1 Peter 5:1-4

When it comes to pastoral qualifications, many of us turn to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, however I have grown to treasure this section in 1 Peter 5 as one of the best passages on God’s expectations for a pastor. Unfortunately, many pastors have “cared more about the mission than the people. And they [don’t] realize that the people are the mission (July Roys Report Podcast ‘The Body of Christ Keeps the Score,’ 28:10).” We need far fewer superhero pastors and far more pastors who are willing to be servants. May we all learn to follow Christ in servanthood, even in our suffering as He did.

1 Peter 4:12-19

The end of chapter four and the majority of chapter 5 contains some of the best condensed teaching on suffering, in my opinion. We have already mentioned suffering several times as we have gone through this book, and I think that is one of the major themes God had in mind for this book. Chapter four closes with some helpful reminders and straightforward charges on how to handle suffering. Next week we will look at the pastor’s role in helping people walk through suffering.

We are taking some time to both reflect back and also plan for future episodes. We plan to be back next week with our regular episode as we study through the book of 1 Peter. Thank you for listening to the weekly Bible study! 

1 Peter 4

There is suffering all around us in real, bitter, even sickening ways that make our hearts sink and our stomachs turn. And there are disappointments and hardships and sorrows that we all carry with us. I don’t have the answers to all of the heartaches people face, but I do know that God gives us hope in the midst of all of it. Look to Him in your suffering, He is the source of hope.

“Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:19-26

1 Peter 4:1-11

Before we get into how to handle and deal with suffering, the text takes a look at some benefits to suffering. This in no way minimizes or marginalizes the suffering and pain that it brings, but it does help us to see that God works all things out for good according to His will. May these verses help our outlook and inspire us to live holy separated lives for the glory of God!

1 Peter 3:18-22

The last several verses in 1 Peter 3 are tricky because they involve some deeper theological topics such as (1) Penal Substitutional Atonement, (2) Christ preaching to Spirits in prison, (3) the days of Noah, (4) the figure of baptism, and (5) the authority and power of Christ. We will touch on each of these only briefly in order to get an overview of how the theology ties into the overarching theme of suffering. This episode really lays the groundwork for what we will be getting into in chapter 4. It is also important to note that hope really begins with theology and doctrine. So if we want to learn how to endure suffering, we must start here.

1 Peter 3:13-17 

Here we see a compelling case to live for the Lord in righteousness, joy, holiness, and the peace that comes from a pure conscience. As believers, we can expect suffering and persecution, but we can still remain joyful and experience God’s peace through the rough times. Though these trials are hard and painful, suffering for well-doing produces sweet fruit unto the Lord. Our responsibility is to maintain a good conscience, keeping God preeminent, and sharing our hope with others irrespective of what we are going through. This is acceptable with God. May we learn to handle suffering graciously, allowing it to sanctify God in our lives and point others to the hope that is found exclusively in him.

1 Peter 3:8-12 

When we come to these verses, it is easy to start with the applications in our relationships with others, however we must be properly aligned with Christ first. Only when He is preeminent in our lives can we truly live out these results towards others. This section actually has much more to do with our standing with God than with others. Ultimately, it is God’s watchful eye that we should be seeking to please. Be sure to listen in to this coming Monday’s episode on the Give Attendance to Reading Podcast to hear our special episode with guest Caison Britt!

1 Peter 3:7 

This week we are looking at several ways the husband is to show compassion for his wife. He should (1) pursue his wife, (2) prioritize his wife, (3) protect his wife, (4) be present with her, (5) pray with her, and ultimately picture Christ to his bride. His role should be to lift up his wife, recognizing her calling and gifting, and push her to be the godly woman she is called to be. God is the one who instituted marriage and He knows how it is meant to be conducted. Hopefully some of these thoughts are helpful as we each attempt to live for Him in His plan for our lives.

1 Peter 3:1-6

This passage focuses on the kind of person a wife should be, it is completely focused on her character above her appearance, possessions, and showiness. This is not how the world typically measures a person’s worth, but it is what God is concerned with. According to this passage, a wife should be (1) arranged under her husband, (2) adorned in the heart, (3) ascribed with humility, and (4) attendant to her husband. The reason I feel confident to speak on these matters even as a single guy is that it is what God’s Word clearly teaches, and the Word of God illuminated by the Spirit of God is sufficient to teach us all things about doctrine and practice. For more on the role of the Holy Spirit’s guiding into all truth, listen to next week’s episode on the Give Attendance to Reading Podcast, where we discuss this topic in greater detail.