1 & 2 PETER: WE RE NOT HOME YET

Transcription

1 1 & 2 PETER: WE RE NOT HOME YET Meadowbrook Baptist Church 2525 Rainbow Drive Gadsden, AL 35901

2 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 1:1-12 Sept. 3, 2017 Elect Exiles Table of Contents Date Scripture Big Idea Page 3-Sep 1 Peter 1:1-12 Elect Exiles 1 10-Sep 1 Peter 1:13-25 Be Holy! 3 17-Sep 1 Peter 2:1-12 Living as the People of God 5 24-Sep 1 Peter 2:13-25 Relationships and the Gospel, part Oct 1 Peter 3:1-7 Relationships and the Gospel, part Oct 1 Peter 3:8-22 Responding to Persecution Oct 1 Peter 4:1-11 Living Godly Lives in a World that Isn't Oct 1 Peter 4:12-19 Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering Oct 1 Peter 5:1-14 The Work of God and the Responsibility of Man 17 5-Nov 2 Peter 1:1-15 The Progressive Nature of Godliness Nov 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 Finding Truth in a Lying Culture Nov 2 Peter 2:4-22 Empty Promises and Waterless Springs Nov 2 Peter 3:1-8 Living with the End in Mind 25

3 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 1:1-12 Sept. 3, 2017 Elect Exiles PRAY: Respond to the Text As school is now started back in full swing take some time to reflect on the trips everyone took over the summer. What did it feel like after the fun trip to get back to sleep in your own home in your own bed? GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-12 (Supplemental Passages: 2 Corinthians 4:17-21, John 14:1-6) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? As a Life Group, how can we practically encourage one another to live as elect exiles and rejoice, taking hold of the living hope in the midst of life s various trials? Take a moment, as a group, to pray to God with praise and thanksgiving, not simply for the temporary blessings he has given us, but also for the eternal blessings he has given us in Jesus Christ. As ones who have been born again to a living hope, reflect back on what it was like before you came to know Christ. Spend some time praying as a group for the lost people your group is seeking to connect to Christ so that they too may experience the same living hope. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others There is great joy in following Christ! We have a reward that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us. The joy and reward we have received is meant to be shared. For the Family: Read verses 1-3 with your family. Ask your kids what their favorite things about their home is. After they have finished, use it as an opportunity to talk about the better home Jesus is preparing for his followers in heaven and how that motivates us to share our faith and to be joyful and happy. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 1:3 ESV] 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1

4 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 1:1-12 Sept. 3, 2017 Elect Exiles Peter immediately identifies his audience as those who are elect exiles and points to how God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is working in their midst. It is from this introduction passage that the rest of the letter will flow from. So what does it mean to be elect exiles? Simply it means that we were chosen by God and that this world is not our home. The dispersed Jewish and Gentile Christians he was writing to were experiencing persecution in their earthly hometowns, and they needed to be reminded that their true home was heaven. They needed to be reminded of the living hope of their eternal inheritance, and that the God who chose them and called them to repentance and faith has not forgotten them. He is actively keeping those who are his and has given us His Holy Spirit to sanctify us, or to free us more and more from remaining sin and to make us more like Christ 1. This leads to joy and worship in the hearts of Peter and his audience because they are living out what it means to be an elect exile. Dig Deeper What s the deal with election? This has been an issue that has caused much unnecessary division and conflict over the years and there is no reason for it to divide your Life Group. The Bible highlights both God s sovereignty and human responsibility (See John 3:16; Joshua 24:15, Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1; Acts 2:38-39; 2 Peter 3:9). To dismiss one entirely, one would have to take scissors to parts of their scripture. It is a paradox that we will understand one day. So looking at this passage when Peter identifies his reader as elect exiles, he modifies it with according to the foreknowledge of God, which is emphasizing God s sovereignty and initiative in their salvation. 2 This is seen again when he praises God for His mercy and how he caused us to be born again to a living hope. This election is according to his great mercy. It highlights the wonderful grace and mercy of our God, and it should comfort and humble us. For there is nothing any of us have done to deserve it. Foreknowledge does not suggest that God merely knew ahead of time that we would believe, and therefore he chose us. 3 But more that he has set his covenant affection upon us. 4 Peter doesn t just refer to the electing work of the Father, however, he also highlights the cleansing work of Christ on the cross, and the convicting work of the Spirit. Our salvation in a sense began before the foundation of the world when the Father elected us, was made possible by Christ on the Cross, was obtained through the Spirit leading us to repent and believe in the Gospel and will one day be fully realized at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 5 Further Up, Further In In C.S. Lewis book The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle, the main characters enter into what is to represent heaven, the future home for believers. Read how C.S. Lewis captures in this story what he thinks it will be like when we enter heaven: I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this... Come further up, come further in! In what ways are we viewing this world as our home? How can we set our eyes on eternity? How does that effect everything we do on this earth? 1 Wayne A. Grudem, 1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2009), Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2003), Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Hopeful: How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2009), Shreiner, Wiersbe, 31. 2

5 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 1:13-25 Sept. 10, 2017 Be Holy! PRAY: Respond to the Text If Facebook is good for anything, it s good for reminding us of the ridiculous things we used to wear or think was cool when it reminds us of memories. Spend some time laughing about the things that used to be so cool but have faded away. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 1:13-25 (Supplemental Passages: Lev. 19:1-4, Matt. 5:48; Rom. 8:1-13, Heb. 12:1-14) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? Where are the areas in your life or in this community that your Life Group could engage in authentic relationships and live holy, non-conformed lives, with the intentional purpose of sharing the good news that was preached to you? When reading passages like this it is always good to compare our lives to it. Since the standard for holiness is God s holiness, there is much we have to repent from. Spend some time praying and confessing to God old passions of the flesh we need to put to death and pursue holiness. As a group, thank God for the hope and salvation we have in Christ. Pray for the people in the class. Pray that God would lead them not into temptation and deliver them from evil. Pray that we would all pursue holiness together and point each other back to God s word. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others Hopefully we have memorized 1 Peter 1:3 from last week. Seek to share the good news contained in 1 Peter 1:3 with someone you have been praying to come to faith. For the Family: Read 1:18-19 with your family, and talk about the great sacrifice Jesus made for us in love so that we could live like him. Talk about how Jesus is a much better boss of our lives than we are, and even share about the moment you made Jesus boss of your life. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 1:15 ESV] 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 3

