1 Peter 2

1 Peter

Apr 11

It’s Week 2 in 1 Peter and we’re studying Chapter 2! My challenge to you is to read through all of Chapter 2 at least once. I think it’s important to take time to read the entire chapter in one sitting so that you can get a proper feel for the big picture, before you dig in to try and understand what God is speaking directly into your life. Perhaps your time in 1 Peter 2 this week could look something like this:

Day 1: 1 Peter 2
Day 2: 1 Peter 2:1-5
Day 3: 1 Peter 2:6-10
Day 4: 1 Peter 2:11-20
Day 5: 1 Peter 2:21-25

1 Peter 2:1-5

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

As a new mom, this passage has certainly taken on a new level of understanding for me with a baby in my home. It’s incredible to watch his response and eagerness when hunger hits! He will stretch and make lots of noises, reaching desperately for that bottle of milk. This is challenging to me as I read through this passage - am I craving the word of God in that same way - doing whatever it takes to reach and grab for that spiritual nourishment?

Take time today to talk to God about these verses. Consider writing down your thoughts as you process your personal relationship with the Bible. When was the last time that you were craving the truth and encouragement of God’s Word?

1 Peter 2:6-10

For it stands in Scripture:
See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him
will never be put to shame.
So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,
The stone that the builders rejected—
this one has become the cornerstone,
and
A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.
They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Sometimes one of the best ways to learn more about what is going on in a passage of the Bible is to look at key words to gain a deeper understanding of what is being said. Notice that in this passage, the words ‘believe’ and ‘honor’ are repeated multiple times.

Look up the definitions of the words ‘believe’ and of ‘honor’ and write out those definitions in your own words.

What do you think it will look like to receive honor for believing in Jesus?

What does it mean to be a “chosen race”?

When Peter writes “out of the darkness into his marvelous light” he is talking about our salvation when we believe in Jesus! If you have never done so before, take time to write out your personal story of faith - when you were once living in darkness and what happened when you came into a personal relationship with Jesus. (Many times you will hear people refer to this as your “testimony.”)

1 Peter 2:11-20

Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.

Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel. For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

Peter continues on to talk even more about H O N O R. I was challenged this week when I read this passage, as God was speaking right to my heart from what I have been going through recently. It’s not easy to “conduct yourselves honorably” even when you feel as though you have been wronged or misjudged. But to what end must we conduct ourselves honorably? So that “they will observe your good works and will glorify God.” What a great purpose statement for life!

What does it look like to “honor everyone”?

How does this impact your life practically?

How can you show love to other Christians in unique or creative ways during these hard days of social distancing?

1 Peter 2:21-25

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

It is no coincidence that we are studying this passage during the weekend of Easter and have landed on this passage on Good Friday. As we dig into this passage at the end of 1 Peter 2, we are reminded of the purpose of Jesus going to the cross.

Is Jesus’ death on the cross changing how you live today?

What does it look like to live for righteousness?

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