Woefully Unprepared

In the Spring semester, I will be teaching 1 & 2 Peter. I'm just now beginning to read through the two books and I am struck by a couple of things. 1) The writings of Peter have been sorely neglected in the Church. There has really been very little interest in the approximately 2000 years these little letters have been floating around. In fact, there has been such little interest that such Christian Hall of Famers as Martin Luther and Jean Calvin wondered why 1 & 2 Peter were even in the Bible! I hope to be able to remedy that neglect (at least in my little corner of the world) in the next few months. 2) The subject matter (just from my initial scanning) presents a part of Christianity that the Church in America would just as soon ignore. Peter focuses much of his attention on the subject of suffering - and he isn't talking about suffering through a terrible disease or suffering because you have to drive a Yugo. He is talking about suffering for one reason and one reason only - because you are a follower of Jesus Christ. Now let's face it, most American Christians have no idea what that is all about. Our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world understand it. There have been more martyrs for the faith in the last part of the 20th century and in the first few years of the 21st century than in all the centuries prior combined. But that kind of suffering has not made it's way to America, yet. However, it is on its way and we are woefully unprepared. My goals in teaching 1 & 2 Peter this next semester are to get a a better grasp of what is coming so I can begin to get my heart ready, and to help prepare this generation of young people to stand firm in love no matter what comes. So as not to end on a note of doom and gloom today, let me point your attention to 2 Peter 3:13 - "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."