The Persevering Life (1 Peter)
Standing firm in the faith
Peter closes out his letter reminding his readers of the things that will help them stand firm in the faith when facing opposition. For Christians under pressure, godly leaders in the church, personal resistance to the devil and God’s strength, grace and care will be essential. As our society continues to raise more opposition to the gospel, these things will be more and more relevant to us also. 1 Peter 5:1-14
Facing up to suffering
Peter reminds the suffering church of several truths to help them to stand firm in the midst of their suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-19
Living in light of the end
Peter continues to address Christians who are suffering for their faith. As always, the basis of their faith and their model of obedience is Christ’s death on the cross. And the thing which gives perspective to their suffering is the immanence of eternity and the inheritance waiting there for them. As individual Christians in the world and as the church together our lives now are shaped by these great truths. The good life for Christians looks surprisingly different to the…
No compromise
Living as a Christian requires that we engage in a Christlike way with people who may or may not appreciate our faith. But that’s nearly always harder than we would like. What do your unbelieving friends and colleagues really think of you? How credible and consistent is your witness? Do you make compromises to avoid trouble? In today’s message we are challenged to remain faithful to Christ in the heat of opposition, being willing to suffer if necessary. Suffering was…
Radical marriage
The Bible is often viewed as politically incorrect when measured by modern cultural norms. And one of the most extreme instances of this is the teaching Peter gives in these verses. Sadly some men, including some pastors, have caused Christian women unnecessary suffering by using them to justify chauvinism and turn a blind eye to abuse. But what does it really mean for a Christian woman to submit to her husband, even an unbelieving husband? And how should a Christian…
Staying faithful in a pagan world
As Australia drifts further away from God, the contrast between the Christian and non-Christian ways of life gets greater. But let’s not kid ourselves. There has always been a difference and there always will be. In the days of the early church Christians were definitely a despised minority, and were losing heart. They needed encouragement. In today’s message we see some of the practical ways we can maintain our distinctiveness, without becoming obnoxious, and hopefully commending the gospel and bringing…
A Church with Purpose
Like us, the readers of Peter’s letter were living in a society that was unbelieving and antagonistic to the gospel. These Christians needed encouraging to persevere. As God’s church, they exist together not just to survive until Jesus’ return, but God has given them a specific identity and purpose. We share this purpose as God’s church today – to grow, to worship and to witness. 1 Peter 2:1-10
Hope and holiness in difficult times
Learning how to live under pressure, especially when it involves the testing of our faith, is essential to our progress in the Christian life. In today’s passage we take a closer look at how suffering is related to the gospel, and how God wants to use it to help us grow in holiness. Jesus is the Messiah, the ’Suffering Servant’, who shed His precious blood to redeem us and make us children of God. Understanding the greatness of this salvation gives us the confidence and hope that whatever we may face in this life, the best is still yet to come …. and it’s worth waiting for.
Longing for home
The book of 1 Peter is making a comeback today. It’s original readers felt like ‘exiles’ or ‘foreigners’ in the world of the early church. And that’s the way more and more Christians are starting to feel these days. Somehow we don’t really fit as the world around us becomes more secular. But the reality is that we are different and we don’t fit. This world is not our true home and we aren’t meant to belong here. So how do we cope with this tension, especially when trials come and our faith is tested? In this message, Pastor Murray urges us to see how God wants to use these times to prepare us for the glorious ‘inheritance’ that awaits all who truly belong to Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-9)