Lesson for May 19, 2013: Active Hope (1 Peter 4)

1 Peter 4 King James Version (KJV)

 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

² That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
⁴ Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
⁵ Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
⁶ For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
⁷ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
⁸ And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
⁹ Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
¹⁰ As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
¹¹ If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

By Sam E. Stone
Persecution was common for the church of Peter’s day. His two letters address both what had happened already and what lay ahead. Christians need not fear, remembering the example of their Lord. In today’s text, Peter returns to his main theme found in 1 Peter 3:14-18, after some parenthetical remarks (vv. 19-22). Once again he focuses on being willing to suffer for Christ.

Distinctive Life
1 Peter 4:1-6
Jesus’ suffering brought us salvation. His obedient spirit must be ours as well. He died once for all (Hebrews 7:27; 9:28). Since we have the assurance of life eternal, we must strive to defeat sin in our lives now, not wait until it is finally eliminated in eternity. The believer should count his surrendered body as dead, since it has been buried at our baptism. From that moment on we were identified with Christ. Now our lives are to be lived for him alone (Romans 6:14). William Barclay wrote, “(The Christian) shares the sufferings and even the death of Christ; and he shares Christ’s risen life and risen power, and is, therefore, victor over sin.”

This is diametrically opposed to the way in which the pagans live. They are characterized by debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. Sex and alcohol rule the ungodly. Paul described such people by saying, “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame” (Philippians 3:19).

Bible scholars differ on the interpretation of v. 6. To whom is Peter referring when he says, The gospel was preached even to those who are now dead? Some believe it refers to Christian victims of persecution. Jack Cottrell suggests, however, that the dead refers to pagans or unbelievers, the “spiritually dead” (see Luke 15:24, 32; John 5:25; Ephesians 2:1, 5; 5:14; Colossians 2:13). “The gospel was preached (past tense) to them when they were spiritually dead, but they responded to it and are now alive in Christ, i.e. are saved.” Preaching the gospel to the lost is the way by which ungodly pagans can be challenged to repent and be prepared to face the final judgment in hope. The lost must be called to live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Expectant Life
1 Peter 4:7-11
When the apostle wrote, The end of all things is near, he is not affirming that it will happen within the next month, the next year, or even the next century. God doesn’t count time the way we do. A. T. Robertson observes, “How near Peter does not say, but he urges readiness (1:5, 6; 4:6) as Jesus did (Mark l4:38) and Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:6), though it is drawing nearer all the time (Romans 12:11), but not at once (2 Thessalonians 2:2).” For every person, the time is near in another sense! Whether we are ushered into Christ’s presence at the moment of our death or remain alive at the moment of his return, the Lord is at hand! Every day must be lived in light of eternity.

This affects what we do in various ways. We must be alert, so that we may pray. We must also love each other deeply. This will be reflected in many ways (1 Peter 1:22; 3:8, 13). Love covers over a multitude of sins. If God’s love covers all of your sins, surely you should forgive the sins others commit against you. Other specific ways to show Christ’s love include offering hospitality to others. Jesus taught his followers to help care for others (Matthew 25:35). Paul listed this quality as a requirement for church leaders as well (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8). Hotels were few and far between in the first century, and this made it even more important to help those who traveled proclaiming the gospel (Romans 16:23; 3
John 5, 8).

Every Christian should use his or her gifts and abilities to bless the church. God empowers the church through the diverse gifts he has entrusted to its people (see Romans 12:6-8; 2 Corinthians 12:12-31). These gifts are not for us alone, but God intends for us to help others by using our talents in this way. He expects faithfulness from all his children (Matthew 24:45-47). Peter illustrates this in two ways—those who speak (teaching, preaching, witnessing) and those who serve (ministering to the needs of others, as in Acts 6:2-4). God provides the strength for us to do this. As long as we live, we must live for him.

 

Lesson for May 12, 2013: Sure Hope (2 Peter 1)

By Sam E. Stone
This second letter from the apostle Peter to the churches (see 3:1) was probably written around AD 67, not long before his death. Some consider it his “last will and testament.” Knowing what awaited him (John 21:18, 19), he was more concerned about the needs of other Christians than his own. False teachers were afoot seeking to mislead the believers. They needed a sure hope, one found only in Christ.

Hope’s Resources
2 Peter 1:2-4
Only knowledge of Jesus provides grace and peace in abundance. In fact, everything we need for a godly life is available through him. If God grants everything, that doesn’t leave much else! No one can say, “I’m going to Heaven because of all the good I’ve done.” If God had not permitted us to learn of Christ and follow him, our future would be hopeless. But he has! Paul also emphasized the completeness of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
William Barclay wrote, “Christ-ianity realistically faces man’s actuality, but at the same time sees no limit to man’s potentiality (see John 10:10). As one of the great early fathers said, ‘He became what we are to make us what he is.’”

Hope’s Character
2 Peter 1:5-9
Peter next lists seven qualities to be developed in every believer’s life. All are necessary. It is not a matter of working on the first three till you get them down, then starting on the fourth. These virtues overlap and all are important all the time. We begin by trusting and obeying Jesus, as explained in Scripture. True faith requires change, what has been described as “steady advance.” Moffatt quotes a saying that, “The Christian life must not be an initial spasm followed by a chronic inertia.” Growing in goodness is also essential.
Knowledge shows that simply affirming the facts is not enough. God’s children must grow. Later Peter explains the need to avoid myths and accept truth (2 Peter 1:6-10). Self-control calls on us to keep our impulses in check. Years ago a teacher in my home church explained temperance (King James Version) by saying, “Temperance is abstinence from that which is bad, and a moderate use of that which is good.”
This requires perseverance. Peter knew his readers would need to endure times of hardship. James wrote, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, NIV 1984). Such patience is what lets us hold fast to Christian hope when it is contradicted (2 Peter 3:3) and sustain Christian truth when it is denied (v. 16).
The godliness Peter describes points the reader to live in harmony with the true and living God. His love then compels us to love others with mutual affection. The final attribute listed here is love. John describes real love as being evident in tangible deeds (John 13:34, 35; 1 John 3:17-20).

