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THIS JOURNAL BELONGS TO:

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LIGHTHOUSE.CHURCH6691 BAYMEADOW DR. GLEN BURNIE, MD

S.O.A.P.

HOW TO S.O.A.P.REFERENCE

THINGS TO BRING WITH YOU EACH DAY: A BIBLE, A PEN, AND THIS BOOK.

SCRIPTURE

OBSERVATION

APPLICATION

PRAY

OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO THE READING FOR THE DAY. ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU EYES TO SEE, EARS TO HEAR, AND A HEART TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. TAKE YOUR TIME READING AND PAY ATTENTION TO ANY VERSE(S) THAT POP OFF THE PAGE OR SPEAK TO YOU AND WRITE THEM DOWN.

REREAD THE VERSE(S) THAT YOU WROTE DOWN IN THE SCRIPTURE SECTION AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH AND REVEAL JESUS TO YOU. WRITE DOWN ANY OBSERVATIONS YOU CAN MAKE ABOUT THE VERSE(S) (I.E. WHO IS SPEAKING, WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE, ETC.).

IN LIGHT OF YOUR OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE, PERSONALIZE IT BY ASKING HOW IT APPLIES TO YOUR LIFE. IS IT AN INSTRUCTION, ENCOURAGEMENT, PROMISE, OR A CORRECTION? WHAT STEPS COULD YOU TAKE TODAY TO LIVE IT OUT IN OBEDIENCE AND FAITHFULNESS?

+ WITH THANKFULNESS FOR GOD SPEAKING TO YOU AND INVITING YOU TO BE WITH HIM. + WITH A DESIRE TO BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS IN YOUR DESIRES, INTENTIONS AND ACTIONS. + WITH THE PURPOSE OF PUTTING IT TO ACTION AND DOING WHAT JESUS DOES. + AS A CONVERSATION, STOP AND LISTEN TO WHAT GOD MIGHT SAY BACK.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, a peculiar people;

that ye should shew forth the

praises of him who hath called you out of darkness

into his marvelous light.”

1 PETER 2:9 KJV

FIRST PETER

INTRO

INTRO

INTRODUCTION

The Apostle Peter was by any measure an extraordinary man. Originally called Simon, he was raised in almost complete obscurity and came from the humble village of Bethsaida. Prior to the Resurrection of Jesus, he would at various times in his life be recognized as a fisherman, a follower of Christ, and the acknowledged leader of the 12 Disciples. He was confident and obedient to God but could be brash and impulsive. So impulsive, that he would at one point loudly (and repeatedly) deny even knowing Jesus! But after the Resurrection, an incredible change came over Simon, and he became what Scripture calls a new creation. He was now known as Peter; a fearless speaker, a worker of miracles, a tireless champion for the Gospel, and a man filled with the Holy Spirit.

But what could have caused this remarkable change in Peter and the other disciples? The religious leaders and the common people, all around, knew the answer, and solemnly gave each other the only possible explanation, “...these men have been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NIV)

Fast forward to approximately 62 A.D., and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter sat down and penned the first of his many letters to the early Church. His goal was simple: to write to the young Church scattered abroad and to strongly encourage them that despite the doubts, the opposition, and even persecution, to follow Jesus with resilience, endurance, and with courage!

Writing from Rome, Peter clearly saw that the early Church was just beginning an intense period of heavy scrutiny which would soon turn into open hostility. He knew that those who claimed to be part of “The Way” would be singled out for ridicule, punishment, and in some cases even death, solely because of their faith in Jesus. Remember, Peter had lived in close proximity to Jesus for three full years, studying Him closely. He had experienced firsthand the persecution of men, but far more importantly, he had firsthand experience with the faithfulness of God. These two factors combined made Peter uniquely qualified to encourage believers to not only endure their situation but to actively thrive in it, glorifying God in the process.

And in fact, a few years after writing to the Church, Peter experienced this very sort of persecution that he had warned them about. Emperor Nero, jealous of Peter’s authority and power, condemned him to crucifixion. During his sentencing, Peter had but one request, that he would be crucified upside down, stating that he wasn’t worthy enough to die as his Savior had. What a testimony from this former fisherman who at one point had denied even knowing Jesus!

