1 Peter: Humble Yourself Under the Hand of God (5:5-11)
You will face challenges in this life. But humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. And he will lift you up to glory, not in your time, but in his.
Encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thess. 2:12 NIV)
This is a series of studies on 1 Peter. They could be used either for personal study or as a part of a group.
You will face challenges in this life. But humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. And he will lift you up to glory, not in your time, but in his.
In this passage Peter gives some encouragement and instruction to the elders of the church. Being a shepherd is a rewarding calling, worth doing well.
We should expect to suffer as Christians. Don’t be surprised by it. If they persecuted our Lord, they will also persecute his follows. Rejoice in it.
Our life within the church should stand in contrast to what we face in the world around us. We need to be willing to love and to serve, glorifying God.
We live in a world that will, more likely than not, ridicule those who are of faith. But don’t surrender to the influence of the world. Be true to Jesus.
One of the most challenging passages in 1 Peter deals with these imprisoned spirits who are facing judgement. Yet that can give us hope in our suffering.
How do you respond to suffering for Christ? Peter tells us to rejoice and revere Christ as Lord. And to always be ready to share the reason for your hope.
How do we live in community and with those on the outside. Peter here gives us a brief synopsis on Christian ethical behavior. Turn from evil and do good!
Peter’s instructions for wives and husbands are not always popular in today’s world. But to ignore them puts both our marriage and prayer life at risk.
We should expect to suffer for Christ if we are being faithful. In this passage, Peter tells us how to respond when suffering, following Christ’s example.
Peter calls on us to live as foreigners and exiles in this world. We need to be sure that our lives in this world reflect well on God and his kingdom.
As the redeemed we are God’s chosen people. he has called us for something special. And he is working to accomplish that. Will you join him in that task?