HE WENT ALL IN- The Theology of Christ’s Suffering
1 Peter- Chosen Exiles • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
WELCOME TO MARCH!!!!
last week we jumped into the heart of Peter’s Letter on Suffering.
And He Begins to address the persecution that these young Believers where experiencing in their lives for standing up for what is right,
and so he opened up this exhortation telling the church that when they suffer for doing what is right God will Bless their lives, and the world will See Jesus through their suffering.
He wanted them to know that God was using their suffering for their spiritual good and his glory
And Now for the rest of chapter 3 and into chapter 4 Peter is going to turn his focus to Christ as the ultimate example of Suffering for the believer to follow…
and so for the next 5 weeks Lord Willing, we will delve into the Suffering of Jesus and the gospel message it brings into our lives..
We are going to dive deep into its Theology, It’s Typology it’s Praxiology and ending this month Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday with our Doxology of His gospel.
Friends I hope that as we saturate our hearts and minds with the gospel of Jesus during the month of March- that it will compel us to live our lives for the One Who gave us this good news and shine as a light to those who desperately still need its saving Power.
BEFORE W JUMP INOT OUR TEXT THIS MOURNING LETS TALKT TO GOD!
Pleas turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
Friends- This one verse carries the entire gospel message in it’s text.
My desire for us as the church, is to dig deep into this short proclamation so that we can emerge with a greater understand of what this gospel message means for us in our lives today.
But before we get to the good news of the gospel We need to take a minute to remember why we needed this good News in the first place
WHY IS THE GOSPEL NEEDED
WHY IS THE GOSPEL NEEDED
Before anything ever existed, The Triune God was there! The Father,, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Living together as one in all of their perfection.
Then God desiring to share his glory, chose to make mankind in his own image without fault, and with an eternal soul so that Mankind could live with him and experience his perfect glory for all eternity.
and So God in his sovereignty, created you special so that He could spend eternity with you forever in His perfect kingdom we like to call Heaven.
FRIENDS ETERNAL LIFE WAS GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME.
You were created with an eternal soul- You are a being that will never cease to exist.
But God in all of his wisdom gave man the ability to chose right from Wrong. To chose to follow and obey or to rebel and live for himself instead.
And it was not long, in fact the very first two human beings chose to rebel instead of obey.
Mankind though they were created without fault chose rebellion over obedience
and Because of their disobedience they have fallen into the bondage of Eternal death ,without anything they could ever do as a human to escape its eternal grasp on their life.
MANKIND HAS AN ETERNAL DILEMMA:
When he was without sin He was qualified to walk in union with a perfect God, But when man became a sinner He no longer could walk in union with a sinless God.
But heres the beauty of this story- GOD STILL DESIRES YOU!!!!!
He still wants to share his glory with you for all eternity
BUT MANKIND HAS AN ETERNAL DILEMMA:
God in all of His perfection demands perfection from our live in order to live with him forever. and this is impossible for any one of us to obtain on our own.
Eph. 2:1 Describes who we are in our sinful state “We are DEAD IN OUR SIN, this means there is no life in us -
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
We are completely Hopeless when it comes to gaining eternal life in heaven.
You may be saying to your self this morning “ but pastor jason, Im not that Bad of a person. I am confident that when God looks at my life my good will out weigh my Bad. “
- Friend What I can say to you is this “that even if you are the best human being on earth - God is still saying that you are still not good enough. PERFECT MEANS WITHOUT SIN in anyway!
The Problem is this — We like to compare our goodness against other people’s rottenness.
But that is not the standard by which God is going to judge your life.
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
Even if we add up all of our good works it still leaves us short of God’s demand for Perfection.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The Bible calls missing the mark of God’s perfection “Sin”-
This means that even with your good works , your sin still leaves you short of God’s demand for perfection.
Friends Anything that Goes against God’s perfect law is sin.
But it gets worse not only does our sin keep us from entering God’s Perfect Heaven
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
23 For the wages of sin is death,“
DEATH = Seperation from God forever in a literal place called the Lake of Fire
The Bible Describes our destiny as sinners in a very real and vivid way.
Matt. 13:50 - a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Mark 9:48 - a place where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.
Revelation 20:15 - an eternal lake of fire
Revelation 14:11 - a place of eternal torment.
We need to understand this morning that God Hates sin and there is no place for sin in His perfect heaven.
