Peter was the outspoken leader of Jesus' chosen disciples. He witnessed amazing things, and suffered spectacular failures, but he has a unique credibility with us because of those failures. We may not feel a kinship with Paul the super-apostle, but a guy that shoots his mouth off before he thinks, takes on more than he can handle, but finds his way back to the feet of Jesus every time … he is one of us.
He wrote two letters to a group of Jewish believers scattered by intense persecution under the Roman emperor, Nero. The tone is encouraging, but challenging. He doesn't give anyone a free pass on holy living just because times are hard.
While we may not be able to identify with the threat-of-death type persecution Peter's readers faced, we do live in a world that is hostile to our beliefs. The constant pushback sometimes erupts in mistreatment, unfairness and broken relationships among other things. This letter answers the question– how do we maintain an authentic faith while enduring the challenges we face?
What should you look for as you read 1 Peter?
1. Instructions – Peter gives heavy doses of advice and instruction. My study Bible gives four broad categories for that guidance: 1.) keeping hope 2.) avoiding bitterness 3.) trusting Jesus 4.) looking for His second coming. As you list the instructions, note which category they belong to. Are there more of one type than another? Why do you suppose that's the case? Also, many of the instructions are accompanied by a "therefore" statement giving the reasoning behind the advice. Does knowing the reasoning behind the directions make them easier to follow?
2. Jesus – What does Peter say about Jesus and His return?
3. Precious – I always pictured Peter as a country-boy, a redneck even, so reading the word 'precious' in his letter makes me smile. But notice when he uses the word. What is he describing and what does he want us to take away from that?
4. Finally, how do we deal with hostility and animosity?
Have you ever used Peter's instructions in a difficult situation? Have his words brought encouragement?
Lauren Wiseman says
I always liked Peter. I recall reading his letters, but I don’t think I’ve read them close enough to really get anything from it. But I’ll definitely look for these things when I do read. Great post.