Session XI, Day 3

Welcome back!  I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was a good one.  Today many of us find ourselves transitioning back into "real" life and all of it's routines after the break.  I know this is often a slow process for me, so with that in mind we will ease back into our study with something very familiar ...marking!  


ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Read chapter 4.
2.  Mark all references to judge/judgment – use Marking Key symbols.

Session XI, Day 2

When I was younger I remember being discouraged when the topic of God given talents was discussed.  I often wondered what I could do serve God.  I didn't have a good voice, I was painfully shy, I wasn't a good writer, I wasn't a good artist, and so on and so on...  Looking back, maybe being unable to see my "gifts" was just the result of being in the middle of those painfully awkward, self defining years, but more than likely it was because I was thinking about God's gifts with a limited view.  I failed to recognize the power of gifts such as being a good listener, being open, being empathetic, being sincere, being available, being willing to serve, etc...  So as you ponder today's question over the next week, be encouraged not discouraged.  You have more to offer than even you realize!

ASSIGNMENT:
1.   Slowly and prayerfully, read 4:7-11.  Think of ways you could faithfully administer God’s grace with your God-given gifts.
2.  Now do it.   :)

Session XI, Day 1

Next week is Thanksgiving!  To accommodate the preparations and travel that often accompany this special time of year, we will not have any daily assignments all of next week.  (11/23 - 11/27)  Please make a mental note or if you are like me and more and more of your mental notes keep going missing, jot down somewhere that we will resume our assignments on November 30th.

Now back to today...

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Read Chapter 4 Again
2.  In I Peter 4:15 – Along with the sins of a criminal nature – such as a murder or theft – there is a “surprise” sin.  What is it?  
3.  Why do you think Peter linked it with what we would call the “more serious” sins?*


*share, share, share on the discussion board!

Session X, Day 5

I'm sure you have noticed that Peter keeps coming back to suffering in his writing.  When I read 4:12 I get the sense that his readers needed encouragement for the current persecution they were suffering.  That being said, we can still find comfort and guidance in these words today as applied to our own lives.  Keep this in mind as we do today's assignment.  We are not simply filling in the blanks on our handouts.  We are learning how to live as God has called us, and being reminded to rejoice even though His path may seem difficult so that we "may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed." 4:13

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Refer back to 4:12-19.*  Think on this... Do you feel you suffer as a Christian?  Given what we’ve learned about suffering from Peter to this point, would you say some of our individual trials are sent by God to strengthen our faith?  Are there other reasons?  

2.  Write down what you learned about suffering in chapter 4 under "Notes on Suffering" at the end of the chapter. 
 

*You may have questions regarding I Peter 4:18.  Notice the cross-reference for this passage:  Proverbs 11:30-31.  John Stott’s commentary comments are below.  You may find reading through them very helpful.

Peter is not questioning the security of the salvation kept for us (see also 1:15).  The word for hard means ‘with difficulty’.  It does not imply uncertainty of the outcome, but the difficulty of the road that leads to it.  God’s purging of His people is not a process that takes place after death, nor is it punishment that atones for sin.  Rather, His purging is the discipline of suffering and trials by which the faith of His people is purified as gold in the furnace (2:21-23).  

Session X, Day 4

Are you feeling thoughtful and introspective today?  I hope so!  Today's assignment consists of two questions for you to think on.  As always if you have any insights you'd like to share, please post them on the discussion board.


ASSIGNMENT:
1.  In 4:7, Peter reminds his readers that they are to be clear minded and self-controlled.  Think about times when you did not practice self-control.  What is usually the first indication that we are not in control of ourselves?
2.  According to 4:7 it appears that clear mindedness and self-control are pre-requisites to prayer.  Why do you think this is so?
**You may recall that in 1 Peter 3:7 husbands are told to be considerate … with … wives so that nothing will hinder their prayers.  Just another "calling" to remind you of as you contemplate question #2.**

Session X, Day 3

I apologize in advance, but I'm not feeling very well so this is going to be short and to the point.  I hope you have a great start to your week.  If you logged in today then you are already beginning it on the right foundation!

ASSIGNMENT:
In 3:18-4:6 underline phrases that include the body, earthly, human, etc. List what you learn from these verses in the Key Word column under The body.

Session X, Day 2

Today we are filling in the chapter 4 section of our Commands/Instructions worksheet.  You may recall that we did something a bit different for the commands found in chapter 3.  This means you will not have anything written  for chapter 3 on your worksheet.  If you are anything like me this might bother you, so feel free to go back and fill in what you remember from chapter 3 as well as doing today's assignment.  

I just thought I would give you my permission in case you were holding out for it.  ;)

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Add any general instructions and warnings you found when reading through 1 Peter 4 to the Commands/Instructions worksheet (C-1)

Session X, Day 1

Hip Hip Hooray!  We start a new chapter today!   You will see the theme of suffering continuing to run throughout this chapter, as well as a few new "callings" that we haven't yet addressed.  Read slowly and see if anything else jumps out at you.

