The Declaration of Your Salvation

The Declaration of Your Salvation 1Peter 1:10-12

The prophet Amos reported; “Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He revealeth his secret unto His servants the prophets.” Amos3:7. Although they knew what the Lord was going to do, they did not know when or with whom He would do the things revealed to them. The understanding they lacked, they searched for, knowing by the Holy Spirit that God is truthful, faithful, able, and gracious.

SCRIPTURE IS ACCURATE, TRUSTWORTHY, AND WORTHY OF STUDY 2Peter 1:21 …men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

St. Jerome said, “The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for theologians to swim in without ever reaching bottom.”

Dwight L. Moody said, “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”

Adrian Rogers said, “To understand the part of the Bible you don’t understand is to obey the part you do understand, and before long you’ll begin to understand what you didn’t understand. Understand?”

The Apostle Paul said, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2Timothy 2:15)

Ø The Prophets Weren’t All Talk V.10

Weren’t all talk but men. They had souls to be saved in the same way as others. They had hearts to be sanctified by the truth; and it was needful, in order to this, that truth should be applied to their own hearts in the same way as to others. The mere fact that they were the channels or organs for imparting truth to others would not save them, any more than the fact that a man now preaches truth to others will save himself, or … —Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

o “Inquired” (NIV “searched intently”) ekzēteō = seek diligently – also used in Hebrews 11:6; 12:17

o “Searched diligently” (NIV “with greatest care”) exeraunaō = to search + prefix ex = super – w/o ex used in Romans 8:27, Revelation 2:23, 1Corinthians2:10

o Believed what they preached and what had been preached about the salvation God would bring. I.E. Genesis 3:15/Galatians 4:4;

Genesis 22:8 & Isaiah 53:7/ Acts 8:35 & Revelation 5:6

THE HOLY SPIRIT (SENT BY JESUS) HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT WORK. John 14:16,26;

Ø The Prophets Weren’t Just Talk V.11

o It was the Spirit of Christ who testified

§ They probably did not recognize it as the Spirit of the Messiah, but they knew they were moved by the Spirit of God - 1Samuel 10:10.

o They preached the Gospel in the Power of the Spirit

§ Creator God – Genesis 1 “If you can get past Genesis1:1, you will never have trouble with any of the miracles.” Adrian Rogers

§ Holy God – Isaiah 59:1-2 1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

; Habakkuk 1:13 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

and the Sinfulness of All Men - 1Kings 8:46; 46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;

Psalm 14:3 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

§ Loving God – Exodus 34:6-7 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

§ Faithful God – Exodus 34:6-7 same as above

§ Sovereign God – Psalm 135:6 6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

:Daniel 4:34-35 34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

§ God of Salvation – Joel 2:32 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within

you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Jeremiah 24:7 7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

§ Through Jesus the Messiah –

· Of the line of Abraham, Isaac, Israel, Judah, David – Genesis 17:19; 49:10; Numbers 24:17

· Virgin born – Isaiah 7:14 Born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2 Spending time in Egypt – Hosea 11:1

· Before 70 AD - Malachi 3:1 (temple destroyed in 70 AD)

· Performing Miracles – Isaiah 35:5-6

· Betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver – Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12-13

· Punished for our sin – Isaiah 53:7-12

· Crucified – Psalm 22:16 but No broken bones – Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20

· Resurrected – Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10-11

· Ascended – Psalm 68:18 to the Right hand of The Father – Psalm 110:1

THE SCRIPTURE IS STILL REPORTING THE MESSAGE THROUGH HOLY GHOST PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS

1Corinthian 1:21 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ; Act 1:8;Matthew 10:19-20

Ø There is still a place for preaching. Evangelize (“them that have preached the gospel”)

Ø There is still a power for preaching. The Holy Spirit from Heaven

Ø There is still an interest in preaching. Those who love and serve God at His direction…the angels if no one else (stoop to look into God’s plan of salvation for mankind played out).

Read the Bible and ask: What did it mean then?

How does it apply now?

How does it apply to me personally?

It is God’s love letter to His children. If you don’t understand it, or it doesn’t interest you, it’s because you are reading someone else’s mail.

