May 29, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Walking in the Spirit as Foreigners

Walking in the Spirit as Foreigners

Genesis 12:10-20 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. ¹¹ As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. ¹² When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³ Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

¹⁴ When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. ¹⁵ And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. ¹⁶ He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

¹⁷ But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. ¹⁸ So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” ²⁰ Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.”

When did Abram go “down to Egypt to live there for a while” (verse 10)?

What does Abram know about Sarai (verse 11)?

Who would the Egyptians kill (verse 12)?

What is Sarai supposed to say to the Egyptians (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why would Abram behave this way (verse 13)?

What did the Egyptians see about Sarai (verse 14)?

Who praised her to Pharaoh (verse 15)?

How did the Pharaoh treat Abram (verse 16)?

Why did the Lord inflict serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household (verse 17)?

In your opinion, how did Pharaoh discover that Sarai was Abram’s wife (verse 18)?

What command did Pharaoh give to Abram (verse 19)?

Who sent Abram on his way with his wife and all he had (verse 20)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Matthew 22:15-22 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”

How did the Pharisees plan to trap Jesus (verse 15)?

Who went together to Jesus (verse 16)?

In your opinion, why did they begin by saying “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth” (verse 16)?

In your opinion, why did they ask Jesus if it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not (verse 17)?

What did Jesus know about their intent (verse 18)?

What did Jesus ask them to show Him (verse 19)?

How did they respond to Jesus question “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” (verses 20 and 21)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (verse 21)?

How did they respond to Jesus’ answer (verse 22)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what could Abram in his interaction with the Egyptians in Genesis 12:10-20 have learned from Jesus statement in Matthew 22:15-22 to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”?

Galatians 5:13-26 - New International Version (NIV)

¹³ “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

What did Paul say his brothers and sisters were called to be (verse 13)?

How should we use our freedom (verse 13)?

In your opinion, how is the entire law fulfilled “in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself”” (verse 14)?

Who might be destroyed “if you bite and devour each other” (verse 15)?

How do we walk to avoid gratifying “the desires of the flesh” (verse 16)?

What does the flesh desire (verse 17)?

Why are we “not to do whatever you want” (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why are we not under the law if we are “led by the Spirit” (verse 18)?

What is obvious (verse 19)?

Who will “not inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 21)?

What is “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (verses 22 and 23)?

Who has “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24)?

Why should we “keep in step with the Spirit” (verse 25)?

What should we not become (verse 26)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul in Galatians 5:13-26 help us to understand how to do what Jesus instructs in Matthew 22:15-22 “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”?

In your opinion, how does Abram’s decisions and actions and in Genesis 12:10-20 show the conflict between flesh and the Spirit that Paul talks about in Galatians 5:13-26?

1 Peter 2:11-17 – New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² 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.

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”

How does Peter describe his friends that he is writing to (verse 11)?

What wages “war against your soul” (verse 11)?

Why might pagans “glorify God on the day he visits us” (verse 12)?

For whose sake should we submit to “every human authority” (verse 13)?

Who will “doing good” silence (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil” (verse 16)?

How should we respond to everyone (verse 17)?

How should we respond to “the family of believers” (verse 17)?

How should we respond to God (verse 17)?

How should we respond to the emperor (verse 17)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul’s instructions in Galatians 5:13-26 help us to know how to live “good lives” as Peter commands in 1 Peter 2:11-17?

In your opinion, how does Peter, who heard Jesus say in Matthew 22:15-22 to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” expand on this command in 1 Peter 2:11-17?

In your opinion, how do Abram and Sarai in Egypt in Genesis 12:10-20 show the conflict that exiles and foreigners have between using “freedom as a cover-up for evil” and showing “proper respect to everyone” as instructed by Peter in 1 Peter 2:11-17?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Genesis, Matthew, Galatians and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 2:18 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

May 22, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Stumbling Stone to Living Stones

Stumbling Stone to Living Stones

Psalms 118:15-24 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “Shouts of joy and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
¹⁶     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷ I will not die but live,
    and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.
¹⁹ Open for me the gates of the righteous;
    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
    through which the righteous may enter.
²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
    you have become my salvation.

²² The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.”

Where do “shouts of joy and victory” resound (verse 15)?

What has done mighty things (verse 16)?

What will the Psalmist proclaim (verse 17)?

In your opinion, what it mean when the Psalmist says “the Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death” (verse 18)?

What does the Psalmist ask to be opened so that he can “enter and give thanks to the Lord” (verse 19)?

Where do the righteous enter (verse 20)?

Why is the Psalmist giving thanks (verse 21)?

What has become the cornerstone (verse 22)?

Who has done this (verse 23)?

How are we to respond to all that the Lord has done (verse 24)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Matthew 16:13-20 - New International Version (NIV)

¹³ “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”

What question did Jesus ask his disciples (verse 13)?

How did the reply (verse 14)?

How did Jesus change the question (verse 15)?

Who answered (verse 16)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to say “you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (verse 17)?

Who revealed this answer (verse 17)?

What does Jesus call Simon son of Jonah (verses 17 and 18)?

What will Jesus build on the rock that is Peter (verse 18)?

What do the “keys from the kingdom of heaven” allow Peter to do (verse 19)?

What were the disciples not to tell (verse 20)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what is the difference between the “stone the builders rejected” that has become the cornerstone of Psalms 118:15-24 and the “rock” upon which Jesus will build the church of Matthew 16:13-20?

Romans 12:3-13 - New International Version (NIV)

³ “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

How should we not think of ourselves (verse 3)?

How should we think of ourselves (verse 3)?

What do each of us have (verse 4)?

In your opinion, how do the many “form one body” (verse 5)?

What belongs to all the members (verse 5)?

