Keys of the Kingdom 11 – The Suffering of Christ

Open your Bibles to First Peter, chapter 3. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will gladly bring you one. First Peter, if you're new to the Bible, is right near the end. Open up to the book of Revelation, the very last book, and turn to the left. You'll pass the small book of Jude and First, Second, and Third John, and then First and Second Peter.

We will begin today at verse 18. There, the Apostle writes, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient when once the divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but an answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him."

Father, as we consider your word, we thank you that you are a good Father, as we sang just a few minutes ago. Your goodness is most clearly displayed in the loving gift of your Son. Father, you loved the whole world that you gave your only begotten Son for us. Jesus, your life wasn't taken from you; you laid it down, demonstrating your love towards us.

We pray, God, that as we consider that today, as we think about your death on the cross, you would continue to transform us by the renewing of our minds. Help us to live our lives in a way that brings honor, praise, and glory to you this week. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

Since the end of January, we have been studying through the book of First Peter together. This series of studies in First Peter actually sits in a much larger study for us at Cross Connections through the whole of the New Testament of the Bible, the last third of the Bible.

A study through the New Testament began back in November of 2008, which is almost eight years ago. In fact, it was just about the time that I became the pastor of this church. We have been studying through the New Testament together. We went through the Book of Acts and have gone through the epistles of the New Testament chronologically, alongside the historical narrative of the Book of Acts. We are still not finished, and we won't be for quite some time. Who knows? The Lord could come back before we do finish, and then He can wrap it up for us and teach us the whole Book of Revelation. I would much rather have Him teach Revelation than me, so I'm all for it if He wants to do that.

As we go through the Scriptures, one of the things you will see, if you are a part of our church for any length of time, is that we are serious about the Word of God. We believe that God's Word is important, living, and powerful. That's why we partner with ministries like Beginnings and others like Cross Connection Outreach, which delivers God's Word throughout the world. We are committed to going through the Scriptures, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book, to receive the whole counsel of God.

It has been my plan that we would finish this book. In fact, it was my plan that when we started this back at the end of January, we would only take six weeks in First Peter. It has taken a little bit longer than that, and by this time, we were supposed to be about midway through Second Peter, having already done Jude and getting ready to go into the Book of Hebrews this summer. Well, we are way beyond my plan. My pastor, Pastor Pat, who pastored this church for 27 years, used to have a little magnet on a filing cabinet in his office, which is now my office. It said, "Man plans, God laughs." That has certainly been my experience going through this.

While it was my intent to go through the five chapters of First Peter in just six weeks, God has seen fit to keep us here. I believe He has a message for us living in this place at this time from this book. I have called this series "Keys of the Kingdom" because there are some important truths that I would call keys to being a part of the Kingdom of God, found in these five chapters that Peter lays out for us.

You see, if you are a follower of Jesus, if you are a Christian, then the Bible describes you as being a citizen of heaven. The Apostle Paul talks about this in his letter to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter three.

We are citizens of heaven, eagerly looking forward to the day when we come into that Kingdom. For now, we are here as representatives of the Kingdom of God and as followers of King Jesus. There are some very important truths, or keys, to His Kingdom that we find in First Peter.

The first key we have seen as we go through this is that this place, Earth, is not our forever home. I don't know about you, but I am very thankful for that. When I look at all the things that are going on in the world, especially the political issues happening in our own nation, it makes me all the more grateful that this is not my forever home. My hope is not in this nation or this world; my hope is in another place. We eagerly wait for the coming of our Lord and Savior to bring us into that Kingdom. Amen? Is anyone with me on that?

Another key we find in First Peter is that, as followers of King Jesus and representatives of His Kingdom in this world, we are to represent Him well while we are here. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, specifically in Second Corinthians chapter five, describes us as ambassadors for Christ. We are from another Kingdom. Even if you were born and raised in the United States of America, if you are a Christian, your citizenship is in heaven. You have dual citizenship: one in heaven and one here. Now, you are an ambassador for Jesus and for His Kingdom.

As ambassadors, we are called to represent Him well, living in such a way that honors the King and His Kingdom. One of the other points we find in this passage is that, as ambassadors for Christ living here, we are to be completely subject—Peter uses the word "submitted"—to the ruling authorities of this world. Even though our King and His Kingdom are greater than the kings and kingdoms of this world, He is called the King of Kings. He directs His followers to be submitted to the kingdoms, the leadership, and the authorities of this world while we are here.

When we read that, there is a part of us—especially if you were born or raised in America—that resists submission. The culture of America is one of independence; we have this great declaration of unsubmission, which we call the Declaration of Independence. That declaration states, "No, we will not..."

Submit. That is just filled in to our being this desire to not submit. When the Scriptures say, "Submit yourself to every governing authority," there's a part of me—and probably you—that says, "Oh, I don't like that." Yet, that's what Jesus directs His servants, His ambassadors, to do.

We do not have diplomatic immunity as ambassadors of Christ. We do not have the authority, as those subject to His kingdom, to say to the kingdoms of this world, "We will not submit to your authority." In fact, Jesus says, "No, I want you to submit to their authority." I want you to live after the pattern and mindset of the kingdom of heaven, which is contrary to the world in which we live.

Another one of the keys that we find here in 1 Peter is that if you live like this—as an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven, submitted to the authorities of this world—you may potentially suffer. As you look at Christian history, that has been the case. Christians throughout history, in just about every place on the planet, have experienced suffering for the cause of the kingdom of Christ.

Christians today, in other parts of the world—not necessarily here—are facing persecution and suffering because of the kingdom of God. In the United States, we have had great religious freedoms and the freedom to worship as we choose to worship our King and His kingdom. Yet, in many other parts of the world, at this very moment, there are followers of King Jesus, representatives of the kingdom of heaven, who are being subjected to persecution and suffering. This is exactly what Peter says; this is one of the keys of the kingdom.

Another one of the great keys of the kingdom that we find in this passage is that though we may suffer in this world as subjects of King Jesus and ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven, this is not our eternal home. We have a reward and an eternity awaiting us when our sojourn here is complete. That is wonderful; that is where our hope comes from.

I was listening to a rather well-known Christian man in the United Kingdom this last week. He has a very well-known brother who passed away a few years ago. Some of you may have heard the name before: Christopher Hitchens. Christopher Hitchens was the author of a book called "God Is Not Great," a very well-known work.

In the front, there was an evangelical atheist. It may sound weird to be an evangelical atheist, but that's what he was before he died of cancer a few years ago. His brother is an evangelical Christian, Peter Hitchens. I was watching an interview with him last week, and he was talking about his view of how things are in the United Kingdom and the United States. He had a very pessimistic outlook on both.

The interviewer looked at him and said, "Well, gosh, that sounds very pessimistic. I thought you were a Christian." Peter Hitchens responded, in his wonderful British accent, that while he may be pessimistic, his hope is in heaven; his hope is not in this place. That is one of the keys of the kingdom and the subjects of that kingdom.

First, Peter speaks of sojourning; we are just passing through. He speaks of submission, suffering, and ultimate salvation. These are essential things for us, as followers of King Jesus and ambassadors of His kingdom, to hold on to. We are just passing through; we should not invest ourselves in this place in such a way that we think we will be here forever. We should seek the peace of this place, but we should be submitted to the authorities, knowing that this may cause suffering in our lives. Our salvation ultimately points to heaven.

In the midst of this, Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:17, which we briefly touched on a few weeks ago. He says, "For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." Now, that is audacious and perhaps absurd. It is better to suffer? Really? Peter says that if you are going to suffer—and it is almost guaranteed for followers of Jesus living according to the principles of His kingdom that they will suffer in a world that is contrary to them—then it is better for you to suffer for righteousness' sake, according to the will of God, than to suffer for being a fool. It's better to suffer for righteousness' sake if it is the will of God than to...

