1. PREPARED FOR ACTION A Study from 1 Peter
JoLynn Gower

2. WORD FOR THE JOURNEY
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Mind: dianoia: through understanding, perception
1 Peter 2: Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
Submit: hupotasso: subordinate yourself

3. DOING RIGHT
1 Peter 2:15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Will: thelema: choice, purpose
Ignorance: agnosia: lack of knowledge
Christians were being labeled as trouble-makers by the Romans and Jews
God doesn’t desire that Christians intentionally cause trouble or be rabble-rousers
1 Peter 4:15-16 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

4. THE EXTENT OF FREEDOM
1 Peter 2: Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
Covering: epikaluma: pretext
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Freedom: eleutheria: liberty
Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

5. APPROPRIATE HONOR
1 Peter 2:17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
Honor: timao: to place a value on…implies respect or esteem
Honor (OT) kabad: to evaluate by placing a weight or burden
Love: agapao: selfless love
Fear: phobeo: put to flight; to be terrified or alarmed; hold in awe

6. UNJUST SUFFERING
1 Peter 2: Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
Respect: phobos: fear
Unreasonable: skolios: crooked
Patiently endure: hupomeno: abide under

7. PURPOSE
1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…
Ephesians 6:6-7 … not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men…
Luke 6:33 “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”
Suffering: our sin; our foolishness; living in a fallen world; doing what is right and good

8. PREPARED FOR SUFFERING
Part of having your mind prepared for action involves being prepared to suffer for doing good
Mark 8: And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Soul: psuche: animal sentient principle; mind; life

9. THE SINLESSNESS OF CHRIST
1 Peter 2:22-23 … who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
Revile: loidoreo: abuse
Suffering: pascho: to be acted upon
Threats: epieleo: no menacing
Jesus, who could have freed Himself, chose not to; He chose to fulfill the purpose for which He came

10. OUR ULTIMATE HEALING
1 Peter 2:24 …and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Healed: iaomai: to be cured; to be made whole
Acts 28:27
For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes;
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would HEAL THEM." '

11. HEALING OF THOSE WHO STRAYED
1 Peter 2:25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Shepherd: poimen: one who pastors
Guardian: episkopos: a bishop; an overseer
John 10: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

12. GOD’S ORDERS SUPERCEDE
Acts 5: When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”