Peter writes this letter to encourage Christians experiencing persecution. He assures them that through faith in Jesus, they have a living hope and eternal inheritance in heaven. Their faith is being tested but will result in praise for Jesus. The prophets of old searched the scriptures for clues about salvation through Christ. Though the prophets suffered, they knew their prophecies served future believers who would receive the good news of salvation by grace through the Holy Spirit.

1. Call to Worship (Psalm
47)
Clap your hands! Shout for joy!
Our Lord reigns on the throne of glory!
We open our hearts to the ascended Lord,
who sits on the throne of glory!

2. Prayer of Confession (Luke
24)
O Lord, we have not lived our lives as kingdom people.
We place our crowns on hopelessness, fear, and selfishness.
We are ruled by our schedules
and our need for control.
We forget that your kingdom draws near to us on earth, as it is
in heaven.
Forgive us, we pray. Amen.

3. 1 Peter 1:3-12
A Living Hope

4. Introduction
First Peter is one of two epistles written by the
disciple we know as “Simon Peter” (Mark 1:29; Luke
4:38; 5:3, 10).
“Simon” is the name Jesus used for Peter when
referencing his old life or the tendencies of the flesh
to dominate him (John 1:42).

5. Introduction
After the resurrection, Jesus called Peter “Simon” for
the last time (John 21:3, 15-17).
Peter was a faithful apostle and powerful preacher
(Acts 2:14-40; 3:12-26).
He was instrumental in the growth and development
of the early church (Acts 8-15).

6. Introduction
His last appearance in the biblical record occurs at the
Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:7-12) until he wrote his
epistles.
Tradition records that Peter was martyred by being
crucified upside down.

7. Introduction
Peter’s first epistle, First Peter, is a wonderful letter of
encouragement written to give hope to believers who
were suffering persecution.
Historians suggest that these persecuted believers
had become the scapegoat of Emperor Nero for the
burning of Rome.

8. Introduction
Throughout the five chapters of First Peter his
message is, “Be hopeful!”
How can Peter say that to Christians who are suffering
persecution?
Peter answers these questions in this text.

9. 1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the exiles of the
Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia,

10. 1 Peter 1:1
The Apostle Peter wrote this letter to Jewish
Christians (to those Jews dispersed or scattered when
the Assyrians dispersed the Northern Kingdom) and to
Gentile Christians (the meaning of “exiles” can also
mean those who await Jesus’ return and their eternal
home).

11. 1 Peter 1:2
who have been chosen and destined by God the
Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to
Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May
grace and peace be yours in abundance.

12. 1 Peter 1:2
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit determined
(chosen) to set apart believers to live holy and
obedient to Jesus Christ.

13. 1 Peter 1:2
His blood (Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross)
provides the necessary forgiveness of sins and
cleansing from sin.
Obedience to Jesus Christ is not a means of earning
salvation but is an indication that a believer is saved
and sanctified (set apart by God for God’s holy
purposes).

14. 1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth
into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead,

15. 1 Peter 1:3
“Blessed” is the word from which we get our English
word “eulogy,” and means, “to be well spoken of” or
“to be praised.”
Peter assumes it is necessary to “speak well” or
“praise God.”

16. 1 Peter 1:3
By our way of life, we show our love for God and bring
happiness to our Lord Jesus Christ and our heavenly
Father.

17. 1 Peter 1:3
“Mercy” is God’s compassion toward the miserable
condition of fallen man (Psalms 108:4; Titus 3:5;
Ephesians 2:4; Romans 9:15-16).

18. 1 Peter 1:3
The source of the believer’s hope is the new birth.
Agagennao in the Greek is used only here and in 1
Peter 1:23 in the New Testament. It means “to give
new life to.”

19. 1 Peter 1:3
Every individual must be born again in order to be
saved and have hope.
There is no redemption apart from being born again
(John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23).

20. 1 Peter 1:3
The believer’s “hope” is “lively” or “living.” Its source
is Christ’s triumph over death!

21. 1 Peter 1:4
and into an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven
for you,

22. 1 Peter 1:4
As exiles, our hope is in the future that God has
prepared for us. Kept in and meant for heaven.
Jesus guarantees we will receive our inheritance as
believers in Him.

23. 1 Peter 1:5
who are being protected by the power of God through
faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time.

24. 1 Peter 1:5
“Inheritance” was important in Jewish history and life
(Deuteronomy 15:4; 19:10).
The Jews had a history of their homeland and
possessions being destroyed by invading armies and
enemies but they now had an “inheritance” that
could never be destroyed.

25. 1 Peter 1:5
An inheritance is “that which is passed down to you
from your father, or that which you receive as a gift, a
legacy given to you because you are a member of a
certain family.”
It’s not something you earn. It is a gift.

26. 1 Peter 1:5
Keep in mind that many of Peter’s readers had lost
everything they possessed through Nero’s
persecution.
They had nothing as far as this world was concerned
but now Peter tells them their new birth has resulted
in them having “an inheritance.”

27. 1 Peter 1:5
What is our “inheritance?” Peter says it is “salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.” A heavenly
condition.
The term “salvation” means, “rescue, full and final
deliverance from sin.”

28. 1 Peter 1:5
Our “inheritance” is “final deliverance from the curse
of the law, the power of sin, the presence of sin, the
grief of sin, the temptations of sin, and the death,
punishment and judgment associated with sin.”

29. 1 Peter 1:5
Not only does God protect our inheritance, He also
protects us so we will receive our inheritance even
though we may suffer and die for our faith (as Peter
knew he would die for his faith).
God’s power will help us maintain a strong faith no
matter what our earthly circumstances.

30. 1 Peter 1:6
In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you
have had to suffer various trials,

31. 1 Peter 1:6
Peter is here calling for a rejoicing that is rooted in a
saving relationship with the Lord.
It is not necessary for things in the world to be going
good in order for the believer to “rejoice.”

