The Faith

Today we are kicking off a brand new sermon series called “FORGED”. We will be walking through 1 Peter chapter by chapter.

Purpose of the Series: To grow in our ability to have Genuine Faith in the midst of the trials of life.

“Forged” - Means to “Shape and Create”, typically involving heating something to the point where it is moldable and shapeable. God is shaping us. He is molding us! But in order to turn us into what he wants it requires HEAT! It requires grinding off the rough edges, it requires trials and difficulties in life.

1 Peter 1:1-2 (ESV) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Peter is introducing himself and the authority that he has to write this book. Apostle - “One who is sent” and in this case has been sent by Jesus Christ himself.

The Audience: “God’s Chosen People”. God’s Church. That includes you and I today because we are a part of His Church.

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NLT) 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
• Verse 5 References Our Faith.

The Bible speaks of 2 different “Faiths”
• THE FAITH - This is our collective beliefs. The things we believe in. Our doctrines (truths).
• My Faith - This is our personal Faith. Our confidence in the things of God.

Jude 3:3 (ESV) Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Ephesians 4:11-14 (ESV)
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of THE FAITH and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

“THE FAITH” (Christian Truths) is being questioned at every turn in our world today.

Matt 7:24-27 (ESV) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

The only foundation strong enough to support your faith is the Truth (the Word) of God

1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV) 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

There will be trials in this life! But they are not empty or purposeless. God is “Forging” you and I into what He desires for His purposes and for His Kingdom…So that we have Genuine Faith!

Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Peter 1:7 (ESV) So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Those who walk away from God in anger and disillusionment in the midst of their suffering never do so because their test was too hard. They do so because their faith was not genuine.” – Larry Osborne

James 1:2-4 (ESV) 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS:

Passages to consider: 1 Peter 1:1-12; Romans 5:3-4
Ice Breaker: If you could go anywhere where would you go and how long would you stay?
Sermon Reflection – Share something from the sermon that was important to you.

Questions to discuss:
1. Read 1 Peter 1:1-5. What are key things you believe because you follow Jesus?
2. How has your set of beliefs about who God is, what it means to be human, and what is good- been built? What has changed in your understanding as you follow Jesus? B) What do you do to continue to grow in your understanding?
3. Read 1 Peter 1:6-7 & Romans 5:3-4 Share a time when you felt like your faith was being tested or refined/purified or pruned.
4. How does your faith – belief about God and how the world works according to Him – show up in the midst of tough times? A) In what ways have you seen tough times affect your love and joy? What about your perspective and purpose?
5. Read 1 Peter 1:8-9 What about Jesus draws you to love and trust him? What encourages you to have his perspective and hope?
6. Walking out a set of beliefs with trust, hope, love and joy can be challenging. How is your relationship with Jesus impacting your relationships with people? Think about both your home and those you engage with outside of your home.

Preparation for Next week: Read through 1 Peter at least once – try a chapter a day. Focus for next week is 1 Peter 1:13-2:12.