persecution

Living Honorably As Aliens In a Foreign Land – 1 Peter 2:11-17

/ Bob

Do you ever feel like a “fish out of water?” Have you ever felt like you simply don’t belong? Peter addresses the isolation and uncertainty that comes with being a stranger in the place where you live. Moreover, he gives encouragement and practical advice on how to live in your world as a Christian and share you faith in a kind, respectful, and loving way.

In this passage he helps us look at our relationships with the people around us – family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and casual acquaintances. He then goes on to show how we should relate to people in the political arena. He sums up this this section of his letter with 4 simple yet life changing statements: honor all people; love your fellow believers; respect God above all others; and honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

We must ask ourselves if all of our interactions with people are honorable. – talking face to face, calling, texting, emailing, memoing, posting, commenting, liking, disliking, looking, listening, smiling, laughing, giving, sharing, holding, touching, crying, hugging, praying, etc. etc. etc. Are our actions honorable, respectful, loving and, moreover, do they point to Jesus?

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, February 9, 2025. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Hunger for Holiness: Living Pure in an impure World. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/hunger-for-holiness-1-peter-digital-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


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Class Notes – 02.09.2025 – Living Honorably – 1 Peter 2.11-17Download

Reviewing the Situation – 1 Peter 1:1-9

/ Bob

Read the headlines. Watch the news. Listen to the radio. Talk to your friends. Talk to your family. It won’t take long for the subject of evil doers and evil ways to come into the discourse. We live in a fallen world full of fallen people who do despicable things for detestable reasons. And should the discussion turn to the path which the Christian should walk in this fallen world, the tone can be discouraging, hopeless, and at times even fearful.

That is where the book of 1st Peter steps in. In it we find a living hope and practical instruction on how to live a Godly life in an un-Godly world. We find the Living Rock of our salvation on which we can firmly stand when the world around us is crumbling. In the decadent days in which we live, Peter shows us not only how to live holy lives in the face of moral depravity, but also how to lift others out of the pit of destruction that is devouring them. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart – I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Peter takes this promise and provides the insight into how the overcoming life of our Lord can be realized in our contemporary world and in our daily lives.

The Agape Life Bible Study group of Brenham’s First Baptist Church began a series of lessons from the book of 1st Peter on Sunday, January 5. The title of the series is Hunger for Holiness: Living Pure in an Impure World. This is the first lesson in that series and in it we lay out the situation of the people to whom Peter is writing. We also look at how his words of encouragement for them can apply to us as well.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, January 5, 2025. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons is Hunger for Holiness: Living Pure in an impure World. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/hunger-for-holiness-1-peter-digital-study-guide/ .Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


Website – FromTheBackPorch.org
Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas

YouTube – youtube.com/@fromthebackporch

X – FromtheBackPorch@nationalfast

TikTok – tiktok.com/@fromthebackporchintexas
Email – fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

Class Notes – 01.05.2024 – Hope That Lives – 1 Peter 1.1-9Download

Godly Leadership

/ Bob

In Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy he gives Timothy advice and encouragement by telling him what Godly Leadership looks like. In so doing he gives excellent advice to all Christians about how to respond to adversity. He says that Godly leaders will rejoice when they face persecution for Christ’s sake. They will endure hardships for the cause of Christ. The same should apply to all who believe.

Godly leaders must teach sound doctrine under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. They should do so in the faith and love found in Jesus. The same should apply to all who believe.

Godly leaders should accept the challenges laid down by the saints who have paved the road for the Gospel of Peace. They should persevere with the determination of the soldier in battle; they must press on to win the prize of the high calling of Jesus Christ; and, like the farmer, they should wait patiently on the Lord because they know that He Who began a good work in them will be faithful to complete it in Christ Jesus. The same should apply to all who believe.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, August 21, 2022. It is part of a series of Bible study sessions from The Gospel Project – a Bible study curriculum developed by Lifeway Christian Resources. Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

Website – FromTheBackPorch.org

Twitter – From the Back Porch @ nationalfast

Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas

Email – fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

class-notes-agape-life-08.21.2022-godly-leadershipDownload

This World Is Not My Home

/ Bob

When the world is caving in around us and all seems lost, it is easy for us to lose our perspective. We begin to think that life is hopeless. No matter which way we turn we hit a dead end. Just when we seem to get our feet on the ground something comes along to undercut us and leave us writhing in pain or wallowing in self-pity. Our perspective is limited. We see only the problem, only the bleakness of our situation. In his first letter, Peter addresses the situations which can tear us apart and reminds us of where our focus should be. In other words, he brings things into proper perspective for proper living in an improper world.

This letter was written at a time when Christians were held in contempt by both Jews and Romans. And if this wasn’t bad enough, Nero – Emperor of Rome, blamed the Christians for burning down Rome which led to some 250 years of tortuous persecution of Christians all across the Roman Empire. 1 Peter was written in this time when Satan was doing all he could to snuff out the young church. 1 Peter offers excellent, practical advice on how to deal with such persecution but it also goes to the heart of the matter.

The fact is that we, as Christians, are aliens in this world. This world is not our home – heaven is. And since this world is not our home, we shouldn’t expect anyone to treat us as though we are one of them. Jesus said that in this world we would have tribulation. (John 16:33) That’s what we should expect. We have a different way of looking at things – a different perspective. And when we dare to express our perspective, we can expect people to laugh at us, look at us side-eyed, avoid us, ignore us, and treat us like the creepy neighbor who makes you shudder every time you see them. If we aren’t being treated differently, perhaps it is because we look and act so much like the rest of the world that they can’t tell we’re Christians. Ouch!

What we learn from 1 Peter is that our hope is held fast in heaven and our trials here on earth are but momentary interruptions on our way to glory. And those trials and tribulations actually make us stronger for the next trial. We keep looking ahead to Jesus and every step of the way on the bumpy road called life brings us one step closer to an eternity with Him. With that perspective we can endure the junk that Satan throws in our way and do so with joy – even laughing in his face. And it’s all because this world is not our home; we’re just a passing through. As we learn from 1 Peter 1:9 we are filled with joy in this world because we are receiving the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls in the real world.

Next week we will look at 2 Peter 1 as we study the Pursuit of Godliness.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, April 3, 2022. It is part of a series of Bible study sessions from The Gospel Project – a Bible study curriculum developed by Lifeway Christian Resources. Handouts with slide content can be requested at: fromthebackporchintexas@gmail.com

Website – FromTheBackPorch.org
Twitter – From the Back Porch @ nationalfast
Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas