There is a movie I would recommend, and that doesn’t happen too often; it’s called “Time Changer.” It is about a man traveling ahead in time to see how the liberal teaching of his day would actually affect society. He returns bent on returning to strong biblical doctrine.
We seem to have a fascination
with time travel and most of you can probably think of a movie/book or two that
have that as part of the storyline. Well, God has never permitted men to
travel forward or backward in time, but He has permitted a few to at least see
the future including Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, John, and a few others.
Our passage for today is 1
Peter 1:10-12, it says the prophets of old inquired and searched, longing to
see the Messiah who would come, and see that future come in their lifetimes.
O what great salvation has
come to us who trust in Jesus, the Son of God, but do we appreciate it? Being
the recipients of so much grace have we lost the awe? Perhaps we are
guilty of taking our salvation and our Saviour for granted.
The
Blessing of Now:
I would ask you to now read 1
Peter 1:1-12. We cannot just jump right into our text without having the
opening verses fresh in our minds.
“This salvation” refers back
to the salvation of our souls discussed in 1:3-9, the prophets of old searched
for the Messiah. You see they understood, at least in part, that the
Messiah would come and that He would suffer, not for Himself but for others;
Isaiah 53 makes that very clear. They also knew He would restore the Kingdom.
The Israelites longed for the Messiah/King to restore glory to the nation of
Israel. I think that along the way, especially during the 400 years of silence
between the OT and the NT, most Jews focused on the Messiah’s restoration of
the Kingdom. Consider Mark 11, The Triumphal Entry, where the masses,
stirred by Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead, usher Jesus into the city (see
Mk 11:7-10). Then look at Mark 11:10, the people expected an immediate
restoration of David’s Kingdom when Messiah came. Also very telling is the
disciples question in Acts 1:6; at least with them Jesus had already suffered
and rose to life, so it’s a legitimate question. Yet you still see great
emphasis on the Kingdom restored to Israel.
This focus on the Kingdom led
many Jews to walk away from Jesus; because He was not meeting their
expectations. They expected the Messiah to come and lead them into military,
political, and economic independence from Rome. That seemed to be the average
person’s expectation, basically a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude. Sounds like
many people today, many who “come to Christ” because they just want a better
life for themselves. That’s not what “this salvation” is all about as plainly
indicated by 1 Peter 1:6-9.
The prophets longed for the
salvation, the grace, and the glorification of God. Read any of the
prophets and you will see that they understood their sinfulness (their own and
that of the nation of Israel). Consider Isaiah 6:1-5 for instance. Isaiah
understood that he and the nation were unclean. That chapter goes on to tell of
God’s judgment upon Israel. The prophets understood our need for salvation due
to our wickedness and rebellion. They understood that no one deserves God’s
forgiveness or mercy, but His grace gives those in abundance.
I fear that most people
already think they are good enough to go to Heaven; according to God they’re
dead wrong. Few understand/believe their sin will send them to
Hell. After all, “God is love, He wouldn’t send me to Hell, I haven’t
done anything that bad.” Without an understanding of personal
guilt, a deep regret for personal sin, and a decision to repent (to turn away
from sin), there is no salvation. Second Corinthians 7:10 says, “for godly
sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation.” Understanding the penalty of
sin, the prophets inquired of God and searched the Scriptures, and told of the
grace that God would send in the person of the Messiah. They longed to
see the Messiah come because He alone could bring that grace and salvation.
The Spirit of Christ (a name
used here of the Holy Spirit) revealed to the prophets that the Messiah, the
Christ, would come. Let me remind you that “Messiah” is a Hebrew word meaning
“anointed one,” “divinely appointed King of Israel,” and “High Priest of
Israel.” Christ is the Greek word for Messiah/Anointed One. Let’s consider for
a moment just one passage the Spirit revealed to David, who is called a prophet
in Acts 1 and 2. Let’s look at Psalm 22, portions of which are quoted in
Hebrews and applied to Jesus…
Psalm 22:1 says, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so
far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?” That statement was
quoted by Jesus as He hung on the cross (see Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). Psalm
22:6-8 says, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by
the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the
Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’” This
is true of Jesus as He hung on the Cross (see Matthew 27:35-43; Luke 23:35).
Psalm 22:16-18 says, “For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the
wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands
and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide
My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots” (see Matthew 27:35;
Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34, John 19:24, 20:25). Hebrews 2:12 applies to Jesus Psalm
22:22 which says, “I will declare Your name to My
brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.” This is one example
of what the OT prophets had and searched trying to find out who the Messiah
would be, and when He would come. They sought to know about Him. They longed
for His coming. That was Then.
Back in 1 Peter, the Spirit
tells the readers that it was to them the prophets ministered. The prophets
ministered to us so we would know that Jesus was the Messiah. They inquired and
searched diligently, never seeing the promise realized. Like those we read
about in Hebrews 11, they did not see the Messiah before they died.
But we know who the Messiah
is, His name is Jesus Christ. Consider Matthew 13:14-17 which says, “And in
them (the multitude gathered around Jesus) the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
which says, ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you
will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown
dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear
with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so
that I should heal
them.’ But blessed are your (Jesus’ disciples) eyes for they see,
and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, 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.” The OT prophets longed to know, to see, and to hear what we know, have
seen, and have heard through the pages of the New Testament. Do you understand
the incredible blessing you have been given, to have the record and witness of
Jesus Christ? I fear that like most of the Jews in Jesus’ day, we are too
worried about ourselves and how to make our lives better. We are not so
impressed with the amazing grace and the salvation through Jesus. Are you in
awe at the grace given to you, those of you who believe?
How awe inspiring is it, look
at the end of 1:12, these are things angels desire to look into (experience).
The Spirit states something similar in Ephesians 3:8-12 through the Apostle
Paul, “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this
grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of
the ages has been hidden in God who created
all things through Jesus Christ; to
the intent that now the manifold wisdom of
God might be made known by the church to the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished
in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have
boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” That salvation
is for all who believe. This is now.
Conclusion:
We cannot travel through
time and that is a good thing. As a follower of Christ, the grace and salvation
you have received is more than the prophets of old knew and that angels can
know. Be thankful and give praise. In this time of viruses, lockdowns, economic
and political chaos, what we need is unity with God, and through Him unity with
each other. We need to trust what He is doing and we need to put off the
anxiety, idolatry, and grief through praise and worship of Almighty God. We are
now recipients of God’s grace, having record of Jesus Messiah's sacrificial
death, burial and glorious resurrection. That should fill us with awe,
thankfulness, joy, and dedication to Him. There is no reason to go back in
time, and great reason to look forward to the future.Grace and Peace,
Pastor Mark
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