6 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 1:13-25 Sept. 10, 2017 Be Holy! Peter transitions from his introduction and section of praise to a charge to holiness. He begins with the word, therefore, implying that everything he just finished discussing their identity as elect exiles, the sovereign work of God, and the hope for the future inheritance to be revealed at Christ s return should cause us to prepare for action and pursue holiness, the set apart and pure life to which God s word calls us. From this passage Peter simply charges his audience to not be conformed to the passions of their former ignorance in any area of their life. This call to holiness is not a new charge to the people of God, but an old one. First given in the Law God gave Moses (Lev. 11:44), repeated by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:48), and again emphasized again here by Peter. Holiness is a big deal. There are two senses of holiness. In one sense we have been made perfectly Holy by Christ through the cross, and in another sense we are continuing to be made holy through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Without God we could never live holy lives, but in this passage Peter clearly highlights God s role and our responsibility regarding our holiness that results in obedience to God s word and brotherly love. Dig Deeper What is our role in pursuing holiness? Look at this excerpt from Jerry Bridges book, The Pursuit of Holiness: God has made provision for our holiness and he has also given us a responsibility for it. God s provision for us consists in delivering us from the reign of sin, uniting us with Christ, and giving us the indwelling Holy Spirit to reveal sin, to create a desire to holiness and to strengthen us in our pursuit of holiness. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and according to the new nature He gives, we are to put to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13). Our responsibility flows from God s work that he has done. So the fight is for obedience rather than victory. The victory has already been given to us, now we are to make every effort to live holy lives as a response to the victory not to obtain it. In verses 18-25, Peter clearly points to the victorious work of Christ and the word of Christ as motivators of our holiness pursuits. If you recall from 1 Peter 1:2 through the work of Christ, God gives us his Spirit to help us then live out the victory we have in Christ through obedience. Bridges provides this diagram to help show how practically lived out: The Spirit inspired the Scripture The Spirit brings to mind what we learn We learn the Scripture We apply what we learn So if we want to have our souls purified by obedience to the truth, it is important that we study, learn, memorize and apply the truth of God s word. Why the emphasis on perishable and imperishable? Repetition of a word or phrase is a literary tool used by writers to show emphasis and to bring attention to an idea. We see this often in Psalms and Proverbs. Here Peter uses the words perishable and imperishable several times (v. 18, 23) as well as the idea of it (v ). They were used last week as well (v.4, 7). He is moving his audience to fully grasp how amazing, valuable, and eternal our salvation in Jesus is. It is to be treasured in our hearts and lived out in our lives. Be Holy! 4

7 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:13-25 Sept. 24 th, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, part 1 PRAY: Respond to the Text LEGOs are really simple toys that by themselves aren t that special and can even cause harm i.e. the pain that is felt when one is stepped on barefoot But when put together the beauty of LEGO s really stands out. Look up some LEGO structures and vote as a group to which is best. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 2:1-12 (Supplemental Passages: Exo. 19:1-6, Hos. 2:14-23, Jer. 29:4-11, Rom. 12) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? What are ways that together as a life group we could offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus? Think through the identities Peter listed out. Which do we struggle to live out as a group the most? Pray that God would impress a burden on your heart to begin to live out your identity as part of the people of God. Ask for forgiveness and guidance as shortcomings come to mind. Remembering what it was like to not have received mercy and not to be part of the people of God, pray for the lost people that your group has been praying for and pray that they would repent and believe in the precious cornerstone of our faith, Jesus Christ. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others Our memory verse for this week highlights that we have become a people of God s own possession so that we could proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into marvelous light. Seek to share the gospel with someone this week. For the Family: Take your family outside to look at your house and read verses 4-6. Explain how Christians in the Church are to love each other and serve together for God through Jesus. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 2:9 ESV] 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 5

8 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:13-25 Sept. 24 th, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, part 1 Who the People of God are is a theme that carries throughout Scripture. From when God called Abraham to now where we as Gentiles are being grafted in through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, God has chosen in his sovereign will to use his people to be his representatives here on earth, first with Israel, now with the church. Peter in this text refers to God s people in many ways. He refers to us as stones that are being built together to be a spiritual house that glorifies God, highlighting the importance of the community of the church. He also calls us a chosen race we are chosen by God and no longer are we identified and divided by our earthly race. He calls us a royal priesthood we have received adoption as sons and are sons of the king who are no longer offering up bulls and goats, but spiritual sacrifices of service to God through Jesus Christ. He calls us a holy nation we are set apart from the ways of this world and have become citizens of a better nation in the Kingdom of God that should supersede any allegiance to an earthly nation. Lastly he calls us sojourners and exiles. We re not home yet. This earth and all that is in it will pass away. But we have a home that is eternal in what will be the New Heaven and the New Earth where Christ will reign supreme and forever! Dig Deeper Three Old Testament Parallels In chapter 2:9-11 of his letter, Peter uses the rich Old Testament heritage that his Jewish readers would have easily understood and could just as easily explained to their Gentile brothers and sisters how groundbreaking this section was. The first was him calling his readers a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. This reference finds its roots in Exodus during the giving of the law at Sinai. In Exodus 19:1-6 God speaks to His people just after he has led them out of Egypt and just before he speaks the Ten Commandments to Moses. Where God promised that if they had broken his law and forsaken Him for false gods, He would allow them to be taken into exile. The next is found in how Peter begins proclaiming that once they were not a people, but now they are a people. Once they had not received mercy, but now they have received mercy. This actually fulfills prophecy that is found in the book of Hosea, right before the Israelites would be exiled into Assyria 6. The story of Hosea is a well-known story that serves as an illustration for God s steadfast love for his people. Hosea 1:1-11; 2:14-23 contains this parallel that Peter is drawing from. The last parallel is the idea of sojourners and exiles. The Babylonian exile of the nation of Judah is one of the low-points of the Old Testament. The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with the people to repent, but they did not and false prophets arose. One of the most famous verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, in context, is actually Jeremiah s promise to those who would remain in exile for 70 years as promised in verse 10. Just before it in verse 4-9, God explains what he expects from those living in exile, just as he does here in 1 Peter. What does the Lord tell his people to do while in exile? How are they to interact with their enemies? What does this say to us about how we should live on this earth? 6 ESV Bible, The Journaling Bible: Introductions to the Books of the Old Testament. Crossway, 2001, p

