Sunday, May 17 | Seventh Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday

Devotional

Day 1: Water and the Beloved Claim

Jesus stood by the Jordan River, water dripping from His hair as John baptized Him. The voice from heaven declared, “This is my Son.” Centuries later, we pour water over a child’s head, repeating ancient words: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” The water isn’t magic—it’s a sign. A sign that God names us “beloved” before we can name ourselves. [39:16]

Baptism reminds us we belong to Christ first. Like Rose in the sermon, we’re marked by grace that clings tighter than failure or shame. Jesus’ baptism launched His mission; ours commissions us to live as His hands in a broken world.

When life makes you question your worth, remember the water. It speaks louder than your doubts. When have you sensed God’s claim on your life stronger than your own efforts?

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for the tangible sign of baptism. Ask Him to make His claim on you feel as real as water on skin.
Challenge: Write “Beloved” on your mirror with a dry-erase marker. Let it greet you each morning.

Day 2: Fiery Ordeal, Hidden Blessing

First-century Christians faced exclusion, poverty, and suspicion. Peter told them not to panic: “Don’t be surprised by the fiery ordeal.” Their suffering wasn’t random—it connected them to Christ’s own wounds. When they were reviled, Peter said, God’s Spirit rested on them like a mantle. [45:58]

Suffering still binds us to Jesus. The world mocks sacrificial love, truth-telling, and mercy. But persecution confirms we’re living counterculturally, not complacently. Like the Minneapolis church receiving letters, our pain becomes solidarity.

Where does following Jesus cost you socially? Resist the urge to downplay your convictions for comfort. What compromise have you tolerated to avoid friction?

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
(1 Peter 4:12-13, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one fear that keeps you silent about your faith. Ask for courage to wear Christ’s name unashamed.
Challenge: Text a believer facing hardship: “I see Christ’s strength in you.”

Day 3: Swinging at the Driving Range

Peter urged discipline—not punishment, but daily swings toward holiness. A golfer doesn’t perfect their drive by wishing; they hit 100 balls daily. Likewise, we practice prayer, service, and forgiveness until they reshape our reflexes. [59:17]

Discipline roots us in grace. Showing up for worship when we’re bored, praying when words feel flat—these acts train our hearts to seek God. Like the confirmation class answering “I will,” repetition builds resilience.

Identify one spiritual habit you’ve neglected. Restart it this week, even clumsily. What makes you resist routines that deepen your faith?

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
(Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to turn one duty (e.g., Bible reading) into delight today.
Challenge: Set a 7:00 AM alarm labeled “10 minutes with Jesus.”

Day 4: Hoodies and Holy Confession

Evan sat through confirmation class, hoodie up, headphones on. But when he finally spoke—“We stink, and God helps us try again”—he nailed humility. It’s not self-hate; it’s saying, “I need God more than my ego needs to look put-together.” [01:02:29]

Humility frees us from performance. Jesus knelt to wash feet; Peter learned to accept help. Our failures become classrooms, not curses, when we admit we’re still learning.

Where are you pretending competence instead of asking for help? What would it look like to say, “I can’t fix this alone”?

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
(1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV)

Prayer: Admit one struggle you’ve hidden from others. Ask God to send someone to share the burden.
Challenge: Write “I need You” on a sticky note. Place it where you’ll see it during prideful moments.

Day 5: Lion’s Roar, Shepherd’s Hand

Peter warns of the devil prowling like a lion but assures us of the Shepherd’s grip: “God will restore, strengthen, and establish you.” The early church faced literal lions; we battle despair, division, and distraction. Resistance starts with clinging to the One who holds us. [01:21:55]

Victory isn’t our achievement—it’s God’s promise. The same power that raised Jesus steadies us when evil roars. Like the confirmation class standing to recite the Apostles’ Creed, we declare truths greater than our fears.

What “lion” has you paralyzed? How might declaring “Christ is Lord” over it shift your perspective?

