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 3:13-17 by Lindsey
This passage can seem a little bit confusing to us, but the point Peter is making here is very clear to us. He is telling God’s people this: God’s presence cannot be taken away from God’s people. So even if we suffer unfairly, we are still blessed because God is still with us. We still belong to God. This is very good news. Hard and sad things will happen in all of our lives. Some of us have already had many hard and sad things happen to us, but that cannot change the fact that we belong to God.
So, because of this good news, Peter says we should be ready to share this wonderful truth with other people:
God made us. God loves us. God is with us. Because of Jesus, if we are a part of God’s people, there is nothing that can ever take God’s presence away from us. We are blessed because we belong to God. We have hope because God will never ever leave us alone.
Check this out
Check out this video of the song In All Things from Slugs & Bugs.
Going Deeper With …
Preschoolers
Can you draw a picture of a hard or sad thing that happened to you or a picture of something that makes you feel nervous or afraid? Now can you draw Jesus with you in that picture? Share your picture with a grownup, and ask Jesus to help you know his presence even in hard or scary things.
Elementary Kids
Read 1 Peter 3:13-17 in a child-friendly version of the Bible (like the NIrV).
Look up Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:10-12. How are these words similar to what Peter says in vs. 13-14?
Does this give you hope?
Peter doesn’t mean that we should argue with people who don’t believe the gospel, but that we should be ready to share why Jesus gives us hope. Why does Jesus give you hope? What are the good news stories of Jesus in your life? Can you draw a picture or make some art to express this?
Middle & High Schoolers
Read 1 Peter 3:13-17 in the New Living Translation.
How does God’s word challenge you in these verses?
Peter says that we shouldn’t worry or be afraid but should instead worship Christ as Lord of our lives. What do you worry about? What are you afraid of? Take it to the Lord in prayer! Ask Christ to help you trust him.
Peter says we should “be ready to explain” the hope we have in Jesus. Take a few minutes to recall your story / testimony, to remember how you came to know Jesus. Who taught you the good news? When did you begin trusting in Jesus? What is the next step in your story? How is Jesus calling you to move forward?