God’s word continues to illuminate the reality of the life that we have in Christ Jesus. As we sit under the preaching, our minds are transformed, and God sanctifies us by His word and His spirit. God has been faithful to His church for the past 2,000 years and He will continue to do so as He ministers to us; His people. We can bring our cares and concerns and look together to the one who provides all that we need for life and godliness through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sometimes, we come to realize what kind of people we are in moments of trial and this can lead us to defining moments in our lives, for better or worse. This Sunday, we will see Queen Esther’s defining moment as she decides what she will do in the face of dire circumstances and her remarkable act of courage and faith. This response to trial stems from confidence in her faithful, covenant-keeping God. Like Esther, we too are reminded of the confidence we can have in our God because of His continued faithfulness.

As a church, our lives and hope and Savior are so united that the bond between our Christian brothers and sisters is in many real ways thicker than our earthly bonds with our own families; we pray with those in need, we mourn with those who mourn. Why such affection and care? Because in Christ we are all connected. We are a new creation; the bride of Christ. This week's scripture 1 Peter 3:8-12 reminds us of that connection and encourages us to work together for the good of all to the glory of God.

When preaching through a book, we are bound to encounter difficult topics that in our society create division and some think are better left unaddressed for the sake of peace. Yet, we deal with the messy issues of life all the time and we cannot escape them. God does not leave them alone either, That is good news. This week in 1 Peter, we see what God has to say about slavery and wives' submission to their husbands. You may be surprised to see what he has to say.

This week as we look at the middle of 1 Peter, chapter 2 we will be considering how this passage teaches how Jesus' earthly experience relates to our earthly experience (vs 4-5, remember the context of Peter's hearers) and how Peter describes God’s view of His people and the impact it has on us.

False teaching and teachers have an uncanny ability to persuade and influence people's thinking. Their charismatic speaking and leadership can draw great crowds. Because false teaching can be so destructive and wounding, right doctrine and encouragement are needed as a remedy. This Sunday, we look to the letter of Jude, who offers encouragement to a church infiltrated by false teachers. Despite the harm the teachers have caused, Jude gives his hearers hope that they are God's beloved children and that they have hope in being united in their most holy faith.

Have you ever been so familiar with something that you feel like you know it like the back of your hand, but then one day you see something in it you’ve never seen before. It has been there for years but you had no idea what a gem it was. This week in 1 Peter, we will see just what Peter is saying in these verses and how it points to many other verses in the Scriptures and is part of the central message that Jesus has given to us, to love one another.

Even as Christians, there are times when we feel so weak and helpless and all we can do is cry out to God, “Help.” However, no matter how heavy our hearts, not matter what questions we have, we have the hope of the resurrection. We don’t know much, but we do know this: God has sent us His son into this world to bring light into the darkness. He hears our cries and brings the comfort that only He can bring. This gospel message points us towards hope because of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter’s letter now shifts. He laid the bedrock of our faith in the undeserved grace of God toward us who believe. Now Peter is going to encourage the saints to love one another. How do we treat our neighbors, coworkers, spouses, bosses, the government? We never move pass the gospel, we never transition to earning the gospel, but Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again, and we are called to live out the gospel in our everyday lives till He returns.

Our spiritual forefathers have stated that God governs all of His creatures and their actions through his works of Providence. They came to hold this belief from books like 1 Peter. As we begin a new series through 1 Peter, we will see the deep love and control of God over our lives, how He is weaving us into His great plan. Peter wrote this book to show that by seeing God’s awesome power and control we would entrust ourselves to His care, standing firm in the faith we have in Jesus, our rock and cornerstone.