Your Destination – Salvation 1Peter1:1-9

We are beginning a new series. We will be going through First and Second Peter, verse by verse. First Peter deals with the threat to the church from suffering. Second Peter addresses the threat to the church from false teachers.

We will accept the Apostle Simon Peter as the author through an amanuensis, Silvanus (5:12). The letter was probably written about A.D. 67, a couple of years before Peter's death. Peter writes from “Babylon” which could be actual Babylon, but more likely refers to Rome which was known as Babylon when Christians were called “evil-doers” during the times of persecution beginning with Nero.

God preserved this general letter for our day so that we may know that Christians ought to expect to suffer as Christ suffered. And in the midst of suffering we can allow the grace of God to be demonstrated in our lives. We will break the first chapter of 1Peter into four parts: Salvation Destined (vv1-9), Declared (vv10-12), Demonstrated (13-19), and Explained (20-25).

SOURCE AND CIRCULATION of the Letter

Ø From Peter

 Apostle = messenger sent by Jesus Christ

Ø To Sojourners - exiles, pilgrims, strangers

 Folks not at home

 Settled but not permanent - Hebrews 11:13-16

■ Not going back - Hebrews 11:15 and John 15:19; 17:14

 Dispersed = scattered or Sown in Asia Minor (and to us)

 Elect (as opposed to the merely called – Matthew 22:14 [see vv.3, 5, 6, 12])

■ By God's sovereign choice (not by merit)

l received by faith alone

l those who reject God's offer are accountable whether by indifference (Matthew 22:5), rebellion (22:6) or self-righteousness (22:12)

■ According to God's Knowledge (foreknowledge) - He knows you can and will make it to heaven and can be used here on earth.

■ Because of The Holy Spirit's work in you - making you more and more like Jesus...more obedient to truth

■ Paid for and sealed with the Blood of Jesus Christ - and actually your blood belongs to Jesus Revelation12:11; 7:13-14,ff

Ø The Desired Effect on the Recipients

 Grace = Spiritual blessing which makes us more aware of His sufficiency

 Peace = Freedom from fear, passions, moral conflicts that distract from Jesus.

DOXOLOGY - HYMN OF PRAISE TO GOD for:

Ø Your Benefactor V.3 – God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jesus with His dual nature – the God-Man - God is His God and God is His Father)

 God has re-birthed you.

 Gave you a hope that is alive...proven and guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus. If Christ is risen ... 1Corinthians 15:14, 17 (Having lived a clean life is not enough reward!)

 Dead people don't inherit anything...

Ø Your Inheritance V.4

 Incorruptible – indestructible and cannot be spent

 Undefiled – flawless and stain-proof (by evil)

 Unfading – colorfast and not effected by time

 Reserved – guarded

 For you – believer (a strong statement)

Ø Your Security V.5

 By the Power of God – above every other power Colossians 1:13

 Kept – a sentinel is posted

 Through Faith – the intermediate agency IN GOD'S POWER – the immediate agency

 Ready for Complete Deliverance - Romans 8:18; 1John3:2

Ø Your Cause for Rejoicing V.6 (You are part of the blessed Matthew 5:11-12)

 The accomplishment of trials -

■ Faith proven – to you and to the world = great value

l V.7 Gold wears away

l Faith stands the test of fire better than gold.

■ Praise, Honor, and Glory to Jesus (He is shown off)

Ø Living the Blessing of John 20:29

 Joy indescribable

 Full of glory – like the face of Moses, except better 2Corinthians 3:9-13

Ø Signed Deed V.9 accomplished by Jesus – Hebrews 12:2

To and for those chosen by God (the elect)... Make the election results conclusive ... 2Peter 1:10

2Peter 1:1 = faith in the accomplished work of Jesus

VV.5-7 = repentance

Want to know if you have been nominated? 1Corinthians1:18

The story and the message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God. [Amplified Version}