9 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:13-25 Sept. 24 th, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, part 1 CONNECT The TV Show The Office is an iconic comedy about relationships in the workplace. See if you can look around your group and know where each person works or used to work for a living or to support the home. Share a funny story or two from your week that happened in the workplace or in your home. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 2:13-25 (Supplemental Passages: Matt. 5:38-48, 26:57-68, Isa. 53:1-12, Jn. 13:34-35, Ps. 23) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? Is there anyone in our local brotherhood of believers at Meadowbrook that we could show some tangible love to this week? PRAY: Respond to the Text Peter calls us to live as people who are free, but not using our freedom as a cover-up for evil. Spend some time evaluating your practices and relationships, and see if there is any conduct that does not reflect one who is a servant of God. Ask God for forgiveness and pray that he would lead you through dying to that sin and living to righteousness. Who in your life right now needs the healing that only Jesus can bring? Who is straying in lostness that needs to be brought into the fold of the Shepherd? As a Life Group, pray for those individuals. Pray that God would prepare their hearts to receive the good news of the gospel. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to share that with them. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others Our memory verse for this week is a great gospel verse, a verse in scripture that captures the essence of the gospel. Seek to memorize it and share it with someone this week. For the Family: Read verses together as a family, and walk through how what Jesus did for us impacts how we treat others. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 2:24 ESV] 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 7

10 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:13-25 Sept. 24 th, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, Part 1 The Bible has much to say about human relationships and what they should look like. When Adam sinned in the Garden, our relationship with God, creation, self, and others was broken. Jesus came to restore each of those relationships through the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. So it is by his example of love and through the sanctification of the Spirit (1:2) that enables to obey Jesus command to love your neighbor that our relationships with others can be redeemed from the curse of sin. Peter describes in this passage what that practically looks like lived out in this broken world, (always build practices from what we see in Scripture, not from anything else). Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, calls us to submit to and honor those who are in power in the national and local Government. But above all we are to fear God. If the Government says one thing and God s word says something else, we must fear God and obey His Word, while honoring and loving and praying for our leaders. We are to show honor, esteeming highly and respecting 7, to everyone. We are to love the brotherhood, or fellow members of the family of God 8, i.e. the church. 9 Jesus said that it was by our love for other disciples that the world would know that we were his. The church should be the supreme example of people loving one another. Peter then outlines what an employee employer relationship should look like. Ultimately, we all have one master Jesus Christ, but we should both lead those under our authority in righteousness and gentleness, and we should follow those in authority over us with respect regardless of how they are to us, for this is a gracious thing in the sight of the Lord. Why? Because Christ set the example and those who are truly his disciples follow after Him. Dig Deeper Christ, Our Example and Our Shepherd If anyone is qualified to speak to what Christ did, it is Peter. As part of the inner 3, Peter saw amazing things. Because not only did he see the miracles and teachings of Jesus, he had the privilege to see him transfigured on the mountain. Sure he put his foot in his mouth, but Peter was able to witness Jesus in his glorified state. Peter also was the first of the 12 to walk in and see the empty tomb, John makes sure, however that we know that he outran Peter. And Peter was able to experience first-hand the gracious restoration from Jesus after just days before Peter had denied his savior 3 times. So Peter knows better than anyone how good of an example Christ was. Peter saw firsthand the suffering Jesus experienced from the scribes and Pharisees, the Romans, his hometown, members of his own family, and one of his own disciples. Peter also saw that not once did Jesus ever sin. Not once did deceit or any loose word leave his lips. Not once did he revile those who reviled him. Not once did the Son of God and Lord of this Universe threaten those beating him with immediate judgment. He prayed that God would forgive them. Peter understood the cleansing that took place on the cross and the implications it has on those who have been healed by his wound. So he reminds his audience and us today to continually look to Jesus as our example and shepherd who will lead us through the temporary sufferings of this world into the green pastures of eternity with Him. - What is our knee-jerk response when we or other Christians, at the hand of the world, suffer for righteousness? Do we follow in Jesus footsteps? Why or why not? (See Matthew 10:5-4) 7 John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2005), Schreiner, MacArthur,

