By Jim McCracken and Rich Kao
© Five Stones Impact 2024
O B S E R V A T I O N S
1 Peter
1. How does Peter describe hope, faith, and joy to those he is writing? (CHAPTER 1)
2. How are God’s people redeemed and how do they prepare their minds for action? (CHAPTER 1)
3. What should Christians rid themselves of, what should they crave, and how will this affect the pagans around them? (CHAPTER 2)
4. How should we live as free people in relationship to God, those in authority, other believers, and foolish men? (CHAPTER 2)
5. When Peter tells husbands and wives how they should treat each other, what major benefits does he also mention? (CHAPTER 3 )
6. Concerning what things, should we always be prepared to give an answer? (CHAPTER 3)
7. In what way should we have the same attitude as Christ in the way we live? (CHAPTER 4)
8. Knowing the end of all things is near, how should we live? (CHAPTER 4)
9. How should elders and young men act? (CHAPTER 5)
10. How should everyone relate to humility? (CHAPTER 5)
2 Peter
1. How have we been given everything we need for life and godliness so we participate in the divine nature? (CHAPTER 1)
2. How does Peter say we should view Scripture and the importance of remembering what is said? (CHAPTER 1)
3. What dangerous things do the false prophets and teachers introduce? (CHAPTER 3)
4. In what way does Peter use the examples of the fallen angels, Noah, Lot, and Balaam to picture evil people and righteous people? (CHAPTER 2)
5. What do scoffers say about the coming of Jesus and how will his coming be like a thief? (CHAPTER 2)
6. How should we live since we know he will return? (CHAPTER 2)
D E E P E R T H O U G H T
1 Peter
1 Peter says we trust in Jesus Christ for salvation even though we do not see him How did the prophets relate to the salvation they were predicting would happen in the future? (CHAPTER 1)
2. How does seeing ourselves as strangers in the world help us live the way we should? (CHAPTER 1)
3 Why does Peter use the analogies of a temple and priesthood, and what are the stones God uses for building? (CHAPTER 2)
4. In what way are we to follow in the steps of Christ? (CHAPTER 2)
5 How does Peter apply Psalm 34 to the way we should live? (CHAPTER 3)
6. In what way do Noah and the Ark picture baptism? (CHAPTER 3)
7. How do we minister God’s grace in its various forms? (CHAPTER 4)
8 How does Peter say we should view suffering? (CHAPTER 4)
9. How is the devil like a lion and what should we do? (CHAPTER 5)
2 Peter
1 How does Peter say a Christian can make his calling and election sure? (CHAPTER 1)
2. What evidence does Peter give in his own life that what he is saying is true and not just a story? (CHAPTER 2)
3 How does Peter apply the Proverb about a dog returning to its vomit and how will God pay back the false teachers for the harm they do? (CHAPTER 2)
4. What reasons does Peter give for writing his letters? (CHAPTER 3)
5. What does it mean that with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day? (CHAPTER 3)
C O
N S I D E R A T I O N C O R N E R
ANSWERS TO LESSON 33 OBSERVATIONS
1 Peter
1. A living hope, faith worth more than gold, inexpressible and glorious joy. (1:3 - 8)
2. We’re redeemed by the blood of Christ and prepare our minds by his grace through self-control, and seek to be holy. (1:13 - 19)
3. Rid ourselves of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Crave spiritual milk for our growth. Pagans will see our good deeds and glorify God. (2:1 - 2, 12)
4. Use our freedom to do good, fear God, honor those in authority, love the believers, and silence the ignorant talk of the foolish. (2:13 - 20)
5. If a husband treats his wife well, nothing will hinder his prayers. If a wife treats her husband correctly, she will win him over to God’s word. (3:1,7)
6. For the hope that we have, which motivates us to do good and not be afraid of what the world fears. (3:815)
7. We should not live just to fulfill human desires, rather we should live to do the will of God even if it means suffering. (4:1 - 6)
8. Be clear-minded and self-controlled, love others deeply, show hospitality, and use the gifts God has given us. (4:7 - 11)
9. Elders should shepherd the flock willingly, not be greedy, be eager to serve, be examples, and not lord it over the people. Young men should be submissive. (5:1 - 5)
10. Everyone should clothe themselves with humility. (5:5)
Consider this:
Peter makes it abundantly clear that he has experienced the things of which he is writing, and that they are a continual reality in the lives of believers These things are not just past stories, rather our hope is a “living hope,” God’s word is the “living word,” and Jesus is the “living Stone ” (1:3,23 & 2:4)
QUESTIONS FOR DEEPER THOUGHT
1 Peter
1. The prophets searched intently concerning the time and circumstances of salvation through Christ but discovered it was for future generations. (1:10 - 12)
2. We focus on imperishable, eternal things, which have great value, and not temporary things that fade away like grass. (1:13 - 25)
3. Many reading the letter were Jewish who understood the pictures of the temple and priests. Christians are the stones and Jesus is the cornerstone. (2:4 - 7)
4. As Christ did, we submit ourselves to those over us, even if we are treated harshly in an unjust way, and we do not retaliate. (2:18 - 23)
5. We should live in harmony with sympathy, love, compassion, and humility, even blessing those who insult us or do evil. (3:8 - 12)
6. Noah and his family were saved when the water destroyed evil. This pictures us being saved from evil through the waters of baptism, which is a symbol of us identifying with the resurrection of Jesus and not the sin of the world. (3:18 - 21)
7. We each use the gifts God has given us to serve others. (4:10)
8. We should not be surprised by it or be ashamed, but rejoice that we can identify with the sufferings of Christ. (4:12 - 16)
9. He prowls around looking for someone to devour so we need to be self-controlled and alert, resist him, and stand firm in the faith. (5:8 - 9)
ANSWERS TO LESSON 33
OBSERVATIONS
2 Timothy
1. His power has given us everything we need through our knowledge of him and his great and precious promises. (1:3 - 4)
2. Scripture did not come about through the will of man but God moved the writers by the the Holy Spirit. It is very important to remember all that was written. (1:1221)
3. Destructive heresies, denying the sovereign Lord. (2:1 - 3)
4. God sent the fallen angels to the pit, destroyed evil on earth with the flood, and destroyed the Sodom and Gomorrah. The false teachers and prophets follow the way of Balaam the false prophet. However, God protected Noah and his family, rescued Lot, and knew how to rescue godly people from trials. (2:4 - 9)
5. Scoffers say things have always remained the same and Jesus isn’t really coming. However, his return will be like a thief, people not expecting it, and are unprepared. (3:3 - 10)
6. We should live holy and godly lives as we look forward to his return. (3:11 - 14)
QUESTIONS FOR DEEPER THOUGHT
2 Timothy
1. Make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (1:5 - 10)
2. He was an eyewitness of many things including being on the mount of transfiguration and hearing God’s voice saying, “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (1:16 - 18)
3. False teachers are like dogs returning to their vomit because they experienced Christ and his righteousness on some level, and then turned back to the ways of the world. God will repay them with harm for the harm they have done. (2:13 - 22)
4. He writes to remind them of the words spoken by the prophets and the command given by Jesus through the apostles. He wants to stimulate the readers to wholesome thinking. (3:1 - 2)
5. God does not see time as we do, therefore, he is not slow in fulfilling the promise of Christ’s return. In fact, it shows that God is patient and wants everyone to come to repentance. (3:8 - 9)
