Hello and welcome to Wisdom for the Heart. Stephen has just released a new book entitled In Pursuit of Holiness. Our behavior cannot save us, but God does expect those who follow Him to live holy lives. How can we do that?
Well, Stephen teaches you how in this brand new resource. This book is on sale right now, and I've put a link in the show notes. Get your copy of In Pursuit of Holiness Today.
Now, here's Stephen with today's message. Imagine then the stunning significance of that Old Testament baptizing prophet named John who sees Jesus coming toward him and he says, Behold, look. The Lamb! Of God, everything we've been looking toward, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin. Of the world.
Is he qualified? to do that? Yeah, Peter adds here in this text he's He's truly unblemished. Spotless You can understand that he is perfect inside and out. Take your Bible and turn to First Peter if you would.
And the wire turning. Let me tell you about two different men in the early to mid-1900s. It'll take me a few minutes. But I think you'll understand. How it'll set the stage.
In the early 1900s, Al Capone ran the largest crime syndicate in Chicago. He controlled everything from alcohol, the prostitution, the cocaine. And eventually he would serve time in prison. Uh not for the some 32 plus murders he committed or orchestrated. which they could never pin on him, but for tax evasion, which they did.
After serving 11 years in prison, he was released basically right into a hospital. He was suffering dementia, advanced stages of syphilis. And because of that, he would die soon after his release at the age of 48. A lesser-known story of Capone's reign of terror was a lawyer. who worked for him.
His name was Edgar. He was nicknamed by the mob. Fast Eddie. And he was nicknamed Fast Steady because of his legal skill in maneuvering. He was able to help Capone set up a number of enterprises that were fronts to his money laundering schemes, illegal schemes.
And he also kept Al Capone out of jail for a number of years. Even though Edgar and his wife And son had unbelievable wealth. In fact, their personal estate. And the mansion covered one entire city block of Chicago real estate, if you can imagine that. He wasn't able, however, to do the one thing that would come to matter most.
to him as he grew older, and that was to pass on to his son. A good name. I have read conflicting reports on what exactly caused Edgar to shock the world, which he did. But he did in 1931. He turned state's witness.
He collaborated with the authorities. and provided the information that would bring justice to Al Capone. And in so doing, he cleared the path for his family name and he handed to his son. A clean name. He knew it would require great cost, and it did.
A few years after Al Capone was incarcerated, Edgar was ambushed. and killed by the mob. Fast forward that tape ten years or so. World War II is focusing on the South Pacific. And one particular Navy fighter pilot who went by a nickname Butch.
His name was Butch O'Hare. He was uh skilled and soon made a wonderful Uh service. for his country in his courage. On one particular mission, his entire squadron was sent on a mission, but once airborne, having left the fleet, He realized he'd been overlooked by the tanker crew and they hadn't filled his plane with gasoline. He knew he didn't have enough gas to complete the mission and fly back safely to his ship, and his flight commander told him to return.
alone to his ship. Which he Disappointed though he was, did. As he dropped out of formation and flew back, he saw a sight that just made his heart stop. He encountered a squadron of heavy enemy bombers flying toward his fleet. And his own ship.
Since the other American fighters Had already been dispatched. The fleet was all but defenseless. He didn't have time to do anything except one thing, which he did, and that was he engaged them. in battle. He literally dove into the formation of those Japanese bombers.
And his wing-mounted guns. blazed away, he darted in and out, firing at every plane that he could. Even after his ammunition was spent, he continued diving at the bombers, trying to clip a wing. or a tail. When Butch landed Safely on board the film from his wing-mounted camera.
told the heroic tale. In a matter of days, Butchell Harrow was. Decorated, he became the first flying ace of World War II. And he also became the first naval aviator to receive the Congressional Medal. of honor.
A year later, on another mission, his plane was shot down. He was never found. He died. At the age of twenty nine, His hometown wasn't about to let their favorite son's memory fade away. And within months they renamed the Orchard Depot Airport the O'Hare International.