We don’t know just how many people Peter had hoped to reach with this powerful, to-the-point letter, but what we do know is that he eventually influenced millions of believers across the world (and is still doing so today) through his testimony and teachings.

In this short letter Peter will unpack an impressive number of doctrinal ideas. However for our time together; we will focus on four main topics: Trials, Godly Values, Calling, and Persecution. As we study these topics together I’m confident that Peter will strongly encourage you right where you are and will remind us that Jesus is ultimately our encouragement, our source of stability, and the true source of our endurance. It’s Jesus that sends us His Spirit to empower us and help us walk through life in a way that pleases and glorifies God!

Church, I believe with all my heart that Peter’s letter could not be more timely. Hostility against truth has become the norm and persecution is on the rise. I especially love the way Peter confidently reminds us that we are just mere pilgrims passing through a foreign land and are on our way home. This present world is not our destination! And so as we carefully study this highly practical and experience-based letter my prayer is that, just like Peter, we would not only find great encouragement in what God will say to us, but that we will walk with great boldness in what we’ve learned.

INTRODUCTION

TRIALS

WEEK ONE

JAME

S 1:2-

4

“CONSIDER IT PURE JOY... WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE. LET PERSEVERANCE FINISH ITS WORK SO THAT YOU MAY BE MATURE AND COMPLETE...”

It was early afternoon, and I was in my office, beginning a one-on-one meeting with a gentleman who attends our church. Sometimes these meetings can be pretty light. The conversations can be a lot of fun and even filled with laughter. But this was definitely not one of those meetings. As my friend told me about a series of events that had taken place over the course of the last month, tears were streaming down his face. He explained to me that his employer of thirty years had decided to lay off his entire division, abruptly leaving him without any income. But income wasn’t the only problem. When his job disappeared, so did his health insurance which he desperately needed to take care of his disabled wife. Anxious with the weight of a growing stack of medical bills, and distracted with the worry of finding a new job, he also revealed to me that his daughter had recently passed away. She had died due to a heroin addiction which she had somehow managed to keep hidden from the family. To say that he was bewildered and blindsided would be a gross understatement. But as shocking as everything he had just said was, his next words were the ones that rang loudest to me. He sat there across from me, heartbroken and scared. Then he looked right at me and said, “The thing that I care about the most is that I represent my Savior well amidst these trials. I just don’t want to bring a reproach upon Jesus in some way by not handling this hardship well. He’s brought me this far, and I know that He’ll carry me through. But sometimes I just feel weaker than I would like to.” I let him finish speaking, and then I thought to myself, I don’t know if I have ever heard someone speak so honestly and so courageously in my entire life. I literally felt like a child sitting before a hero. That day I not only learned God’s wisdom through him but was also deeply convicted by him. After our time together had finished and I was alone again collecting my thoughts, it occurred to me that a “trial” is really nothing more than a process by which something can be proven to be real, true, and authentic. My friend had proven to be all those things. If you were to look up the definition of trial, in the dictionary, you would see it’s described as, “a test of performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something for a specific task… particularly under some form of pressure”.1 This is exactly what happened to him.

1 | “Trial: Definition of Trial in English by Lexico Dictionaries.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, 2019, www.lexico.com/en/definition/trial.

WEEK ONE

See his unexpected trial confirmed and strengthened something within him whether he identified it or not. It’s for this very reason; the Apostle James tells us to actually, “count it all joy” when we face various trials and hardships because our faith in Jesus is being authenticated and validated. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV)

And if that seems a little weird to you, just know that the Apostle Peter doubles down on that same exact thought by encouraging us not only to rejoice but to greatly rejoice when we go through trials. “In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9, NIV) God’s Word is very clear on two points about the trials we face. The first point is that Jesus allows trials in our lives to strengthen and improve us. And the second point is that our trials are designed to test our performance, gauge our qualities, and measure our suitability as soldiers for the Kingdom. Our trials are personally designed to prove and validate our new roles as ambassadors of Jesus Himself. It’s important to not only prove that we can fill these new roles of ours, but it’s even more important to prove that we can do it under pressure.

