1 & 2 Peter – Be Still…

1 Peter 3:15 – Your Testimony

^“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Peter 3:15)

If I am going to worship, I’m not going to just “go through the motions.” I have found myself doing that time and again, but right now in this season of life, my worship is deeper. I like how this verse describes it. When we remember who this Jesus is that we are worshipping, we want to be in awe of his majesty.

Context (1 Peter 3:13-22): There are many gems in 1 Peter 3, and in this section entitled “Suffering for Doing Good.” So “instead” of what? What comes right before this verse that would offer the alternative? It’s simply this: Instead of worrying about what people think of your faithfulness, remember God’s protection for doing good. Continue reading “1 Peter 3:15 – Your Testimony”

1 Peter 3:18 – He Suffered For Us

^“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18)

This verse confirms that Jesus’ suffering was complete. He did something for us that nobody else could ever do. He did it once, and that was all it took. Our sins are forgiven.

Context: In this section of the chapter, discussion focused on the power found in doing good. As Christ-followers, we find ourselves drawn to do good deeds not out of duty but because we want to honor Christ. It’s hard to explain such motivation to someone who doesn’t believe the same. This particular verse reminds us of the good thing that Jesus did for us. It reminds us of the love behind Jesus’ sacrifice. Continue reading “1 Peter 3:18 – He Suffered For Us”

2 Peter 3:14-18 -Growing in Grace

Read 2 Peter 3:14-18

I really like the Peter character as he’s being portrayed in the television series, “The Chosen.” Angel Studios has done a marvelous job of casting and creating historically possible back-stories to draw us in and touch our lives. I can relate to Peter, so as I read his closing today, I couldn’t help but picture that character. Sometimes having a visual can be helpful, especially if you’re a visual learner like me!

I get the feeling that Peter could go on and on about the dangers we’ll face as followers of Christ. He would have had personal knowledge of what it was like. But he lived in the world immediately after Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are a lot of similarities still present today. Thankfully, we can apply Peter’s wisdom to what we see happening in the world around us.

2 Peter 3:8-13 – God’s Timing

Read 2 Peter 3:8-13

Have you ever heard someone say, “God’s timing is perfect”? I did, just today. It’s a phrase we like to use when God seems slow in answering our prayers. Peter calls out that big old elephant in the room for us. He starts out by explaining that God’s clock works differently than ours. “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”

Is that a helpful reminder for you? Are you waiting on God for something big in your life to happen? It seems like we are always waiting for something, whether it’s a job promotion, finding the right house to move into, getting pregnant, getting married, being able to retire and start living life the way you want. What is it for you? When we welcome God and expect him to move in these life events, we can trust he is working out the “best” solution for us. Could that be why one of the gifts of the spirit is “patience”? We must continue to wait.

2 Peter 3:1-7 – Last Days

Read 2 Peter 3:1-7

Peter believed this “last days” discussion to be of utmost importance for us moving forward in faith. He isn’t discussing the “when” or “how” the last days will take place but tells of a sign we can expect. We may even be seeing good examples of Peter’s description today. He said, to expect people to be “mocking the truth and following their own desires.” You can’t turn on a news program or read news on the internet without seeing some group or individual challenging Christians and mocking the truth on which we stand. And with such a self-seeking society, people regularly follow their own desires seeking to “be happy” or to live “their” truth.

The truth Christians profess is Jesus, the Word made flesh. We know there is no other truth, yet we stand by and let other people do their “own thing” in the guise of “freedom.” Certainly, we expect the same courtesy to be able to speak the truth about Jesus, without being criticized or marginalized. Sadly, many Christ-followers keep quiet out of fear because we do take the heat for trusting Jesus.