The Wonder of Our Salvation

The Wonder of Our Salvation

1Peter 1: 1-5 (Intro); 8-12

Intro:

Our salvation is a remarkable thing. Many in today’s Christianity believe that salvation is just something that you receive at the moment you are saved and there is nothing else. Salvation is way more than that Salvation is a person “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Salvation is a plan, before man even fell God had everything set. Before the words’ “Let us make man in our own image” were ever spoken, God knew that He would have to send the one that was with him at creation, the One that was there when God breathed the breath of life into the very creature that would some 4000years later hang him on a tree. God knew and still knows what man is and yet he made a way for us to be justified in His sight. Salvation is also a promise. John 14 Christ makes a promise to His disciples, Let your hearts not be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me, In my father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself.” We have a promise from God that there is coming a brighter day a day that all sin will be put away and this old body will put on incorruption and I will see Him for I will be like him.

Salvation can be broken up into three “aspects”. The first can be considered our past salvation (our justification). Peter eludes to this in his opening remarks of his letter. (v2) The second aspect is considered our present salvation (Sanctification, becoming more and more like Christ) v5 eludes to this. “Who are kept…?” The last aspect is considered our future salvation (our glorification) verse 5 last phrase. “Ready to be reveled in the last time.” I believe this is what kept Peter going. Soon after Peter writing these two letters he would come to die a martyr’s death, being hung upside down on a cross. Peter had a hope of better things to come and he knew others of ages passed had a hope as well.

— Notice Peter’s focus on his readers

◦ “The grace that should come unto you” (10)

◦ “Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister” (12)

◦ “Things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you” (12)

◦ Peter wants his readers to think about the wonder of the hope-filled salvation they possess.

Main: There are three sets of individuals I would like to look at tonight and see the wonder that they had of the salvation that we now possess.

The wonder of our salvation is seen first in:

I) The Prophets’ Pursuit (10)

A) They were driven by the anticipation of things to come

◦ This is evident by their inquiry and searching. Neither one of these terms mean that they merely pondered wondered. Both of these terms in the Greek imply active effort in looking to find something. You could say they searched and when they could not find what they were looking for they searched again but searched diligently. Searched in the Greek comes from a primary root that implies to search for something hidden. Daniel 7:13-16. Our salvation was hidden to them, they could only tell of things to come, they did not know of the things to come. This is what drove them more.

B) They were driven by the they proclaimed

The prophets’ twofold message

– The Sufferings of the Christ

– The Glory that should follow

C) They were driven by the answers they were given

The prophets conducted two main investigations which is indicated in verse 11 who will the Messiah be? When will the Messiah come? Verse 12 indicates that they received partial answers to their investigations. They were driven like a detective that gets only half of the information to solve a crime. That detective sleeps and breathes the case. In other words he becomes in hot pursuit of more answers. These prophets did not have the salvation that me and you have today, yet they still wondered (in amazement) at the grace that was to come. Heb.11:39-40.

We have it and can barely get out of bed in the morning.

II) The Apostles Preaching (v12)

A) The matter of their preaching- The sufferings and the glories “The things now reported unto you” What things are these? The sufferings and the glories

B) The Motive of their preaching –the Gospel

They did not preach for worldwide fame

They did not preach for their next big meeting, they just preached so the gospel could be heard. They were doing exactly what Christ commanded, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.”

C) The Manner of their preaching –The Holy Ghost

The wonder of our salvation was evident in the apostles. They had power to preach the Gospel. This same power that they possed is the same power that we have. We must just realize it and utilize it.

Just as much electricity exists latent in the air on a serene, tranquil day as on a day of tempest when thunders roar and lightings flash. What, is the difference? It is not in the amount of electricity, but in the fact that in certain conditions of the atmosphere the electricity flashes into visibility, the latent fire bursts forth into flame. Similarly the Holy Spirit is as truly present in the Church today as in seasons of remarkable revivals, now as in the days of Whitfield, Wesley, and Rowlands. What is wanted is-for the Spirit to make His presence felt, for the Divine electricity to flash forth into lightings. Pray for His manifestation; and then the weakest preacher among the tribes will be as the house of David, and the house of David as the angel of God.

They had the salvation and it meant so much to them that they had to tell others about it.

III) The Angels’ Perplexity

The manner in which they conduct this inquiry. They “desire to look into” them. Looking is a species or modification of seeing. It implies seeing, but it includes more. In seeing, the mind is often in a considerable degree passive; an object is brought before the eye, and it must be seen, although it may not be considered or attended to. In looking, the mind is not only active, but it puts forth all its powers with energy. The object is not brought to it, but it is sought for; and when it is found the eye is directed towards it, and kept fixed upon it, to the exclusion of other objects.

◦ Angels are curious about our salvation. They are perplexed because

A) The acceptance of an innocent person for the guilty, and His suffering from the hand of God.

The angels had always hitherto seen innocence and holiness attended with peace and felicity, and they had seen the apostate spirits laid under an irreversible sentence of condemnation. What astonishment, then, must it have given them, what new views of the boundless sovereignty and unsearchable wisdom of the Most High must it have opened to them, when they heard Him saying, “Deliver him from going down into the pit, I have found a ransom!” How often must they have been put to a stand, what to think of the severity and persecution, the contempt and opposition which Christ met with from those very sinners whom He came to save! But above all, how must they have been at a loss to comprehend His being exposed, not only to the contempt of man, but to the wrath of God! For “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, He hath put Him to grief.”

B) Their adoption through the imputed righteousness of Christ. The free justification of sinners

Must not this appear a new and extraordinary plan to the angels, who, by personal and perfect obedience, retain the favor of their Creator, and who had been hitherto strangers to the influence and intercession of a mediator? Who had seen no such thing take place when their brethren sinned (Heb_2:16). The holy angels will rather say, “Let us step aside and see this great sight.” They will then see that there is no way more proper for maintaining the dignity of the Divine Government; nay, that it is the only way by which those who have been sinners can be received into favor. They will see and confess that there is no circumstance whatever that tends more to level the pride of the sinner’s heart, and bring him to universal submission, and absolute subjection to the sovereignty of God.

C) The application of redemption

◦ The manner and means of translating sinners “from darkness to light,” and “from the power of Satan unto God.”

We have a wonderful salvation that we should rejoice over. Because the….

a. Prophets pursued it

b. Apostles preached it

c. Angels are perplexed by it