11 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:21-3:7 Oct. 1 st, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, Part 2 PRAY: Respond to the Text First dates are fun, exciting and terrifying! They can be really awkward or they can go really well. If married share the story of your first date with your spouse, if not share a story about one of your worst first dates. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 2:21-3:7 (Supplemental Passages: Eph. 5:17-33, Gen. 2:22-24, Mark 10:6-9, Prov. 31:10-31) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a life group serve one another in their marriages? How can we take steps to care for the marriages in this church? Peter gives specific instructions to husbands in wives in light of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Pray that God would be revealing areas you need to grow in being a wife or husband. If single, pray that God would be preparing your heart to live out these truths if he calls you to marriage. Pray for marriages in this church, don t gossip, but petition the Lord for his grace and mercy to be applied in the marriages at MeadowBrook. Pray for the lost people your group has been praying for, who do not know truth and how it is applied in their marriages. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to speak the truth of the gospel into their lives if they open up about their marriage struggles. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others A godly marriage is a great picture of the gospel. Learn the various ways it demonstrates the gospel and share that with someone as you are sharing Christ with them. For the Family: Read verses 3:1-7 with your family and model this behavior. Explain how Jesus impacts everything, including marriage. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text Men: [1Pe 3:7 ESV] 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Women: [1Pe 3:4 ESV] 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 9

12 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 2:21-3:7 Oct. 1 st, 2017 Relationships and the Gospel, Part 2 Last week we saw what Peter talked about regarding how what Jesus did for us on the cross affects many of the common human relationships we experience daily. This week we will see how that same gospel message transforms the way husbands and wives work together for the glory of God and the good of the home. Though Peter s use of the word likewise connects this passages with the previous passages, he is not indicating that the husbands and wives have the same relationship structure as servant and master. 10 According to how God has set up the household with the husband as the head, wives are called to submit or be subject to their husbands. Despite what culture says, submitting does not denote lesser value. Jesus is still the example. Jesus submitted to the Father but is equal with the Father. As will be discussed below Peter actually is miles ahead of his culture in terms of the equality of woman. Dig Deeper Wives are called to do what? Out of all of the things taught in the New Testament, the household structure that is laid out is by far one of most controversial in our American culture. So were Paul and Peter and other New Testament writers chauvinistic? Is what they said outdated and not applicable in today s culture? The answer is no, but let s see why those things are not true. First, nothing in scripture regards women as being of a lesser value than men. They do have different roles. This is reflected in the Trinity. Each member has different roles, yet each is equally God. Jesus submitted to the Father s will, yet clearly he viewed himself as equal with the Father. (See John 5:18; 8:58; 10:30-31). The Pharisees response to both of these situations are evidence that they understood that Jesus was making claims of equality with the Father. This is also reflected in other Scripture as well. (See Hebrews 10:1-4; Colossians 1:15-17; etc.) Jesus also submitted to his parents, who were by no means his equal. 11 So even though this passage does call wives to submit to the authority of the husband, not simply being thoughtful or considerate, but submitting, it is never about value. It is about fulfilling roles, and our role is never to ensure the other is doing their role. In Peter s and Paul s admonitions to wives, they coupled it with other admonitions to husbands to prevent them for abusing their authority. Peter s comment about wives being co-heirs with their husbands shows that women are fundamentally equal with men. 12 This is miles ahead of his cultural surroundings, where women and men were by no means fundamentally equal. What about cultural significance? It seems that Peter is talking to wives whose husbands who aren t believers. Does what he says apply today? It does. If Peter was the only one to write about it, one might could make that argument, but Ephesians 5, among other texts, has continuous implications regardless of culture for the relationship between husband and wives. Husbands in the same way that Jesus was loving and understanding with us, are to show that same love and understanding to their wives. They are not to abuse their authority. They are called to lead gently. A husband living according to God s requirement shows respect to their wife and by extension all women. They are called to this because the eternal inheritance is a shared future between husbands and wives. Both will receive the inheritance discussed in chapter 1. If husbands choose not to do this, their prayers will be hindered meaning that God will not answer them. 13 Both husbands and wives are to look to Jesus and apply his example into their marriages. 10 Grudem, MacArthur, and Schreiner affirm this thought. 11 Grudem, Schreiner, Ibid, 161. Both quote and paraphrase afterwards. 10

13 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 3:8-22 Oct. 8 th, 2017 Responding to Persecution PRAY: Respond to the Text Jesus suffered immensely while on this earth. And his followers around the world and throughout time have experienced suffering. If you are in a place of suffering right now share your story and encourage and pray for one another. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-22 (Supplemental Passages: Matt. 5:38-48; 9:16-40, Gen. 6-8, Ps. 34, Heb. 11:1-7) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a Life Group be zealous for what is good and seek to do good in our communities? Where are areas that we should display the love of Christ and the hope that we have in our community? Peter calls the believers to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Where are we falling short in that charge? Pray for forgiveness and repentance, asking God to help you grow in the areas we need growth. We are to be prepared to give a defense to those who ask about the hope that we have. Pray that God would put those people in your path who would ask you about why you are the way that you are, and pray for boldness to share the gospel with them. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others The memory verse calls us to be prepared to share our faith. So prepare. Practice sharing the gospel. Practice sharing a one to two sentence testimony. And then actively seek to share that with someone this week. For the Family: Read verses 8 and 9 with your family and talk about how Jesus is the perfect example of what Peter is saying here. Explain that we are to follow what Jesus did and treat others as Jesus treated others. Even begin to explain what to do when we are not treated well and what God calls us to and why. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 3:14b-15 ESV] Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 11

