A couple of days ago John Clarke died. He dropped dead of natural causes at the age of 68 doing what he loved best; bush-walking with his family and photographing birds. John Clarke is a household name in Australia and New Zealand (Fred Dagg for NZers), well known as a TV personality, satirist and critic … Continue reading –>
I have met a few people who have an image of Jesus in their minds, not based on Scripture, but on speculation. As a child I became interested in futball (soccer for U.S.A readers) and mentioned to my family that the game is so old Jesus may have played a form of futbal as a … Continue reading –>
The parallels with the Old Testament church didn’t end with just salvation and our being called out and chosen by God. The question is, Called out and chosen for what? Peter quickly gives the answer. Peter points out that this special relationship is for a purpose. Christians are to “proclaim the excellencies of him who … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “A Royal Priesthood” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School … Continue reading –>
In the book of Exodus, chapter 19, the Lord said to Moses: “‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed … Continue reading –>
Royal Priesthood. Do you cringe from Peter’s using language appropriate for the Jewish people of the Old Testament and applying it to us today? Are you proud to be a “Gentile believer in Jesus”? Or do you think of yourself as a person with a Jewish theological background who has accepted Jesus as Saviour? What key responsibility … Continue reading –>
Peter is writing very much from an Old Testament perspective. And central to this perspective is the idea of covenant, a theme so central to Jewish and Christian theology. What is the covenant? “Covenant” (Hebrew, berit) is a word that describes a treaty or formal agreement between two parties. It could be made between two … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Peter 2:4-8 (see also Isa. 28:16; Ps. 118:22; Isa. 8:14-15). What crucial truth is Peter referring to here? What is he saying to us about how we should act in response to Jesus? After telling his readers to seek spiritual nourishment, Peter immediately directs their attention to Jesus Christ, the Living Stone, most … Continue reading –>
Satan knows our salvation is found in the love of God. Therefore he does his best to misrepresent the love of God that shines from the cross. One horrendous way he does that is by presenting a “gospel” in which the unbeliever, instead of perishing, is burned and tortured throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Another way he skews … Continue reading –>
First Peter 2:1 begins with “therefore,” meaning that what follows results from what came before. First Peter Chapter 1, we saw, was a tour de force in regard to what Christ has done for us and how we should respond to what He has done for us. In the next chapter, Peter picks up this … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Pet. 2:1-3; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:4-8; Isa. 28:16; Exod. 19:3-6; 1 Pet. 2:5,1 Peter 2:9-10. Memory Text: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His … Continue reading –>
Read Ellen G. White, “Christ the Way of Life,” pp. 365-368, and “Perfect Obedience Through Christ,” pp. 373-376 in Selected Messages, book 1. It’s amazing how rich and deep this first chapter of Peter is and how much ground it covers. Peter begins his epistle with a meditation on the character of the Godhead, bringing … Continue reading –>
