November 20, 2016 | 1 Peter 1:13-2:3 |
In Peter’s first letter to believers in Asia Minor, he tells them that they can live in holiness as exiles in their world as God’s chosen people. In this message, we learn some practical advice Peter gives us to live as a people set apart, or holy.
November 13, 2016 | 1 Peter 1:1-12 |
How should we live as Christians when the dominant cultural and political forces are at odds with our faith? The apostle Peter’s first letter says that we should live as exiles. In fact, he refers to the first century Christians as exiles three times in his letter. So, over the next three weeks we’re going to look at those three instances. In Peter’s first letter, he told believers who were living as exiles in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) that they could live with great hope in Jesus Christ. We too are living as exiles in a hopeless world and can experience a life of hope through Jesus Christ.
April 10, 2016 | 1 Peter 1:3,6-9 |
In the apostle Peter’s first letter, he tells believers in Asia Minor that they can have wonderful joy in every situation because of the resurrection of Jesus. We too can have this wonderful joy because God raised Jesus from the dead. Our text today gives us three ways to have wonderful joy through the resurrection of Jesus.
March 27, 2016 | 1 Peter 1:3-5 |
Easter really means hope…the desire itself, someone to anchor it, and something to hope for. Easter Weekend, 2016.
March 13, 2016 | 1 Peter 3:13-16 |
In the apostle Peter’s first letter, he told believers that whether they are living in good times or difficult times, they should always be prepared to share the gospel hope they have in Christ with others. We can be always prepared to share our gospel hope in Christ no matter our life’s circumstance.
November 26, 2015
A good word for the season. Be “hospitable” (Literally in the Greek, “lover of strangers”). And do it without “grumbling” (murmuring, complaining, the opposite of gratitude). Put them together and you have: THANKS + GIVING. Be ‘giving’ towards everyone, especially strangers and do it with a ‘thankful’ heart. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
November 22, 2015
What are these “things” which angels seek to understand? Aren’t they the same “things” that the Old Testament prophets sought to know? The apostle Peter said that these “things” are the very facts of the gospel of Christ which were seen and heard by the apostles and preached to us who believe. The Spirit revealed the day of Christ to the prophets, yet even though they longed to see it for themselves, they came to understand that they were given a message about a future hope. Jesus described how these prophets must have felt when He spoke of how Abraham “rejoiced” to see the day of Christ’s coming (John 8:56). We now live on the other side of the “things” which the prophets and angels desired to see. The day of Christ’s salvation has already come. And we are the recipients of these “things.” Yet the angels, even though they witnessed the day of Christ, still “desire to look into” it. For they stand outside the work of redemption, in that it was not for them, but for humanity. They stare in wonder at this salvation which is so full of glory and beautiful mystery that the Son of God would endure such “things” to save us.
November 26, 2014
Don’t be like the antelope that wandered from the herd only to be eaten by a lion. Stay alert and stay together! Don’t be tempted to isolate yourself in times of trouble. The Church is the body of Christ and we need each other. Begin your week worshiping together and gather during the week in one another’s homes, devoting yourselves to the Word, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and to prayer. Stay with the “herd” and stand firm together against the evil one.
November 25, 2014
Do you seek to be of “one mind,” unified with your fellow believers? Or do you constantly need to “speak your mind,” letting others know what displeases you? Seeking to be of one mind does not mean that you have no opinion, but it does mean that you seek to understand the other with an attitude of sympathy, love, tenderheartedness, and humility. This attitude leads to oneness for it actually cares about unity in the body and mutual understanding. Living together in this way will not eliminate conflict, but it will lead to handling conflict rightly, so that unity is increased, rather than broken. What is your goal? Is it to have your own way? Or is it to keep the family of believers unified in following Jesus?
November 24, 2014
When the oneness of our marital relationship is hindered, so is our prayer life. When husbands mistreat their wives (or vice versa) it affects their spiritual life as well. This should not surprise us for God has made us relational beings. And as such, a stone of disunity cast in one relationship, troubles the waters in another. Be reconciled to one another and live together in harmony, and watch your prayer life come alive again.