What do we have “according to the grace given to each of us” (verse 6)?

How should we prophesy if our gift is prophesying (verse 6)?

How should we give if our gift is giving (verse 8)?

In your opinion, why must love be sincere (verse 9)?

How should we respond to evil (verse 9)?

How should we be devoted to one another (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “never be lacking in zeal” (verse 11)?

When should we be patient (verse 12)?

Who should we share with (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does knowing that Peter was given the knowledge that Jesus was the “Messiah, the Son of the living God” by the Father in heaven in Matthew 16:13-20 help us be understand the “faith God has distributed to each of you” that Paul talks about in Romans 12:3-13?

In your opinion, how does Paul’s command in Romans 12:3-13 to “If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” follow the lead of the Psalmist who says “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done”?

1 Peter 2:1-10 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ 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. ⁶ For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”

⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”

⁸ and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

What should we do with “all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind” (verse 1)?

Why should we crave “pure spiritual milk” (verse 2)?

Who is “rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him” (verse 4)?

What are we “living stones” being built into (verse 5)?

Who will “never be put to shame” (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that to those who do not believe the “stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (verse 7)?

Why do people stumble (verse 8)?

Why are we a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (verse 9)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that we “once were not a people, but now . . . are the people of God” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul in Romans 12:3-13 and his discussion of the individual gifts of the many members of one body help us to have a greater understanding of the chosen people, royal priesthood and holy nation that Peter calls us in 1 Peter 2:1-10?

In your opinion, how special is it that the one who Jesus said “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” in Matthew 16:13-20 is the one who tells us that “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” in 1 Peter 2:1-10?

In your opinion, how does the Psalmist claim that “you have become my salvation” in Psalm 118:15-24 an amazing anticipation of Peter’s statement to we who come to Jesus that “once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” in 1 Peter 2:1-10?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Psalms, Matthew, Romans and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 2:11 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

May 15, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Rebuking or Redeeming

 

Rebuking or Redeeming

Ruth 4:1-10 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. ³ Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. ⁴ I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

⁷ (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

⁸ So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

Who did Boaz invite to “sit down” at the town gate (verse 1)?

Who else did Boaz ask to sit at the town gate (verse 2)?

In your opinion, why did Boaz begin by saying that Naomi was selling the “piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek” (verse 3)?

Does the guardian-redeemer say that he will redeem the property (verse 4)?

What would the guardian-redeemer also acquire when he buys the land (verse 5)?

Why did the guardian-redeemer then tell Boaz “You redeem it yourself.  I cannot do it.” (verse 6)?

How were transactions legalized in Israel in earlier times (verse 7)?

What did the guardian-redeemer do (verse 8)?

Who is Boaz buying “all the property of Elimelek, Kilion, and Mahlon” from (verse 9)?

Why did Boaz also acquire “Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Matthew 16:21-27 - New International Version (NIV)

²¹ “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”

Who had to “go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law” (verse 21)?

What was going to happen on the third day after He was killed (verse 21)?

Who began to rebuke Jesus (verse 22)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus call Peter “Satan” (verse 23)?

Why was Peter a “stumbling block” to Jesus (verse 23)?

Who must “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (verse 24)?

What will happen to those who want to “save their life” (verse 25)?

In your opinion, why will whoever loses their life for Jesus “find it” (verse 25)?

How would you answer the question “what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul” (verse 26)?

How will the “Son of Man” come (verse 27)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how do Boaz and the guardian-redeemer in Ruth 4:1-10 illustrate the difference between the “concerns of God” and the “merely human concerns” that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16:21-27?

Romans 5:1-11 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

What do those who are “justified through faith” have with God through Jesus Christ (verse 1)?

How do we gain access to the “grace in which we now stand” (verse 2)?

What do we do glory in (verse 3)?

In your opinion, how does suffering produce perseverance, and perseverance produce character, and character produce hope (verses 3 and 4)?

What was “poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (verse 5)?

When did Christ die for the ungodly (verse 6)?

How often will someone “die for a righteous person” (verse 7)?

When did Christ die for us (verse 8)?

How have we been justified (verse 9)?

How are we saved (verse 10)?

Who do we boast in (verse 11)?

What have we received “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 11)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does Romans 5:1-11 show us about the “concerns of God” that Jesus told Peter he did not have in mind in Matthew 16:21-27?

In your opinion, how does the guardian-redeemer in his refusal to redeem the property and the widow Ruth in Ruth 4:1-10 provide an example of Paul’s statement “very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die” in Romans 5:1-11?

1 Peter 1:17-25 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.”

How does the Father that we call on judge each person’s work (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why does Peter say that we should live out our time here as foreigners (verse 17)?

What were we redeemed from (verse 18)?

What redeemed us (verse 19)?

When was Christ chosen to redeem us (verse 20)?

How do we believe in God (verse 21)?

What are our “faith and hope” in (verse 21)?

In your opinion, why does Peter say that purifying ourselves by obeying the truth causes us to have a sincere love for each other (verse 22)?

What kind of seed are we born again through (verse 23)?

How are all people like grass (verse 24)?

What endures forever (verse 25)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul in Romans 5:1-11 help us to better understand how to live out our “time as foreigners here in reverent fear” as instructed by Peter in 1 Peter 1:17-25?

In your opinion, what does 1 Peter 1:17-25 show us that Peter, who rebuked Jesus in Matthew 16:21-27 for saying that He would be “killed and on the third day be raised to life” has learned about the mind of God and what God wanted to happen?

In your opinion, how is Boaz’s redemption of Ruth in Ruth 4:1-10 similar to Jesus redemption of people from the “empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors” that Peter describes in 1 Peter 1:17-25?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Ruth, Matthew, Romans and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 2:1 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)