Do you understand that even as much as God desires an eternal relationship with you He cannot allow your sinfulness into his perfect heaven - Because your sin would corrupt its perfection and it would no longer be a place worthy of a perfect God.
Friends we have a serious problem- not only does our own sin keep us from being acceptable to God, But it also condemns us to an eternity in hell apart from God forever.
WE NEED GOOD NEWS!!!!
WE NEED A SAVIOR
We need someone to step into our lives and rescue us from this bondage of Sin,
and this brings us to Our text in 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 18 were we will see one of the clearest descriptions of God’s Rescue plan for mankind.
Listen to our text again this morning
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
As Much as God hates sin His love for you is so much greater
In this one simple verse Peter lays out 4 theological truths about the atonement God offers us through Jesus Christ’s vicarious death on the Cross
This morning I want us to see how precious the salvation is that Christ brought us through His suffering.
I want us to look at the
THE THEOLOGY of Christ’s Suffering
THE THEOLOGY of Christ’s Suffering
Theology is simply -the study of God
and our sermon this morning is really a crash course in Soteriology - the study of our salvation.
study on how far God was willing to go to save lost sinners..
look with me at Peter’s 1st theological statement about the gospel.
1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
“FOR CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED ONCE FOR ALL”
1. Christ’s death was Sufficient -
1. Christ’s death was Sufficient -
He died “ONCE for all”
This means that when Christ died- His perfect sacrifice as the lamb of God was enough to satisfy God’s Judgment against all mankind including you and Me
Paul spoke about the sufficiency of Christ death in Col 2:13-14
Colossians 2:13–14 (ESV)
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses…, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Talk about a court case where someone steps up and pays the debt of another in Full
this should make your heart joyful this morning as a believer in Jesus - When Christ died ALL YOUR SINS WERE NAILED TO HIS CROSS. PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE- NOT ONE SIN OF YOURS WAS LEFT UNPAID FOR!
When it comes to your salvation you put your faith in the finished work of Jesus NOT in your perpetual ability to do good deeds.
Christ’s death was sufficient- it was big enough… it was powerful enough…. it was complete enough… to pay your entire debt of sin.
CHRIST’s Perfection was powerful enough to pay for every one of your imperfections.
Our verse goes on and says
1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
Not only was Christ death sufficient it was also SUBSTITUTIONAL
2. Christ’s Death was Substitutional
2. Christ’s Death was Substitutional
“the righteous for the unrighteous”
Remember the words Peter wrote in Chapter 2 when he was describing Jesus “ IN HIM THERE WAS NO SIN- EVEN when he was greatly persecuted He did not sin.
Jesus was perfectly righteous He was without sin. and Yet He chose to die for the sinner.
Why did he chose to do this?
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus the righteous God Man Died so that He could impute His righteousness into our unrighteous lives.
.
think about how amazing this is……
The All Powerful Creator of the universe,
the one who spoke all things into existence,
the one who holds all things together in his hands,
The One who sits on a throne in heaven over all creation, Compelled by his great love for you, took upon himself the eternal debt of his own rebellious creation. and He paid it in full with his own life.
Friends Jesus did what he did not have to do- He took your place and paid your debt in full.
Peter goes on and tells us why it was worth it to Jesus to come to this earth and die in our place.
look at our text….
1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
“THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD”
Christ willingly died so that He could make a way for you and me to come into the eternal presence of God
our third point in your notes is this..
3. Christ’s Death was Salvific
3. Christ’s Death was Salvific
that means His Death carried with it the Salvation for mankind, The cure for our disease of sin.
Jesus was very clear about his purpose in coming to earth
In Mark 10:45 Jesus, speaking about himself to His disciples declared…
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In John10:10 Speaking to the religious leaders of Israel He said
John 10:10 (ESV)
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
in Luke 19:10 Speaking to Zacheus He declared His purpose once again and said “I have come to Seek and Save the Lost.”
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
When Christ died on that cross He took your unrighteousness and in its place He gives you His perfect righteousness.
This means that when a person is IN CHRIST- God now sees Christ’s perfection and not the sinners imperfection.
it means that through Christ mankind is no longer condemned to hell.
It means that through Christ’s death it is now possible for sinful men to dwell in the presence of a righteous God!
Church family - there is no greater gift ever given then the salvation Christ offers you through his death.
Without Jesus there can be no salvation for mankind
This is what Jesus was speaking about in John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Peter was there when Jesus hung on that tree for lost sinners. He was there looking up at Jesus ,his savior,as he gave his life to pay for Peters sins.
