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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll discover how we can have hope and joy in Christ even through suffering and trials, while growing stronger in faith and truth.

Key Verse

1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Introduction

Peter wrote to Christians who were suffering persecution and needed encouragement. He wanted to remind them of the great salvation we have in Christ and help them understand how to grow stronger through their trials.

1 Peter 1:3-4: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.

Peter knew about comfort and encouragement because he had needed it himself. Jesus encouraged Peter during the time of his greatest spiritual trial when He warned him about Satan’s attacks:

Luke 22:32: But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

After Peter denied Christ three times, the Lord comforted him and restored him to fellowship and service:

John 21:15: When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Peter also experienced God’s miraculous deliverance when an angel freed him from prison, showing him firsthand that God protects and delivers His people even in the darkest circumstances:

Acts 12:6-7: The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

In the letters that Peter wrote, we see him comforting others just as Jesus said he would. Through his own experiences of failure, forgiveness, and deliverance, Peter learned to encourage believers facing their own trials. In this lesson, we’ll explore the message of hope and growth that Peter shares in his two epistles.

Here are the main points we will study together:

• The message of 1 Peter: hope through suffering
• The message of 2 Peter: growth through truth

The Message of 1 Peter: Hope Through Suffering

Peter emphasizes three main themes in his first letter that help believers find hope even in the midst of persecution and hardship.

We Have a Rich Inheritance in Christ

Peter teaches about the privileges and blessings of our inheritance in Christ. This is how we endure suffering and persecution—by remembering all that Christ has done for us. These blessings are gifts of God’s grace through the work of Jesus Christ, and the first chapter presents one of the greatest teaching passages on our salvation, similar to Ephesians 1.

Consider the incredible riches that belong to every believer: We have a living hope that death cannot destroy. We have an eternal inheritance that thieves cannot steal and time cannot decay. We are kept secure by the very power of God Himself. We have been purified by Christ’s blood and made clean in God’s sight. We have received salvation that the prophets longed to understand and angels desire to look into. We have been redeemed not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ. We have been born again through God’s living and enduring Word.

1 Peter 1:18-19: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as gold or silver that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

(Notebook Moment: When you face difficult circumstances, which of these spiritual blessings means the most to you? How does remembering what Christ has given you change your perspective on temporary troubles?)

We Will Suffer Persecution for the Name of Christ

Peter reminds Christians that we should not be surprised when we face persecution for our faith. This suffering is not a sign that God has abandoned us, but rather evidence that we truly belong to Him.

1 Peter 4:12-14: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

This principle is taught throughout the New Testament. Jesus Himself told us to expect persecution when we live godly lives:

Matthew 5:10-12: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

2 Timothy 3:12: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Peter teaches that Christ Himself is our perfect example for how to suffer with dignity and faith:

1 Peter 2:21-23: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

When we endure wrong treatment without responding with bitterness or revenge, we become powerful witnesses for Christ. Our patient endurance in suffering demonstrates the reality of our faith to a watching world.

We Have Responsibilities to Serve Christ Faithfully

Throughout his first letter, Peter exhorts believers to be faithful to their responsibilities as followers of Christ. God has called us for a great purpose, and Peter says we are like living stones that God is using to build a spiritual temple, with Christ as the cornerstone.

1 Peter 2:4-5: As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We are called to live godly lives as a witness before the world:

1 Peter 2:11-12: Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

This faithful living includes submitting to authority, being loving and faithful in our marriages, showing compassion to other believers, and faithfully using our spiritual gifts to serve others. When we live this way, we demonstrate that Christ has truly transformed our hearts.

(Notebook Moment: In which area of Christian responsibility—submission to authority, faithful marriage, compassion toward others, or using your gifts—do you most need to grow? How might growth in this area strengthen your witness for Christ?)

The Message of 2 Peter: Growth Through Truth

While 1 Peter focuses on comforting Christians who are suffering, 2 Peter focuses on warning Christians against false teaching and helping them grow in knowledge and truth. Peter divides his message into three sections that address the past, present, and future foundations of our faith.

The Foundations of Our Faith (Chapter 1)

Peter teaches that our faith rests upon solid, unshakeable foundations. First, we have the foundation of our salvation, which comes through God’s divine power and promises. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Christ.

2 Peter 1:3-4: His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Second, we have the foundation of God’s Word, which is more reliable than even miraculous experiences. Peter had witnessed Christ’s transfiguration with his own eyes, but he tells us that Scripture provides an even more solid foundation for our faith.

2 Peter 1:19-21: We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Enemies of Our Faith (Chapter 2)

Peter warns about false teachers who will try to lead believers astray with destructive heresies. These false teachers are motivated by greed and will exploit God’s people with fabricated stories and twisted interpretations of Scripture.

2 Peter 2:1-3: But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

However, Peter assures us that God knows how to rescue the godly from trials and will certainly judge those who lead others astray. Just as God delivered Noah from the flood and Lot from Sodom, He will protect His faithful people and punish the wicked.

