1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel

Submission for the Lord’s Sake

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

God is honored, and critics are silenced, when Christians submit to authority and do good. In part 5 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 2:13-25.

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Study Notes

Submit to every human institution…

Government (1 Peter 2:13-17)
- God has ordained it to maintain order
- Doing good silences critics
- Serve, honor, love and fear
Masters (1 Peter 2:18-25)
- Submit to both the good and the unjust
- Enduring unjust suffering honors God
- Christ is our example of unjust suffering

Applying the Text

Do you honor authority?
Do you respond to hostility and injustice with good?

A Little While

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Christians are to live humbly, entrusting all our cares to God, knowing that He will restore and establish us after we have suffered a little while. In part 12 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 5:5-14.

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Study Notes

Concluding Thoughts…

Humble yourself (1 Peter 5:5-7)

Humble yourself

before the elders
before one another
before God

Humble yourself… Why?

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble
You will be exalted at the proper time
God cares about your anxieties

Watchfully resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8-11)

Watchfully resist the devil… Why?

The devil seeks someone to devour
You are not alone in your suffering
After a little while, you will be restored and established

Stand firm in true grace and fellowship (1 Peter 5:12-14)

Wish by Jorge Rodrieguez-Gerada

Applying the Text

Are you humble?
Are you resisting the devil?
Are you standing firm in true grace knowing God will restore and establish you?

Spiritual Leadership

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Good spiritual leadership exercises oversight willingly, with right motives, and as humble examples to the flock. In part 11 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 5:1-4.

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Study Notes

Good spiritual leadership…

shepherds the flock
exercises oversight
serves willingly
serves with right motives
serves humbly and gently
are examples
will be rewarded

Applying the Text

Are you a spiritual leader?
Why do you serve?
How do you serve?

Suffering as a Christian

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The Christian should not be surprised by hostile opposition but rather can rejoice in sharing in Christ’s sufferings. In part 10 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 4:12-19.

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Study Notes

Suffering as a Christian…

Do not be surprised
Rejoice in it
Suffer for the right reason
Accept God’s judgment
Trust the Sovereign God and do good

Applying the Text

Are you opposed for the right reason?
Do you trust God and do good?
Are you praying for persecuted believers?

A Clean Break

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Followers of Christ are called to make a clean break with the passions of the past and embrace the will of God now. In part 9 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 4:1-11.

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Study Notes

Think like Christ…

Be done with sin
Live for the will of God
Stop wasting your life
Accept misunderstanding and insults

Act like Christ…

Pray with discipline and seriousness
Love earnestly
Show hospitality
Use your gifts to serve
Glorify God in everything

Applying the Text

Are you done with sin?
Are you ready to embrace the will of God?

A Proper Defense

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The Christian should always be ready to defend the faith with gentleness and respect. In part 8 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 3:14-16.

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Study Notes

But if you suffer for righteousness’ sake… be prepared to make a defense

A Proper Defense…

Courage
Holiness
A reason for your hope
Gentleness and respect
Integrity
Good behavior

Defense- “Apologia”- Apologetics

Christian Apologetics is the task of defending Christianity’s basic truth claims and world view. It seeks to defend the rationality of the faith against the objections of skeptics, remove stumbling blocks to faith of those seeking truth and strengthen the faith of believers.

Varieties of Apologetics

Key Resources

Authors
Books
Websites

Key Considerations

God the Holy Spirit alone regenerates and saves people.
You are called to be prepared with a reason for your hope- not necessarily be an expert in all matters of apologetics.
The most compelling defense of the faith is holy character and good conduct.

Applying the Text

A simple testimony
A reason for your hope
Holy character and good conduct
Know apologetic resources

Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Those who return evil with good and suffer for righteousness’ sake will be blessed. In part 7 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 3:8-22.

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Study Notes

Be zealous for good…

unity of mind
sympathy
brotherly love
a tender heart
a humble mind
return evil with blessing

But if you suffer for righteousness’ sake…

you will be blessed
have no fear
honor Christ as holy
be prepared to make a defense
have a good conscience

For Christ also suffered…

once for sins
to bring us to God
to save through His resurrection
to receive all authority

Applying the Text

Are you zealous for good?
Are you prepared to suffer for righteousness’ sake?
Are you looking to Christ the Lord?

