This Sunday at College Park Church we’ll start a new sermon series on 1 Peter. During LIVE16 many of you studied the Sunday text in advance and shared how valuable that was for you. By thinking about the Scripture beforehand you were better prepared to hear, process, understand, and apply what was preached on Sunday. While our small groups are now being encouraged to use the 1 Peter Study Guide, which is designed for groups to discuss and apply the text after the sermon, I’d encourage you to continue reading, praying over, and meditating on the passage on your own or as a family beforehand. For that reason, I’ll attempt to provide each week a blog post that can act as a starter for getting into the text.
The subtitle for the series is “This Exiled Life.” As we work our way through 1 Peter we’ll see how the theme of exile teaches us that we belong to God even when we don’t belong in this world. We are not merely exiles but we are elect exiles (1:1). We are God’s people. Throughout the letter Peter emphasizes godly behaviors and theology that should characterize followers of Jesus. We should not capitulate to or be swept away by earthly ways of thinking and behaving. Since we belong to God, our lives should reflect Him, His values, His thoughts, and His mission for us in the world.
Week 1: Sunday, 9/11/16
1 Peter 1:1-2
“This Exiled Life”
One of the best things you can do as a new series starts is to read the book in its entirety. This gives perspective and context that will help you know how each individual sermon fits with the whole book. I’d suggest reading 1 Peter in one setting this week. As you do so, take note of any themes that stand out to you, repeated words or ideas, main sections, mentions of Jesus, and gospel-promises.
This first week will in large part give an overview and introduction to the book. However, as Pastor Mark Vroegop at North Indy and Pastor Chris Beals at Fishers explain the text (1:1-2) they might highlight some of these key ideas. Here are a few parallel passage if you’d like to dig deeper:
- Exile, Stranger, or Sojourner: 1 Peter 1:17; 2:11; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 11:13; Ps. 146:9.
- Foreknowledge of God: Rom. 8:29; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:20; Jer. 1:5.
- Sanctification: 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 6:11; John 17:19; Titus 2:14.
- Sprinkled with Christ’s blood: Heb. 9:14; 10:22; 12:24; 1 Jn. 1:7.
- Belonging to God: 1 Peter. 2:9-10; Heb. 8:11-12; Rom. 1:6; Gal. 5:24; Rev. 17:14.
From your reading of 1 Peter 1:1-2, what did you notice? What are you looking forward to hearing talked about this Sunday? How are you praying for yourself and for our church as we approach this particular passage?
For more background to the book or the theme of exile, see the recommended resources in the back of the Study Guide.
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