Suffering Righteously (1 Peter 3:8-17)

In this episode, we take a deeper dive into 1 Peter 5:1-7 and explore what Peter meant when he said he was a "witness of the sufferings of Christ" and how it is that we are to be clothed with humility to walk in the grace of God.

Have you ever suffered under abusive leadership in family, work, or church? How does humility connect to shepherding? What are some ways we stifle the grace of God in our lives and how can we improve its flow? Join us as we listen to Peter exhort his flock of shepherds and learn the lessons he learned at the Master's feet.

What is the difference between a functional church and a hierarchical one? Is shepherding just a pastor's job or is there work we should all be evolved in? In this episode, we examine Peter's exhortation to the elders in the churches and what it means to truly shepherd the flock of God.

Jesus warned his disciples that the world would hate and persecute them because of their proclaimed faith in him. How is it then that the regular insults of life can cause a crisis of faith in "prosperity gospel" Christianity, let alone actual persecution? Join us as we examine the hard and glorious realities of following Christ in a world at loggerheads with him and how we can trust our Faithful Creator in the midst of suffering.

The love of Jesus, poured out in blood on Calvary's hill, surely covered a multitude of sins. How can our love do the same? Join us as we explore this rich verses in 1 Peter and learn of the power of love and need for faithfulness.

1 Peter 4:6 states that "the gospel was preached even to those who are dead." Are these dead the "spirits in prison" that Christ preached to? Is there a second chance at salvation in Hades? Who are these dead that "might live in the spirit"? Join us as we look into these verses in their cultural and literary context and find encouragement for our walk with Christ today.

"Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking" (1 Pet. 4:1) How exactly are we to weaponize our thinking in the cause of Christ? Join us as we discuss the role of suffering in the life of the disciple and how and who it is that empowers us to walk in transformed kingdom life.

What does Noah's flood and Christian baptism have to do with each other? Who are the spirits in prison that Christ preached to and what was his message? Join us as we discuss the most controversial verses in 1 Peter and learn about the practical impact of water baptism in spiritual warfare.

Peter wrote to the congregations in Anatolia to encourage them in their time of suffering and strengthen them for the trials yet to come. In the powerful and challenging episode, we examine what it means to have "unity of mind" toward one another and how we are to respond when the world reacts with hostility toward our faith in Christ.

In the Greek text of this section of 1 Peter, the apostle writes nearly four times the words in encouraging and instructing the wives as he does the husbands. Why is that? Join us as we examine the cultural context of mixed-faith marriage in the early Gentile church and what it teaches us about our walk with God in trying circumstances.