14 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 3:8-22 Oct. 8 th, 2017 Responding to Persecution As Peter wraps up his discussion on how we are to relate to the government, employers, and spouses, having given special attention and encouragement to those most likely to be taken advantage of, he now moves into a discussion on how we are to respond when persecution and opposition for Christ s sake arises. Peter heard himself from the mouth of Jesus instructions like turn the other cheek; if someone is taking your tunic offer him your cloak; if a Roman Soldier forces you to go one mile, go two; love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, which will be many because you are being sent as sheep among wolves. Peter saw how Jesus responded when he was opposed and ultimately crucified. And Peter experienced the same opposition in Acts 4 and 5 and ultimately was crucified upside down for Christ, according to tradition. So Peter multiplies this attitude into his audience, calling them to be unified and humble and tender with one another and meek towards their opposition. He calls those who are reviled not to revile in return but to bless. He encourages us to have no fear for ultimately they can do no harm to those who are doing good for Christ s sake. He calls those experiencing this to honor Christ in how we live and respond to others who ask us why we endure opposition for the sake of a man who lived 2000 years ago. (Take note of repeated themes like honor, respect, the example and authority of Christ, and life as an exile). Peter reminds these small persecuted churches among a massive and evil Roman empire of the fact that God has indeed saved a few faithful people among many evil people before in the days of Noah. Peter s call to endure involves our faith in the faithfulness of God, our love towards others, and the hope of a salvation that is to be fully revealed at a later time. Dig Deeper A Confusing Passage of Scripture 1 Peter 3:18-22 is a confusing passage of Scripture. Martin Luther is quoted for saying that he really doesn t have a clue what it means, and many godly individuals have differing views on this passage. So what we want to accomplish is not a discussion as to what Jesus did or did not do in between his death and resurrection, but how are we to respond in the midst of persecution. But in order to inform you to direct the conversation back to the main point of this discussion here are three views (in the words of Thomas Schreiner) as to what Peter is talking about with Christ proclaiming to the spirits in prison. 1. [It refers to] Christ s preaching through Noah to those who lived while Noah was building the ark [It refers to] Old Testament saints who died and were liberated by Christ between his death and resurrection. 3. The text describes Christ s proclamation of victory and judgment over the evil angels. 15 But John Piper explains that Peter is mainly drawing attention to God s stunning ability to save his people and we should take heart no matter the opposition. Further resource: Does Water Baptism save you? The flood serves as an Old Testament type or picture of the waters of Baptism. But does Peter say here that water Baptism saves you? Peter s statement that it is not the removal of dirt clearly shows that he does not believe that the rite of baptism saves someone. Just as Noah was saved primarily by his faith that resulted in him building the ark, we are saved by our faith in the resurrection of Christ that results in obeying Christ s command to be baptized among other commands. 14 Wayne Grudem and John Piper favor this view. 15 Thomas Schreiner and John MacArthur favor this view. 12

15 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 4:1-11 Oct. 15 th, 2017 Living Godly Lives in a World that Isn t CONNECT God gifts all of his followers in various ways. Partner up with one or two others in the group and write down what you think God has gifted you with and see if you can guess what others wrote down. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-11 (Supplemental Passages: Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:3-6, 1 Cor. 12, Ps. 133) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a Life Group use our gifts to serve the other believers here at Meadowbrook? Will we commit to actually doing that? PRAY: Respond to the Text At the end of this section, Peter writes out a prayer of praise to the God. Take some time to write out your own prayer of adoration to God. We are called to live holy lives in the presence of an unholy world. That takes a lot of courage and intentionality. Pray that as a group, you would be intentional in engaging with the world in holy living. Not merely as a copy of the world but as one who has been transformed. Pray that gospel conversations would arise out of this intentional way of living. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others Peter calls us to speak the words of God when we speak. Remember back to 1 Peter 2:24, which we should have memorized. And intentionally seek to share that gospel message with someone this week. For the Family: Read verse 8-11 with your family and explain how, as followers of Jesus, we are to treat one another with love, hospitality, and selfless serving. Not so we could look good but so that others would worship and praise God. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 4:10 ESV] 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace 13

16 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 4:1-11 Oct. 15 th, 2017 Living Godly Lives in a World that Isn t Continuing the theme of Christ being our example, Peter draws conclusion from his previous discussion (seen by the word therefore) and begins to point his audience to how they are supposed to live in this evil world. He calls them to arm themselves in the same way of thinking as Christ did regarding suffering in this world. If we look back in chapter 3:17, we see that the thought is that it is better to suffer for doing what is right than avoid suffering by doing what is wrong. 16 When we do that we have ceased from sin, which Peter clarifies as not a sinless perfection here on earth but, rather, we are so passionate to live according to the will of God rather than the passions of the flesh that we are willing to endure suffering for it. 17 Peter says that the time is past for living according to the passions of the flesh and he says that the world will be surprised that we are not joining in with them. So what exactly is Peter calling us to do? We are called to preach the gospel. Peter explains what has happened to those believers who have already passed on to be with the Father and that that is why the gospel was preached. We are called to be self-controlled and sober-minded. We are called to love one another earnestly, even when they sin against us. We are called to show hospitality, with the right heart and without grumbling. Every gift we have received from the Father we are to use to serve one another out of the strength and words that God provides so that in everything God may receive the glory. Do our lives look like this? Is our desire to be like this? How can we help and encourage one another to be like this? Dig Deeper God s Varied Grace The fact that God gifts his followers with various spiritual gifts is a theme seen throughout New Testament writings (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12, 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). These gifts are not received in a way that we could boast about them, but like our salvation they are received by grace. 18 And this text and Romans 12:6 and 1 Corinthians 12 make it very clear that not everyone receives the same gifts. (It is important however not to use lack of gifts as excuses for not obeying Jesus. i.e I don t have the gift of evangelism so I don t share the gospel, etc.) We all receive different gifts because, we are each unique, and a body as seen in 1 Corinthians 12 could not function if everything was the same. So there is no need to boast of certain gifts or envy others. Each serves its specific function and each is nonexistent without the grace of God. We are to use our gifts to serve one another relying on God s ability, not our own. So if your gift involves speaking, know and speak the words of our God. If it involves serving, don t rely on your own strength, rely on God s strength. And remember, our gifts are not for our glory but our Father s glory who is in heaven. This week may be a good opportunity to encourage your group by calling out various spiritual gifts you see being lived out in their lives. Uniquely You Spiritual Gifts List Spiritual Gifts Wisdom Hospitality Teaching Giving Serving/Ministry Faith Shepherding Exhorting/Encouraging Prophecy/Perceiving Evangelism Showing Mercy Discernment Leadership Pioneering Knowledge Administration What are your own spiritual gifts (besides teaching)? Are there others? How are they being used to serve one another? 16 Grudem, Schreiner, Schreiner,

