While We Wait: Exhortations for Exiles
A 1 Peter Advent Series
Series Overview:
The term advent has been defined as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. Historically, Advent is a season of celebration tied to the arrival of the Messiah. It’s an occasion where Christ’s people look backward with great joy to that notable event of the Savior’s arrival in the flesh. It’s also an occasion where they look ahead with great anticipation to His glorious arrival when He returns.
And in between those two arrivals? Christ’s people wait.
But in our waiting, we aren’t called to passivity; instead, we are called to action. That, essentially, is what the book of 1 Peter is all about.
Originally written as a letter to persecuted Christians living as exiles throughout the Roman province of Asia Minor (now modern-day Turkey), Peter sought to encourage and strengthen his audience by assuring them that though they experienced suffering, they could nonetheless abound in living hope. Peter accomplished this by looking backward and forward at both arrivals: Jesus’ life and resurrection, which certify the living hope to which they had been called, and the day of Jesus’ revelation, when all God’s promises are finally and fully realized.
With the reality of these two arrivals in view, Peter answers the question of what sort of people we should be as we await the full realization of our hope. And while these words were written for a specific group, God’s message through Peter applies to every follower of Christ, in every generation, as we sojourn in a fallen world toward our eternal inheritance.
Series Outline:
Summary of Foundation (1:3-12
Born again to a living hope, reality & purpose of suffering, climax of faith: revelation of Jesus Christ/full realization of salvation.
Three exhortations tied to this foundation, as we await Christ’s return:
A call to holiness (1:13-2:3)
A call to bear witness (2:4-12ff)
A call to be stewards of God’s grace through love & faithful service (4:7-11ff)
Sequence:
Week 1: Foundation, called to holiness (1:3-2:3).
Week 2: Called to bear witness (2:4-12 ff)
Week 3: Called to be stewards of God’s grace through love & faithful service (4:7-11ff)