Text: Acts 6:1-7

The early church experienced tremendous success in the spreading of the gospel but they experienced their fair share of challenges as well.  In Acts 6 we meet the early church in conflict.  Two subgroups have developed within the church and they have come into conflict with one another.  The apostles, knowing that the world is watching the church to see if it will collapse beneath the weight of its tremendous growth, prayerfully present a solution to the congregation.  They battle the spiritual immaturity of the situation with spiritual maturity by calling and tasking seven godly men to serve the congregation.  From there service we learn three essential purposes for deacons.

Text: Acts 15:1-21

What makes a family?  Is it blood?  Is it shared DNA? Or is it something far greater?  The modern church is struggling with this very question, "At what point does someone belong to us?"  This issue of belonging isn't new to the church, however, but is a question that the first century church asked and answered in Acts 15.  We are adopted by the Lord into his family and are given his name.  Therefore, they determined that we must not create barriers of behavior that the lost must navigate.  Instead, those who believe like us belong to us because based upon their belief they belong to God.

Text: 1 Peter 5:6-14

The best coaches spend significant time and effort teaching their players fundamentals.  One such fundamental is the proper athletic stance that allows an athelete to respond and move appropriately.  As Peter concludes his first letter he is concerned with how we will stand in faith against the inevitable trials and persecutions.  He reiterates some fundamental truths that encourage us to stand humbly: God is in control, the enemy is real, and you are not alone.

Text: 1 Peter 5:1-5

We all have expectations of one another and our relationships struggle when we fail or refuse to communicate those expectations.  This is especially true of the relationship that exists between pastors and the congregation.  It is a fitting end to Pastor Appreciation Month that we arrive in the passage of 1 Peter in which Peter addresses this and gives us biblical principles with which to define the relationship.

Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19

We are not in control.  That is one of the hardest truths that we have to face in this life but the good news that flows from the gospel is the knowledge that even if we are not in control we know the One who is.  As Peter summarizes and concludes his main teaching he encourages us to expect suffering, to do good, and to trust God because God's got this.

Text: 1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter establishes a sense of urgency within the hearts of his audience.  He declares that the end is at hand, meaning that everything necessary for Christ's return has been accomplished and nothing more than the patience of the Father for the sake of sinners is delaying his return.  In light of the imminent return of Christ, Peter calls on all believers to live prepared for his return.  He does not call us to crazy actions or lifestyles but declares that being prepared is simple.  The end of all things is at hand so pray, love, and serve.

Text: 1 Peter 4:1-6

Peter's message has been clear, that difficult times are coming for those who are devoted to the Lord and to righteousness.  But being ready for this entails taking up or putting on the mind of Christ.  Christ was willing to suffer so that he might achieve the victory and the glory due him on the other side of his suffering.  Peter calls us to the same mindset; a mindset that sees Christ as our example, that forsakes sin with a preparedness to suffer, and a faith that God is the final judge of all things.

Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22

They say that hindsight is 20/20 and in many respects, this is true because when we are able to view our situations from a position of completion it transforms our perspective.  To this point in his letter, Peter has been calling us to a conduct that is missional even if it means that we might suffer for it.  What will carry us through that suffering is a Christ-centered perspective.  Without question, this is one of the most difficult passages of Scripture in the New Testament, but we will attempt to navigate what is unclear to clearly see Christ in all his glory. 

Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17

As parents or employers, we would never ignore benchmarks of healthy development in our children or in our employees.  Yet, within the church we are inexplicably comfortable with allowing others and even allowing ourselves to stagnate in spiritual immaturity.  In these verses, Peter begins to wrap up the main body of his letter in which he has called all believers into a conduct that is holy and missional.  He warns us that a commitment to righteousness will lead to suffering and persecution.  Only a maturing Christian faith will be able to endure such opposition and from these text we can glean three clear markers of maturing Christianity.

This week, Dr. Rick Stevens teaches out of Luke 5:1-11 on the importance of obedience and following Christ to become fishers of men.