Let’s review our theme verse...I Peter 4.19...

Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Keep working on it...it takes time and repetition to memorize something...you can do it!

Now we’ll turn to our text for tonight...I Peter 1.10-21

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

“What could this mean?”

Peter begins with a transition from the passage just before...”concerning this salvation”...he takes a few moments to describe how the Lord brought to us our understanding of what He has accomplished in saving a people for Himself...and in this passage Peter gives us some remarkable insights into the way we should understand both the Old Testament and the New Testament...and I think as we come to grips with this truth, through the Spirit we’ll manage to avoid the worst errors of misinterpretation into which we could fall...Peter says the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 

Peter returns to the OT prophets and tells us that their ministry included a work we don’t often consider...after they were given a message from the Lord, and wrote it down or spoke it to the people to whom God gave it, we don’t often think about what they did after that...Peter’s insight is this: in some cases, maybe many cases, they tried to understand what they were told...how can that be? While sometimes that prophecy was for the moment and people of that day – Hosea and Nahum come to mind – sometimes it was for the distant future, and in those cases, it was often unknown to the prophet who received it...Daniel 8.15-17 is a good example...

15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

Sometimes things didn’t make sense, but Peter indicates that the prophets were often aware of two things, at least...that some of what God said had to do with the coming Messiah, and that they didn’t fully understand the nature or timing of what was to come...

The Jewish concept of Messiah was that He would be a King, David’s greater Son, restoring the Davidic throne and overthrowing Israel’s enemies...even though there are several OT passages pointing to the suffering of Messiah, Ps 22 and Isaiah 53 prominent among them, they didn’t fit the ideal of Messiah, and were seemingly passed over in favor of the passages that described Messiah as a victorious monarch...

But the prophets knew that suffering was necessary...perhaps not all, but several, certainly...and they struggled with understanding how the Suffering Servant and the Conquering King could both be true depictions of Messiah...Peter says they searched and inquired carefully, verbs which describe diligent and exacting examination, in great detail and over a lengthy period of time...and the Savior’s suffering was of special note to them...they wanted to know when this would happen...they knew where He would be born – Bethlehem of Judea; that He would be born of a virgin; that He would be of the line of David – but they didn’t fully comprehend the suffering He would endure...

There is a tension of sorts as we read the OT and the NT...the OT was written, for the most part, to and about the people of Israel...to record their unique relationships with their covenant God, who loved them and sought them in relationship to Himself...at times the message was primarily for them...some of the minor prophets I’ve preached would fit that description...but they have a secondary meaning for us today...what we see in the NT writers is an interpretation and understanding of the OT scriptures, especially the prophetic books, that extends beyond just the original recipients and context, and helps us understand Jesus as Messiah and Savior...Dr. Fruchtenbaum has a useful Bible study that discusses NT quotations of OT passages, and he uses Matthew 2.13-15 as an example...

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

OT meaning was Israel, referred to as God’s Son, was brought out of Egypt, but Matthew understands the meaning to also apply to Messiah brought out of Egypt with Mary and Joseph...

Jesus used the story of Jonah as a type of His own death and burial in Matthew 12.38-40...

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

So while the prophets didn’t know everything they wished to know, the Spirit of Christ did reveal to them that in their prophetic ministry, they were serving us...a people yet to come, as Peter says, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

And the NT prophets saw and understood what the OT prophets had longed to understand...as Paul says in Acts 26.22-23...

22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Jesus Himself made the point in Matthew 13.16-17...

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

What a blessing it is to be living in the time when prophecies are fulfilled...

Jesus described this in Luke 24.25-26...

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 

Here, Peter is helping us understand how this layered meaning happens...as the prophets spoke, there was meaning for them, for their audience, for God’s people of that day...but as the Word of God is timeless, we can still learn important applications for our day...I Corinthians 10.11 tells us this...

11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 

We need to develop the habit of looking for instruction when we read the OT...so let’s learn these lessons well...

Call to Action

Peter continues with the next passage here...and it is one definitely focused on taking action from and through our faith in Jesus...

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 

He begins with the classic transition, “Therefore...” – based on the truth about salvation in Christ, what are we to do? 

He begins with what I would call a preliminary instruction: preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded

How are we to do that? 

So much could be said about how believers are to watch over our minds... so many of us struggle with our thought lives, that it has become the root of all sorts of problems...lust, covetousness, and anger, just to name three...these two injunctions refer to preparation and to self-control...I’ll share just one key passage that is an overarching truth on this issue...Romans 8.5-6...

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 

What an important principle: the way we think and the way we live are inextricably linked...and the results are clear, too...flesh=death, spirit=life and peace...so set your mind on Him, on the Spirit...

So now that he has prepared us, what does Peter tell us to do?

Be Hopeful

Peter begins a series of four imperatives with this instruction... set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Peter returns to the theme of the book with which he begins in verse 3, the “living hope” we have in the resurrection of Jesus Christ...now he tells to set that hope fully on grace...the verb is one of decisive action...”set” your hope...place your hope on God’s grace...like you would set something down on a table...take action to confirm your hope...don’t let your hope waver back and forth between God’s grace and your own good works...set it on grace

Remember, grace is God’s favor poured out on us, His goodness and kindness made evident in the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ...and that hope will be made manifest at the revelation – the unveiling – of Jesus Christ...

The word “hope” – Gr ‘elpis’ – is used four times in I Peter...twice in this passage, twice more...I would call your attention to I Peter 3.15, a verse familiar to those used to sharing their faith...

