1 Peter 1:3-9 Personal Study Guide

March 22, 2020

INTRODUCTION

This inductive Bible study is designed to walk you through a particular passage and help you study it thoroughly. It is divided into five parts or “steps” which will guide you from a larger,
broader perspective down to a more narrow, tightened understanding of the text. This guide also contains additional components, such as Pause and Pray and Going Deeper, to help you as you work through the text.

1. DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE
2. IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE
3. FOCUSING ON KEY WORDS
4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE
5. APPLYING THE TEXT

Pause & Pray
The Pause and Pray section is to give you an opportunity to ask God to apply the text to your life and reveal areas of sin.

Going Deeper
The Going Deeper section is to help you understand ideas, themes, or people in Scripture that require further explanation.

Beginning with the day after your growth group meets, we encourage you to get alone with God and follow the instructions provided in this guide. Each step has specific guidelines followed by questions. We trust if you faithfully use this study to meet with the LORD each day, not only will your personal walk with the LORD grow deeper, but your growth group experience will be enhanced as well.

This week concludes our two-week study of the “Resurrected Life.” 1 Peter 1:3-9 continues to examine how the resurrection is fundamental to the Christian life. We must believe in the resurrection of Christ, because without Christ’s, his people would not be resurrected. 1 Peter was written to churches dispersed and suffering for the gospel. Peter reminds these brothers and sisters about their salvation, their identity in Christ as His people, and that Christians persevere in the midst of trials.
In the passage for this week, 1:3-9, Peter helps believers to appreciate their spiritual inheritance and standing before God. This gives the church joy because their salvation is protected and secured in the resurrection of Jesus, even as the church endures trials (vv. 3-6). Faith being refined through trials reveals genuine faith, more precious than gold. Through the study this week, may you love, believe in, and rejoice in the risen Christ through the resurrection of your own life (vv. 7-9).
“You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.” (Psalm 119:65)

1. DISCOVERING THE PASSAGE

Discovering the Passage seeks to get an overall idea of the meaning of the passage. Think big picture. Pray for God to open your eyes to the meaning of Scripture.
1. Read 1 Peter 1:3-9 slowly and thoughtfully. What are the dominant ideas in this text?

2. What is the importance of the resurrection (of Christ and the believer) in this passage?

3. From this passage, what is the purpose of trials in the life of a believer?

2. IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE

Identifying the Structure seeks to gain insight into why the author wrote the way he did. Try to think like the author. Pray for God to give you insight into the writing of the Scriptures.

Questions
1. Verses 3-12 are one sentence in the original Greek. What does this passionate tone communicate?

2. How does verse 10 give insight into discovering the subject of verses 3-9?

3. The passage starts with a message of hope and is followed
by an acknowledgment of trials. What is the relationship between hope and trials?

Bonus:
Read the entire letter Peter writes to the Church. What are key takeaways?

Pause & Pray
1. Pause and consider how the Lord has saved you into a living hope.
2. Give thanks to the Lord for His steadfast kindness and underserved mercy towards you. Ask the Spirit to rejuvenate your hope and joy in the gospel.

3. Focusing on Key Words

Focusing on Key Words seeks to identify and contemplate the use and meaning of specific words or concepts within the text. Pray for God to open your eyes to words and concepts you’ve never seen before or have overlooked.

Questions
1. From this text, is Peter speaking of salvation in past, present, and/or future terms? How are these (past, present, and future) emphasized?

2. Verse 3 speaks to the concept of having a new life with a living hope. How does the verse say this is possible? What is distinct about Christian hope?

3. Find and list the 4 characteristics of our inheritance (v. 4). What do they mean? Why are these words significant to the inheritance of Christians in light of present suffering?

4. In v. 6, what does “this” refer to that causes Christians to rejoice in the midst of trials?

5. According to verse 8, what three things does a believer’s hope in Christ produce, even without physically seeing the risen Savior?

Pause & Pray
1. Reflect on the characteristics of the inheritance we have in Christ.
What if the inheritance was perishable, defiled, fading, and earthly?
2. Praise the Lord for the wonderful spiritual blessings experienced in this life and for what’s to come. Ask the Lord to enable you to live
according to the hope we have.

4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE: A

Connecting to the Whole seeks to become aware of how key concepts and themes are seen elsewhere in Scripture. This is allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. Pray for God to help you see how this passage connects to the rest of the Bible.

Questions

Read vv. 3-5.
1. How do vv. 3 and 23 reflect Jesus’ teaching in John 1:12-13 and 3:3-7?

2. The new birth brings us into a living hope (v. 3). Read Luke 24:1-12. What is the grounding of our hope? Further, describe our hope from Romans 5:1-5.

