Description
Heroes Stand Firm in the Pain (1 Peter 4:12-19)
Lessons from the letter of 1 Peter
21st Century Christians face many different and difficult issues and situations every day as they seek to live out their faith in the world. It was no different for the recipients of 1 Peter in the 1st Century AD. In this message we learn how to live for the glory of God in the face of life ‘s difficult challenges. (1 Peter 3:8-22)
Context
Writing to early Christians living in the very hostile circumstances of the first century Peter in this passage encourages Christians to live for God and stand for him in the context of the family particularly addressing the relationships between husbands and wives. (1 Peter 2:13 – 3:7)
The key principles he raises is that of submission for the Lords sake to every human authority rooted in the example of Christ (2:21-25).
The principle of submission stated (2:13)
The principle of submission applied:
To Christian citizens (2:13-17)
To Christian employees (2:18-20)
To Christian wives (3:1-6)
To Christian husbands (3:7)
HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE (3:1-6)
a. The characteristics of true beauty (vv1-6)
b. The power of true beauty (v1)
HOW TO BE A GOOD HUSBAND (v7)
a. A good husband tries to understand his wife
b. A good husband treats his wife with respect
c. A good husband ‘s prayers don ‘t get cut off ‘
REMEMBER . . . It ‘s impossible without Jesus! (2:21-25)
Heroes live for God in the Marketplace (1 Peter 2:13-25)
How do we as believers need to relate to challenging and hostile authorities in our work environments homes and educational institutions? Peter challenges us to be submissive (for the Lord’s sake) to God-ordained authority.
Heroes Dare to Declare: To declare the praises of God in a hostile world you first need know who is Jesus and who are you. This takes place in a community that together displays the love of God to the world. (1 Peter 2:4-12)
(1 Peter 1:13-2:3)
The Apostle Peter describes Satan later in his letter as a roaring lion on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Satan has two main schemes to weaken believers & church.The first is through repeated persecution from the outside to get the world to attack the church. The second way is far more subtle it is through the embrace of the world. It is then that the church is in danger of compromise by looking exactly like the world. God ‘s heroes stand out from the crowd. Peter ‘s recipients have been scattered by external persecution (under Nero). He is concerned for them especially now that the fire has been turned slightly down. His concern is that God ‘s heroes would compromise and conform to the world. He gives them a clear & unambiguous call to be holy because God is holy. What does holiness look like as we apply it to today ‘s society? Peter gives them and us: four motivations to be holy and four steps in the plan to be holy. If God ‘s people surrender their holiness they have nothing to offer the world!
(1 Peter 1:3-12)
Living without perspective steals your joy but living with a Gospel perspective brings great joy. Learning to live in a hostile world with all kinds of trials requires a gospel perspective which Peter outlines for his audience in the opening of his first letter. He orientates us in the gospel before instructing us on how to live in a hostile world. In this we can then say I greatly rejoice!
First sermon in the series Heroes in a Hostile World focussing on the book of 1 Peter. This first week focusses on 1 Peter 1:1-2. To Gods elect exiles scattered throughout the world who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
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