A Living Hope: A Study of 1 Peter

By Sarah Viggiano Wright

COULD YOU USE SOME HOPE RIGHT NOW?
Come encounter A LIVING HOPE that will never fail…
Peter’s first letter is full of hard-earned wisdom, offering:

• Hope for those who long.
• Hope for those who struggle.
• Hope for those undergoing trials.
• Hope for those who feel lost or unseen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bible Study Media, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781942243366

Book preview

A Living Hope: A Study of 1 Peter

© 2020 by Sarah Viggiano Wright

All rights reserved.

Published in Houston, Texas by Bible Study Media, Inc.

Cover and Interior design by Brandon Norton, Norton Designs.

ISBN # 978-1-942243-35-9

ISBN # 978-1-942243-36-6 (e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020906179

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher. www.biblestudymedia.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations noted (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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DEDICATED TO…

Lee, my love and best friend, who has shown me the clearest picture of Jesus’ love and who spurs me on to love and good deeds. You made this book possible.

Tillie, Margot, and Max, my precious little lambs who love lavishly and teach me about goodness every day.

My wonderful family who love me as I am and who celebrate each other unabashedly. Vi voglio bene a tutti!

Patty, who laid down her life to love me over and over again.

And to Dustin and to Pam, who loved me well, who lived and loved faithfully, and who I await seeing in glory. Though your lives were full, you made room for me. Thank you for being good examples to me. Your ministries continue to thrive!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to The Reverend Charlie Holt and to Ginny Mooney for your coaching, editing, kindness, and patience. Your influence is on every page.

Thank you to Jimmy Agan, who taught me the beautiful significance of Jesus’ example. Thank you to Karen Jobes whose work was my compass, and to Dan Doriani, Edmund Clowney and Chad Scruggs for your inspiration. Thank you to Glenn Lucke and Docent for helping me hone my craft.

Thank you to our Reformed University Fellowship and Willow Creek Church families who have cared for us well and have lived life with us. All your gifts of encouragement kept us going.

Thank you to Annalee Bell, Amanda Hall, Hannah Brandenburg, and Amy Hicks for loving my babies while I wrote.

Thank you to Matthew and Stephanie Porter for the gift of a quiet place to write.

Thank you to Anne Lewis, my cheerleader, production assistant and vision caster. You are always causing me to soar!

Thank you to Brett and Dee Eastman, Charlie and Brooke Holt, and Allen White, and to each of your teams, for all your coordination and care during production. Thank you to Matthew Murnan, Joel Gabrielsen, Jeremiah McLamb, Nick Long, Silas Leupold, David Sievers, Chuck Dotson, Dawayne Gaspard, and Missy Reed for all your help and expertise.

Thank you to David and Penny Anderson, Anne Bike, Andy Breckwoldt, Cathy Brock, Marisol Espinosa, Lori Gobillot, Emily Hodges, Charlie and Brooke Holt, Ipeksu Su Irez, Frank Riva, Mark Stamey, Mary Ann Vaeth, and Frederico Kiko Zuniga for giving your time and hearts for our discussions.

Thank you to Anthony and Elizabeth DeLuca family for your generous hospitality, and to Doris and Lupita for your kind service to us.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: A Living Hope

Daily Devotional Readings

Week One: Faith Greater Than Gold

Week Two: Sincere Love

Week Three: Holy Living Temple

Week Four: Follow the Shepherd of Our Souls

Week Five: Suffering for Doing Good

Week Six: Standing Firm and Faithful

Study Guide

Using This Study

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Appendices

Frequently Asked Questions

Small Group Covenant

Group Calendar

Small Group Roster

Small Group Leader Helps

Hosting an Open House

Leading for the First Time

Leadership Training 101

Prayer & Praise Journal

INTRODUCTION

A LIVING HOPE

The first letter of the Apostle Peter is a great source of hope. In it Peter shares with us what hope is and what we should place our hope in.

When Peter talks about hope, he is not using the word the way we use it when we say, I’m feeling hopeful this job will come through, or I hope I get enough sleep tonight. The hope Peter is talking about is not circumstantial. It is not a subjective feeling, nor is it simply desire. For Peter, hope is only as strong as the person or thing you place it in.

Thus, Peter is talking about something far greater than any wishful thinking, feeling, or desire. The hope Peter is talking about is the complete assurance we have when we put our whole trust in someone completely trustworthy, Jesus Christ, and in what he has accomplished—past, present, and future—for us. Our hope is alive because Jesus is alive!

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the reason we can say we have a literal living hope. Any other object or ideal in which we put our faith—money, power, status, family, health, security—is perishable; if it gets stripped away, our hope goes with it. But Jesus gives us a living hope that can conquer the grave. It can overcome not only the trials in our lives, but the powers of hell itself! When we place our hope in Jesus, ours is new life, a renewed purpose, and a glorious future founded on our living Savior. I don’t know about you, but I need to hear this great news over and over again!

