1 Peter - Part 3

“Sojourners and exiles” - not exactly the American dream, but it is the life Jesus described for his followers, and one of the key descriptions Peter likes to use of the growing church of his day. As people find they are part of a “Spiritual House” being built around Jesus, they also find they become dislocated from their homes and villiages when everyone else around them chases after the “desires of the flesh” rather than God. We live a strange life in this age, at the same moment we are home and we are exiles. We are home with Christ and our travelling companions, and we are exiles in the land we walk though.

“The Fellowship in Hollin” - Donata Gioncola - I couldn’t resist the Lord of the Rings as a story of the symbolic “Journey of Acent” that Christ’s life, but also many great literary stories, are about. The impossible goal, the deep challanges, the eventual and surprising way that the journey is accomplished and the rest that follows.

Anchor Texts:

1 Peter 2:1-12 ESVUK - A Living Stone and a Holy People

Questions to Ponder:

1. Define these key words from today’s 1 Peter passage in your own words:

   a. Malice

   b. Deceit

   c. Hypocrisy

   d. Envy

   e. Slander

2. In verse 5 we are called a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices - what are spiritual sacrifices? Hint: look at Psalm 51:17, Romans 12:1, Romans 15:15-16 NLT, Hebrews 13:15-16.

3. What is the significance of “being built up” in the present tense in v. 5, rather than Peter saying “you were built up” as if when you became a Christian (say, months or years ago) your stone was simply added to the building.

4. What is the big point Peter is making in veres 11-12?

5. What does it mean that the nations will glorify God on the day of visitation? Does it mean they are saved, or that they acknowledge that they were wrong about God and his followers?

6. How can we be both sojourners or travellers (v. 11) and have a spiritual house (v. 5)?

The Theme in Song:

I’ve got two songs today to explore the theme, the first is a fantastic rock song from the band Thrice released back in 2009. While they aren’t a Christian band 1 Peter along with many other themes of the Bible proved to be the inspiration for this song about hope in the midst of a life that feels like exile. The openning words and title come from 1 Peter.

The second song is a recent composition by Kenwood Music. It is a modern hymn that tells the story of our sojourning through this life.