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, and a few quick ideas for how your family can dive deeper into the passage together during the week.
Recap
1 Peter 2:18-25 by Lindsey
Here are two words: Revenge and Repair. Do you know what these words mean? Revenge means hurting someone who hurt you. Repair means to make things right with someone who hurt you. Today, Peter tells God’s people that the way of Jesus is REPAIR, not REVENGE. Peter would know. You remember that Peter was one of Jesus’ friends, right? Well, there was one time when, very late at night, Jesus was in the garden with his disciples and soldiers came to arrest Jesus. What did Peter do? You’re right! He cut off the ear of one of the soldiers! He saw that these soldiers were coming to hurt Jesus, and he wanted to get some revenge. But do you remember what Jesus did? He touched the ear of that man, and he healed it. Right there in the garden, while he was being arrested. Jesus showed Peter that the way of the gospel is REPAIR, not REVENGE. Now, all of us have probably hurt someone before, and maybe they hurt us back. But maybe they repaired things. Maybe they were kind when we were unkind. Maybe they helped us when we had hurt them. Maybe this person was your parent or a sibling or a friend at school. Maybe, instead of trying to get back at you, they said, “I don’t want to fight with you. Let’s work this out together.” How did that feel? What was it like? Maybe you have done this for someone else.
Peter is reminding God’s people that someone has done this for all of us. We were all God’s enemies. We all have rejected God as our King, but Jesus chose to come and live among his people, to suffer and die for us, to rise again and live with us, to REPAIR our relationship so that we can be close to God. If God had wanted revenge, he could have gotten it, but he didn’t. He wanted you and he wanted me. God chose to repair his relationship with us through Jesus. Because he has done this, we can be relationship repairers in our homes, at our schools, and in our cities. When we are relationship repairers, we don’t push for our own way, we don’t try to get back at people. We trust that God is in control, and we are free to love & serve others the way that Jesus has loved & served us.
Check this out
Read Operation No More Tears from The Jesus Storybook Bible for a kid-friendly version of some of Isaiah’s prophecies. Video here.
The song Isaiah 53 by Sovereign Grace Music includes many of the prophecies referred to here in 1 Peter, and it has a simple chorus kids can sing!
Going Deeper With …
Preschoolers
Read the story of Jesus washing the Disciple’s feet or the story of Jesus & his friends in the Garden. Talk about Jesus’ example of humility in both of these stories.
I wonder what it would be like to have Jesus was your feet.
I wonder what it would be like to wash someone else’s feet.
When you are finished ask:
I wonder what your favorite part of the story was.
I wonder which part was most important.
BONUS: Even though it’s not Maundy Thursday, offer to wash your child’s feet.
Elementary Kids
Read 1 Peter 2:18-25 in a child-friendly version of the Bible (like the NIrV).
Who does Peter say suffered for us?
According to what Peter says here, do we need to fear suffering? Why or why not?
Read Isaiah 53:3-6.
Who do you think these verses are talking about?
How do these verses help you understand what Peter is saying?
What stands out to you about these verses?
Middle & High Schoolers
Read 1 Peter 2:18-25 in the New Living Translation.
What’s your first response to this passage? Are these words (especially verses 18-20) hard to hear? Why do you think that is?
Why does Peter call us to endure unjust suffering?
Take a few minutes and place yourself imaginatively beside Jesus in his suffering. Why did he refuse to retaliate or take revenge?
Read verse 25 again. Where are you in this journey? Are you still wandering? Or have you returned to your Good Shepherd?