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, – 1 Peter 1:3 ESV

GREEK
ζῶσαν/zōsan: to engage in living

CONSIDER
As the calendar turns to another year, there is no shortage of programs, challenges, and plans designed to help you keep your resolution. In 2023, the New York Times developed a 7-Day Relationship Challenge in an attempt to bring a measure of happiness to your new year. Why relationships? Over 80 years of research from Harvard University has revealed concretely that the stronger our connections are, the happier we feel. Whether the seas of life are choppy or smooth, navigating those seas well requires the right people in our boat.
That’s why there is so much encouragement in today’s verse. God’s mercy has provided us a zōsan (living) hope through the resurrection of Jesus. This Greek word is a verb, indicating that our hope is active. It’s wrapped up in a person we can have a relationship with, who has defeated death and now lives forever! As important as it is for us to cultivate healthy relationships, placing all our hope in finite, imperfect people is unwise. But by leaning into the mercy of God, no amount of hardship can steal away the zōsan hope that we all need.

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Where is God calling me to a deeper commitment?

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to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, – 1 Peter 1:4 ESV

GREEK
ἀμάραντον/amaranton: without fading; perpetual

CONSIDER
Sometimes it’s necessary to go through the annual calendar and mark down special events that aren’t yet national holidays. We hand write family birthdays, anniversaries, and other big occasions so that they can be appropriately celebrated. For New York Mets fans, July 1st – aka Bobby Bonilla day – is one of those events! That’s the day when 59-year old former baseball player Bobby Bonilla receives a check from the Mets for $1,193,248.20. He structured his salary in the year 2000 to receive deferred compensation in the form of a single check for the above amount from 2011 – 2035. By the time Bonilla cashes his last check, he will be 72 years old.
To many, Bobby Bonilla day represents a savvy business move that rewards the patience of a decent player. But even Bonilla’s payments won’t last forever, and with inflation his annual amount won’t go nearly as far moving forward. But when Jesus resurrected from the dead, he provided an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and amaranton(without fading; perpetual). That means our inheritance can never run out, and will never fall victim to fading or fruitlessness. The resurrection of Jesus is just as powerful now as it was on the day the tomb became empty! Because our inheritance is amaranton, we have the spiritual capital to take God-risks, and can boldly pursue the deep commitments to which he is calling us.

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Where is God calling me to a deeper commitment?

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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, – 1 Peter 1:8 ESV

GREEK
ἀγαλλιᾶσθε/agalliasthe: leap because of one’s excitement

CONSIDER
There were some real differences between Peter, the charismatic disciple who spent years by Jesus’ side, and the people Peter wrote to in this letter. Peter knew Jesus; he knew the tone of Jesus’ voice, the gait of his stride, and the warmth of his smile. Peter’s original audience, however, was as familiar with those intimate details as we are in the 21st century. And yet that lack of familiarity was something that Peter celebrated in today’s verse because their faith had led them to agalliasthe (leap because of one’s excitement; exult) with joy. Although these people endured many hardships in life, they didn’t need first-hand experiences to be moved with joy at the promises of God! The hope that Jesus brought was powerful enough to stir God’s people to a life-changing level of commitment. We may not have been given the gift of a first-hand experience with Jesus like Peter had, but the people he wrote to remind us that the gospel is powerful! It caused the early church to agalliasthe with joy, and it can do the same for us today, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

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Where is God calling me to a deeper commitment?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, – 1 Peter 1:10 ESV

