In Depth:  devotional

Tim Vasby-Burnie

Who is a "model Christian"? A pastor-evangelist who can both disciple a congregation and reach the lost effectively? A nurse putting in long hours, working with compassion and praying silently for her patients?

Peter says: think of a slave. A slave - with no power, suffering for doing good - is a model Christian.

Mitch Chase

The book of Psalms has five smaller books. They’re not equal in length, but the ending of each book is marked by various climactic statements.

Book I is from Psalms one to 41, Book II is from Psalms 42 to 72, Book III is from Psalms 73 to 89, Book IV is from Psalms 90 to 106, and Book V is from Psalms 107 to 150.

James Cary

I’m a professional writer (believe it or not) but was one of the few in my school year who did not choose English to study at A-Level.

Back then, reading fiction felt like hard work to me. For my GCSE, I had to read Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. It’s a classic. But it’s long, sad and contains an awful lot of dense and wistful description of the Dorset and Somerset countryside. I now live on the border of Somerset and Dorset – in the heart of Hardy’s Wessex. I love Wessex. It’s where I live. I enjoy seeing the hedgerows, oak trees and starling formations. I am still not hungry for lengthy verbal descriptions of all of the above.

Tim Chester

Nunc Dimittis, in the New Testament is "a brief hymn of praise sung by the aged Simeon, who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah."

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

Pod Bhogal

Christmas has a way of unlocking old memories.

My first real exposure to the Christmas story didn’t come through church or Christmas carols.

Tim Vasby-Burnie

What does the good life look like? What sort of good life can turn the heart of unbelievers towards God?

We are “foreigners and exiles” in this world – what sort of life shows that we belong to the age to come, the kingdom of Jesus? In this dark world, what can we do to shine the wonderful light of mercy we have discovered in Christ?

Tim Vasby-Burnie

Reports of a "Quiet Revival" have been exciting Christians in recent weeks, yet for the foreseeable future we will continue to feel the deep relevance of 1 Peter to the contemporary church: we are “exiles” in this world (1 Peter 1:1).

As with many of our brothers and sisters across the world, we are a minority in a culture that is suspicious of our faith and all too ready to speak maliciously against the church (1 Peter 3:16, 4:4). Do you feel this yourself?

Tim Vasby-Burnie

If a member of an evangelical church was asked, “What are we redeemed from?”, I hope most would answer something like “sin”, “death”, “judgement” or “hell”. All good answers!

But Peter has another answer: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The exodus and passover imagery is clear.

lessons from Jude

Tom Forryan

A new church starts in your city. It seems to be everything a church should be. The lead pastor is full of 'can do'. He has an uncanny ability to relate to young people, with humour, energy and a feel for contemporary trends.

Soon, his alternative-style services are drawing young people from a wide radius. He launches one innovative initiative after another, each one more audacious than the last and each one more spectacularly successful. The feel is that his church is really the only one to be at; and he is the only one who can run it. 'This is where God is at work', people say.

Tim Vasby-Burnie

If you are in exile, scattered to a place you do not really call ‘home’, what security do you have? What is there to cause you to praise? What will the future hold? These could be the sorts of questions being asked by those to whom the apostle Peter wrote his first letter.

Similarly, we might feel insecure today. If more institutions become hostile to Christian truths, career plans and thoughts of job security start to fade away. What security is there for ministers and congregations in declining denominations?

Emma Scrivener

There’s a popular video on social media that perhaps you’ve seen. A woman is given the following scenario by a presenter: 'Imagine we’re in a race. I’m coming second and you pass me. What place are you in?'

Tim Vasby-Burnie

Now and again I will give a recitation of 1 Peter from memory and I know when the first smiles will cross the faces of those listening: when I reach the end of chapter 1 verse 2: 'Grace and peace be yours in abundance'.

'Grace and peace be yours' – this is standard fare for an epistle. 'In abundance' adds a new dimension.

Tim Vasby-Burnie

We've all had the experience of ticking 'Yes I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions' as we install new software, take out some insurance or sign up for a new social media platform. Sometimes we are even forced to scroll through the small print before we can click 'Yes' - but do we ever actually read the text?

I did once, when agreeing to a cash-back offer that came with a new phone - I wanted to know exactly when I needed to send the company copies of my bill. It was a hassle, but worth it for the savings.

Tim Vasby-Burnie

'What am I doing here?' 'Are we in the right place?' These could be the questions of a Christian in the public sector, trying to tread delicately but truthfully during Pride month. Or the Christian minister in a church that is resistant to Biblical truth. Or Christians in a village in India actively hostile to the precariously small Christian community.

Peter’s first letter is addressed to 'God’s elect, exiles scattered'. It seems almost a contradiction. To be God’s elect may bring to your mind associations with honour, glory, status, privilege. Exile has associations with shame, suffering, being overlooked or looked down upon. Peter brings both together throughout the letter, right the way to 5:15 where greetings are sent from 'she who is in Babylon, chosen together with you'. Exiled in Babylon, yet chosen, elect.