Magnificent Salvation

1 Peter 1:10-12:-

“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.”

Background:

            Peter writes this letter to the people who are suffering from the persecution in the Roman Empire by the Nero emperor. Church in Jerusalem especially the Jewish Christian got scattered throughout Asia Minor. Peter is written to them encouraging to be in faith don’t lose hope. That is why in the first chapter itself he speaks about the hope of eternal life. Being part of that hope he mentions the worthy or the glory of the salvation.

Vs. 8 & 9 says, “⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

--- you reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

 Then he speaks about the worthiness or the magnificent salvation

Jesus said to his disciples once, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:16-17).

--Many wanted to see what we saw and many wanted to hear what we heard. The same thing is peter saying to the people who are grieving in their sufferings. I want to emphasize what peter has emphasized about the Salvation to people who were suffering.

I strongly believe, in these times of our life, what should we be more concerned or thinking about when all around we have news of depression, cry, death, punishment, etc. Today whatever be our situation or the situation of the world, we as Christians or believing Christians or born again Christians, we need to focus on our salvation, the beauty of it. It has much worth but I would like to touch only things which peter has mentioned in his portion of his letter.  

            Our Salvation is a magnificent, why:

He does this by telling us three amazing things about our salvation—things that we may have never thought of before. I will briefly mention them and pray that they will stick in your heart and bear the fruit of faith and thanksgiving.

1.     Vs. 10, 11, and 12. Prophets Prophesized it:-

It was predicted or Prophesized by the prophets at an early ages. They not only prophesized and they wanted to know more about it but they were not able to. The prophets’ prophesized about the salvation by grace but to their logic, it is impossible because without the law how can anybody have salvation by grace. That’s why Peter says, they had many questions. They were not able to understand what it meant. They were eager to know about it, that's why in vs 11. Peter says, “they wondered when and to whom all this would happen.”   

Actually, they wanted to be part of it but didn’t happen. They were told in Vs. 12 that it is not for you, actually they were serving us. We know Isaiah prophesized about the Christ long back approximately 700 years before the birth of Christ and He didn’t see him coming. Just imagine Isaiah was serving us in this process of Salvation. The Lord's answer to that yearning cry of the prophets is given in verse 12: "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you."

The Spirit of Christ said to Isaiah, "Isaiah, be patient, you're not serving yourself or even merely your own generation. You are serving saints hundreds of years from now. They will see in your prophecy of me the proof that I am who I say I am. And its truth will make its infinite value unshakable in their lives. You will not have lived in vain."

2.     Vs. 11- 12. Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Christ Predicted It and even Brings to Us.:-

 Vs 11. Peter points out the amazing fact that Christ himself—the Spirit of Christ—hundreds of years before his own death and resurrection, was predicting his own death and resurrection. Look at the middle of verse 11: "The Spirit of Christ within [the prophets] . . . predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." Christ predicted the sufferings of Christ.

This means that Christ, the Son of God in Heaven, has been contemplating his suffering and his death for us for centuries. Indeed as far back as the plan of salvation reaches in the mind of God, so far back has Christ has been willing and ready to give himself for our sins. You were not loved for just a bloody moment of sacrifice in history. You have been loved for endless ages in the eternal plan of the Father and the Son to save sinners who trust in him.

Vs. 12. Peter highlights the value of our salvation by telling us in verse 12 that the Holy Spirit himself sent from heaven has brought us the news of our salvation through the gospel. "These things . . . now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven."

This is the right place to stop. This is what is happening right now. I am preaching to you the gospel—the good news that Christ came into the world to save sinners, with the salvation of tremendous value—far more valuable than anything else you own or know.

But it is not just me that is calling your attention to the worth of Christ and of salvation; it is, I believe, the Holy Spirit sent from heaven speaking through me. And my prayer is that you will not resist his call on your life: That you will open yourself to believe and to experience an ever-growing gratitude for such a great salvation.

3.     The Angels Love to Look into It or Angels were Astonished:-

The next thing Peter says to highlight the value of our salvation is that angels love to look into it. Verse 12 (at the end): "things into which angels long to look."

This does not mean they want to but can't. It means they want to because in a sense they are outsiders to the drama of sin and redemption (since they never sinned) and they love to watch the great work of God's salvation unfold in history and in the lives of the saints.

Peter's point is this: if angels get excited about our salvation, how much more should we. If angels love to look at the work of God in saving sinners like us, how much more should we who are the very beneficiaries of that salvation (not just onlookers) love to look into it and be thankful for it and say with Peter, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . ."