Things The Angels Desire To Look Into

Q: What does the Bible say about the trials of faith?

The Bible teaches that trials of faith are a means by which God proves and strengthens our faith. In 1 Peter 1:6-12, the Apostle Peter explains that the trial of our faith is more precious than gold and serves a divine purpose. These trials are not arbitrary; they are designed by God to put our faith to the proof, ultimately resulting in praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The purpose behind these trials is rooted in God's love, refining us and compelling us to trust in Him deeply. Therefore, while they may bring temporary heaviness or grief, they lead us to a greater reliance on God and a joyful anticipation of our salvation.

Q: How do we know that faith is precious according to the Bible?

Faith is considered precious because it is a gift from God and is tested through trials. The scripture in 1 Peter 1 describes faith as more precious than gold, emphasizing its eternal value as opposed to material wealth. This perspective is reflected in God's Word where it states that the faith believers possess is a result of God's grace and not human effort. As believers endure trials, their faith is refined, proving its genuineness. This process of testing enhances the believer’s understanding of grace and the hope of salvation, prompting a response of joy and praise for God's provision.

Q: Why is the anticipation of Christ’s return crucial for believers?

Anticipating Christ’s return fosters hope and encourages believers to persevere through trials. The promise of Jesus' return is a cornerstone of Christian hope, as expressed in 1 Peter 1:6-9. This hope enables believers to endure trials with a perspective of joy unspeakable, looking forward to the completion of their salvation. It forms the foundation for spiritual resilience, as believers trust that their struggles serve a greater purpose in glorifying God. When trials arise, they remind us that our ultimate citizenship and hope is in Christ, encouraging us to maintain faith amidst adversity and to look forward to eternal glory.

Q: Why do angels desire to look into the gospel?

Angels desire to look into the gospel because it reveals God’s redemptive plan for humans, which they don’t experience themselves. Peter notes that angels long to look into the mysteries of the gospel because they exist in a different relationship to God's grace. Unlike humanity, angels do not experience redemption or have the opportunity to be forgiven after a fall; thus, they are curious about God's plan for salvation. This demonstrates the unique position of believers who are recipients of grace, as they can taste and experience the forgiveness offered in Christ. The angels' inquiry serves to highlight the astonishing nature of God's mercy and the grace bestowed upon fallen humanity, which they cannot comprehend firsthand.

Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. But we're gonna continue on in 1 Peter, so turn with me to 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1. I have not intended to go through the whole book of Peter, but I don't know. We'll see. And this week we're gonna read verses 6 through 12. 1 Peter 1, 6 through 12. Let me see if I can end 1 Peter this time. I'm in 1 Peter. Verse six.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, last day that Joe was talking about. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. 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 have desired to look into."

We kind of start off here in the middle of a thought. And if you remember last week, we talked about that salvation ready to be revealed, which is the life that is in Christ Jesus. As some were talking last week as we ate dinner, there's gonna be, that time will come when we will drop this body. We won't no longer have this body of flesh, and we'll be given a new body likened to our Lord's.

We will know even as we are known, That is certainly something we will rejoice in, even though for now, if it is needed, that we are in heaviness, and that is distress, sadness, or grief. It is needed that we be in this state, this temptation, here meaning a putting to proof. This is not to see if you will do something wrong. We will do something wrong, there is no doubt about that. This is a proving of the faith you have been given and it will produce what it is proved for. That is obeying the truth. These trials are not for God to be mean to us.

There is a purpose behind what he does and it is in love causing us to look to him. But it is a putting to proof that faith, which he has given for the purpose of praising Jesus Christ, who will return. We will praise him now, and when he returns, that faith will be sight. It will yield what God has intended of that, and that is the praise to his dear son when he returns. It makes us desire to see him.

It makes us do this, Philippians 3.13 says, brethren, I count not myself to apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. We move on. We ready ourselves for the next trial, knowing he keeps us looking to him by trying this faith that he has given. It will be like those Israelites, if you remember, when they were told, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, and to move forward. That's what Paul's saying right there. I keep moving forward, looking to Christ, who is my salvation.

It makes us desire to see him, and that's a good thing. Last week, the first part of this passage shows us what we rejoice in. And in those verses, we can see that this is done by God in grace and peace toward us. He does this lovingly. That is, he causes us to long for that day when we shall see him who is our salvation. Now in our text, we get into some of the how he does this.

Here we see that the trial of our faith is done by God and it is tried through many fold or many different putting to proofs. If you remember, God tried Abraham's faith in telling him to kill his son. He did so, Abraham did so, believing God that he, that is God, would raise his son up from the dead. Now God is not going to give us that specific trial. If someone comes to me and says, God wants me to kill somebody, I'm gonna tell him you need to go to the doctor.

