1. Have you ever had to pay for your sins long after you have confessed and been forgiven?

2. What do you think would be the ultimate result if confession always removed consequences?

3. Have you ever continued trying to compensate for your sin repeatedly and were still rebuffed?

4. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just had to move on from a relationship because it was clear that it would never heal?

5. Who is most like Nathan in your life? (Someone who can tell you difficult truths in a sensitive way, and you really hear it.)

Week 2 Message

February 2, 2023

Week Two

“Living Up to Our Inheritance”

1 Peter 1:13-25

Vs. 13          Our hope is in God’s grace

Vs. 14-17     Taking our behavior seriously

Vs. 18-21     We are precious and valued

Vs. 22          Love with purity

Vs. 23-25     Living by the eternal Word of God

Discussion Questions

1. How does the grace of God make us mentally stronger?

2. How does a lack of hope lead to sloppy or self-destructive behavior?

3. Verse 17 refers to fear. What do you think he is saying we should be afraid of?

4. Verse 18 refers to “aimless conduct.” Why do we so often live aimlessly, without intention or purpose?

5. What does the resurrection tell us about our daily lives?

6. We are told to love with a pure heart. What other kinds of love are there?

7. Why is the Word of God so crucial in giving us hope?

8. How do you incorporate God’s Word into your daily life?

Memory Verse:  ” Therefore, ______ up the _______ of your _________, be __________ and rest your _______ fully upon the ________ that is to be brought to you at the ____________ of ________   __________.”

 -1 Peter 1:13 NKJV

Put this verse in your own words below and share what it means to you personally.

1. Share about a time where faith has changed your life.

2. Does faith mean you will never have doubts?

3.  Is there something that causes you to struggle with putting your faith in the Lord?

4. What things tends to strengthen your faith?

5. What are examples of things you have put your faith in instead of the Lord?

1. What do you think caused David to keep going from bad to worse?

2. Why do people so often keep piling up bad decisions?

3. What does it usually take for people to wake up and face their patterns of bad decisions?

4. Why do people tend to emphasize David’s adultery as such a big deal while treating his murder almost as an afterthought?

Week 1 Message

Introduction

Simon Peter was one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible. He was a fisherman who became a disciple of Jesus, who was then hugely instrumental in leading the early church. He is mentioned in the Gospels more than anyone else other than Jesus Himself. He often put his foot in his mouth (Jesus once called him “Satan”), he publicly denied knowing Jesus when He was taken to be killed, but he was also the one who initially tried to defend Jesus with a sword when He was being taken. He was also the only one who walked on water with Jesus. Jesus committed Peter personally with feeding His sheep before He ascended into heaven, and Peter was chosen to be the first Christian evangelist on the day the Holy Spirit was given, as he preached to thousands of people in Jerusalem. Later he also became the first to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.

But with all Peter’s highs and lows, the thing that maybe stands out the most about him is that he is real. You never had to wonder what he was thinking. He might offend you at times, and he was far from perfect, but he didn’t beat around the bush, and he didn’t leave you guessing. With Peter, what you see is what you get. And that makes him a refreshing character.  And in the midst of reality, Peter never gave up hope. We need his reality and hope today.

Peter wrote this book of First Peter probably more than 30 years after Jesus ascended. It reflects decades of experience as a leader in the church. Paul was likely already dead by this time, after having written probably 14 books of the New Testament and having established churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece. Now Peter is writing to a church that is in crisis. Persecution is spreading throughout the Roman Empire and the Christians are being scattered. These were difficult times. And when you find yourself in difficult times, and your beliefs are increasingly contrary to modern culture, and you are being blamed for everything that’s wrong in the world, it really helps to get some real talk from a real person who’s seen a lot, will tell it like it is, and can help you find a reason for hope.

Peter is a voice we need today. As we are surrounded by a collapsing culture, and we see even those who claim to follow Jesus imitating the phoniness of the world, Peter gives us a perspective we need. We need hope more than ever before. Lots of people offer hope that isn’t based in reality. They tell us what we want to hear but offer a short term hope based on delusions. So let’s spend the next ten weeks listening and learning from the real Peter, telling us about a genuine living hope.

January 26, 2023

Week One

“Our Rich Inheritance”

1 Peter 1:1-12

Vs. 1-2 Our identity- pilgrims disbursed but chosen by a Triune God.

Vs. 3-5 Our hope is in our inheritance

Vs. 6-8 Trials test our joy

Vs. 9-12 We are a fulfillment of prophecy

Discussion Questions 

1. When in your life have you felt most like a pilgrim? Like you didn’t really fit in?

2. How does being rejected by others give us more of an appreciation that we were chosen by God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and Jesus?

3. What have you inherited in your life? How did it affect you, positively and negatively?

4. What will you inherit from God? What does that mean to you now?

5. Have you ever seen someone go through trials and maintain their joy?

6. Have you ever gone through a trial that sucked the joy right out of you? If so, how did you recover?

7. What would we become if our joy was never tested, and we never went through trials?

8. How does it make you feel to know that you are personally a fulfillment of God’s divine plan throughout history?

Memory Verse:  Print 1 Peter 1:13 below.  Underline and define all the keywords.

1. Has there ever been a time when someone took advantage of your kindness and vulnerability by shaming you?

2. Have you ever had a time when you thought somebody had your back but they let you down?

3. What are some of the biggest battles you face on a regular basis?

4. Who in your life has your back?

5. Has there ever been a time in your life when only Jesus had your back?

1.What are you most afraid of as you consider the future?

2.Are you expecting 2023 to be a good year or bad year? Why?

3.What was your biggest disappointment last year?

4.In what ways have you seen God make seemingly negative events beautiful in time?

5. What do you think it means when Solomon says, “He has put eternity in their hearts?”