Because you first loved us, in
Jesus' name, amen. Open your Bibles if you would
to 1 Peter 3, we'll finish this chapter today. The name of the
message is Christ is gone into heaven. Christ is gone into heaven. 1 Peter 3. Again, let's think
of the setting of this epistle. Peter is writing to saints who
are suffering for their faith, they're being persecuted for
their faith. We've looked at some of the things that have
happened to them. and how all they do is profess Christ and
they're being persecuted for it. And some of them are contending
unto death, and we're constantly reminded of the scripture that
says, fear not he who can destroy your body, but fear he who can
destroy both body and soul in hell. And so that's the setting
for this epistle. Let's read verses 18 to 22. It
says, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which also he
went in preaching to the spirits in prison, which sometimes were
disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of
no one, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls
were saved by water. The like figure were unto even
baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience towards God." by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right
hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject
unto him. So last week we looked at verse
18, where we saw that the just one, the Lord Jesus Christ, the
sinless one, died for the unjust, and that's sinners, God's elect,
God's chosen people, who are sinners, were born into this
world dead in trespasses and sins. And think upon this, the
mission of the Lord Jesus Christ was one of suffering. His mission
was one of innocent suffering. And we see that in verse 18,
the just one, the righteous one, dying for the unjust. And that
is where we see that his mission was one of vicarious suffering,
which the theologians like to use the word vicarious, which
it means on the account of, or in the place of. And he died
in the place of sinners, his elect. And his mission was one
unconquered by suffering. The suffering did not conquer
him. Being put to death in the flesh, he was quickened in the
spirit. So he arose victorious. Now remember, Peter again is
writing to God's suffering saints, and this is a reality that they
are suffering. But he brings before them, he
who suffered more than any other human has ever suffered. And
that's the Lord Jesus Christ. He brings forth that the just
one, the sinless one, died for the unjust, for sinners. And
again, also think upon the suffering he had during his life. He was
a man of souls and acquainted with grief. And Christ suffered
from satanic hostility, unkindness, misunderstanding, and he was
despised and rejected of men. And then think about how he died
upon the cross of Calvary, and he was alone. The just one suffering
for the unjust, the great substitute of our souls. And think of the
solitariness of the sacrifice of Christ. He alone accomplished
salvation for his people. He alone did this. He alone did
this. He redeemed his people from their
sins. And he did it so perfectly that nothing more is needed.
Nothing more is needed. Nothing. No other sacrifice is
needed. The sacrifice of Christ was so
perfect that nothing else is needed. And God will only accept
Christ. God only accepts Christ as the
perfect sacrifice. He's the only one, the just one,
who's died for the unjust. He's redeemed his people from
their sins. And the atonement of Christ and his sufferings
were unique in the fact that he did this once. for all of
his elect. He did this once for all his
elect. All the Old Testament sacrifices, they had to be repeated,
didn't they? They had to be repeated. They
had to be repeated because they could never take away sin. Never. But Christ offers himself up
once for his elect. And the atonement of Christ and
his sufferings were propitiatory. is he suffered for sins. Not
his, because he's sinless, right? He had no sin. No sin at all. But he suffered for my sin. And
if you're one of his people, he suffered for your sins. The just one died for the unjust. He suffered for sinners. He suffered for sinners. So Peter's bringing forth before
the suffering saints that he's writing to the fact of the Great
Substitute suffering in light of what they're going through.
And when we think upon His suffering, what does it do? It makes ours
look small. It makes ours look small when
we consider how much He suffered for us. They're big in our eyes,
aren't they? They're big in our eyes. Our
own sufferings are big in our eyes. They are. But think upon how the Lord Jesus
Christ suffered for your sins, if you're one of his people.
