1 Peter 1:1-3:7 Review

Here is a quick over view of the Main and sub Points of 1 Peter 1:1 to 1 Peter 3:7

1 Peter

1:1-12                 Everything

              Main point: In Jesus I have everything

              1-2         God’s choice should lead to my obedience

              3-4         Praise for benefits (Born again, Living Hope/inheritance, Guarded)

              6-9         Trials equal testing (Future Glory, Obtaining Salvation)

              10-12    What you are experiencing prophets and angels only dreamed to

              Application:        What are you willing to trade your salvation for?

                                           Are you trying to live in isolation?

1:13-25               Transparent

              Main point: When people see you/us they should see the Father

              13          Set your hope on God’s grace (Your future hope is guaranteed by a past truth)

              14-16    The call to be holy

              17          Live in reverent fear of God, your judge

              18-21    Live in light of the high price paid

              22-25    Live in love

2:1-10                 Chosen or Rejected?

              Main point: Realizing their high calling, Christians are to be more than fans.

              1-3         Training for the team (What does it mean to feed the new life?)

              4-8         On the team (Which team are you on? The Christian life cannot be lived in isolation)

              9-10      Our calling

-          Chosen: Are we tempted to play up or down?

-          Royal: Do we really understand that we are children of the King?

-          Holy: Are we living set apart?

-          Treasured possession: Does this excite you?

-          God’s people: Mercy filled or not?

2:11-12               Winning the War

              Main point: Christianity is a call to live a radically different life in the midst of hostile opposition.

              A Two Front War:

-          Internal struggles and internal fruit

-          External struggles and outward fruit

Application: People are looking for Kingdom are you revealing it?

2:13-25               Free & Healed

              Main point: Christians are called to a life of service

              Key verses 16 & 24

              Key words: Free & Healed

              Maintaining status quo =

                             Missed ministry opportunities

                             I am comfortable

                             I’m not sent

                             I’m in rebellion

              Application:

-          What do I need to keep doing?

-          What do I need to stop doing?

-          How can I serve?

3:1-7                   Christian Marriage

              Main point: Dying to self is the key to submission and understanding

              For coal to become a diamond it need pressure…

              The Todd and Heidi Story

              Application:  How are you doing supporting your spouse in the following areas:

-          Spiritual

-          Emotional

-          Physical

-          Mental

Submission is an Attitude 1 Peter 3:8-13

Last Sunday our Executive Pastor, Ross preached. He did a good job reviewing the ground that I had covered and starting to wrestle with the second half of 1 Peter 3.

Here is the link and his outline.

Title: Submission is an Attitude

Link to Sermon: Submission is an Attitude

Our actions come from our attitude.

So if our actions are wrong our attitude is usually wrong.

In order for us to act differently, we must think differently!

1 Peter 1:13-14: Prepare your minds to think differently

In order to think differently, you need to:

- Understand who you are (Called) 1 Peter 1:15-16
- Understand whose you are (Chosen) 1 Peter 2:9-10
- Understand where you are (Not Home) 1 Peter 2:11
- Understand what you are to do (Live Godly lives) 1 Peter 2:12
- Understand how you are to live 1 Peter 3:8

Application:

Which area is God telling you to change?

 Harmony....Sympathy....Love....Compassion....Humble Yourself.

Christian Marriage 1 Peter 3:1-7

Text: 1 Peter 3:1-7

Link to sermon: Christian Marriage (1 Peter 3:1-7)  (Note: my wife, Heidi co-taught this lesson and you may have to turn up the volume to hear her)

Main Point: Dying to self is the key to submission and understanding

Submission and understanding are two key words in today's text.  They are also words that people have a hard time with.

Take a look at the following 3 pictures and decide which one represents your marriage or which one you want to represent your marriage.

Coal? Cubic Zirconia? or Diamond?  

Heidi and I have had couples from time to time look at our marriage and say "I want the marriage you have."  Put that on the shelf for a minute and ask yourself "What does a diamond start out as?"  Coal.  What does it take to make one?  Pressure.  Heidi and I have a great marriage, but you wouldn't want to go through what we have to produce the marriage that we have.  Let you trials be enough. When pressure comes into your marriage what are you allowing God to produce?  A diamond or two piles of coal dust?