True Beauty and True Strength

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A wife’s true beauty is found in a gentle and quiet spirit which honors her husband, and a husband’s true strength is found in an understanding spirit which honors his wife. In part 6 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 3:1-7.

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Study Notes

Biblical and Cultural Context…

True Beauty is expressed in…

a respectful attitude
holy conduct
a gentle and quiet spirit

True Strength is expressed in…

an understanding way
showing honor
unhindered prayer

Applying the Text

Wives, do you honor your husband?
Husbands, do you honor your wife?
All, do we honor one another?

A Chosen and Precious People

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Christians are precious in God’s sight and are called to proclaim the greatness of Christ through holiness and good deeds. In part 4 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 2:4-12.

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Study Notes

Jesus is…

a living stone
rejected by men
chosen and precious in the sight of God

We are being built up…

as a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood
to offer spiritual sacrifices to God

For we are…

a chosen race
a royal priesthood
a holy nation
God’s own people
proclaimers of God’s excellencies
recipients of God’s mercy

Therefore…

Abstain from fleshly passions
Do good

Applying the Text

Is your character becoming more like Jesus?
Is your conduct becoming more like Jesus?

Love One Another (2014)

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

As regenerated followers of Christ, we are called to sincerely and earnestly love one another. In part 3 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3.

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Study Notes

Love One Another…

sincerely (1 Peter 1:22a)
earnestly (1 Peter 1:22b)

For you have been born again…

of imperishable seed (1 Peter 1:23a)
through the eternal Word of God (1 Peter 1:23b-25)

So…

Put away destructive attitudes and behaviors (1 Peter 2:1)
Long for the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2-3)

Applying the Text

Is your love sincere and earnest?
Is your love demonstrated in your attitudes and actions?
Do you long for the Word of God?

A Call to Holiness

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

You have been ransomed with the precious blood of Christ so that you may be holy as He is holy. In part 2 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter: 1:10-21.

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Study Notes

Purpose

To encourage and instruct believers in how to live as ambassadors for Christ in a hostile society

Part 1: “A Living Hope”

“Whatever trials you must endure, you have a living hope in Christ with an imperishable inheritance kept in heaven for you.”

Your salvation…

was prophesied (1 Peter 1:10a)
was eagerly anticipated (1 Peter 1:10b-12a)
fascinates the angels (1 Peter 1:12b)

Your salvation calls for…

action (1 Peter 1:13a)
sober-mindedness (1 Peter 1:13b)
focused faith (1 Peter 1:13c)
holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16)
sober reflection (1 Peter 1:17)
somber appreciation (1 Peter 1:18-21)

Applying the Text

Is the direction of your life pointing toward greater holiness?

A Living Hope

Wonder Lake Bible Church — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Whatever trials you must endure, you have a living hope in Christ with an imperishable inheritance kept in heaven for you. In part 1 of 1 Peter: Culture Conflict Counsel, Pastor Dan Cox reads from 1 Peter 1:1-9.

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Study Notes

A Brief Introduction to 1 Peter…

Author: The Apostle Peter

Date: About A.D. 65

Recipients: Christians scattered throughout five Roman provinces of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey)

Purpose: To encourage and instruct believers in how to live as ambassadors for Christ in a hostile society

Overview: The book of 1 Peter is written to encourage and instruct Christians facing persecution in how to live in a hostile society. We are strangers and aliens who are ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ and must therefore live in a way that honors Him. We have eternal hope in temporal suffering. Because God is holy, we are called to be holy in all our conduct. As Christ endured suffering, so too we are to endure as we entrust our souls to a faithful Creator as we do good. Although we may suffer for a little while, we have a glorious inheritance that will last for eternity.

We have been…

elected by the Father (1 Peter 1:1-2a)
sanctified by the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2b)
set apart for obedience to Christ (1 Peter 1:2c)

We have…

a living hope (1 Peter 1:3)
a secure eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:4)
God’s protecting power (1 Peter 1:5)

We can…

rejoice in trials (1 Peter 1:6)
anticipate honor and rewards (1 Peter 1:7)
love Christ and rejoice in hope (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Applying the Text

Eternal Perspective….

How would living with an eternal perspective impact your life?

A more consistent eternal perspective…

at home?
at work?
in your “spiritual” life?
when encountering hardship or opposition?