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Reading 1 Peter 1:10-12 and talking about the grace of God that has been given to us, which even the angels don't understand. Visit wwutt.com for all of our videos!
There is a grace that God has shown to us, we who are made in His image, that is so great and is so specific to us that even the angels wish that they could understand it when we understand the text.
Many of the Bible stories and verses we think we know, we don't. When We Understand the Text is an online ministry dedicated to teaching the Word of God in context, promoting sound doctrine while exposing the faulty.
Here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe.
Thank you, Becky. At the time that I am recording this, it's about 1 a .m. Central Time in Kansas, United States, where I live, and the New York Times has just announced the state of Pennsylvania for Donald Trump, which gives him enough Electoral College votes to be elected the next president of the United States.
And that result is kind of bittersweet to me. It's sweet in the sense that the Democrats' reign in the White House comes to an end. Hillary Clinton will not be able to bring her corruption there, where there's already corruption.
It would only get worse with a Clinton back in the White House, and will also not be able to enact her murderous ambitions, legalizing even partial birth abortion, abortion, this Holocaust that kills 3 ,000 children in the United States per day, over a million children per year murdered by this Holocaust.
And hopefully now, with Republican control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, something that hasn't happened since the 1920s, hopefully now something can be done to stifle the murder that has been going on by abortion over the last several decades in the United States.
The Republicans have had control of Congress for several years now, and have really not accomplished much. But I hope that with with red control there in the White House and in Congress, that we will start to see some progress.
The media, the liberal agenda, the Democrats, they took a big hit on election night. That's pretty sweet. Here's the bitter part. Donald Trump's the next president of the United States. What else needs to be said about this man that has not been heard from his own mouth already?
The comments that he's made about women and minorities, things that he said about the disabled. He is a casino mogul, a strip club owner, a pornographer, a misogynist. He is proud, haughty, boastful. On and on the list goes.
There are way more negatives that you could say about the guy than things that are actually positive. And when it comes to his pro-life stance, that's not very hopeful, because he has said that Planned Parenthood does good work.
He has said that the Republican Party is going to need to change their policies when it comes to how they view abortion, meaning that they need to be more open to certain and special cases when abortion would be favorable.
He had talked about appointing his sister to the Supreme Court, who has voted in the past or has made judgments in the past in favor of partial birth abortion. Trump later walked his comments back on that.
But I think it just goes to say he just really doesn't understand the pro-life position. So while there are some hopeful expectations after the results of the election, there are at the same time some feelings that I just don't think that anything is really, truly going to be accomplished.
I looked at Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both as a route to the bottom, just different roads. And so I still see that as being the case, though. I'm hoping with Republican control still of the House and the Senate that we will be able to accomplish some conservative, life-saving policies here in the United States.
Rather than go on about my own political opinions here, I wanted to read for you the first ten verses of 1 Timothy 2 and the first ten verses of 2 Timothy 2. Here's what Paul says to Timothy in both of these chapters.
First of all, Paul says, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, I am telling the truth, I am not lying, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.
Likewise also, that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness with good works.
And so by these instructions here that Paul is given in 1 Timothy 2 verses 1 through 10, we need to pray even for our elected officials, knowing they also are men and women made in the image of God. And for Donald Trump, I pray that he would truly know repentance, because he doesn't, and he has said that he is not repentant, I pray that he would know repentance and he would truly come to know the Lord, that there are godly men and women around him.
Mike Pence, his vice president pick, is a God-fearing man, and so I pray that the God-fearing men and women that are around him will be able to encourage him and be an influence on him, and that he would repent of his sins, and he would come to know the Lord God and lead this nation in a righteous way.
I do indeed pray that for Donald Trump. We as men and women of God need to be faithful and obedient to the things that we have been called to, men not being angry or quarreling, but lifting holy hands in prayer, and women dressing modestly, presenting themselves not with their bodies, not with flashy attire, but with good works, according to women who profess godliness.
Now we read from 2 Timothy 2, verses 1 -10. Paul says to Timothy again, You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.
But the word of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Before continuing our study in 1 Peter, having read these things from Paul to Timothy, in 1 Timothy 2 and in 2 Timothy 2, let's come to the Lord in prayer.
Our great God, you are sovereign. You are king. You are in control. You are still on your throne. And Lord, we place our hope and our faith and our trust in you. Not in our elected officials. We pray that we would see some amazing godly things happen in this country.
Surely our hearts would delight to see such accomplishments. But it is not in them that we place our hope. It is in our God. You have shown us mercy in keeping a very murderous, corrupt woman out of the White House.
But at the same time, there is still a judgment on this nation in that corrupt leaders are still being appointed. And so Lord, we pray for repentance in this nation. That we would repent of our sins. That we would come to God who grants forgiveness and righteousness.
Who cleanses from all our iniquities. Who restores and renews. And God, I am praying for restoration, revival in this nation. That a people would turn from their sinfulness, their selfishness, their idol worship, their promiscuous sexuality, the homosexual agenda that continues to be embraced even by the church.
Their adultery. Their divorce. Their murderousness. The violence that is happening in this country. The haughtiness. The words. The anger. The bitterness and the vitriol that have been shared between people even over the course of 2016.
May we realize how nasty we've been to one another and repent of these things and look to the Lord Christ. Because as we draw closer to Christ, we will all draw closer to one another. What will unite this nation is not that the White House and the Senate and the House of Representatives are the color red.
