May 5, 2013
Morning Service

Jesus told of His second coming 22 times in the gospels.  Whether directly or in parables.

·         Paul told Titus, Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

But what did His disciples teach on this subject?  What is revealed to us to build our faith?  We know we must have faith. 

·         Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We also know that we build our faith by hearing, and reading the Word of God.  Rom. 10:17.

Paul, who wrote 14 of the 27 N.T. letters, speaks of the Lord coming again 23 times.

Peter, James, John, and Jude also mentioning this happening. 

 

Since Peter mentions it first in the book of Acts we will stay with him, and look at where he mentions it again, and the surrounding Scriptures.

 

We began last week with Luke’s account of the Lord being taken up into heaven.  Then went to Peter’s reference of the Lord’s coming in his second sermon, after the Lord healed the lame man.

 

This morning we want to visit chapter 1 of IPet.  Peter writes this letter shortly before the persecution of Nero.  It’s given date is 64AD.  It has been around 30 years since his first sermon at Pentecost.

 

1Pe 1:1-25  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 

·         Peter establishes his authority.

·         Then tells us to whom this letter is written.  Remember all these places were represented at Pentecost when he preached his first sermon, unlocking the gates of heaven to the Jews.

 

(2)  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

·         God knows who will be saved, and who won’t be.

·         A description of the saved is that they are

1.       set apart by the Spirit, ( showing forth the attributes of the Spirit. ) Gal. 5.

2.      unto obedience,  ( all acts of obedience to the N.T. teachings).

3.      and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.  ( This is not Christian baptism ).  It is an example Peter uses that was done to cleanse articles of the tabernacle, and the people of the O.T. It is explained more completely in Heb. 9.   And Heb. 12.  He is just saying that there is power in the blood of Jesus. 

 

Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.  (3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

·         Who is it that has this lively hope?     CHRISTIANS.

(4)  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

·         Peter said your inheritance Christian, with the lively hope, is reserved for you in heaven.

(5)  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (6)  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  (7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

·         Peter says that Jesus is going to appear, and hopefully our lives will be found pleasing to Him when He appears.

(8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

·         Hopefully this is a description of us.

(9)  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  (10)  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

·         The prophets foretold of this grace, but never seen it. 

·         Jesus said this;  Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

(11)  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify,

·         Paul helps us to understand how these prophets had the Spirit of Christ.  Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

·         One and the same Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ, there is one eternal Spirit, described, or referred to in different ways.  Jesus taught us to call Him our heavenly Father.

when it (Spirit of Christ) testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

·         Isaiah chapter 53.  The suffering Servant.

·         The glory that should follow:  Peter speaks of this glory in his first sermon;  Acts 2, quoting Psalms 16:8-11, Psa 16:10-11  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  (11)  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

(12)  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

·         The prophecies concerning the Messiah did not do their generation any good, except to build hope.  But their prophecies help us to understand, and to recognize Jesus as that Messiah, and now since we Apostles have been given the Holy Ghost, we bring this truth to you.

Now notice the urgency, and challenge he gives us.

(13)  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

·         Paul said it like this;  2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

(14)  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  (15)  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;  (16)  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.  (17)  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:  (18)  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (20)  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  (21)  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  (22)  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  (23)  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  (24)  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  (25)  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.