Epistles of St. Peter

OBJECTIVE

To gain a deeper understanding of the seven Epistles in the New Testament that will serve to guide students to a life of righteousness and holiness. This lesson will focus on the Epistles of St. Peter and practical ways we can live as Christians.

INTRODUCTION - 5 Minutes

Saint Peter wrote 2 epistles between 62-64 A.D from (most likely) Rome when the great persecution under Emperor Nero began. Throughout the Roman Empire, christians were being tortured and killed for their faith, and the church in Jerusalem was being scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. He wrote these letters to offer encouragement to suffering christians.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory verse- "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelations of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:6-7

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

First Epistle:

Peter begins by thanking God for salvation
He explains that trials will refine people's faith
In response to such a great salvation, Peter commands them to live holy lives
Peter explains how believers should live during difficult times and to be above reproach
Peter then outlines the right attitude to have about persecution: be thankful for the privilege of suffering for Christ

Purpose of the Epistle

Though it is only five chapters long, 1 Peter is an important Letter for us to study, since it contains a number of important themes that Christian disciples must master if we would serve Jesus faithfully in our own day. Some of the main themes include hard lessons that you may have struggled with:
- Living in the world without being tainted by it
- Emulating Christ's sacrificial lifestyle so it becomes our own
- Growing through our sufferings rather than being defeated by them
- Being faithful in our relationships with family, employers, and employees
- Grasping our true identity as God's people
- Preparing for judgment without being driven by fear
- Developing the character of leaders of which God can be proud
  Though 1 Peter teaches us a lot about what God is like, it is also an intensely practical book that teaches us to grow and change in positive ways.
- Learning obedience and submission even though it's tough
- Appreciating our salvation rather than taking it for granted

Second Epistle:

It's a letter of warning about internal attacks - complacency and heresy
- To reject all who would distort the truth and to grow in faith
- To follow his advice would ensure Christ-honoring individuals
The epistle contains eleven references to the Old Testament. In 3:15, 16 a reference is made to one of Paul's epistles, which some have identified as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11.
The book also shares a number of shared passages with the Epistle of Jude, e.g. 1:5 with Jude 3; 1:12 with Jude 5; 3:2 with Jude 17; 3:14 with Jude 24; and 3:18 with Jude 25.

ACTIVITY - 25 Minutes

Prior to the lesson, make a large copy of the attached Catholic Epistles Chart on poster paper at an office supply store OR use 2 large dry erase boards and duplicate the charts then place them in front of the classroom. Students will then choose 1 person from their group to fill in the information on the poster paper/dry erase board so everyone can see all the missing information. Students will take pictures of the boards and fill in the missing information at home because class time will unlikely not allow for this.

Split the students into 2 groups and have them take out their Catholic Epistles Chart from the previous week. Group 1 will use their bibles to research information in St. Peter's first epistle in order to complete the corresponding section in the chart. Group 2 will do the same but will research St. Peter's second epistle. Students can choose to split the rows so each student is researching for one thing or they can choose to do each question as a group. The last row (What is one verse from this selection that you believe to be particularly relevant to our lives) is for homework

CONCLUSION - 5 Minutes

Review the themes of the 2 epistles, the purpose in which they were written, the circumstances in which they were written.

Emphasize that even though we know we are going to struggle, maybe not suffer as much as St. Peter or the other saints that were martyred for Christ's sake, we still need to stand firm in our faith by using the word of God as a guide and foundation.

RESOURCES

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Using the Catholic Epistles Chart, parents can ask students what the first 3 Catholic Epistles have in common? In what ways was St. James's message different from St. Peter's?

Students will also complete the last row for homework as it allows for self reflection.