Suffering for being a Christian can sometimes feel like being a jerk for Jesus. I apologize for saying that, but it's true; sometimes people act that way. We take the clear teachings of the Bible and become arrogant, rude, and obnoxious with them. We think that by being rude and obnoxious, we will win friends and influence people on behalf of the King and His kingdom, but it doesn't work. Sometimes, people suffer as Christians because they are being foolish, not because they are walking in righteousness.

Here, Peter says it is better to suffer according to the will of God for doing what is right. I don't know about you, but frankly, I would rather not suffer at all. Yet, so many times, there seems to be a guarantee of suffering for those who live for the kingdom of God. Living for the kingdom of God is contrary to the way the kingdoms of this world operate, and thus, the potential for suffering is great. In Christian history, it is clear that what we have experienced in terms of religious freedom is not the norm.

Peter emphasizes that it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good. We must ask ourselves, is it really better? To answer that, we can look back one chapter. In 1 Peter 3, let’s turn back to 1 Peter 2 for a reminder of where we came from. In 1 Peter 2:19, Peter states, "For this is commendable; this is praiseworthy. You are worthy of praise if, because of conscience toward God, one endures grief, suffering wrongfully." You are worthy of receiving praise and commendation if, for the sake of the kingdom of God, you suffer unjustly.

But commendation from whom? In verse 20, Peter asks, "What credit is it if, when you are beaten for your own faults, you take it patiently?" However, when you do good—when you act with honesty and integrity—and if you suffer for it, taking it patiently, this is praiseworthy and commendable before God. So, who will give you this commendation? If you are a follower of King Jesus and a representative of His kingdom, and if you suffer wrongfully in this world, you will be commended by God in heaven, as Peter says.

Prophetically, in the end eschatological view, when you stand before God, you are going to receive praise and honor from God in heaven. The one who deserves all praise and honor will honor you if you take it patiently, having suffered wrongfully for this to which you were called. Verse 21 states that Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps.

This wasn't only the teaching of the Apostle Peter; it is also the teaching of Jesus. In what is called the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters five, six, and seven, we read in Matthew 5:10, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for doing the right thing, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Blessed are you when outsiders revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad!

Now, nobody rejoices in persecution or suffering unless this is true: for great is your reward in heaven. What is that reward? It is the praise, honor, and commendation of God. Jesus taught this, and now Peter teaches it as well. It is commendable and praiseworthy from God if you endure suffering for doing what is right patiently.

So, if you're going to suffer, make sure that your suffering is in such a way that brings reward. Ensure that you are suffering because you are doing the right thing, representing the King and His kingdom well, and living after the pattern of heaven. You may ask, "How do I live after the pattern of heaven?" Well, read the Scriptures; you'll find out. That is why we study them so systematically here, so that we might know how we are to live.

Peter even asked the question, "How shall we then live?" Knowing that these things are the case, which we will see when we get into Second Peter, he gives some very clear indications about how my life and your life are to be lived as ambassadors of the kingdom. We have already looked at some of that previously in First Peter chapter three, where we were told that we are to endure these difficult things that come upon us with meekness, fear, and grace. He says to sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that is within you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience.

Conscience is important, and so he says that we are to live in a way that is tenderhearted and gracious towards people, being meek in this world. Even when others come against us, we do not render evil for evil. Yet here in verse 7, he states, "For it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." So, if you're going to suffer, suffer in a way that brings reward, for this is the sort of suffering that God wills.

Did you get that? God wills suffering. I’m not sure that I like the sound of that. When you actually pick up on what’s being said, it can be unsettling. God in heaven, who we teach is all-loving, all-powerful, and all-good, wills the unjust suffering of His people. Does that really fit with the Scriptures?

