Housegroups 

Series: 1 Peter: "Living Faith Out"
Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19 "Living with opposition"
Sermon Date: October 29, 2017

In many ways Peter is now discussing the real reason for writing his letter.  He is aware of the persecution that is causing the Christian Church to suffer all over the known world at the time.  His letter is aimed at encouraging his brothers and sisters to endure through suffering.
 

Icebreaker:   When you hear the word ‘suffering’ what does it make you think of? (share one occasion which describes suffering for you)
 

As we look through the passage 1 Peter 4:12-19 See if you can pick out what Peter thinks is suffering.
 
1. What type of suffering is Peter talking about in v.13?  What were the sufferings of Christ? 

2. Have you ever been insulted because you are a Christian?  How did it make you feel? 

3. How should it make you feel? (If you didn’t feel that way do you know why?) 

4. What is the wrong kind of suffering for a Christian to endure? 

5. How should we feel when we suffer as Christians?

The last couple of verses deal with future judgement (which Peter believed would be very soon – and how the sufferings of Christians relates to that:

6. How does Peter relate suffering for Christians to the idea of a future judgement? 

7. What will be the outcome for those who don’t trust in God? 

8. In the end what sort of God does Peter think we are trusting ourselves to? 

For most Christians ‘Suffering is something we would rather not endure – and Peter is not suggesting we seek it out, but that it will find us.

Action:   Using information from Christian Solidarity Worldwide/Barnabas Fund/ Open Doors [House group leader to do this in advance!] read some of the stories of suffering Christian brothers and sisters and pray for them.


Anne Milton-Worsell, 16/10/2017