Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word Jesus.
Reading
1 Peter 1:1-2—Elect Pilgrims
Keys for kids
- Peter is writing to suffering Christians.
- We may suffer in this life.
- We are pilgrims traveling through this life on our way to heaven.
Questions
- Who has written this letter? What do we know about him?
- To whom is he writing?
- What is Peter’s purpose in the letter?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors. )
Peter is writing to God’s people, but not to those gathered in a particular place as most of Paul’s letters were written. Instead, he writes to Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor (mostly modern Turkey). However, we must resist our modern individualistic tendency to assume this meant the letter was distributed, perhaps by whatever then would have been the equivalent of a mass email today, to scattered Christians living their individual lives in their individual homes.
These believers were scattered from Jerusalem into assembled churches throughout these regions. And so, in a real sense, this letter is to us Christians today assembled in churches, not just in Asia Minor but all over the world. Peter writes to these believers, and to us, to live holy lives by faith, even while suffering.
Peter identifies these believers as sojourners, or temporary residents. Our permanent residence is in heaven; we’re just here on earth temporarily. He also identifies them as elect—chosen by God’s determination ahead of time. Those God chooses he sets apart by His Spirit for obedience in Jesus. Is Peter writing to you?
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 27b, 57b
Prayer
- Commit you and your family in prayer to live holy lives by faith.
- Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.