And it'll make our sufferings small. Small. And think of this. He did it willingly. He willingly left heaven to suffer
for our sins. The just one dying for the unjust. What hope that gives God's people. Now, the verses today that we're
looking at are tied right in with verse 18. And we see the
just one dying for the unjust, and let's read verses 19 and
20 together. Actually, let's read verse 18
with it, because it ties right in when it says, but quickened
by the Spirit. That ties right in with verse
19. hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit, by which also he went and preached unto
the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when
once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while
the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were
saved by water. The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth now save us, not the putting away of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards
God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven
and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers
being made subject unto him. So look at verses 19 and 20,
by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which
sometimes were disobedient. when once the long-suffering
of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a-preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." Now verse
19 has been a verse of wild speculation. I remember when I was in religion,
there was an interpretation that Christ literally went to hell
and preached to those in there. But let us read the verse in
context, and we'll see that the Christ, by His Spirit, and nature
in which he became our surety and our representative and by
which he was raised from the dead was preached to men who
are now in the regions of the damned. Beloved of God, our Lord
Jesus Christ was put to death in his human
body, but he was raised again from the dead by his divine nature,
by his eternal spirit. And this is what's being brought
forth in verse 18. And the thought is continued
into verses 19 and 20 all the way to 22. For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins the just for the unjust, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit, by which also he went and preached unto the
spirits in prison, which Sometimes we're disobedient, when once
the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the
ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were
saved by water. The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth now save us, not the putting away of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven
and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers
being made subject unto him. So we see that Christ existed
in his eternal nature and spirit before the worlds, before Abraham
was in the days of Noah. We know from our studies and
from the scriptures that the word, the word God, the son became
flesh and dwelt among us. We know that from John chapter
one. If you want to turn there, you can. I'll read the scriptures.
If you just want to listen, that's OK. John 1, verses 1 to 3, the
scripture says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word there
is the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God. In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. So very clearly
in John 1, verses 1-3, it's brought forth that the Word was God,
and the Word is God. And the Word, it says in verse
14 of that same chapter, it says, and the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us. So that's the incarnation. That's
God incarnate in the flesh. The Lord Jesus Christ. The word
was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. The
apostles saw him. They saw him. They beheld his
glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and truth. And that's what Christ is. He's
full of grace and truth. full of grace and truth. So Christ,
by his spirit and nature in which he became our surety, our representative,
by which he was raised from the dead, was preached to men who
are now in the regions of the damned. Christ is being preached in the
Old Testament. We know that, don't we? We know that. The gospel
we preach is no new gospel. It's no new gospel. Not at all. Not at all. It's the message
that the prophets preached in faith by the Spirit of Christ.
In Acts 10.43, the scriptures declare this. To him, that's
being Christ, gave all the prophets witness. It was he who they were
testifying of. It was he who they proclaimed. All the prophets witnessed and
through his name, whoever believeth in him shall receive remission
of sins. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. The scriptures declare this.
And remember that verse I just read in Acts 10.43, if you want
to look it up at home. To him, being Christ, gave all
the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth
in him shall receive remission of sins. This gospel is no new
gospel, beloved. Romans 1, verses 1 to 2. Look
at this, Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an
apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he had promised
aforehowth by his prophets in the holy scriptures. They testified
of Christ. They testified of Christ. Hawker
brings forth this, and I thought this was a good comment. Christ
by his spirit actually was in the church before his incarnation.
That he was engaged for his church in personal acts at the time
here mentioned. before the flood and that he
exercised his ministry by preaching in the instance here recorded.
And so note, it is said that those who Christ preached to
are said to have been somewhat, sometime disobedient when once
the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. Let's turn
to Genesis chapter six now, Genesis chapter six. Genesis chapter 6, and let's
see what's said here. Genesis chapter 6, verses 1 to
8, and then we'll look at verses 11 to 13. And it came to pass, when man
began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were
born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men,
that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which
they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit
shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh,
yet his days shall be in a hundred and twenty years. There were
giants in the earth in those days, and also After that, when
the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they
bared children to them, the same became mighty men, which were
of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it
repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy
man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man
and beast, and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air, for
it repented me that I have made them. But look at this in verse
eight. And this is true of every single
one of God's blood-bought people. This is true right here. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Favor. Unmerited favor. Unmerited favor. Grace. You wanna know when this really
hits home for the believer? When you're with your family
members who you grew up with. and you realize that the Lord
saved you, and left them all where they were. That's when
it really hits home. That's when it really hits home
for the believer. So look, we see in verse five, and God saw
that the wickedness of man was great, they were disobedient
to God. They were disobedient to God.
Was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts
of the heart, his heart was only evil continual. What made Noah
to differ? Grace. See that? Grace. Grace. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Noah was one of God's chosen
people from eternity. What's made you and I to differ
from our family members? Grace. The grace of God and Christ. Nothing else. Nothing else. We found favor in the eyes of
the Lord. And we found that favor, just
like Noah found that favor in the eyes of God through Christ. Through Christ and Christ alone.
