So Great Salvation
SO GREAT SALVATION
Text: I Pet. 1:3-12 Heb. 2:3 “so great salvation”
Intro: Apostle Peter has been described as the apostle to the Jews. Setting of Peter’s audience; probably an advanced stage of persecution under Emperor Nero. Sometimes life’s difficulties cause us to lose a Biblical perspective on life (priorities, exaggeration of small problems=snowball effect). May reach a point of despair of the fact that we are saved. The cost of being a Christian is too great (e.g. loss of friends).
Super Bowl Sunday = a level of excitement and joy will be attained by one team tonight. The quality/character of our joy is rather different as Christians. Joy that is ours through salvation is a joy that is available because of salvation. No human superlatives can adequately describe the significance of this kind of salvation.
Prop: Joy ought to fill our hearts when we consider the nature of our salvation.
Key Word: Why?
Trans: I see four reasons why our hearts should overflow with joy because of our salvation.
I. Our Salvation is Sourced in God (v. 3)
An elementary declaration, indeed, but still worthy of note in Peter’s mind.
“Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever” Eccl. 3:14
Tonight after the game is over there will be great joy on one side and great disappointment on the other. For the individual who has accepted God’s plan of salvation, there will be no disappointment. When it counts the most (day of judgment), we will come out the winner. Did you know the Bible says that on the day of judgment there will stand some who will be ashamed? Anyone who had their source of salvation in anything (Pope, heritage, humanitarian efforts, popularity) but God will stand ashamed. God cannot lie, what He has promised that will He do. He is more dependable than the Rock of Gibraltar. Notice that salvation is entirely the work of God which leaves no room for miscalculation or error. (illus. of crack in Rowley’s sidewalk)
A. He is the cause of our salvation.
He birthed us from above (Jn. 3:3). We are not strong enough (due to our sin) to bring about the new birth (Rom. 5:6).
B. He is the guarantor of our salvation.
Our living hope is based on our living Christ.
I Cor. 15:17-If Christ be not raised, then our faith is in vain.
Col. 3:4-When Christ Who is our life shall appear…
II. Our Salvation is Secured in Glory (vv. 4-5)
Matt. 6:19-21
In the field of education, it is accepted that the most effective way to teach an abstract concept is to use a concrete example (e.g. how does gravity work, grace to our children) This is exactly what Peter does in v. 4. He puts something that is incomprehensible in terms of something clearly understandable. For the majority of those who read Peter’s epistle, the majority being Jews, the word picture Peter chooses is very clear. The NT uses the term “inheritance” to refer not only to an earthly inheritance but also to a believer’s “share” in heaven, i.e. their heavenly reward (Eph. 1:14,18). However, in the OT, inheritance referred to the promised land of Canaan to Israel. Peter is showing these Jewish believers that they have been born again not to obtain an inheritance in this world (land of Canaan as they usually associated the term) but to obtain an inheritance in the eternal city of God. Their inheritance is bound up in their new life in Christ and the many spiritual blessings that accompany that life.
“reserved” = to keep, guard (tareo); passive voice = it is being guarded for you.
God is preserving, guarding believers in His salvation. You can guard a door in a dual sense. You can prevent those within from going out as well as preventing those outside from entering. Either way our salvation is eternal.
Extraordinary qualities of this inheritance:
A. It is imperishable
(Illus. even nice cars in Minnesota rust; stock markets crash)
B. It is undefiled i.e., pure, without defect
In other words, there is no part or aspect of this inheritance that does meet God’s standard and approval. (Illus. ISO 9002 requirements) If it meets with God’s approval, it must be “very good.”
C. It will not fade away contra the objects in this present world whose beauty fades away (flowers, trophies, etc.).
III. Third, our salvation is seasoned by suffering (vv. 6-7).
No longer is our salvation (pardon the expression) a pie in the sky reality.
To many people, suffering is no cause for joy. The reason that this is true is that they fail to see the true purpose behind suffering. God had designed that our salvation be tempered and matured by trials (Rom. 5:3; James 1) just as gold is purified by the flame of the fire. Gold is impervious to the ravages of time. It cannot be tarnished by air, water, or most corrosives. It can be melted down time and again without shedding any of its quality.
As Christ suffered, we also will suffer. And what He enjoys now (glories of heaven), we will enjoy also. The Biblical order is this: first suffering, then glory. Christ wore the crown of thorns before He wore the crown of glory. We begin to realize that it is the privilege of the believer to suffer.
IV. Last, our Salvation is Sapid in character (vv. 10-12). “sapid”= interesting, pleasing to the mind; engaging.
Two groups named here who are especially intrigued about God’s grace demonstrated in salvation. Not to say that you and I as NT saints completely understand all that is involved with the grace of God!
A. First group, the OT prophets (Isaiah . . .). Peter is attempting to show his readers that the spiritual blessings they now possess are greater than anything imagined by the OT prophets. Certainly the prophets were significant and held the high regard of these Jews. Idea is that they diligently searched to learn more of this. They searched their own prophecies, and other Scriptures.
B. Second group, the angels. God’s other creation.
Applic: Does your salvation make the unsaved about you curious? Intrigued?