EXILES | LIVING AS OUTSIDERS FOR GOD'S KINGDOM

This week Cory opens with a Father's Day moment: watching his four-year-old daughter mimic his mannerisms and realize people are always noticing more than we think. That same awareness, he connects directly to the text. Working through 1 Peter 3:8-16, he walks through three things the world should see and experience when it comes in contact with the church. First, Christ's character. Peter starts not with the world but with community, because pressure from the outside almost always gets taken out on the people closest to us. How the church treats one another, especially in conflict and hurt, is itself a witness. Second, Christ's peace. Cory draws a distinction between peacekeeping and peacemaking, calling believers to control their tongues and actively pursue reconciliation, grounded in the reality that God first pursued peace with us. Third, Christ's hope. When Christians genuinely fear God more than people, they become free, and that freedom becomes magnetic. A hope-filled life creates curiosity, and Peter says to be ready to explain it.

Exiles is a 12-week journey through 1 Peter looking at what it means to follow Jesus in a world where we increasingly feel like outsiders. Rather than seeing this tension as a problem, Scripture shows it is the normal shape of life for those who belong to God’s kingdom. As citizens of the kingdom of God, we are called to witness to His reign in the world through faithful presence, courageous love, and enduring hope. This series invites us to live as a distinct people whose lives point others to Jesus in a world that is not yet restored and made new.

A Love That Makes People Curious
1 Peter 3:8-16

Cory Kasperson | NextGen Pastor
6.21.2026