Airport. In honor of him. In fact, the next time you fly into a hair Somewhere between, it used to be between Terminal 1 and 2, it'll take you half a day to get there, but if you make it there, you can see a replica of his plane. and read some of his story. What do Fast Eddie and Butch O'Hara have in common?
Fast Eddie. was Edgar O'Hara. And his son, Edward. Butch O'Hara. was given a clean name.
and an opportunity to serve his country. With honor. Because of the cost. of fast eddies.
Now, I don't want you to draw too tightly an analogy between Fast Eddie and the Lord. Even though you're already going there. The Lord didn't have a criminal past. He didn't have to do some good things to make up for a lot of bad things. But he did at great cost give you and me.
A clean name. and an opportunity to serve our country. His country. With honor. and distinction.
That's exactly the point the Apostle Peter is about to make. In fact, what Peter is about to do here is give us four ways of looking at Jesus and his sacrifice. Four compelling ways which will bring us a greater sense of gratitude. And a greater sense of passion to not only thank Him, but love Him and walk with Him and pursue holiness as we serve our. Eternal country.
Now before we get to the first way, we ought to look at Jesus. Peter tells his original audience, notice in chapter 1 at verse 18, just the first word. Knowing. It could be rendered for you know. Or, now you know, now I know you already know this.
In fact, if Peter were writing in today's vernacular, he'd say something like: Now I know you already know this. What we're going to talk about is stuff you already know, but I want to rehearse it for you and remind you because it'll be beneficial. To you. In fact, a Puritan by the name of Robert Layton, who wrote a commentary on 1 Peter in the 1600s, which I've been enjoying reading, he paraphrased Peter's first word to say this: you know this already. But I want you to know it better.
more deeply, more personally. Turn it over frequently in your mind and study it. And meditate on it more. It is so deep that you will never fathom it. It is so useful.
that you will always benefit. From it.
Now what exactly are these deep and beneficial Truths.
Well, four different ways to look at the Lord and His sacrifice. And the first way that Peter describes our Lord is, first of all, as our liberator. Our liberator.
Now, let's go back to verse 17, which we studied in our last session at length, but let's read it again and kind of get a running start. If, remember that means since. Since you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one's Service for that home country. Conduct yourselves in fear during your stay on earth.
Now let's pick it up where we left off, verse 18. Knowing, you know this already, but let's remember it together. Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver. or gold, stop there. The one you're reverencing with holy fear Remember, that means holy awe.
In light of the coming Bhima, in which he will decorate you for service to the country. And it will be more significant decoration than a Congressional Medal of Honor. But live in light of that. And in the meantime, Remember that you were redeemed. That verb.
To redeem in this text was used in Peter's day for the ransoming of prisoners of war. It was uh the the price. paid to redeem a slave. and give him his freedom. And Peter makes it clear that The ransom was not Gold or or silver Perishable things.
That isn't going to do. All the money in the world isn't going to be sufficient to purchase. One person out of spiritual bondage and slavery to sin and death. You just don't have enough money. For that.
In fact, gold and silver is as good as scrap metal. compared to the price of one, just one. Eternal.
Soul. It's going to take something far more valuable than gold or silver to break the chains and open the prison door and redeem the sinner out of darkness and into a marvelous See, gold and silver is pure.
Now, we tend to think of gold and silver a little differently. I mean, we pass it down, right? At least I've heard people do that. Passed down, gold and silver from one generation to another. But Peter isn't evaluating your redemption.
Your value against sixty, seventy, eighty years of market value. He's evaluating your redemption in light of eternity. And in light of eternity, Silver and gold are incidental. I mean, gold will be so common, as you know, it's going to pave the streets. In heaven.
And the implication then is: don't live for something, don't pursue something, don't just dream about that, don't pursue something that one day you will walk on. In heaven. Now if we turn Peter's words into a positive statement here, You can read them to mean that the believer is Redeemed not by perishable things, but notice further. It's also redeemed from futile things, inherited. Futility.
