INTRODUCTION: THIS WEEK WE STUDY 1 PETER 1: 13-25. WE DID NOT FINISH OUR STUDY FROM LAST WEEK, SO LETS GET INTO THIS WEEK'S LESSON!
I. REVIEW: PETER HAS GROUPS OF THOUGHT A. PETER STARTS OUT: PRAISE GOD! B. BECAUSE: 1. GOD SHOWED MERCY TO US 2. IN THAT JESUS, THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION GAVE US HOPE THAT WE TOO WOULD BE RESURRECTED, 3. INTO THE INHERITANCE THAT WILL NOT SPOIL OR FADE. C. THEN, GREATLY REJOICE! PETER SAYS D. BECAUSE: 1. THIS INHERITANCE IS RESERVED FOR YOU BY FAITH 2. EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE TRIALS NOW THAT WILL SHOW THE GENUINE NATURE OF YOUR FAITH. II. SALVATION NOW A. READ v.8-9 B. PETER SAYS THAT WE ARE NOW RECEIVING "THE GOAL OF OUR FAITH" -- SALVATION. 1. HOW DO WE RECEIVE SALVATION NOW? 2. I THOUGHT THAT v. 5 SAID THAT IT WAS TO BE REVEALED "IN THE LAST TIME?" (SALVATION IS GOING TO HEAVEN TO LIVE WITH JESUS. IF WE ARE FILLED WITH THE HS, THEN WE HAVE GOD LIVING WITH US TODAY. IT SEEMS THAT v.8, WITH ITS DISCUSSION ABOUT BELIEF RESULTING IN BEING FILLED WITH JOY IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS.) III. PROPHETS A. READ v.10-12. B. WHAT PROPHETS DO YOU THINK PETER IS SPEAKING ABOUT? (OT. DANIEL, JEREMIAH, ISAIAH, ETC.) C. WHAT SO YOU THINK THE PROPHETS WERE LOOKING FOR? (PETER IS PAINTING A TOTAL PICTURE HERE. HE STARTS OUT SAYING "PRAISE GOD" BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN US THE NEW BIRTH OF JESUS. THAT IS "THE GRACE WAS TO COME TO" THE READERS.) D. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOUR NORMAL VIEW OF PROPHECY--THAT PROPHETS HAVE TO SEARCH INTENTLY FOR THEIR VISION? (IT SEEMS THAT TWO THINGS ARE INVOLVED HERE. FIRST THE H.S. HAS REVEALED TO THEM ABOUT JESUS. BUT THEY WANTED TO KNOW MORE--AND SO THEY STUDIED THE WRITINGS OF OTHER PROPHETS TO TRY TO FIND THE DETAILS (THE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES) E. WHAT A PLUG THAT IS FOR BIBLE STUDY. EVEN THOSE WHO WERE PROPHETS WERE "INTENTLY AND WITH THE GREATEST OF CARE" STUDYING THE BIBLE. SO HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE! F. DID THESE PROPHETS FIND BAD NEWS OR GOOD NEWS? (BAD NEWS FOR THEM, GOOD NEWS FOR PETER'S READERS. IT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN DURING THE TIME OF THE PROPHETS, BUT IT DID HAPPEN DURING PETER'S TIME.) G. WHY DO ANGELS LONG TO LOOK INTO THESE THINGS? (THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS CONFLICT.) (ONCE AGAIN, WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE. WE SHOULD NOT BLOW IT BY NOT LEARNING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN FROM THE BIBLE.) IV. THE OBEDIENCE CONCLUSION A. READ v.