Then look down at verses 11 to 13. The earth also was corrupt
before God and the earth was filled with violence. And God
looked upon the earth And behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh
had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah,
The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled
with violence through them. And behold, I will destroy them
with the earth. So the old world had corrupted
itself, and the Lord has determined the destruction of the ungodly
and determined the preservation of his chosen people in the person
of Noah. And Noah, by the Spirit of Christ
preached, and the Holy Ghost bears witness, by reason of Christ,
the Spirit of Christ preaching in Noah, he condemned the world,
and Noah became an heir of righteousness, which is by faith, through the
grace of God, having found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Again,
take note of verse 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. This is distinguishing grace.
This is distinguishing grace right here before us. We know
that in the New Testament it says, who made you to differ
and what do you have that you didn't receive? And in the Greek,
the word for differ in the Greek is distinguished. Right here
we see God's distinguishing grace. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. knows the first person concerning
whom we read of grace. And it's remarkable that the
first time we meet with the word grace or covenant in the Bible,
it's in relation to this man. And who is full of grace and
truth? Well, we looked at that in John chapter 1, the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ. And we
know who the ark's a picture of, don't we? The ark's a picture
of Christ. The ark's a picture of Christ.
All who were in that ark were saved from the wrath that had
fallen on those outside of that ark, right? And not a drop of
water fell on those who were inside. Which picture is not
a drop of God's wrath falls upon the believer in Christ. Not a
drop. Why? Because Christ has taken it all.
Just like that ark was beaten with the rain and everything. It withstood it all, right? Took
it all. Christ has suffered the just
one for the unjust. Oh, what a savior we have, beloved.
What a redeemer we have. All who were in the ark were
safe from God's wrath, which was falling upon those who were
outside the ark. The question is, are you safe
in Christ, who is the ark of safety for his people? Are you
safe in Christ? Who but Christ Jesus our Lord
is the one God's people find grace in? Turn if you would to
2 Timothy 2 verse 1, and we'll see one verse here. And think of this, what was it
but grace that prepared the ark, or saved those eight people in
it? Namely, Noah and his wife and his three sons. Grace. Grace. God's grace. Look at 2 Timothy 2, verse 1. Thou therefore, my son, be strong
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. God's grace is all in
Christ. All in Christ. And it flows to
needy sinners, God's chosen people, in and through Christ alone.
Let's go back to our text again and let's look at verses 20 and
21 together. which sometimes were disobedient,
when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while
the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were
saved by water. The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth now save us, not the putting away of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." This verse is actually
a good verse to combat baptismal regeneration because Peter, by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned these words also now.
not the putting away of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
towards God. The baptism of a believer is
a picture or figure like the Ark of Noah. And the family of
Noah went into the Ark and they were shut in, representing a
burial. They were covered by water from
above and beneath, immersed in water, and they came out as in
resurrection, delivered from death and judgment, which claimed
all others, all others. And when a believer is baptized,
it's a figure of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It's
a picture. And it's a picture of our death
to sin and self, and our burial with Christ, our being raised
with Christ to walk in newness of life. It's not baptism that
saves, but whom baptism represents. And it points us to Christ. It's
not the cleansing of the flesh, but a living union with Christ
in the heart. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1. Verses 17 to 18. You know, there are those out
there, whole movements out there that say you have to be baptized
to be saved. And we know that that's just
another gospel. Because that's putting something that man does
to save themselves. Salvation's in Christ alone,
plus nothing. Period. Period. Nowhere else. Look what Paul writes here. For
Christ sent me not to baptize. What did Christ send Paul to
do? What he sends every one of God's preachers to do. but to
preach the gospel, to declare the good news of salvation through
the great substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who died,
the just one, the sinless one, who died for sinners. And he
rose again, and that showed us that God is absolutely satisfied
with the sacrifice of Christ. It is I guess religious people don't
believe what Christ said there, do they? Really, when you think
about it. And this is something for us
to say if someone says you've got to add something to your
salvation. Say, well, what did Christ mean
when he said it's finished? Really. If something's finished,
it's finished. There's nothing to be added to
it. And the work of salvation, the salvation of the souls of
God's people is finished. Finished. And praise God, my
salvation doesn't depend upon me. And you say that too? I'm so thankful that my salvation's
dependent upon my Savior, who cried it is finished. For Christ
sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Not with wisdom
of words, and remember who's penning this. This is Paul. He's
been taught under some of the greatest teachers of his time.
