This was our fourth week of our series, Exiles. We came out of 1 Peter 1:22-2:6 where we discovered what it means to be a part of a forever family in Christ. Here is a quick recap:
Peter’s main focus in this passage is reminding the exiles of their new and changed reality; that they are now adopted into the family of Christ.
People are like grass, but the word of the Lord stands forever
Peter reminds us that even when everything and everyone else around us is changing or failing us in some way, the promises of God through the personhood of Jesus will stand forever. And, since we have been “born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,” we can have confidence that our new family, in which we were adopted into, will truly be a forever family.
We have seen this truth lived out through hundreds of years of persecution. Even when the church has been hated by society or Christians are executed, the forever family of the church has prevailed. People are like grass, but the word of the Lord stands forever.
Learning to act like a Forever Family
Peter identifies the following as counter to a forever family mentality:
Malice
Deceit and Hypocrisy
Envy
Slander
The bottom line is this: We have been born again to a Jesus-Centered forever family. We long for his goodness and we build everything upon his foundation. This gives us the freedom to love our forever family like Jesus has loved us. We are only forever family because of the enduring work of God.
Songs from this week:
Psalm 18- Citizens and Saints
Come Thou Fount- King’s Kaleidoscope
Man of Sorrows- Hillsong
Jesus Thank You- Sovereign Grace