But he may instruct us from his word to stop being around some people, even if that people is family. He may put you in the midst of God haters to the point that all you can do is run to Christ. In so doing, you will leave them and let them alone. and find a place where you can gather together with those who honor God and God's son, who was given for his people. We are told this is what happens when our faith is tried. If you do not have faith, then everything you do is a sin against God. God is not pleased with you. God tells us this in Hebrews 11, six, but without faith, it is impossible to please him.

For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He that cometh to God must believe that he is. And it is he that will reward them that diligently seek him. This you can only do by faith, and that's faith that's given by God.

We hear that this faith will be tried by many fold temptations. When this happens, it will fill us with joy. So let's talk about today the precious faith that is tried, joy unspeakable, and where do we find this joy? the precious faith that is tried. We read here that the faith you have been given is more precious than gold. It is not the trials that are precious, it is the faith that is precious. The way it says it here, it almost seems like it's saying that the trial is precious. And I say this because it says we go through manifold trials. These trials though, they come and go.

Faith never leaves us because God's gifts are forever. That faith which we are given is the faith of Jesus Christ, and you can be certain that His faith is precious. But it says here, we greatly rejoice. And this is certainly true when He returns. But in these trials, it says we are in heaviness. Now it is certain that we will rejoice when He returns. After all, He is our hope.

It is also we will be in heaviness because we will see and have to endure many trials. To many people who say they are Christians, they talk about how happy it is to do things for Jesus Christ. But they are never heavy in trials. If they are heavy, they are heavy because they got caught doing something that they said they do not do. But God's people, when they are tried, will be in heaviness. Because one, it causes them to long for Him who they long to see, but also they realize or shown what they have done to cause Him to have to die for them.

We are in heaviness, but it is also equally true that we will both in this trial and after every trial, we'll have joy unspeakable and full of glory because that's what it says. Glory that I'm holding forth myself in this trial? Or that I got myself through the trial? No. I don't do anything to even deserve to think about myself, so why would I glory in myself? Joy unspeakable that he has brought me through yet another trial, and certain he will bring us through all other trials.

What do these trials cause us to do? Because remember, it is the trial of our faith. It causes us to believe God. That faith, certainly, that Christ will return, so that I might be with him. But it also believes all of his promises. And what I'm trying to point out is this, it's not just a joy for when he returns. That is certainly true, but we can joy right now in what he has done for us and is doing for us.

He will never leave us, even in these trials, and even if we miserably fall on these trials, and I shouldn't say if, I'd just say when. The faith will not fail, although we might fall miserably. But he will be with us, so much so that we are told in Psalm 37, 23, and 24, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

The scripture also tells us in Ephesians 3.20, now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. We are even told he will give us what we ask for. The problem is not with God giving, the problem is with our asking. We ask amiss that we may consume it upon our own lust.

But the fact is, he is with us, and that by promise. He said that when he went away, he would send a comforter, and he did. When that faith is tried, the comforter comforts us in his gospel. That tells us he is with us, and we will one day see him. So what about that does not cause joy unspeakable and full of glory? We know these trials are fleeting, even though we know another might be right around the corner. But listen what God tells us through the Apostle Paul in his scripture.

So turn with me to Colossians 1. Colossians 1. Colossians 1, verses 24 is where I'm gonna start. Colossians 1 verse 24, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church. whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God.

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Think about it. We have this one who is our salvation, and one day he will be right in front of us. We know this from scripture because this one is with us now by his spirit. His spirit testifying of those things we hear in the gospel by those who proclaim it. This is not something that happens all the time, but there have been those who have leaped for joy in their mother's womb. But let's look at this leaping for joy and what it is about. And I will give this to show his spirit at work when it hears the glory of that one. When God's spirit hears that gospel being proclaimed, what it does to a believer, it's what I'm trying to get at. This passage I will read was to come at that time, but now he has come.

So turn with me to Luke 1. Luke 1. Luke 1 and verse 39. Luke 1 verse 39, and Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of the salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. It says she, that is Mary, went to Judah. That means he will be praised. When Mary went to Elizabeth, she evidently told her about the angel coming to her and that she was with child of the Holy Ghost. When this was done, the child leapt for joy in her womb. And it says it here twice. And this was John the Baptist that's talking about in his mother's womb.

But then look at what it says in verse 45, verse 45. And blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. There shall be a performance of those things spoken to her from the Lord. The words means completion or perfection. What the Lord told Mary in a nutshell was this. He shall save his people from their sins. That ought to cause a lot of leaping for joy in our hearts. And it does. And that's what our text is talking about.

