1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ's Sufferings - Preaching the Word (Helm)

Neither Peter nor Jude minced words about the realities that would confront every Christian and that were confronting the church at large—suffering and persecution, contradictory views of the gospel, constant challenges to the faith at the hands of false teachers. Yet even in the face of these harsh realities, both biblical writers unswervingly declared that there is no cause for despair as long as one’s foundation and identity are in Christ. With the truths of 1-2 Peter and Jude echoing across the ages, commentator David Helm beckons us to listen in his stirring exposition. Yet it is not enough to listen, he says. Peter’s and Jude’s words must compel us to do just what the early Christians did: hold fast to their identity in Christ, ground themselves in the truth, live lives worthy of their calling, and vigorously contend for the faith. As Helm explores these three epistles in depth, he delivers clarifying messages for all God’s people:

* Messages that will assist you in understanding, applying, and dynamically communicating the biblical text.

* Messages that can quicken every believer’s mind for action.

* Messages that should strengthen us all as we contend for the faith in these challenging times.

Table of Contents: 

1 Peter 

1. Reading 1 Peter

2. A letter to Elect Exiles (1:1, 2) 

3. Salvation’s Future Goal (1:3-5) 

4. Salvation’s Present Trials (1:6-9) 

5. Salvation’s Past Glories (1:10-12) 

6. A Settled Hope (1:13-21) 

7. A Sincere Love (1:22-2:3) 

8. A Spiritual House (2:4-10) 

9. Good Deeds (2:11, 12) 

10. Honorable Living (2:13-25)

11. Internal Adornment (3:1-7) 

12. Encouragement to Continue (3:8-17) 

13. Encouragement in Christ’s Victory (3:18-22) 

14. Embrace Your Calling to Suffer in the World (4:1-6) 

15. Embrace Your Calling in the Church (4:7-11)

16. Glory, Suffering, and Judgment (4:12-19) 

17. An Exhortation to Elders (5:1-5) 

18. True Grace and Eternal Glory (5:6-14) 

2 Peter 

19. Reading 2 Peter

20. This Letter and the Life Experience of Peter (1:1, 2) 

21. Our Faith Must Grow (1:3-11)

22. Final Words on Matters of First Importance (1:12-15) 

23. Following in the Apostolic Way (1:16-21) 

24. Portraits of Failing Faith (2:1-10a)

25. Preachers Who Forsake the Faith (2:10b-22) 

26. A Reminder on the Return of Christ (3:1-7) 

27. Reasons for a Delay in Christ’s Return (3:8-10) 

28. What to Do While Waiting (3:11-16) 

29. A Faith That Finishes (3:17, 18) 

Jude 

30. Reading Jude 

31. Letter from the Ancient Jewish World (1, 2) 

32. Contending for This Noble Faith (3, 4) 

33. The Past Becomes the Present (5-10)

34. The Making of Midrash (11-16) 

35. Contending for the Faith: The Calling We Keep (17-21) 

36. Contending for the Faith: The Commitments We Make (20, 21) 

37. Contending for the Faith: The Conduct We Embrace (22, 23) 

38. An Exalted Ending (24, 25)

Author  

David R. Helm serves on the pastoral staff of Holy Trinity Church, a multi-congregational church in Chicago. In addition he is the executive director of The Simeon Trust, which partners with churches to train men for gospel ministry. In this capacity, he leads workshops on biblical exposition to promote practical instruction in preaching. Helm is the co-author of The Genesis Factor (with Jon Dennis) and a contributor to Preach the Word: Essays on Expository Preaching.

Endorsement 

"The Preaching the Word commentary series is one of my favorites. The focus upon explaining a text with preaching it as the goal makes the series resonate with the priorities of the pulpit. No academic aloofness here, but down-to-earth, preacher-to-preacher meat for God’s people." - Bryan Chapell President, Covenant Theological Seminary