The incredible part of all this is that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can actually look at our trials with new eyes and see the hardships we face as a very valuable kind of “proving ground”. Our trials and tests provide us with opportunities for growth we wouldn’t have otherwise. They also help reveal how suitable we are becoming as citizens of Heaven, by putting us on the spot and quickly testing whether what we say matches what we actually do under stress. This is exactly why Peter will tell us that one of the clearest ways to prove that we’re, “...a chosen generation, a royal

WEEK ONE

priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people…” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV) is for us to withstand the trials of life with faith, patience, and humility. Now, is all that even possible? YES, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can not only withstand but actually embrace our trials knowing that they are designed by God Himself to mature us, refine us, and ultimately to make us look more like Jesus!

WEEK ONE

ICEBREAKER Share your favorite story about your own personal growth or transformation.

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9+ Peter, in verse 3, says that we have been given a ‘new birth’. What are the two things we’ve been re-born into? What does Peter mean by these?

+ Our new birth into a living hope and an everlasting inheritance are presented by Peter as reminders and springboards for our faith, and something that we should ‘greatly rejoice’ in. Why does Peter find it necessary in light of the rest of verse 6? How have you found hope, peace, or joy by considering these two reminders?

+ Why are trials and difficulties necessary for a follower of Jesus? When have you been able to look back upon a past trial or suffering with joy or gratefulness?

Read ROMANS 5:1-5+ Paul echoes Peter in his letter to the Romans. What are the three things that suffering produces in our lives? Why are each of them important to you?

+ Paul says that the love of God has been ‘poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.’ How does the Holy Spirit help us?

+ How does knowing that God the Father has given you the Holy Spirit, to be with you and help you through every situation and trial, affect your view of trials and sufferings?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

SERMON NOTESWEEK ONE

SPEAKER‘S NAME: KEY SCRIPTURE:

SERMON NOTESWEEK ONE

SERMON TITLE:

MONDAYWEEK ONE

1 PETER 1:1-2

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to Gods elect, exiles scat-tered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappa-docia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanc-tifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abun-dance.

+ From - Peter - Who is Peter? - Apostle of Jesus Christ, What is an apostle? One of the 12 disciples who lived with Jesus for 3 years.+ To - God’s elect - what does elect mean? Chosen by God, exiles - of what, from where?, scattered throughout modern-day Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey.+ Chosen how? - by God the Father’s foreknowledge, through the sanctifying (what does this mean? - set apart, holiness) work of the Spirit, for the purpose of obeying Jesus and sprinkled with his blood (what does this mean? - washed clean, justified, righteous).+ Grace - free, underserved gift+ Peace - not the absence of turmoil but security in the midst of it.

MONDAYWEEK ONE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 1:1-2

Even in the midst of being uprooted, scattered because of extreme persecution; security, grace and peace can be had because of the confidence of being chosen as God’s son or daughter, bought by the blood of Jesus, and continually made new by the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I can face any turmoil or hardship when I am with God and He is with me.

Father thank you for your great love for and pursuit of me, even when I’m scattered and afraid. Help me Lord to trust in your great grace, and rest in your overwhelming peace that you have secured for me by Jesus’ blood. Holy Spirit I ask that you transform me and empower me to be more like Jesus in all that I do and even more especially in the midst of the hardships I might face today. Amen.

1 PETER 1:3-9

TUESDAYWEEK ONE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

TUESDAYWEEK ONE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 1:3-9

WEDNESDAYWEEK ONE

1 PETER 1:10-12

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

WEDNESDAYWEEK ONE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 1:10-12

1 PETER 1:13-21

THURSDAYWEEK ONE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

THURSDAYWEEK ONE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 1:13-21

FRIDAYWEEK ONE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

CONGRATS! YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THE WEEK!

1 PETER 1:22-25

FRIDAYWEEK ONE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED WITH #LHPECULIAR

1 PETER 1:22-25

VALUES

WEEK TWO

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set

your hope on the grace to be brought

to you when Jesus Christ is revealed

at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to

the evil desires you had when you lived

in ignorance.”

