The Christ We Trust (1 Peter 1:20-21)
March 2008
If you were to describe Easter without using words
and could only use a punctuation mark, which punctuation mark would you
use? You probably don’t even have to think about that. Your answer:
!
That is what I would use. I think that that is what
the disciples would use. However, it didn’t start out that way. That
first Sunday morning after the Resurrection would not have initially
been characterized by an exclamation point.
It started out as a period. A period is what we put
at the end of the sentence. “It is done. That is the end.” That is how
the disciples felt after Good Friday (although they would never have
described it as ‘good’).
They woke up on Sunday morning and there was still a
period in their life. The events of that previous Friday were still
fresh in their minds. Peter and John remembered seeing Christ on the
Cross. They saw the beatings, the whippings, the crown of thorns, the
nails in his hands and feet, the spear in Jesus’ side puncturing His
lung and heart.
They knew the body had been taken down from the
cross, cleaned up, wrapped in grave clothes, and placed in a borrowed
tomb.
This was the end for them, the period. They had
Messianic hopes. They had spent three years with Jesus being trained by
Him. They were expecting a rich and full future. Now in a matter of a
few days time, all that expectation had been destroyed.
It is difficult, if not impossible for us to
appreciate just how disillusioned and disappointed the disciples were.
For them, there was no future, just a period. This was the end.
However, the sun had not been up for an hour before
that period turned to a question mark. Some women visited the tomb to
anoint the body for burial and found the stone was moved, the guard was
gone, and the body was missing.
Notice all the questions that such a discovery
raises: Where was the body?, Where had they taken Jesus?, What had
happened?, Where did they move Him?,
As if the events of Friday were not bad enough, now
it is compounded by this uncertainty as to the whereabouts of the body.
John 20 says that looking down into the tomb she saw two angels
in white who said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She replied, “They have taken away my Lord and I do
not know where they have laid Him.”
She inadvertently asked Jesus (not knowing it was
He), “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid
Him, and I will take Him away.” (John 20:11-15) More questions.
Soon, the question mark became a comma. After Mary
saw Jesus and reported to the disciples, some of the disciples started
to realize that this was not the end. There might be more to come.
Maybe it is possible.
John and Peter ran to the tomb. Luke says (Luke
24) that Peter saw the linen wrappings but no body and went away to
his home, “marveling at what had happened.” (Luke 24:12) Surely
Peter still had some questions, but the period had been removed. He
marveled. He knew that there had to be more here than meets the eye.
The comma was short lived. When Jesus appeared to
the disciples it turned to an exclamation point.
The first time Jesus appeared to the disciples,
Thomas was absent. When Thomas showed up, the disciples said to him, “We
have seen the Lord!” (Luke 20:25)
Thomas didn’t believe them until Jesus appeared
again. Thomas immediately said to Christ, “My Lord and my God!”
(John 20:28)
From “He is dead.” to “He is risen!”
The Key to Christianity
The Resurrection of Christ is the central doctrine
of the Christian faith. It is the historical event without which there
would be no Christianity. Therefore we are not surprised to see that it
is the central theme of apostolic preaching and gospel evangelism, as
any survey of Acts would reveal.
As you reflect upon the blessed reality of the
Resurrection of Christ this month, let me direct your attention to the
words of the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:20-21, “For He was
foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these
last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who
raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope
are in God.”
The central theme of 1 Peter 1 is Jesus Christ, our
faith in Him, and the salvation that results from it. It is therefore
not surprising that Peter would mention the Resurrection and its saving
power at the beginning of the chapter (v. 3) and here at the end of the
chapter. Those two verses I just quoted to you are loaded with
information and doctrine about the person and work of Christ. As we
unpack those words, I want you to see four things that Peter affirms
about Christ.
#1 He Existed Before Creation
Peter says that Christ was “foreknown before
the foundation of the world” (v. 20). This is an implicit
affirmation that Jesus existed before creation. In theological terms,
we refer to this as the pre-existence of Christ.
This Jesus Whom Peter walked with, talked with,
learned from, ate with, watched die, and saw resurrected existed before
the foundation of the world. He is the eternal God, the Son. As long
as God has been God, Christ has existed in that relationship to the
Father as God, second person of the Trinity.1
Not only did He exist prior to creation, but in the
counsels of the Godhead, according to the predetermined plan of God, the
Son was chosen to be the suffering Redeemer for lost humanity. That is
what Peter means by “He was foreknown before the foundation of the
world.”