17 CONNECT LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 4:12-19 Oct. 22 nd, 2017 Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering PRAY: Respond to the Text Trust falls are scary. They are even scarier blindfolded, because you can t see anything that is going on. Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to trust God when you had no idea as to why something was happening? GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 4:12-19 (Supplemental Passages: Jn. 15:18-20, 16:33; Jas. 1:2-4; Rom. 8:18-39; Gen. 50:20) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? Peter says to entrust our souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. How can we as a life group seek to do good this week in our church, in our community, and in our families? Consequences for sin and suffering for righteousness are two very different things. Some of us are experiencing consequences for sins we may still not have repented of. Take some time and praise God for his discipline and the love he has shown you and ask for forgiveness and repent from the sins in your life. Judgment will be much worse for those outside the household of God. We will give an account as believers for our sins but we have an advocate in Christ who has paid our penalty. People who have not repented and believed in the gospel do not have that. An eternal judgment awaits them. Pray for opportunities to share the message of freedom with someone this week and pray that they will be responsive. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others As you are seeking to do good in your workplace, neighborhood or community this week, be intentional about engaging in gospel conversations with others. For the Family: Read verse 12-13, and 19 with your family. Explain that when we live for Jesus there will be people who do not like us and that is ok. Highlight verse 19 as the way we should respond during those times. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 4:19 ESV] 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 15

18 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 4:12-19 Oct. 22 nd, 2017 Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering In chapter one, Peter describes our inheritance and how that calls us to be holy. In chapter two and into chapter three, he explains what it looks like to live as the people of God and how that affects our daily relationships. In the rest of chapter three, he walks through how to respond to persecution relying heavily on the example of Christ, and in the beginning of chapter four he explains the stark differences between the unholy world and God s holy church. This has been all leading up to this section. If this was a story or movie, this section would be the climax. Peter has been preparing his audience for the reality of the suffering that they will inevitably face in this world, so he says, Do not be surprised. Jesus said that this would happen (Mt. 10:16-25; John 15:18-20, 16:33). Paul and John both say it will happen (2 Tim. 3:12; 1 John 3:13). Peter is telling them now that it would happen. Peter calls them to do three things in the midst of suffering, and all three are themes that repeatedly come up in 1 Peter. He calls them to rejoice (1:6-9; 2:9-10) in their suffering because they get to share in the sufferings of Christ. When Peter and John suffered in Acts 4-5, they rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. Peter calls them to holiness (1:2, 1:15-16; 2:11; 3:17; 4:3 etc.). It is only worthy if we are suffering for righteousness. For we can only be unashamed of our suffering if it is because of our holy lives. If we suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evil doer or a meddler, there is shame in that. Lastly, he calls them and us to entrust our souls to our Faithful Creator (1:8, 21, 2:22-25) ( while doing good, Peter cannot emphasize enough the importance of holy living). God is faithful. We will be rewarded for our suffering. He is Creator. Everything in His universe works under his authority. He is sovereign over all things. We can trust him and pursue holiness and rejoice in the midst of our suffering because our God is faithful. Dig Deeper What is God s role in Christian Suffering? When we read that we suffer according to God s will, we are tempted to think, Man, that s harsh. Why would a good God do that? What even is his role in it? Well though it is seemingly harsh at first glance, there is great comfort to be found in the fact that we suffer according to God s will. For are not suffering because random chance has purposed it or at the hands of evil men who are in complete control, but we suffer according to the perfect will of God that we know results both in our greater good and his glory (Rom. 8:28). 19 Because of this we know that there is a limit (set by God) to the suffering, both in intensity and duration and that it is purifying us, drawing us closer to our Lord, and making us more like him in our lives. 20 So we know that somehow God is sovereign over it all. God provides the strength to endure the suffering and persecution (Phil 4:13, 19 Grudem, Ibid, finally in context, Isa. 40:28-31). He sustains us with his Word (Heb. 1:3). 21 Lastly, God will one day vindicate his people and bring judgment to the wicked (Rom. 12:19). How to rejoice in suffering: Know These Truths It is according to God s plan (1 Peter 4:12-19) It produces endurance (Romans 5:3) It affirms our salvation (Romans 5:5) It is not worth comparing to the future glory (Rom. 8:18) We become more aware of Christ and his presence in our lives (2 Cor. 12:10) It sanctifies us (James 1:2) We get to share in the suffering of Christ. (1 Peter 4:12-19) What can we be doing now to prepare our hearts for the day of suffering so that we can rejoice? 21 Schreiner,

19 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 5:1-15 Oct. 29 th, 2017 The Work of God and the Responsibility of Man CONNECT Everyone has weird fears that would seem really strange and even ridiculous to others. Take some time as a group talking and laughing about the weird fears from your past or even present life. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 1 Peter 5:1-15 (Supplemental Passages: Matt. 11:25-30; Jas. 4:1-10; Phil. 2:1-11; Eze. 36:22-32) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a life group serve and encourage one another as we resist the enemy who tempts us to fear? PRAY: Respond to the Text The enemy s desire is for us to be in fear of his roar and thus be ineffective in gospel ministry. Maybe you have let fear prevent you from sharing your faith and you need to repent. Maybe you are battling fear today. Take some time to pray and cast your fears and anxieties onto God who cares for you. Pray that God would give you the boldness to resist the enemy and proclaim the gospel of victory to those in bondage to sin. Take some time as a life group to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are experiencing great suffering. Pray for those also who are being tempted as we are. Pray that they would be strengthened by community and by the future reality of Christians. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others This week really make a point to clothe yourselves in humility towards others, and then take use of the opportunities to share your faith that spring out of that. For the Family: Read verse 5-7 as a family. Talk about what humility is and how that changes how we treat others and how we follow and pray to God. Explain that we need God s help all the time and that he cares for us. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [1Pe 5:10 ESV] 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 17

