A Study of 1st Peter

Pastor Ernest L. Williams Sr. • October 14, 2020

1 Peter     

                                 

bible study series

OVERVIEW


Theme(s)


The theme of 1 Peter is to show believers that our main goal as Christians is to bring glory to God in all that we do (1:8; 2:5, 9; 4:11). Subthemes of the letter are suffering (1:6-9; 2:19; 3:8-18; 4:12-16; 5:10), submission (2:13, 18; 3:1; 5:5) and sobriety (1:13; 4:7; 5:8). We shall see.  


Chapter 1


1.     God is keeping us by His power and not by man’s power (1:5).

2.     Our salvation the prophets desired (1:10). Even the angels likewise desired and looked into our salvation (1:12).

3.     [Theme] Be on the alert! Gird up your loins of your mind (1:13).

4.     Be ye holy… can be categorized as another subtheme (1:15).

5.     Our salvation, not based on tangible things, but by the precious blood of Christ (1:19).


Chapter 2 The Christian’s Number One Priority, To Bring Glory to God


As believers, we are to bring glory to Christ. Peter explains how in each area of our lives we bring glory to God (2:5, 9). This chapter talks about stones, a spiritual building, submission, and suffering.


STONES AND A SPIRITUAL HOUSE


o  We Are Lively Stones, vs 5.

o  Upon which is built a Spiritual House, vs. vs. 5.

o  Christ is the Chief Corner Stone, vs. 6.

o  Christ is also a Stone of Stumbling, vs. 8


SUBMISSION AND SUFFERING


How do believers bring glory to God? Verse 9


1.     Avoid fleshly lusts, vs. 11.

2.     Live circumspectly in the world OR have your conversation honest among Gentiles, vs. 12.

3.     Submit to official ordinances and workplace ethics, vs. 13 – 18.

4.     Learn to suffer in the example of Christ (2:19; 3:8-18; 4:12-16).


Chapter 3 Christian Marriage, The Local Church, and a Return to Suffering


Christian Marriage: How does Christian husbands and wives bring glory to God in the home?


1.     Wives

a.      Actions speak louder than words, vs. 1.

b.     True and desired beauty should be inward and not outward only, vs. 2 – 6.


2.     Husbands, Instructions, vs. 7.

a.      Learn wives

b.     Giving honor = she was given to the husband for him to give her glory.

c.      Weaker vessel?

d.     Joint heirs

e.      Failure to adhere to these guidelines will cause prayers not to be answered.


3.     Instructions to the Local Church, vs. 8.

a.      Have one mind

b.     Have compassion

c.      Love as brethren

d.     Be pitiful

e.      Be courteous

f.       Do you think they had problems expressing love the way we have problems expressing love today within the church?


4.     Return to the Theme of Suffering

a.      Verses 13 – 18.

b.     A text of great controversy, vs. 19 – 20.


Chapter 4 “Suffering”


1.     Believers will suffer in similar manner as Christ, vs. 1.

a.      The last clause of verse 1 should be interrupted by continuing the thought to verse 2.


2.     Live not like the Gentiles, vs. 2 – 4.

a.      Why? Because God will judge all, vs. 5.

b.     Sidenote: Some scholars have used verse 3 as an argument against Petrine authorship. Hogwash!

c.      Another controversial test is verse 6. But Peter clarifies the verse within the context: The dead refers to unsaved sinners and not the actual dead.


3.     The theme of sobriety (4:7; 5:8).


4.     The key to handling all situations: Above all things…, vs. 8.


5.     Which “gift” is referred to verse 10? You will need to back up to verses 8 and 9 to see that the gift is love and hospitality.


6.     Two other gifts are mentioned in verse 11. What are those gifts?


7.     The goal in all things is to bring glory to God, vs. 11.


8.     A Return back to the theme of Suffering, vs. 12 – 19.


Chapter 5 Instructions to Elders


1.     Peter is clear: The ruling body in the church are elders, not deacons, and not the congregation, vs. 2. Each church should have a ruling body called an elder board. 


2.     Instructions to Elders, vs. 2 – 3:

a.      Feed the flock

b.     Take the oversight

c.      Not by force

d.     Not to be greedy for money

e.      Elders are not “lords” and they are Christ, but elders should be examples of the flock.


3.     Instructions to the Entire Church, vs. 5 – 9.

a.      Submit to the elders.

b.     Be humble, vs. 6

c.      Casting all care…, vs. 7.