This same word is used of God’s foreknowing us in
verse 2 of this same chapter, where Peter tells us that we were “chosen
according the foreknowledge of God the Father.” Here it is said
that like us, Christ was foreknown.2
We were in the eternal purpose and plan of God in a special
way. Christ was foreknown, not just that God knew Christ before
creation, (of course that is true), rather that Christ was in the
eternal purpose and plan of God appointed and predestined to be the
suffering Redeemer.3
When that word (proginosko) it is used of
men knowing something before hand it simply means “to know ahead
of time.” (Acts 26:5; 2 Peter 3:17) However, when it is used
of God foreknowing something in a redemptive context (as here),
it has a far more profound and significant meaning.
The word speaks of the intimate knowledge that God
has of persons, not events. It is a word that communicates
intimacy toward its object. God “foreknows” us not in the sense that He
looks down through the corridors of time to see who we are and what we
will do, but in the sense of a predetermined intimate relationship that
He has with us. Proginosko in this context and others (Romans
8) means that God knew (loved intimately) beforehand.
This foreknowledge is linked to the eternal purpose
and counsel of God. It is not that the Father merely looked down the
corridors of time and foresaw what Christ would do, but that the love of
the Father rested on the Son before the world began.
The important thing to note is that Christ was the
Redeemer of men before we were created. He was marked out as the
suffering Redeemer, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world,
before ever an atom was spoke into existence. Our salvation was not a
“Plan B” scenario. God knew that man would not keep his innocence,
would fall and need a Savior. Provision was made and planed before
Creation. The remedy was planned before the disease came.
#2 He Was Manifested In The Flesh
“He has appeared in these last times for the
sake of you who through Him are believers in God.” (vv. 20b-21a)
Christ was chosen in eternity past, and manifested
in these last times. That is a reference to the incarnation. He existed
prior to life on earth, and then He was manifested in the flesh for us.4
Notice that Peter says this was “for your sake of
you who through Him (Christ) are believers in God.” It was for your sake
that Christ was chosen to be the Redeemer and Savior (foreknown). It was
for your sake that He came in the flesh and, suffered, and died.
In these verses, Peter steps back into eternity past
and shows how we were on the heart of God before ever the world was.
Paul describes the same thing saying in 2 Timothy 1:9-10 that He
“has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us
in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the
appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, . . .”
#3 He Was Resurrected
“. . . Who raised Him from the dead. . .”
(v. 21)
Back in verse 3 of this chapter Peter mentioned that
“we have been born again to a living home through the resurrection of
Christ from the dead.”
This fact of the Resurrection of Christ finds a
prominent place in this letter from Peter because if found a prominent
place in his preaching. It is in fact the central feature of the gospel
preaching we find in the New Testament.5
This is certainly the central doctrine upon which
the entire Christian faith rests, for without the Resurrection of Christ
there is no forgiveness, no salvation, and no victory over death.
Without the Resurrection, all we have in Christ is a great religious
leader, a dead man. If there is no resurrection, then Christ is not
risen and if Christ is not risen, then “your faith is worthless, you are
still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Paul Maier wrote a fictional novel titled A
Skeleton in God’s Closet.6 The
story is about an archeologist in Israel who stubbles upon a skeleton.
All the evidence points to the conclusion that it is the remains of
Jesus of Nazareth. In his research the archeologist also uncovers an
ancient plot on behalf of the disciples to pass the Resurrection of
Christ off as a fact in order to deceive the people of their day. As
the story goes, when the news finally breaks, Christianity crumbles.
Church attendance goes through the floor. Churches around the world
close by the thousands. Seminaries close. Christian radio becomes
nothing, publishing houses close up. Christianity itself becomes a
laughing stock to the world as people who have trusted in this risen
Christ realize it was all a hoax. This ancient hoax is the skeleton in
God’s closet.
I won’t tell you how it all ends just in case you
decide to read the book, but rest assured, there is no skeleton in God’s
closet. There will never be a body produced which was that of Jesus of
Nazareth. He is risen. The tomb is still empty. The body is
gone. He appeared to witnesses.
Every year at this time liberals, atheists, and
skeptics launch an all out attack on Christ and the Resurrection. Some
newsweekly will publish a story about the “historicity of Jesus.” You
hear how there is so much of His life and ministry shrouded in mystery
that we can’t be sure what is true and what is fiction. One thing that
all the skeptics and atheists agree on, is that Christ never rose from
the dead. They offer all types of theories to explain the empty tomb.
The empty tomb is an elephant in the living room.