20 LIFE GROUP 1 Peter 5:1-14 Oct. 29 th, 2017 The Work of God and the Responsibility of Man Peter is now closing his first letter. He has declared to his audience the true grace of God and is now calling his readers to stand firm in it. After giving instructions to those who are leading the churches he is writing to encourage (again he appeals to Christ as our example), Peter turns his focus to the congregations. And throughout the next seven verses Peter highlights how both God and we are working together in this world to stand firm. Both have roles and both have responsibilities. God s sovereignty is not a license to be idle, and it is foolish to think that God is not sovereignly working all things for his glory and our good. His work and our responsibility merge beautifully and paradoxically together. So what is Peter saying that God is doing? He is opposing the proud. He will exalt those who humble themselves under His hand. He is caring for us when we are worried. He is calling us to eternal glory. He is restoring, confirming, strengthening and establishing us. He is in control. That is what God is doing. It is what he has been doing and what he will be doing in all churches throughout the world throughout time. God is at work. So what are we called to do? Be humble. Submit to the leaders in the church. Clothe ourselves with humility towards everyone. ( It s not about you ). Submit to God and his plan. Pray to him casting our anxieties on Him. Be sober-minded and watchful. None of us are beyond any form of sin. We must be clear minded and be on guard for temptation, resisting the enemy, together brothers or sisters in the battle. We should be mindful of the global church and remember that we are not an isolated, weak force, but across the world we are suffering for a little while waiting to be revealed as a mighty army for our King. It is to him that belongs dominion forever and ever. Amen. Dig Deeper Satan, The Defeated Roaring Lion Peter refers to Satan as a roaring lion that is prowling around in order to find someone to devour. It is a violent picture of how our enemy is at work in this world. A prowling lion attacks its unsuspecting prey violently and viscously usually while its prey is doing something routine. 22 So Peter says to be watchful. Our enemy s goal is to invoke fear in order to cause us to deny Christ in a moment of fear, (something Peter himself had experienced). This includes being fearfully silent when there is an opportunity to share our faith. Satan wants us living in a silent fear, never proclaiming the gospel of victory to the lost. But Peter also, in a very encouraging verse, calls us to resist Satan and to not fear, but be firm in our faith. The reality is that Satan is defeated. Christ defeated him on the cross and when someone repents and believes in the gospel they no longer are under the reign of the enemy. The roaring of the lion is the crazed anger of a defeated enemy, and if (we) do not fear his ferocious roar, (we) will never be consumed by his bite. 23 So how do we resist him? We can also look to Jesus example in Mathew 4 on how to resist the enemy with God s Word. We must spend regular time in God s Word, studying, memorizing, and meditating on it in order to be able to wield it as a sword, remembering Jesus promise (Matt. 28:20) that he is with us always until the end of this age when our eternal glory is revealed. There is much strength to be drawn from that promise when we feel alone. But we don t do it alone. The enemy s lie is that we are alone. We are not. Fight him with others. No one is alone in their struggle. And we know that this is temporary. We resist the devil and if suffer for a year, 10 years, or even 60 years, we know that it is just a little while in comparison to eternity. So Peter again draws our attention to the fact that this world is not our home but we are encouraged and strengthened by Jesus eternal glory. 22 Grudem, Schreiner,

21 LIFE GROUP 2 Peter 1:1-15 Nov. 5 th, 2017 The Progressive Nature of Godliness CONNECT All good things take great effort. No team wins a championship without countless hours of training and preparing. Share stories in your Life Group of times when you had to supply great effort for something good GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text PRAY: Respond to the Text In verses 5-8 Peter lists many qualities that make up godly lives that result from faith. Examine your live with that list, and see where you fall short. Pray for forgiveness and ask the Spirit to direct you to Scripture that can help you pursue godliness. Read Main Passage: 2 Peter 1:1-15 (Supplemental Passages: Jn. 15:1-17; Heb. 11:1-12:16; 1 Tim. 4:6-10; 2 Tim. 3:14-16) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a life group stir one another up by a way of reminder to pursue godliness and show the love of God to others in our homes, community, neighborhoods, and workplaces? Godliness is a pursuit of believers. If one does not have faith in God, they will not and cannot pursue godly lives. (Nor should we expect them to). Spend some time praying for those outside the faith, that God would convict them of their sin and that they would repent and believe in the Gospel. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others Godliness stands out in the world. As you and your Life Group pursue godliness and hold each other accountable, people not familiar with the Gospel will take notice. Be intentional about turning those conversations into Gospel conversations. For the Family: Read verse 3-4 as a family. Talk about how God has given us everything we need for this life and to live a godly life. Train your family in how to read God s word and pray to Him using His Word as they try to live godly lives. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [2Pe 1:3 ESV] 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 19