32. 1 Peter 1:6
Suffering in this life for any reason and in any way will
always be for a little while compared to rejoicing for
eternity with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

33. 1 Peter 1:6
This “rejoicing” is not a good feeling or a positive
outcome to a situation.
This “rejoicing” called for by Peter is an abiding
confidence in the knowledge that your relationship to
Christ is secured forever by God.

34. 1 Peter 1:6
The word “temptation” used in this verse is a
reference to trials, not a reference to temptation to
sin.
These believers were going through a little bit of
everything imaginable. That also means God is
working in our lives in more than just one area or way.

35. 1 Peter 1:7
so that the genuineness of your faith—being more
precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested
by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

36. 1 Peter 1:7
Proven faith is eternal and that makes it “more
precious” than “gold” which although highly valuable,
is perishable.

37. 1 Peter 1:7
Testing, trials, and suffering can give Christians the
opportunity to show God and others that we
genuinely live by faith in Jesus Christ instead of just
saying that we believe in Jesus while living by this
world’s standards and values.

38. 1 Peter 1:7
Peter says God loves us so much that He will give the
tested and tried believer the things that should only
go to Him.

39. 1 Peter 1:8
Although 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,

40. 1 Peter 1:8
“Believing” means “to be persuaded or place
confidence in.”
We “believe” Christ and His Word because He is
trustworthy.

41. 1 Peter 1:9
for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the
salvation of your souls.

42. 1 Peter 1:9
Our inner spiritual essence, our souls, who we really
are spiritually as created in the image of God, indwells
our material, physical, fleshly human bodies.
As a result of faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Savior, when we die we will go to heaven (our souls
will experience salvation).

43. 1 Peter 1:9
In heaven, we will enjoy our inheritance until Jesus
Christ returns, at which time we will receive our
resurrected glorified human bodies and be whole
again.
The “love, belief, and joy” the believer has is not
powered by anything human. It is divinely
empowered.

44. 1 Peter 1:10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who
prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made
careful search and inquiry,

45. 1 Peter 1:10
Peter now expands on how this living hope was
brought to us.
The prophets and other writers of the Old Testament
wrote very little about life after death, though many
Old Testament figures talked about going to Sheol
after they died.

46. 1 Peter 1:10
They did not know the type and quality of life after
death that would be given to believers.
But while living under the Old Testament law these
“prophets” still knew God was a God of “grace.”

47. 1 Peter 1:11
inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of
Christ within them indicated when it testified in
advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the
subsequent glory.

48. 1 Peter 1:11
No one prophet knew all the details of how Jesus
would come and what He would do, but some knew
and revealed that Jesus would suffer, die, and rise
from the dead, and His body would not decay when it
rested in His tomb.

49. 1 Peter 1:11
The Holy Spirit “was in them” means the Holy Spirit
took up temporary residence inside the “prophets”
and directed them and guided them while they wrote
their prophecies (2 Peter 1:21).

50. 1 Peter 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were serving not
themselves but you, in regard to the things that have
now been announced to you through those who
brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from
heaven—things into which angels long to look!

51. 1 Peter 1:12
These prophets knew that their prophecies would not
be fulfilled in their lifetime, but would be fulfilled in
the lifetime of others.

52. 1 Peter 1:12
Angels enjoy (strong desire, overpowering impulse
and passion) watching the work of salvation and
rejoice when sinners repent and come to saving faith.
The angels enjoy watching believers when they live
faithful lives according to the Scriptures in the power
of the Holy Spirit.

53. 1 Peter 1:13
Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline
yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus
Christ will bring you when he is revealed.

54. 1 Peter 1:13
Some who say they believe in Jesus Christ mistakenly
think that because once upon a time they said they
believed in Jesus that they can continue to live in their
disobedient, sinful, and self-centered ways.
Peter and the other apostles declared that true
Christian belief leads to a life of faithful action and
obedience.

55. 1 Peter 1:13
Believers discipline themselves to serve Jesus and
others faithfully rather than do whatever they desire
or practice whatever sins they did before.

56. 1 Peter 1:14
Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the
desires that you formerly had in ignorance.

57. 1 Peter 1:14
We need the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, and the light
of the Holy Spirit to know and do the will of God and
avoid the immoral ways of this world.
.

58. 1 Peter 1:14
Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy
yourselves in all your conduct;.

59. 1 Peter 1:15
God, who is holy, who has set himself apart from
selfishness and self-centeredness in order to love and
serve others, will not set a lower standard of behavior
for His children.
As believers, we can trust in God to help us live
morally pure too.

60. 1 Peter 1:15
for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

61. 1 Peter 1:15
The meaning of the word “shall” in this verse includes
what a believer should do, should strive to do, and
will actually do as the grace and power of God
through the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures enable
them.

62. Conclusion
The believer’s living hope is not a passive lifeless
belief system.
It is not based on wishful thinking or human
expectations.

63. Conclusion
It is a living confident trust based on the word of God
and rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the
cross and empowered by Christ’s resurrection.

64. Invitation to Communion
Come to the table. It’s an open feast.
Christ invites us all— the rich and the poor,
the outcast and the honored.
Come to the gathering of sinners and saints.
Come to this blessed table where Christ reigns.
Come and taste the kingdom of God,
where all are welcome.

65. Prayer following Communion
Lord, you have given us peace
and blessed us with a taste
of your heavenly banquet.
As we leave your table,
usher us into your kingdom,
now and forever. Amen.

66. The Blessing
Jesus commanded the faithful ones to wait
for the power from on high. Be patient.
God’s love is given to you and the power of
God will enable you to be witnesses for
God in this world.
Be of great courage. Be still.