Second Sunday of Easter, 1 Peter 1:3-9

Context

First Peter is traditionally attributed to the apostle Peter. It is addressed to Christian communities in diaspora, scattered across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) who were experiencing social marginalization and various forms of suffering because of their faith.

Written with a pastoral tone, the letter aims to encourage believers to remain steadfast, holy, and hopeful in the midst of hardship. A central theme of first Peter is that suffering because of faith is not meaningless for Christians; rather, it is part of their identity as God’s chosen people who follow the crucified and risen Messiah. Throughout the letter, Peter weaves together Old Testament imagery, Christology, and practical instruction.

Within this broader framework, 1…

1. Peter connects new birth directly to the resurrection of Jesus (1:3). How does understanding new birth as something given because Christ is risen – not something achieved or earned – change the way we think about hope, faith, or spiritual growth?

2. The inheritance Peter describes is “kept in heaven” but revealed to believers at Christ’s return (1:4–5). How does this future-oriented, embodied hope challenge common assumptions about “going to heaven” versus waiting for Christ to come and renew all things?

3. In this letter, suffering is consistently linked to following Jesus rather than to the general hardships of life (1:6–7). What might faith-related suffering look like in our context today, and how is it different from ordinary…