Sermon Tone Analysis

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, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

().

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

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, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

().

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

().

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Questions: Lesson 6 -

Questions: Lesson 6 -

What verse from stands out to you the most?

What conclusion do you first take away from the passage?

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Baptim saves us, not the actually event but what is taking place in out heart with Jesus Christ

God Speaks - while we puzzle over what, where, and how, we can see that God is communicating to the world.

God Speaks - while we puzzle over what, where, and how, we can see that God is communicating to the world.

God triumphs - Chirst victoriously preached, indicating his power, control, and transcendence over all creation.

God triumphs - Chirst victoriously preached, indicating his power, control, and transcendence over all creation.

God Saves - God exerts himself to rescue those who desire him.

This mysterious passage tells us at least this much - and that is much indeed.

God Saves - God exerts himself to rescue those who desire him.

This mysterious passage tells us at least this much - and that is much indeed.

Did you think this was a difficult passage to understand?

What do you think makes it so difficult and why do students have such a divided opinion of its meaning?

I think it is very difficult to understand.

Did anyone read it in a different translation?

It is not completely clear so students will take the meaning based on their beliefs.

Review .

What is significant about the “spirits in prison” that Jesus visited?

What did He proclaim to them?

It is not completely clear and commentators have explanned it in different ways.

1.

Who are the spirits in prison?

—unbelievers who have died?

—Old Testament believers who have died?

—fallen angels?

2. What did Christ preach?

—second chance for repentance?

—completion of redemptive work?

—final condemnation?

3. When did he preach?

—in the days of Noah?

—between his death and resurrection?

—after his resurrection?

Who are the spirits in prison?

unbelievers who have died?

old testament believers who have died?

fallen angels?

What did Christ preach?

second chance for repentance?

completion of redemptive work?

final condemnation?

When did he preach?

in the days of Noah?

between his death and resurrection?

after his resurrection?

View 1: When Noah was building the ark, Christ ‘in spirit’ was in Noah preaching repentance and righteousness through him to unbelievers who were on the earth then but are now ‘spirits in prison’ (people in hell).

View 2: After Christ died, he went and preached to people in hell, offering them a second chance of salvation.

View 3: After Christ died, he went and preached to people in hell, proclaiming to them that he had triumphed over them and their condemnation was final.

View 4: After Christ died, he proclaimed release to people who had repented just before they died in the flood, and led them out of their imprisonment (in Purgatory) into heaven.

View 5: After Christ died (or: after he rose but before he ascended into heaven), he travelled to hell and proclaimed triumph over the fallen angels who had sinned by marrying human women before the flood.

Review .

What are the dangers of minimizing the importance of Jesus’ resurrection?

(See ; ; ) What does the risen Christ provide for us that we need on a daily basis?

(See )

I think it is crazy to even think about minimizing what Christ did for us.

Because we are told that the only way we are going to have eternal life is to believe is Jesus and resurrection.

Holy Spirit, Christ died so the Holy Spirit would forever live is us as long as we believe with our heart that Christ is who he says he is.

Why is it important that Christ’s victory was over all “angels and authorities and powers.”

()?

What does it mean for Christians to fight from victory instead of for it?

It shows us that his death was the most important since he was seated at the right hand of God.

Victory was already achieved by the death and resurrection of Jesus so we don’t need to fight for it again we just need to fight the same victory.

What relationship did Peter see between the readers of his letter and the ministry of Noah? (See ) What circumstances might his readers have been experiencing that were similar to Noah’s?

The ministry of Noah and the readers of Peter’s letter are both close to the end of days.

Noah was before God flooded the earth and Peter is writing to those prior to Jesus returning (the last day).

How does baptism save us from a bad conscience?

How is water baptism a good picture of what the Spirit does for us when we’re saved?

What are you thoughts on baptism?

Baptism is a symbolic expression of the heart's "appeal to God." Baptism is a calling on God.

It is a way of saying to God with our whole body, "I trust you to take me into Christ like Noah was taken into the ark, and to make Jesus the substitute for my sins and to bring me through these waters of death and judgment into new and everlasting life through the resurrection of Jesus my Lord."

3:18-20

It is like washing the dirt from your body (sin) - 1 Peter 3:21

God Speaks - while we puzzle over what, where, and how, we can see that God is communicating to the world.

Public baptism to me saves us from bad conscience because shows others around us and keeps us better accountable for ourselves.

Even though we are saved, sin can still come into our lives.

God triumphs - Chirst victoriously preached, indicating his power, control, and transcendence over all creation.

God Saves - God exerts himself to rescue those who desire him.

This mysterious passage tells us at least this much - and that is much indeed.

While I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write this epistle, humanly speaking I wish he had followed that principle.

Our text is Peter’s illustration to explain the point made in the verses just above, namely, that we are called to bear witness in a hostile world, but we can trust God to vindicate us.

Peter uses Christ as the main example, showing that His unjust suffering resulted in witness and that He was vindicated through His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God.

Noah was another example of a man who bore witness to a hostile world and was vindicated by God who delivered him and his family through the flood.

Thus Peter’s readers should be willing to bear witness through baptism, even if it meant persecution, knowing that God will vindicate them.

While Peter’s overall point is clear, the details are incredibly complex.

Most commentators acknowledge that these are some of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to interpret.

Even Martin Luther says that this is perhaps the most obscure passage in the New Testament and admits that he does not know for certain just what Peter means (Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and Jude [Kregel], p. 168).

Simon Kistemaker points out that the meaning of each word in verse 19 varies and he cites D. Edmond Hiebert who says, “Each of the nine words in the original has been differently understood” (New Testament Commentary: Peter and Jude [Baker], p. 141).

So while the overall point is clear, we cannot be certain on the details.

The main point is: