The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls
On the Epistle Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from I Peter 1:17-21
Advent III
1. In vss. 1-2 Peter addresses his hearers as God's elect, though they be
earthly pilgrims. In vss. 3-12 Peter comforts them. Despite their various
earthly trials, they are to rejoice and thank God Who, in His mercy, has
begotten them again to a living hope in Jesus Christ. They have a
marvelous prospect, an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, reserved
in heaven. This salvation was foretold by the prophets. These prophesies
were so wonderful that even the holy angels wished to appreciate them.
Then in vss. 13-21 Peter speaks about the holiness of Christian living. He
begins in vs. 13 with "therefore", in view of what he had said in vss. 1-12.
In vss. 13-16 Peter urges them, by God's grace, to live soberly, as obedient
children, keeping themselves free from their former lusts. They are to be
holy, even as God Himself is Holy (Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7). It does not
mean: "Do the best you can." A Christian is holy, not because of himself,
but because of the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses him from all sin
and because he is a branch on Jesus, the Vine, Who causes him to bear
much fruit. The Word of God, Law and Gospel, makes a sinner like God,
holy, even though he is still a sinner. In the creed we confess: "I believe in
the holy Christian church." Its members are holy.
2. Vss. 17-21 are one sentence. Vs. 17 is a complex sentence. The main
clause (and main thought) is: "Live the time of your earthly sojourn in
fear." It is preceded by a subordinate clause: "If you pray to Your
(heavenly) Father, Who, without preference of persons, judges according to
the work of each." The main clause is followed by a subordinate causal
clause which begins with "because you know." The knowledge of the
Christian falls under two heads: a) _What_ you know; and b) _Whom_ you
know. Under the first head Peter tells them about their salvation. Under
the second head he tells them about their Savior. This twofold knowledge
will cause them to live the remainder of their life in fear. This is not the
fear of a slave because of his master. The Gospel does not make us afraid
of God. The OT frequently says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
Wisdom." Ps. 111:10. That's why Luther often says: "We should fear, love
and trust in God." It's the fear of one who believes that he is God's child.
It's like the fear of Joseph who cried: "How can I do this great wickedness
and sin against God?" Gen. 39:9. Though the Christian is still a sinner he
carefully avoids deliberate sin.
3. Vs. 18: Though silver and gold are prized highly in this life, they are
perishable. They cannot redeem us from the empty, pagan religion of our
forefathers. All cultures have a pagan background. It cannot save them.
4. Vs. 19: Only one thing can save us: the precious blood of Christ. It
cleanses us from all sin. I Jn. 1:9. It's like the blood of a lamb, without
blemish or spot. We think immediately of the Passover Lamb, Gen. 12:1-20,
which delivered God's children, and foreshadowed Jesus. We think
immediately of Jn. 1:29: "Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin
of the world."
5. Vs. 20: God elected me from eternity to save me. See 1:2. God also
elected His Son from eternity to carry out this salvation. He appeared at
the end of time as a human being for your sake.
6. Vs. 21: Through this Jesus Christ (faith is a gift of God) you now believe
in God Who raised Jesus from the dead and gave His Son glory. Who is the
best known person in history? Jesus Christ. The net result of all of this is
that you believe in God and you hope in God. What do you believe about God?
It is summarized in the Apostles Creed. What does it mean to hope in God?
It means to have the firm assurance that, no matter what happens, I am
His and He is mine. Nothing will separate me from the love of God in Christ
Jesus. Rom. 8:38-39.
7. This is a fine Advent text. It prepares us for the first coming of Christ,
Christmas. It also prepares us for the second coming, either when we die
or when He comes again. Hallelujah!
The Sermon Outline of Harold Buls
On the Epistle Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from I Pet. 1:17-21
Advent III
THEME: Live the Time of Your Earthly Sojourn in Fear of the Lord
INTRODUCTION
Vss. 1-2 are addressed to God's elect, Christians. Vss. 13-25 tells us how
God wants His elect to live in the world of sin, woe and grief. We cannot
do it without relying entirely on the Triune God. That's what it means to
fear God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom." The Christian
is a wise man who knows how to live wisely.
I. Because you know the true God.
A. He is the one Who judges correctly. Vs. 17. God is not a respecter
of persons. There is no injustice with Him. He judges each man
according to his works. If his works are useless and dead he will be
lost. But if his works proceed from faith in Christ that person will
be saved. See Mt. 25:31-46; Jn. 15:1-8; Mt. 5:16; Gal. 5:6; Js. 2:26;
Rev. 3:7-11. Works are the evidence of faith, not the cause of
salvation.
B. He is the author of an eternal plan. In vss. 1-2 Peter addresses his
hearers as the elect of God. We talked about this two weeks ago
when we studied Eph. 1:3-7. There is another part of this plan from
eternity. God foreordained His Son (vs.20) to be our Savior. His plan
for the Savior and the saved is from eternity to eternity. It is
totally removed from our works and our worthiness. It is all of grace
and mercy.
C. He raised Jesus from the dead. The God-man, Jesus Christ,
actually died in our stead. The God-man was actually raised from the
dead and He said: "Because I live you will live also." Jn. 14:10. And
now the Father gives His Son glory. Jesus is the most acclaimed
person in history. Everybody knows Christmas and Easter because
they know of Jesus. God constantly glorifies His Son.
D. The Son gives us faith. Vs. 21 of our text says that we believe
"through Him." He once said: "The dead will hear the voice of the Son
of God and those who heard will live." He is talking about conversion.
He has already raised me from the dead.
II. Because you know what God has done for you.
A. He has saved me from the empty traditions of my forefathers.
Every culture, whether Jew or Gentile, goes back to a time when
people did not know the true God. We cannot be saved by what our
ancestors believed. Salvation is by personal revelation from the
Bible.
B. He lets you know that earthly things cannot save you. Sinful,
human nature always thinks that money, goods or fame can save
them. They are mistaken. Gold and silver, though precious
commodities, cannot save us. Vs. 18. They will perish.
C. He lets you know that the precious blood of Christ is the only
thing which can save you. It's precious because God's very life was in
that blood. He gave that blood to pay for our sins. And now that blood
cleanses us from all sin and guilt, even its power. I Jn. 1:9.
D. He convinces you that your faith and hope are in the true God Who
is eternally just. Faith is the hand which receives what God, in
Christ, did for us. Hope is the sure conviction that we will live with
God forever. Life eternal belongs to us now already. And we are
convinced that this God is truly just. He will judge us on the basis of
works which Jesus gave us. Eph. 2:10. God prepared these works for
us and we live in them.
CONCLUSION
We can truly pass the time of our earthly sojourn in the fear of the Lord
because we know both the Lord and what He has done for us. _SLAVA BOGU
EDEENU!!_ God is the author of three wonderful things: First He planned
from eternity our salvation and also the Savior. Then He carried out His
plan. And now He walks with us and makes sure that we fear Him during
our earthly sojourn. _SLAVA BOGU!_
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