We’re coming to our final study in 1 Peter – we’ll be reading 1 Pt 5:6-14.
I’ve really learned a lot from Peter’s letter. Navigating through times of suffering is such a timely theme – suffering seems to be a constant companion on this journey of life. It was 2,000 years ago, it is today. But if we can learn to gain a higher perspective on suffering, it can enable us to respond to it in healthy ways.
As Peter closes his letter, he offers a few strategies for handling trouble in this life. V 6-7 are pretty famous verses. Why do you suppose Peter encourages us to be humble before God as a response to anxious circumstances? What connection between our anxieties and humility do you see?
V8-9 are likewise popular verses. Normally the devil is described as a serpent or a dragon. Why do you think Peter uses the metaphor of a lion here, when talking to Christians who faced persecution under Nero’s reign? Are there any other significances you can imply from the lion imagery, in terms of how they hunt or who they target? How would you connect that metaphor to Peter’s warning for the community of church?
What is his final resolve in v10-11? How does he sum this up? How would you sum up what he sums up (say THAT 10 times real fast!)?
I hope this study is encouraging and challenging – see you Sunday!
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