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith. […] And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace […] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
(1 Peter 5:8-10, ESV)

Prayer: Name one area where you feel attacked. Ask God to replace fear with faith-filled resistance.
Challenge: Memorize 1 Peter 5:10. Whisper it when anxiety strikes.

Sermon Summary

Peter names the Christian life as a surprise-proof life. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal” because sharing Christ’s sufferings sets up joy when his glory is revealed. The text calls reviling a strange kind of blessing, because the Spirit of glory rests on those who bear Christ’s name. Then the commands stack up quickly: humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, cast all anxiety on God because God cares, discipline yourselves, keep alert. A roaring lion prowls, so faith must resist and stand steady. After “a little while,” God himself promises to restore, support, strengthen, and establish. The whole pattern is clear: the path asks for resistance, discipline, and humility, and the God of all grace gives stability and joy.

The Great Commission sets the tone for the morning’s vows and the waters of baptism. God claims before anyone can claim God, names before anyone can name Jesus, and folds the smallest into the covenant family by water and Spirit. That same grace meets a confirmation class who will say out loud that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Into that moment, the gospel chooses a gentle angle of approach. Kierkegaard’s “secondary speech” and Fred Craddock’s “overhearing the gospel” shape the invitation: let the church listen in as the confirmands are addressed, and ask quietly, what is God saying right now.

The text’s three-fold call lands with a memory hook: RDH. Resistance means more here than an old image of a devil in the weeds. Peter’s lion language unmasks a living evil, and the call today is concrete: resist injustice and oppression, resist any script that ranks a neighbor as less because of skin, birthplace, income, education, or whom they love. Right is right. Discipline is not punishment; it is repeated action that forms a life. Like a golfer hitting balls every day, a disciple takes up worship, prayer, and service until those practices carry a soul across the years. Hebrews says, do not give up meeting together, but encourage one another. Humility is the hardest and the simplest. It is not self-hate; it is truth-telling about need. A quiet student once paraphrased confession as, “we stink,” and God answers, “yes, and that is okay, and tomorrow I will help you.” That is humility’s music.

Peter’s second section sings God’s part. The mighty hand will lift up in due time. The caring God will receive every anxiety. And the God of all grace will do what no regimen can do alone: restore, support, strengthen, and establish.

Key Takeaways

1. Resistance names evil and stands firm. Resistance is not vague outrage; it is a practiced refusal to treat neighbors as disposable. The lion is real enough to require alert, steady courage, yet the stance is not fueled by hate. It is fueled by the conviction that bearing Christ’s name binds a person to those the world pushes aside. Such resistance is a baptized reflex. [57:57]
2. Discipline trains the soul daily. Discipline is the quiet habit that makes love durable. Worship, prayer, and service turn from events into rhythms that carry a person when feelings fade. Over time, those repetitions make room for grace to do slow work deep down. Encouragement flourishes where people keep showing up. [58:54]
3. Humility tells the truth about need. Humility is not thinking less of oneself; it is knowing, in the bone, that God is God and a creature is not. Confession becomes clear speech that names limits and receives mercy without flinching. That posture frees a person from self-invention and opens them to help that actually helps. [62:54]
4. God promises to steady and establish. Peter does not hand out grit without handing out a promise. After a little while, the God of all grace undertakes the finishing work no human can secure. Restoration, support, strength, and a firm place are God’s verbs, not human trophies. Hope rests on that pledge. [63:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:11] - Confirmation Sunday and announcements
[24:04] - Call to worship and confession
[38:44] - Baptism and Great Commission
[45:32] - Scripture: 1 Peter 4-5
[47:02] - The C train and overhearing
[50:12] - Invitation to listen in
[53:31] - Suffering then and now
[56:23] - RDH: Resist, Discipline, Humility
[58:54] - Discipline as steady practice
[60:16] - Humility means needing God
[62:13] - Evan and real confession
[63:43] - God will restore and establish
[66:33] - Confirmation vows and welcome
[81:55] - Benediction: Resist and be humble

