Understanding the Death and Triumph of Christ
1 Peter 3:18-22
Introduction
In Mel Gibson’s Movie, “The Passion of Christ” there is an obscure detail in the crucifixion scene that probably goes unnoticed by most people, but it is a detail that says so much.
When Jesus is being placed on the cross, the camera comes close to watch as a large spike is positioned in the middle of Jesus’ hand. Then, a mallet comes into focus, and a rugged hand swings it to drive the spike. Those are all things you expect to see.
But there is something you don’t see. You never see the face of the one who drives that nail. You never get a glimpse into the eyes, or heart of the one who so assuredly pounds away until the spike has passed through Jesus’ flesh and comes to rest in the wood of the cross.
You might be interested to know that the person who plays that role in the movie is the director himself, Mel Gibson. But why does he never show the face of the one who put Jesus on the cross? Why does he not give us the identity of the one who had the gall to put the Son of God to death?
He didn’t show us that face because that face was his. It was ours. We are the ones who put Jesus to death. It wasn’t the Romans. It wasn’t the Jews. It was our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. “
This is a great passage on the salvation brought about by the death of Jesus Christ. It is also an interesting passage in that it gives us some glimpse into what Jesus Christ was doing while he was dead, that is, between His crucifixion and resurrection. Today the apostle Peter is going to teach us several things about the death of Christ and the triumph or victory of Christ.
Read Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:18-22
I. We must understand the Death of Christ
Vs. 18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit”
This is a verse that explains exactly what Jesus did when He died. In the clearest of terms it tells us why Jesus died and what the death of Jesus does for us. In fact, this verse explains the death of Jesus so clearly that it leaves everyone who hears this verse without an excuse if we fail to understand why Jesus died.
A. Jesus died once for sins. It was for the sins every human being that He died. We are sinful; we are guilty before God—we are guilty of disbelieving God. Just think how often we don’t believe God, how often we don’t take God and His Word seriously. When we are under the control of the sinful nature we continue disobeying God, cursing God, blaspheming God and act in rebellion toward God.
This is sin—all of this and so much more. We have transgressed the law of God, and when the law has been broken, the penalty has to be paid. We must be judged. What is the judgment and punishment? Death. Sin must be punished, and when we die in our sins, we have to be separated from God forever.
Why? Because God is perfect and only perfect beings can live in God’s presence. This is the reason our sin dooms us to death and eternal separation from God in hell.
However, this is the glorious gospel; this is the declaration of this great verse: Jesus Christ died for our sins. He took the sin and guilt of imperfect man upon Himself and bore the judgment and punishment for man.
The point is clear: Jesus Christ offered Himself for sin; He was the fulfillment of the sin-offering in the Old Testament itself. This is mind blowing: we can now become acceptable to God. We no longer have to stand before God guilty of sin, because Jesus Christ has died for our sin. If we trust His death to cover us, then sin and its guilt have been removed from us. In Christ we stand acceptable to God.
Before we move on from here we need to understand that what the verse clearly states, Jesus died once for our sins. His death never has to be repeated; His death upon the cross satisfies God completely and covers the sins and death of men forever.
II. We must understand the Triumph of Christ
Vs. 18-22 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”
The triumph is seen in a number of glorious facts that are found in the passage.
A. Jesus was made alive, raised from the dead. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Most translators say that the words "the spirit" refer to Jesus’ spirit and not to the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was put to death in the flesh, but He was quickened and made alive in the spirit. In either case the meaning is pretty much the same: right after Jesus Christ died in the flesh, His spirit passed into a new life, a life that could not be tempted to sin nor undergo trials and sufferings. Jesus Christ was transferred into heaven, into the spiritual and perfect world or dimension where He lives, in the glory and majesty of God forever.
The same quickening is experienced by every believer. The spirit of every true believer is quickened and made alive in Christ, made alive by God. And in that glorious day when it is time for the true believer to depart this world and go on to live with God, God will transfer the believer’s spirit into heaven. Immediately—quicker than the eye can blink—the believer’s spirit will be transferred into heaven, into the perfect and eternal world.
The believer’s spirit will be perfected forever; we will never again be subject to the trials and temptations of this corruptible world. The believer’s spirit will be perfected to live in the glory and majesty of God forever.
B. Jesus victoriously proclaimed His triumph. He proclaimed the victory of His death and resurrection to the “spirits in prison and to the disobedient of Noah’s day.”
What does this mean? It means that right after Christ died, between the cross and His resurrection, He went before the spirits in prison and proclaimed that God’s promise of salvation was fulfilled in Him, the Savior of the world.
But who are the spirits to whom He preached? Scripture says that they were the disobedient who were living on earth while Noah was preparing the Ark, the disobedient toward whom God was longsuffering, and the disobedient who were not saved during the flood.
Christ went before the spirits of the disobedient in the prison of hell and He proclaimed that God’s salvation had been completed. He Himself was the Savior and Messiah of the world, the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation. Noah’s faith (and the faith of all believers) was now fulfilled. Noah and the other seven members of His family were truly saved.
C. Jesus saves the Believer. Is the apostle Peter saying that baptism now saves us. He is not saying that the water or act of baptism saves us. Peter is clear about this, as clear as it can be stated. It is not the cleansing of the flesh, not the outward form and ceremony that cleanses and saves. We may cleanse the outside, but much more is needed in order to be saved. It is the cleansing of a good conscience brought about by the power of the resurrection that saves a person.
The scripture says “that our consciences are cleansed by the resurrection of Christ.” How does the resurrection cleanse our consciences? If God raised up Christ from the dead then it means that Christ is who He claimed to be: the Savior of the world. Therefore, He is able to save us from our sins. He is able to cleanse us from all sin and to free our consciences. He is able to give us a clear and pure conscience.
D. Jesus entered into heaven. Verse 22 clearly states for us the victory and triumph of Jesus. “He has gone into heaven and is seated at God’s right hand.” He is given all authority in heaven and on the earth.
Conclusion
The thing that I love about the way this passage ends, it ends with Jesus seated in triumph in heaven, and every time I read I am reminded of John 14:1-6 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We read these so often at funeral services, however it is good for us to remember that promise in our every day lives. It just seems to make life a little more bearable.
Maybe today you need to hear the encouragement of the triumphant Christ, because it just seems like things are just piling up against you, and you may want to come to the altar and just praise Him for who He is, and ask Him to strengthen you to keep fighting and living each day.
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