Well, look at 1 Peter 4:19. One page to the right, he says it again: "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good as to a faithful Creator." Let those who suffer according to the will of God. Now, in all honesty, this doesn’t seem to fit within the cutely packaged American Christianity that is peddled by many prosperity preachers in our nation here in the 21st century. The idea that God in heaven wills the unjust suffering of His people is challenging.

Peter has now stated this twice: in 1 Peter 3:17 and 1 Peter 4:19, he speaks of suffering according to the will of God. I don’t think I would ever be accused of being a proponent of prosperity teaching, and yet even I have a hard time with this concept of God willing suffering. We have to be able to explain it.

Peter says in verse 17, "It is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." This leaves us somewhat stopped in our tracks, making us wonder, "What is God-willed suffering?" And then he continues in verse 18, "For Christ also suffered."

If it is the will of God that you suffer, remember that Christ also suffered. Jesus suffered for doing good. If any of you have ever read through the Gospels, you recognize that this is the case. Jesus did nothing wrong; in fact, he did wonderfully good things. He fed those who were hungry, healed those who were sick, raised people from the dead, and cast demons out of those who were possessed. He preached a message of salvation and forgiveness. Yes, he transgressed the traditions of the religious people of his day, but he never broke God's law.

The book of Hebrews says that Jesus was tested in all points like we are, and yet he never sinned. Then he suffered. He suffered an incredibly torturous, terrible, painful death on the cross. He suffered for doing good, and not only did he suffer for doing good, but Jesus also suffered according to the will of God. It was God's will that he suffered. How do we know that? It is very clearly seen in the night that Jesus would be betrayed and turned over to the Jewish High Priest to be crucified.

He prayed in a garden called the Garden of Gethsemane. It's recorded in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 26. It says that he went a little further from his disciples, and in verse 39, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." A few verses later, he prayed the same prayer again. In verse 42, he went and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if this cup cannot pass from me unless I drink it, your will be done." Then, two verses later, in verse 44, he left his disciples and went away again and prayed a third time the same words.

In Matthew's Gospel, and not just in Matthew's Gospel but also in Mark chapter 13 and Luke chapter 22, it is recorded that three times Jesus prayed, "I don't will this, but Father, whatever you will, I will submit myself to your will." You will my suffering, which is an awesome thing to consider. Jesus, in his humanity, did not want to suffer. Can anybody be Christ-like in that? Jesus, in his humanity, did not want to suffer, and yet he could see and recognize that God in heaven, the Father, was determining his suffering. He willed beforehand his suffering. That's a heavy reality.

No one wants to suffer. I've never met a single person who desires suffering. Jesus did not want to suffer, and yet God the Father in Heaven planned, determined, and willed the suffering of Jesus.

Point number one in your sermon guide is that Christ's suffering fulfilled God's will. This leads to a common question I've received from believers—Christians who want to follow Jesus and do the right thing. They often ask, "What's God's will for my life? I want to do God's will." But what if God's will is that you suffer? Do you still want that? Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but your will be done." I can only echo that prayer and say, "Lord, not my will, but your will be done in this instance."

However, we must acknowledge that God willed the suffering of Jesus. When we look at that, it seems unbearable. In fact, a skeptic might rightly ask, "Why would you want to serve a God who wills the unjust suffering of His own Son and potentially His other followers?"

To answer that, we can look at the rest of verse 18: "For Christ also suffered once for sins."

Point number two on your outline is that Christ's suffering was for a purpose. Jesus came to do the will of the Father. Hebrews chapter 10 makes this very clear with the words of Christ, the Messiah: "Behold, I have come to do your will, O God." The will of God the Father in Heaven was that Jesus, the Son of the Living God here upon the earth, would suffer. He would suffer unjustly, but His unjust suffering was for a purpose, and it was on behalf of my sin and your sin.

So, Christ also suffered once for sins. Jesus did not suffer for His own unrighteousness. As we read through the Gospels, we recognize that it wasn't because of anything bad that He had done. He suffered for my unrighteousness and your sin—our failures.

