Peter continues to build on similar themes he has introduced throughout his letter to the elect exiles. In chapter four, he calls them (us) to think differently and live differently. To live in light of past and future truths. This way of thinking and living will attract the attention of a watching world.

Today we will be examining 1 Peter 3:8-22 as Jay Sirmon opens the word with us.

In the previous section of this letter, Peter helps us to see the best way to glorify God in an ungodly culture. It doesn’t involve fighting against it, but humbly doing good within it. He applies this to different spheres of society, including our role as citizens and as servants/workers. In today’s passage, he applies it to our roles as husbands and wives in marriage.

Jesus provides us the perfect example on how to live as an exile. It involves humility, gentleness, servanthood, and honor. It includes submission, suffering, and doing good. It’s not about fighting against the culture but humbly doing good within it. This is what Peter begins to unpack in today’s passage.

We have been identified by the Apostle Peter as God’s proclaiming people. Now he begins to instruct us how to live as proclaiming people. He starts by calling us to a personal purity and a public witness.

Peter continues to share identity-shaping truths for elect exiles living in the world. These truths about our own identity and purpose, as God’s people, are rooted in the identity and purpose of Jesus. We cannot live faithfully on mission as exiles without knowing and pursuing our purpose in Christ.

Now that Peter has reminded us of our identity as elect exiles, he gives several imperatives on how we are to live out our identities in this world. As people observe our hope, our holiness, our fear, and our love, they will see the distinctness of God’s people and the glory of God himself.

The opening words of the Apostle Peter’s first letter is a gospel-rich reminder to scattered first century Christians of their identity. We too are exiles needing to understand who we are so that we can live faithfully in our world today.

The book of Exodus traces the children of Israel’s story of being redeemed by God out of slavery, led by God through the wilderness, and coming into God’s presence. As the book ends, it climaxes with the glory of God descending and filling the Tabernacle. This is what their journey has been driving towards: God dwelling in the midst of his people.

While Moses is up on the mount with God, the people of Israel are engaged in idolatry down below. This is a well-known scene in the history of Israel where we witness their sinful impatience, the burning wrath of God, and the passionate intercession of Moses.

In instructing Moses to build a tabernacle, God was expressing his desire to dwell with his people. However, this holy God is a consuming fire! As we continue to look at the tabernacle and the priests commissioned to serve within it, we see how this holy God makes a way to dwell with unholy humans.

God’s intention from the beginning was to dwell with his people. Now, in the wilderness, he instructs Moses and the people to build a tabernacle in which he can actually dwell in their midst. This tabernacle, including its design and its furniture, gives echoes of Eden as well as pointers to a future reality.

God redeems his people, then invites them into covenant relationship. He gives them the law, which serves as the terms of the covenant. Finally, in Exodus 24, we see the Lord confirm, or ratify, the covenant with his people.

To conclude his giving of the law, God promises Israel that he will go before them. But in promising his presence, he demands their allegiance and obedience. If they are to experience victory in the land, they must follow their Leader.

God has ascended on Mt. Sinai, where he invites Israel into covenant relationship. In Exodus chapters 20-23, he establishes the terms of the covenant. This starts with maybe the most well-known portion of the book of Exodus: the Ten Commandments. What do we learn here about the law, grace, and the gospel?

In Exodus 19, we see the movements of grace: redemption, requirement, and reward. The Lord has redeemed his people, now he will begin to give his requirements of obedience, and he promises the reward of redemption. This is how God operates in Exodus, as well as with us today.

When Moses is visited by his father-in-law Jethro, it seems like an unusual side story in the book of Exodus. But we see important elements of life on mission: proclamation and discipleship.

God has been training his people to trust him by providing for their basic, inward needs of hunger and thirst. But now they face an external threat of attack. Not only are they learning that the Lord will provide for their needs, but He will defeat their enemies. These are important lessons for exiles in the wilderness to learn, both Israel and us.

Continuing on their wilderness journey, Israel camps at a place without water. Their thirst leads them to quarrel with Moses. But there is more going on than the surface level need being unmet. There is a deeper thirst and a deeper need that only God can fulfill.

After being delivered through the Red Sea, God’s people rejoice in singing. But only three days later, they have changed their tune. Their wilderness wandering is marked by testing, grumbling, and God’s provision.

Following the death of all the firstborn in Egypt, God’s people go free. But there is one final pursuit from Pharaoh, along with one final demonstration of God’s power to save. Nothing can stop God from getting the glory he deserves - not even the enemy’s army or the Red Sea.

The tenth and final sign from God brings Pharaoh to his knees. The death of the firstborn leads to the release of God’s people: the exodus.

God’s deliverer, by God’s command, will now initiate a series of miraculous signs & wonders in Egypt. God gives opportunity after opportunity to repent, but Pharaoh’s hardened heart refuses. Ultimately, God brings himself glory in letting all the earth know that He is the LORD and there is none like him.

As Moses approaches Pharaoh with instructions to let God’s people go, the confrontation begins. This king of Egypt was not familiar with this God, but he, along with all the world, will begin to fully know who the LORD is.

Moses, the man God has chosen as the deliverer of his people, has experienced extreme failure. As he starts over in the desert land of Midian, God quietly prepares him for forty years in this second season of life. Now in Exodus 3-4, God calls him to an enormous task that he cannot achieve by his own strength. But as we see throughout God’s story, this God who calls and sends his messengers is als...