Titus II Lesson -- March 8th

First Peter
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“A Much Admired Salvation”
1 Peter 1:10-12

Review/Introduction
First Peter can easily be divided into four sections: (1) the Salvation of Believers (1:1-12), (2) the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12), (3) the Submission of Believers (2:13-3:12), and the Suffering of Believers (3:13-5:14). In 1 Peter 1:1-12, Peter establishes several theological truths about the salvation of believers. He wants us to clearly understand what salvation means to believers. We have learned that we were chosen by God (1-2), that we have the promise of a great future (3-5), that there is a design for our distresses (6-7), and that we have a faith that saves (8-9). This week we are going to consider his comments on our “much admired” salvation (10-12).

I. The Salvation of Believers (1:1-12)
A. Chosen by God (1:1-2)
B. The Promise of a Great Future (1:3-5)
C. A Design for our Distresses (1:6-7)
D. A Faith that Saves (1:8-9)
E. A Much Admired Salvation (1:10-12)

Jesus said to his disciples once, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:16-17). In other words, to experience something that great and wise and holy people longed to experience but couldn't, should make us feel thankful. That's the same logic we have in our text this morning. Peter wants us to feel more gratitude and wonder for our salvation because the prophets of God and even the angels of heaven longed to see what we have now experienced through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter writes:

“As to this salvation [just referred to in verses 5 and 9], the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. [In other words, they were searching and longing and desiring to see what they themselves were being moved to predict.] It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.”

How often do we look back to the Old Testament saints, to whom God spoke directly, and wish we could have lived in their times. “Ah, for the good old days,” we reason. “If only I could have lived then and walked in such intimacy with God. If only I could have had God tell me personally what to do and what He was going to do.” Peter takes the nostalgia out of this kind of thinking and brings us to a very different view of our present circumstances. Let us take a fresh look at his comments on this “much admired” salvation. Let us note seven (7) things about this “much admired” salvation that are found in this passage:
• How Peter describes it
• How Christ predicted it
• How the prophets longed to see it
• How the prophets served us in it
• How the angels longed to look into it
• How the Holy Spirit brings it to us
• How we must treasure it

How Peter Describes It
First, let us see how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation. Limiting ourselves to this single passage, Peter has much to say:

• Our Salvation is Based on God’s Choice
First, he says that our salvation is based on God’s choice. Verses 1-3 teach us that God chose us in eternity past, drew us to Himself through His Spirit, and cleansed us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Our Salvation is Absolutely Sure
Second, he says in verses 3b-5 that the hope we have in Christ of salvation is absolutely sure.

• The Outcome of Our Faith is the Salvation of Our Souls
Third, he says that the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls (1:6-9).

• Salvation is By Grace
Fourth, Peter sums up all of God’s future blessings from this salvation in one word -- grace (1:10).

If we continued reading in this one epistle, we also learn how this “much admired” salvation answers two very important questions:

• What do we need to be saved from?
Peter instructs us that our salvation saves us from the disease (2:24) and guilt (3:18) of sin, from the judgment of God (4:17), and from the destruction of the devil (5:18).

• What do we need to be saved for?
Peter instructs us that we are saved for a personal relationship with Christ the Shepherd of our soul (2:25), for a participation in the eternal glory of God (5:4), and for a joy and exultation as eternal as the glory of God (5:4,10).



How Christ Predicted It
Having seen how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation, notice how Christ predicted it. Peter points out that Christ Himself — the Spirit of Christ — hundreds of years before His own death and resurrection, was predicting His own death and resurrection. Look at the middle of verse 11: "The Spirit of Christ within [the prophets] . . . predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." That is, Christ predicted His very own sufferings. Which means that Christ, the Son of God in Heaven, has been contemplating His suffering and His death for us for centuries. Indeed as far back as the plan of salvation reaches in the mind of God, so far back has Christ been willing and ready to give Himself for our sins.

How the Prophets Longed to See It
Having seen how this “much admired” salvation has been described by Peter and predicted by Christ, notice how the prophets longed to see it. Verse 11: "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time [Christ was indicating]." Let us break this down into it’s constituent elements:

1. The Prophets
From the very beginning of time, God has revealed to mankind the fact that sin and rebellion separated us from Himself. Nevertheless, He also revealed that He was going to provide a full and complete salvation for all who trust Him. To do this God called chosen men to be prophets. A prophet is one who is divinely inspired to communicate God’s will to His people. They served as Pastors to their generation, teaching them the law of God, admonishing and reproving them for their sin, showing the people their transgression, and calling them to repentance. They were watchmen on the walls, declaring God’s will, pronouncing judgment, defending truth, and promoting righteousness. They not only did this orally, but they also wrote down what God revealed to them, and thus they provided for us the Bible, as the inspired Word of God.

2. The Prophets Were Confused
While the Old Testament prophets made a monumental contribution to the cause of the Gospel, they were confused. They were confused because they could not understand how the events they predicted would take place. Our text tells us they carefully searched and studied their own prophecies, “seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1:11). The prophets not only struggled to learn the circumstances surrounding the time of the fulfillment of their prophecies, but they also were perplexed as to who would fulfill them. They sought to know both the “person” and the “time” of which they were speaking.

