Against the Flow

Read It: 1 Peter 3:13-14 (The Message)

If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought.

Learn It:

This is a great passage and I really like how The Message has worded the text.  If you are listening to the Word of God and acting out according to the grace that has been given to you by Jesus through the Holy Spirit then you can do great things.  Now the next part is the hard part.  There is a chance that you are going to suffer for that good thing you are doing.  The real question you have to ask yourself is...is it better to do what is right and endure hardship or to stop doing it...or even worse do what is wrong just because it is less stressful.  The NRSV instead of saying better off it says "blessed".  The idea of being "blessed" or "better off" doesn't mean that you are happy or excited about something but Paul is telling us that we are privileged.  We are better off than others because we have God with us and the Spirit inside of us.  Even if we suffer we know that through it all we have the Creator of the Universe on our side.  That should be more comfort than we need when it comes to hardship.

Share It:

What are some times in your life when you felt with your heart and soul that you were doing God's work?  Was it an easy task or was it difficult?  Were there obstacles or did you in some way suffer for it?  What was the outcome or was there an outcome?  Looking at the passage above read the last sentence and talk about what you think that line means and what impact it might have on how you do God's work?  Share with your family.

Live It:

Take this week and do some little things that you feel might be something God wants you to do.  God's work doesn't always mean solving world hunger or sickness.  Listen to your heart and soul this week to see if there is something that the Spirit is calling you to do...and act on it.

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Blessed Difficulties

Read It: Acts 7:56 (NRSV)

56 “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Learn It:

Read the whole Acts story (Acts 7:55-60) from this Sunday's story.  It is such a violent story that seems rather odd to include, but my favorite part of the whole story is the line I have quoted above.  Amid all the anger and violence, though, is this profound statement of faith declaring Jesus as resurrected and being with God in heaven. Then again in verse 60 you can see that Stephen also asks God not to hold the sins that they are committing against them.  In the midst of his death he focuses on the his faith and the well-being of others.  I think this is such a wonderful picture for us.  No matter how bad things get and no matter how dark the world can seem at times we have this certainty that God is God and that God is present with us through all aspects of our life.

Share It:

What difficult times have you faced recently in your life?  Have you sought God during them?  Have you declared Jesus as the resurrected Son of God during those dark or difficult times?  Talk about what difference it might make if you were to instantly declare the greatness of God when you began to face adversity.  How might that change your viewpoint of the situation?  How might it change your attitude as you walked through that point in your life?

Live It:

Take this next week to focus on the difficult times you are dealing with (either ongoing or ones that occur in the future) and take them as opportunities to declare the greatness of God and the presence of God in those moments so that  you can see the goodness and mercy of God.  See what difference that makes and how it might change your relationship with God in your daily faith walk.

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Free From Sins

Read It: 1 Peter 2:24 (NRSV)

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Learn It:

Recently I had the great opportunity to take several of our youth to Holden Village. One of the topics of conversation on our way home was about the text above though we didn't quote the text. They couldn't believe that Jesus would go to the cross and bear ALL the sins of humankind upon himself so that as he died our sins would die with him. Jesus did this so, as the text says, we might live free from sins and live a full and healthy life. That doesn't mean that we won't ever sin because we all do, but we don't have to worry about the weight of sin because we are forever forgiven of them. Therefore we live for righteousness...we live a life that reflects that forgiveness and freedom we have been given.

Share It:

Do you ever feel the burden of sin upon you at times in your life? Share with your family the times when you were, or even right now, feel that there were times when you were overcome or burdened by sin. How did you move past the sin? Did telling (confessing) God what was on your heart help? Share your thoughts and ideas about sin and the freedom that Christ bring us us always.

Live It:

During this next week...and onward...when you feel the weight of sin upon you think about the sacrifice that Christ made for each of us. He took those sins to the cross so that you might live free from them...burdened no more. "...by his wounds you have been healed." Remember those wonderful words.

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Lamb of God

Read It: 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NRSV)

18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.

Learn It:

Our "ransom" that the passage above talks about which comes from the "precious blood of Christ" is our salvation....our life everlasting with God. The way that Peter says this is done is not through the way that those who came before Jesus received salvation but "like a lamb without defect or blemish". We often hear Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God, and this passage does a good job of telling us why. See, in ancient times, when the Israelites made sacrifices to God they would try to find the best lamb possible. It wasn't just the best lamb either, it was a lamb without defect or blemish. It couldn't be anything but pure white and it had to be completely healthy. That is who Jesus is for us. He is the perfect lamb without sin and without defect. That perfect person then went to the cross for our sins and rose to give us new life. Christ is our perfect lamb...our Lamb of God.

Share It:

When you hear the term "Lamb of God" what things come to mind? What impact does maybe this new understanding of the Lamb of God and the sacrifice he made have on you right now? Share some thoughts on this and talk about how much more meaningful it is that God chose to use Jesus instead of an animal or gold or silver to rescue us from our sins.

Live It:

During this next week think about the great things Jesus did for us. Spend some time thanking God for sending us not any lamb to try to save us but instead sent his Son, the perfect lamb...the Lamb of God.

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Faith in the Unseen

Read It: 1 Peter 1:8-9

8Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Learn It:

This passage from Peter emphasizes the idea that those of us who have not seen Jesus and yet believe in him, his miracles, his resurrection from the dead (this Easter season we are now in).  With that belief we have this joy that and that trust in his promises we have a joy that is unconquerable.  The reward we receive for this belief and trust in Jesus is eternal life with him and God.  What a wonderful gift 

Share It:

Lots of Bible teachers like to use the wind as a symbol or sign of something you can't see but you know that it exists. With that in mind... What ways do you see God in your lives and in the world around you?  What ways is Jesus present in your life even though you don't physically see him?  

Live It:

Knowing that Jesus is present in our lives what are the ways that you individually or as a family express that joy and rejoice in knowing that Jesus is always with us and that the promises are real?  Take this week and really take time to express your joy for the wonderful gift of faith and life.

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