Strengthening the Brethren
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
By way of introduction we wish to emphasize the concluding message of our last sermon. 1 Peter 1:7 tells us of the trial of faith. It is described as being much more precious than the gold that perisheth, even though it be tried by fire, even though for a while we may be in heaviness through many temptations and testings. We may rejoice in the midst of trials, because they will be found unto praise, and honor, and glory at the Appearing of Jesus Christ. Let us suggest three things to you about our present-hour trial:
1. Our Lord suffered for us "leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps." The Apostle Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." He, however, like Peter, is giving a testimony of Christ's humiliation and suffering, even unto the death of the Cross. The Holy Spirit through both Paul and Peter is calling upon saints to suffer with Christ even as He suffered for us. We who would be soldiers of Christ must endure hardness as He endured walking in His steps.
The Holy Spirit in the Book of Hebrews gives this stirring admonition: "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub," said Christ, "how much more shall they call them of His household."
2. We may expect sufferings in this present evil age. There is no compatibility between light and darkness, neither is there compatibility between the spiritual saint and the sinner. Our ambitions, our conceptions of the truth, our ideals of living, are all distinct and opposite. In the world we have tribulation for the simple reason that we are not of the world. It is given unto us to suffer for His sake and as He suffered, because we are among men with the same message, the same attitude toward sin, that He had in the world. If the world hated Him, we know it will hate us.
Paul spoke of the trials which he endured. We read of how Peter was cast into prison. We read of John being exiled on the Isle of Patmos. We know the story of the martyrdom of James. Shall we, who live in the twentieth century (when Satan is so active in a world ripe in its rebellion against God), expect to suffer less than the saints of the first century suffered? It is still true: if any man "live godly in Christ Jesus, [he] shall suffer persecution."
3. How our sufferings work for us. We all love to have some one work in our behalf, but God tells us that our "light affliction, * * worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
Peter says that though we be tried with fire, it will all be found unto praise, honor, and glory at the Appearing of Jesus Christ. Sweet then is the result of adversity, and precious are the rewards of suffering.
I. SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES (1 Peter 1:11-12)
We will here give a fuller consideration to these verses. It is a beautiful thought to see how the Prophets of old enquired diligently concerning the grace which they themselves prophesied should come upon us.
1. We see the Prophets searching the Scriptures they wrote. The ancient seers studied their own writings as well as the writings of other contemporaries. This, in itself, bears testimony that they often wrote that of which they knew not. There is not a writer today who would sit down and study the words of his own pen, trying to ferret out what he meant when he wrote this, or that. If he did such a thing we would consider him crazy; or else that he wrote under the dictation of another.
2. We see the Prophets searching that which the Holy Spirit did signify. Our 1 Peter 1:11 says that they searched "what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify." This is one of the strongest Scriptures in the Bible in behalf of Divine inspiration. Men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. They put down the words which were given them to put down. Some persons would assert that God only placed thoughts in the minds of the Prophets, and then left them to express their thoughts, in their own language. This could not be, inasmuch as these Prophets did not understand what they were writing. We know they did not understand for the simple reason that they studied their own writings to discover what the Holy Ghost meant when He gave them the message which they wrote.
3. We see the Prophets searching the Scriptures concerning two lines of revelation. Our verse tells us that they searched concerning the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which would follow. The two things seemed incompatible. How could Christ both be rejected and reign? How could He die, and yet be exalted to the throne of David? There is one thing the Prophets did not see. They did not see the Church age, that great space of time which lies between the sufferings and the glory of Christ.
II. THE PROPHETS REALIZED THAT THEY WROTE FOR US (1 Peter 1:12)
Our Scripture presents a marvelous statement of the relationship of the words of the Prophets to the people of this present age. Let us quote the verse in full: "Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."
There are three things definitely stated here,
1. What the Prophets wrote did not minister unto themselves. We do not mean that there was not much illumination to them, but that the great message of their prophecy was a revelation of things to come, things that should happen in the latter days, things which were to be fulfilled in the days of Christ's first and Second Coming.