GREEK
ἐξηραύνησαν/exēraunēsan: examined carefully, explored minutely

CONSIDER
A cold case is defined as an unsolved criminal investigation that remains open, pending the discovery of new evidence. Because new information could be uncovered at any time, a cold case can take years to close. The oldest cold case to ever be solved in the U.S. was the murder of Irene Garza, needing more than 57 years to find enough evidence to convict her killer. But let’s be honest: prosecutors were certainly not obsessively following leads or poring over case details each day for that amount of time. Sometimes they could focus on the case, and other times they had to focus their attention somewhere more pressing.
When Peter painted the picture of those who searched and exēraunēsan (examined carefully, explored minutely) the details of our salvation, he did so using a unique word that can only be found here in all of scripture. Exēraunēsan is an active verb, indicating that these prophets actively explored as many details as possible when trying to discern the specifics of salvation. It expresses the truth that they never stopped trying to discern the story of grace. They would receive a prophetic word concerning the Messiah, then wrestle with the specifics of this concept for their entire lives. And yet Peter indicates that because we stand on the other side of the cross, the grace of salvation is ours to enjoy! When Jesus stepped out of that tomb, the case was closed, and now our focus can turn toward the purpose of the grace he freely gives. May we reject the urge to use it to push our own agenda and instead take part in the larger story of hope that Christ is still writing today.

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Whose story are you taking part in?

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inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. – 1 Peter 1:11 ESV

GREEK
προμαρτυρόμενον/promartyromenon: acted as a witness ahead of the event

CONSIDER
There’s a persistent legend about General Ulysses S. Grant that illustrates his faith in the armies he commanded. Grant was a notoriously poor sleeper, regularly functioning on 3 – 4 hours per night. Having fallen asleep under a tree near his command post, Grant was awoken by a messenger who had word that a segment of his forces had been soundly defeated by the Confederate army and were in full retreat. Grant is reported to have said, I do not believe it. Our plan is sound, and our army is capable. He then turned over and went back to sleep! It turned out that Grant was right – the report turned out to be fictitious, and the plan he put in place succeeded.
As impressive as the confidence of Grant may be, it cannot approach the grandeur of the Spirit of Christ as he promartyromenon (acted as a witness to an event ahead of its happening) the sufferings and glories of the Messiah. This is another verb that can only be found in the Bible right here in this verse. Promartyromenon communicates two very important truths about the Old Testament’s Messianic prophecies: they were so trustworthy that they could be said to be witnessed to before they even came about, and the one who promartyromenon them was the Spirit himself. God planned the way of salvation, the Holy Spirit promartyromenon it, and Jesus fulfilled it. Even when it doesn’t feel like it or we can’t comprehend it, we can have confidence that the story God unfolds is worth resting in.

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Whose story are you taking part in?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. – 1 Peter 1:12 ESV

GREEK
ἐπιθυμοῦσιν/epithymousin: set the heart upon, desire, lust after

CONSIDER
How does a person discover their life’s purpose? Should they follow their heart or make a rational decision with their head? Turns out, the answer is usually both. Frederick Buechner phrased it this way: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Discovering our purpose should clearly prompt us to act as it stirs our hearts, and as we see injustice, hopelessness, and need in our world, we will certainly use wisdom to best address these. Peter provides some insight into the Heavenly realm in today’s verse when he reveals that the work of the Messiah is something that angels epithymousin (desire, set their heart upon) to look. Peter is the only Biblical writer to use this tense of the verb, and through it, he conveys a focused passion. Heaven itself is passionate about what the grace of God looks like for humanity! To use Buechner’s parlance, their deep gladness is to see the Messiah bring transformation to a world in need. So it begs the question, is this our deep gladness too? Do the grace of God and the gospel of Jesus stir our hearts in a way that fuels our purpose? May we prayerfully look for ways to link our story with the story of redemption God is writing.

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Whose story are you taking part in?

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Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 1:13 ESV

GREEK
τελείως/teleiōs: completely, without wavering

CONSIDER
Our mission at Centerway is to cultivate a movement in which people become Gospel-centered influencers in every sphere of life. This means that we want people to leverage the impact of their lives to point to the grace of God through Jesus. But for this mission to have a lasting impact on our community, we need to be all in with our hope in the Gospel. If not, we run the risk of our influence being centered on our preferences or personal agenda. This is why one of the commands that Peter gives in this section of scripture is to “set your hope teleiōs (completely, without wavering) on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Peter is using his pastoral gift to remind this group of beleaguered Christians that their hope isn’t found in what they will experience but in what Christ has experienced on their behalf. That’s the Gospel! So how can we assess whether our hope is teleiōs set on this grace? One way is to reflect on what sort of things cause you to act in a way that you later regret. Do you consistently lash out when you feel disrespected? Have you been blindsided by disrupted plans and taken your frustration out on the people closest to you? When our character is impacted by our circumstances, it’s a good indication that we are hoping in something we can achieve and haven’t teleiōs set our hope on the grace of God. Thankfully, the power of the cross can cover that, too, and today can be another opportunity to center your life around the good news of Jesus!