When these trials come, we are reminded again and again who it is we must put our trust in. These trials of this God-given faith causes us in our God-given new heart to leap for joy unspeakable and full of glory. So next, joy unspeakable. We've already said it before, but I think it's okay to say it again. Seeing our salvation, that is seeing Jesus Christ, is what causes the joy.

We know we are nothing in and of ourselves, and it is especially true when these trials come. You start to not only just know it, you start to feel it. but you start to feel it in your bones because of what we still have with us, and that is this flesh. But when that faith is tried and it works in us to begin to see Him who is our salvation, that is we believe, as it says here in our text, yet believing ye rejoice. And you know what that word means, don't you? That word rejoice? To jump for joy, to leap. What is it exactly though that makes us sleep?

It certainly is not the trial. None of us are certainly praying for God to give us another trial, but he will. It says here believing we rejoice. So that believing has to have something to believe, correct? We believe when God sends someone to us with the gospel. Even if we are in heaviness, our heart leaps for joy when we hear what God has done for us. We cannot even utter words to express what it means, because we see the glory of God in it. That this mighty God would do something for a sinner like me. God does whatever he is pleased to do, but yet it pleased him to come down and be murdered by man. Do you think it hurt when those men buffeted him? What about when they put the crown of thorns on his head? Do you think he felt that? What about those nails?

Jesus Christ, the God-man, was and is no less of a man than you or I, and yet it pleased him to come down to do this for those who he loved. He did this for sinners, those who were his enemies, those who hated him. There was one more thing where we see that the faith he had, and this hurt more than anything else, because he is the God man. When God the Father forsook the Son, he was left there all by himself with no help, none. Turn with me to Psalm 22, Psalm 22. Now I'm just gonna read 10 through 22, Psalm 22. 10 through 22. Psalm 22 and 10. I was cast upon thee from the womb. Thou art my God from my mother's belly.

Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. Many bulls have come past me, strong bulls of Bashan have beset me around. They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have come past me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet.

I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O Lord. O my strength haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling, from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth, for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation, will I praise thee. I just want to stop right there. He was forsaken of God the Father. And it says right there in the Psalms, there was none to help. None to help because only God can help. We have no power at all to do anything. But even God the Father forsook the Son.

And this because He ordained it to be so, because He loved us so. So where do we find this joy? Where do we find it? And we've already said it. We find that joy in Jesus Christ and we see Jesus Christ in the gospel. But I want to be more specific here. The last verse in our text says, which things the angels desire to look into. What is it that the angels desire to look into, but they cannot? Is it that they're designed to preach the gospel themselves, per se?

They desire to look into these things because of the fact that there is a gospel at all. The angels know nothing of redemption. If they were to fall, there would be no redeeming them. But being in this unfallen state, they know nothing about having failed, nor do they know anything about a gracious God coming down to die for those fallen ones to redeem them from the curse of the law. I do just want to say though, angels are kept by God as well.

They are not greater than God, as Satan, that old serpent Lucifer, found out. He thought he was better than God and tried to ascend the throne, but God put him and his angels down. This is why they desire and what they desire to look into, and it is also that they, that which we should desire to look into. Because as I've already went through, because of what he ordained to do, to love sinners.

Turn over with me to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1, I'm gonna start in verse 6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

That faith he has given, when it is tried, will glorify the Son, and it will continue to do so until Christ returns. Because the faith that he gives, it does not fail. What did he tell Peter? He said, Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. This I can say with all assurance. His faith did not fail. Although he failed miserably.

But those who are His and even the angels desire to look into these things and those things that are desired are brought to us by the gospel. These trials testing this faith given by God causes us to look to Him. If we had no trials, this flesh would start glorying in itself. We would not look to God if we didn't have these trials.

This flesh would rise up and say, look how good you're doing. How many of us find ourselves praising and giving God the glory when all things are going well? We can and we do sometimes. I'm not saying we don't or we cannot. But these trials causes us to serve God. It causes us to obey the gospel. I know it's talking about the gospel here in our text. I know it's the gospel that causes us to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory because in verse 12 it says, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel. If God would put us in trials and never send us the gospel in those trials or after those trials, there would be nothing to believe. And in not believing, we would not rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Things The Angels Desire To Look Into

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the trials of faith?

How do we know that faith is precious according to the Bible?

Why is the anticipation of Christ’s return crucial for believers?

Why do angels desire to look into the gospel?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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Things The Angels Desire To Look Into

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the trials of faith?

How do we know that faith is precious according to the Bible?

Why is the anticipation of Christ’s return crucial for believers?

Why do angels desire to look into the gospel?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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