The main theme of the book of 1 Peter is "Living in the light of future glory." This epistle was written by Apostle Peter to encourage the believers to keep hope in the midst of their suffering.
Outline:
Present Suffering and Future Inheritance, 1:1-25
The Christian’s Suffering in View of Christ’s Passion, 2:1-4:6
The Christian’s Suffering in View of Christ’s Advent, 4:7- 5:14
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of 1 Peter Challenge – Day 22 – 1 Peter 1 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.[b] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
24 For, “All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[c]
And this is the word that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:22-25)
Love is fundamental between Christians that every book of the New Testament insists on it. Love is so important because we are part of the body of Christ. And since for a body to function properly all the organs need to operate in perfect harmony, it is imperative that sincere love exists between brothers and sisters in the local church. Christ is the author of health, his body cannot be sick and uncooperative. We must love one another deeply, from the heart for the Lord's sake (v. 22).
One of the main attributes of God as presented in the Bible is love. “God is love (1 John 4:8).” And because we are children of God we are called to resemble God. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy (v.15-16).” Because God is love, we are called to love. This is our new nature, we believe it, and accept it in faith. Love is also our eternal destiny.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of 1 Peter Challenge – Day 23 – 1 Peter 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
Because we live in a sinful world, we are educated to doubt any claim that sounds too good. We are encouraged to think, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is.” Unfortunately this line of thinking can also negatively impact our spiritual acceptance of the truthfulness of God’s words. We wonder if 1 Peter 2:9 can really apply to our local church, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Our local churches seem unimportant, a lot people drop out of our local churches because what they see is different than what God sees. They see a church with a lot of strange, hypocritical people, but God sees a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy group of people for himself. As Christians we at times sell ourselves short, we see ourselves differently than what God sees, and our false perception of who we really are keeps us from fulfilling our callings to proclaim the love and the goodness of God to a desperate world.
The solution for us is to accept God’s word by faith. We must focus on what God says but not what we see. “For we walk by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7),” we walk by the word of God not by our feelings. God says that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood a holy nation, a people for his own possession. When we start believing that we, as flawed people of the church, are indeed what God says we are, we will start acting as God says we are.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of 1 Peter Challenge – Day 24 – 1 Peter 3 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1:7)
I have heard the above passage read in various wedding ceremonies, and in several occasions the reaction of the participants shows that they do not understand the wisdom of the advice given to both the bride and the groom. God is the creator of the institution of marriage. He knows what is best for our marriages. And because he love mankind, he gives them blueprints to construct successful and enduring marriages. Successful marriages require love and respect.
Submission doesn’t mean inferiority. Philippians 2:5-11 talks about the humiliation of Christ who, being in very nature God, made himself nothing, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Christ’s submission to the Father was for the salvation of humanity. The submission of the woman is to win her husband and her family to Christ. She humbles herself for an eternal prize.
Ultimately submission brings exaltation. As a result of Jesus’ submission, “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9). In the same way the wife submission will result in her husband and her children showing her great honor (Prov. 31:28). She is a blessed woman. That family knows that the key to a successful marriage relationship is mutual respect and mutual submission for the Lord’s sake, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).”
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of 1 Peter Challenge – Day 25 – 1 Peter 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7:11)
The biggest success that someone can have is success in prayer. Our prayers transcend the natural order of life to allow us to experience unusual miracles. It is the Lord who invites us to pray bold and daring prayers. We are reminded that our prayers can be very effective. Since “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops (James 5:17-18),” we too can expect great miracles as a result of our prayers.
Many things can hinder our success in prayer. And the worst blockers are strife and division, hatred and resentment. But we are not left on our own, we have love the greatest tool to unblock our clogged prayer life. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (v. 9).” We may tend to think that we need more faith for our success in prayer, while what we really need is more love. Love includes both faith and hope
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of 1 Peter Challenge – Day 26 – 1 Peter 5 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:1-4)
I heard about the story of a man who was going east, when he arrived at the train station to catch the train, he saw two trains. One train was going east, the other was going west. The train that was going east was dilapidated, without air condition, the seats were all broken. The train that was going west was beautiful, the seats were well cushioned, a very luxurious train. What should I do the man said! I am going east but I don’t want to travel in an uncomfortable train.
There is a way that leads to God, but it is the narrow path full with tests and trials. There is another way that is beautiful and glittering but it leads to the opposite direction of God. It is the way of money and fame, selfishness and pride. Which train should we take? The calling of being a pastor, of being a leader in the church of the Lord Jesus is not called to money and fame. Most of the times, it is a calling to suffering and deprivation.
A young teacher selects to teach in a school with economically disadvantaged kids in the City, teaching for less money, with a long commute time instead of working closer to home with a bigger salary, just because he feels that his teaching is a call from God to serve those kids. What about us? We all have a train to catch, may it be the right one, the one heading in the right direction, leading to God.
May the Lord richly bless you!