EXILES | Suffering as Participation

EXILES | LIVING AS OUTSIDERS FOR GOD'S KINGDOM This week Cory opens with a confession: this passage made him more anxious to preach than almost any other, because he simply doesn't want to suffer. Working through 1 Peter 4:12-19, he walks through Peter's call to not be surprised when faithfulness costs something. Suffering, Peter says, is a test that exposes what the heart is actually trusting. Cory covers three reasons to rejoice in it: it deepens intimacy with Christ, it will give way to overflowing joy, and it means the favor of God is resting on you. Exiles is a 12-week journey through 1 Peter looking at what it means to follow Jesus in a world where we increasingly feel like outsiders. Rather than seeing this tension as a problem, Scripture shows it is the normal shape of life for those who belong to God’s kingdom. As citizens of the kingdom of God, we are called to witness to His reign in the world through faithful presence, courageous love, and enduring hope. This series invites us to live as a distinct people whose lives point others to Jesus in a world that is not yet restored and made new.Suffering as Participation1 Peter 4:12-19Cory Kasperson | Next Gen Pastor7.12.2026