Class Lesson March 20, 2011

Hey Christian,

The road of salvation is not an easy one. But, oh, is it full of enriching adventure!  We are all pilgrims in progress on the road to the celestial city. It's not that people have to do difficult things to be saved, but along this road, life will bring difficulty - Jesus promised this! Sometimes this  difficulty can overwhelm even the most well-meaning and faithful  pilgrims. Our March study has been from 1 Peter as our guide on this journey to how we can live and travel confidently even in difficult times. 

Our first lesson outlined the hope we have to hold onto in times of difficulty when our faith is under fire. Remember difficulty precedes victory as we saw in the movie "Rudy" and it wouldn't have been much of a story if Rudy hadn't gone through his difficulties. Also remember that the lessons of trust that God sends us many times come wrapped in the difficulties we face. Last week's lesson addressed how God expects us to act when life is hard and questions  whether or not we are ready for action? God expects us to live holy, reverent and obedient lives.

This week we look at what we can do to be sure that  the relationships we encounter every day survive and even thrive during difficult times, even when those relationships are under stress. Our lesson says it's all about where your beauty comes from. Now, what in the world could that mean?

1 Peter 2:11-3:12

How we respond to people (relationships) when we are under stress (difficult times) can be a challenge to anyone, especially the Christian – why?

Because It Shows Your Beauty

“Your beauty should not consist of outward things…it should consist of the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God's eyes.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

 

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Where does your beauty come from? Is it real or distorted? Can people tell you are a genuine Christian by the way you talk, dress, and behave or are you distorted? Do hard times pull people apart or bind people together?

When you are under stress, how do you respond to people?

1.    Do you stormed out of a store when a clerk is slow?

2.    Do you erupt sometimes when your spouse asks an innocent question?

3.    Have you ever responded harshly to a church member for something trivial?

In this lesson this week, we will examine 3 relationships: unbelievers, family and church and Peter will give us 3 beauty tips for each relationship under stress. 

            I.  BEAUTY TIP FOR UNBELIEVERS – 1PETER 2:11-12

A Call to Good Works

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. ¹² Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do evil, they may, by observing your good works, glorify God in a day of visitation.

What does Peter mean by aliens and temporary residents? What does Peter mean by fleshly desires?

Why would unbelievers speak against you? How does Peter say we should respond to the labels, slander, prejudice, and misunderstandings by non-believers?

What is the goal for having relationships with unbelievers?

  

       II. BEAUTY TIP FOR THE HOME – 1PETER 3:1-7

Wives and Husbands

¹ Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the [Christian] message, they may be won over without a message by the way their wives live, ² when they observe your pure, reverent lives. ³ Your beauty should not consist of outward things [like] elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes; ⁴ instead, [it should consist of] the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God's eyes. ⁵ For in the past, the holy women who hoped in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do good and aren't frightened by anything alarming.  ⁷ Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with understanding of their weaker nature yet showing them honor as co-heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

How does Peter instruct a wife to love her non-Christian husband? What are Peter’s instructions to the husband?

What if the unbelieving husband orders his believing wife to engage in sinful behavior?

            III. BEAUTY TIP FOR BELIEVERS – 1PETER 3:8-12

Do No Evil

⁸ Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, ⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, ¹¹ and he must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it, ¹² because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

What could create stress in our relationships with believers in church?

What do you usually do when you don’t get along with people from church?

1.    I change churches.

2.    I drop them as friends.

3.    I talk about them behind their backs.

4.    I try to move past it without actually dealing with the problem.

5.    I keep loving them and pursue peace in the relationship.

6.    Other:______________________________________________

What do you think is at the heart of hostility among church folk?

What characteristics does Peter say should be true of all believers?

It takes two to keep conflict going. How does dropping the rope in tug-of-war stop the war? How does what Peter had said above drop the rope in believers’ conflict?

Prayer This Week

Lord, help those whose relationships are under stress. Amen

I hope that each of you have a blessed week and that you pray and prepare for God's Word to speak to you during this lesson on Sunday. Also don't forget this Saturday the 19th we will meet in the church parking lot (across from the Police station)  at 12:30pm to collect and deliver everything for the Burmese Immigrants we are helping as a class - please come and help us help them! Thomas Samoros will have his truck and trailer there for delivery.

In His Love,

David & Susan