As we continue our journey through 1 Peter this summer, we encounter one of Scripture’s most compelling paradoxes: we are simultaneously exiles and chosen children of God. This tension isn’t something to resolve but rather to embrace as we learn what faithful Christian living looks like in an increasingly secular culture.
Peter understood this dynamic intimately. Writing to believers scattered across the Roman Empire, he addressed people who felt the weight of cultural displacement while holding fast to their identity as God’s beloved children. His words speak directly to our contemporary experience as we navigate remaining faithful in a world that often seems indifferent to Christian values.
Rather than retreating in fear or anxiety, Peter calls us to a different way forward. He reminds us that throughout history, the church has often flourished not in spite of challenging circumstances, but precisely because of them. When the world’s systems seem uncertain, God’s people have the opportunity to demonstrate the stability and hope found only in Christ.
Our summer series will explore how this plays out practically. We’ll discover how to embrace God’s call to holy living while engaging thoughtfully with our surrounding culture. Peter shows us that this isn’t about being combative or withdrawn, but about embodying a humble respect that can transform relationships and communities.
As we examine Peter’s teaching on remaining faithful in a changing culture, we’ll learn that our distinctiveness as Christians isn’t meant to isolate us but to position us as salt and light. When we live in ways that are not in line with cultural norms, we are bearing witness to a different way of life, one that proclaims God’s Kingdom.
The latter part of our series will address the reality that faith sometimes costs something. Peter doesn’t sugarcoat this truth, but he also doesn’t leave us to face these challenges alone. Instead, he points us toward the profound peace that comes from casting our cares on the One who cares for us, finding our identity not in cultural acceptance but in God’s unchanging love.
We’ll conclude by exploring what it means to find peace as exiles. This sort of peace is not an escape from the world around us, but rather a deep resting in God. This peace becomes the foundation for our mission in the world, which we’ll celebrate on our final Sunday in August.
As we gather each week at our combined 9:30 AM service, I encourage you to see these summer months as an opportunity to grow deeper in our understanding of what it means to be God’s chosen people, equipped and empowered to live faithfully wherever He has placed us.
Worship Schedule
July
- July 06 - Different by Design, Faithful in Practice (1 Peter 2:11-25) Additional Readings: Daniel 1:8-17, Psalm 119:33-40
- July 13 - The Revolutionary Power of Humble Respect (1 Peter 3:1-7) Additional Readings: Proverbs 15:1-4, Matthew 5:5-9
- July 20 - Standing Out in a Changing Culture (1 Peter 3:8-17) Additional Readings: Psalm 133, Philippians 2:1-11
- July 27 - Beyond What We Can See (1 Peter 3:18-22) Additional Readings: Psalm 93, Matthew 28:16-20
August
- August 03 - Living Against the Grain (1 Peter 4:1-11) Additional Readings: Psalm 1:1-6, Daniel 1:8-16
- August 10 - When Faith Costs Something (1 Peter 4:12-19) Additional Readings: Psalm 66:8-12, Matthew 5:10-12
- August 17 - Cast Your Cares (1 Peter 5:1-11) Additional Readings: Psalm 23, Matthew 11:28-30
- August 24 - Finding Peace as Exiles (1 Peter 5:12-14) Additional Readings: Psalm 27:1-6, Daniel 3:16-18
- August 31 - Missions Sunday
