Week One Questions (1 Peter 1:1-12)
1. Mistaken identity happens fairly regularly. Sometime we mistake someone for another person, sometimes we’re mistaken for another person. Which would be most embarrassing? Why?
2. Have any of these ever happened to you? Talk about it.
3. Often Christians fail to live life to the fullest because they are mistaken about their identity. According to 1 Peter 1:1,2; what is the identity of believers? What might it look like for a believer to suffer from a case of mistaken identity?
4. As “strangers in the world”, why is hope a valuable commodity? What does it mean to have hope.
5. On what is our hope based? (1 Peter 1:3,4) Is it dependent on anything we do? Why or why not?
6. How might the events of life dampen or eliminate our hope? How can we use 1 Peter 1:3-8 to encourage ourselves and each other to hold on to our hope?
7. What is an area of your life that needs a little hope right now? What can this group do to encourage you?
Week Two Questions (1 Peter 1:13-25)
1. Talk about a time when your lack of preparation (or someone else’s) caused a problem. What could you (or they) have done differently?
2. 1 Peter 1:16 commands us to “Be holy.” As a group, write a definition of “holiness”. (It might help to consider that our holiness is expected to mirror the holiness of God)
3. What are the “steps toward holiness” Peter gives in verses 13-14 and 22-25? What are some specific ways you can carry out these principles in the coming week?
4. What do you think it means to “have sincere love for your brothers?” (vs.22) How can you demonstrate deep love from the heart in the context of this group?
5. What has God done to make holy living a possibility for us? (vs. 23-25) Does it make a difference that our salvation is “imperishable”? Why? What role does “The Word” (vs.25) play in this struggle?
6. How can this group encourage you to pursue holiness? How can the group pray for you in your struggle to “be holy?”
Week Three Questions (1 Peter 2:1-12)
1) If you could choose to be a different person for one day, who would you want to be? Why?
2) As a group, read 1 Peter 2:1-12. Make a list of all the different phrases and words used to describe Christians and the church.
3) Which of these words or phrases is most meaningful to you? Why? What do some of these words and phrases teach us about our identity as Christians?
4) Read verse eleven. What is the significance of the expression “in the world”? Read Titus 2:12 and Matthew 5:16. What are the similar thoughts expressed in these verses?
5) What should be our ultimate goal in living good lives “among the pagans” (vs.12)? How is this idea similar to the thoughts expressed in Matthew 5:16?
6) What are some specific ways you can live out your identity in the world this week? How can this group help you accomplish these?
Week Four Questions (1 Peter 2:13-25)
1. Who was the greatest boss you ever had? Why? Who was the worse boss you ever had? Why?
2. Why are some authority figures more difficult to “submit” to than others?
3. What is the difference between choosing to submit and being forced to submit? According to 1 Peter, which should Christians do?
4. How does 1 Peter 2:11-12 lay the foundation for the commands of verses 13-18?
5. Since slavery in America has been outlawed, what situations might we find ourselves in that would require us to apply the truths of verse 18?
6. According to verses 19-20, how can suffering be for our benefit? How does our response to suffering dictate the value of our suffering?
7. What can we learn about submission and suffering from the life of Christ? How can His example give us hope?
8. How can this group encourage and pray for you in the areas of suffering and submission?
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Week Five Questions (1 Peter 3:1-7)
1. The word "submission" is often thought of negatively. Why do some people look at submission as something to be avoided?
2. Read Philippians 2:1-8. What was Jesus' attitude regarding submission? According to verse 5, how should we respond to Jesus' example?
3. What are some factors that make submission difficult?
4. List some practical ways a women's beauty can come from the "inner self"?
5. List some practical ways a man can be more considerate.
6. According to this passage, how is our prayer life affected by our willingness to submit?
7. Pray together that each person in the group will find ways to demonstrate loving submission to those around them this week.
Week Six Questions (1 Peter 3:8-22)
1. What do you think of when you hear the word "harmony"? How do you think it would look for a group to be living in harmony?
2. Read through the list of instructions for living in harmony. As a group, develop a few specific examples for each of the following concepts:
- be sympathetic
- love as brothers
- be compassionate
- be humble
3. As a group, rewrite verse nine in your own words. How does this instruction lead us to harmonious living?
4. Talk about a time you have you needed to "keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech"? What was the result?
5. Think about a situation in your life where harmony is lacking. Share with the group what actions you might take to begin resolving this.
6. Set 2-3 goals as a group which will help you to "live in harmony" more effectively.
Week Seven Questions (1 Peter 4:1-11)
1. Read 1 Peter 4:1-11.
2. If you only had 48 hours to live, how would you spend your time?
3. Peter writes that “The end of all things is near.” How should our knowledge of the coming judgment impact the way we live our lives?
4. Make a list of the practical instructions given in verses 7-11. As a group, discuss some practical ways of carrying out these ideas.
5. In this passage, Peter contrasts the way we used to live with the way we should live now. Have a few people talk about times they have felt pressured to return to “the old way” of life. How did they deal with the pressure? What can the group learn from their story?
6. Verse two contrasts “human desires” with the “will of God.” How are some ways God’s will is often different than our desires?
7. Read Philippians 2:5-8. How would you summarize the “attitude of Christ?” How can we “arm ourselves” (vs.1) with the same kind of attitude? In your opinion, how would having the attitude of Christ help us deal with suffering?
8. What will you do in the next 48 hours as a result of this discussion?
Week Eight Questions (1 Peter 4:12-19)
1. Tell a story about a choice you made which later caused you to suffer. Would you do it differently now? How?
2. Read 1 Peter 4:12-19.
3. What choices do you imagine these Christians made which led to their suffering?
4. What would it look like today to be "insulted because of the name of Christ?"
5. Why should "participating in the suffering of Christ" be considered a good thing? Have you ever felt like your suffering brought you closer to Jesus?
6. Read verse 17. Why is the judgment faced by Christians not to be feared? How might the judgment we endure right now be a refining process?
7. According to verse 19, our response to suffering should be to "continue to do good". What are specific actions we can take to "do good" in the midst of suffering?
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