From your feudal way of life, he writes. inherited from your forefathers. The word feudal refers to Earthbound. They're worthless in the light of eternity because they only matter on earth. Earthbound commitments.
that have nothing to do with God or the glory of Christ. You inherited all this futility, he says. It'll never, even if it's all combined together with all the money you have, redeem you. Paul describes, by the way, the unbeliever with this same word in Romans 1. Or he writes knowing about God, even though they knew about God, they They didn't give him glory or thank him.
but their thinking became futile. And their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1.21. Paul encouraged the believers living in Ephesus to no longer live as the unbelievers do in the futility, the earthbound manner. of thinking.
Ephesians 4.17. In other words, the unbelieving human race spends its energy and its passion chasing after empty, meaningless goals that will have no significance when compared to Eternity. You see, your life matters. on earth. Only when your eternal life is settled In heaven.
If your eternal life is not settled in heaven, you're really not ready to live here on earth. And whatever you do live for will one day. Vanish. Don't pursue the inheritance of an empty life. Without Christ.
And before we leave this, by the way, can I just make a practical application? To all of us moms and dads and grandpas and grandmas and uncles and aunts. What are we passing down? to our children. to our nephews and nieces, to our grandchildren, what are they inheriting?
from us. Gold and silver? Nothing wrong with that. Put me in your will, too, by the way.
Okay? Nothing wrong with that. Is that it, though? Have you told them? How about the gospel?
Has that been the priority of your life that they know matters? Most do they know that Jesus Christ matters to you? Do they know that this book is? Just as good on Monday as it is on Sunday. Have they ever seen you reading it?
Have they picked up on the fact that you think that God's approval is far more important than man's approval? Or do they see you running after man? And saying this. Unfortunately, many seem to be more interested in raising their standard of living than raising children and grandchildren, as we say here at Colonial Children's Ministries, to know God. to think biblically and to live wisely.
Isn't that what we're trying to do?
So, what matters most? What do they get? What are they inheriting? A message that says: look, look, get good grades and a good college and a good job and a good career and a good car and a good home and good health and a good savings account. Those are good things.
But without Jesus Christ They're not going to last very long. That's an empty inheritance. You're teaching them to follow you. as you climb a ladder that's leaning against the wrong wall. I read this past week of a London newspaper that offered a prize for the best definition of money.
This was the winner. Money is the universal provider for everything. Except happiness. And money is the universal passport for everywhere. Except heaven.
Have you been liberated from that futile way of life? Is everything about your life, earth? Bound? Do you know Jesus Christ as your liberator who's taken you from those chains and given you purpose? and meaning.
Now, Peter goes on to show us Jesus Christ not only as our liberator, but secondly, as our substitute. Notice verse 18 again. Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your feudal way of life inherited from your forefathers.
Now, notice verse 19, but with precious. Blood. as of a lamb unblemished and spotless. The blood of Christ. You are ransomed.
You are freed. You could translate it. And the payment price was not gold or silver or every futile effort you inherited from your forefathers. It was blood. Blood.
You know, the liberals believe that we follow what they call a gory gospel. That we believe in a cross that one former evangelical pastor, now liberal. said is nothing less than cosmic parental abuse. Why blood? Why this substitution?
Well, God made it very clear in the beginning. As he gave Moses These wonderful words The life of the creature is in the blood. And I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves. It is the blood that makes atonement. for one's life.
Leviticus 17 verse 11. See the entire sacrificial system began and pointed toward the final sacrifice. It began as Adam and Eve fell and God took those animals and killed them and gave Adam and Eve their skins as atoning covering and that began the process, the pictures and the types and the shadows of Christ who would come. And by the way, Peter writes here that Jesus was, notice, like that lamb. In other words, the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament looked toward it, and we in the New Testament look back to it. Jesus shed, Peter writes, precious. Dwight? The word could be rendered costly. In fact, it would be impossible To define its value.
Now, Peter's drawing from two Old Testament passages here. Exodus chapter 12, clearly the freedom from slavery as the Israelites languished in Egypt. God came and delivered to them the instructions for their liberation. They were to kill a lamb, splatter blood on the frames of their Slave hut doors. All who did were safe behind that blood.
