Sermon Tone Analysis

*Title:   The Greatness of the Gospel \\ Text:   1 Peter 1:8-14 *

    Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: [9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

[10] Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: [11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

[12] Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

[13] Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

*THEME:        The Gospel*

*Prop.:

We must understand the greatness of the Gospel*

*Inter.:

What is the greatness of the Gospel!!*

  \\ *INTRODUCTION* \\ Background to passage: *Peter is seeking to deepen the readers’ appreciation for the salvation that they now possess.*

We tend to become complacent, dull, unimpressed, satisfied about salvation over time.

We lose enthusiasm for what God has done, and therefore display the glories of it in a fashion that is unimpressive to others.

So, Peter is reminding the readers in their persecution about the greatness of the gospel.

Peter is going to show these readers and us that there is much more to salvation than we understand.

*I           The Description of Salvation*

*A         The Relationship*

*1          The Difficulty*

*a          Haven’t Seen Him*

*b          Don’t See Him*

*2          The Demand*

*a          Love*

*b          Believe*

*3          The Delight*

*a          Inexpressible joy*

*b          Immeasurable glory*

*Wait just a minute!

I am struggling in the midst of hurt, pain, and sorrow.

There isn’t much rejoicing.

What are you talking about – inexpressible joy and immeasurable glory?

Maybe in the future, but not right now!  Watch this passage closely.

Peter is wanting these readers to have a spiritual reality check.

He is calling their attention, and ours, to the reality of salvation.

IT is not just a future thing, it is a present thing.

It is not just something that we will receive, and it is not just something that we have received.

It is something that we are receiving!!*

*B         The Reality*

*1 Peter 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

*

*1          The object of our faith is being given to us!!*

*2          The objective of our salvation is being carried out!!*

*II         The Distinction of our Salvation \\ * \\ *1          The Prophets Studied It (v.

10) *

[10] Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: [11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

\\ Peter is referring to OT prophets.

After having written their prophecies, they began to diligently pour over them to gain further insight and deeper knowledge about the specifics of their fulfillments.

*a          The research *

*Two different words are used here to describe their search.

The first is a general search.

**exereunao,* /ex-er-yoo-nah'-o/; from Greek 1537 (ek) and Greek 2045 (ereunao); to /explore/ (figurative) :- search diligently.*

It is like walking through a building and surveying what is in it.

The next word is ekzeteo,* /ek-zay-teh'-o/; from Greek 1537 (ek) and Greek 2212 (zeteo); to /search out/, i.e. (figurative) /investigate, crave, demand/, (by Hebrew) /worship/ :- en- (re-) quire, seek after (carefully, diligently).

It is like a crime scene investigation.

It is going back and combing through all the details.

Look for every trace of evidence.

*            *            *b          The record*

*“Suffering and glory.”

This made no sense to them, but it was clear that the coming Messiah would suffer to bring about glory!!*

*This was true for Christ in providing salvation, and it is true for us as the product of salvation.*

*                        c          The recipients*

[12] Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things,

They knew that their prophecies concerned the future believers and members of the kingdom.

They wanted to know who the Messiah would be, and when He would come.

They wanted to know how He would bring the Gentiles to salvation.

About the New Covenant.

Out of all the things that the OT prophets had to go over (oracles of judgment, visions and dreams of God, histories of God work, etc), they desired most to know about salvation that God would provide through the Messiah by grace.

Jesus and the cross, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the centerpiece of all history.

\\ Matthew 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Illustration: “the spiritual blessing they (Peter’s readers) have now are greater than anything envisioned by the OT prophets or angels.”

–Wayne Grudem, “However much these readers may be suffering, they stand in a position that even the greatest of the ancient prophets did not have.”

\\ *We should live like the prophets did understanding that salvation through Jesus is the greatest thing ever.

It brings God the most glory, because God saw fit to send His Spotless Son to die in the place of undeserving sinners and redeem them in love.

To change their nature, give them a promised inheritance with God.

To give the abundant life, joy in Him, peace that surpassed understanding, and eternal life with Him simply because of His grace and love.

*Even though they were suffering, they stood in a much greater place than the OT prophets because of their intimate knowledge of God’s salvation.

Has salvation become just salvation?

*2          The Spirit of Christ Inspired It (v.

11)*

This is an interesting choice of words by the apostle.

Only one other time in the bible is “Spirit of Christ” used, Rom 8:9.

The Greek requires that the Spirit of Christ is the one who is doing the indicating and predicting.

We see three things in this verse: 1) that Christ (Gr.

for “anointed one”) is equal with God, 2) that the Holy Spirit inspired the words of scripture, 3) the content and central theme in the scripture is Christ’s coming, suffering, and glorification.

It was the Spirit of Christ who laid out in scripture the reality of what was to happen to Him.

John 12:23  And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

2 Peter 1:19-21 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

This is the one great truth that the Spirit of Christ wanted to emphasize—the gospel.

From these truths we can take Scripture’s divine inspiration indicating trustworthiness, authority, inerrancy, infallibility, and indispensability.

It is so crucial that we can trust, believe, based our life upon the bible.

\\ *3          The Apostles Preached It (v.

12b)*

“which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;”

Peter next speaks of those who preached the gospel to the readers of this letter revealing the truth that the Spirit of Christ revealed to the OT prophets in less detail.

He even states that the Holy Spirit empowers the proclamation of the gospel.

And this proclamation deals with the essential truths about faith and repentance toward Jesus as God’s only way to salvation.

\\ \\

1 Cor.

1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Col. 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

*Illustration:* Statistics tell us that about 95% of Christians will never lead another person to faith in Christ.