Baptism, Death and Resurrection

Let us Pray!

Heavenly Father, the entrance of Your Word gives light! We ask that You will shine the light of Your Word into our hearts, so that it may be reflected in our lives and illuminate the world around us. Amen

Introduction

Peter our Familiar Friend

So far as we know, Peter the apostle was the author of 1 Peter, although he probably had the support of an amanuensis (secretary). Peter’s authorship is supported by its place in the New Testament, and by early Christian writers.

The apostle Peter often seems familiar to us, due to his frequent appearances in the Gospels and the popular presentation of him by preachers. He was a member of Jesus’ inner circle, a fisherman by trade, and is always listed as first among the apostles. He is mentioned in the New Testament more often than any other apostle, with the possible exception of Paul.

The book of Acts shows him as a bold preacher, filled with the Holy Spirit and power. He was a key participant in the process of opening the door of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Although it is apparent that he struggled with that idea.

Who is 1 Peter written to?

Peter was probably writing to believers in Northern Asia Minor (the area now known as Turkey). This epistle is known for its sympathy with Christians who have suffered for their faith.

There is good external evidence for its authenticity as a genuine apostolic letter. It is referred to in some of the earliest Christian works. It is thought that this letter may have been written in Rome some time around AD 64, after Paul’s imprisonment (AD 59-62) but before the outbreak of persecution that took place under emperor Nero (AD 65-67).

If you want to know a bit more about New Testament manuscripts and how they are validated, then I can recommend to you a YouTube presentation called “Formatting the Word of God with Dan Wallace”. It is yet another Lanier Library Lecture. There are a number of them on YouTube that deal with some interesting theological issues from an academic perspective.

What Was The Problem?

Commentators tell us that this letter was written to help Christians deal with the problem of Rome.

What could they do about a civilisation that opposes Christian teaching to the point of open hostility?

What could they do to improve the wide-spread perception that Christians were anti-social atheists who imperilled the well-being of their community by their failure to participate in accepted communal religious practice?

Pagan religious practice was built into almost every aspect of ancient Roman life. Rome was constantly finding ways to integrate its empire into the Roman way of doing things, and religion played a key role in that process.

Judaism was only tolerated because it was regarded by Rome as a respectable ancient religious tradition of an established ethnic group. Christianity was widely regarded as a new cult that had at its centre the worship of a crucified outsider. Rome wanted to bring everybody into the Roman world, but Christians wanted to separate themselves. They were seen as part of a subversive counter culture.

Christians were not participating in the religious practices that established their loyalty to the empire, and support for their community. Peter was writing to an ostracised minority, who were widely perceived as extremists.

Peter’s advice on how to deal with unbelievers and detractors went like this:

1 Peter 3:15–16 NIV

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

How could Christians retain their identity and spread the Gospel in a society that denied their very right to exist? The transition from Jewish Sect to separate religion had started, and the Christians were suffering as a consequence. The decisive moment in this transition was assisted by Peter. It was the decision to welcome Gentile believers as brothers and the spiritual equals of Jewish believers.

Peter’s unique place in the Church may have made him feel encouraged by Gentile Christian faith, but perhaps also responsible for their well-being as they faced the challenge of living for Christ in a world that had rejected him.

What Does Our Passage Tell Us? - 1 Peter 3:18-22

Our passage this morning deals with some of the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. It deals with atonement, forgiveness, resurrection, and baptism. Which I think is quite enough to be getting on with.

Atonement is something that Jesus did for us that we could not do for ourselves. It was God in Christ taking the initiative to heal our relationship with himself. Jesus made us at-one with God through his death and resurrection, just like it was meant to be.

Forgiveness in the context of our passage is something that only God can give. We repent and he forgives our sins because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. He took our guilt, our punishment, and our shame, and in exchange he gave to us his righteousness.

‘Justification by faith’ is God making it ‘just as if I’d never sinned’. If you can believe, then you can receive, and show the evidence of a changed heart by living a changed life, a resurrection life.

Jesus was raised from the dead, demonstrating that he had completed the work of Atonement. Baptism is a symbol of death and resurrection, repentance and forgiveness, and the beginning of a new life in Jesus.

So now we are going to take a brief look at what Peter wrote about these issues.