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What area of my character do I need the Gospel to shape?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, – 1 Peter 1:22 ESV

GREEK
ἐκτενῶς/ektenōs: to one’s fullest potential, fully extended; fervently

CONSIDER
Six one-hundredths of a second. That’s all that separated the first five finishers in the 1992 Olympic Women’s 100-meter dash final. In the closest sprint in Olympic history, Gail Devers edged out her competition by lunging forward and willing the top of her head to cross the finish line. As she stretched her neck and body to its limit, the difference between making history and becoming a footnote to it turned out to be shorter than the blink of an eye. But even though that final extension in her photo finish was replayed over and over again, it was the unseen strain of years of commitment, focus, and determination that really earned Devers the gold. The 5:00 a.m. workouts, the strict dieting, and the snowy training sessions stretched Devers to her limit and shaped her into the Olympian that was able to rise to the occasion.
Peter asks us to do something similar in today’s verse. After doing the work of being obedient to the truth, we are to love one another ektenōs (fully extended, fervently) from a pure heart. This Greek adverb denotes something being stretched out to its fullest potential, like a fishing line or a rope bridging a large chasm. Thus Peter implies that when we love the people God has placed in our lives, it should be with everything we’ve got, without holding anything back in reserve. And while it’s true that we should love ektenōs when the opportunity presents itself, like Gail Devers it will be the stretching and shaping of our compassion on a day-to-day basis that will ultimately prepare us for those Olympic-sized moments. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus showed us love through his obedience to the Father, and so our ability to love and serve others will be seen in us as we submit ourselves obediently to his will.

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What area of my character do I need the Gospel to shape?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
– 1 Peter 1:23 ESV

GREEK
ἀφθάρτου/aphthartou: indestructible, imperishable

CONSIDER
According to the Corning Museum of Glass, one of the most surprising contradictions in nature can be found in a Prince Rupert’s drop. This is a glass bead that is formed when a drop of molten glass is dropped into cold water. In a matter of seconds, the bulbous end is virtually indestructible, with the ability to remain intact despite being hit with a hammer or even shot by a bullet! And yet the thin tail of a Prince Rupert’s drop is extremely fragile, and when that part fractures, it causes the entire drop to disintegrate into billions of microscopic pieces. No matter how strong the glass may seem, it only takes one hit in a frail place to destroy its integrity.
Peter teaches his readers that they have been born again of aphthartou (indestructible) seed, through the living and abiding word of God. When we were first born physically, we came about through perishable seed. In other words, every single human has an expiration date when our physical bodies will die. But through the gospel – the living and abiding word of God – we can experience life that will last for eternity. The hope that Jesus provided as he was raised to life has no integrity issues. It is perfect and complete and totally reshapes our perspective because it is indestructible. No matter where your faith takes a hit, the gospel declares that the rewards of Christ’s work on your behalf will endure forever.

