3. The Worthiness of God

The Worthiness of God to receive Our Praise

Introduction: In the last two sermons we looked at Peter’s introduction to his letter. We are plunged into God’s electing of His people. It surrounds us, comforts us in the sea that of persecution and affliction of the lusts of the flesh that wage war against our souls. God’s election is from time past in His foreknowledge, it is present in the current working of the Spirit, it lies before us in obedience to Christ. We saw the inseparable link between obedience and salvation. We are saved, not because we obey, we obey because we are saved. We saw that Peter’s use of the sprinkled blood refers to three different instances where people were sprinkled with blood in the OT: 1) in the ratification of the Mosaic Covenant 2) the anointing of the Aaronic priesthood, and 3) the lepers, once healed from their leprosy were sprinkled with blood for their cleansing. It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from our sin, it is the blood of Jesus that qualifies us as the royal priesthood, it is the blood of Jesus that institutes the New Covenant which is better, with better promises, better blessings, and the assurance that it cannot be broken. That the grace and peace of God cannot be know apart from His election.

1Pe 1:3-12  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (4)  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  (5)  who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (6)  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  (7)  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,  (8)  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,  (9)  receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.  (10)  Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,  (11)  searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  (12)  To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

What does blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ mean? We see in the Scriptures where God blesses men. And generally take that to mean the inferring of gifts and privileges or calling on God to bless. But how is God blessed when there is no one greater than He? This morning we will look at the definition, the foundation, and the application.

Definition - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed – eulogetos – is the word to speak well of. It is where we get our word for eulogy. It is used only 8 times in the NT and always only in reference to God and in this form (an adjective) it takes the meaning of inherently worthy of honor, glory, and praise. Eulogetos, used of God indicates praise and adoration on the part of the creature, in recognition of the power and prerogatives of the Creator, and the privileges enjoyed at His hands. The Septuagint (LXX) uses eulogetos for the Hebrew, barak, “kneel down” in the Qal stem and “adore with bended knees” in the Piel stem.

The Foundation

Peter states in this short phrase that God is inherently worthy of our praise. In using two different terms he addresses the issue if inherently worthy of praise on three fronts.

1) because as God He is our creator Psa 104:24  O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions

God is inherently worthy to be praised as Creator because of the mystery and majesty of it. It exceeds our finite minds; we cannot understand how something could be created from nothing. The magnitude of creation extends from one end of the universe to the other. We have not seen the height nor the depth or the breadth of the universe. We see pictures of deep space, of stars and galaxies. God created it all. And as the universe did not create itself, it does not sustain itself, God does. He is worthy of praise not just in the magnitude but also in the complexity of it. As far reaching as His creation is He left out not the least detail in the order of it. Microscopic organisms are much more complex in nature than first thought.

Ex: Rotifer – bio machine with rotating disks to draw food into it’s mouth. We have whole degrees bachelors, masters, and doctorates at universities dedicated to micro and cellular biology. As Paul told the Athenians, “he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.... In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:25, 28). Here lies the terror that though God is inherently worthy of praise, adoration, and glory from the created, man will not, though creation itself gives knowledge of the creator. It is just as Paul stated Rom 1:20-22  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  (21)  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  (22)  Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

2) Because He is Father.

Peter use of ‘and’ is more than just a connective word joining two ideas or continuing a thought. Here it amplifies and emphasizes the later Father. He is inherently worthy of praise because of the special relationship we enjoy. And we see the result of that in the following verses: 1) caused us to be born again 2) to a living hope 3) obtained an inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and will not fade away, reserved for us in heaven. 4) and protected by the power of God.

The question we now must ask is How is He our Father? How are we able to call Him Father? And we know the answer to that. It is plainly stated through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I hope in the reading of the text, exercising observation. That Peter says God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only place in this letter that Peter uses that term. Why? Peter is stating clearly the deity of Christ while in willing subordination to the Father. Php 2:6-7  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  (7)  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

It is with our Lord Jesus Christ that we move the the 3rd point and that is application, remembering the definition of ‘inherently worthy of all glory, honor and praise’.

Application –

The example of Jesus

Psalm 22 is a messianic psalm. It speaks of the sufferings and the sayings of Messiah. In verse 22, 23 the Messiah Psa 22:22-23  I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.  (23)  You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

How are we to give God, glory, honor, and praise? By proclamation, the declaring of God’s name. Jesus did this in His teaching. How did the prophets of the OT declare God’s name. He was called Elohim, El Shaddai, Yahweh, but it was Jesus who proclaimed Him as Father in His teaching the disciples how to pray ‘Our Father, who art in heaven…’ Charles Spurgeon says “The sterner attributes of God had been discovered amidst the thunders of Sinai, the waves of the Red Sea, the smoke of Sodom, and the fury of the deluge; the sublimities of the Most High had been seen, and wondered at by the prophets who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; but the full radiance of a Father's love was never seen til it was beheld beaming through the Saviour's face.”

Jesus teaching was both in word and in action. He declares ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father’. Meaning that every act of compassion the Son shows is the Father’s, every act of gentleness, in the dining with tax-gathers and sinners, the receiving of children to Himself, His condescension, in His healings, in His feeding the hungry, in His declarations against sin, in His clearing out the temple all are the exact representation of the name and nature of God. This He did in the midst of the Jews, His brethren. Who then is our brethren? Is it not our family, our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers? Is it not the one whom God may providentially bring to us by the ransom encounter in the store?

And brethren just as He positively taught by words and His actions the greatness of God’s name He also displayed in His body on the cross the justice and judgement of God against sin. Why? So that God’s elect would be secured, so that the sin that prohibited us from ascribing all praise honor and glory to our Creator now privileges us to honor and glorify Him not only as Creator but as our Father.

So I ask you a rhetorical question. Do we have reason to give all honor, glory, and praise to God our Father?

When we come here in the Assembly of God’s people is it our purpose to point one another to Christ as we praise Him?

You may be thinking, brother you have gone too far. This text does not warrant the application. But later Peter declares 1Pe 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

We may at times feel like we can neither praise God nor proclaim Him to others. How may we overcome those feelings? The writer of Psalm 77 had similar issues Psa 77:1-15  To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph. I cried out to God with my voice—To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me.  (2)  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted.  (3)  I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah  (4)  You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  (5)  I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times.  (6)  I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.  (7)  Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more?  (8)  Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore?  (9)  Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah  (10)  And I said, "This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High."  (11)  I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.  (12)  I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.  (13)  Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?  (14)  You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.  (15)  You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

Remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.

To remember is to draw out to the forefront of our mind knowledge which we have but have laid aside. We must remember the triune work of redemption that Peter has laid out. However great our sin God’s work of redemption is greater still.

Meditate on all Thy work, And muse on Thy deeds

To meditate is to dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind.

To muse is to ponder, or to talk to one self about what it is you or meditating on.

The strength that God has declared to the peoples is His redemption.