1 PETER 1:13-14

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the United States govern-ment put into place a series of defensive measures designed to protect domestic hard targets from further terrorist aggression. Many of these measures are no doubt top secret, but one method that the government uses is so obvious that you just can’t miss it. I’m talking about boulders; massive granite and limestone boul-ders. These boulders sprouted up practically overnight around the perimeters of Federal and military assets that were defined as highly valuable to our country. The idea was to simply keep some deranged individual, who intended harm, from driving a truck full of explosives into a building or crashing it through a gate, blowing up not only the truck itself but everyone and everything around it. Today, to get on property, strict checkpoints and guarded gates are implemented to protect our way of life, our values, and ultimately our Constitution. In a very similar way, author Edwin Friedman describes the pro-cess of putting into place personal defensive measures to protect ourselves from “moral intruders”. In his book, From Generation to Generation, Friedman explains why people should clearly under-stand what they consider their own values to be and then carefully consider what kind of checkpoints and defenses are needed to pro-tect those values. This kind of protective analysis is important for at least three rea-sons. First, your values drive your decisions, behaviors, and habits. Second, those decisions, behaviors, and habits combine to form, what’s known in Greek, as your personal ethos or character. This is the same root word from which we get our English words like “ethics” and “ethical.” Finally, and simply put, your personal ethos is your framework for making choices; it’s basically your “personal Constitution.” Ultimately, your personal ethos demonstrates to oth-ers who you are as a person.

Now when it comes to values, the Apostle Peter reminds us that as followers of Jesus, we have an entirely different set of standards than does the world around us. Peter warns us to stay focused and to very carefully guard our conduct and our personal ethos.

WEEK TWO

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16, NIV)

The Apostle Paul nails this same concept down by urging us in our thinking and values to, “… become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:13-14, NIV). Hear me on this, in a day and age when everybody with a hit record or a talk show, seems to think they can redefine truth to fit their situation, the words of Peter speak directly to us as 21st-cen-tury believers. He reminds us that to the outside world, we appear to hold some pretty peculiar values that in turn make us some pret-ty peculiar people! And of course that’s exactly what our calling as disciples of Christ is; to be a separate and holy people, to be pow-erful testimonies, and shining lights in the world very much used to confusion and darkness.

WEEK TWO

SMAL

L GRO

UPDI

SCUS

SION

ICEBREAKER What is the most peculiar thing you’ve ever done, or experienced?

Read 1 Peter 1:13-16+ What are some things that make you alert and sober-minded?

+ What should we set our hope on? Why?

+ What does it mean to be holy? What are some steps you could take to live that way?

Read EPHESIANS 4:13-14+ Paul uses the imagery of being like an infant tossed around on the wave tops, or blown by the shifting wind. Have you ever felt this way in your walk with Jesus?

+ What does Paul say is a solution to being tossed around?

+ Living a holy, mature life will often cause us to look peculiar in comparison to the way we used to live. Why is it worth it?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

SERMON NOTESWEEK TWO

SPEAKER‘S NAME: KEY SCRIPTURE:

SERMON NOTESWEEK TWO

SERMON TITLE:

MONDAYWEEK TWO

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

1 PETER 2:1-3

MONDAYWEEK TWO

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 2:1-3

1 PETER 2:4-8

TUESDAYWEEK TWO

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

TUESDAYWEEK TWO

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 2:4-8

1 PETER 2:9-12

WEDNESDAYWEEK TWO

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

WEDNESDAYWEEK TWO

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 2:9-12

1 PETER 2:13-17

THURSDAYWEEK TWO

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

THURSDAYWEEK TWO

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 2:13-17

1 PETER 2:18-25

FRIDAYWEEK TWO

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

CONGRATS! YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THE WEEK!

