Purpose: To offer encouragement to Christians who are undergoing suffering

Author: Peter

Audience: Jewish Christians who were driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor (think modern day Turkey)

Date written: Around A.D. 62-63

Setting: Peter is probably in Rome and during this time Christians were being persecuted and undergoing suffering. This persecution and suffering probably wasn’t the infamous Neronian persecution, as that came years later. This suffering was attributed to the simple reality that they were living distinctively Christians lives in a non-Christian environment and because of this they experienced suffering and persecution.

Key verse: 1 Peter 1:7 “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Brief outline of 1 Peter:

• God’s great blessings to His people (1:1-2:10)
• The conduct of God’s people in the midst of suffering (2:11-4:19)
• The shepherding of God’s people in the midst of suffering (5:1-14)

Why do Christians suffer?

• Because God has chosen us to be His special people. We’re special because we’re holy (1:13-16, 2:9-10), as well as different (1:1, 2:11)
• Because we are called to participate in the sufferings of Christ (2:19-25)

How should Christians respond to suffering?

• Be holy (1:13-16)
• Be witnesses (2:11-12, 23-24)
• Be loving (4:7-11)

Here’s the Sermon breakdown for 1 Peter

• May 18 – 1:1-2
• May 25 – 1:3-12
• June 1 – 1:13-16
• June 8 – 1:17-21
• June 15 – 1:22-25
• June 22 – 2:1-3
• June 29 – 2:4-10
• July 6 – 2:11-12

We’ll take a six-week break from 1 Peter and do a series in the Psalms

• July 13 – Psalm 14
• July 20 – Psalm 19
• July 27 – Psalm 23
• August 3 – Psalm 24
• August 10 – Psalm 32
• August 17 – Palm 42

Continuation of 1 Peter:

• August 24 – Recap of 1 Peter
• August 31 – 2:13-17
• September 7 – 2:18-25
• September 14 – 3:1-6
• September 21 – 3:7
• September 28 – 3:8-12
• October 5 – 3:13-22
• October 12 – 4:1-11
• October 19 – 4:12-19
• October 26 – 5:1-5
• November 2 – 5:6-12
• November 9 à 1 Peter Recap

Resources used:

• Dever, Mark. The Message of the New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2005.
• Osborne, Grant. Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude. Wheaton: Tyndale Hose, 1995.