Weekly Sermons

Loving and Blessing One Another              I Peter 3:8-12

I Peter’s 3 main sections:

The believer’s status: secure and set apart                             1:1-2:12

The believer’s roles and responsibilities: honor and love      2:11-3:12

The believers call amidst troubles: endure and thrive            3:8-5:14

Peter has already taught that different persons, classes, and sexes must live together. Here he exhorts them all to be united with one heart and mind in the cause of the faith of our Lord.                           -Bede (673-735)

All Christians are to cultivate loving ________ toward others   V. 8

 “All of us who enjoy God are also enjoying each other in Him.”                                          -Saint Augustine, written 1600 years ago!

“Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.”         -Phil. 2:3 (see what follows in verses 4-11)

All Christians are to bless others with words and deeds  V. 9-12

The word for blessing means “good __________.” We get the word eulogy from it!

Love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those that hate you, and pray for those that persecute you.     -Matthew 5:44

Hebrews 10:23-25

Do you want to love life and see good days?

Give special _________________ to your words and deeds!

The Lord will accept those who repent but will punish those who remain in their sins.                                           -Hesychius of Jerusalem (412-450)

I Cor. 4:4-5

Blessing/Benediction Passages

I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.                              -Gen.12:2

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.                                                                                                                            -Num. 6:22-27

And the God of grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.  -I Peter 5:10-11

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.                    -2 Thess. 2:16-17

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.   -Eph. 3:20-21

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.              -Rom. 15:5-6

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.                                              -I Thess. 3:12-13

To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father – to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.                                                     -Rev. 1:5b-6

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who called you is faithful, and He will do it.                -I Thess. 5:23-24

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.                                                      -2 Cor. 13:14

Also: Acts 20:32, Rom. 15:13, Rom.16:25-27, Eph. 6:23-24, 2 Thess. 3:5, 16,, Hebrews 13:20-21, 2 Pet. 3:18, Jude 24-25