FRIDAYWEEK TWO

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED WITH #LHPECULIAR

1 PETER 2:18-25

CALLING

WEEK THREE

2 CO

RINT

HIAN

S 5:17

-18 &

20

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation... we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”

It was my first year of Bible College, and I had arrived on campus about as green as green can be. Though I had been raised in the church, I felt completely out of my element. After a few days of orientation and figuring out the campus, the first day of the semester finally dawned. I got to my first class early, slid into my seat, and waited. Precisely on time, Theology Professor Schultz stepped to the front of the classroom and gave us all a strict look before beginning. As soon as he started speaking, I quickly realized that although Professor Schultz seemed to bear a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, his personality did not. He was not the slightest bit festive, and he certainly did not seem jolly. He was blunt and to the point. He started the class with no preamble and with three no-nonsense questions. The first one was this, “If you had to clearly and concisely explain to someone why you exist here on planet earth, what would you say?” While all of us were still pondering his first question, he pushed on without waiting for our responses. Abruptly he asked his second question, “Why is it that God saves you, is in the process of renewing you, and then calls you His very own?”. Again, no one offered any answers. I remember noticing how quiet the classroom had become. And then, with his final question, he challenged us with this, “What is His purpose for you now?” At that point, we were all afraid to move.

As for me, I had come up with a myriad of plausible answers in my mind, not one of which I felt bold enough to share with him, and certainly not in front of the room. But then for the remainder of the class, Professor Schultz (who soon started showing his softer side, eventually earning the affectionate nickname “Santa”) patiently and carefully explained to us why those questions were so important, and why we needed to be able to answer them clearly and confidently. Little did I know those three questions would become my introduction to Bible College. It was a defining moment for me that I will never forget. I walked out of that room a different man than I had walked in.

Professor Schultz knew from experience that if we don’t truly understand who we are, then we’ll never really know what to do. This is why the Bible deals immensely with explaining who we used

WEEK THREE

to be without Jesus and who we are with Him now. And this is also why Peter takes the time in his letter to inspire us with the reminder, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” ( 1 Peter 2:9a, ESV). Notice that once he tells us who we are; he will next tell us what to do! So why have we been chosen, called priests, made holy, and been adopted, you ask? “That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ( 1 Peter 2:9a-10, ESV)” Ultimately the answer to Professor Schultz’s questions is that we exist simply to call attention to the glory of the God of Heaven who created both you and I and everything else that is seen and unseen. Our life, our calling, really is to point others towards God and not to ourselves. But again, it’s only when you know who you are that you’ll know what to do. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when so many people don’t know who they are. People try to find their identity in where they work, what they own, what they drive, or who they vote for. But as a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” and “a people for His own possession” (v.9), our identity in Jesus is way above that kind of stuff. We are sons and daughters of the Living God! He has called us, saved us, and now He has commissioned us to be His representatives, on this planet for such a time as this. Everything about who we are hinges on that one fact!

And this is why we don’t find our identity in what we do. It’s actually the other way around; we do what we do, because of the new identity which He’s given us. Carefully read the following verses. And if they don’t flat out blow your mind, you probably need to read them again until they do: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20b, ESV)”

WEEK THREE

When you clearly (and I’m talking Santa Schultz clearly) understand those three verses, you’re going to be able to endure the various trials that come with your calling. You will not only understand who you are but you’ll know what to do with a world that has values that can seem completely upside down from ours. Take those verses into your heart, and you’ll find that same sense of security, confidence, and peace that Jesus promised would be ours through His Spirit. Peter strongly encourages us to know who we are so that we can walk in the wisdom of God, express the compassion of God, and act like the children of God. No doubt this seems like some mighty peculiar stuff to those who don’t yet know Him! But to those of us who have been shown who we truly are, as new creations in Christ, our calling really couldn’t be any clearer.

WEEK THREE

ICEBREAKER When have you had a defining moment of clarity about who you are and what your purpose is?