3. The Prophets Searched for Salvation
Even though the prophets were confused, they knew that the Holy Spirit was showing them glimpses of the grace of God, and they earnestly sought to understand the message they were given. But much was hidden from their eyes. Oh, don’t be fooled, these men were all saved in exactly the same way that you are saved - by faith in God. They knew that all of the sacrifices they could make could never really cover their sin. Somehow they even knew that there must be another and greater sacrifice than of lambs and bullocks. Yes, they even knew that Messiah was coming. They knew there was going to be suffering involved. They knew that this suffering would bring glory such as the world had not yet seen.

But did they understand it? No. They longed to understand the salvation that you and I tend to take for granted. They would never have understood how people could become careless about something so utterly important as eternal salvation, and the coming of God to earth to live among us as one who was truly man, and yet at the same time, truly God. Writing about the prophets and other servants of God from Old Testament days, the writer to the Hebrews wrote: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

How the Prophets Served Us in It
While the prophets longed to see this “much admired” salvation, our fourth comment in this passage is the Lord's answer to that yearning cry of the prophets. In verse 12: "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you." The prophets served us.

The details of the prophecies pertaining to the distant future were not revealed to them. Why? It was because their ministry in these matters was not for themselves but for those who would live centuries after them. They would have to wait to learn the answers to all their questions. They would have to be satisfied with the privilege of playing a part in this plan. They, like every saint throughout history, would have to live by faith, suffering now while assured of the glory of God, their future hope.


How the Angels Longed to Look into It
The fifth thing Peter says about this “much admired” salvation is that angels love to look into it. Verse 12 (at the end) says: "things into which angels long to look." This does not mean they want to but can't. Remember that they were created pure and holy. But while the angels are totally holy and sinless, they are intensely interested in the grace of God. They were present when God created human beings on the earth. They watched the fall of man by which we turned away from God. The angels watched with wonder the incarnation of Jesus Christ. They sang at His birth. They ministered unto Him in His suffering. Angels were present at His resurrection. Why? Angels have an intense interest in human salvation. For it is by watching the grace of God in forgiving and transforming us that angels learn more about the One whom they serve.

Amazingly, with all the glory we find associated with angels, Peter tells us their eyes are fixed on the earth. Why? There is a greater glory yet to be fulfilled and the angels cannot wait to witness it. They peer and stretch out their necks over the battlements of heaven, saying, "I wish I could understand that." Eugene Peterson (in The Message) puts it this way: "Angels would have given anything to be in on all of this."

How does this apply to us? If angels get excited about our salvation, how much more should we. If angels love to look at the work of God in saving sinners like us, how much more should we who are the very beneficiaries of that salvation (not just onlookers) love to look into it and be thankful for it and say with Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . ."

How the Holy Spirit Bring It to Us
The sixth thing we learn about our “much admired” salvation is that the Holy Spirit Himself has brought us the news of our salvation through the gospel. Verse 12: "These things . . . now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven." God spoke to us through the prophets because they were inspired by the Spirit of Christ. It was the “Spirit of Christ” who moved these men to speak. In verse 12, Peter states that it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness among the saints after His death, burial, and resurrection (see John 16:7-15). It was He who would guide the apostles as they went forth with the good news of the Gospel (see Acts 16:7). Likewise, it is He who would empower the preaching of the Gospel so that men might be saved (John 16:7-15; 1 Peter 1:12). While the terms differ, we can be assured that the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person.

How We are to Treasure It
We have seen six things about our “much admired” salvation. Finally, let us notice how we are to treasure it. Do we feel that our salvation is inferior to those who spoke directly with God? Do we wish we could live in the “good old days” when God spoke directly to men? I would hope not. No one has ever had it as good as we do now. Why? Because Christ has come and the mysteries concerning His first coming are now openly proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel. What the prophets, who were “insiders” in days gone by yearned to know, we now know. And consider the angels, who always seemed to be about either proclaiming God’s plans and purposes or at least witnessing His hand in history. These very angels would seemingly be happy to change places with us. Their eyes are fixed upon the earth, eager to see the unfolding of the glory of God as He fulfills His promise of an eternal kingdom.

No one has ever been more privileged than we. So how important is this salvation to you? Is it all important or do you take it for granted? Is it something that you are willing to hold onto just for yourself? Or do you share the desire of God, of the Prophets, of the apostles, and of the angels to spread the Word so that others may enter into “so great a salvation?”

Practical Application
Just in case this lesson has not hit an accord with you, just in case this lesson does not seem practical or relevant to you this morning, let me share several other lessons that can be learned from our text by implication. First, this text should indicate the deep and fundamental unity which exists between the Old and New Testaments and also between the Old Testament and New Testament saints. The prophets spoke of our salvation. They ministered to us. Let us beware of compartmentalizing our salvation so that it stands apart from that salvation promised in the Old Testament which was received then just as it is today – by grace through faith.

Second, let this text instruct us about the limitations we must accept concerning prophecies yet unfulfilled. Just as the Old Testament prophets pondered their prophecies, so New Testament saints agonize over the details of the fulfillment of yet future events. Let us beware of trying to learn more than God has given us to know. Let us not “fill in the blanks” which God intends to remain blank until those events occur. Let us realize some prophecies are more for those who will live after us than they are for us.

Third, in light of the fulfillment of many prophecies, let us be reminded of the privileges and responsibilities which come with receiving divine revelation. As Jesus told those who heard Him:
“For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17). Those to whom He spoke were those who had rejected His teaching, and who were, from that point on, to hear parables rather than clear proclamation. To receive divine revelation and reject it is most serious, as we see in the writer to the Hebrews’ solemn warning:

“1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).

Let us take heed to the word which we have received as saints, not only unto salvation, but also unto obedience to His glory and to our good.