1 Peter by Dennis McCallum (2012)

Peter begins his letter to the believers in the Roman provinces encouraging them to take action based on God's free gift of grace, despite enduring persecution and suffering. Believers, who are called according to God's foreknowledge, are able to obey God's calling based on: their new identity, inheritance in heaven, and protection of God's power. Through these privileges, believers are able to rejoice.

Peter urges his audience to love one another deeply from the heart. This love that believers in Christ are able to give out to others is based on what God has given through his Son. Understanding God's self-giving love allows us to be different and not conform to the world's self-serving lifestyle. \r\n

In understanding God's revealed Word, those who have faith in what God says will experience the transformable power of God's Scripture. Peter warns us of the barriers that keep us from being spiritually perceptive. In devoting oneself to God's Word, we see how it creates faith, nurtures faith, and empowers ministry.

Since Jesus is who we can base everything on as our cornerstone, when you choose to accept Christ, we become part of his spiritual family and are built together. By giving believers the Holy Spirit, God designed for believers to come together and to have purpose. If we decide to abandon our post, the whole community of God suffers. When the community of God comes together, it is able to declare the excellencies of God.

Peter explains to believers, that by God's mercy, we are able to display His excellencies by our good deeds. Believers, who live in a world with developed thoughts and values that come from God's enemy, we should be eager to do good. As those who look forward Heaven, God is calling his followers to represent Him to the rest of the world in order to rescue people out of bondage from the world system. Includes reading from Andrew Murray's book, Working For God.

Throughout God's Word, God makes it clear that all people have equality and should live a life that is characterized by love for one another. Peter addresses a patriarchal society's view on marriage and instructs husbands and wives specifically within the culture's perspective. God displays high value of women in his Word and He calls for a different approach to marriage. A marriage centered around God will be able to stand out to others. Includes reading from Karen Jobes' book, 1 Peter and personal testimony from Amanda.

By believing in the finished work of Christ, Peter exhorts us to prepare our minds to suffer in the same way that Christ did. Since Christ suffered in the flesh for a purpose, as believers, we will experience this as well. In preparation for suffering, Peter reflects on the days of Noah, addresses the purpose of baptism, and the authority that Christ possesses. \r\n

What uniquely marks Christians is the way that we love one another deeply from the heart. God has individually given believers spiritual gifts to be able to serve others in love, which comes from His power and Holy Spirit. Although, believers should not be surprised when suffering and trials are brought into their lives. Peter gives several ways that we can brace our minds to be victorious sufferers in light of hardship. Includes reading from Watchman Nee's book "The Normal Christian Worker".\r\n

Leadership in the church is a misconstrued position that has gotten far away from how God intended it to be. God designed there to be leadership, but this is to be done based on the Biblical perspective. Peter tells us leadership is done under God's ultimate authority within his church: corporately, willingly, eagerly, modeled, humble, and as a servant. God can use anyone to be a servant leader and He gives us the decision of whether or not we want to respond with humility. Includes testimony from Wayne and reading from Andrew Murray's books "Humility" and "Waiting on God". \r\n

One of Satan's greatest tactics is leading people to believe that he is not real and has no influence in our lives. Satan has a huge influence in the world and directly in people's lives, causing spiritual warfare. Satan's ultimate goal is to destroy people's lives and render Christians ineffective in this world. Although this is true, God has defeated Satan and came to give life, and life abundantly!\r\n

Since Satan does exist, Peter urges his audience to resist his claims. The way we engage in this spiritual battle is through active trust in Biblical facts. This comes down to the question: am I going to believe what Satan says, or what God says? Those who believe in what God says and have faith in Him are able to put on the armor of God and demolish the lies that will continue to confuse our minds. \r\n