Are you ready to answer?
Are you prepared to die?
What does “by the grace of God” mean?
Questions are answered in the Word of God. His grace prepares us to keep planting trees, breathe freely and worry less. The Son of God Jesus Christ gives, in the faith, a share in His risen life; purpose to live and to love people. Through hearing His Word spoken and sung, we’re empowered by Him to trust His mercy as well as desire priorities He designed for us. Christ already defeated sin, death and the power of the devil; yet, Satan is always enticing us into ways that could cumulate to a point we would leave or reject the faith. Almighty Jesus commands Baptism; water used together with the Word of God is one of the miraculous means of grace for saving faith. Baptism gives an inheritance of living hope, total healing and final glory in Christ. We have opportunity to get a taste of the gift now in the Lord’s Supper which nourishes us with forgiveness and strength to keep moving forward in faith. Read more on frequently asked questions.
…To those who are elect exiles… May grace and peace be multiplied to you.… Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. … 1 Peter 1
1 Peter 3:15
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| But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15) |
There’s help available.
It’s possible to reject the Truth by choosing to not pay attention to the One who pays attention to us. Turning toward God is an element of being helped and prepared in Truth for the eternal blessings. We can trust that the Son of God who gives us His Word always has us in mind; it was His idea to be born of a virgin woman for us. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father who loves us deeply. Because of our sin, after Jesus died to take away our punishment He descended to hell to proclaim the victory and show the spirit world what He did to fulfill the promises God made for us.
“The risen Christ is the sneak preview of what is to come for all who have been baptized into His death and live in faith.”—read more at His Resurrection Means Your Resurrection
“The disciples not only saw these men with their eyes, but they also heard them with their ears, speaking with Jesus … at His ascension into heaven when He would return to the Father.” —read more at The Glory of God’s Children
“Christ dwells only in sinners.”—read more at A Word on the Equality Act
We’ve been given the Word and Sacrament for living to follow the risen Jesus Christ to the poor, meek, destitute, lonely, burdened, sick, sinners; and sharing what we have been given, through caring conversations, rituals, traditions, devotions, and service.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
There’s one way for us to be forgiven in the eyes of God who initiated grace for us in Baptism.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 3:21
Welcome to church—we pray you’ll check it out. Feel free to mingle with people who are not of the world, but are in the Word praying to be ready to answer everyone who asks about the faith that comes by hearing. Leaning on Jesus, we enjoy merciful freedoms to confidently live in the world now and forever in the new creation. As God’s family of believers, we don’t want to meddle or go where we’re not meant to be involved; yet, knowing the end is near, we’re led by the Spirit to
- pray to take heart that Jesus has overcome the world
- thank the Counselor who keeps our focus on eternal life with God
- pray to be asked about the object of our faith
- pray to grow up into a grace-filled reverent way of living
- pray to be equipped by the strength the Lord gives us in His Word—to resist the devil so he would flee and we may be rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander—to be thankful for God’s merciful forgiveness
- pray that we may tenderly show mercy and witness through our words and actions
- pray the steady joy we have in Christ may gently encourage others
- pray to compassionately spread God’s commands, highlighting peace rewarded in living them as well as grace in failing
- pray for opportunities to do good and glorify God by sharing gifts given for us
Questions about our reason for the hope we have, in faith, while grieving various trials of long-suffering hard times, illness, chronic disorders, injustice, estrangement, abuse—we answer according to the Gospel. Praying for our enemies, strengthened to not retaliate, by faith we endure, grow in character, and forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Forgiving doesn’t make the wrong okay or make a way for evil to continue. Everything in life is directed according to God’s gracious purpose.
Sinners who are redeemed members of the Church depend on God’s helpful compassionate connections. In our trustworthy community of believers, He multiplies the benefits of wisdom, grace, experience and Biblical education. He unites us in the true faith. We share His affectionate concern for all people. Jesus bled for us, washes us to have a good conscience and protects us. We’re thankful for His process of love that adopts us into His family.
Spiritual life isn’t logical since it’s not by our own ability, will, choice, reason or strength that we repent. There’s more to it. It’s God’s power that ransomed flawed people which guards and renews the gift that’s available until the temporary hostility
of the world’s struggles will be destroyed when Christ returns.
- With Jesus, as we continue in the faith, the best is yet to come by grace when we’re brought into a fantastic everlasting future. The Holy Spirit through the Word of God points us to think eternally as we await our perfect peace kept in heaven for us.
- Without Jesus, everything in life is futile because death apart from God offers no hope for everyone who rejects Him. People who choose to replace God by living apart from the faith will experience the dire consequence of suffering eternally.
How hospitable are you? How would you rate your attitude? Discover more about hospitality.
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:9-11
As Christians, we don’t see ourselves as potentially becoming what we’d consider to be perfect on our own. Without Christ’s work, everyone would be doomed. God delights in us. He likely frowns or laughs at what we might consider perfection. We shouldn’t expect anyone to make things just right, to fit the flawed ways we want. Always, we can entrust ourselves to the faithful Creator who forgives and perfects our faith by His sacrificial work. Sustained and grounded in the Truth of His perfect love, He mercifully makes us ready for everything—the easy, fun, effectual smooth days, also the scary, sad and painfully difficult chunks of life. God’s purposes are always functioning. He is in control of everything.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:14
The Holy Spirit keeps us trusting until we arrive in The Promised Comfort of Heaven. Sharing the Good News isn’t appropriately done under compulsion, manipulatively or domineering to coerce others. Acting like a jerk, pretentiously proud and powerful, isn’t helpful. By grace, we care for and protect people by telling the Truth of the Word of God—the sufferings of Christ for us. Everyone’s better-off by concentrating on examples of Jesus’s style of engaging with people to bring them God. He gathered with people of many backgrounds, conversed kindly using gentle encouragement as a way of interacting with sinners who were humbled by Him. Immitating Christ, by faith, we’re empowered to remind people they’re cherished by our Heavenly Father who loved us with His life.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11
1 Peter video, Bible studies, sermons, podcasts
- Verse of the Week
- Radio
- Intro
- The Word Endures
- 30 Minutes: 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121
- Prepared with a Reason
