In these verses, he shows us what we are to arm our minds with so that we might stand faithful, choosing to live for Christ rather than sin against him by compromising with the world. As suffering for following the word of God becomes more and more prevalent in our own culture, there also comes an increasingly strong temptation to fit in, to compromise, or sacrifice biblical truth for the sake of expediency. It’s easy to say we would never do such things, but too often as we sit comfortably in the ease the Lord has given, our mentality becomes one of entitlement and self-protection. Instead of training and preparing ourselves, we become complacent and easily stumble over the smallest temptations. In this text, Peter shows us how to arm ourselves - how to train our minds in preparation for the persecution that Paul says inevitably comes to every person who desires to live a godly life (see 2 Timothy 3:12).
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1 Peter 3:18-22 The Suffering Servant's Victory
Peter encourages his suffering readers by pointing to the victory which Christ's suffering accomplished. They are already partakers in this victory though they are suffering in the world. He compares their life in this world to that of Noah to show that God delivers His people.
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1 Peter 3:13-17 Faithful In A Hostile World
Peter shows us what we need to stand faithfully when the world is hostile toward our faith and a biblical worldview
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1 Peter 3:8-12 Tools For Living The "Good Life"
Here Peter ends the current section instructing believers in how to “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (2:12). He has given instructions to Christians living under worldly governments (2:13-17), under worldly authorities (2:18-25), and to husbands and wives in the home (3:1-7). In 3:8-12, Peter finishes this section by giving general commands to all Christians in whatever situation we find ourselves. These exhortations apply to every believer in every circumstance.
By giving these directives, Peter shows us the tools we need to stand faithfully for Christ and have “good conduct” before a hostile world so that we will be a testimony to the glory of Jesus. But also, Peter will show us that even in trials and suffering, we may have the blessing of one who “love[s] life and see[s] good days” (v.10) because of the Lord whom we serve.
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1 Peter 3:1-7 Glorifying Christ In Marriage
We have seen Peter instruct believers in how we live faithfully under government and authorities, but in chapter 3:1-7, he turns his attention to the home. What does living faithfully for Christ in the home look like? As Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, describes the roles of both husband and wife, we do well to remember that he also speaks as one who is a Christian husband, living in a culture that is hostile to his faith.
We all come to this text with presuppositions. Perhaps we have even been hurt by someone wielding an improper application of this text. But marriage is the first institution created by God in Genesis 2, before the fall. Marriage is intended to be a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:22-27). Therefore, we must come to the text and hear from God what it means to live faithfully in the home, so that we might "proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).
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1 Peter 2:18-20 Enduring Suffering Under Unjust Authorities
1 Peter 2:18-25 addresses Christian servants (slaves, bond-servants) in the Roman Empire, which would have been most of the earliest readers of his epistle. While there isn’t a one to one correspondence between slaves serving in first century Rome and believers today in South Central Kansas, it is a huge mistake to think there is no application for us. The most common employee / employer relationship in the Roman Empire was between master and bond-servant, and all of us, at one time or another, have had to serve under an unjust or unreasonable authority.
Peter speaks to those who are miraculously delivered by the saving grace of the King of kings. These believers are given an eternal inheritance that cannot be defiled or fade away - it is kept by God Himself for them - But, when they looked around, they were still subject to unjust and worldly people. They still served in their jobs and they were suffering under worldly and wicked masters. Peter’s admonition to them is surprising. Be subject to them! This, Peter says, is a gracious thing in the sight of God. How do we do such a thing? How can we possibly do so?
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1 Peter 2:13-17 Serving God Under Government
1 Peter 2:13-17 begins Peter’s specific instructions for the churches in Asia Minor. In the following sections, Peter will show believers what "abstaining from the passions of the flesh," and "keeping our conduct among the Gentiles honorable" actually looks like in different situations. This passage regarding how we live for Christ under government is not an easy one for us today. It was exponentially harder for those to whom it was first written. As we seek to understand God’s word on this subject, we will try to answer several common questions that arise when we talk about "being subject." However, the most important question that needs to be answered in each of our hearts is, "What is God saying to me through this?"
Peter doesn’t write to make sure the churches are being good boys and girls. He isn’t writing to ensure that he keeps everyone in line. He isn’t even writing to help them assimilate into this world. Peter writes specifically for the believers to live in such a way that Christ is glorified and honored in this world. So that "by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people" (v. 15), and "when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (v. 12). Bringing glory to Christ’s name must be what drives all that we do.
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1 Peter 2:11-12 Serving God In A Hostile World
Beginning at 2:11, Peter will get real practical and specific about what it looks like to serve God in a hostile world. He goes into great detail describing how Christians are to live faithfully in the different spheres of life in this world. 1 Peter 2:11 through chapter 3 are tough lessons for us to hear. But these truths are essential because God alone has the authority to define how we are to serve Him in a hostile world. Because we haven’t been in 1 Peter for a few weeks, we will take some time and review what we have learned in this letter so far, and then look at a broad overview of what 2:11 through chapter 3 will look like in the coming weeks.