Christ suffered for those in our place; that's what the gospel preaches. He suffered and died according to the determined plan and will of God the Father. Why? Well, again, 1 Peter 3:18 states, "For Christ also suffered once for sins." Why? That He might bring us to God, that He might bring you and me to God. Notice the word "might" there; it indicates that He had the opportunity to make the way open for sinful individuals like you and me to come before God.

Point number three on our outline is that Christ's suffering was for our salvation. His unjust suffering was not pointless, absurd, or senseless. Christ suffered for our sins; He was put to death in the flesh. Peter says the crucifixion was the determined plan and will of God the Father. The predetermined plan was that God, outside of time, made the decision that this was the way sinful, lost humanity could be brought back to Him, to be restored into relationship and connection with Him. This was the only way.

That's why, when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "If there be any other way," heaven was silent. The silence of heaven was loud; there is no other way. This is it. This is the only way. If there was a way through the Law of Moses, if there was a way through certain rituals and rites, or if there was a way through certain good works that you and I could come to God, then the answer would have come when Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, prayed, "If there is any other way." The silence from heaven was deafening.

So, the crucifixion was the determined plan and will of God the Father. He predetermined that Jesus would be unjustly crucified. You may ask, "Is that really true?" Well, let's look. If you would, turn to the left to the Book of Acts. You will pass Hebrews, 1 and 2 Timothy, Philippians, and Corinthians, all the way back to the Book of Acts. In Acts chapter 2, you will find a message, most of it a sermon given by the author of the book we are studying. This is the first sermon.

Peter the Apostle gave a powerful message after the church was started by the Spirit of God. The climax of his message is found in Acts chapter 2, verse 22. With a gathered assembly of thousands before him, he said, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put him to death."

So, who killed Jesus? That's the age-old question, right? According to Peter, by the inspired Word of God, it was not the Jews who killed Jesus, nor was it the Romans. It was God the Father in heaven who determined that Christ would die by the agency of the Jews and the Romans through crucifixion outside of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. It was the determined will of God that Jesus would suffer injustice. Why? So that He would die for your sins and mine, and that He might make the way open for us to come to God through Him.

One of my favorite verses is found in Second Corinthians 5:21. It says, "For He, the Father, made Him, Jesus the Son, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in Christ." Jesus bore and became our sin so that He could give to you and to me His righteousness.

Peter here emphasizes that He died and suffered for sins that He might bring us to God. The word "might" is important. In the original Greek, this word is in the subjunctive mood. This may mean nothing to you, but let me explain what it means. It indicates that the death of Jesus was sufficient for justification, dealing with all sin of all people at all times in every place. When Jesus died on the cross once for sins, His death was sufficient to address all sin.

Humanity, at all times, is in need of salvation, and yet Christ's sacrifice is only sufficient for those who receive it or appropriate it by faith. It is only received by those who accept it by grace through faith. You cannot be saved by your good works, your church attendance, your giving to anything, or your serving in the children's ministry. Although that might be as close to hell as some people ever get, there is no way that those actions save you. Just strike that from your memory; I didn't say that at all. There is no way that those actions save you. Christ alone saves.

Jesus suffered, and the awesome thing is that He suffered temporarily, momentarily, so that He might make it possible for you and me to live eternally with Him. Now, in all honesty, I would love nothing more than for 1 Peter chapter 3 to end right there, but it doesn't. Peter continues in 1 Peter 3:18, stating that Jesus was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. By whom, the Spirit, also He, Jesus, went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient once when the divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In that ark, a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

What is that all about? I love the Apostle Peter. In his next book, 2 Peter chapter 3, he ends his letter like this: "Consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation," as also our beloved brother Paul. So Peter is giving a little nod to the Apostle Paul, referring to him as our beloved brother, my friend. According to the wisdom given to him, Paul has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of things that are hard to understand. Untaught and unstable people twist these to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

So what does Peter say in 2 Peter 3:16? He says, "Listen, Paul has written some great things in his letters, although some of his things are really hard to understand." When I read that, I think, "What about this, Peter? You just one-upped Paul's writings."