Does a diamond come out of the ground ready to be set in a ring?  No it has to be cut.  (Note: This diamond illustration is a retweek of Eric Thomas' Shine Like a Diamond talk, he doesn't apply it to marriage). Everybody wants a great marriage, but most aren't willing to allow God to use the pressure/trails to produce the diamond.  Most aren't willing to die to self, so that the two can be come one.  Again, that take dying to self, living to Christ, so that you can both submit and live in an understanding way.

What you hear the word submit do you think negatively?  What does submission equal?  It doesn't equal slavery.  Peter is saying in the midst of your freedom submit.  Think of Jesus.  He submitted to the Father's plan to serve you.  People tend to get a little sideways when they hear the word submit, because they have a negative connotation of the word.  But it can be viewed in a positive light.  Heidi doesn't have a problem with submission, because in the end all the responsibility rests on my shoulders.  Let me translate that for you...she doesn't have a problem with submission, because it is my head that is on the chopping block...But I would add she also doesn't have a problem with submission because I live with her in an understanding way, take her advise and needs into consideration when making decisions.  If the two have died to self and become one submission is easy.

When you hear the term weaker vessel what do you think of?  Is this burly man and wimpy girl?  Or is it more the difference between these two pictures?

 Both hold water, but one is a little harder, firmer and stronger and one is more delicate, fancy and beautiful.  Men and women are equal, but different.  Peter isn't trying to belittle women, but rather point out there differences and challenge men that they are to cherish and delight in their wives rather than kick them around...

Here we transitioned to the Todd and Heidi story.  Two principles that have always been at the center of our marriage that have helped us live out these passages is communication and unity.  Take a listen...

We concluded with a challenge to explore your marriages asking how you are supporting one another in the following areas:

- Spiritual

- Emotional

- Physical

- Mental

Are you and your spouse one?  Are you dying to self, so that you can live in submission and unity?

Live Transformed 1 Peter 2:13-25

Text: 1 Peter 2:13-25

Link to sermon: Live Transformed 1 Peter 2:13-25

Main Point: Christians are called to a life of service.

Key Verses: 16 & 24

Key Words: Free & Healed

You have been set free and healed...why? So that you can live a life of service...

What does freedom mean to you?
 Some answers:
- free from bondage
- nothing in the way
- able to make your own choices
- discipline (if you are free, be careful that you do not use your freedom to become enslaved again....that takes discipline to avoid)
- tyranny

When one stops and thinks about freedom how often to they stop and think or ask what is the meaning/purpose of life?  Why do I exist? That typically doesn't even show up on the radar screen does it?  And yet if we are to be disciplined we need to ask ourselves that.  If we have been set free we need to ask ourselves the question: What have I been set free to do?  If we fail to ask that question then it is very easy to go off it a wide variety of directions and end up failing to use our freedom in the way we are supposed to do.  You have been set free to fulfill your calling and purpose...One could therefore say: "Hey wait a minute that means that I am not truly free...free to make a choice yes, but not truly free..." We were created with a purpose...but that purpose comes from outside of ourselves...we do not readily like that do we?  But God has set us free and called us for a purpose namely to serve Him and namely to serve Him through our service of others...

What does it mean to be healed?

- no more pain

What if by being healed you were going to feel more pain?  Peter's first hearer/readers were facing this.

- being whole
- being delivered

We have been healed and are now becoming whole.

How does Jesus provide both?

That is where the Gospel comes in...

How are we to use our freedom?

Ask yourself "How did Jesus?"  He submitted and served others.  Jesus did not consider equality with the Father something to be grasped, but rather stepped down into time/flesh...why?  To set the captives free.  He submitted himself to the Father's plan to serve you...what an example. See verses 21-23.

Humble yourself, trusting God to set things right in His time.

Application:

If we are free to serve, so what?

Managing status quo = ?

Managing status quo = missed ministry opportunities
Managing status quo = I am comfortable
Managing status quo = I'm not sent
Managing status quo = I am in rebellion

Action step:

- What do I need to keep doing?
- What do I need to stop doing?
- How can I serve?

Winning the War 1 Peter 2:11-12

Just a quick note to pass on the link to last Sunday's Sermon: Winning the War from 1 Peter 2:11-12

Winning the War