Vision

To build disciples who represents Jesus to everyone, everywhere with everything

1st Peter / Context

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The early believers had left their old way of living and now living for the will of God. Their new life invited slander and isolation from old friends. Peter encouraged them to continue living their life to please God knowing the coming judgment of God. He also encouraged them that they are not walking alone and instructs them how to walk together to live out an unshakeable faith.

Read 1 Peter 4:1-11; 5:1-7

• What do these passages tell us about God?
• What do these passages tell us about you and your life?
• What questions do you have about this passage?

Ps Chee shared there are times as Christians we find ourselves alone and asking the question, ‘Who is walking with me?’. However, Peter encourages us not to start with what others isn’t doing for us, but what we can do for others. He shifts their focus from what is happening to them, to what God wants to do through them. He instructs them to love and serve one another. In other words, to change their question to, ‘Who am I walking with?’. Peter encourages them to look for:

1. Someone to love (1 Peter 4:8-9)
2. Someone to serve (1 Peter 4:10-11)
3. Someone to be humble towards (1 Peter 5:1-7)

Discuss one or more of the following relevant questions.

• Share with one another a time when you’ve felt alone and asked the question, ‘Who is walking with me?’. How did you deal with that question?
• Peter deals with the believers’ loneliness and social isolation by encouraging what every believer can do for one another.  In other words, we should change our question from who is walking with me, to who am I walking with. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss.
• Have there been times when you’ve been disappointed in the church? How do you keep fervent your love for one another in the church? Is there someone you are loving right now?
• How does love cover over a multitude of sin? Give an example of how someone’s love for you covered over your multitude of sin.
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer shares that disappointment in the church is important to help us learn what genuine Christian fellowship is all about. Our disappointment is an opportunity to move from romantic love to costly love for the church.
  Can you identify with this? Give an example.
• What are your spiritual gifts? How are you using your gifts to serve one another? How are you growing in your gifts?
• Peter encourages the leadership and members of the church to walk together by clothing themselves with humility. Give two examples of an experience of:
  • Pride between leaders and members
  • Humility between leaders and members
    How does humility enable us to experience the grace of God?
• ‘He must take a low place before God, who would take a high place before men.’
  What does it mean for you to take a low place before God?

• Is there a truth that God wants you to obey?
• What will you do to obey this? I will…