He could dazzle people probably with his language. If he wanted
to. But he says here, not with the
wisdom of the words, lest the cross of Christ should be made
of none effect. God's preachers don't speak in
million dollar words. We plainly declare the gospel.
That's what I love about Brother Henry Mahan. If you listen to
Brother Henry, he just so plainly preaches the gospel, so clear. You don't have to use fancy words.
And he was an educated man. He just plainly declares the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what I seek to do. And
I know that's what a lot of grace preachers, that's what we seek
to do. I remember hearing one grace preacher say, if you have
to look up a word when I'm preaching in the dictionary, he said, and
this is one of the guys who's well-known, he said, that upsets
me. Our message, we speak with plain
words. Plain words, not with the wisdom
of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. I saw that again this week when
I went up to my family. They want nothing to do with
the gospel that I preach. It's foolishness to them. And
it agrees my heart. But I remember that I was right
there. I was right there. I felt the same way. And so there's
hope as long as they're breathing, isn't there? There's hope. There's
hope for our loved ones. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are saved,
it's the power of God. Oh my, what a wondrous miracle
the Lord has wrought in we who believe. It's the power of God.
We are saved by God's power. We have no ability to save ourselves,
but this salvation is the power of God. Salvation is Christ,
it's the power of God. Let's consider the last verse
now in our chapter here. Who is gone into heaven, that's
being Christ, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him. Now notice the first
part of this verse, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. who
has gone into heaven. He is gone. The grave's empty. The grave's empty. He's gone. And the text tells us where he's
gone to. He's gone to heaven. He's gone to heaven. And oh,
how this stirs the heart of the believer. How this stirs the
heart of the believer. He who is my head is in heaven. He who is my head is in heaven.
And we who are the body shall soon follow. Oh, my. Because where the head is, where
the body is, this head goes everywhere, the body goes in the body, goes
everywhere, the head, the head tells about it. Go over here
and the body goes over there. Beloved, our head is in heaven. Oh, how this stirs my soul to
know that one day I, who are part of the body of Christ, will
be there with him. This world is not our place of resting.
Our rest is Christ and Christ alone. And we'll be in His presence
and glory because He has gone before us. Notice again it says
He has gone into heaven, where the throne of the great King
is. Our covenant head is now in the
bosom of the Father, at the fountainhead of love and grace. And He is
there on our behalf interceding for us. He's our great mediator.
He's our great mediator, beloved. The Word who was with God and
the Word who was God became flesh and dwelt among us, and He's
now back in glory. He's now back in glory. The God-man.
The God-man. Interceding for His people. All
that He came here to do, He accomplished. Right? It's finished. He accomplished
what He came here to do. God's not up there wringing His
hands waiting for you to decide for Him, is He? No. He finished
the work. He's in glory, beloved. It's
accomplished. It's done. Oh my. And He's obtained eternal salvation
for His people, for us. And let us think of this. Nothing
could stop Him from going to glory. Nothing can stop Him. He's God. He's gone up into heaven
despite all those who raged against Him. He's in glory. He's in glory. He's gone into
heaven as our mediator, as our representative. And we're in
Him. We're in Him. We're in He who
is the second Adam. Behold I and the children which
God hath given me. We're always in union with Him.
We're always in union with Him. He's the head again, and we're
the body. And He will bring His redeemed home. If you're one
of His people, He'll bring you home. He'll bring you home. And He'll bring every single
one of those whom the Father gave Him, and those whom He shed
His blood for, He will bring every one of them home. And there won't be one lost because
he's God. God incarnate in the flesh. See,
people have a low estimation nowadays of who God is. And they
put actually man up in the pedestal and they put God down here. No,
we put God way up here in us in the dust, beloved, because
that's where we belong. I was thinking about this today.