When the angel of death came in as God's final act of judgment against that idolatrous world, taking the lives of the firstborn, if you were behind the door marked by blood, you were safe, and the angel passed over. you giving us the Passover. Isaiah would be another text, chapter 53, the messianic prophecy of a suffering servant we know as our Messiah, who would come approaching death as a silent lamb. And in his suffering Give us healing. Imagine then the stunning significance of that Old Testament baptizing prophet named John who sees Jesus coming toward him and he says, Behold, look.
The Lamb. Of God, everything we've been looking toward, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin. of the world. Is he qualified? to do that?
Yeah, Peter adds here in this text he's He's truly unblemished. Spotless You can understand that he is perfect inside and out. Qualifying him as our full and final sacrifice, Jesus Christ, then as our perfect. Unblemished substitute, which allows him to be able to shed his blood in our place, paying the penalty for our crimes, which we could never pay for. Why?
We're not unblemished. Anybody here unstained? By sin. We're not qualified to die even for our sin. See, Jesus died a death.
We could not die. in order to pay a debt. We could not pay. He shed his precious Now let me let me do something. That'll take a couple of minutes, and we're going to go over time because of it.
But I want to tie two verses together very, very quickly. In fact, if you'll hold your finger here and turn to Acts chapter 20, I want you to see verse 28, and you might write into the margin the reference. of 1 Peter 1. where it refers to our substitute shedding His blood, Christ. Shedding his blood.
And notice what he says. In Acts chapter 20, verse 28.
Now, in this text, Paul is saying farewell to the elder team. He's leaving Ephesus. And we typically look at this text as a text given to elders. To take their responsibility in guarding the flock. But I want to focus on the last phrase, which we often overlook.
Paul said to them, be on guard for yourselves. And for all of the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Notice, to shepherd the church. of God which he purchased with his Own blood. Shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own.
Blood. To talk about the blood of Christ is to talk about the blood. God the Son, who took on physicality. who took on flesh and blood so that he could die physically. God doesn't die.
The God-man could. God the Father doesn't have blood. Or the Spirit, God's Son, took on blood, flesh and blood, so he could shed it. And the shedding of the blood of Jesus is tantamount to the shedding of the blood of God. Equally divine.
To talk about Jesus is to talk about God. By the way, this sacrifice Back in 1 Peter. Was not only accomplished by God the Son. But you notice God the Spirit and God the Father were all involved in the plan, too. Notice how Peter slips in that little phrase, which you also.
We also overlook verse 20, for he was foreknown before the foundation of the world. In other words, just as God chose The redeemed from eternity past. That's chapter 1, verse 2. Remember? The elect are chosen by the foreknowledge according to the foreknowledge of God.
Now here in verse 20, the death of Christ, the shedding of Christ's blood. Was according to the foreknowledge, the foreknowing of the triune God. It was part of the plan of our triune God from eternity past. If you have a hard time understanding how God can choose the elect from eternity past, well, that isn't all. Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Chose to die at eternity past, and in the mind of God, it was accomplished. Crucified before the foundation of the world.
So what does this mean?
Well, it means that... The crucifixion wasn't an afterthought. It wasn't plan B. It wasn't the last-minute fix. The triangle wasn't saying as they watched their newly created You know, uh uh World and Adam and Eve, and they watched them.
Oh, please don't bite that, please don't eat that. And oh no, now what are we going to do? No, the sacrifice of Jesus was part of The triune God's plan from eternity past, which means, beloved. Go a little deeper. What this means is.
The crucifixion. was not only foreseen It was arranged. It was not only foreseen by our triune God, it was arranged. By God. The crucifixion was not an accident.
It was an appointment that had been scribbled into the calendar in eternity past. before time began.
So Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost and The creation of the New Testament church is taking place, and he's reminding his vast audience. That all the wicked men And the nation Israel hammered his Hands and feet to that cross, Peter goes on to say further, He was delivered over. By the predetermined plan and foreknowledge. of God.
So, I think that's the only thing that we have. Let's go a little deeper. This also means that even though we think of everything, you know, beginning with creation, that's where it starts for us, right? In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:1. We just don't get much pre-before that.
We think of God first. as creator. And then because of the fall of man, we think of God next. As Redeemer. Oh no.