This may very well be one of the most difficult passages in the book of First Peter, perhaps in the whole New Testament, and maybe even in the entire Bible. It is certainly one of the most challenging passages to understand and interpret.

I know there may be someone among the two hundred or so people here who is currently writing me a card on the back of the prayer card in size five script, telling me how they understand this perfectly. I apologize, but you don't. The reason I know that you don't is because Martin Luther—not Martin Luther King Jr., the great civil rights leader of the twentieth century, but Martin Luther, the great Christian reformer of five hundred years ago—said this about this passage: "A wonderful text is this, and more obscure, a more obscure passage than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter meant."

So, if Martin Luther doesn't have a clue, neither do you. He acknowledges that this is a hard one. I appreciate some of my friends who teach the Bible; they come to this passage, shrug their shoulders, and say, "All right, on to the next verse." But we're not going to do that.

I have read numerous commentaries on this passage, and one of the things you find when you read many commentaries is that if you read five commentaries, you get ten opinions. That's really how it works with pastors and teachers. There is not a lot of agreement as to what is going on here. After reading through many commentaries and discussing this passage with some friends I respect over the years, I have come to the conclusion that I do not know with certainty what Peter is saying. To quote dear old Martin Luther, "All that aside," these difficult-to-interpret words answer for us at least three important questions:

Number one, what happens when we die?

Number two, what happened when Jesus died on the cross?

Number three, what did Jesus do between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?

Have you ever wondered about that? He dies on the cross, they lay him in a tomb, and then what? What is going on during the interim period between the cross and the resurrection? At the very least, these questions and these verses give us some insight into what happened.

What happens when we die?

Number one, when we die, we do not merely sleep or cease to exist. That, for me, is good news. Secondly, what happened when Jesus died? From what we can tell from this passage, he did not go to heaven. He wouldn't go to heaven until after the resurrection and after forty days on the earth until he ascended to Him. Also, he did not lay frozen in the tomb, kind of laying in state, awaiting for Sunday to come. Next, he did not cease to exist, as we are being told by many today. What happens when you die? You just cease to exist? Well, that's not the case. Jesus did not cease to exist, nor did he go and experience the torments of hell. What he did do is win. That's what this passage declares. Jesus, at his death, was victorious; he won.

So then, the next question is: what did Jesus do, or where did he go during the time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? Upon his death on the cross, Jesus went as a living spirit somewhere where others were, to whom he proclaimed his victory through the suffering and death of the cross. Now, that just opens up a whole Pandora's box of more questions. Where did he go? Where was this somewhere that he went? Who were these individuals that he spoke to, and what was the message that he gave? These are good questions, and this is where it gets a little murky.

There are three classical interpretations about what is going on here in this passage, along with the passages spoken to us in the Book of Jude, in Ephesians chapter 4, and a couple of other veiled passages in Scripture. It seems to tell us that when Jesus said, "It is finished," and breathed his last on the cross, he was put to death in the flesh but was alive in the spirit. At that moment, when they laid his lifeless body in the tomb, Jesus was still at work.

In that time, what we can seem to piece together is that the first view is that Jesus, upon his death, descended into a place called Hades and proclaimed to the spirits of those who had died in Old Testament times his victory on the cross. That's one classical view. Another view is that this has nothing to do with what Jesus did.

During the time between the crucifixion and the resurrection, Christ, through the Spirit of God, spoke through Noah, whom Peter mentions to the people of his day about the coming judgment and about Christ. That's another classical view.

The third classical view is that Jesus descended into the depths of the earth, a place called Hades, and there he proclaimed his victory over the spirits of fallen angels who had done some sort of unique goodness during the time of Noah, as recorded in the Book of Genesis, chapter 6.

