Embracing the Wonder of Salvation Through Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Prophets' Vision of Salvation

The prophets of old were given glimpses of the coming Messiah, and they searched diligently to understand the full picture of salvation. Their anticipation was not for themselves but for future generations, including us. This anticipation reminds us of the importance of hope and trust in God's promises, even when the fulfillment seems distant. The prophets, through the Holy Spirit, received insights into the Messiah's coming, foretelling both His sufferings and the glories that would follow. They longed to understand the full picture of salvation, knowing they were serving future generations, including us. This anticipation reminds us of the importance of hope and trust in God's promises, even when the fulfillment seems distant. [25:34]

1 Peter 1:10-12 (ESV): "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories."

Reflection: Think about a promise from God that you are waiting to see fulfilled. How can you cultivate patience and trust in God's timing today?

Day 2: The Fulfillment of Prophecy in Christ

Jesus' arrival marked the fulfillment of centuries of prophecy, bringing salvation to humanity. This advent is not just a historical event but a transformative reality that offers us a living hope and an eternal inheritance. It challenges us to live in the light of this hope, allowing it to shape our present and future. The advent of Jesus marked the fulfillment of these prophecies, ushering in a new era of hope and salvation. This is the good news, the gospel, that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we are offered a living hope and an eternal inheritance, shielded by God's power. [41:05]

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV): "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."

Reflection: How does the reality of Jesus' fulfillment of prophecy impact your daily life? What is one way you can live more fully in the light of this hope today?

Day 3: The Angels' Awe at Salvation

Even the angels, who see from God's perspective, are amazed by the salvation offered to humanity. This divine drama, with believers as honored participants, highlights the significance of our faith journey. It encourages us to view our lives as part of a grand narrative, filled with purpose and divine blessing. The angels, who see from God's perspective, marvel at this salvation, recognizing it as the focal point of universal history. As believers, we are invited to be amazed by this salvation, to let it fill us with gratitude and awe. [47:34]

Ephesians 3:10-11 (ESV): "So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Reflection: Consider the idea that your life is part of a grand narrative. How does this perspective change the way you view your daily challenges and opportunities?

Day 4: An Invitation to Explore Jesus

For those unsure about following Jesus, the story of salvation invites curiosity and exploration. Jesus, a historical figure who fulfilled prophecies and performed miracles, offers a compelling narrative that beckons us to consider Him as the author of our salvation. This invitation is a call to experience the transformative power of His grace. For those who have not yet embraced Jesus as the author of their salvation, this message is an invitation to lean in, to explore the character of Jesus, and to consider the profound implications of His life and work. [52:07]

John 1:45-46 (ESV): "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'"

Reflection: If you are exploring faith, what is one question you have about Jesus that you can seek to answer today? If you are a believer, how can you invite someone else to "come and see" Jesus?

Day 5: Rekindling Amazement at Salvation

As believers, we are encouraged to rekindle our amazement at the gift of salvation. By reflecting on our own salvation story, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship. This practice not only deepens our relationship with God but also inspires us to live out our faith with renewed passion and joy. The angels, who see from God's perspective, marvel at this salvation, recognizing it as the focal point of universal history. As believers, we are invited to be amazed by this salvation, to let it fill us with gratitude and awe. [53:47]

Psalm 51:12 (ESV): "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."

Reflection: Reflect on your own salvation story. What aspects of it fill you with gratitude and awe? How can you express this gratitude in your worship and daily life today?

Sermon Summary

Summary:

Gathering together in worship is a powerful expression of our shared faith and love for God. As we delve into 1 Peter 1:10-12, we explore the profound mystery and wonder of salvation. This salvation, anticipated by prophets for centuries, was brought to fruition through Jesus Christ, and even the angels are in awe of it. The prophets, through the Holy Spirit, received glimpses of the Messiah's coming, foretelling both His sufferings and the glories that would follow. They searched intently, longing to understand the full picture of salvation, knowing they were serving future generations, including us.

The advent of Jesus marked the fulfillment of these prophecies, ushering in a new era of hope and salvation. This is the good news, the gospel, that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we are offered a living hope and an eternal inheritance, shielded by God's power. This salvation allows us to rejoice even in trials, knowing that our faith is being refined and that we have a secure relationship with God.

The angels, who see from God's perspective, marvel at this salvation, recognizing it as the focal point of universal history. As believers, we are invited to be amazed by this salvation, to let it fill us with gratitude and awe. For those who have not yet embraced Jesus as the author of their salvation, this message is an invitation to lean in, to explore the character of Jesus, and to consider the profound implications of His life and work.

