Crossroads - Weekend Messages

We have been on quite a journey together this summer through 1 Peter. Our Life of Faith series has shown us, in very practical ways, how to be the people of God in a hostile world. We have learned truths and seen realities that, if we remember and integrate them into our lives, will forever change us and the people around us. As we bring this series to a close, Peter gives us three very important things to remember.

As we begin to close out our series through 1 Peter, we see in today’s passage the apostle speaking directly to those who lead the church. He provides a necessary reminder that leadership in God’s kingdom is rooted in humility and grace. In a culture that often rewards power, influence, and self-promotion, the call for servant leadership that reflects the heart of Jesus couldn’t be more timely. Whether you find yourself leading others, in a season of answered prayers, or walking through uncertainty, today’s message will encourage you to lay down every worry and every burden and cast your cares upon the One who sees you and cares for you.

No one likes to suffer. For most people, we do everything within our power to avoid any sort of suffering. But whether we like it or not, suffering happens. For the church in the times of the apostles, oftentimes they were suffering because they believed in Jesus. Religious persecution of the earliest Christians was very common. But how should a follower of Jesus deal with this type of suffering? Peter gives us a master class on how to respond when life is messy.

What does a life of faith look like after we choose to follow Jesus? Peter reminds us that following Christ means taking on His mindset, leaving behind the old life, and learning to love, serve, and live with purpose. A life shaped by Jesus is not only believed internally, but lived out practically through prayer, hospitality, and fervent love for one another.

Our lives are a continual classroom. Our circumstances, whether pleasant or deeply painful, present the most profound learning lessons for us. We must keep the Bible in our right hand, that place of strength, to help us understand and interpret the lessons. That is exactly what the Apostle Peter is doing in his letter as he sought to help the people of God understand the challenges that they were facing.

People should know that we are followers of Jesus. Our faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit, should be visible to anyone who cares to look. There is no such thing as covert Christianity. The evidence of the transfiguration of Jesus should be on display everywhere in our lives. There is no more graphic picture of this than in a Christian home. The way a family devoted to Jesus functions is so much different than that of a family that doesn’t believe in Jesus.

What does it mean to be the people of God in a hostile world? Of course it means that we believe in Jesus and the power of His Spirit. That is the theme of the first epistle of Peter. But what does that look like at street level? What does it look like in regard to work or the government? How shall we live in light of the finished work of Jesus? As we continue our series called A Life of Faith, the Apostle Peter shares very practical wisdom with us.

Peter reminds us that we are recipients of so many gifts in Jesus. We have the Word of God preserved over millennia; we have faith communities and churches to belong to; and, of course, we have His mercy. The Life of Faith requires us to close the distance between what we ultimately want and what Jesus has to offer us.

We can often think a life of faith is a list of things not to do, but 1 Peter shows us that it’s so much more than that. Faithful living isn’t just avoiding what's wrong, but actively placing our hope in Jesus, pursuing a life set apart for God, and loving one another with a pure heart.

Persecution can cause anyone to question and even doubt their deeply held beliefs. But, according to Peter, questioning and doubting can be a sort of refining furnace for one’s faith. For anyone who places their faith in Jesus, the fire, though unwelcome, can produce a more genuine article. A life of faith must be tested, yet this is not a bad thing; it is essential to the believer's growth.