1 Peter: Week 2 (Wednesday, September 16 2020)
(from www.insightforliving.org.uk)
Chapter 1:1-12
The Heart of the Matter
Life has its mysteries. Few people, if any, are able to explain most of them. One great mystery has to do with suffering. Why is there so much of it? Who can make sense of it, especially the suffering of the godly, while so many of the ungodly seem to live out their years virtually free of struggle? God’s Word, known for its timeless wisdom, does not dodge the subject. On numerous occasions, the issue of suffering resurfaces in Scripture. The first letter Peter wrote, in fact, addresses various aspects of this knotty problem none can escape, not even those who walk closely with the Lord. Like the patriarch Job, believers have been led through this dark and mysterious valley, often without understanding why. Let’s embrace a perspective that is rare among sufferers: joy in the midst of pain.
Discovering The Way
1. A Brief Reminder (1 Peter 1:1 – 2)
Peter wrote to displaced believers who were being singed by the flames of persecution.
2. Regarding Suffering: Why Christians Can Rejoice (1 Peter 1:3 – 9)
Why can Christians rejoice? We have a living hope, a permanent inheritance, divine protection, developing faith, an unseen Savior, and a guaranteed deliverance.
3. Regarding Salvation: Why Prophets Were Curious (1 Peter 1:10 – 12)
Prophets were curious about the Messiah because they did not have a clear picture of God’s complete plan, and they did not have the Holy Spirit living within and empowering them like we do today.
Starting Your Journey
A word to the two types of people who may be listening to this study: to those who suffer, only Christ’s perspective can replace your resentment with rejoicing and your hardness with humility. And to those who seek, only Christ’s salvation can change you from a spectator to a participant.