The Triumphant Christ

Introduction

➟ ➟ ➟ Proverbs 9.10 - the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The fear of the Lord.

The fear of God is uncomfortable for many of us. We prefer to see God in the positive and speak of His magnificent and transcending love.

And great it is, … but we need to understand the need to fear God.

➟ ➟ ➟ Deuteronomy 4.24 - God is a consuming fire.

➟ ➟ ➟ Psalm 7.11 - God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.

Ezekiel 8.18

➟ ➟ ➟ Isaiah 63.3-4;➟ ➟ ➟ 66.15-16

➟ ➟ ➟ 2 Thessalonians 1.8 - God will bring vengeance on the ungodly.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 1.18 - God moves against the godless. He will take out the unrighteous who practice unrighteousness and suppress the truth.

Old & New Testament is full of example after example:

Numbers 11.1-2 - God’s anger blazed as a consuming fire against rebellious Israelites.

Numbers 21.6 - poisonous snakes to kill disobedient.

Numbers 25.9 - killed 24 K in a plague.

2 Samuel 24.15 - killed 70 K as a result of David’s sin.

Revelation 20.15 - anyone whose name is not found in the book of life will be thrown in the the lake of fire.

Again, this is not the picture most Americans have about God today.

Today we have football players who acknowledge God for national championships and superbowl victories, as if God really cares about the Dallas Cowboys.

➟ ➟ ➟ Everywhere people look at God as a friend who loves us no matter what we do.

God blesses us and gives us what we want no matter how we live.

Fact of the matter, the truth behind it all, is that God is the enemy of every sinner.

➟ ➟ ➟ Matthew 10.28 - this passage should really get our attention.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 3.10 - no one is righteous.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 3.18 - how many truly fear God? Do we? How many generations in our country know almost nothing about God?

Afraid of everything but Him?

Can’t see the real danger ahead - eternal damnation?

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 3.23 - this is the truth. This is reality.

➟ ➟ ➟ We need to see God for who He really is so that we will better appreciate the power of passages like we read in our Scripture reading.

It’s just a tremendous text. We’ll talk about it today.

But before we do, I think it is very important that we understand three very important facts concerning God the Father.

And when we get this, we’ll see how Jesus triumphs over every one of these things so that you and I can experience victory.

Why Fear God?

➟ ➟ ➟ God is the lawgiver.

He has established moral law & requires absolute and flawless obedience. Problem is… no one keeps it. Here’s what that leads to:

➟ ➟ ➟ Galatians 3.10: for everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.

Cursed to what? Romans 6.23 - the wages of sin is death.

Sin devastates our relationship with God and makes us His enemy.

As sinful wrongdoers - we deserve death.

➟ ➟ ➟ God is the warden over hell, where sin is punished.

It’s a real place of suffering/sorrow/wretchedness.

Those who go there will be there for eternity. There will be no release.

➟ ➟ ➟ Revelation 20.10.

➟ ➟ ➟ God is the executioner - ➟ ➟ ➟ he brings the just judgment of body and soul — death. Revelation 20.14.

Sin, hell, death. That is why you fear God.

Now, to 1 Peter 3.18-22 … let’s see how Christ triumphed over all three of these things.

1 Peter 3.18a - Triumph over Sin

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.18a - Christ suffered for sins.

In light of what we have just covered, this is the greatest news ever told.

He endured what God required. Suffering on a level we can’t imagine.

When someone sins, someone has to die … that was Jesus … not His sins … but ours.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.18b - His suffering was once for all. Its effects go one in perpetual validity.

It was comprehensive. Its for any person. Doesn’t matter who it is. We all become one in Christ.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.18c - It was the righteous for the unrighteous.

Christ in His purity / holiness offered Himself for the impure and unholy.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.24 - God put our guilt upon him. Put him on a cross for the world to see. Poured out his wrath on Jesus.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2 Corinthians 5.21 - Paul affirms

➟ ➟ ➟ Hebrews 9.28

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.18d - He did this that he might bring you to God.

Before, alienated/separated from God by sin.

Bring you to God means a grantor of access.

