1st and 2nd Peter
Tested by Fire: Lesson 4
Read 4:7-11
For people who are not NASCAR fans, watching cars go around in a circle for hours is not much fun. That person might doze off in the middle of a race. But the end of the race is usually exciting, with the teams trying to gain every advantage and pushing the limits to get across the finish line first. Even a non-fan might wake up for the end of a race. Peter focuses us and wakes us up when he says, “The end of all things is near.”
In some religions, people are taught to empty their minds so they can hear and talk to whatever god they are trying to converse with. Is this what Peter is talking about in verse 7?
No. We are to have a mind that is focused and full of God’s word, not other things.
“Love covers over a multitude of sins.” How did God’s love cover our sins and how does our love cover the sins against us?
God’s love covers our sins by Christ’s sacrifice. He paid for our sins and forgave us. He did not just sweep them under the rug. We love because he first loved us. We forgive others because he forgave us.
The Holy Spirit through Peter shows how well he knows us. “Offer hospitality...without grumbling.” How easy it is to complain about using the abilities God has given us to help others instead of using them to please ourselves.
Read 4:12-19
Matthew
16:21-23
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Peter was at one time surprised that the Christ would have to suffer and die. Peter has learned and now passes on his learning to us.
Jesus also told us to rejoice in suffering for him.
Matthew 5:11-12
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
How might Christians in America “participate in the sufferings of Christ” now or in the future?
Being insulted. Being denied promotions or jobs. Being ridiculed.
Peter gives us several reasons to rejoice even when suffering.
A. Verse 13—We will be overjoyed
B. Verse 14—The Spirit of God is with us
C. Verse 17—God will deal with those who persecute us
Peter
uses three different words to describe the leaders of the churches. What does he
call them? What is the main focus of each of these descriptions?
Elders—people who are older and generally have more experience and wisdom
Shepherds—tend the flock, feed and protect
Overseers—Same basic meaning as supervisor. Watch over.
What would we call such a person today?
Pastor
List the qualifications/job description Peter gives in 5:1-4.
Eager to serve
Not lording it over people
Good example
Willing
Not greedy for money
What are some of the anxieties we have that we can cast on God?
Agree or Disagree: Having anxiety is a sign of weak faith.
Of course it is a sign of weak faith, but it is not a sign of no faith. Casting our anxieties on Jesus is something we learn to do in our Christian lives. Having anxieties and worries does not change the fact that Christ loves us and died for us. Nothing will change that.
Not
many of us would fall asleep if we were in the lion cage at the zoo. Peter tells
us not to fall asleep spiritually because the devil is looking for a victim to
devour. How do we resist the devil?
How is the devil resisted according to these two passages.
Matthew 4:8-11
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Ephesians 6:11-18
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes….14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
What encouragement does Peter give in verse 9 to continue resisting the devil?
We are not alone.
Peter sums up his first epistle in verses 10-11. God is full of grace. Glory will be eternal. Suffering will be short.
Read 5:12-14
Who was Silas?
Acts 15:32
32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
Acts 16:29-30
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
What did he do to help Peter?
Silas may have been Peter’s scribe who wrote down the message Peter told him to write down. Or Silas may have been the one who delivered the letter.
“She who is in Babylon.” Who is that?
The church in “Babylon” which is most likely Rome (see below).
There are several options for Babylon.
A. Egyptian Babylon—a military post
B. Mesopotamian Babylon
C. Jerusalem
D. Rome
Reasons to pick Rome
1. John uses “Babylon” to refer to Rome in Revelation
2.Tradition puts Peter in Rome at the end of his life
3. The feared enemy of Old Testament Israel was Babylon and Rome was hostile to Christianity at this time
What was the relationship between Peter and Mark?
Mark was a spiritual son of Peter, meaning he learned much about Jesus from Peter. The Gospel of Mark is sometimes called the Gospel of Peter since it is likely that Peter gave Mark some of the information for the book.
“Greet one another with a kiss of love.” Let’s all do that right now. I’ll start with the person closest to me.
A kiss was the normal greeting then as it is in many parts of today’s world. Americans generally greet with a handshake.
People want to come to church and be welcomed as friends. They want to experience a love from their Christian friends that they may not experience in their daily lives from coworkers or neighbors. How can we make Green Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church a welcome and loving environment?
Next time: 2nd Peter