Series: 1 Peter
Sermon: “Salvation – Part 2”
1 Peter 1:1-12
A sermon for September 22, 2024
Pastor John Bright
1 Peter 1 “1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”
When I start teaching a new book in Bible Study, I like to ask the “newspaper questions” – Who? What? When? Where? Why?
What is 1 Peter? “Unlike the writings of the apostle Paul, whose letters were addressed to specific individuals or audiences (Timothy, Titus, Philemon, or the saints in Rome, Corinth, et al.), by and large, the general epistles, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude, make no mention of specific audiences. James addressed his letter to “the twelve tribes” and Peter opened his first epistle to “the exiles in the dispersion,” while John made no mention of a recipient in his first letter. Just as the name implies, the general epistles were written to a general audience.” https://www.gotquestions.org/general-epistles.html
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Last week, we focused on what God gives to us that makes the gift of salvation available to each and every human being: abundant mercy though the work of each person of the Trinity, the gift of faith that comes to us and continues to grow through adversity, and our response of repentance. This week, I want to explore the benefits TO US when God works salvation IN US.
The Work of Salvation
Peter is going to bring us back to the importance of salvation over and over. In this first reading we see several mentions:
v. 2 “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”
v. 3 “begotten us again to a living hope”
v. 4-5 “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation”
v. 9-10 “9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully”
From the beginning, Peter offers salvation as a future hope – we will be with God in heaven: Rev. 7:9-10 “9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Heaven will be our home until we are in the New Jerusalem: Rev. 21:1-2 “1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
We are also offered a present hope. God’s Word speaks of this in many ways and we will see some of them as we work through this letter. Let me share a couple of other places our present hope is described:
• Colossians 1:26-27 “26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The glory of God is shared with us because it is by God’s own power that He does a work in us. God is working in us. Christ is present with us. We have received the promised Holy Spirit to dwell in our physical bodies. All of this happens when we are saved.
• Romans 5:1-5 “1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” God never promises that we only have rainbows and puppies. The same junk that comes into the lives of every human will affect each of us – broken family relationships, prodigal children, sickness and, yes, even death. The difference between us and them is that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Look at that phrase – past tense – “has been poured.” God has already blessed you with this wonderful gift. Do you feel it?
THE # 1 BENEFIT OF SALVATION IS FREEDOM I have been involved with different forms of Deliverance Ministry for over 20 years. As I have mentioned before, this was in response to my own deliverance that came after I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Every kind of deliverance ministry follows the directions of James 4:7-8 “7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” The goal of these ministries is for Believers to walk in radical freedom that the world can’t understand. I am talking about freedom from anxiety, fears, addictions, anger/bitterness, and the bondage of unforgiveness. Btw – are we clear that unforgiveness is a sin? Are we ready to accept the command of Christ to forgive like God has forgiven each of us?
The tool that I use in deliverance ministry now is “The Steps to Freedom in Christ” by Dr. Neil T. Anderson. One of the steps is all about forgiveness. Another is “Bondage vs. Freedom.” Each step begins with a prayer and then leads the participant through process of renouncing the lies they have believed and announcing the truth of God’s Word. Try out this prayer : “Father, You have told us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust (Romans 13:14). I acknowledge that I have given in to fleshly lusts which wage war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11). I thank You that in Christ my sins are forgiven, but I have transgressed Your holy law and given the enemy an opportunity to wage war in my physical body (Romans 6:12,13); Ephesians 4:27; James 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8). I come before Your presence to acknowledge these sins and to seek Your cleansing (1 John 1:9), that I may be freed from the bondage of sin. I now ask You to reveal to my mind the ways that I have transgressed Your moral law and grieved the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray, amen.
The steps DO NOT set you free! Christ always intended for us to be free! For 2,000 years, it has been the same struggle for Believers – walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh. How can you tell? You have look for the fruit: Gal. 5:19-25 “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Did you notice the “big but” in there? These two lists could not be more different! Living a life in Christ that includes the freedom every day to experience God’s abundant mercy, God’s love, God’s peace and God’s joy is possible for all who “walk in the Spirit.” It’s a radical freedom. One devotion that I have read for many years is “Daily in Christ” by Neil & Joanne Anderson. Here’s the devotion for September 28: WINNING THE BATTLE - 1 Corinthians 15:57 – “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here's a wonderful example of what can happen to a Christian when the strongholds of the mind are overthrown by God's truth.
Jeannie is a beautiful and talented woman in her mid-twenties. As an active Christian for 13 years, she sings in a professional singing group, writes music, leads worship at her church, and oversees a discipleship group.
Jeannie recently attended one of my conferences. As I saw her smiling at me from her seat at the conference, what I didn't know was that she was bulimic, having been in bondage to the strongholds of food and fear for 11 years. When she was home alone she would be captivated by Satan's lies about food, her appearance, and her self-worth for hours at a time. She had submitted to counseling without success. All the while she believed that the thoughts prompting her to induce vomiting were her own based on a traumatic experience from her childhood.
When I was talking during the conference about destroying strongholds, I happened to be looking at Jeannie--quite unintentionally--when I said, "Every person I know with an eating disorder has been the victim of a stronghold based on the lies of Satan."
