The Grass Withers but the Word Stands Forever

In one paragraph

Pastor Carl walked through 1 Peter 1:22 through 2:3, pressing on two commands the text gives to people who have already placed their faith in Christ: fervently love one another, and crave the word of God. The sermon moved toward communion, asking the congregation to examine themselves honestly before coming to the table together. Peter wrote this letter to Christians, so the starting point...

Read together

1. 1 Samuel 2:2 opening verse: no one holy like the Lord, no rock like our God
2. 1 Timothy 1:17 shared after greeting time: eternal king, unseen one who never dies, He alone is God
3. John 1:1-5 word was with God, all things came into being through him, light shines in darkness
4. John 1:14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth
5. 1 Peter 1:22 starting point of the passage: sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another
6. 1 Peter 1:23 born again not of perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God
7. 1 Peter 1:24-25 all flesh is like grass, the word of the Lord endures forever
8. 1 Peter 2:1-3 putting aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander; long for pure milk of the word
9. Isaiah 40:6-8 Peter quoting Isaiah: grass withers, flower fades, word of our God stands forever
10. 1 John 4:19 we can love because He first loved us
11. John 3:3 Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night, told he must be born again
12. John 3:16 God so loved the world, gave his only begotten son, whosoever believes shall not perish
13. 1 John 1:9 if you confess your sin God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness
14. Romans 15:5-6 benediction: God of endurance and encouragement, live in harmony, glorify God with one voice

Talk about it

1. Pastor Carl opened with the command to 'fervently love one another from the heart.' What do you think makes that kind of love different from ordinary affection, and what does it look like in practice inside a church community?
2. Pastor Carl said that what brings Christians together is Christ, and that another believer's theology does not have to match yours exactly for them to deserve love and encouragement. Where do you find that easy to live out, and where do you find it hard?
3. The sermon walked through a list of things Peter says to put aside: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Which one of those do you think is hardest for people in general to recognize in themselves, and why?
4. Pastor Carl described envy not just as wanting what someone else has, but as wanting to bring the other person down rather than lift yourself up. Have you seen that show up in a community or relationship, and what did it cost?
5. The second imperative in the passage is to crave the pure milk of God's word the way a newborn craves milk. Pastor Carl said plainly that we ought to read our Bibles more. What tends to get in the way of that kind of hunger, and what has actually helped you build it?