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1 Peter 2:4-10 Our Identity As Living Stones
Who am I? What am I supposed to do? At some point, everyone asks these fundamental questions about identity. How we answer to these questions, whether consciously or not, determines much of how we live out our lives. These questions become even more important when we are faced with trials and suffering. When living as Jesus commands draws the ire and opposition of the culture, there is an enormous temptation to conform or compromise. Yet, when we trust in how God, in Christ, has answered those two questions, we are braced to stand regardless of societal pressure.
This is what Peter shows us in 1 Peter 2:4-10. Using several Old Testament passages, he demonstrates that believers are living stones being built up into a spiritual house by God. As we come to Jesus, we are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, a community united with one another for His name. But since the same gospel that gives us a new nature is an offense to the world, we are also an offense. That is who we are – living stones built upon one who is both a cornerstone and a stone of offense.
Peter also tells us what we are to do when facing the opposition of the world and the pressure to compromise with its values and practices – we have been called out “that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pt. 2:9).
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1 Peter 1:13 Living Faithfully As Exiles
1 Peter 1:22-2:3 Living Faithfully As Exiles (part 3) Love One Another
We see Peter’s fourth command in 1:22-2:3, Love one another. Faithfulness to Christ, especially when the world is growing increasingly hostile to the gospel, is lived out in community. Peter shows us where this love for one another comes from, how it endures in our trials, and how our love for one another grows. Because this section builds upon everything that has come before, it would be helpful to re-read verses 1-21 before Sunday for we will certainly be referencing them.
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1 Peter 1:13 Living Faithfully As Exiles
1 Peter 1:13 Living Faithfully As Exiles (part 1)
Peter finally begins to give instructions and commands to his readers. He instructs believers in what it looks like to live faithfully in the midst of trials, persecutions, and exile in a hostile world. Through the end of chapter 1, he gives four basic commands. Set your hope fully on the grace that will be given at Jesus’ coming, Be holy, Honor God, and Love one another. This command is so important for us. This command flows from all the glorious things God has done for us in verses 1-12. It is our response to what we have been given in the gospel and, as we will see Sunday, it is vital if we desire to be faithful as exiles in this world. "Setting our hope" is how we stand regardless of what this life throws at us.
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1 Peter 1:1-5 Strangers In A Strange Land
Peter writes this epistle to churches in a vast area of Asia Minor. These Christians are going through trials and sufferings because of their faith in Christ. At least 15 times in 1 Peter’s five chapters, he references the trials and sufferings of these believers. This epistle is intended to instruct believers in how we follow Christ in the midst of a world that is growing darker and more hostile to Jesus. Yet, before Peter begins giving commands and instructions to these believers, he starts by reminding them of who they are. He reminds them of what God has done for them and he joins them in blessing God even in the middle of their trials.
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1 Peter 1:14-21 Living Faithfully As Exiles (Part 2)
Peter continues to instruct his readers in how to be faithful in the midst of a world that is hostile to their faith. He shows what faithfulness looks like when suffering trials. In these verses, he commands believers to be holy in their conduct and fear the Lord because of the hope they have in the gospel
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1 Peter 1:13 Living Faithfully As Exiles
Jason Velotta
1 Peter 1:13 Living Faithfully As Exiles
Peter finally begins to give instructions and commands to his readers. He instructs believers in what it looks like to live faithfully in the midst of trials, persecutions, and exile in a hostile world. Through the end of chapter 1, he gives four basic commands. Set your hope fully on the grace that will be given at Jesus’ coming, Be holy, Honor God, and Love one another. This command is so important for us. This command flows from all the glorious things God has done for us in verses 1-12. It is our response to what we have been given in the gospel and, as we will see Sunday, it is vital if we desire to be faithful as exiles in this world. "Setting our hope" is how we stand regardless of what this life throws at us.
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1 Peter 1:6-12 Equipped To Endure
1 Peter 1:6-12 continues to build the foundation upon which believers must stand as they face the sufferings and trials of this world. Verses 1-12 together are essential to understand as we are "grieved by various trials" in this life. They give us the footholds we need when grieved by trials for His name.
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1 Peter 1:1-5 Strangers In A Strange Land
Peter writes this epistle to churches in a vast area of Asia Minor. These Christians are going through trials and sufferings because of their faith in Christ. At least 15 times in 1 Peter’s five chapters, he references the trials and sufferings of these believers. This epistle is intended to instruct believers in how we follow Christ in the midst of a world that is growing darker and more hostile to Jesus. Yet, before Peter begins giving commands and instructions to these believers, he starts by reminding them of who they are. He reminds them of what God has done for them and he joins them in blessing God even in the middle of their trials.
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1 Peter 1:3-9 Footholds In Trial
Peter gives readers foundations for rejoicing in trials based on what Jesus has done and who He is.
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