Dear Friends,

I am really looking forward to seeing you on this Sunday. I will begin the second half of the series “Becoming Rock”. This study is a verse by verse study through the book of first Peter. In Peters letter the Apostle tells us how to live stable fruitful lives in a world of chaos.

This Sundays message will help you be stable and a loving witness in a politically and morally corrupt culture.

• Peter was living in the Roman empire in culture that has many similarities to present day America.
• Peter was living in a time of open hostility toward Christians by the culture and government.
• Peter shows us how to replace anger with hope and fear with confidence and power.
• Peter freed the church of thinking they needed friends in high places.
• Peter taught us, we don’t need in any key men if we know the keeper of the keys. {Jesus}

There is a lot of anger and fear in the midst of Gods people. This current political contest reveals a tendency to put an idolatrous confidence in one side or the other.  I am convinced that only the witness of the powerful love of the Gospel can really change our culture and the world.  We as Christ followers are called to be that powerful hopeful witness.

Jesus told those first followers

Act 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

At a time when every power on earth was against His little flock.  Paul later wrote to a small band of persecuted saints

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Than he and those early saints turned the world upside down.

They had no political power or friends but they did have all they need. they had the presence of God and the Gospel of hope. This Sunday can be a splash of cold hope in the face to wake us as from our fearful distracted stupor. Peter writing to us in a time of persecution will remind us how we can change the world with Gods power. Please come. I can’t wait to share all God has shown me while up in the mountains.

Blessings,

Joe

• PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AND THE SERVICES THIS SUNDAY.
• MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND A WORSHIP SERVICE AND A SMALL GROUP.
• INVITE AT LEAST ONE PERSON TO COME SIT WITH YOU.
• PRAYERFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURE AND CONSIDER THE SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS.

Matthew 5:11-16 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

1 Peter 3:13-17 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

• WHAT DID JESUS HAVE IN MIND WHEN HE SAID WE ARE TO BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD?
  

  Mat 5:11-16 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

• WHAT KINDS OF THINGS CAN STOP US FROM BEING SALTY AND COVER THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL?
• HOW DO PEOPLE THINK AND TREAT OTHERS WHEN AFRAID?
• HOW HAS FEAR KEPT YOU FROM SHARING YOUR HOPE IN JESUS?
  

  1 Peter 3:14-15 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED; 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence

• WHY DOES PETER TELL US TO MAKE OUR ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS FIRST ABOVE ALL OTHERS?
  

  1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts

• ARE YOU ALWAYS READY TO SHARE YOUR HOPE IN CHRIST? DESCRIBE WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK?
  

  1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

• WHO DO YOU WANT MOST TO COME TO FAITH IN JESUS THIS YEAR?
• WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN OUR CHURCH IF EVERYONE REACHED ONE?
• WHO IN YOUR LIFE CAN WE PRAY FOR?