1 Peter 1:10-12

view of plumber

deal with sewage all day (dirty job)

then pipe bursts, toilet overflows

appreciation grows tremendously

view of a/c technician

don’t think much of them

until your a/c stops working in the heat of summer

or heater quits in the dead of winter

appreciation replaces thanklessness

view of lineman

all is well until your electricity goes out

then appreciation grows like Grinches’ heart (3 sizes)

view of OT prophets

what’s your view on the Old Testament prophets?

low — hard to understand

can’t pronounce all of them

definitely can’t find the minor prophets (Obadiah)

I pray the Lord increases your appreciation today

cannot and should never “unhitch” from the OT

Privileged People

1:10 — Concerning this salvation

Greek — one long sentence

1:3-12 pew Bible # 1203

we are a privileged people

we are a privileged people

may not see yourself as privileged

not talking about as Americans

privileged economy (poor here would be rich elsewhere)

but not what Peter is referring to

because we (believers in Christ) represent the fulfillment of OT prophecy

fact we have New Testament indicates we are privileged

OT saints & prophets longed to be on this side of Jesus

to see prophecies fulfilled…like these

Genesis 12:3 “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Joel 2:28–29 ““And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.”

Is 56 — foreigners will join themselves to the Lord

Hosea — (includes Gentiles — Rom 9)

“mercy” on “no mercy”

“not beloved” become “beloved”

“not my people” become “children of the living God”

ALL FULFILLED IN & THROUGH

Jesus death, burial, and resurrection

but how would we know this without OT prophets???

still would be true,

but would not appreciate depth of our salvation

OT prophets served future generations

they proclaimed God’s message

God spoke through the prophets

the prophets who prophesied (1:10)

the Spirit of Christ [Holy Spirit] in them was indicating (1:11)

2 Peter 1:20-21

prophet’s words = God’s Word

prior slide

even when didn’t fully understand

grace that was to be yours (1:9)

primarily Gentile audience

salvation — not earned by obedience to law — grace

things into which angels long to look (1:12)

Eph 3:10

ESV Study Bible — “Rulers and authorities in the heavenly places refers to angelic beings. God’s redemptive purposes are of interest to angels (1 Pet. 1:12) and the whole host of heaven, who are better able to glorify God when they behold in wonder what God has done and does in creating the church”

they investigated about the Messiah

searched and inquired carefully, inquiring (1:10b-11a)

prophets opened an investigation

detectives

why drawn to who done it shows?

NCIS, Bones, Criminal Minds, JAG, FBI, S.W.A.T., Murder She Wrote

moral sense of closure (evil paying)

48 Hours (real-life)

prepackaged closure (know by end of show)

First 48

determining what happened (past event)

Crime in Progress

living in it w/o full knowledge

more like prophets’ experience (future event)

what did they search?

Peter doesn’t say

not just pondered and wondered

seeking the Lord

Scriptures

prior prophecies (other prophets)

own prophecies

searched for what?

what person [Messiah] or time (1:11)

sufferings of Christ (1:11)

perhaps most puzzling, yet clear

Gen 3:15 — seed of woman bruised by serpent

Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Psalm 34:20 “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.”

Isaiah 50:6 “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.”

Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—”

Zechariah 12:10 “when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced”

Isaiah 53 in 2:22-24

subsequent glories (1:11)

Psalm 16:10 “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol [realm of the dead], or let your holy one see corruption.”

Daniel 7:13–14 ““I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Jesus rebukes men on road to Emmaus

Luke 24:25-27

since we know WHO & WHAT TIME (Jesus — church age)

we should read OT prophets eagerly

expecting our hearts will be stirred to praise

what prophets did not know

we now know

that Jesus suffered on our behalf

but now reigns over His kingdom

of which we are now members

they served future generations

It was revealed [divine passive] to them (1:12)

that they were serving not themselves but you

their life and ministry was not just about them

but future recipients of message

prophecies had relevance to original audience

but primarily were for New Covenant (NT) believers

Rom 15:4

prior slide

were serving = deacon (1:12)

all called to be deacons/deaconesses (servants)

prophets served by faithfully delivering God’s message

in the things that have now been announced to you

service was through message

service can look different based on HS gifting

just like prophets, we are called to serve but will not know all God is doing

Christian life is a life of service

serving others in the way the HS has gifted you

serving the next generation

apply: serve future generations

if in latter half of life — double age and likely not here (includes me)

how are you serving/investing the next generation?

are you part of FCC for…just your benefit?

God has a greater plan for you

how can you serve the next generation?

start by knowing their name (show interest)

get to know them (take them to lunch)

you have the money, they may not

care for them (physically & spiritually)

bring meal when baby born

pray for them when struggling in college

opportunity next Sunday — Combined Service

church not about preferences (tempted - stay home)

opportunity - invest in future (angels long to look)

if in beginning half of life — double age and plan to be alive

our culture is backwards

gray hair is not prized (latter half or older)

go with us to Ghana (“Grandpa” Alan)

I think Ghana has it right, not America

how committed are you to growing in Christ…

and letting those older than you help you?

prophets were faithful messengers, we must be faithful recipients

will you be a faithful recipient?

to be faithful recipients, don’t hoard gospel but freely share

you received gospel from someone, now share

through those who preached the good news to you (1:12)

not prophets but future messengers

sent by the Holy Spirit — sent from heaven [Pentecost]

Christian, you are privileged (2 responses)

squander privilege

can become spoiled (negative connotation)

like a spoiled child (think everything owed to you)

or not know what we have

therefore not appreciate it & not share it

appreciate privilege

salvation

Word available

Gutenberg printing press

native tongue (translation)

technology

share it

Privileged People

clear newness and excellence in church age

Peter tells his readers

ancient prophets predicted the grace that would be ‘yours’ (10)

you live in the great ‘time’ of ‘glories’ (11) which was long foretold;

the prophets were in fact repeatedly ministering for the benefit of ‘you’ (12b);

and world-changing events have ‘now’ been proclaimed to ‘you’ through the working of the Holy Spirit ‘sent’ in epoch-changing new power from heaven (12b)

Though the world may think such Christians insignificant and worthy of pity or scorn

angels—who see ultimate reality from God’s perspective—find them to be objects of intense interest (12c)

for they know that these struggling believers are actually the recipients of God’s greatest blessings and honored participants in a great drama at the focal point of universal history.

We too may rightly think of our Christian lives as no less privileged and no less interesting to holy angels than the lives of Peter’s readers.