Colossians 1.13 - a transferrence.

2 Corinthians 5.18-21 - a reconciliation.

bring you to God...

➟ ➟ ➟ See also Hebrews 2.10 - Jesus brought many sons and daughters to glory...

John 14.6 - you have to go through Jesus to get to the Father.

1 Peter 3.18e-20a - Triumph over Hell

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.18e - Jesus was put to death in the flesh. That happened on the cross. His body was buried in Joseph’s tomb.

What about His spirit? It was alive. What did he do?

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.19 - he went to a prison. Not as an inhabitant but as a visitor to see spirits.

Spirits here are not human. They’re demons.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.20 - who are the demons? Evidently those who were active in the days leading up to the flood.

➟ ➟ ➟ Jude 6 says they abandoned their proper dwelling and God keeps them in eternal chains in deep darkness as they await judgment.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.19 - he goes to the prison … and makes a proclamation. … a proclamation of victory.

➟ ➟ ➟ Colossians 2.14-15 - God triumphed over them in him.

Imagine the scene … Jesus comes into their place and declares victory. He is going to rescue untold numbers of faithful believers from ever having to experience the fire of hell.

3.20b-22 - Triumph over Death

Talking about demons incarcerated by God since the days of Noah reminds Peter about the 8 people carried safely through by water.

God was going to bring the world to an end. Do away with the creation He made. Remember, the thought of man was continually on evil.

Genesis 6.8 - But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Rest of Genesis 6-8 tells us how Noah/family got on a boat and were carried through the judgment to a new life in a brand new world.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.21 - this makes Peter think about baptism....the occasion for salvation.

Baptism is the moment when the Spirit casts off your old body of sin and brings you to life.

It is the ultimate expression of faith. it is the moment God has determined to save us. Can’t be saved without it.

➟ ➟ ➟ Notice … what’s driving us there? the pledge of a good conscience toward God.

Repentance.

In baptism we reject our old ways. We cry out to God to cast off our guilt.

We appeal to God for an inward cleansing.... and that is exactly what the Spirit does in baptism.

This is not a work. You can’t rescue yourself from sin.

This is the ultimate act of submission. It is our yielding to God. It is our profession of our dependence on Him, needing someone greater than ourselves to save us.

Baptism is when we access His blood and cover ourselves for protection from the judgment of God.

In this way Jesus is the ark of safety that leads to eternal life. He gets us safely through .. this life … and through death and judgment … all the way into the presence of the Father.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.22 - He reigns supreme. He triumphed over death.

He sits at the right hand of God - a place of power, prestige, and authority.

➟ ➟ ➟ Hebrews 1.3-6

➟ ➟ ➟ 1 Peter 3.22 - Note how Peter says angels, authorities, and powers are subject to him. This is what he proclaimed when he visited the prison in v.19-20.

➟ ➟ ➟ Ephesians 1.20-21 - it’s not even close. He reigns supreme.

Conclusion

This is the gospel. This is the message we take with us as we defend the truth.

➟ ➟ ➟ We go on the offensive. Proverbs 9.10: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

We share that knowledge with a world that needs Him now more than ever.

This is what brings us together.

Every person, regardless of race/background needs Jesus.

He alone can remove the burden of guilt/sorrow.

He alone can fill our hearts with hope.

That hope is not here. It’s nowhere to be found in this fallen world.

Our hope is in a new place - in the presence of God.

A place where sin and every ungodly thing has been destroyed.

A place where there will be no more crying, sorrow, or pain.

1 Peter 3.18 - Jesus triumphed over sin.

He paid the price in our place.

1 Peter 3.18b-20a - Jesus triumphed over hell and its inhabitants. They are powerless against Him. We have no more fear of it.

1 Peter 3.20b-22 - Jesus triumphed over death. He is reigning now. He is in control. He is advancing all things according to His purpose.

And think about it, …the immense love of God for going to the lengths He did to provide this for us. See, now we can understand the love of God in its proper context.

Now, we can pray along with Paul...

➟ ➟ ➟ Eph 3.17-21

➟ ➟ ➟ Do you need Him?