Wednesday Night Notes; 11/11/2026

1 Peter
Overall topic:  How Christians are supposed to live in a world that rejects Faith.
He is writing to Christians who are discovering that following Jesus does not exempt them from difficult circumstances.
Peter's message is not simply about surviving persecution but it is about maintaining a life that glorifies Jesus Christ in the middle of it.
What was happening to these Christians:
This is perhaps the most important historical element for understanding the entire letter.
These Christians were learning that accepting Jesus Christ could change their relationships with society.
In the Roman world, religion was closely connected to everyday social life, community customs, family relationships, public celebrations, and political loyalty.
When Christians abandoned pagan worship and rejected certain social practices, they could be viewed as outsiders or even threats to established society.
They faced several challenges:

• Social rejection: Former friends and neighbors could distance themselves from them.
• False accusations: Christians could be insulted or misrepresented because of their beliefs.
• Economic and household pressures: Their faith could create conflicts in workplaces and family structures.
• Physical mistreatment: Some experienced unjust punishment or violence.
• Spiritual discouragement: They needed reassurance that their suffering did not mean God had abandoned them.

Peter's language in 1 Peter 4:4 is especially revealing:
"Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."
Notice the problem.
The believers were no longer behaving as their former companions expected, and the people around them resented that change.
This was not simply a theological disagreement.
Their new life in Christ was producing visible differences in their daily behavior.
That is central to the historical situation Peter addresses.
Why did Peter write this letter:
1 Peter 5:12
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the TRUE grace of God wherein ye stand.
To Exhort the people – to lift them up and encourage them where they are and in what they are facing.
To testify of the Grace of GOD – God’s grace is sufficient in the hard times
To Encourage them to stand.  The word stand is HEE-stay-me, which means to abide, stand and covenant. 
IN other words, in their hardship stand in the covenant!
Let’s look at the overall movement of this book:  
Remember who you are - 1

• Peter reminds believers of their living hope, heavenly inheritance, and calling to holiness.
• Key passage: 1 Peter 1:3–9
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Remember how you are supposed to live - 2

• Christians are living stones, a holy priesthood, and a people belonging to God. Their conduct should reflect that identity.
• Key passage: 1 Peter 2:9–12
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Remember how to respond to others - 3

• Peter discusses marriage, relationships, kindness, humility, and suffering for righteousness.
• Key passage: 1 Peter 3:13–17
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Remember that suffering is not unusual - 4

• Christians should not be surprised when obedience to Christ brings opposition. They must remain faithful and love one another.
• Key passage: 1 Peter 4:12–16
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Remember to remain steadfast - 5

• Peter instructs spiritual leaders, calls believers to humility, warns about the devil, and promises God's sustaining grace.
• Key passage: 1 Peter 5:6–10
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• Chosen for God’s Purpose – 1:1-2

The Elect in this verse is not about their salvation, it is about their call. 
God doesn’t choose who is going to be saved, but he does choose who he is going to use and where!!
Transitional:  Through this teaching we will see How God works on a group or an individual when called by GOD for a specific work.

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• He doesn’t just call you he Equips you!  
• I’m not just talking about a ministry, I’m talking about our call to be believers in this world.   That is a call!

We are equipped to live out our faith in this world!  Regardless of the circumstances that surround us.

• He elects you - Elect – means selected for a purpose.  

This is not saying they were selected to be saved, because we all know that all are called to be saved.  This means they were selected for particular purpose in their lives!

• After they were selected, they were then sanctified!

Sanctified by the Spirit -Once they were elected they were sanctified or set apart for this mission.   Made Holy unto the Lord for a purpose!
Sanctification is God working in your life through the HOLY GHOST!   Set apart for a purpose that the Holy Spirit will work in and through you!

• Called and sanctified to be obedient to Jesus.
• They were set apart to live in obedience to Jesus Christ – their focus was Jesus as is all of our focus.   Unto obedience means to live under his word or his authority and his direction. 
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• Covered by His blood – They belonged to Jesus through his blood, and they had a blood covenant relationship with GOD.

Special Note:  They were called by the Father, Sanctified by the Spirit and Obedient to Jesus Christ!

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• What will sustain us in our chosen purpose.  1:3-9

What will sustain us while we fulfill our purpose in the Kingdom.

• Recognize God  1:1-5
• Celebrate and Praise GOD....
• Remember his Abundant Mercy and Compassion
• He Birthed us into a living HOPE – it is alive and an ongoing eternal Hope
• Our Hope is in the resurrection of JESUS Christ
• He has reserved us an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading
• V 5 – Our salvation is guarded by GOD through our faith in our salvation through Jesus Christ.
• V 5 – And this salvation will be completely revealed and fulfilled in the last time.  
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Transitional:   Verse 1:6 teaches us to rejoice in what we just learned, even in our many trials that we will face in this life.

• How to handle our trials -Verse 6
• We will go through seasons of manifold temptations and trials
• In your trials rejoice in what you have just learned about GOD
• Remember these are season.  Could be a long season or a short season, but you have to remember it’s a season
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• Why do I have to go through these seasons? 7-8
• Your faith in Jesus Christ is Precious/Valuable.  But it has to be tested.  It has to be tried in the fire of troubles!
• Whereas Gold is valuable and provides much, your faith is more valuable and provides things for you that are eternal.  
• This is why you can’s sell your faith off to be better off in this world....what faith will produce and provide for us in eternity is far greater than gold.
• Though your faith will be tested and tried with fire of troubles, these troubles and test to your faith will be something you can offer to Your King when he arrives for you.....You always need a gift for the King!
• If you maintain your faith in the test of life, when Jesus appears your faith will be offered to him as a praise, glory and honor.  

Transitional:   WE are being encouraged to maintain our faith in the trials of this life.  To put our faith in a God we have not seen.  Remember Jesus told Peter, blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe!   A true test of our faith is our belief and worship in a God we have not seen, but we know he exists.

• Peter acknowledges this great faith we have even though we have never seen Jesus – V 8
• We love him though we have not seen him
• We rejoice in him though we have not seen him.  We continue to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (honor).
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• What is the final result of our faith in Jesus – V 9
• It is the salvation/deliverance of our souls. 

Conclusion:  Peter sums up the legitimacy of our faith in Verse 10-12

• Prophets received prophecies of Jesus
• They looked into it diligently
• They concluded this wasn’t for them, but for those that would experience the messiah.
• This message would be perpetrated by those who preach the gospel by the power of the HS.
• This gospel is so powerful that even the Angels desire to investigate and tell these things.