Everyone agrees that the tomb was empty. The question becomes, what
happened? There are never any new theories, just the same old party
line recycled every year for the masses. Suggestions include: “the
Romans stole the body,” “the disciples stole the body,” “nobody every
knew where the body went,” “it was thrown into a common grave (much like
a land fill) and eaten by dogs,” and “Jesus didn’t really die on the
cross, but instead he “swooned,” lost consciousness, later revived, was
nursed to health and lived out the rest of His natural life.7
In contrast, when the Bible speaks of the
Resurrection, it affirms three things.
First, the Resurrection of Christ was literal not
metaphorical.
In other words, the idea of “Resurrection” is not a
metaphor for power or for new life. It is not a symbol of something
that God does in the heart. We are not talking about an idea,
but an event. The Resurrection of Christ was the bringing to
life a man who had been dead three days.
In the same way, the Resurrection is not a symbol.
It is not merely a symbol of the creative power of God in renewing
humanity. The Resurrection is not a symbol, it is not a metaphor, a
type, or an illustration. It is not a story that inspires us, or
encourages us, it is not given to warm our hearts. It is the literal
resurrection (in a glorious form) of a corpse.
Second, the Resurrection of Christ was physical
not spiritual.
Some say that it was a “spiritual” resurrection.
Although the body was still in the tomb, they say, the disciples told
people that if they would just believe in Christ, he would “come to life
in their hearts.” They say that an empty tomb is irrelevant. So, they
say, we can have it both ways, we can have a tomb with a body and a
“Resurrected Christ” as well.8
If Christ be not risen from the tomb, He will
certainly not rise in your heart! It is mindless drivel to suggest that
the body can lie in the tomb and His spirit “rise” in your heart. If
the body is still dead, then Christ is no more “spiritually resurrected”
in us than is Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed.
Third, the Resurrection of Christ was historical not
fictional.
It happened in time and space. The Resurrection of
Christ is as much a historical fact as the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln, the sinking of the Titanic, the bombing of Pearl harbor, World
War II, and September 11, 2001. It was witnessed by the women at the
tomb. He showed Himself alive with many infallible proofs.9
Writing only 20 years after the Resurrection, Paul
said in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ appeared to over 500 at one
time, and Paul adds, “most of whom are remain until now.” (15:6)
In other words, “if you don’t believe me you can ask them.” Five
hundred eye witnesses each allowed to testify in court for 10 minutes
would produce 83 hours of eyewitness testimony of a bodily resurrected
Christ!
The Roman soldiers who were there, the women, the
angels, the disciples, one skeptic (Thomas), 500 eye witnesses, and Paul
himself all bear eloquent testimony to an empty tomb. It is a well
attested recorded fact of history, not a fictional fable.
The hymn writer says, “You ask me how I know He
lives, He lives within my heart.” We can move beyond that. You ask me
how I know He lives. He lives because there was an empty tomb, a
missing body, and hundreds who saw Him alive with many proofs days after
He was crucified. I know He lives because a body has yet to be
produced. He lives because those who saw Him alive testified to what
they saw and were willing to die for it.
#4 He is Glorified
“. . . and gave Him glory so that your faith and
hope are in God.” (v. 21)
Our Savior who is the living Lord of the universe is
now glorified! He sits at the right hand of God. Before He came to
earth, Christ enjoyed the glory of heaven and the worship of angels.
Now, having come to earth, shed His blood and been raised to life, He
once again is now glorified.
He is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all rule and authority and power.10
God the Father has raised Him from the dead and given Him glory.
What A Savior!
That is our Savior!. He existed before creation,
was manifested in the flesh for our sake, He was crucified, dead,
buried, raised to life and now is glorified. That is the Christ that we
trust. He is the object of our faith, trust, worship, confidence and
adoration, and rightly so!
Do you know that Savior? Who are you trusting in to
save you from the grave? There is only one Savior. There is no other
way to heaven, but the one that God has provided. There is no way but
God’s way and that is through His Son. He died for you on a cross and
rose again so that, as Peter says, “Your hope and faith may be in
God.” Are you trusting in Him today?
Without Wax-
Jim Osman
Pastor/Teacher
Footnotes:
1. Col. 1:17, Jn.
1:1; 8:58; Heb. 7:3; Rev. 22:13; Mic. 5:2; Jn. 17:5, 24
2. The “foreknowledge”
is of the same nature in both verses, a predetermined loving
relationship, not a mere knowledge of facts, events or human actions.
3. Acts 2:23
4. See also Titus
2:11; 1 Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:3-11
5. See Acts 2:24;
2:32; 3:14-15
6. Available in the
church library.
7. See: More
Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell or Resurrection
by Hank Hanegraaff.
8. This makes Jesus
out to be a liar Jn 2:19-21; Luke 24:38-39.
9. Acts 1:1-3.
10. Eph. 1:20-21;
Phil. 2:9-11
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