1. Background Factors for 1 Peter
Author: Peter (1:1)
Amanuensis: Silas or Silvanus (5:12) may have served as the amanuensis and/or letter carrier
Recipients: Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor. “To the sojourners scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” These were cities in northern Asia Minor.
Date: Before AD 64
Place: Babylon (perhaps a code name for Rome)

2. Background Factors for 1 Peter
Occasion: Peter wrote out of a concern for the persecuted believers in the northern area of Asia Minor
Purpose: To encourage persecuted Christians by exhorting them to follow the example of Christ.
Theme: Enduring suffering by following Christ’s example
Suffering or trials is found in each chapter.
1:6-9; 2:19-25; 3:13-18; 4:1, 12-19; 5:8-10

3. General Outline of 1 Peter
Introduction 1:1-2
The Greatness of Christian Salvation (1:3-2:10)
The Relationships of the Christian Life (2:11-3:12)
The Christian and Suffering (3:13-4:19)
Final Exhortations to Faithfulness (5:1-11)
Conclusion 5:12-14

4. Key Ideas in 1 Peter
Salvation
Suffering
Sanctification
Strength

5. Title: Praising God When Times Are Tough Text: 1 Peter 1:3-8
ESS: God’s Word reminds use to praise God when times are tough.
We should remember to praise God because of His mercy in giving us rebirth to a living hope.
We should remember to praise God who keeps us by His power. God not only gives us hope, but he also gives us security.  
We should remember to praise God because our trials are temporary.
We should remember to praise God because tough times can refine our faith. 
We should remember to praise God because of the inheritance He has for us in eternity.

6. Title: The Truth about Trials Text: 1 Peter 1:6-9
ESS: God’s Word offers us the truth about our trials.
Trials come to all people. (1:6)
Trials come in many forms. (1:6)
Trials bring heaviness to our lives. (1:6)
Trials are for a season. (1:6)
Trials can serve to refine our faith. (1:7)
Trials can lead us to glorify God. (1:7, 9 )

7. Title: Holy Living in an Impure World Text: 1 Peter 1:13-2:2
ESS: God’s Word exhorts us to live holy lives in an impure world.
One exhortation is to prepare your minds for action. (1:13)
A second exhortation is to exercise self-control. (1:13)
A third action is to set your hope fully on God’s grace. (1:13)
A fourth exhortation is to be not conformed to your past evil desires. (1:14)
A fifth exhortation is to be holy in all you do. (1:15)
A sixth exhortation is to live your lives in reverent fear. (1:17)
A seventh exhortation is to love one another deeply with all your hearts. (1:22)
An eighth exhortation is to rid yourselves of malice and deceit, hypocrisy and jealousy, jealousy, and slander. (2:1)
A ninth exhortation is to crave pure spiritual milk. (2:2)

8. Title: Redeemed by the Precious Blood Text: 1 Peter 1:17-21
ESS: God Word declares that people are redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb.
Believers have been redeemed. (4:18)
Believers are redeemed from their old manner of life. (4:18)
Believers are redeemed to a new way of living. (4:18, 21-23)
Believers are redeemed by the blood of Christ. (4:19-20)
Believers are redeemed through and for trust in God (4:19-21)

9. Title: Keys to Truly Christian Living Text: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3
ESS: The Bible gives us some keys to Christian living in light of God’s glorious salvation.
The first key to Christian living is to love one another deeply.
The second key to Christian living is to lay aside our sinful attitudes.
The third key to Christian living is to long for the pure spiritual milk.

10. Title: Keys to Truly Christian Living Text: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3
ESS: The Bible gives us some keys to Christian living in light of God’s glorious salvation.
The first key to Christian living is to love one another deeply.
The second key to Christian living is to lay aside our sinful attitudes.
The third key to Christian living is to long for the pure spiritual milk.

11. Title: Living Stone and the Living Stones Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10
ESS: The Bible describes both Christ and His people as living stones.
Christ is the Stone.
You are living stones.
You are a holy priesthood.

12. Title: Having a Happy Home Text: 1 Peter 3:1-7
One key to having a happy home is to have a Christian wife who lives out her faith.
Like slaves were to be submissive to their masters, wives were to be submissive to their own husbands.
Wives should be aware that the way to win a lost husband is through Christian behavior.
Winsome wives will have chase conduct.
Wives should strive for the adorning of the heart over the adorning of the outward appearance.
Wives should follow the example of Sarah who trusted God and submitted to her husband.
A second key to having a happy home is to have a Christ husband who gives respect to his wife.
A husband who makes a difference in the home is one who knows his wife.
A husband who makes a difference in the home is one who gives honor to his wife.
A husband who makes a difference in the home will not have his prayers hindered by his dispositions or deeds.

