1 Peter 1:3-13, 18-21 Outline for Sunday 10 December

Here's an outline for this week's scripture. You can always click TM for the passage in The Message .

• 3 Praise God! Through his mercy, God has allowed us to start fresh in new hope through raising Jesus from the dead,
• 4 and into a forever inheritance, kept in heaven for us,
• 5 who, by faith, are protected by God's power until the day we have it all.
• 6 You can count on this, and be really happy about it, even though you might have to go through some tough times on the way there.
• 7 Gold put through the fire shows its purity; faith put through trials shows its reality when Jesus returns
• 8 Even though you haven't seen Jesus, you love him, and even though you don't see him now, you are experiencing super-strong happiness
• 9 because of the work of this faith in you – you're being saved
• 10 The prophets were looking forward to this salvation, really searching it out,
• 11 They were trying to find out when all this was going to happen,
• 12 And it was revealed to them that it was to be in the future, so their work was serving us (as future persons) rather than themselves, when they talked about the gospel. Angels would love to look into this stuff.
• 13 So get ready. 1) Be self-controlled, 2) depend on God and nothing else.
• 14 Be obedient like a good child. Don't shape your life around the evil desires you had when you didn't understand anything about God.
• 15 Instead be holy like God is holy.
• 16 God's the one who says that.
• 17 Since you call on a God who sees everything for just what it really is, live like a stranger here on earth, never completely comfortable with things, and have a healthy respect for God's desires.
• 18 Because you know that it wasn't earthly stuff like gold or silver that redeemed you from the empty way of life our culture is steeped in,
• 19 But with the special, donated blood of Jesus, like a sacrificial lamb without any blemish, completely perfect.
• 20 This sacrificial plan was in place from the beginning of the world, but only revealed to humankind late in the game.
• 21 It's through Jesus that you're able to believe in God, who raised Jesus from the dead and drew all eyes to him, and so your faith and hope are in God.