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10+ What are the four word pictures Peter uses to describe those who are God’s people? What is important about each one and how could you start to live each one out?+ Peter than gives three contrasting comparisons of our state before and after Jesus saved us. What are the comparisons and how do they help you think of your own transformation and of the people you know who have not yet met Jesus.+ Notice how the word pictures are not merely individual, but are team oriented; race, priesthood, nation, people. How can we work together as a church to make a greater impact on our area?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-20+ The word reconcile means ‘the restoration of friendly relations’. Paul is saying God, through Jesus, has restored a relationship with you by giving you a new identity. According to verse 17, what is your new identity and how does this identity affect the way you view yourself? + Paul shares another facet of our new identity in vs. 20. What does it mean to be an Ambassador for Christ?+ We have been given, to share with the world, the most amaz-ing message possible: God’s offer of reconciliation. How could you begin to share God’s desire of restored relationship with the people in your world?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

SERMON NOTESWEEK THREE

SPEAKER‘S NAME: KEY SCRIPTURE:

SERMON NOTESWEEK THREE

SERMON TITLE:

MONDAYWEEK THREE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

1 PETER 3:1-7

MONDAYWEEK THREE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 3:1-7

1 PETER 3:8-12

TUESDAYWEEK THREE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

TUESDAYWEEK THREE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 3:8-12

1 PETER 3:13-17

WEDNESDAYWEEK THREE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

WEDNESDAYWEEK THREE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 3:13-17

1 PETER 3:18-22

THURSDAYWEEK THREE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

THURSDAYWEEK THREE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 3:18-22

1 PETER 4:1-6

FRIDAYWEEK THREE

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

CONGRATS! YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THE WEEK!

FRIDAYWEEK THREE

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED WITH #LHPECULIAR

1 PETER 4:1-6

PERSECUTION

WEEK FOUR

“Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.”

1 PETER 4:13-14

Recently, my dear friend Derek was walking out of a Bible study, which he routinely leads at a local Starbucks. With his Bible tucked under his arm, he and his girlfriend were headed out the door, when two teenagers were coming in and talking loudly amongst themselves. The moment they saw that Bible, Derek suddenly became their topic of discussion. Before too long, they were addressing him directly, and their rude questions turned into offensive comments. By that time, both teens had taken on an aggressive, confrontational tone. When they apparently didn’t get the reaction, they wanted from him, they began to openly mock and then curse Derek. Curious, Derek finally asked them why they had such hostility towards him. They responded by accusing Derek of being a narrow-minded bigot and a hypocrite because of his beliefs. When the confrontation finally ended Derek’s departing words to them were, “Hey, I’ll be praying for you and know that Jesus loves you.” After he told me that story, I had to ask him, “Derek, at any point did you feel like laying hands on that young man?” “Didn’t you feel a sense of anger towards him?” “Nope,” he told me, “not at all.” Here’s the reason why he didn’t lose his cool. Derek actually makes it a habit to look for opportunities to display God’s grace when other people least expect it. To me, this was a living, breathing example of the kind of revolutionary theology that Jesus taught his followers. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:43-45, MEV).”

Now, what Derek experienced outside of Starbucks was nothing short of persecution. In fact, the dictionary defines persecution as “hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race, political, or religious beliefs.”1 The Greek word for persecution is katadíoxi, which translates to “persecution, pursuit, chase, or prosecution.” When I think of that Greek definition, it powerfully reminds me that many Christians across the world are literally running for their lives or hiding out of fear from daily, sometimes deadly persecutions.

1 | “Persecution: Definition of Persecution in English by Lexico Dictionaries.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictio-naries, 2019, www.lexico.com/en/definition/persecution.

WEEK FOUR

And while most people will tell you that religious persecution here in the U.S. is still fairly rare; it’s tough to deny that there is a growing intolerance and animosity towards those that claim the name of Jesus as Savior. Interestingly, Derek told me that he tries to make a habit of being on guard for persecution. Why? So that he’s never caught off guard and never loses the opportunity to display God’s grace. This is what Peter’s talking about when he writes in 1 Peter 4:12-14, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (NIV)” And lest we think that Peter is referring to any ol’ kind of suffering, (even the kind we can so easily bring on ourselves), he further reminds us that, “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or a thief or any kind of criminal or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed but praise God that you bear that name” (vv.15-16, NIV).