Key Takeaways

1. The Anticipation of Salvation: The prophets of old were given glimpses of the coming Messiah, and they searched diligently to understand the full picture of salvation. Their anticipation was not for themselves but for future generations, including us. This anticipation reminds us of the importance of hope and trust in God's promises, even when the fulfillment seems distant. [25:34]
2. The Advent of Salvation: Jesus' arrival marked the fulfillment of centuries of prophecy, bringing salvation to humanity. This advent is not just a historical event but a transformative reality that offers us a living hope and an eternal inheritance. It challenges us to live in the light of this hope, allowing it to shape our present and future. [41:05]
3. The Amazement of Angels: Even the angels, who see from God's perspective, are amazed by the salvation offered to humanity. This divine drama, with believers as honored participants, highlights the significance of our faith journey. It encourages us to view our lives as part of a grand narrative, filled with purpose and divine blessing. [47:34]
4. The Invitation to Lean In: For those unsure about following Jesus, the story of salvation invites curiosity and exploration. Jesus, a historical figure who fulfilled prophecies and performed miracles, offers a compelling narrative that beckons us to consider Him as the author of our salvation. This invitation is a call to experience the transformative power of His grace. [52:07]
5. The Call to Be Amazed: As believers, we are encouraged to rekindle our amazement at the gift of salvation. By reflecting on our own salvation story, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship. This practice not only deepens our relationship with God but also inspires us to live out our faith with renewed passion and joy. [53:47]
** [53:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:00] - The Wonder of Salvation
[25:34] - Prophets' Anticipation
[30:58] - The Role of the Prophets
[36:15] - The Puzzle of Prophecy
[41:05] - Advent of Salvation
[46:07] - The Angels' Amazement
[47:34] - God's Perspective
[50:31] - The Drama of Salvation
[52:07] - Invitation to Lean In
[53:47] - Rekindling Amazement
[56:12] - Worship and Gratitude
[57:27] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Man, today, I would love to approach, man, this idea of salvation with that level of wonder. With that level of amazement that we're going to get to see. And we're going to walk through these three verses in 1 Peter. And we're just going to see the idea that salvation was anticipated by the prophets for centuries. And that Jesus brought the advent of salvation. And even the angels are amazed by this idea of salvation." [00:24:18]

"So God would have a word for them, and he would share that, reveal that through the Holy Spirit to the prophets, and that the prophets would be kind of the mouthpiece of the Lord to speak that out to the people of Israel. And so here's examples of some prophets that you may have heard of. Really like the back half of the Old Testament is a lot of books of prophets." [00:28:18]

"Peter here is calling out one of the really important ministries of the prophets. And as I said, it's a very important ministry. It's a very important theme that we see of the words of God being revealed to the prophets throughout the Old Testament. And that is this foreshadowing of the coming of a Messiah." [00:30:58]

"Surely he took up our pain and he bore our suffering yet we considered him punished by God stricken by him and afflicted but he was pierced for our transgressions and he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed because this is the spirit of Christ revealing to the prophet Isaiah 700 years before we actually see Jesus show up to earth that this is what the sufferings of the messiah would look like." [00:32:42]

"So these prophets they would receive this word man it would get them excited they would they would have a kind of new revelation of what the messiah would be like or where or how and and they would search intently I mean wouldn't we all want to know man does that mean the messiah could be coming in my lifetime like this this savior talked about for so long like could could where could he be from who could it be and so they would search and they would take not only the the revelation that the Lord had given to them to share with the people but they would start to layer that on top of what they had heard from prophets that had come beforehand from the generations of people." [00:36:02]

"Peter is writing to. They were serving you, which also can be extended to us, when they spoke of the things that have now been told to you by those who have preached the gospel to you. So what do we see here? Anyone here a fan of puzzles, a puzzler out there besides Nancy Millar? I know I've been to Nancy's house. She's got her like puzzle buckets, you know, with their like separated colors. That's the next level." [00:36:15]

"What's good news about the life, death, resurrection of Jesus? Man, Peter just got done covering a ton of that in the first nine verses. He says, hey, guess what? You could be born again into a living hope. Do you know that now we can have a living hope? Not just a hope for this life, but the hope for the one to come. Because we know that Jesus is the Messiah that's revealed." [00:44:22]

"Peter says, you can have grace. You can have grace and peace multiplied to you. Man, all of this comes through knowing Jesus, through believing in Jesus. And so, man, that's the salvation that Peter is talking about. And he's saying, you are here for it. Jesus is the advent of salvation." [00:46:07]

"Even the angels long to look into these things. That's crazy. Even the angels take a look at salvation and have this wonder. They have this holy curiosity. They have this awe about this idea of salvation." [00:47:08]

"Though the world may think Christians insignificant and worthy of pity or scorn, angels who see ultimate reality from God's perspective find them to be objects of intense interest. For they know that these struggling believers are actually recipients of God's greatest blessings and they're honored participants in the great drama at the focal point of universal history." [00:47:34]

"Jesus, who the Holy Spirit has been weaving this story, this anticipation of the coming Messiah through revelations to the prophets. get bits, they would get pieces, they get storylines, they get some weaves, they get characters, but can never really see the final picture. And then Peter says, guys, it's been revealed. It's a mystery no longer. The mystery has been revealed through Jesus. Salvation. Jesus brings the advent of salvation, and even the angels are blown away by this salvation." [00:50:31]

"Like, doesn't this at least make you a little bit more curious about the character of Jesus? Like, Jesus, who was an indisputable historical figure, not just, we don't know, we know this through the Bible, we know this through historical texts. Jesus was a historical figure. He performed miracles in front of thousands, not just like some, you know, David Blaine backroom magic to his disciples that gets written about. No, he performed unexplainable miracles in front of thousands of people." [00:51:06]

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