1 Peter 1:3-12...How great is our salvation? Peter is going to let us know.


Do you see the snow cross on the mountain in the left stain glass above?  Do you see the dove in the right stain glass?  The dove is harder to make out. Its wing is a darker shading of the stained glass.  (You might need to zoom in on it.)  When I think of the dove, I think of the provision of God shown to Noah after the flood.  I think of the Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus like a dove at His baptism and the coronation of His earthly ministry.  When I think of the cross, I think of the provision of God shown to the world that He created and loved manifested by the giving of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.  I think of Jesus' words "It is finished" at the completion of His earthly ministry.  All that is required has been done.

Peter takes us there in this passage when he expands on the "according to the foreknowledge of God" who "has caused us to be born again."  What is included in this salvation?  What do we need to remember when a trial is presented to us that seems larger than life?  Peter takes the persecuted Christians of his day and helps them to refocus on what is eternal in light of the temporal.

  • Our salvation includes a living hope because Jesus rose from the grave.
  • Our salvation includes an inheritance that is imperishable (won't rot), undefiled (pure), unfading (in vivid color) and kept in heaven (carefully attended to).
  • Our salvation by God's power is guarded.
  • Our salvation by God's power is ready right now.
  • Our salvation is more precious than gold.
  • Our salvation won't evaporate even though tested by fire (heat).
  • Our salvation can result in the midst of persecution a greater love for Him, a deeper belief in Him and a increasing rejoicing of Him.
  • Our salvation was carefully investigated by the Prophets.
  • Our salvation was proclaimed by the eyewitness Apostles.
  • Our salvation gets the angels full attention.
All of these lead into the first word of verse 13, "Therefore..." so join in with us in person or online this Sunday as Peter goes from the whereas to the therefore.  

"Angels long to look."  Angels long (turn upon, turn toward) to look (stoop to).  It made me think of our week in Michigan with our kids and grands.  I heard "grandpa" a lot.  When I heard that title I would long (turn upon the direction it was coming from) and if I ready wanted to give full attention, I would look (stoop down to their eye level).  The angels of heaven do this when one sinner repents.  We have such a great salvation!

Adam



 

A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 40th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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