To start the year, we are studying Peter’s first letter by beginning with I Peter 1:1-2. In each section, we will see how he describes the people of God. In his greeting, Peter calls Christians “elect exiles,” which is a curious expression that mixes something positive (elect, chosen, selected) with something negative (exiles, driven out, rejected). As it turns out, God’s election makes his people exiles in this world, and Peter reminds us that it is our call to live our lives as those who are in the world but not of the world.
With parables and warnings, Jesus told everyone in his day and ours to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man.
Recognizing the key role that hope plays in our lives, we encourage each other by saying, “Keep your hopes up!” We also realize that...
In two more cities, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel boldly, which resulted in many new believers and violent opposition.