Read at Sunday service on 5 June 2011

Passage 1 Peter 4:12-14:

¹²Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

¹³But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

¹⁴If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Passage 1 Peter 5:6-11:

⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

⁹Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

¹⁰But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

¹¹To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Read at the Sunday service on 22 May 2011

^2(A) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual^(B) milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³if indeed you have^(C) tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴As you come to him, a living stone^(D) rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ^5(E) you yourselves like living stones are being built up as^(F) a spiritual house, to be^(G) a holy priesthood,^(H) to offer spiritual sacrifices^(I) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

^(J) “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
^(K) and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷So the honor is for you who^(L) believe, but for those who^(M) do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”^[a]

⁸and

^(N) “A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word,^(O) as they were destined to do.

⁹But you are^(P) a chosen race,^(Q) a royal^(R) priesthood,^(S) a holy nation,^(T) a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you^(U) out of darkness into^(V) his marvelous light. ^10(W) Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹⁶For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

¹⁷For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

¹⁸And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

¹⁹We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

²⁰Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.