I Am the Resurrection John chapter 11
In John 11 we read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It is not Jesus’ last miracle but it is perhaps his greatest. This miracle raised the most response from Jesus’ friends and His enemies. It proved Jesus had power over death. This is not the only time Jesus raised someone from the dead, but it was the first time he raised someone who had been in the grave for four days. (There was a superstition in that day, that the spirit of a person hung over the body for three days. So if the right ritual was carried out within three days, life could be restored.)
Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” 1Corinthians 15:19. If Jesus does not have power over death, whatever else He can do amounts to nothing.
Jesus’ business is to deal with death. Our part is to believe. Faith or belief is a major emphasis in chapter 11 of John’s gospel. Another major emphasis is the glory of God. There are three groups in whom Jesus seeks to strengthen faith and reveal the glory of God…

THE DISCIPLES vv.1-16 a messenger to Jesus to tell of Lazarus’ illness v.3. Jesus’ encouraging message – v.4. Two more days then Jesus goes to Bethany – v.6. When Jesus arrives, Laz has been in the grave four days – v.17. (Laz died the day the messenger arrived to tell Jesus)

• Jesus’ message was still good news = believe His word even though circumstances are

discouraging.

• Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters – v.3

o Note the prayer of the sisters – does not tell Jesus to come or to heal Laz. Just
informs of need and reminds of love.
o Not a Pampering love but a Perfecting love
o Do not think that love and suffering are incompatible – consider Jesus, the beloved
son of God

• Christian comfort is not more important than God’s glory

• Jesus’ promise was not that Laz not die but that death would not win and God (the Son of

God) would be glorified… A promise to hold on to.

• Why Jesus waited

o So Laz would die? (Laz dead when messenger came)
o To make a greater point? 4 days dead
o The timing of God vv.9-10 (the light of the Father’s will)
o The teaching of the disciples v.15

• Thomas - not great faith but great loyalty “Let’s go die with Him”

THE SISTERS vv.17-40

• Suffering and trial will increase faith if you respond positively to the Word and the Spirit of

God. Jesus has sent a promise.

• Martha the worker (Luke 10:38-42)

o “If” v.21 = futile hope
o “Even now” v.22 faithful hope

• The Doctrine of the Resurrection

o The girls believed the OT words of hope
§ Inspite of Psalms and Ecclesiastes that make the grave seem to be the end
§ Jesus has the final word, not David or Solomon Consider His own resurrection.
o Jesus IS (I Am) the Resurrection v.25
§ Out of a book and into a person
§ Out of the future and into the present vv.25-26
o Martha’s confession: Lord, Christ, Son of God

• Mary the thinker and feeler
• Fell at His feet (as in Luke 10:39 and John 12:3 see 11:2)

o Jesus wept
§ Groaning within as moved by indignation – sin> death, fear used as tools of Satan.
§ He knew He would raise Laz

• Love for Laz and the sisters

• Onlookers saw tears as hopelessness

o No one expected a miracle
o Didn’t I say? V.40


THE JEWS vv.41-57 the spectators

• Jesus prayed publicly – “ Father I thank you that you have heard Me…”

• Lazarus raised

• Because of Laz, many believed v.45
• Others sought to kill Jesus v.53
• As God planned vv.51-52

• Lazarus, the one delivered from death became a “marked man” v.12:10

Jesus is Holy God

Man is wholly depraved … even “if one went to them from the dead, they will not repent.” Luke 16:30 Dives, the rich man in the story Jesus told of the rich man and a begger named Lazarus who each died, had pled with Abraham to send someone back to life to warn his kin not to come to the place of toment. Abraham replied, “if one went to them from the dead, they will not repent.” This different Lazarus was raised from the dead and the opponents of God would begin to seek opportunity to take his life as well as Jesus', the one who raised him from the dead. They certainly did not turn to God because of the testimony of one raised from the dead... neither the testimony of Lazarus or Jesus. Nor will the testimony of us, who are raised with Christ be believed apart from the election and sovereign will of God and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.

Except by the sovereign power and grace of God-

Jesus is the Resurrection, a Savior and a Redeemer, not just a doctrine. When you know Jesus as savior, you are resurrected and will never die. The sisters each said, “If you had been here, our brother would not have died.” No one ever died in Jesus’ presence. Believers live spiritually in Jesus' presence having been raised to walk in newness of life and will never die.