At the conclusion of Peter’s letter to the suffering Christians he reminds them to stand fast in the true grace of God, to love the Church, both local and universal, and to be in Christ because only in him is there peace. Download
God’s first words to Adam and Eve were words of blessing. With the fall into sin all humanity comes under the curse of God. God in his mercy sent Jesus Christ to bring blessing to his people. Christ brings blessing by taking his Father’s curse upon himself. Download
Jairus trusted Christ to heal his daughter. When Jesus is interrupted en route to Jairus’ home his faith is tested. However, because his faith was a well founded faith in Jesus who took the curse of sin and rose from the dead, his faith was rewarded and his daughter was restored to health. Download
Peter encourages his readers to humble themselves before God by transferring all their concerns and burdens to the Lord. The fact that God has a mighty hand and that he cares us us is all the encouragement we need to rest in his wise providence. The fact that Satan is looking to destroy us should be all the encouragment we need to resist his advances. Peter ends this section by reminding us that the God of all grace will equip and preserve us and bring us to his eternal glory. Download
Jesus’ response to James and John’s request to sit in positions of prominence when Jesus returns in glory highlights three important aspects of Christian discipleship. First, Christ’s disciples will join him in glory when he returns. Second, in the meantime we are called to a life of suffering and, third, a life of service for even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. Download
Peter calls us to humility, both as leaders in the Church and as members. The leaders are to imitate Jesus the Chief Shepherd by shepherding the flock of God with self-denying service. Members of the congregation are to submit to their leaders in the Lord and to clothe themselves with humility as they serve one another. Download
Peter encourages his readers not to be surprised if they suffer as Christians. Instead, they should rejoice because the same Spirit that led our Lord Jesus is also leading them through suffering to glory. Further, Christians ought not to be ashamed of their trials because it is through trials that God is refining his Church and his people and their trials are nothing compared to the eternal suffering the ‘carefree’ world will experience when Christ returns. Download
The fact that man is destined to die and then to face judgement is one of the most sobering truths of the Bible. This truth is beautifully surrounded by the reality of the three appearances of Christ: long ago when he came to die to take away sins, now in the presence of God for us, and when he returns to bring salvation to all those who wait for him. Download
All people, believers and unbelievers alike, will stand before Christ’s judgement seat where all that they have done will be openly manifested. For believers the Judgement Seat is not a seat of condemnation because Christ has taken their condemnation upon himself. Rather, it is a seat of evaluation where believers, who are justified fully in Christ apart from their works, will be graciously rewarded for their works of service to Christ and others. The promise of a future reward should stimulate God’s people to self-denying service to their Redeemer. Download
Peter encourages his readers to continue to imitate Christ in his resolve to suffer rather than sin. He instructs them to keep Judgement Day in focus when the persecutors will be judged and when God’s people will enter into the fullness of the promised eternal life. Download