- Take a moment to pray. Praise God for His Word and ask Him to teach you its truth, just as the psalmist prayed in Psalm 119:12-16, “Praise be to You, O Lord; teach me Your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth. I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways. I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your Word.”
- Read 1 Peter 4:10-11
- Peter begins 1 Peter 4:10 by stating that each Christian has received a “gift.” What do you know about these gifts by looking at the rest of 4:10?
- These gifts are most likely references to the spiritual gift that God has given to Christians to outfit them for specific ministries. Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 include some of the representative gifts that Christ has given to Christians. Have you ever stopped to consider what gift Christ has given you? What do you think this gift is? (NOTE: If you are struggling to ascertain what your spiritual gift is, take some time this week to ask a few friends how they see God using you in their lives. This will be a good clue as to how God has gifted you.)
- Some have tried to argue that a Christians gift is for their OWN benefit. However, 1 Peter 4:10 makes it clear that we are gifted for OTHER’S benefit. In other words, you are gifted for me, and I am gifted for you. How has God blessed you through other believers around you? Take a moment to brainstorm some of the ways you are blessed by others. Write one note this week to someone God has used to bless you.
- Christians serve one another as “stewards” of God’s varied grace. Of this, Hiebert says, “The Lord of the church has distributed His bounty with masterly variety to enable His people successfully to encounter the ‘manifold trials’ to which they are subjected.” In what way have you seen the variety of God’s gifts work together to encourage people in this diverse world?
- 1 Peter 4:11 speaks of the attitude Christians should have as they are administering their gifts in service to others. Namely, Christians are to do their service in a way that is in dependence upon God and gives God the glory. What would it look like for God to get all the credit for the service He does through you?
- Peter ends 4:11 with a statement of praise. For Peter, life is designed to reveal the greatness of Jesus Christ. Take a moment in prayer and praise Jesus for who He is and for all He has done for you.
To access the entire “True Grace” study of 1 Peter, click here.