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What area of my character do I need the Gospel to shape?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
– 1 Peter 2:2 ESV

GREEK
ἐπιποθήσατε/epipothēsate: crave; have an intense affection for

CONSIDER
The Association for Psychological Science has recently shared its findings that humans can heighten or reduce their cravings simply by what they visualize. For example, based on their research, the strength of a person’s desire for food was linked to how vividly they imagined eating that particular meal. Our cravings can become so intense that they actually crowd out thoughts of doing other things. The research also suggests that this relationship works in the opposite direction: when experiencing a craving for something, distracting someone’s mind with thoughts of anything else quantitatively reduces their desire for the original object or activity.
This is important to keep in mind as we approach this week’s text. In it, Peter tells us to epipothēsate (crave; have an intense affection for) for the pure spiritual milk like newborn infants. Those things that grow us are the things that Peter wants us to epipothēsate. So how do we develop a craving for those things? Much like a person who craves sweets fantasizes about the experience of eating their favorite dessert, our thoughts must be focused on the gospel and our experience of life transformation. This happens in proximity to Jesus, and when our minds are set on things above (Col. 3:2) we will be less likely to become distracted by the temptation to participate in spiritually unhealthy practices. Is there anything you crave that would fit into this category? Take time this week to journal about it, recognizing your need to refocus on Christ and his saving work on your behalf.

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Journal about an area of spiritual immaturity.

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As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
– 1 Peter 2:4 ESV

GREEK
προσερχόμενοι/proserchomenoi: to ascend to a place in order to draw near to him in worship

CONSIDER
Georges Rousse is an internationally acclaimed photographer, but if you don’t know what to look for, many of his works could lead you to question how that came to be. Rousse specializes in perspective artwork, a type of painting and sculpture that is best seen from one angle in particular. Looking at a Rousse installation with the right perspective, his works appear ethereal, refined, and meticulous. Viewed from any other angle, the arrangement of the medium appears distorted, chaotic, and unimpressive. It’s only by looking at the piece from where he wants you to, that Rousse’s genius can be seen.
Oftentimes, God’s handiwork in our lives is this way, too. Because God is omniscient and omnipresent, his perspective is not the same as ours. From where we stand, we sometimes can’t imagine why God would allow the chaos of our lives to seemingly run rampant. But the beautiful thing about the Gospel is that through it he invites us into a relationship with him that allows us to share his perspective! In this verse, Peter says “As you proserchomenoi (ascend to him for the purpose of worship) a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious…” The man who Jesus renamed Rock tells us that as we seek proximity with God we will see life in a whole new light. Where others choose to reject the living cornerstone, we will be able to recognize how precious he is. When some are unable to make sense of things from their perspective, we can proserchomenoi and stand where he invites us to see things differently. Spiritual immaturity often fails to trust God when things seem chaotic. But Peter reminds us that growing in our faith is a matter of eternal perspective.

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Journal about an area of spiritual immaturity.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
– 1 Peter 2:6 ESV

GREEK
μὴ καταισχυνθῇ/mē kataischynthē: shall not be put to the blush, disgraced

CONSIDER
If you’re ever tempted to beat yourself up over past mistakes, you might want to remind yourself of General G.P.W. Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery. In 1932 he was commissioned to lead two regiments (roughly 1600 people) of soldiers to displace 20,000 emus that were causing havoc for Australia’s wheat farmers. Emus grow to nearly six feet so they could decimate an entire field with ease. When the farmers called in the military for this assignment, there were more than a few jokes making their rounds throughout the ranks. But emus are quick, elusive, and turned out to even be able to withstand bullets. After a week of trying to ambush them, chase them down, and battle them head-on, General Meredith called off the assignment and admitted defeat. They had culled less than 5% of the emu population they were called in to take care of, an embarrassing result for a military general whose opponent was a horde of flightless birds.
The act of journaling about an area of spiritual immaturity is not designed to evoke feelings of guilt or shame. In fact, Peter connects the prophecy of Isaiah directly to Jesus and reminds his hearers that whoever believes in him mē kataischynthē (shall not be put to the blush, disgraced). We can have confidence that our past mistakes aren’t being held against us, and that God’s love transcends our ability to demonstrate maturity at all times. Reflecting on where God is asking us to grow is indeed a response to the love he has first shown us, not a way to remind ourselves how unworthy we are. So as you reflect, allow the Holy Spirit to lovingly direct you to the cornerstone who endured shame on our behalf so that we mē kataischynthē.