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;

I raise this verse here because of Peter’s statement that we should be ready to give a reason for our hope...our hope has a reason, many reasons, actually, but here in verse 13, I would just note this – the same hope that originated in the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross, will culminate in the revelation of the risen and conquering King at the end of days...I’m reminded of the old hymn, “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand”

Stanza 1 focuses on today: My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Stanza 4 focuses on the revealing: When he shall come with trumpet sound,

O may I then in him be found:

dressed in his righteousness alone,

faultless to stand before the throne.

Our hope in the grace to be revealed in the last time radically affects us today...we are to live different, more holy lives based not just on the present, but on the certain future... we cannot see it today, but we will see it in a short while...

Be Different

Peter now turns to his second instruction...

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 

This is the point in the letter that for some, it became very personal...these churches reading this circular letter, as you will recall, have both Jews and Gentiles in them...this would have likely been understood to apply mostly to the gentiles, but in truth applies to all people as we look back to our lives before we knew Jesus...

How are we to think about our old lives?

Realize who we are now...

Romans 8.16 says this... 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God...

The truth is, as believers we know who we are...we can pretend we don’t for a season, but we know to Whom we belong, for His Spirit tells us in our spirits...His conviction can be overwhelming, yet we know it is not a word of condemnation, but a word of acceptance from a loving Father...remember whose you are...

Learn from who we were...

Philippians 3.13b-14 says this... But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

We can be proud of who we were and desire to return to it, or we can be ashamed of who we were and be discouraged by it...

But what we can never do is be conformed back to our former lives again...”conformed” is Gr ‘syschematizo’ – to be shaped to a pattern; this is one of only two uses in NT; the other is Romans 12.2...

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

JB Phillips’ translation (not a paraphrase) of the NT says it well: 

Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within,

Peter warns us not to be conformed to our “passions” ... that renders Gr ‘epithymia’ – lust, craving, desire...we use this word all the time today as a positive thing, but in English, “passion(s)” is used 27 times in the ESV, and every one is a negative or sinful meaning...’epithymia’ is used 39 times, and the sense of each of them is a craving or desire, typically evil and uncontrolled...

Peter’s use here is typical of the word...it describes our old lives...whether the passion was for wealth or fame or possessions or lust or power, whatever it was, it took the place of God in our lives, and became our god...you must kill it...Romans 8.13...

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

John Owen famously said this, and he’s exactly right: You must kill sin, or sin will kill you.

How can we do that?

Be Holy

Now Peter turns from the negative command to the positive...

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

If it seems to you that we keep finding this truth throughout the Scripture, you’re right...it is a persistent and enduring command...why?

Because of God the Father’s overarching desire for each of us – to be transformed into the image of Christ...to live according to what we find in Him, to obey the Father as He did, to love others the way He did, to reject temptation and sin as He did, to speak truth as He did, to be brave and courageous as He was...and a hundred other ways we are to follow the example set for us by our Lord Jesus Christ...the principle is in this very book, in the next chapter...I Peter 2.21...

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 

We are to be holy, set apart unto God...in our conduct, as Peter says here, but even more deeply, in our hearts and minds...the source and root of our actions, words, and attitudes...

Be Reverent

Peter now turns to his fourth injunction...again, a positive one...

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 

Peter challenges us...if you call on – the Gr is ‘epikaleo’ to call on a deity for assistance or protection -- God the Father, you must know that He is an impartial judge...”impartial” renders Ge ‘aprosopolemptos’ the sole use in the NT...to judge without being a respecter of persons...certainly Peter was remembering his own words to the Roman centurion in Acts 10.34-35...

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 

The KJV uses the phrase “respecter of persons” – it doesn’t matter who you are, God judges impartially...

So what do we do? 

We live our lives in such a way that it is evident that we fear God...consider Him as holy

The Gr is ‘phobos’ – 46 NT uses – almost evenly split as “fear” and “reverence” or “revere”

The meaning is always the same, though the translation may be contextual...it means to have a profound respect for someone or something...

Does your daily conduct show that you have a profound respect for God? Does your obedience to His commandments reflect that reverence? Can others tell who you fear? 

While we are in exile – sojourning in this foreign land as representatives of a better country – let us live like the citizens of heaven that we are...

Ransomed                           

Peter closes this passage by bursting forth in praise to Jesus...

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

We were ransomed – also translated redeemed – from our useless way of life...we were bought back from the way we used to live, the way our forefathers, our ancestors, lived...not with mere money, but something far more precious, the very blood of Christ...

Reminds me of the beginning of John Bunyan’s book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” as Christian leaves behind his old life, the lives of his forefathers, to walk the path to the Celestial City...the only people who take that path are the ones who have been set free from the ways of death that once held them, and who know there is nothing in that old life, in the City of Destruction, for them now...for they belong to a new King...they’ve been redeemed

Here we return to the word “foreknow” – our Lord and Savior was foreknown by the Father in His atoning death, just as we are foreknown by the Father as His elect exiles, His children wandering through this world, yes, but not lost...the Son of God knew from eternity past what He would have to do to redeem a people for God’s own possession...and now, He has been made manifest...visible...knowable...for our sake, His children, His flock...the Father raised Jesus from the dead, and as we place our God-given faith in Him, we are united with Him, made one with Him as He is made One with His Father...

As we close this passage, we’re drawn into worship, worship of the Lamb Who takes away the sin of the world...who took away my sin, and yours...who shed His blood on the cross so we wouldn’t have to die the death we deserved...and this Lamb will soon reign in glory...

Let’s end tonight with a look forward in time to see what awaits us...Revelation 19.6-9...

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

   the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

   and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

   and his Bride has made herself ready;

8 it was granted her to clothe herself

   with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 

Bless the Lord, O my soul!