3. Read Romans 8:12-25. How is this passage similar to 1 Peter? In Romans, what is the stipulation to become a co-heir?

4. According to Ephesians 1:11-14, who is the guarantor of
our inheritance?

5. Part of our inheritance is eternal life in heaven and a glorified body that is free from sin, yet who ultimately is our
inheritance? Reflect on Psalm 16:5 & Philippians 3:14.

Pause & Pray
1. From v. 3, consider the blessing to us of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Meditate on why the resurrection of Christ is necessary for our regeneration & justification.
2. Reflect on 1 Cor. 15:12-19. Worship and praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Question:

4. CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE: B

Questions (continued)

Read vv. 6-9.
6. The original audience of 1 Peter was facing various trials. What additional teaching does Peter give to have a proper perspective on trials and suffering? Observations may come from 1 Peter 2:18-25; 3:8-22; 4:12-19.

7. Read Acts 14:19-23 as an example of Paul in his suffering. What does Paul teach about suffering?

8. Peter was one of Christ’s disciples. He was writing to believers who had not seen the Lord. What did Jesus say about those who believe in Him without seeing Him? See John 20:24-29.

GOING DEEPER:
SUFFERING, TRIALS & PERSECUTION

The Bible presents suffering, trials, and persecution as common experiences for followers of Christ, and the recipients of 1 Peter were undergoing all three (1 Pet 4:12-13). The terms are distinct, yet overlap in meaning as they all refer to the experience of facing hardship.

Suffering means to encounter distressing circumstances. Job underwent great suffering (Job 2:13), as did the apostle Paul (2 Cor. 11:16-33). The sufferings of our Lord Jesus were excruciating, as He willingly endured the scorn and shame of sinners and sacrificially died in our place, absorbing the entirety of God’s wrath when He hung on the cross (Is. 53; Matt. 16:21;1 Pet. 2:21-25). We must remember that when believers face suffering, God uses it to make us more like Christ.

“Various trials” in 1 Pet. 1:6 means “thorough and extensive testing.” Trials test our faith and have a purifying effect in our lives (1 Pet. 1:7). Peter also indicates that our trials are diverse, which could
include suffering and persecution. This could include facing a trial caused by personal sin. However legitimate, trials as a consequence of sin are not the focus of these passages, though they may still produce the same effect. Christians can meet trials with joy, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance (James 1:2-4).

“Persecution” refers to a process or action designed “to harass and oppress someone.” Jesus was regularly persecuted by the Jews (John 5:16) and states in John 15:20 that His followers will also be persecuted. Paul reiterates this truth in 2 Tim. 3:12. Suffering, trials, and persecution are to be expected, but they are temporary. They certainly can be difficult to endure, but they are sanctifying. Because God has ordained these trials for our good, we can have hope, remembering that present sufferings do not compare to the future glory (Rom. 8:18).

Pause & Pray
1. Do you see trials and tests as punishment from God for sin or a gift from God for your spiritual good?
2. Pray for daily spiritual growth and a greater understanding of trials so that when they come, you will stand firm and glorify God before
others.

5. APPLYING THE TEXT

Applying the Text seeks to see people changed as the Word of God is brought to bear in the lives of individuals and communities (growth groups). Pray for God to reveal to you where you need to change and have the courage to take action.

Questions
1. Do you have Crist-centered joy? What does it look like practically for you as a Christian to rejoice in times of great difficulty? How is Christ-centered joy cultivated?

2. Consider Key Words #2. How does the fact that God is the One Who causes someone to be born again (vv. 3-4) relate to the believer’s responsibility to evangelize?

3. According to v. 3, our living hope is based on historical fact: the resurrection of Jesus. How is this different from other religions and worldviews? What is their “hope”? How is the Christian’s hope more compelling?

4. The promise is that our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and heavenly. What perishable, corrupt, fading, worldly treasures are you tempted to desire more than your heavenly one?

5. How has this study over the last two weeks challenged your view of suffering, trials, and persecution?

Prayer

Use the following prayer prompts to guide you in your prayers as a Growth Group:

For Your Growth Group

Lord, in light of what You have accomplished for us, help us to treat each other like the heavenly family we are. Thank You that the inheritance we all will receive depends fully on You.

For Parkwood

May we be a church that endures suffering and persecution with
Christlike love, knowing that it is purposeful and producing something glorious in us. Lord, may we encourage one another in trials as we await the outcome of our faith.

For Your Neighbors

God, will You help us to boldly offer living hope to our neighbors and family who do not believe. May we, who know Jesus, be able to comfort our neighbors and tell them of the hope we have in Christ that is available to them, too.

For The Nations

Lord, we pray for the 10 Evangelical Greek churches in Athens. May You strengthen them together, to extend Your love towards refugees who are facing hardship. Enable these churches to meet needs, share the gospel, and make disciples among Muslim refugees.