Before you were born. In fact, before the worlds were ever created, Jesus Christ had already decided as God the Son to die. For you. Becoming your substitute on the cross was not plan B. It was Plan A.
People ask me if I can apply this a little differently. Stephen, you know, why did God create Satan? Knowing all the trouble he'd make and all the evil he'd do. Let me ask a broader, more sweeping question and response. Why did God create you?
And me Knowing all the trouble And evil we would do. That would require then A substitutionary. Death. That's the greater question. I said, Jesus.
He didn't have to die for Satan. And all the fallen demons. He didn't have to die for them. He did have to die for you. And me.
And he planned it. in eternity past. John MacArthur adds in his commentary on this text the words, he quotes Thomas Watson, another great Puritan. Watson wrote, listen to this. Great was the work of creation.
But greater the work of redemption. It costs more to redeem us. That the create us In the one, there was but the speaking of a word. And the other The shedding. Of blood.
Imagine Jesus knew everything we would do. all the way back through eternity past. And he still chose to create us. even though it would require It's death. Jesus is shown here as our liberator, as our substitute, thirdly, as our Savior.
Notice the latter part of verse 20. But he has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. Who through him are believers in God? He has appeared in these last times. That participle can be rendered.
He became visible. It indicates that moment in history when God. The Son took on flesh and appeared on earth. Of course, we know it is the incarnation in the form of a baby. We've been singing about it today.
He appeared in these last times. This is a reference then to that period of time marked by his first coming. And ending with his second coming. People ask me, Stephen, are we living in the last days? Yeah.
It's been about 1900 years from now. when he came and it'll be If he came tomorrow, about almost 2,000 years when this ends. or shortly thereafter.
Now Paul calls this period in human history the last days. People ask me, are we living in the last days? Yes. The last days started when he came. 2 Timothy 3:1.
The writer to the Hebrews referred to it as, In these last days, God has spoken to us through his Son, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2. John the Apostle. Changes it a little bit, and he says, This is the last hour. We're not just talking about days. Times Hours.
Imagine then, beloved, in the planning and providence of God, you happen to be living in the final days of human history. The last era. The last epic. We call it the last dispensation. as it were.
The last days. And if John the Apostle thought it was the last hour, imagine how many minutes must be left. before the last one ticks away. Notice, however, the personalization of the Gospel of Christ. Peter writes, He didn't just appear for no reason at all.
He didn't just appear so we could have some Christmas carols to sing about and a nativity scene to look at. No, look, notice. He did this for the sake of. You. For you.
This is the crux of the gospel. It isn't enough to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The demons believe that. It isn't enough to believe that Jesus died on the cross. They were there.
It isn't enough to believe in a heaven. Satan's still having access to God, where he accuses you before God, and he comes down here and he accuses God to you, right? They know all this. They believe all this. But the devil will never say Jesus died For me.
Or would he ever want to? See, the question is, is Jesus your liberator? Is he your Substitute. Is he your? Savior.
In one of my recent appointments. With Greenhouse new members We were going through the class. which I have the privilege of meeting with. I asked couples if they're married. I met with a couple a couple of weeks ago, and the woman said to me something, and I'm sitting there going, you know, I really ought to share that with the congregation.
That moment when she went from death to life. and was born again, that she had heard the gospel throughout her life. And thought she was okay, but realized at that moment she'd never personally asked Christ. The saver. She said, A man was preaching, and he had everybody turn to John 3:16.
She said, You know, I knew that verse. In fact, I knew it by heart. But he said, No, I want you to put your name in there. Can you do that? It isn't just that, for God so loved the world.
The devil believes that. That he gave his only begotten son, the devil believes that. That whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. He knows that's the gospel. But have you put your name there?
If I were to put my name there, and I've thought about that since, it would read, For God so loved. Stephen. That he gave his only begotten son, that if Stephen Believes in him, trusts in him. Stephen will not perish. Stephen will have Everlasting life.
Have you ever called upon the name of the Lord? to be saved. or just believed a lot of truth. that even the demons believe. And it causes them, James says, to shudder.
with the reality of it. See, this is the amazing personal offer of the gospel of lost. sinners. It must be personalized. in the heart of faith toward the God of grace.
