Friday, April 24, 2026

Opening Scripture

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

Opening Prayer

Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come. Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light, Jesus, I come to Thee. Out of my sickness, into Thy health. Out of my want and into Thy wealth. Out of my sin and into Thyself, Jesus, I come to Thee. Out of my shameful failure and loss, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come. Into the glorious gain of Thy cross, Jesus, I come to Thee. Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm. Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm. Out of distress to jubilant psalm, Jesus, I come to Thee.

Daily Bible Reading

1 Peter 4

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. 

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Reflection  

Peter opens today’s passage by picking up his point from chapter 3, verse 18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” Followers of Jesus must “arm themselves” with this attitude. What attitude? To be “done with sin.” Certainly, Peter doesn’t imply that Christians are capable of sinless perfection. Instead, they increasingly reject a sinful lifestyle. The kind of behavior that was “normal” before they gave their lives to Christ is no longer acceptable.

Here’s how Paul explains it in Romans 6:5-14. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

Verse 6 can be confusing, “For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.” Peter has just said in verse 5 that God will judge “the living and the dead.” Those who have already died had ample opportunity to respond to God in faith and will be judged fairly (1 Peter 2:23).

The end of chapter 3 can also be confusing. “He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:18-21).

Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension was a proclamation of victory to all “the spirits who disobeyed long ago.” All angels, authorities, and powers are in submission to Him and know the truth of God’s eternal triumph!

“His incomparably great power for us who believe… is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (Ephesians 1:19-21).

In his second letter, Peter refers to Noah as “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). As such, “the Spirit of Christ in him” (1 Peter 1:11) “preached” to the unbelieving people around him for 120 years. As Noah and his family of eight were saved by God’s grace through the flood waters in the ark, so followers of Jesus are being saved by God’s grace through the waters of baptism. While baptism has no magical saving power, it represents “the pledge of a clear conscience before God” through identification with Jesus’ sacrificial death. The pledge: Jesus is Lord!

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Congregation

In today’s passage, Peter touches on the social and relational challenges that can come from being “called out of darkness into (God’s) wonderful light.” Living for years in a network of family or friends who are far from God can establish a collective identity and a shared lifestyle from which it is hard to remove yourself.

Whether it’s a “partying” culture or a different religion, declaring “Jesus is Lord!” and adopting a new way of life can be extremely difficult. The group that used to be “your people” may not be that anymore. In fact, Peter says, “They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.” Whether it’s “wild living,” an “alternative lifestyle,” or just an “established culture,” your new loyalty to Jesus may be perceived as disloyalty to the group.

It’s vital to being a Flourishing Christian, in a Flourishing Congregation, contributing to a Flourishing Community that you know who your people are!

In The Other Half of Church, Jim Wilder and Michel Henricks examine “Christian community, brain science, and overcoming spiritual stagnation.” Here’s part of what they say:

“Our brains were designed to respond to group identity in order to help us act like ‘our people.’ Our right brain contains the control center that interprets our group identity and uses it to shape our inner character. The orbital prefrontal cortex (on the right side of my brain behind my eye) is dominant for integrating my current situation in life with who I am – in real time.

Every one-sixth of a second our right brain tries to answer the questions, ‘Who am I? How do my people act now?’ If my control center is working smoothly, my circumstances are integrated with my group identity. I spontaneously act with joy and peace. If my control center desynchronizes, I forget who I am and how to connect with those around me. I stop acting like myself. Even though I am a Christian, I stop acting like one.

If I am not part of a high-joy hesed community with strong group identity, I will not know how to change my behavior. We define character as our embedded automatic responses to our relational environment, our instantaneous behavior that flows naturally from our heart. When we understand how God designed our brains, we can see that willpower is too far downstream to directly influence reflex reactions.

Group identity has the power to change character because it operates in the fast-track on the right spot in the brain. Our instantaneous reactions to life’s circumstances (some of which result in non-Christian behavior) can be transformed by having a joyful hesed community that has a well-developed group identity based in the character of Jesus.”

Who are your people?

What are your people’s core values?

How do your people typically respond to challenges and opportunities?

How do you discover “this is what my people do in this situation”?

Belonging is important. Earlier in this letter, Peter tells his listeners, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” As you figure out who your people are, remember that you belong to God.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!