4.     How to Resist the Devil?

a.      Be sober and vigilant, vs. 8.

b.     Resist steadfast in the faith, vs. 9. Peter’s comments are appropriate: “that the same afflictions are being accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”


5.     A return to the theme of suffering, vs. 11

a.      Suffering for Christ will do four things for the believer. What are they?


Conclusive statements, benediction, and doxology

·        Silas and John Mark are with Peter, vs. 12 – 13.

·        Babylon is a code name for Rome, vs. 13. 




Our Sermons

How do I project Jesus through me in my community?

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
How do I project Jesus through me in my community? How to take Jesus to the street? Tuesday, September 6, 2022 A. Be Intentional (Ephesians 4) 1. Start by telling the truth (stop lying), vs. 15. 2. Put off the old man and put on the new man, vv. 22, 24, 25. 3. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, v. 23. 4. Learn how to get angry without sinning, v. 26. 5. Stop being lazy, stealing and get a job, v. 28. 6. If you don’t have anything encouraging to say, shut up! V. 29. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” B. Be Available (Mark 5:18, 19) 1. How to take Jesus to the street? First, we must get him in the home. 2. Booker T. Washington said, “Cast down your bucket where you are!” No need to do anything extra, in the areas where you reside and work or go to school or serve, live for Christ. In Mark 5, the Lord healed a lunatic man who lived among the tombs. This man wanted to be with Jesus. “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mk 5:19). 3. The woman at the well was available. 4. When the Lord got ready to enter into Jerusalem, Jesus told two of his disciples that they would find a colt and its ass tied. Jesus told his disciples to loose him and let him go. The colt was available. A Roman centurion, who had great faith was available. Even the rooster that crowed when Peter denied the Lord, was available. Jesus calmed the waves and the wind one day: even the winds and the sea were availability. 5. Jesus told Peter and John to go into Jerusalem and they would see a man bearing a pitcher of water. The man was available. C. Be Relevant 1. Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers addressed issues that people were facing and could relate to. Many in our Christian circles are not reaching people because our methods, not message, are out of date. It took a pandemic to force many of our churches to use technology. 2. Why is it that many of our churches are one man shows with just one pastor that is hired by the church. We need to have an elder board with various “paid” pastors on staff to meet the growing needs of our community. Our business model in the church does not work. Here is one reason why it doesn’t work: It's not biblical! 3. Jesus came to die for sinners because that was and still is the current pandemic: sin. However, the church focuses more on the cross and little emphasis is placed on the fact that Jesus will return to receive his church. Our message, if it is to be relevant, must be balanced. Conclusion  Let us learn to pray this prayer before we leave the home: Lord provide the platform for me to let you shine through me. Lord I give my mind, my abilities, my words, and my deeds as service to you in this day. Lord, help me to be available for my spouse, family, pastor, church family, to people in my community, those on my job, school, or to a stranger that I may meet today. Father, I know that no encounter is an accident. So, Lord, help me to be intentional with my words, thoughts, and actions, that I may minister grace to the hearers and so someone will come to know the love of your Son Jesus Christ through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive Luke 6:20 – 38 September 4, 2022 Ernest L. Williams, Sr. In some translations, the word in Greek for “blessed” is translated as “happy.” Could Jesus be saying to the crowd in his sermon on the plains to be happy? (See v. 17 compared to Matthew’s sermon on the Mount, Matt 5). True joy contains living, giving, and forgiving. Illustration Proverbs on laughter. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Prov 17:22). A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Prov 15:13). All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast (Prov 15:15).  Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad (Prov 12:25). Dea. Jacque’s funnies!  Three surprises in heaven! 1. LIVE a. In verses 21 to 26, Jesus speaks to true blessings, but he also balances a happy life with warnings. 2. GIVE a. In verses 28 – 35, Jesus speaks to the nature of giving. b. A true sign of a person’s joy is seen in their giving. c. Paul speaks of allowing yourself to be defrauded in order to win souls for Christ: Luke 6:28, 29; compare with 1 Cor 6:7. i. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? d. The Golden Rule, v. 31. e. Give, looking for nothing in return, vv. 32 – 35. 3. FORGIVE a. Verses 36 – 36. b. One attribute of forgiveness is giving. Conclusion Vv. 22 – 23. We rejoice because our reward is in heaven. Job said, “my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high” (Job 16:19). Jesus told the disciples after they had returned from preaching and healing, that they should rejoice not because of what they could do, but rejoice because their names have been written in heaven. I sing because I am happy, I sing because I am free. His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me!
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