Against The Current - 1 Peter Series - Week 2

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Why Bother Being Holy?

Jump To This Week's Study

Discovery Bible Method

Watch Andrew share on the DBM Method - HERE

The Bible is the most-read book in history. It is a beautiful, meaningful and at times complex document. It is the revelation of who God is, who we are and God’s plan for salvation as told through the historical words and stories of his people. This revelation spans many time periods and cultures. Starting at the creation of the world and ending in the return of Jesus to the world, setting all things right. 

The Bible is the “word of God” in the sense that it is a written document about God's revelation to humanity and that God uses it to reveal himself to believers through the Holy Spirit.

A critical step in helping people grow as disciples of Jesus is teaching them to read the bible and find their story in God’s story. 

A simple way to do this is to use a tool called “Discovery Bible Method” (DBM). This tool can be used with people who are disciples of Jesus or with people who are interested in finding out more about Jesus and looking into the Christian faith. 

During our 1 Peter series,  we will be basing our connect group studies around the Discovery Bible Method.

Here is how it works:

Before you jump into the Discovery Bible Method. Open up the conversation:

Open up

To begin the study, ask these questions:

• What are you thankful for?

• What is causing you stress?

• Who needs our help? How can this group help them?

Read 

Read 1 Peter 1:13-2:10 as a group.

1 Peter 1:13-25

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

“All people are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 2:1-10

1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Re- Read

Read the passage again as a group. Then take 1 min of silence to think about what has been read.

Retell

Shut your Bible and ask one person or a few people to volunteer to retell the Bible passage in their own words.

Reflect:   

1. What stood out to you in that passage?  

2. What character or theme did you most connect with? 

3. What does this passage teach us about God? 

4. What does this passage teach us about people? 

Respond: 

1. What do you want to keep thinking about or do this week as a result of this passage? (What application am I taking from this study?)

2. Who do you know that could benefit from hearing about this passage?