2. What the Prophets wrote did minister unto us. This is God's definite statement. How deeply concerned, therefore, should we be in the messages of the Prophets, because thy were constantly writing the things which concerned us. They were writing these things for our admonition, upon whom the end of the ages has come.
3. What the Prophets wrote back there is now being preached by us. The latter clause of our verse says "which [things] are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you." In other words Peter, in the Holy Ghost, said that he and his colleagues were preaching the things unto them which the Prophets wrote in the times past.
This is the mission of every preacher unto this hour. It is for us to give forth the story which God gave to the Prophets of old.
III. HOW THE PREACHERS IN THE EARLY CHURCH PREACHED (1 Peter 1:12, l.c.)
Our text says "them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."
1. The Spirit gave the message to the Prophets. This we have already stated. However, we need to emphasize that the Word of God is the message of the Spirit of God.
2. The Spirit now clothes the preacher with power. This is a statement which should weigh deeply upon us. The same Holy Ghost who gave the message to the Prophets, now gives His ministers the power to preach that message. This was the promise in the Book of Acts: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem," etc. With what strength of conviction should the Gospel heralders stand forth when they realize that the Gospel they preach is not their own, and the power with which they preach the Gospel is not their own. The Holy Ghost gave the message, and the Holy Ghost gives the power to deliver the message.
3. The angels are distinctively interested in the message of the pulpit. This, of course, is a true statement only when the message of the pulpit is the Gospel which the Spirit gave, and which the Spirit empowers. Our text says, "which things the angels desire to look into." We have a conviction that at this moment there are innumerable angels who would be glad to step, if it were possible, into any orthodox pulpit and preach the Word of God. The time is coming when angelic beings (during the tribulation) will proclaim with loud voices the Gospel of God. Angels have always been interested in everything that concerns the Gospel.
Gabriel announced to Mary the birth of Christ. An angel told the shepherds the glad tidings that Christ was born. A multitude of angels gave forth a marvelous magnificat as they praised God.
Is it not wonderful when we consider how God's angels are really a part of the audience which is interested in the very thing we preach?
IV. A CALL AND A CONCLUSION (1 Peter 1:13)
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
1. The call to gird up the loins of your mind. The priest in service always tied, with his girdle, his flowing robes. Now, we are asked by the Holy Ghost to tie up the loins of our minds. We are to think. Our brains are to ponder the things which we have just read.
These things are so sublime, so wonderful, and so marvelous that the Spirit of God asks us to gird up the loins of our minds as we meditate upon them.
2. A call to be sober. Soberness is that attitude of thought which deeply weighs and duly considers the. truth of God. There are too many of us who dwell lightly upon Divine things. We skip along and skim over the outer edge of the Truth. We are too frivolous to dig deeply into the things of God.
3. We have a call to hope to the end. There are too many believers who fail because their spiritual conception is weak and effervescent. God is calling us to dwell deeply and profoundly in His truth. He has told us how the Prophets searched diligently. He has told us how the angels desired to look into the wonderful Gospel of God, and now He calls upon us to join with them in this quest, and not to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel.
We are to hope to the end in anticipation of the grace that is to be brought unto us at the Appearance of Christ. Oh, what wonderful things await the child of God! Let us, therefore, live looking for that Blessed Hope of the Lord's soon Returning.
V. A CALL WITH A CONSIDERATION (1 Peter 1:14-16)
1. A negative viewpoint. Here is the call negatively stated: "Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance,"
2. Here is the call positively stated: "As obedient children, * * be ye holy in all manner of conversation."
These two things bring a climactic conclusion to the statements concerning the wonderful Gospel which the Holy Ghost through the Prophets wrote unto us. In view of these truths of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit is telling us how we should live. He first states the negative, and then the positive.
1. Let us consider the negative viewpoint. Can a Christian whose mind the Holy Ghost has illuminated concerning the glories of the Gospel walk in the lusts of their flesh? The Gospel covers the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that shall follow. The Christian who grasps these things, cannot fashion himself according to those former lusts, which controlled his life in the days of his ignorance.
Those who know not God, and know not the Gospel, may be worldly, self-centered, pleasure-bent; but how can we who have been enlightened by the Holy Ghost, walk in our former lustings and desires?