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Journal about an area of spiritual immaturity.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

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 ESV

GREEK
ἐξαγγείλητε/exangeilēte: you may publicly announce; you may celebrate

CONSIDER
One of our Because and Therefore statements at Centerway reads like this: Because of what Jesus has done we value CELEBRATION therefore we talk about Jesus a lot, rejoice over life-change, readily encourage and honor one another, and uplift our local communities. There’s something about the act of celebrating that we as humans find captivating. Peter taps into this truth by sharing that you as a Christian have been set apart so that exangeilēte (you may publicly celebrate) the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Our response to the new identity God has developed for us should be to celebrate that change in front of a watching world. But one lie that could be easily believed is that our proclamation needs to take on a condescending tone. In other words, we may think that in order to effectively proclaim our new identity in Christ, we need to harshly condemn those who still walk in the darkness we’ve been delivered from. But instead of pointing the finger at others, the Greek verb exangeilēte carries with it the idea that we publicly and joyfully celebrate the light we are now experiencing. By this, our lives will point to Christ, the light of the world, who alone is worthy of celebration.

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What lie will I replace with the truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:10 ESV

GREEK
λαὸς/laos: set apart group

CONSIDER
If anyone could speak to the power of a changed identity, it was Peter. The man who was born Simon – this fisherman who had grown up developing a keen insight into Judean waterways – was given the nickname “Rock” by the One who had a keen insight into human character. When he committed his life to follow Jesus, Peter had no intention of simply adding him to an already busy life. Jesus became his life, and every gift and ability in it was leveraged for a new purpose.
This is the sentiment that Peter shares with the beleaguered churches his epistle is addressed to. Although at the time they were scattered and persecuted, Peter boldly declares that now you are God’s laos (set apart ones). The language would not have been lost on them, because the same word is used in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) to describe the set-apart people of God. So Peter is doing more than explaining that they belong to God; he is also declaring that their entire identity has changed! Where once they were simply dispersed residents of Asia Minor, now they are united with each other under the banner of Christ. When God’s laos come to truly comprehend this reality, everything changes, Jesus becomes our life, and every gift and ability we have can then be leveraged for his ultimate purpose.

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What lie will I replace with the truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
– 1 Peter 2:11 ESV

GREEK
παροίκους/paroikous: alien; one whose house is close beside a citizen

CONSIDER
In our 21st century western context, one of the most basic lies we can believe is the lie of entitlement. For thousands of years, the world in which a person lived was “out there,” and our lives were pointed outward toward it to work, play and exist within. Today, the world as we know it is often pointed inward toward us, in the handheld and wearable technology that many of us use on a daily basis. Simply put, instead of facing outward toward the real world, we expect the world to be pointed toward us, as we can work, play, and seemingly exist using the screens and automation that are waiting for our command.
In this reality, technology itself is certainly not evil, but it does have the capacity to deliver our desires to us and capture our hearts. And since an idol can be defined as anything that we set our hearts on above God, we must abstain from all fleshly passions. When Peter addresses God’s people as paroikous (alien; one whose house is close beside a citizen) and exiles, his language demonstrates that Christians should have a different approach to those earthly passions than its official citizens do. Paroikous carries with it the concept of a person who lives among the legal citizenry but is not privy to the rights and privileges of that government. We are to live as non-citizens with limited rights in this world because there is a war being waged against our souls! If we can see the lie of entitlement for what it is, and recognize that Jesus bore the weight of what we truly deserve on the cross, we will be strengthened by the truth that the reward he earned on our behalf is closer than we imagine.