22 LIFE GROUP 2 Peter 1:1-15 Nov. 5 th, 2017 The Progressive Nature of Godliness Peter profoundly opens his second letter by identifying his broad audience as those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours. Peter is claiming that his audience both past and present have an equal standing with Peter the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ who was a part of his inner circle of disciples. He can say that because our faith is based on the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. So after highlighting our great standing we have by grace through faith in Jesus, he moves into a discussion about godliness. Holiness and godliness go hand in hand. Pursuing holiness is the process where the sin in us is put to death, whereas pursuing godliness is the process of putting on the qualities of God. Pursuing godliness is achievable because of the grace that God has shown us, but as it is clear in this passage, we have a major role in the process. Peter says that God has given us everything we need that pertains to this life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. God has given us his Holy Spirit, who has regenerated our hearts and transforming us into a people who looks more and more like their creator. God has also given us great promises through His Divine Word, (a major theme in 2 Peter), that aids us in the pursuit of godliness. So because we have been given so much and no longer are enslaved to the ways of this world. We are to make every effort to pursue godliness and supplement our faith, not to earn a standing with God but because we have one already. And our pursuit of godliness should be ever increasing. We will never attain spiritual perfection here on earth, so we should continue to strive for godliness. To do that well, Peter says that we need to always be reminded of these qualities, and that we should stir one another up by the way of reminder. Peter knows that he about to die, so he desperately wants his audience to feel the importance of the progressive nature and pursuit of godliness. Dig Deeper What does it mean to confirm your election? Does this mean that if we don t confirm our salvation with godly lives we lose it? No. Does it mean that if someone says the sinner s prayer, yet shows no signs of godliness the rest of their lives they are still saved, because once saved, always saved? No. One implies a works based faith and the other sets someone up to hear the terrifying words: Depart from me, I never knew you. From the beginning of Scripture, it is clear that faith in God results in godliness. Hebrews 11 is a great example of this. Jesus links loving him to obeying his commandments. We can t have one without the other. So what Peter is saying here, in agreeance with the totality of Scripture that those who live ungodly lives show no evidence that they truly belong to God, that they have genuinely received forgiveness. 24 We still sin, of course, but we sin less than we used to. God s grace should not lead to moral relaxation, but to intense effort. 25 You don t just naturally drift there. It is as Paul said in Romans 6: [Rom 6:1-2 ESV] What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! (Or No! You re crazy if you think that. ) How can we who died to sin still live in it? Is there a key to Godliness? No. There are a thousand. (We need to be reminded) that every Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness so that we might be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16 17). Every verse is profitable. Thousands of them. It is all about developing our relationship with Jesus through consistent prayer and studying of His Word. Godliness flows out of that relationship. Every verse and every godly prayer works to that end. (Quoted and adapted from John Piper. For full article see: 24 Schreiner, Ibid.,

23 LIFE GROUP 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 Nov. 12 th, 2017 Finding Truth in a Lying Culture CONNECT It s one of the oldest games out there. One person starts by whispering a sentence to their neighbor and they repeat to the next one until it works its way around the circle. By that time it has completely changed. Try it with your Life Group and see what happens. GROW: Highlight and Explain the Text Read Main Passage: 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 (Supplemental Passages: Mark 13:31; Isa. 40:6-8; Ps. 1, 19, & 119; 2 Tim. 3:16) about who God is and what He does? (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) about me? Who do I identify with? - Is there a sin I need to repent from or avoid? - Is there a command I need to obey or a promise I need to trust? SERVE: Apply the Text As we serve together with one another in our church and in our community, is there an example we need to follow? How can we as a life group protect each other from the lies of this culture? What can we do to ensure that the coming generation knows and understands truth? PRAY: Respond to the Text Acronym for Praying through Scripture: I: [Psa 119:36] Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! O:[Psa 119:18] Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. U: [Psa 86:11] 11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. S: [Psa 90:14] 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Pray these scriptures over your life and the lives of those who hope to come to know Jesus. MULTIPLY: Share the Text with Others As you are building intentional relationships with lost people, naturally speak the truth of God s word into their situations. Use it as an opportunity to share the gospel with them. For the Family: Read verse as a family and discuss how important the Bible is for our life and relationship with God. Talk about how true and good it is. Look at a Bible Story your family loves and apply the methods used in this lesson to study it as a family. MEMORIZE: Meditate on the Text [2Pe 1:21 ESV] 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 21

24 LIFE GROUP 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 Nov. 12 th, 2017 Finding Truth in a Lying Culture Today s culture is full of lies. Lies about God, marriage, news, Washington, and even lies about things as basic and fundamental to life like the differences between man and woman. We, as the church, must stand on, proclaim and defend the truth. For we are not following some cleverly designed myths; we follow truth! The gospel we have received was first proclaimed by eyewitnesses and apostles, who for the most part all died for the gospel. On top of the New Testament we also stand firm in the Old Testament scriptures. Both of which have been well attested and have withstood any opposition against it. (See the stories of Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel). We follow truth that was handed to us by God himself. Peter says here that no man comes up with prophecy on their own, but they spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Utilizing the unique style and personality of the author, the Holy Spirit inspired them to write the words of Scripture contained in our Bibles. 26 Sadly, today, in many American Christian churches the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture is an archaic belief reserved for the ignorant. False teachers have arisen all over America enticing people in with their destructive heresies. This isn t just the Mormons and the Jehovah s Witnesses (BTW no historical claim in the Bible has been proven to be false, while basically all of the claims in their holy books have been) 27, but it is false teachers in historically Christian denominations. The SBC is not immune to this either. Therefore, we must not be content with what someone says about the Bible. We must study it and know it for ourselves so we can protect those whom we love from false teachings. Dig Deeper The Disciples made it up? bunch of scared children, but after his resurrection and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, they boldly proclaimed the gospel to all who were willing to hear it. Look at the life of Peter for an example. It would have only taken one eye-witness to claim (under intense torture by the way) that Jesus did not raise from the dead. But not one confessed to that. Their only gain was eternal. They lived lives of poverty and danger for the rest of their lives because of their message. One of the earliest charges was that the disciples took the body. But they could never prove it because the disciples did not take the body. Jesus body is with him as he reigns in Heaven. Is the Bible trustworthy? Credit: The transformation of the disciples and the Apostle Paul is one of the best arguments for the truth of the resurrection. After Jesus death, they acted like a Yes. Watch this video for a detailed answer to this question: Word.html Scroll down to look at other related topics about the trustworthiness of God s word as well. 26 Schreiner, 324. MacArthur, Smithsonian Statement on the Book of Mormon: (We) see no direct correlation between the archeology of the New World and the subject matter of the book. 22