Introduction: Peter now comes to his final words of exhortation and encouragement. The holiness under pressure that he has been encouraging them in is a holiness that is arrayed in humility. This humility is characteristic of the entire Christian body, including the head of that body, meaning of course the Lord Jesus. The Text: “The …
The Spirit of Glory Rests on You/1 Peter 4
Introduction: We have been talking about holiness under pressure, and Peter has been preparing these saints for a time of intense persecution. We are dealing also with hard facts on the ground, with rival interpretations of those facts battling it out. And those rival interpretations could not be farther apart than when dealing with two …
That He Might Bring Us to God/1 Peter 3
Introduction: In Christ, every aspect of our lives is woven together. The demeanor that receives the salvation offered to us is a demeanor that relates to husbands, wives, and everyone else in that same way. The spirit you have toward God is not turned off when you face your fellow man. Your spirit in dealing …
The Christ Stone/1 Peter 2
Introduction: Remember the broader context of this epistle, which is the need to cultivate holiness under pressure. And as we begin to see, that pressure is not insignificant. And whether you will be able to do this as instructed will depend entirely on your relationship to the Christ Stone. The Text: “Wherefore laying aside all …
Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory/1 Peter 1
Introduction: The point of this epistle is to encourage believers to live lives of personal holiness during a time of persecution—that is, during a time when the challenge of personal holiness is beyond inconvenient. If God had wanted His people to be extraordinarily holy, the argument might go, He would have given us more help—times …