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 (ESV)
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. [...] 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Observation Questions

What three actions does Peter urge believers to take in 1 Peter 5:6-9 (summarized as RDH)?
How does Peter describe the relationship between suffering and joy in 1 Peter 4:13?
What example was given in the sermon to illustrate humility as “truth-telling about need” (referencing Evan’s confession)? [01:02:13]
What metaphor does Peter use to describe evil, and how does the sermon expand its meaning beyond a literal interpretation? [57:57]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Peter compare evil to a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), and how does this imagery connect to modern forms of injustice or oppression?
How does the idea of “sharing Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13) challenge common cultural views of hardship or persecution?
The sermon describes discipline as “repeated action that forms a life” (e.g., worship, prayer, service). How do these practices differ from mere routines or obligations? [58:54]
In the story of Evan, how does humility differ from self-deprecation or low self-esteem? [01:02:54]

Application Questions

Resistance is described as a “baptized reflex” to stand against dehumanizing others. Where in your daily life (work, family, community) do you see opportunities to resist treating people as “less than”? What would that look like practically? [57:57]
Discipline requires daily habits like prayer or service. Which of these practices feels most challenging to prioritize? What small step could you take this week to strengthen that rhythm?
Humility is “knowing, in the bone, that God is God and a creature is not.” What area of your life (pride, self-reliance, comparison) do you need to surrender to God’s care this week? How might you practice “truth-telling” about that need?
Peter says God will “restore, support, strengthen, and establish” believers. When have you experienced God’s stability in a season of suffering? How could you lean into that promise in a current struggle?
The sermon connects resistance to standing with those “the world pushes aside.” Who in your community is marginalized, and how could you intentionally advocate for or learn from them this month?

Sermon Clips

Now granted Peter says it a little weirdly. Peter says, resist the devil who prowls around you. Strange words for us to hear it. We really mean something different, don't we? Or do we? Maybe our calling is not so much to resist the devil, but really to resist evil. Maybe that is our calling, to resist evil and injustice and oppression, to resist and stand against anyone who treats somebody else as less because of the color of their skin or their nationality or their level of education or their income or where they were born or who they are or who they love. This is what we are called to do because let's face it. Right is right and wrong is wrong. [00:57:39] (46 seconds)

He used a different word, by the way, in worship. He turned and said, we say to god we stink. And god in return says, yes, you do. And that's okay. And we're gonna try again tomorrow, and I'll help you. We were stunned. Not because he finally spoke, but because he was right. Evan was speaking about humility. Humility, o conformance, is extremely hard, but it's also very simple. It is not thinking less about yourself. It's not self deprecation. It's not low self esteem. None of those things. Humility is simply saying with all of our hearts that we need god. [01:02:09] (48 seconds)

Baptism affirms that long before we can know God, long before we can claim Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, god in Christ claims and names us. And nowhere is that truth more clearly seen than in the baptism of young children whom we call children of the covenant. By water and spirit, we are made members of church, members of the body of Christ, joined in Christ's ministry of love, peace, and justice. So today, let us remember our own baptism as we celebrate the sacrament. [00:39:09] (81 seconds)

Being a Christian in the first century was not easy. Being a Christian in the twenty first century is not easy. It's still difficult, but it's important. One of the first questions that you will be asked in just a few minutes when you come to the front is actually our most important question that we ever ask in a Presbyterian church. In a few minutes, you will stand up here and someone will ask you, is Jesus Christ your lord and savior? And you will answer, he is. And those words carry great, great personal meaning. Do me a favor and look around you. It it's okay to look around during church. So go ahead and look around you. [00:54:04] (41 seconds)

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Sunday, May 17 | Seventh Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday

Devotional

Day 1: Water and the Beloved Claim

Day 2: Fiery Ordeal, Hidden Blessing

Day 3: Swinging at the Driving Range

Day 4: Hoodies and Holy Confession

Day 5: Lion’s Roar, Shepherd’s Hand

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Sunday, May 17 | Seventh Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday

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