The Future of Our Faith (Chapter 3)

Peter looks ahead to the second coming of Christ and warns that scoffers will arise in the last days, mocking the promise of Christ’s return. These mockers will claim that everything continues as it always has, refusing to acknowledge that God has intervened in history before and will do so again.

2 Peter 3:3-4: Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Peter reminds us that God’s timing is not like our timing. What seems like delay to us is actually God’s patience, giving more people opportunity to repent and come to salvation.

2 Peter 3:8-9: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

(Notebook Moment: How does knowing that God’s “delay” in Christ’s return is actually His patience toward lost people change your attitude toward evangelism and your prayers for unsaved friends and family members?)

How We Mature in Faith Through Both Trials and Truth

Peter’s two letters teach us that Christian growth happens through two essential channels: learning to trust God’s grace during suffering, and learning to stand firm on God’s truth when confronted with false teaching.

Growing Through Suffering

When we face trials and persecution, we have the opportunity to grow in our understanding of God’s grace and faithfulness. Suffering teaches us to depend less on ourselves and more on Christ. It shows us which things in life are temporary and which are eternal. It develops in us the character of Christ as we learn to respond to mistreatment with love instead of revenge.

Through suffering, we discover that our inheritance in Christ is more valuable than any earthly comfort we might lose. We learn that God’s power is sufficient to keep us secure even when everything around us seems unstable. We grow in our appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice as we experience a small taste of what it means to suffer for righteousness.

Growing Through Truth

When we encounter false teaching, we have the opportunity to grow in our knowledge of God’s Word and our ability to distinguish truth from error. Confronting false doctrine forces us to study Scripture more carefully and understand more clearly what we believe and why we believe it.

The presence of false teachers in the church reminds us that we cannot be passive in our faith. We must actively grow in grace and knowledge, always being prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. We must learn to test everything against the unchanging standard of God’s Word.

2 Peter 3:17-18: Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Conclusion

Peter concludes his second letter with a powerful command that perfectly captures the message of both his epistles:

2 Peter 3:17-18: Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

This final exhortation reveals that Christian growth happens through two essential channels that Peter has addressed throughout both letters. We must grow in grace, which we learn primarily through suffering as we discover God’s faithfulness in our trials. When we face persecution and hardship, we learn to depend less on ourselves and more on Christ. We discover that our inheritance in Christ is more valuable than any earthly comfort we might lose, and we grow in our appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice as we experience what it means to suffer for righteousness.

We must also grow in knowledge, which happens as we confront false teaching with God’s truth. When we encounter error and deception, we are forced to study Scripture more carefully and understand more clearly what we believe and why we believe it. The presence of false teachers reminds us that we cannot be passive in our faith but must actively anchor ourselves in God’s Word and learn to test everything against its unchanging standard.

The same Peter who once denied his Lord three times became the bold apostle who could encourage believers to rejoice in their sufferings and stand firm against false teaching. His transformation gives us hope that God can use our failures, our trials, and our battles with deception to make us stronger, wiser, and more faithful servants.

Whether you are facing persecution for your faith, struggling with doubts about God’s promises, or trying to discern truth from error in our confused world, Peter’s message remains relevant and powerful. We have a living hope that cannot be destroyed. We have an inheritance that cannot be taken away. We have God’s Word as our sure foundation. And we have the promise that the same God who delivered Peter from prison and transformed him from a coward into a courageous leader will complete the good work He has begun in us.

The key to growing in both grace and knowledge is remembering who we are in Christ and faithfully fulfilling our responsibilities as His chosen people. As we do this, we will find that our trials become opportunities for testimony, our struggles with false teaching become occasions for deeper study, and our entire lives become offerings of praise to the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

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[for revision, include the following in “Go Deeper”: compare 1 Peter 5:8, in which Satan is described as a roaring lion who is seeking to devour us, with the description David gives us how he delivered his sheep from the lion’s mouth: 1 Samuel 17:34-36. Ask specifically how David is a picture of Christ in this passage. Consider as well including Jesus’s own statements in the Gospels.

Here’s some sample language to revise:

As you meditate on what it means to be spiritually guarded and cared for, consider the contrast between our adversary’s intentions and Christ’s saving work as the Good Shepherd.

Matthew 18:12-14 & John 10:11-15 — Read these words of Jesus about seeking the lost and laying down His life for His sheep. Take a moment to meditate and reflect on the depth of Christ’s love and His daily care and protection over you.

1 Peter 5:8 — Read this verse. How does the image of a roaring lion help you understand the seriousness of Satan’s destructive desires for your life? How should this warning shape your watchfulness and dependence on Christ?

1 Samuel 17:34-36 — Reflect on David’s account of rescuing his sheep from the mouth of the lion. How does this describe both what Christ did for us at the cross—and what He continues to do for us each and every day as our Shepherd?]