Paul will write that in his own testimony, by the way, in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. They'll say the life that I now live In the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved Me. and gave himself For me, Is there a me in your testimony? Or is it just the world? And notice further, Peter writes.
Who through him are believers in God. This is the very personal and yet very exclusive claim of Christianity. Who you could circle the words through him. Not through anybody else, but through him. Not through anything else, but through him.
His sacrifice, his substitutionary atoning death. Only through him you become genuine believers in God. And I've had people say, maybe you're saying, I don't like that part. You know, that's too exclusive, that's way too narrow, it's too defining. I'm gonna get to heaven my own way.
I'm doing the best I can, and I think I'm a pretty good fella. My own plan? My own efforts My own will. I remember asking a man, Do you think you're going to heaven? Yes.
Why do you think you're going to heaven? Because I want to go. I will go. Reminds me of C.S. Lewis, who wrote in the mid-1900s: there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who say to God, Thy will be done.
And those to whom God says, All right then. Have your will. You must have a liberator. A substitute. The Savior, fourth, and finally, the Lord is pictured here by Peter as our victor.
Verse 21, the latter part who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, returned him to his glory. Christ's resurrection is the exclamation point of the gospel. Without it, nothing would be ratified. It was that signal sent throughout the universe that the sacrifice of Jesus on your behalf and mine was accepted. was accepted.
It was sufficient.
So that Paul can write, We in Christ are overwhelmingly Conquerors! Do you feel that way? Probably not. But in light of eternity, you are an overwhelming Conqueror. The kingdom of Christ says one.
And so now notice, verse 21, the end of it. Your faith. And hope. are in your best efforts. Oh wait.
Your faith And hope are in how strong you feel in your faith. Your faith and hope. are in God. Your faith is not in your faith. That's going to feel strong one day and very weak the other.
It is the object of your faith. That matters. And he says here. It's in God. If there isn't any way you can buy your way out of slavery, you're stuck, friends.
You're stuck. Those chains of iron cannot be loosed by you. There isn't anything you can offer from your own futile efforts to redeem yourself. You're too poor. And then all the gold and silver you got is just Pavement.
There isn't anything you can say or do that will clear your name, that can unstain your family record. Your crimes are too great, your sins are too many, and we add to the mountain every day. We have to have someone to take our place.
someone qualified. to shed blood to atone for us. to pay for our crimes. And then Rise in victory as Christ did, back to His glory, and He promises His disciples before He has sends, Oh, by the way, I'm going to prepare a place. For You.
See how personal this is. For you. Your liberator? Your substitute Your Savior. You're Victor.
Yeah. to clean up. Your name. And to give you an opportunity. In fact, what are your new name?
to live for his glory and when this last age is over. He's going to open for you the gate of heaven. How? By faith, and personal trust. Having been redeemed by His precious blood, which you have personally applied by faith in Him.
to your own mountain. of sin. I close with this. Ravi Zacharias. recounted the events of November 26th.
2008. in a book he published in 2010. When a gang of terrorists stormed at the Taj Mahal Palace. In Mumbai, India. And after the carnage was over.
200 people were dead. A reporter interviewed One of the individuals had been at the hotel eating dinner that night and the guests described how he and his friends were eating dinner when they heard gunshots and somebody then grabbed his arm and pulled him to the floor and in all the chaos he somehow managed to kind of get halfway under a table. He said the assassins came striding through the restaurant shooting. until everyone, or so they thought everyone, had been killed. But he survived, and when the interviewer asked This man, how he'd lived when everyone else at his table and in the restaurant had been killed, he replied.
Quote, I suppose it was because I was covered in someone else's blood. They thought I was dead. Robbie went on to Apply it, saying this is the perfect metaphor of God's gift through Jesus Christ to each one of us because He Paid the penalty for our sin because we are covered. In the blood of his sacrifice, his bloody death. You could understand it.
We may have. Eternal.
Life. That was Stephen Davey, and this is Wisdom for the Heart, a production of Wisdom International. Learn more at wisdomonline. org.