Church, persecution shouldn’t surprise us or discourage us. Scripture gives so many examples of how God draws near to us during times of persecution. I think the 41st chapter of the Book of Isaiah perfectly sums up the protection He gives to His own peculiar people, “...Do not fear for I am with you.Do not be dismayed for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you,I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (v.10, NIV). This encouragement from Peter can only be described as invaluable. Because of Jesus, even times of persecution can be used to strengthen and bless the sons and daughters of God! He is a faithful protector, a loving Father, and rewarder of those that persevere and overcome.

WEEK FOUR

SMAL

L GRO

UPDI

SCUS

SION

ICEBREAKER When have you experienced a form of persecution in your own life?

Read 1 Peter 4:12-16+ Peter says to not be surprised when trials and persecution come our way. Why should this be expected?+ What steps can you take to be prepared and not caught off guard when a trial or persecution happens?+ Peter doubles down in verse 14 that not only should we not be surprised at persecution, but we are blessed if we encounter it for the right reasons. What are some wrong reasons to be persecuted? What blessings are there in being persecuted for being faithful to Jesus and His commands, and how would this help you endure it?

Read Matthew 5:43-45+ Jesus takes it a step even further and says it should be expected, you are blessed if you experience it but also you should love and pray for those who do it against you. What effect do you think prayer has on the person persecuting you? What effect do you think praying for them has on you?+ Jesus proposes a perspective shift in verse 45. Essentially He says, remember who the real enemy is, and it’s not those persecuting you. They are not the enemy, they are in need of the message of reconciliation that you have been given. How could this kind of shift in perspective and approach affect the world around us?+ The kind of people Peter, Paul, and Jesus have commended us to be over the last four weeks are truly a peculiar people in comparison to the world around us. Which piece would be the most challenging for you to implement? Which would be the most rewarding?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

SERMON NOTESWEEK FOUR

SPEAKER‘S NAME: KEY SCRIPTURE:

SERMON NOTESWEEK FOUR

SERMON TITLE:

MONDAYWEEK FOUR

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

1 PETER 4:7-11

MONDAYWEEK FOUR

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 4:7-11

1 PETER 4:12-19

TUESDAYWEEK FOUR

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

TUESDAYWEEK FOUR

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 4:12-19

1 PETER 5:1-4

WEDNESDAYWEEK FOUR

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

WEDNESDAYWEEK FOUR

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 5:1-4

1 PETER 5:5-7

THURSDAYWEEK FOUR

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

THURSDAYWEEK FOUR

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

1 PETER 5:5-7

1 PETER 5:8-12

FRIDAYWEEK FOUR

S | SCRIPTURE

O | OBSERVATION

CONGRATS! YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THE WEEK!

FRIDAYWEEK FOUR

A | APPLICATION

P | PRAYER

SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED WITH #LHPECULIAR

1 PETER 5:8-12

mY friends,

we did it.

We’ve worked through four very important topics that the Apostle Peter urgently wrote to a church that found herself well behind En-emy lines. Peter encourages both them and us to endure whatever trials come our way and to carefully keep our eyes fixed on Jesus; even if and especially when everything seems to be going against us. He tells us to hold fast to our Godly values. As peculiar as they might seem to the world (or even to us sometimes), those values are life-giving and offer the best evidence available of our relation-ship to our Savior. A Savior who sought us, saved us, and now op-erates through us. Peter also reminds us of our calling, which is to draw attention to the all-powerful, all-loving incredible King of Kings. And finally, he tells us not to be surprised at the persecution and the hostility that will inevitably show up. We could spend a long time studying and analyzing these con-cepts, and it would be time well spent. But hear me on this, the purpose of all this studying, analyzing, and discussing is to make sure that we can walk triumphantly in what Peter wrote to us! Not just to merely know about these topics, but to intentionally practice them and become increasingly skilled in them over time, like sol-diers ready for battle. And as we do so, I’m confident that the Holy Spirit will shine through us with a radiance that can’t be mistaken for anything else but the Light of the World! I love you all so much and count it an honor to serve Jesus along-side you!

CONCLUSION

THE

END

LIGHTHOUSE.CHURCH