Sermon Summary

In chapter 4, we seem to find a hinge point of Peter's letter. He moves from the need to living holy lives to some very practical ways we can do so in the context of community. We aren't called to live out our holiness in isolation; this is a lifestyle we need to pursue together.

In verses 7-11, Peter shows four areas in which we are called to live out this holy lifestyle together. And he tells us why right from the very start: because the end of all things is near. That creates a sense of urgency that we need to make sure that we're ready... and that we help others to be ready as well.

Are you ready?

Series Summary

In the first century, the church was brand new, and it was being persecuted intensely. Many Christians were unsure how to respond to that, and uncertain how to live out their faith in the midst of such circumstances. So Peter wrote this short letter to encourage them.

In this brief communication, Peter gives his readers – which includes us – some encouragement as they sought out how to live holy lives within their cultures. He called them strangers... aliens... different...

As we seek to live differently, we can take some encouragement from this letter even now, 2000 years later. We can see how we are called to live differently from the world around us, and see how we can allow the light of Jesus to shine through our lives into the culture in which we live. Through these five short chapters, we will see how we can live differently in our culture, in our families and marriages, in the workplace, and in the church. We will see how we are called to live as a "set apart" people, and we will see why this is critical enough for God to send his own Son on our behalf to make it possible. Live different!

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