In order to inspire and instruct God's people as elect exiles, Peter relies on a most unusual and unconventional metaphor: a rock. Drawing on a variety of stone images, Peter (which means "rock") strings together a revolutionary series of metaphors to carry us beyond the status quo and into our divine calling. His message reveals the scandal of the Spiritual House, the scandal of the Living Stones, and the scandal of the Cornerstone. This rock imagery- and a functional theology of "rocks"- is essential to basic Christianity and leaves us all with decisions to make.
"Resurrection Matters" 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (Easter 2016)
1 Corinthians 15:54-57
“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
"Love in the Margins" 1 Peter 1:21-2:3 (Life in the Margins)
We are living in a day and age marked by the rise of extremism at home and abroad. There is extreme fear, extreme anger, and extreme reactions to the extreme. And yet, as followers of Jesus, if there is to be any extremism that marks our life, may it be in extreme love. As Peter continues to exhort the "elect exiles" in his letter, he calls for them to love in specific and tangible ways. This week we will explore the kind of love that Jesus had in mind for His followers from the beginning. It's the kind of love that stands as counter-cultural in any age.
"Live as Those Ransomed" 1 Peter 1:13-21 (Life in the Margins
We all constantly hope for something. Maybe we hope that it won’t rain, maybe we hope for this difficulty to pass, maybe we hope the lines at Costco aren’t too long, but the fact is that we all hope for something. Now as we continue on in the book of 1st Peter, Peter has been talking a lot about our hope. But he has not been talking about us hoping in Jesus, like we hope the weatherman is right. Rather the hope that we have is sure! We have complete hope – we know that God is going to do what he has promised because our hope is based on the unswerving unchanging God, and a hope like this changes how we live. So this week we will see that in this passage Peter transitions from talking about the glorious hope and salvation that we have to beginning to look at what the implications are. What we hope in changes how we live! We are made to find hope, we are made to place our hope in something, but what we hope in determines what we do with our minds, our actions, and our attitude. Where do you place your hope? Where does your mind turn when things go bad? When your mind/heart is on autopilot, where does it turn?
"Appreciation in the Margins" 1 Peter 1:10-12 (Life in the Margins
As Peter continues to frame our understanding of suffering, he underscores our privileged position as believers this side of the cross. While those who follow Jesus may be subject to difficulty and trial as elect exiles, Peter reminds us that the times we live in are actually the "good old days." We have it better than the prophets who struggled to inquire about the person and time of the Messiah, and we have it better than the angels who long to peer into the mystery of our salvation. What we have in Jesus and what we know in the gospel is a supernatural treasure that changes our approach to the everyday.
"Suffering in the Margins" 1 Peter 1:6-9 (Life in the Margins)
A key distinctive in the letter of 1 Peter and life in the margins is suffering. As Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this world you will have tribulation." This week we will take a look at the Christian life of suffering and discover why it is a gift from God that is to be embraced. Without purpose, it can seem like endless torture. It's the "gift" that no one wants. However, in perspective, suffering remains one of God's most effective tools to form our souls. This is the beautiful reality that Paul called "the fellowship of His suffering" and it leads us into an intimacy with Jesus that nothing else will.
"Inspiration in the Margins" 1 Peter 1:3-5 (Life in the Margins)
Why? This is the question implicitly answered by Peter in the verses we’ll focus on this week. The “why” is Peter’s inspiration; the reason he does what he does and lives to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. What inspires you to walk in the margins as a Christian? Perhaps you’re not a follower of Jesus, what inspires you to walk down that path?
This week we’ll examine the inspiration, the “why” as it relates to Peter and his letter to the early church. In doing so, we’ll examine our own drivers of behavior and seek Truth not only in what we do but why do it.
"The Move to the Margins - Part 2" 1 Peter 1:1-2 (Life in the Margins)
After opening our new series last week with a look at the recipients of 1 Peter, this week we will look at its author: Peter. With 6 simple words, the opening line of this letter reminds us of God's radical work of love and grace. Because, in many ways due to Peter's past failures, this is the letter that should never have been written. However, an elderly Peter serves as a trustworthy guide to encourage God's people through the suffering of life in the margins. It's a place he knows all too well firsthand. This week we will rewind the tapes to get a glimpse at the life of Peter and see how his journey can help anchor ours.
"The Move to the Margins - Part 1" 1 Peter 1:1-2 (Life in the Margins)
As we introduce our new series, we will look at Peter's opening words of introduction in 1 Peter 1. After introducing himself, he names the recipients of his letter in 3 different ways with 3 different terms, describing 3 different but overlapping spaces or spheres. As we understand who we are among the interplay between these spaces, we will be able to humbly follow the command of Jesus to be "in the world" but not "of the world."
The Gospel vs. Religion
Amidst New Year's resolutions and new beginnings, we crave something more. Therefore, at the beginning of each new year, here at Reality we typically go back to the basics and re-center ourselves on the root of true and lasting change. For 2016, that pursuit remains the same. In a word, we have committed to go back to the Gospel and never allow ourselves to leave that foundation. Not because it’s elementary. But because it’s revolutionary. During the month of January, we will be exploring the Gospel against the foil of religion to expose our hearts to the real promises of God.
"Sowers" Galatians 3:7-10, 6:7-10 (The Gospel vs. Religion)
As we finish this series, we will take a look at another common religious tendency. It’s what I call the religion of "me"- where we become the end of our religious pursuit. It’s the mentality- “As long as I get mine, I’m fine.” It's the selfish pursuit of something that addresses my sin, my problems, my pain, and my eternal future apart from anyone else. It's when we become the beginning, middle and end of our salvation. However, as Paul address the Galatians, he invites them to a faith that is deeply involved with others. Rather than consuming from God, we are invited into a life of cultivating with others. This is the gospel life of being a sower in the garden of God.
"Spirit Dependence" Galatians 5:16-25 (The Gospel vs. Religion)
"Sons of God" Galatians 3:26-4:7 (The Gospel vs. Religion)
The next Gospel picture that the Apostle Paul grounds the Galatians in is their adoption as sons of God. This is not a sexist label, but a revolutionary status. Nothing combats our religious insecurities about our performance and doubts about our belonging more than our new name and place in the family of God. God the Father did not just send the Son and His Spirit to free us from law and pay off our debts, but to adopt us into His family as His children together. As a son, you have nothing to prove and your place in the family is secure.
"Servant of Christ" Galatians 1:1-10 (The Gospel vs. Religion)
In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul condemns the deep religious tendencies that creep into the lives of humanity. In Galatians 1:10, he talks about the human tendency to be a people pleaser and seek the approval of others. However, our freedom is not found in the throwing off of all restraints. Rather, it is found in being a servant of Christ. This week we will explore both the trap of the fear of men, and the freedom of Jesus as Master. Absolute allegiance to the Lordship of Jesus is the most liberating condition for your soul.