Peter encourages/exhorts (Biblically and in Christ the connection between “encouragement” and “exhortation” is so close as to make them almost synonymous) the congregation under his care who were pressed hard on every side to the point that they felt they would crumble, melt, and simply die:
“But y’all are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim [through your very being together] the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. … [so] … keep you conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers [and atheists], they may see y’all’s good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (I Peter 2:9-12)
What “good deeds” might the unbelieving “Gentiles” of the culture see that would manifest the chosen race-ness, the royal priesthood-ness, the holy nation-ness, the God’s-own-possession-ness of these people? As Luke repeatedly shows us, it was the entirely new quality of worship, study, prayer, fellowship, and service together with joy and hope of the community of the redeemed in the midst of the death and despair of the surrounding society. These are the deeds by which the “Good-ness” of God’s grace in Christ is made manifest in the flesh, providing a taste on earth of the peace that is perfect in God’s presence.
Come, then, let us worship, study, pray; fellowship and die together to the praise of his glorious and astounding grace in Christ, our risen and reigning King.