"You have no idea how that statement impacted my life," she told me the next morning. "I have been battling myself all these years, and I suddenly understood that my enemy was not me but Satan. That was the most profound truth I have ever heard. It was like I had been blind for 11 years and could suddenly see. I cried all the way home. When the old thoughts came back last night, I simply rejected them for the truth. For the first night in years I was able to go to sleep without vomiting. The truth has set me free."
If you think Jeannie's experience of finding freedom in Christ is unique, you're wrong. Winning the battle for the mind is possible for everyone who is in Christ.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ today. I choose to think upon that which is true.”
Prophecy and Angels v. 10-12
Peter concludes this opening section by telling them and us that it was the prophets who knew of the promise of salvation that they would never see and never experience. About one third of God’s Word is made up of prophetic books. While some disagree on the total – a good number of Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament is around 330. These prophecies were given to those men called by God to record His Word to the Israelites. They were given hundreds of years before the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were all fulfilled! Every last one has come to pass.
Peter also mentions “things which angels desire to look into.” Not enough time or space here (extra handout). “Believers in Jesus Christ understand what it is like to be dead in sin and alienated from God (Ephesians 2:1–3). They also understand the overwhelming grace and mercy shown in Christ dying the death they deserve (Ephesians 2:13). They are adopted into the family of God, and their relationship with God is redeemed (Romans 8:14–17). Angels, on the other hand, do not know the sweetness of redemption. They have no experiential knowledge of grace and salvation. Angels in heaven have not been separated from God, nor have they personally known reconciliation or the depth of intimacy that follows. It is a foreign concept that piques their curiosity.” https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-long-to-look-into-these-things.html
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Tell someone the story of your salvation.
• There are many ways to be in bondage as a Believer, but the same freedom is offered to each of us. Are there areas of bondage in your life? Are you walking in the flesh more than in the spirit? It can be a tough thing to admit but it leads us to repentance, a precious gift from God.
• Pray the scripture for September 29 – 1 Peter 1:13-16 “Called to Holiness”
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Teaching Sheet
September 22, 2024
Sermon Series: 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:1-12
“Salvation – Part Two”
What is 1 Peter? “Unlike the writings of the apostle Paul, whose letters were addressed to specific individuals or audiences, by and large, the general epistles, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude, make no mention of specific audiences. Just as the name implies, the general epistles were written to a general audience.” https://www.gotquestions.org/general-epistles.html
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The Work of Salvation
Peter is going to bring us back to the importance of salvation over and over. In this first reading we see several mentions: v. 2, 3, 4-5, 9-10
From the beginning, Peter offers salvation as a future hope – we will be with God in heaven: Rev. 7:9-10
We are also offered a present hope. God’s Word speaks of this in many ways and we will see some of them as we work through this letter. Let me share a couple of other places our present hope is described: Colossians 1:26-27 & Romans 5:1-5 God never promises that we only have rainbows and puppies. The same junk that comes into the lives of every human will affect each of us – broken family relationships, prodigal children, sickness and, yes, even death. The difference between us and them is that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Look at that phrase – past tense – “has been poured.” God has already blessed you with this wonderful gift. Do you feel it?
THE # 1 BENEFIT OF SALVATION IS FREEDOM
James 4:7-8 “7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” The goal of every deliverance ministry is for Believers to walk in radical freedom that the world can’t understand. I am talking about freedom from anxiety, fears, addictions, anger/bitterness, and the bondage of unforgiveness. Btw – are we clear that unforgiveness is a sin? Are we ready to accept the command of Christ to forgive like God has forgiven each of us?
The tool that I use in deliverance ministry now is “The Steps to Freedom in Christ” by Dr. Neil T. Anderson. Try out this prayer : “Father, You have told us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust (Romans 13:14). I acknowledge that I have given in to fleshly lusts which wage war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11). I thank You that in Christ my sins are forgiven, but I have transgressed Your holy law and given the enemy an opportunity to wage war in my physical body (Romans 6:12,13); Ephesians 4:27; James 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8). I come before Your presence to acknowledge these sins and to seek Your cleansing (1 John 1:9), that I may be freed from the bondage of sin. I now ask You to reveal to my mind the ways that I have transgressed Your moral law and grieved the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray, amen.”
How can you tell if you are in freedom? You have look for the fruit: Gal. 5:19-25
“Daily in Christ” by Neil & Joanne Anderson. Here’s the devotion for September 28: WINNING THE BATTLE - 1 Corinthians 15:57 – “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/dailyinchrist/
Prophecy and Angels v. 10-12
There are around 330 of Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. They were all fulfilled! Peter also mentions “things which angels desire to look into.” Not enough time or space here (extra handout).
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Tell someone the story of your salvation.
• There are many ways to be in bondage as a Believer, but the same freedom is offered to each of us. Are there areas of bondage in your life? Are you walking in the flesh more than in the spirit? It can be a tough thing to admit but it leads us to repentance, a precious gift from God.
• Pray the scripture for September 29 – 1 Peter 1:13 -16 “Called to Holiness”