In fact, all of Peter’s story gives me a lot of encouragement, from the way the Bible shows us God’s kindness to young Peter during Jesus’ earthly ministry, all the way to Peter’s later ministry writing his epistles some three decades later.

I relate to the strength with which Peter holds his convictions, and the passion with which he speaks. I also relate to younger Peter, who seemed to get himself into trouble and often had to backtrack his way out. I myself would like to believe that the closer I get to Christ, the stronger my faith is. Yet, reality often shakes me and I find myself sinking into the water, or slinking into the background in fear. I routinely wrestle with putting my hope in things that fail me, so I appreciate the hard-fought wisdom Peter shares.

Although his earlier discipleship started off with plenty of raw, unrefined actions, Peter’s maturity, wisdom, and experience are apparent in his later letters, including the first one, which we will explore in this study.

Peter knows what it’s like to have his hope (in the wrong things) fail him—he thought too highly of himself, relied too much on his courage and tenacity, and then, in the heat of trial, let himself down. He turned his back on his beloved Savior and friend. His failure almost made him lose hope.

But Jesus, who loved Peter beyond human comprehension, pursued Peter, nourished Peter, and drew Peter back to himself. Jesus reinstated Peter, and called him to tend to his sheep, his precious blood-bought lambs.

Peter was there for Jesus’ ascension, and was present at Pentecost, beholding marvelous and mighty acts of God. As Peter preached Christ, he was jailed and then rescued; he feared for his life. But there was a renewed motive to endure, which Peter shared in his writings. After witnessing Christ’s death and resurrection, and experiencing his own denial and reinstatement, Peter started a new, humbler, and yet bolder chapter of his ministry—expanding Christ’s church.

Peter learned through experience that faith built on any foundation other than Jesus Christ will quake, crumble, and sink. Peter also knew that, while it is hard to be obedient, especially when life is full of suffering, any other course of action leads to more heartache and disillusionment. Thus, Peter’s first letter is tender and pastoral, written from one who has been there and made dreadful mistakes.

But, by the grace of God, Peter also writes as one restored and returned to ministry by Jesus. He writes as one who has learned from the errors of his youth. And, if Peter is like most people, his speaking from experience makes him a more sympathetic and effective comforter to those struggling. Peter has been through the depths of despair, and now he authors a powerful message on hope—the only hope that works and the only hope that lasts. Peter says that Jesus and his victory on the cross offer:

Hope for those who long.

Hope for those who struggle.

Hope for those who feel lost or unseen.

Hope for those who are undergoing trials.

Hope for those who have failed, miserably.

Hope for those who think their trespasses are too great.

Hope for those who wonder if God is there or if he is good.

Hope for us.

Hope for us to trust.

Hope for us to have faith.

Hope for us to have courage.

Hope for us to live out good lives.

Hope for us to have our hurts healed.

Hope for us to have a more glorious future.

Hope that one day all that is wrong will be made right, forever.

Peter’s first letter offers us a living hope—a hope you and I have searched for our whole lives. A hope that offers us security and certainty. A hope that says, "It will get better." A hope that does not fail, does not quit, does not falter, and does not forget! A hope that can withstand every trial, including the one you’re going through now. You see, when all of life fails us, and even life itself is threatened, we need a source of hope that is even greater than life itself to help us endure.

This is exactly what the original recipients of Peter’s letter needed to hear! These Christians had been dispersed and scattered all over Asia Minor (which is present-day Turkey) and were being persecuted by the Roman Emperor, Nero, because they were Christians. They were physically, emotionally, financially and relationally in exile, surrounded by a hostile culture. Peter wants to strengthen their identities in Christ and the purposes they have in him, so he encourages them to operate their lives out of their living hope. Peter calls them elect exiles to remind them that they are not going to fully fit in because a life united to Christ means being sojourners in this world—but they are God’s chosen, beloved, and treasured souls!

This isn’t the first time God’s people have been in exile. After being cast out of the Garden of Eden, they were exiles in Egypt (see Exodus), and in Babylon (see Daniel), and they have lived much of their lives as a people in the wilderness. Wandering, sojourning, and crying out to God are familiar to the Israelites, and are recorded all throughout the history, poetry, and prophecy of Israel.

And now, once again, God’s people—Jewish Christians and Gentile converts to Christianity—are feeling lost and strained, foreigners in an unwelcoming land. However, no matter their earthly plight, they have a guaranteed secure salvation as God’s people—his chosen ones. Thus, Peter wants them to live in response to this salvation, offering lives of praise as living sacrifices back to their living Savior who is their living hope.

In 1 Peter, the apostle covers a wide range of practical ways to offer God praise, including rejoicing in our salvation, living lives of holiness, showing reverent fear of God, living as the Church, submitting to authorities and one another, practicing good citizenship, patiently enduring suffering, showing hospitality, trusting in God despite the circumstances, shepherding God’s people well, remaining humble and faithful, and more. All through these encouragements in the Christian life, Peter points to the realities of the already and not-yet components of our salvation—we are secure in Christ even as we await our subsequent glory; we endure suffering now because Christ is our living and eternal hope!