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What lie will I replace with the truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
– 1 Peter 2:15 ESV

GREEK
ἀγαθοποιοῦντας/agathopoiountas: by acting on what is inherently good

CONSIDER
Who would you consider to be the most influential person in your life? Chances are, your answer is someone you admire and respect. Our mission at Centerway Church is to cultivate a movement in which people become Gospel-centered influencers in every sphere of life. We believe that every person who follows Jesus has been uniquely positioned to impact others with the Gospel. However, this impact doesn’t stop at people who are okay with our influence, but can also include those whose feelings for you are far from admiration and respect! In today’s verse, Peter tells us that the will of God is that agathopoiountas (by acting on what is inherently good) you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. The people he has in mind are clearly not interested in rooting for you or your sway over their lives. But it’s also important to note that their silencing doesn’t come from arguing them into submission; rather it is through your actions that they will be muzzled. If we offer our unsolicited opinions and feel the need to make sure others always agree with us, we will not have the same kind of imprint on the lives of ignorant people. It is agathopoiountas, not simply by speaking out, that we are most like our Heavenly Father. He loved us so much that he demonstrated it through sending his only Son to take our place when we were still his enemies. And now we can reflect Jesus’ humility in coming to earth by lovingly acting on what is inherently good and silencing ignorance with the way we live.

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Where do I need to humble myself before the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. – 1 Peter 2:16 ESV

GREEK
ἐπικάλυμμα/epikalymma: cloak, disguise

CONSIDER
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should do it. There are millions of examples to explain why this is true, but convicted arsonist Donald Pugh can provide one of the best. Before his arrest, Pugh was hiding from the Lima, Ohio police so effectively that they posted an image of him on their Facebook page to obtain help from the general public. Upon seeing the picture, Pugh texted a better photo of himself to the authorities with the caption, here is a better photo – that one is terrible. And since police have the ability to trace digital devices, Pugh’s cover was blown and he was quickly caught and convicted of his crimes. Clearly, this was not the wisest decision he ever made!
The difference between the freedom Donald Pugh had to contact the people pursuing him and our freedom in Christ is that, unlike his legal guilt, our spiritual guilt has been transferred to Jesus in exchange for his righteousness. When that happened, we were delivered from the obligation to live up to God’s perfect standard in order to obtain salvation. But just because we are freed from the need to be perfect, it doesn’t mean that we can use our freedom as an epikalymma (cloak, disguise) for evil. As we are now clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we have the privilege of reflecting his character to an evil world. And while it’s true that making selfish and greedy decisions is an option while living in this freedom, doing so would not convey the heart of God or serve to access the joy that is available to us through obedience. We can hide behind an epikalymma of irresponsibility, or we can obey the One who humbled himself on our behalf. May the choice we make be the wisest and clearest decision we have ever made!

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Where do I need to humble myself before the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. – 1 Peter 2:16 ESV

GREEK
Πάντας τιμήσατε/Pantas timēsate: all, anyone, everyone [should be] prized, valued & revered

CONSIDER
In the world to which Peter wrote, the concept of honor was well-defined. Culturally, those who were expected to be the recipient of recognition and respect were clearly established, and the same was true for those to whom giving honor was unimaginable. For example, the firstborn received the birthright of inheritance, while any siblings who were born afterward had to settle for a second-rate portion. So when Peter commands those who follow Jesus to honor pantas (all, anyone, everyone), it flew in the face of convention. In our context, honoring anyone without reservation may sound like a no-brainer. Everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly, right? But timēsate (prize, value, revere) carries with it the weighty sense of treating every person we meet with heightened distinction. Every irritating classmate, every aggravating colleague, every temperamental acquaintance. Every. Single. Person.
So how are we to live up to this seemingly impossible command to pantas timēsate? By remembering and proclaiming the Gospel! Jesus, who the Bible refers to as our older brother (see Mark 3, Hebrews 2) willingly gave up his birthright and offered it to us in exchange for our dishonored and deserved place on the cross. He made a way for pantas who believe in him to have eternal life, regardless of their position in society or their proximity to its margins. And when we become aware that we were included in this group at one time, it gives us the perspective it takes to unconditionally pantas timēsate who God places in our lives as well.