I believe that as peter wrote those precious words in chapter 2:24 He was overwhelmed by the magnitude of Grace jesus offers us in our sinfulness. Listen to Peters words
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Christ took your place and died once for all, so that you could be rescued from the pit of Hell and bring you to God
It is only through the Salvific work of Jesus Christ that this salvation could ever happen in your life!
And this brings us to Peter’s final theological statement about the atonement of Jesus.
1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
4. Christ’s Death was Supremely Triumphant
4. Christ’s Death was Supremely Triumphant
“but made alive in the Spirit”
Jesus went all in- He gave his complete life for yours, He died in your place.
BUT Because He was perfect in all of His nature the grave could not hold him there!
He may have died in the flesh but He rose triumphantly in the spirit,
When Jesus rose from the Grave He declared Victory of Death and sin.
and this why Paul in 1 Cor. 15:54-57
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
If Christ did not rise form the grave triumphantly - we would still be lost in our sins, Our penalty of eternal death would still be upon our shoulders. We would still be seperated from God forever.
Look at the cross Behind me- JESUS IS NOT THERE- We do not celebrate a dead Savior We Celebrate a risen savior!
Christ’s death was triumphant-
and in verse 22 in our text-Peter declares that HE IS ALIVE! inHeaven sitting on his throne at the right hand of God with all power and authority
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Brothers and sisters Christ’s death was supremely triumphant.
BRING IT HOME
BRING IT HOME
So how does this study on Soteriology fit into the bigger context of our passage in 1Peter?
Well let me tell you…
Remember what Peter is talking about to these Young Christians?
Suffering for doing what is Right?
Look back with me at verse 17:
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Peter told the church that if God’s will for their life is to suffer for doing what is right- then follow the example of Jesus When he went all in to bring Salvation into their lives.
Chose to do the will of the Father and suffer well for His glory.
He’s telling the church DONT LOSE HEART ,CHRIST ALSO obeyed the will of the Father when He willingly SUFFERED FOR YOU
2 Peter 3:9 gives us a glimpse into the will of the Father in regards to Jesus life “ It simple says that God’s will is that none should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Jesus knew that the only way Gods will to see all mankind come to repentance was through His own sacrificial death on that Cross.
Brothers and sisters- There was no limit to how far Christ would go to fulfill the will of The Father .
HE WENT ALL IN SO THAT GOD COULD BE GLORIFIED FOR ALL ETERNITY!
Christians: When we suffer for doing what is right- GO ALL IN So thatGod Receives the glory form your life.
BEFORE I CLOSE I would be foolish to think that every one here has already recieved the gift of Salvation in their lives.
And So I want to ask you all a question?
If you where to die today and stand at the gates of heaven, and God were to ask you Why should i let you a rebellious sinner into my perfect kingdom?, what would your answer be?
Think about- it - You are standing at the gates of all eternity- about to enter your eternal destiny. You life is over- and the bible says that after we die comes this judgement- At this point it is too late to make any decisions. and God asks you what did you do in your life that makes you deserving of eternal life?
Put simply- what are you banking on in your life that is good enough to get you into heaven?
Let me be Honest with you..... God’s Word is crystal clear on what it takes for you to be acceptable to God in order to gain eternal life.
HE DEMANDS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION
FRIENDS THER IS ONLY ONE WAY YOU CAN STAND BEFORE GOD on that judgement day with a perfectly clean record-
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Friends without the Salvation that Jesus offers you through His sacrificial death You cannot enter into to Gods eternal heaven.
So the question that should be on your heart this morning is the same question we see in Acts 16:30
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:31 (ESV)
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
What does it mean to believe in Jesus
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
You take this truth that God loved you so much that he sent his only Son Jesus to pay your debt in full and You make it your own..
Its so simple Because God wanted you to realize that He did it all for you!
TO believe in Jesus means that you put your eternal life in him
Simple Prayer
God I know I’m a sinner and I deserve the eternal punishment for my sin in Hell.. But God I also believe that you loved me enough to send jesus to this earth to die in my place paying my debt in full, and that I beleive that he rose again triumphantly bringing salvation into my life.. And God I now give my life to you to use me in any way you chose. AMEN
Christian: When we suffer for doing what is right- remember what Christ did for you through his suffering and chose to suffer well for His glory. Chose to use your persecution as a platform to proclaim the gospel of Jesus in this world.
PRAY