13. Interpretations of 1 Peter 3:18-22
Jesus went to the realm of the dead—Sheol or Hades—between his death and resurrection. This was a part of his suffering for the sins of all people.
Jesus went to the realm of the dead to proclaim His lordship over the dead. His goal was to obtain release for the righteous people who had died prior to the cross.
Jesus went to the realm of the dead to validate what God had been saying through history. God’s redemptive work now had been accomplished in Christ’s death on the cross. For those who had refused to respond to the truth of God which had been available to them. Jesus as the crucified Lord confirmed their damnation.

14. Interpretations of 1 Peter 3:18-22
Jesus went to preach repentance and salvation, offering the disobedient spirits either a first or second chance at being saved.
The passage has nothing to do with Christ’s descent into hell. Instead it refers to his being present through his eternal spirit at the actual time of disobedience. This would mean that Christ, through his eternal spirit, was present in the days of Noah.
By a textual error, these verses refer to Enoch, not to Jesus. An apocryphal story in the Book of Enoch mention’s Enoch’s giving a proclamation of doom to the fallen, imprisoned angels (Enoch 6:4)

15. Title: The Suffering and Death of Christ Text: 1 Peter 3:18
ESS: The Bible describes the benefits of the suffering and death of Christ.
When Jesus suffered and died His work was sufficient.
When Jesus suffered and died His work was atoning.
When Jesus suffered and died His work was vicarious.
When Jesus suffered and died His works was reconciling.

16. Title: Enough! Text: 1 Peter 4:1-6
ESS: The Bible says that Christians have lived long enough for the world.
Believers should have had enough of this world because Christ suffered for us in the flesh.
Believers should have had enough of this world because it is contrary to the will of God as the new people of God.
Believers should have had enough of this world because we will give an account of the one who judges us.

17. Title: From One Shepherd to Another Text: 1 Peter 5:1-5
ESS: Shepherds are to do their work faithfully.
The Exhortations to the Elders 
The Motivation for the Elders 
The Appreciation of the Elders

18. Title: The Final Words of Encouragement Text: 1 Peter 5:6-11
ESS: God can use the final words of 1 Peter to help us today.
The final words contained some exhortations to followers.
Humble yourselves.
Cast your cares upon Him.
Be sober and alert.
Resist the devil.
The final words contained some encouragement for followers.
The God of grace will restore you.
He will make you strong.
He will make you firm.
He will make you steadfast.
The final words contained some exaltation from followers.
To him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

19. Ideas for Sermon Series from 1 Peter—General Ideas
Series on God the Father
Series on Jesus Christ
Series on Suffering
Series on Victorious Living
Series of Christian Doctrine
Series on Hope
Series on Grace
Series on Holy Living
Series on Christian Witness

20. Ideas for Sermon Series from 1 Peter—God the Father
God, the One who Keeps us by His power (1:5)
God, the Holy One (1:16)
God, the Merciful One (2:10)
God, the One who hears our prayers (2:12)
God, the One who is to be glorified (4:11)
God, the Mighty One (5:6)
God, the One who Cares (5:7)
God the Faithful Creator (5:19)
God, the God of all Grace (5:10)

21. Ideas for Sermon Series from 1 Peter—Jesus Christ
Jesus shed his blood (1:2)
Jesus rose from the grave (1:3)
Jesus has redeemed us by his precious blood (1:19)
Jesus is the Living Stone (2:4)
Jesus suffered as us as an example (2:21-24)
Jesus is victorious over sin and death (3:18-22)

22. Ideas for Sermon Series from 1 Peter—Christian Doctrine
The Word of God (Doctrine of Revelation)
The Glorious Father (Doctrine of God)
The Redeeming Lord (Doctrine of the Person of Christ)
The Atonement of Christ (Doctrine of the Work of Christ)
The Powerful Spirit (Doctrine of the Spirit)
The Christian Inheritance (The Doctrine of Salvation)
The Christian Walk (Doctrine of Sanctification)
The Christian Home (Doctrine of Christian Home)
The Living Stones (Doctrine of the Church)
The Exemplary Shepherd (Doctrine of the Church)
The Revelation of Christ and Judgment of God (Doctrine of End Times)