Given the current cultural moment we find ourselves in, every Christian and every church must read and re-read the letter of 1 Peter (alongside the Old Testament book of Daniel). Our culture is increasingly moving away from traditional Christian values and we’re increasingly the minority, or the odd ones out. To most modern people, the Christian gospel and Christian doctrine is not only seen as outdated and irrelevant; it is often seen as dangerous and harmful. Christians are more often than not aliens within the culture and strangers in world.
Capitulate or Retreat?
How should the church respond? Should we capitulate and give in to the culture and adopt the values and beliefs, so that we fit in? Should we retreat and form a ‘holy ghetto’ and separate ourselves off from the culture? 1 Peter says neither – we mustn’t capitulate but stand firm in the gospel and in the hope we have in Christ, and we mustn’t retreat but remain engaged in society and in the workplace. This path of neither capitulating to the culture nor retreating from the culture will lead to one guaranteed inevitability for any who are willing to take it… suffering for Christ!
Resident Aliens
Peter wants to teach us how to live as ‘resident aliens’ in the world – how to suffer for Christ and witness to him, just as Daniel did all those years ago when living and serving the pagan empire of Babylon. He neither capitulated, nor did he retreat; instead he served and was willing to suffer. This too must be our posture, Peter says – serving and suffering, as we follow the footsteps of our master who suffered unjustly and entrusted himself to God (1 Peter 2:21-15)
Suffering for Christ
The Christians Peter was writing to seem to be predominantly gentile in background, young in the faith, confused as how to respond to their pagan neighbours whose lifestyles are so different, and scared of standing up for Jesus. Their newfound faith had severed ties with that which had bound them to their non-Christian relatives and neighbours, and this was itself being tested because they were facing suffering. They were in danger of losing their way. They needed encouragement to “stand firm” in the grace of God (1 Peter 5:12).
A new identity
What resources do we need to be able to live as aliens and suffer for Christ? Peter, writing to small groups of gentile Christians scattered throughout the Roman world (1 Peter 1:1) says we need to understand our new identity as God’s people (1 Peter 2:4-12), we need to understand the role of suffering in purifying and deepening our faith (1 Peter 1:3-5) and how whilst suffering we can witness to others (1 Peter 2:12-4:19). And we must remember that the path of suffering leads to glory. One day we’ll share in the glory of Christ (1 Peter 1:7, 1:12, 4:13). We remember that we are pilgrims on earth and our final and true home is in heaven, where our inheritance is being kept (1 Peter 1:4-5).
The more these young gentile Christians understood their new identity in Christ – yes, they were aliens in the world, but they were also chosen by God, precious to him, part of his spiritual temple, included in his family and given a role as his ambassadors and priests (1 Peter 1:1 & 2:2-10) – they’d have the courage to stand firm for him, neither retreating nor capitulating.
Preaching Series & City Groups – January & February 2022
Our nine weeks we are going to go over every verse in the letter to kick off 2022, here is how we will break it down
- A Living Hope (1 Peter 1:1-12)
- Be holy because I am holy (1 Peter 1:13-2:3)
- A kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:4-12)
- Have no fear (1 Peter 3:8-22)
- Facing hostility (1 Peter 2:13-25)
- A provocative witness – Part 1 (1 Peter 3:8-4:6)
- A provocative witness – Part 2 (1 Peter 3:8-4:6)
- Suffering for Christ (1 Peter 4:12-19)
- Servant-hearted Leadership & Empowered Submission (1 Peter 5:1-14)
Do join us on Sundays, 4.15pm in Synge Street Secondary School or in our midweek city groups where will be following the sermon series, and applying what we learn to our day-to-day lives.
Resources for further study
If you want to delve deeper into the book of 1 Peter here are some resources for you
- The magnificent Bible Project Overview
- Vaughan Roberts talks from the 2016 Irish Preachers Conference (scroll down to 2016)
- Help me teach 1 Peter – Nancy Guthrie and John Piper
- Online Commentary by Sam Storms
- TGC course
- Other sermons and resources
Free ebook – Evangelism as Exiles: Life on Mission as Strangers in Our Own Land, Elliott Clark unpacks 1 Peter