1 Peter 1:10-16
Lord’s Day, April 26, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
Below is only a skeleton outline of main points, Scriptures and quotations of the message presented via Facebook Live on April 26, 2020.
(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)
In 1:3-9, we were reminded that by God’s mercy followers of Jesus:
• Have been born into a living hope (v. 3)
• Have been born into an eternal inheritance (v. 4).
• Have the assurance that as we practice ongoing faith our salvation is receiving His protective power (v. 5).
• Have opportunity for our faith to grow and develop through all kinds of necessary difficulties (vv. 6-7).
• Can love and trust our unseen Savior (v.8)
• Are already beginning to experience what we’re aiming for—salvation of our total person (v. 9)
• Our salvation is an amazing, beautiful reality that the prophets of old hungered to know more about:
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (ESV)
The Old Testament Prophets and heavens angels would have given an arm and a wing to know what we know about salvation through Jesus Christ (vv. 10-12).
• Grace is very much a theme throughout 1 Peter. In fact in 5:10, God is referred to as “the God of all grace.”
• GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
• The prophets wanted to know more about our salvation by God’s grace through faith in Christ than the Holy Spirit was revealing to them when they prophesied.
• Luke 10:23-24: “Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (NIV84)
• 2 Peter 1:21: For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (NIV84)
• You can read throughout the OT and find the prophets predicting Christ’s suffering:
• Psalm 22 is one prime example.
• Isaiah 53:3-9: 3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave. (NLT)
• Luke 24: 25-27: 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (NIV84)
• Peter repeatedly reminds suffering Christians of yesterday and today of the sufferings of our Lord, Christ Jesus. Example:
• 1 Peter 2:21-25: 21 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. 22 Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. 23 Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you. (GW)
• “…long to look into these things.” = “to stoop over to look”; “Implies a willingness to exert or inconvenience oneself to obtain a better perspective…a continuous regard rather than a quick look.” (Edwin Blum, p. 1044)
• Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (NIV84)
• “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10, NIV84).
• Angels learn about salvation from the church for whom they serve!
• Ephesians 3:10-11: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV84).
• The Message Translation: …this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
• “If the OT prophets searched so diligently into the truths of salvation, and yet had so little to go on, how much more ought we to search into this subject, now that we have a complete Word from God!” (Be Hopeful, p. 29).
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)
With the receiving of God’s mercy unto salvation, comes the believer’s responsibility of constant mindfulness of our King’s return and intentional holy living (vv. 13-16).
• The Christian’s hope is to be ready (v. 13)
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, = “gird your minds for action”
…and being sober-minded,… “Be self-controlled”
• 1 Peter 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (ESV)
• 1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (NIV84)
…set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
• Hebrews 9:28: …so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (NIV84).
• Mindfulness of Jesus’s return must be accompanied with holiness until His return.
• The Christian’s hope is to be holy (vv. 14-16).
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,… (ESV)
• 1 Peter 4:3: You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods (GW)
• Ephesians 4:17-18: 17 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness (GW)
• Galatians 4:8-9: 8 When you didn’t know God, you were slaves to things which are really not gods at all. 9 But now you know God, or rather, God knows you. So how can you turn back again to the powerless and bankrupt principles of this world? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? (GW)
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)
• Holy” = set apart for God’s purposes. It also means to have purity and moral integrity.
• “It is good to know the Word of God, but this should help us better know the God of the Word.” --Warren Wiersbe, Be Hopeful
• Romans 12:2: 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)
• 2 Peter 1:3-5: 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (NLT)
• “The amount of loafing practiced by the average Christina in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle puttering around that we see in church circles would end the career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problems if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nations whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the first enemy that attacked it. Triumphs are not won by men in easy chairs. Success is costly. –A.W. Tozer, Tozer on Christian Leadership: A 366-Day Devotional compiled by Ron Eggert, Oct. 18
Before we receive the sacrament of communion, let’s first pause and ask God a couple of questions:
• What would Jesus have me obey or put into practice from God’s Word shared this morning?
• With whom would God have me share these Scriptures and His story?
• Take one minute of silence before Him to listen for His answers.