2. Let us consider the positive call. God wants us to be "obedient children." He wants us to be holy, not only in our inner life, but in our expressions, our manner of conversation. The Apostle Paul put it this way using both the negative and the positive forms: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." That is what we have here. Be not conformed, that is, do not fashion yourselves according to the former manner of living: but be ye transformed, that is, be ye fashioned according to the new life in Christ Jesus. "Be ye holy," saith the Lord, "for I am holy."
VI. A CALL TO WALK CAUTIOUSLY (1 Peter 1:17)
"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear."
1. The Holy Spirit throws before us the coming bema judgment. He would have us weigh our words, our walk, and our work in the light of that hour when the Father, without respect to any man's person, will judge every one according to his work. There is much written in the Word of God, both in the Old and New Testaments, about this hour when we must stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done in our bodies, whether they are good or bad.
The Holy Spirit told us in 1 Peter 1:11 how the Prophets sought the Scriptures which the Spirit in them wrote, relative to the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow. The Holy Spirit now desires to remind us that in the hour of the glory that shall follow, we will be judged according to our work. In other words, in that hour of the glory of Christ, will come the hour of our own rejoicing as we receive the rewards of our deeds.
2. The Holy Spirit throws before us the need of passing our present sojourning in fear. We just spoke of the glory which the rewards will bring, but, beloved, there is also the possibility of standing before the Lord in the hour of His glory and of standing there disapproved, rejected, and a castaway. This is the language of 1 Corinthians 9:1-27. Paul sought to keep his body under. He sought to run, and to so fight that he might receive an incorruptible crown, and that he might not be a castaway.
We have here an added reason for Christians to be obedient children, and not to fashion themselves according to their former lusts. We have an added reason for the Divine admonition that Christians should gird up the loins of their minds, and be sober, and to hope to the end.
Shall we pass the time of our sojourning here with fear? If we are wise, we will. Christians should walk carefully because Satan goeth about seeking whom he may devour. The world is seeking to allure us away from our Heavenly calling. The flesh is prone to stumble and to fall.
Let us therefore fear, lest any of us should fall short of the rest which He has promised. Remember, young people, we are not discussing the losing of our salvation, but we are discussing the losing of our crowns. There is an old hymn which puts it this way:
"Must I go and empty-handed,
Thus my dear Redeemer meet,
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Lay no trophies at His feet?"
Beloved in the Lord, we are partakers of the Heavenly calling, and we need to hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of our hope firmly to the end. We are to be made partakers of Christ, so far as His glory is concerned, only if we hold fast unto the end. We must, therefore, labor to enter into His rest. If any of us are prone, because of our own weakness, to give up the conflict for the crown, we remind you, one and all, that if you come boldly to the throne of grace, you will obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. The Apostle Paul gladly counted "all things but dung" that he might win Christ. With every energy of his being he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the up-calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us, therefore, so run that we may obtain that prize.
AN ILLUSTRATION
TIMBER. SHEEP. WAX.
"We warp in the sunshine, a shower does us good. The dog is let loose that the sheep may run together. A piece of wax, when it is broken, put it together ever so often, it will not close; but put it into the candle and the ends will stick close together." Thus by three figures we see the danger of prosperity and the benefit of affliction.
The first metaphor is impressive. Timber warps if it be exposed to noontide heat, and men are all too apt to be influenced one way or another by success. Poor fools that we are, we cannot, while on earth, bear too much happiness. It is our tendency to warping which often necessitates our weeping. The Lord will sooner damp us with showers of sorrow than allow us to be spoiled.
The dog to fetch back the wandering sheep is a well-known illustration. Some need to feel the dog's teeth before they will mind him, and God has dogs which will bite if barking is not enough. Our good Shepherd will sooner worry us with the dog of affliction than leave us to the wolf of apostasy.
The broken stick of wax prettily shows how we need suffering if we are to be set right after the fractures of temptation. How well the broken heart of a sinner unites with the heart of the suffering Saviour! There must be melting, or there will not be union. Blessed be God for any experience By which He unites our heart to fear His Name.