Now, at this point, if you're confused, I can give you a stack of commentaries that will help you be more confused. You can go through this and try to figure out what is going on and what is happening. This is why I, and many others like Martin Luther, would say I do not know with certainty what this passage means.

But here's what I do know for sure, and this is essential: what you believe about these 45 words does not really matter as it relates to your salvation. These are not essential for your salvation. That means you can have an opinion on this, and it probably differs from the opinion that the Purdue student sitting next to you has. You can actually have no opinion about this and say, "I don't know," and that's perfectly fine.

However, what you can't do is say you have no opinion about the vicarious redemption of Jesus Christ. You cannot say, "I have no opinion about whether or not Jesus's death on the cross matters." It matters because that's essential.

The important point that is taught through these words is point number four on your outline: Christ's suffering brought about victory. Where do I conclude that from? Well, notice that it says that by the Spirit, Jesus also went and preached. Maybe not the best translation, but the word "preached" there means to proclaim or to sound, and it's connected with proclaiming victory. It is the shout of victory.

Jesus, there on the cross, when he cried in agony, "It is finished," when he breathed his last, declared victory.

With victory, it is finished. Sin, death, and Satan are done, and the victory is won. This means that all the suffering you may experience as an ambassador of Jesus here in this life, for the sake of His kingdom, is temporary.

Point number five on your outline: Christ's suffering means that our suffering is temporary. His suffering means that our suffering is temporary. Now, I hope that you don't go and watch these videos, but of course, these have been on the internet quite frequently over the last couple of years. These terrorists over in Syria and Iraq post videos of Christians being put to death, burned at the stake, and having their heads cut off—twisted and sick things. We look at that and think of the suffering and the agony that probably none of us will ever experience. Any suffering in this life for the cause of the kingdom of Christ is temporary. When they breathe their last in agony in this life, they wake up in eternity with pure joy.

Well, Peter continues with the hard sayings, and I have two minutes and five seconds to explain verse 21. There is also an antitype which now saves us: baptism. Wait, what? If you've been around the Bible for a while or the church for a while, this strikes a problem for many. Peter seems to say that baptism saves us.

Let's read it again: "There is also an antitype which now saves us, just like Noah was saved through the flood. There is an antitype which now saves us, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but an answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."

So the question, and it's a bit questionable, has been brought to me before. They say, "I've been reading through First Peter, and I came around this verse that's kind of tough for me." I say, "Let me stop you there. I think you're probably reading First Peter chapter 3, verses 21 and on." They go, "Yeah, how'd you know?" I said, "Well, because I figured if you're having a hard time with Peter, you're probably having a hard time with the fact that he seems to say that baptism saves us." They respond, "Yes, I'm having a hard problem with that. How do you answer? What is he speaking of?" Well, again, we...

We have to get into the context of the passage. The previous verse speaks about a guy named Noah. We believe that thousands of years ago, there was a global flood through which God judged the earth for their sin. All of humanity was destroyed by this flood, save for a man named Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sons' three wives—eight people in total. Two of every kind of animal, along with some additional animals for those that would be offered as sacrifices, were saved on a boat, an ark that we lovingly and affectionately call Noah's Ark.

Now, you might ask, do we believe that? Yes, we believe that. But why do we believe it? Because Jesus preached and taught it, and the Bible records that we believe it actually took place. You may think it sounds kind of crazy, and that's okay; call me crazy, but we believe it.

Here’s what we don’t believe: we do not believe that there were stone people, that Noah got all eight on his daughter who was pregnant, or that Kurt Russell was on the ark. We don't believe any of that sort of stuff; it's not in the Bible. However, we do believe that a man and his family were saved through a global flood.

Now, here Peter says that water is symbolic of the same sort of water that we experience in a Christian act called baptism. Baptism is that act, that sacrament, whereby a person who has put their faith in Christ is taken down into the water. They go under the water, being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and then come up out of the water to rise and walk in newness of life. Here’s what we know is true.