APPLY
Where do I need to humble myself before the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  – 1 Peter 2:19 ESV

GREEK
λύπας/lypas: sadness, grief, sorrow, emotional pain

CONSIDER
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince, found success in two worlds. He was a noted commercial and military aviator, as well as an internationally recognized writer. But just like the rest of us, Saint-Exupery knew his share of pain. By the age of 17 his father and brother had both passed away, and by his mid-twenties he had experienced several aircraft crashes and a failed engagement. Ultimately, Antoine de Saint-Exupery would lose his life in a crash conducting a reconnaissance mission for France at the age of 44. But as a man acquainted with pain, he was able to say this about the subject: “Sorrow is one of the vibrations that prove the fact of living.” He didn’t sweep the pain of life under the rug but acknowledged it as one of life’s realities.
Peter takes this idea a step further in today’s verse, by telling his hearers that this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures lypas (sadness, emotional pain) while suffering unjustly. This statement flies in the face of our modern idea of how life should work. In our world, pain of any kind is meant to be avoided. Clearly nothing good could come from it, right? But pain that comes from suffering unjustly for God is not something to be avoided, but is actually a gift of grace! Because God is writing a story from his eternal and heavenly perspective, he knows when our lypas can best point others to our Source of hope and life. Jesus took our suffering upon himself as he approached the cross, and his wounds were what led to our healing. So now the unjust things in our life that cause us sadness and grief can be used to change our perspective and connect others to God’s grace as well.

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What next step will I take this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. – 1 Peter 2:22 ESV

GREEK
δόλος/dolos: bait or a decoy used to trick the unsuspecting

CONSIDER
“I want my clean as real as Ivory!” This slogan from a 20th-century ad campaign was used to go along with the touted fact that Ivory soap is 99.44% pure. This sounds pristine until we understand that Ivory soap has traditionally been made from beef tallow and other animal fats. These ingredients are so prevalent that chunks of Ivory soap have been used as bait for catfish, who have terrible eyesight but an incredible sense of smell. The fat comes through despite the presence of lye, and the bait is all too frequently taken.
It is wise for us to remember that Peter knew Jesus better than almost anyone in the world at the time of this letter. He was privy to conversations and experiences that few others were. So when Peter gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ character, it should cause us to lean in. He tells us that “he committed no sin, neither was dolos (bait or a decoy to trick the unsuspecting) found in his mouth.” According to Peter, Jesus was authentic in his ability to draw people to himself. He didn’t rely on dolos – bait that looked worthy of people’s lives but only served as a lure – to lead others to follow him. What he said was true and honest and compelling because it was authentic. When catfish catch the scent of beef fat in the water, they take the bait even though that bait is actually unappealing. But as Jesus spoke, his words were as true as he claimed they were. We can trust Jesus with our lives! In fact, because he took the stigma and consequences of our pain on himself, we can trust Jesus to care for us and respond to our suffering despite the many ways we have proven inauthentic.

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He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. – 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

GREEK
ἀνήνεγκεν/anēnenken: to carry up; to willingly take up

CONSIDER
As we wrap up and reflect on this incredible series, we might notice themes that keep recurring throughout Peter’s epistle. Three of these are hope, holiness, and healing. And while Peter’s original audience may have been people with far different lives than we have, humanity’s need for these three things is universal. Thankfully, Peter points to Jesus as the source of all that we need, and reveals that because he himself anēnenken (carried up, willingly took up) our sin in his dying body, we have the capacity to die to sin and live for righteousness. What an exchange! His death meant that we die too, but instead of our death preventing us from experiencing the joy of life, it is now the gateway to sinless perfection and eternity with God. Peter has done well to remind us that it’s all about Jesus, but his use of this unique Greek verb takes that truth to another level.
It would have been one thing for Jesus to begrudgingly do what was right and say yes to his Father’s will to go to the cross, but Peter makes it clear through his use of anēnenken that Jesus chose to take up our sins into his dying body. The tense of this verb is only found here in the entire New Testament, and even can be rendered as leading the way through to a goal or endpoint. He willingly became our atoning sacrifice when he knew it would cost him everything. So the next time we choose to do the right thing publicly, but internally are upset about doing it, may we remember Jesus’ attitude on the cross and how his willingness to anēnenken our sins has led to our hope, holiness, and healing.

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What next step will I take this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!