What’s So Great About God?-6 Series

WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD?-VI—1Peter 1:3-12

Attention:

Well-Done Please!

The city slicker had always dreamed of owning his own cattle ranch.

He finally made enough money to buy himself the spread of his dreams in Wyoming. So he moves his wife & 4 kids to Wyoming to their new ranch.

His best friend eventually flies out to visit.

”So, what did you name the ranch?" his friend asks.

"We had quite a time," admitted the new cowboy.

“We couldn't agree on anything. So we finally settled on the ‘Double R Lazy L Triple Horseshoe Bar-7 Lucky Diamond Ranch.’ ”

“Wow! that’s a great name!” says his friend. But looking around he saw no cattle.

"So... where are all the cows?"

"None of 'em survived the branding."

What’s so great about that name?...Not much if its misused! In fact it can work against you!

We can very easily misuse knowledge to our own misguided ends.

We can sometimes miss the power of God preferring rather to enjoy the social aspects of ‘our church’—‘enjoying’ the church but not enjoying God. And when confronted with our fears in such situations, we come to a standstill, not realizing ‘What’s So Great About God!’

Peter recalled basic justifications for glorifying God.

Blood-bought believers are justified in their glorifying/pointing to God.

Why are believers justified in glorifying/blessing/pointing to God?

Why is God considered Worthy?

13 governors for blessing God.

WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD?

Previously, we found that,

God is Great because He offers...

1. GOD(:3a)

2. His MEANS OF SALVATION(:3a)

3. MERCY(:3b)

4. REGENERATION(:3b)

5. VIBRANT HOPE(:3b-c)

6. STANDING INHERITANCE(:4-5)

7. INTERNAL JOY(:6)

8. GENUINE FAITH(:7)

9. LOVE(:8)

10. HOPE(:8b-9)

11. INTENTION(:9)

12—God is Great because He offers...

A STANDING WITNESS(:10-11)

Explanation:(:10-11)Written Witness/Record

:10—“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired & searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,”

Regarding the “salvation” of our very souls(:9), i.e. the “salvation” of present/currently living souls, “the prophets” themselves saw fit to diligently seek out God’s revelation in relation to their then future(present/current) “salvation.”

All of “the prophets”(the Lord’s spokesman) declared, whether as a major or minor part of their ministry, the coming of days of “grace” above that of law, which would arrive in the New Covenant initiated in Christ.

Jer. 31:31-34—“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel & with the house of Judah--not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, & write it on their hearts; & I will be their God, & they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, & every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, & their sin I will remember no more.”

Jesus’ blood sealed that covenant:

Mat. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:24; Lk. 22:20; 1Cor. 11:23-25—Mat. 26:26-28—“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed & broke it, & gave it to the disciples & said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, & gave thanks, & gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Mk. 14:24—“And He said to them, This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.” Lk. 22:20—“Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” 1Cor. 11:23-25—“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; & when He had given thanks, He broke it & said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Gal. 3:22-26—“But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith[its fullness] which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”