I Peter 1:10-12

The Marvel of God's Grace

Scripture reading –

Pray

Intro

√ Last week we looked at Grace under Fire!

Peter calling Christians to put their knowledge of God's Grace into practice!

It's one thing to understand the theological implications of God's Grace…

…quite another to experience it - especially during difficult times - trials which tempt the believer to lose hope or even believe that he/she had fallen from God's Grace.

√ God's Grace in our lives gives us confidence to go through trials because we know…

Trials have a limit

Trials have a purpose

Trials have an end

Therefore, we are able to rejoice in the midst of trials because of His Grace in our lives.

√ This morning we find in our study that Peter the Gospel of Grace which he preached was

Foretold by God by the words of the prophets

Marveled at by both prophets and angels!

Ap. Reminding us of the unfathomable riches of His Grace!

Grace foretold (vs. 10-11)

IPeter. 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

IPeter. 1:11 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.

√ Grace foretold

Note vs. 10 & 11

"who prophesied of the grace that would come to you"

And…

"He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow"

Interesting! Peter reminds us that the whole idea of God's Grace extended to sinners was not a new idea at all.

Rather, God had foretold the coming of this New Covenant based upon Grace, not Law, by the mouth of the Old Testament prophets as recorded in the O.T.

Beginning with Man's sin in the Garden all the way through the last of the Old Testament prophets…

…God spoke of a new work which He would accomplish through the suffering of the Messiah to atone for Man's sins.

For example…

Ex. Promise for provision for sin made in the Garden

Gen. 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.

Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

Ex. The means by which Messiah would atone for our sin

Isa. 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

Isa. 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Isa. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

And on the list of Old Testament prophets goes (Psalm 22, 69 & 118; Jonah; Hosea; Daniel & Zechariah.)

In fact, the Gospel that Peter, Paul and the other apostles preached was right out of the Old Testament!

Ap. Couple of points for us today.

1) We need to be familiar with the Old Testament!

There's treasure there for those who dig. More importantly, I believe it's impossible to really understand the work of Christ without at least a foundational understanding of the Old Testament, the Law, and the Prophets.

Ex. New Tribes Mission

Whenever they begin a work in an area that has never heard the Gospel…

…they begin with Genesis and work through the Creation, Fall, and promise of Messiah before they ever present the Gospel!

The reason - knowing what Man has done to bring about the wrath of God prepares the heart and mind of the hearer for God's provision for that sin!

A person that doesn't recognize that they're a sinner, under God's judgement, has no understanding of their need for a savior.

Ex. USA today

Well over 85% of the population believe they're going to heaven when they die because they believe themselves to be "good" people.

2) Reminds us that God has always loved us!

Therefore, He put in place the means by which we could saved all the way back in the Garden!

We find hints of the Gospel of Grace like a silver thread running through all of the Old Testament.

Ap. God demonstrates His love for us!

While God could have given up on Mankind He didn’t. He promised to make a way for us to be restored to a loving relationship with Him.

More than that, He didn't just talk about it…

…He did it by sending His Son - the promised Messiah to suffer for our sins.

That's the Grace that the prophets predicted.

√ The mystery of Grace

Note vs. 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."

This is really interesting!

While the prophets wrote of God's Grace by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they also did not fully understand all that God revealed to them.

As Daniel put it so well…

"Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” Dan. 12:8

Specifically, Peter mentions that the prophets of the Old Testament searched out the how and when of Messiah's coming.

The prophets found it difficult to reconcile the suffering and the glory of Messiah which God had revealed to them.

How could both be true!

What the prophets did not understand was that the Messiah would come to earth twice…

Once to suffer - to redeem Mankind

Once for glory - to redeem & rule the Earth

Ap. Very important truth revealed concerning prophecy

We don't have all the pieces! While God has made His plans for Mankind clear…

…the how and when isn't always so easy to understand.

Ex. That's why even Jesus told us not to set the day and hour of His return!

So, we're called like the prophets of old to invest our time searching out the understanding of God's prophetic word…

…and at the same time extend love and grace toward other Christians who might have a different view on it.

Ex. Pre, post, mid & pan Tribulational view

Christ - the Holy Spirit!? (vs. 11)

√ The Spirit of Christ

Note vs. 11 once more

IPeter. 1:11 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.

That is, Peter declares that it was the Spirit of Christ Who inspired the prophets to write what they did.

However, in other places we find that it is the Holy Spirit Who is given credit for inspiring the prophets.

For example, quoting from Psalm 110:1 Jesus said…

Mark 12:36 “For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’

Confusion?

No - rather it's one more revelation that God is manifest in 3 Persons!

The Holy Spirit's primary ministry is working in and through God's people - one way being prophetic utterance.

Yet, it is not wrong to attribute the same ministry to the Spirit of Christ as God is One Being.

√ The Spirit of prophecy

One more point regarding prophecy; God's Word should always be understood in the light of the Person of Jesus Christ.

Ex. Hermeneutics - the correct exegesis of scripture.

John Courson - " Him-meneutics" because it's all about Him!

Rev. 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

And…

Heb. 10:7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God.’”

And…

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Ap. In your personal study of the Scripture always put Jesus in the middle of your interpretation. That is, interpret the meaning of the verse in light of His character.

√ Suffering followed by glory

Those to whom Peter wrote would find encouragement in the example of Jesus who after He suffered was glorified.

Ap. Keep your eyes on the finish line where Jesus waits for you - He's promised to share His glory with those who finish the race He's given them to run.

Grace, Amazing! (vs. 12)

IPeter. 1:12 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.

√ The awe and wonder of Grace

We sing "Amazing Grace" and understand it from the perspective of the redeemed sinner. Yet, Peter tells us here that angels too are awe struck by God's Grace!

There's an interesting picture given us in the Old Testament concerning God's dealing with His people, which Peter may have had in mind when he penned this verse.

Ex. The Arc of the Covenant

The Arc contained the 10 Commandments - the basis for the covenant, which God had entered into with Israel.

Break a commandment and die!

Yet, we find that a top the Arc was the Mercy Seat - literally the throne of God.

On top of the Mercy seat were two angelic beings facing one another with their wings touching and their faces lowered toward the Mercy Seat.

The picture - the angelic host marveling at God's love for His people. As they peer from heaven at the Law of God they must first look "through" the Mercy of God!

Always amazed at the mercy and grace with which God deals with His people.

That He loves us in spite of our sin.

That He went to the Cross to redeem us.

Remember that the angels who sinned against God did not receive mercy or grace!

Close

√ What a marvel God's Grace is…

Spoken of by the prophets and now experienced by us!

Ap. Never let the amazing wonder of His Grace become common.