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Read chapter 4.
2.  Refer to the Marking Key, and mark all references to God, Jesus Christ and the Recipients in chapter 4.
3. Under the Key Words/Concepts (Text, pg 9-10), make notations of what you learn about each of the above.

Session IX, Day 5

In today's focused reading you will see an interesting link being made between the flood and baptism.  This short passage is by no means a complete explanation of baptism.  It is, however, worthwhile to look closely and try and determine what Peter is saying here.

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Read 3:20b – 22
2.  Login to the discussion board and answer the question under the heading "Flood."

Session IX, Day 4

I'm sure 1 Peter 3:18-20 jumped out at you as your read through the chapter.  I know in my margins I have written "verse 19???."  Bible scholars have posed several different interpretations of this passage and if you have time I would encourage you to look into them.  For the time being, we are going to look only at 1 Peter to see what we can discover about those verses.  

Before starting I want to mention that there is a typo in your text.  If you look up verse 18 in the NIV you will notice that where it says, "but made alive by the Spirit" the word Spirit is capitalized.  It is also interesting to note that if you read the same verse in the NASB you will find it says "but made alive in the spirit" and the word spirit is lowercase there.  As if these verses weren't confusing enough right?  :)

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Read 1 Peter 3:18-20.
    - WHO did the preaching?
    - WHERE did he go?
    - TO WHOM did he preach?  HOW did Peter describe them?
    - WHEN was the preaching done?  (There may be more than one possibility)
    - WHAT was preached?


2. Read 1 Peter 4:5-6 and compare the similarities and differences in the two passages.
    - WHO is "they" in verse 5?
    - WHAT was preached?
    - TO WHOM was it preached?
    - WHEN?  (before or after they died?)
    - WHY was it preached?

Session IX, Day 3

This past weekend you were asked to think on a question about suffering.  Use what was revealed to you and what Peter says in chapter 3 to complete today's assignment.

ASSIGNMENT:
Complete Notes on Suffering at end of chapter 3.

Session IX, Day 2

Welcome to Friday!  I hope thinking through today's assignment will prepare you to offer support, encouraging words, and hope to others you know who may experience suffering.  Recalling what you discover may even do the same for yourself during times of trial.


ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Review 1 Peter 3:17-22
2.  Think through the following question over the weekend.*  

Have you ever experienced a time of extreme suffering or sorrow and, at the same time, experienced the very real comfort that only God's presence and promises can bring?  How would you give an answer to anyone who might ask how you you survived?

*In our continued quest to 'be prepared', you may find it useful to write your thoughts down so you can refer to them if needed at a future date.  

Session IX, Day 1

ASSIGNMENT:

Read 1 Peter 3:15

On your own paper*, and in your own words, write out a reason for the hope that you have.

*I would recommend using an index card or something similarly sized, and tucking your written response in your Bible.  You never know when you will have the opportunity to share your faith.  This is an excellent time to do as God has called and prepare ourselves for that moment.

  

Session VIII, Day 5

Today there is no "official" assignment.  We have studied submission so much the past couple of weeks that you are probably sick of reading the word.  :)  Tomorrow we move onto a different topic, but before we do I would like for you to think on the following question.

"How do we train our daughters to be submissive to their future spouse, and how do train our sons to be spiritual leaders of their future families?"

For those of you who already have grown children, this question may not seem pertinent to you.  I can promise that if you have any wisdom on this topic to share with the younger mothers that they would love to read it on the discussion board!

Session VIII, Day 4

Today is another review of the chapters we have read, but we are going to try something a bit different.  After you find Peter's warnings take a moment and post ONE of those on the discussion board with an explanation (if you have one) of why it stood out to you.  

Let's work together and see how many we can find!  

ASSIGNMENT:

1.   Review chapters 1-3, and note Peter’s warnings – some specific, some implied.

 2.   Post ONE warning on the discussion board, under the discussion topic heading "Warnings"

Session VIII, Day 3

This is a portion of what one of our onliners posted last week on the discussion board...

"My attention keeps coming back to the related phrase, 'so that'. Wives 
are to be submissive 'so that' their husbands will be won over."

She goes on to list several scriptures in 1 Peter where the phrase 'so that' occurs.  I have left these out because I would like you to mark them for yourselves today.  Of course if you need a little help you can always peruse the discussion board to try and find the post I am referring to.  :)

ASSIGNMENT:

1. Quickly review all of 1 Peter. 
2. Refer to your marking key and mark all the instances of 'so that' you run across.
3. Take some time to look back over what you have marked and see if any new correlations jump out at you.   

This is what our onliner discovered...

"All these uses of 'so that' or something similar seem to me to describe lives lived on behalf of others rather than for self, just as Christ did in his own life and death.  Maybe seeing the submission command to wives in this broader context helps to take the sting out of what seems like a harsh requirement on its own."