Welcome
As we journey through 1 Peter together, we want to equip you as households to have conversations with one another about the sermon series. Each week, there will be a blog post featuring a brief recap of the sermon passage for the week, a few quick ideas for how your family can dive deeper into the passage together during the week, and a challenge for you to complete and share using the hashtag #1peterchallenge.
Recap
1 Peter 1:22—2:3 by Lindsey
Have you ever fought with your friend or a brother or sister over a toy or even a special thing they got to do that you didn’t? You know what it’s like to feel upset because you see someone else getting something you wanted. Can you believe Peter talks about this in our passage this week? He says, “Love one another for real, from a clean heart.” He goes on to help us know how we can do this, and guess what! Peter says that it will help us if we pay attention to the difference between things that last and things that don’t last. Things that don’t last are—well, most things. Toys, clothes, shoes, even fun things our family does together don’t last forever. What are some things that do last? God’s love and forgiveness; your mom and dad’s love for you; your relationships with your siblings. And here, Peter says that God’s words last forever. If we could say what Peter says here in just a few words, we might say something like this: Some things last forever, some things don’t. Keep your eyes open, notice the things that last, pay good attention to them. The most important thing that lasts forever is God’s word, and his love and forgiveness. Those things will never break or wear out.
Check this out
All Flesh is Like the Grass by Fernando Ortega.
Stop (Listen to the Lord) by Slugs & Bugs
Going Deeper With …
Preschoolers
Peter tells God’s people that God’s word lasts forever. Forever is a very long time.
Get out a few Bibles that you have at home. Maybe an adult, full-text Bible and a children’s story bible that you have. Look through them together, and ask questions like this:
I wonder what is your favorite thing about God’s word.
I wonder which of God’s words or stories are your favorite.
I wonder what would help us pay attention to God’s word today or this week.
I wonder how it feels to know that God gave his word to you.
BONUS: If you have a special Bible verse that you chose for your child at their birth or baptism, share it with them. Work together to write it on some “fancy paper” and decorate it and hang it in their room. If you don’t have a verse like this, choose one, or help your child find a favorite Bible verse.
Elementary Kids
Read 1 Peter 1:22—2:3 in a child-friendly version of the Bible (like the NIrV).
I wonder what it means to love others deeply?
Fold a piece of paper in half, draw a line down the middle, and write “lasts” and “doesn’t last.” Make lists of things that last and things that don’t last.
Talk to someone in your home about your list.
What things does Peter say last forever?
How can you pay attention to things that last this week?
BONUS: If you have a special Bible verse that you chose for your child at their birth or baptism, share it with them. Work together to write it on some “fancy paper” and decorate it and hang it in their room. If you don’t have a verse like this, choose one, or help your child find a favorite Bible verse.
Middle & High Schoolers
Read 1 Peter 1:22—2:3 in the New Living Translation.
Peter says that, because you were cleansed from your sins, “you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.” Do you struggle with that? What would it even look like to love others “with all your heart”? Talk about it with someone.
Take some time to write out a list: what in your life will last? When you look at that list, are those the things you spend the most time on? Why or why not?
Peter says we should crave “pure spiritual milk so that [we] will grow into a full experience of salvation.” Think about your experience of salvation. Do you want more? What do you imagine “a full experience of salvation” would be like in this life?
1 Peter Challenge
#1peterchallenge: God’s word remains forever. Make a card, poster, or picture with a verse that your family has memorized in the last few weeks and drop it off at someone else’s house. Consider baking them some cookies, or drawing a picture, or offering to pick up something from the grocery store to drop off with your verse. Share a photo with the hashtag #1peterchallenge