Atonement and Justification by Faith

1 Peter 3:18 NIV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

It has been fashionable in recent times to question and even attack the idea of substitutionary atonement. Critics are in the habit a caricaturing and then criticising this foundational teaching of Christianity.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus did not have to die, but that God was in Christ, giving himself out of love to save a world that often ignores and rejects him. That’s how great the love of God is. This act of self-sacrifice by Jesus is the beating heart of all Christian ethical standards. Christ gave himself for us, and we should be willing to give ourselves for him and for each other. Christ suffered for our sins.

Not only does the cross set the standard for love, but it also sets the standard for forgiveness. When we are asked to forgive others, we will often exact a price, demanding that the offender faces the consequences of their actions. But not only does God forgive us, but in Christ he paid the price for our forgiveness. This is extravagant LOVE! This is true FORGIVENESS! This is God bringing us closer to himself.

As Christ brought us to God, so we are called to bring others to him and into the Church community.

Jesus died for you! But he did not stop there, because he also rose for you, and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Jesus died for YOU! And Jesus rose for YOU! This is why we can say with all boldness that we are the children of God. This is why we can pray using the words ‘Our Father!’. As Paul puts it:

Ephesians 2:6 NIV

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

1 Peter 3:19–20 (NIV)

(After being made alive,) Jesus went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

It appears from our passage that Peter believed in the divinity and the pre-existence of Christ. Augustine and others reckon that Peter taught that Christ spoke through Noah by the Holy Spirit to those who would perish (2 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 11:7).

This tells me that God is ready to exhaust all the options to bring us closer to himself.

I guess the story of the Ark may have had special significance to Peter and other members of Jesus’ inner circle (Peter, Andrew, James, John). They were all fishermen by trade, so they spent a lot of their time on the water in a boat.

Jesus and Peter drew upon the Old Testament account of Noah for life-lessons, so it is OK for us to do so.

Peter draws our attention to three things: 1) the patience of God, 2) the time that Noah took to build the Ark, and 3) the fact that only a few were saved from the judgement when it came.

God was not impatient with Noah to finish building the Ark so that he could judge the world.

It could be that Noah took his time in the hope that more people would repent, believe, and be saved in the Ark with Noah’s family.

God’s word was addressed to the world, but the majority rejected it. Peter was writing to believers who were a minority in a community that was hostile to their faith and rejected all the warnings.

Peter was calling Christian believers to stand firm just like Noah, even though they were outnumbered.

1 Peter 3:21 NIV

and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Peter takes up the imagery of the flood as a symbol of death, but also as a symbol of a new life for all who believe.

For we have been buried with Christ in baptism, and raised with him to newness of life. A similar allegorical use is made of the Exodus when Moses parts the Red Sea and the children of Israel ‘escape through’ the water. When Noah, Moses, Jonah, and Jesus passed through the water, it marked a new beginning for each of them. In the case of Jesus it symbolised his coming death upon the cross and his resurrection.

The cross was a symbol of shame, rejection, and death, but to those who believe it is a symbol of forgiveness, atonement, extravagant love, and new life, for Jesus is not dead. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

People have often asked me about baptism, and how it should be practiced. I reply by asking, “What is the most important aspect of baptism?” The answer that I give is “Whether you are trying to live up to it”. Because it is the pledge of a good conscience towards God. If we have been baptised into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then it should show up in our life-style.

Baptism is perhaps the most important symbol relating to the resurrection of Jesus. The closest that unbelievers are going to come to resurrection of Jesus is an encounter with a baptised Christian who is living out their faith.

1 Peter 3:22 (NIV)

Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

This closing verse provides an allusion to Psalm 110 which has been used in the Gospels to point to Jesus’ royal heritage, and was used by Jesus to indicate his unique relationship with God (see Matthew 22:41-45, 26:64; Mark 12:35-37, 14:62, 16:19; Luke 20:41-44, 22:69; Acts 2:34, (7:55-56); Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:13, 10:12, 12:2). There is also more than a hint at Daniel 7:13-14 in this passage.

Peter wrote to a suffering Church about the suffering, humiliation, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is risen from the dead! Jesus has ascended up to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He has gone to prepare a place for you. God has put all things under him.

Jesus is the head of the Church that unites peoples and languages, Jews and Gentiles, black and white, native and foreigner, male and female, rich and poor, into one body of faith, hope, and love. Our challenge is to live that out.

Perhaps the most powerful sermon that you will ever preach is a life that lives out the Gospel.

Is Jesus risen? Is Jesus alive? (YES He is!)

Make sure to let face know, and your life-style!

2 Timothy 2:11–13 NIV

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

May God bless and guide you and empower you to live as though you know that Jesus has risen from the dead and that you are a Spirit filled baptised believer!

AMEN