But it is by the red blood of Christ that we are unified. Not only to one another, we are reconciled to God. Lord, may we look to you for our peace and our hope. This election, as much stock as we've put in it over the last 600 days, as much as people are putting into it even today, either celebrating or mourning the results, is nothing compared to the everlasting glory and grace that is given to us through Jesus Christ our Lord in his imperishable kingdom, which we will all inherit if we endure to the end.
As Jesus said to his disciples, it is those who endure to the end who will be saved. So Lord, keep us steadfast in the faith. Help us to respect our leaders whom you have appointed. And we pray for Donald Trump, that he would repent of his sins and know Jesus Christ as Lord.
God, we pray for Bill and Hillary Clinton, that they would also turn from their sins and know Christ as forgiver and the giver of eternal life. To you belongs all kingdoms, the power and the glory forever.
Amen. Let us read in 1 Peter 1, beginning in verse 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood, may grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again, to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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.
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 preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
This grace that Peter is talking about here, that the prophets prophesied about, but they didn't understand how God was going to bring it about. They said they wrote down, they announced to the people what the Holy Spirit drove them to say, but they didn't understand God's plan of redemption.
They did all these things for our benefit because we're able to go back and read the prophets and see God's full plan of redemption. Paul said in Romans 15, for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.
So we're able to see these things, how God was going to redeem his people to himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ and praise God that the prophets did this for our benefit. We see in Hebrews 11, verses 39 and 40, all these though commended through their faith did not receive what was promised since God had provided something better for us that apart from us, they should not be made perfect.
So our sanctification as we are being sanctified in the spirit is also perfecting those men of God, those men and women of God that came before us, and we will all be unified together on that great day of the Lord when we are seated together at the table of the wedding feast of the lamb, glory to God.
So 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.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you. And we read also in Ephesians chapter three, that all of these things were very mysterious. They didn't understand how God was going to bring about this reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles to God through the person and work of Christ.
And he was doing this through the cross of Christ. The cross is the pivotal point of all of human and cosmic history. God is reconciling all things to himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This is talked about in Colossians one 20 boy, how incredible is that? And how the prophets did not understand that it was on a thieves cross that God was going to bring about the reconciliation of his people.
So this was a mystery of the gospel that was hidden to those who existed prior to the cross. But us on this side of the cross, on the New Testament side of the cross, we're able to see how these things worked out according to God's sovereign plan.
So Paul talks about that in Ephesians chapter three, the mystery of the gospel revealed. And he goes on to say this, that he was appointed to bring to light for everyone. What is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things so that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Talking about like the demons and the angels here. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus, our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. So the apostles even suffered for our sake, not for themselves, but for us that we would benefit reading from the prophets in the Old Testament and the apostles in the New Testament about this grace.
This grace that is so huge and it is so immeasurable and it is so unfathomable that as Peter says here, even the angels long to look into these things. Do you understand that the angels do not share in this grace that we have been given through Jesus Christ?
The angels can be in the very presence of God. They can come in and out of the presence of God. We read about that in Job chapter one. And because they saw God and did not obey Satan and a third of the angels that were cast out of heaven with him, there is no plan of redemption for them.
What is left for them is to be destroyed. And that's it. They will not be redeemed. They will have no opportunity to return into the presence of God. Yet we who are made in the image of God, who sinned against God and were separated from God because of our sin, God still loves so much to send his son to die for us, to redeem us to himself through the person and work of Christ.
This is a grace and a mercy that God has extended to us that he has not given to the angels. And this grace is so incredible. It is so incredible to even the angels that they long to experience such a grace.
And yet we'll never know it because God is uniquely given it to us. We who were made in his image. There is a song that was written by Stephen Curtis Chapman. It came out on his album, All Things New, which I want to say came out in 2004.
I believe that CD is about 12 years old now. This is one of my all time favorite songs. It is called Angel's Wish. And I want to play this song for you. And I just want you to, through the music and the lyrics that are written here, think about this concept a little bit more.
This wonderful grace that has been given to us by God that even the angels will never experience or understand.
Well, I can't fly, at least not yet. I've got no halo on my head. I can't even start to picture heaven's savior's love. The grace of God has raised me up to show me things the angels long to look into.
And I know things, angels, only we stay new. A desperate place where sin will take. And I can't even start to picture.
Dear friend, dear listener, I hope that you understand this grace of God that has been given to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord, forgiving us of our sins and our trespasses and is shaping us in holiness and righteousness, growing us more into the image of Christ.
It is a grace that is so amazing. It is a love that is so unfathomable that even the angels desire to look into it and understand it. But it is something that God has given specifically to us who were made in his image.
We have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God did not destroy us, which is what we deserve. Instead, he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that all who know Jesus Christ will be forgiven and live forever in heaven with God, reconciled to God and to his people by the blood of Jesus Christ.
So I encourage you, sinner, turn from your sins, trust in Jesus Christ as Lord, and you will live by the grace of God, by the grace of God. It is said to us in Ephesians one, three, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Our Lord God, as we bring this lesson to an end, I pray that our hearts would be convicted to turn from our sins and follow you. Those who are in their sinfulness, who follow worldly passions, will be destroyed with the angels, but those who worship God and turn from worldliness, looking toward the heavenly things that have been given to us in Christ Jesus, will receive an eternal and heavenly reward.
And so God, we praise you for your grace and your faithfulness in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Gabriel Hughes is the pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Junction City, Kansas. Find out more online at www .utt .com.