I was thinking about how his thoughts are not our thoughts,
and his ways are not our ways. Not at all. Men think they know
who God is, but they've made a God of their own imagination. Oh, the God of the Bible is great. He is the one true God. And note here where our Savior
is seated, who has gone into heaven and is on the right hand
of God. He's sitting on the right hand
of God, beloved. Spurgeon brings forth that this
being on the right hand of God relates to the complex person
of our Lord. It relates to Him not as God
alone, but as God and man. It is His manhood that is at
the right hand of God. Wonderful conception this is. To sit at the right hand of God
is the highest conceivable glory, and what love this shows. To
sit at the right hand of God is an honor never given to any
angel or man, and this shows us that Christ had finished the
work, and that it's acceptable to God. The just one has died
for the unjust, and Jesus has gone up to the right hand of
God, and is there sitting, sitting, There, there we find rest, don't
we? We who are His people. He ceased
from His labors. And we look to Him. He ceased
from His labors. You remember the Old Testament
priests? There was never anywhere for them to sit in the Holy of
Holies. Never. They were constantly doing something.
Our Savior's sitting. It's finished. The work is accomplished. And he's sitting at the right
hand of God. That notes he's got power. And we see that in
the next part of the verse, don't we? Angels and authorities and powers
being made what subject unto him. Angels, authorities, and
powers are subject unto Him, Him whom they nailed to the cross. Think of that. Think of what
He could have said and what would have happened to all those people. But he knew he must die to redeem
his people from their sins. Angels and authorities, powers
are subject to him whom they wag their heads and curse that
while he hung upon the cross. Wonders of wonders, beloved.
Wonders of wonders. Man and countless numbers in
heaven right now, men and women, countless numbers in heaven right
now are white robed. And we know what that white roll
pictures, beloved. It pictures the righteousness
of Christ. And they are praising God. And one man is actually
on the throne of God. And he is Lord over all. Lord
over all. And one day, every knee shall
bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to
the glory of God. Even those who now curse his
name, even those who wag their tongue at him while he hung on
Calvary's cross, they shall bow. That's our Savior, beloved. Can
you imagine him up there? Oh, please. Oh, please, I want
you to come to me. Isn't it ridiculous when you
think of that? Our God has all power, beloved.
Our Redeemer has all power, all authority. All authority. One day we will join that countless
number, praising our great God and saving for what He's done
for us. And what a blessed fact is here before us. The Lord Jesus
Christ has gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God.
Angels and authorities and powers be made subject unto him. Let
we who are his people draw comfort from this blessed fact that if
Jesus has risen and gone into glory, and he has, then every
individual sheep in him shall be safe and will be taken to
glory with him, to be with him. He took our place before God's
law and justice. And it is He who is now our mediator
before God. And He has all power and dominion
right now, beloved. He's not waiting to be in charge
of everything. He has all power right now. Right
now, beloved. Everything's subject to Him.
And what strength God's suffering saints here on earth can draw
from these precious truths. Imagine what these saints felt
like when Peter wrote this. and they're being persecuted
for their faith, and Peter writes them and says, everything's under
subjection to Christ. Imagine what strength they draw
from that. Oh, we may suffer a little bit here on this earth,
but oh my, what glory awaits us in heaven just to see the
Redeemer's face. You ever hear people say, well,
I can't wait to get there and see mama and papa and grandpa
and grandma. I can't wait to get there and
see Christ. Is it so with you? To see my redeemer face to face.
That's what makes heaven heaven is Christ and Christ alone. Christ and Christ alone. The
one who took my place. before God's law and justice,
the one who's my mediator, the one who is now all dominion and
power, and what strength God's people, those who Peter wrote
to, these suffering saints, would receive from this. And then think
upon the fact that our Lord ascended up into glory and gave suffering
saints, this will give suffering saints great comfort, knowing
that this life is but a vapor. Our life's a vapor, Lord. Just a vapor. But one day we'll be with Him,
who is our Lord and King, who has all power and all dominion,
and we'll sing for eternity of His grace and mercy toward us.
We'll praise His name for eternity. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee
for Your goodness and mercy and grace to us in Christ Jesus our
Lord. We who are undeserving of this grace, this unmerited
favor which You've shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. O Lord,
may we think upon these things this week, and when trials come
and tribulations come, may we think upon the suffering that
you went through, Lord Jesus, to redeem our souls. We love
you and praise you. We give you all the glory. In
Jesus' name, Amen.