Hope’s Persistence
2 Peter 1:10-15
If you are God’s child, doing what he says is essential. Without Jesus, we have no hope. We will undoubtedly stumble and fall many times along the way, but we must always return to him (Hebrews 6:11; 10:35-37). Peter agrees with James. It is not the hearers of the law, but the doers who are justified (James 1:22). God’s truth leads to freedom and salvation (John 8:32). Peter knew his life would end soon, and he wanted to leave these words of encouragement for all who came behind him. He had only a short time left to live in the tent of this body. He knew he would soon put it aside. This beautiful picture of “folding up my tent” says it well. Paul used the same illustration (2 Corinthians 5:1-4). Peter wrote so that after his departure they would remember these things.

Hope’s Foundation
2 Peter 1:20, 21
Verses 16-19 are not in the printed text, but they serve as a reminder that Peter was an eyewitness of Jesus Christ. Peter affirmed all that the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied about him because he had seen it all firsthand. The prophets of old had all been inspired by God. They were not left to their own devices; instead the Lord guided them in what to say. So complete was their inspiration that, though human, they spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Happy Mother's Day 2013

Lesson for May 5, 2013: Living Hope -Lesson Commentary

By Sam E. Stone
Two letters from the apostle Peter have been preserved for us in the New Testament. Around AD 64 he wrote to Christians living in the region we know as modern Turkey. The churches of Asia Minor were going through great suffering and persecution at this time. Peter wrote to encourage them to live faithfully for the Lord and to view life from an eternal perspective. William Barclay declared, “Of all these General Epistles it is probably true to say that First Peter is the best known and loved, and the most read . . . It is written out of the love of a pastor’s heart to help people (for whom) . . . worse things were still to come.”

Hope Founded
1 Peter 1:3-5
The only way to become a member of God’s family is through a new birth. This was described by Jesus himself as he taught Nicodemus (John 3:3-8). While a Jew was “born” into that family, each Christian is reborn into a new family relationship with God when Jesus is both one’s Lord and Savior. With this new relationship comes new hope for the future! This rebirth occurs through the grace and power of the Lord working through the “word of truth” (see James 1:18). Paul reminded the Ephesians that they had been “without hope” in the world prior to Jesus’ coming (Ephesians 2:12). Christ’s resurrection is what makes the difference.
This new inheritance can never lose value, never change or decay (Matthew 6:20). God is keeping our inheritance at his side awaiting our arrival in Heaven where we will claim it. This helps explain why Christians seek those things that are above (Colossians 3:1-3). Though God permits his children to go through difficult times of testing, he assures them of a priceless eternal reward (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Believers Refined
1 Peter 1:6-9
While the believer anticipates his eternal reward in Heaven, it does not free him from suffering grief in all kinds of trials during his time here on earth. Those first readers of Peter’s letter knew all too well how the church was being persecuted by the pagans. They should not be surprised at this (1 Peter 4:12-16). God does not cause all of this suffering, but he does use it (Romans 8:28).
When Christians suffer, it tests the genuineness of their faith. Gold is precious and it is tested. Of how much greater worth is their faith! Just as gold is refined and purified by extreme heat, so one’s faith is proved genuine through the hot fire of persecution.
Alan Stibbs notes that glory will be brought to Christ when “in the face of the darkness and pain of earthly circumstance and opposition, his people have trusted him as God’s Christ, and proved his power to guard them and to fill them with joyful hope” (see 2 Corinthians 4:17). Our suffering is real, and it is not easy. Still God’s children can be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, knowing the end result of your faith is the salvation of your souls.

Plan Fulfilled
1 Peter 1:10-12
Even the Old Testament prophets had a special interest in this topic. They searched intently and with the greatest care trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ . . . was pointing. This rare glimpse into the heart of a prophet reveals that these men did not understand all that God had revealed to them when he inspired their message. Those who spoke of the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow wanted to know more about these predictions (see Isaiah 53:1-12 and Zechariah 13:7). They learned that their message was for a future period, not something taking place in their lifetime. The readers of Peter’s letter could see these prophecies had been fulfilled in the Messiah.

Holiness Required
1 Peter 1:13-16
All of this requires the right response from Christians—holiness. Their minds are to be alert and fully sober. Barclay observes, “They must neither become intoxicated with intoxicating liquor or with intoxicating thoughts; they must preserve a sound, solid, balanced judgment.” Believers must not conform to the evil desires that plagued them in the past (see Romans 12:1, 2). The apostle quotes Leviticus 11:44, 45, calling God’s people to live distinctive lives in this pagan world. Even today our faith is tested by our obedience. The words of Jesus still stand: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, NIV 1984).

Lesson for May 5, 2013: Living Hope (1 Peter 1)

1 Peter 1 (King James Version)

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

² Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

¹² Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

¹³ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

¹⁷ And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

²¹ Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

²² Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

²³ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

²⁴ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

²⁵ But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you