Week 10
New Testament Fluency in 12 Weeks
Where will the pressure come from? (1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude)
Outside pressure: 1 Peter
The main theme of 1 Peter is following in Christ’s steps when you suffer. Look at the words of the song:
1 Peter, praising God
For our hope despite our trials
Be ye holy, living stones,
With Christ the cornerstone
Servants, wives, and husbands,
Elders, younger men instructed
When you’re suffering for Christ,
You follow in his steps
1 Peter…
What kinds of suffering were they experiencing?
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 3:9 …not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult…
1 Peter 3:16 …and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
1 Peter 4:4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you…
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you…
1 Peter 4:16 By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.
What does 1 Peter teach that you should do about pressure like this?
- When slandered, you must ______toward those who slander you. Your hope is that this will eventually lead them to glorify God (2:12). If it doesn’t lead to that, at the very least this may silence them (2:15), or put them to shame for what they are doing (3:16).
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
1 Peter 3:16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
- You need to ______under sorrows—that is, endure patiently—when you are treated unjustly (2:19-20). God likes it when we respond this way (“this finds favor with God”).
1 Peter 2:19-20 For this findsfavor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for ityou patiently endure it, this findsfavor with God.
- When you are reviled (bad-mouthed) or suffer at the hands of someone, you are ______they have treated you (2:23; 3:9). This is simply following the example of Christ.
1 Peter 2:23 and while being reviled, he did not revile in return; while suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himselfto him who judges righteously
1 Peter 3:9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
- Don’t feel ______for suffering as a Christian—instead ______God in it (4:16).
1 Peter 4:16 but if anyone suffersas a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
- ______your soul to your faithful Creator (that is, put your soul into his care), ______even as you suffer (4:19).
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
Inside Pressure: Jude and 2 Peter
Look at the words of the song:
Jude and second Peter,
Speaking out against false teachers
Citing ancient punishments
Of angels and of men
But second Peter teaches more,
Prophetic Scripture’s source the Spirit
A list of Christian qualities,
A day like a thousand years.
2 Peter…
Jude verses 3-4 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude verses 17-23 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.