1 Peter 5:1-4 - Am I leading my flock?

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Summary: Tend to the part of God's flock that is in your charge. Don't lord it over them but be a good example. Then when Jesus appears you will win the crown of glory.

Thoughts: It's easy when you read this to think that this scripture only applies to the senior pastor of the church. After all, the rest of us don't have a flock, do we? I think that we do. In my case, as the youth minister at my church, I can fairly easily see that the youth are my flock. And beyond that, there is probably a good case to be made that the entire congregation is my flock, since I preach to them on occassion. This scripture also applies to the youth who are on the Youth Council, and to the adults on Ad Council, and those on the worship team and the mission committee. But I'm sure there are still a few of you who are reading this and saying to yourself that you aren't in leadership at the church and so you don't have a flock. However, even those folks who are not in an official leadership position are still leaders in our church. For example, the people who donated blood last Sunday are leading by example. And each of you lead those outside of our church walls by the life that you lead. So, if we are all leaders of a flock, what is this scripture saying to us? Tend your flock, don't lord it over them, but be a good example. By showing every person we meet that we care about them, we are tending a part of God's flock. And if we lead by example, rather than by force, we are following the example of the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ. And isn't that what the Christian life is all about? How will you lead by example today?

Prayer: Christ, help me to live in your shadow and be the sort of example that you would be. And never let me forget that I am the shepherd for a part of your flock. Amen.

1 Peter 2:4-8 - Bricked into a wall or into a fluid community?

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-8

Summary: Christ is the cornerstone of our spiritual houses.

Thoughts: There is some interesting imagery in this scripture. For example, "like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house."  At first glance, this makes me nervous. Being built into a spiritual house sounds like allowing yourself to be bricked into a wall. It sounds restricting, like once it happened you would never be able to move or change again! Perhaps I could instead think about being built into a spiritual house like my church congregation, which is fluid and ever changing, but built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. For with Christ as our foundation, there is so much opportunity to effect a change in our world. We can be a spiritual house that reaches out to others. We can be a spiritual house that not only invites others to join us, but that goes out into the community to change it for the better. Making change is very difficult. But with Christ as our foundation, as our cornerstone, we can not only change our community, we can change the world, one person at a time!

Prayer: Christ, our cornerstone, chosen and precious, give us strength, support us, so that we your brothers and sisters in love, might be your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

1 Peter 1:17-21 - Christ leads us, will you follow?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-21

Summary: You were ransomed from the futile ways of the world by Christ. Through him you come to know God.

Thoughts: Some folks get all caught up in the 'blood of Christ.' It becomes so important that Christ died for their sins that they forget what else Christ did. He lived a life that showed us how awesome God is. He told us stories and parables that explain how much God loves us, just as we are. Yes, he did die and that is important to the story. But it's important because after he died he was resurrected by God, proving that even death had no power over him. So my favorite part of this scripture is at the end. "Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God." Jesus Christ points us to God and leads us to the pathway of God. The entire story is important from birth to death to resurrection. Christ did die for us but he also beat death for us so we no longer have to fear death!  Let us set our faith and hope on God so that we too might follow in the footsteps of Christ.

Prayer: God help me to trust in you and learn to set my faith and hope on you, in all things. Just as Jesus Christ taught us to. Amen.

1 Peter 1:10-12 - Why Read the Old Testament?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-12

Summary: The salvation given to you is the same that was revealed to the prophets.

Thoughts: The writer of this letter thought that the entire Old Testament was simply anticipation and preparation for the coming of Christ and the salvation that we gained from his death and resurrection. Although I don't agree that the Hebrew scriptures can be read only as preparation for Christ, I do think that they are important. They give us great insight into God and help us see how the story of God's people progressed throughout the Scriptures. For me, this text is a reminder that God has been at work for thousands of years. Even the prophets of the Old Testament spoke about the grace that can be ours; grace that God freely gives us, if we are willing to take it.

Prayer: God, thank you for all of the Scripture that you have given us. Help us to study it so that we might know how You are active in the world: past, present and future. Amen.

1 Peter 1:6-9 - Do I Have to Suffer?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-9

Summary: You rejoice even though you have suffered trials, so that your faith may result in praise of Christ. That faith will save your soul.

Thoughts: It seems like there are alot of Christians these days that think that God is just around to make them happy. For them their religion is something that they pull out when it is convenient. But this Scripture reminds us that knowing God does not keep us from suffering. In fact, the gospel may be the cause of our suffering! But we can get through those hard times by focusing on the relationship that we have with God, through Jesus Christ. For as this writer says, "Although you hve not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy." In this Advent season, let us remember how we love Christ and rejoice in the memory of his birth!

Prayer: Lord thank you for the gift of your Son, who brought us into this amazing relationship with you! Be with us in our suffering and in our joy. Share it all with us. Amen.