So, what is your hope today? What motivates you? How do you endure pain? What do you look forward to that softens the blows of your hardships? What gets you through when life is challenging? What is getting you through today? What is your ultimate hope?

My prayer is that through this study of 1 Peter, you become utterly convinced that Jesus is the only sure, true, incorruptible, and permanent hope for you. He died on the cross to make atonement for you—taking on your sin and giving you his righteousness—forever uniting himself to you. Because he rose from the dead, he has the power to reinstate and repurpose you for a life of goodness, righteousness, justice, mercy, love, grace, and service. And, his is the only promise you can cling to that guarantees a brighter future will come.

I pray your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Sarah Viggiano Wright

DAY 1

PETER, AN APOSTLE BY THE GRACE OF GOD

Peter, an apostle by the grace of Jesus Christ…

1 Peter 1:1a

Simon Peter is a character who gives hope to many of us struggling in our relationship with God. Passionate and zealous one minute, fearful and cowering the next, Peter’s highs and lows are on full display during his time as a disciple of Jesus. Perhaps I’m imposing my culture on Peter, but I imagine him as a hot-headed Italian who says with overconfidence, Lord, me betray you? Forget about it! But when trouble comes, it’s suddenly, Jesus? Never knew the guy. Peter is a wonderful example of how God uses broken people for his good purposes.

Peter, then called Simon, came to know Jesus through his brother Andrew. Andrew had been one of John the Baptist’s disciples. But when Jesus walked by and John proclaimed "Behold, the Lamb of God (John 1:3), Andrew appropriately went to follow Jesus. His first act was to find his brother Simon and exclaim, We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41). When Andrew brought Simon to Jesus, Jesus looked intently at him and renamed him Peter, or Cephas, which is rock in Greek (John 1:42). Subsequently, this new name would become Peter’s new identity in Christ.

Before becoming disciples, Simon and Andrew had been fishermen. However, Jesus invited them to follow him and become "fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19). They put down their nets, setting aside their lifestyle and livelihood, and followed him.

Along with James and John, Peter became one of Jesus’ closest disciples, being present for happenings the other nine were not always privy to. Along with the many miracles of the Messiah and lessons from a loving rabbi, Peter witnessed events like the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the transfiguration. Peter witnessed Jesus’ might, wisdom, and love.

While the disciples did not fully understand all Jesus’ teachings or purposes until after his ascension, we know that Peter recognized that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). Jesus called Peter blessed for this conviction, as the Father had revealed this saving knowledge to him. Jesus told Peter I will build my church upon this very truth as the rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). One would think that such a powerful promise would instill complete confidence not only in Peter but in all the disciples—after all, the Lord of the Universe is proclaiming to them that he will be victorious!

However, in the very next section in Matthew, Jesus revealed to his disciples that he must suffer, be killed, and rise again on the third day. Peter objected and rebuked Jesus’ plan (Matt. 16:21–23). Jesus returned Peter’s rebuke with one of his own, saying that Peter shouldn’t elevate his personal desires over God’s mission of redemption. Peter wanted to avoid sorrow and loss, but Jesus was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and endure the worst suffering in order to restore people’s relationship to the Father.

Now, before you think that Jesus was being harsh with Peter, remember that Simon Peter, as a Jewish man, would have been well-versed in Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). Peter would have known that this servant, though innocent, would be "numbered with the transgressors and would pour out his soul to death to make intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12). As much as Peter didn’t like it, this wasn’t some surprise proposal—this redemption plan had been foretold by the prophets. As Peter would later write, it had been laid out before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20).

In the final days before his arrest, Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted permission to sift him "like wheat." However, Jesus assured Peter that he had prayed for him that his faith would not fail. Then he commanded Peter that, after he returned, he should strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:31–34). Peter was confident he’d be willing to go to prison or even die for Jesus, but Jesus knew what was ahead—Peter would have to be returned because he would fall away. Jesus told Peter that, before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny him three times.

And that is exactly what happened! As soon as his third denial of I do not know him left Peter’s lips, the rooster crowed. Jesus looked at Peter, causing Peter to remember his words. Devastated and defeated, Peter went outside the city and wept. He had abandoned his friend, rabbi, and Messiah—Jesus.

For most people, that is where the story of a friend’s betrayal would end. But not for Jesus. Jesus had something amazing in mind for his friend Peter. After his death and resurrection, Jesus found Simon Peter fishing, having returned to his old life. But Jesus called Peter back to himself. He nourished Peter with breakfast and then Jesus asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? Peter replied, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs. A second time, Jesus asked, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter replied, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said, Tend my sheep. (John 21:15–16). A third time Jesus asked Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me?" And though Peter was probably