Well let me invite you to turn to the book of 1 Peter as we continue on with what the Lord would have for us from this great passage of Scripture. If you're using one of those Bibles in the seats in front of you it's page 1016. As we look back to 1 Peter chapter 3. just as we prepare to do so want to remind you as Tim mentioned earlier that we'll be gathering again tonight at 5 o'clock we'll be sharing in the Lord's table also looking at this statement in 1st Peter chapter 3 verse 18 that Christ the one who is righteous gave himself died for the unrighteous will just be a probing in a little bit more to that great truth that the the truth of substitution the righteous one for the unrighteous and so we'll be looking at that as we prepare to share in the Lord's table and also this evening as Becca Fong is back with us she's been in Turkey for the last year it's home for just a couple of weeks before she goes back again this next week, but she'll be here, she's here this morning, she'll be here again this evening and have a brief opportunity to just share a little bit about what the Lord is doing and how we can be praying for her as well. So we'll be sharing in that time this evening. And also just want to ask again, that you would be praying for this upcoming trip to Haiti that I have, as the plan is for me to leave a week from this Tuesday, which is the 24th of September, and then be back on the 4th of October, Lord willing, preaching at a pastor's conference there, and then also sharing in pastoral training center ministry teaching there and there are flyers in the lobby that have more information about that trip but I just can't say enough how much I covet your prayers both now in preparation for that time as well as for the time itself and what the Lord would be doing just for the glory of his name and for the building of his church there in Haiti so really covet your prayers in anticipation of that and for that Well, let's look to God's Word here in 1 Peter chapter 3, and as we typically do, want to once again just say a few words to the children among us as we look to this passage, and parents, as always, please, we encourage you to help your kids both find this passage, and also we have those notes in the seats in front of you for children to use if you're inclined to, and parents, want to encourage you to help your kids with that also. be a great resource to interact about later today and through the week regarding the truths that we're considering. But as we did last week, we're coming back to the same passage that we looked at last week and looking at some things in a bit more detail and hoping to finish this passage up before we'll move on next Lord's Day, Lord willing, to the next verses before us. But we're in chapter 3 verses 18 to 22 and I want to read verse 18 and then again from the end of verse 21 into verse 22. And so children in particular listen as we hope to focus the matters that I'll be addressing this morning. But here's what God says through Peter in chapter 3 verse 18 and then again I'll jump down to verse 21. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." And then down at the end of verse 21, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Now, last week, as we began into this passage, I shared with you what the big idea is here, and I'm gonna share the exact same big idea. It is this, that Jesus Christ has suffered and he is reigning. Jesus Christ has suffered and he is reigning. Now, it was brought to my attention last week, after the service was over, somebody drew to my attention that I should probably clarify that term that Jesus is raining because some of you children may have taken it to mean like literal rain you know the wet stuff coming down out of the clouds and this person was rightly concerned that maybe that could be confused what does it mean that Jesus suffered and now he's raining down that just doesn't seem to make sense and I trust that parents if you're kids were thinking of that. Hopefully you were able to clarify. Hopefully you weren't fully thinking in that way. But I'm talking about reigning like a king reigns. He has absolute authority. He's the one in charge. And that's the sense of what Peter makes so clear regarding where Christ is now. That he is seated at the right hand of God. Everything is in subjection to him. And so the point that Peter is really making in this passage is that Jesus has suffered. When he took on humanity, when he became a man, he did suffer. And that suffering ultimately culminated in the cross and all that God intended with what Jesus suffered at the cross. But God's word also makes clear, even as Peter says here, that Jesus rose from the dead and he is now seated at the right hand of God. He is reigning in that sense of absolute authority. And really the point that Peter is making in all of this is that we should most greatly trust the one who is in the greatest authority. And so kids, you might make a note of that thought as well. We should most greatly trust the one who is in the greatest authority. Now, think about this, children. In our world, there are a lot of different ways that we know about authority. God, in his kindness and mercy, has given us authority with the parents that he has given to us. Our parents have a place of authority in our lives. We have government, and think about policemen represent an aspect of that authority, and that they help to preserve peace in society by hopefully capturing the bad guys and protecting the good guys. but they represent a sense of authority. Teachers in school represent authority. If you're a part of a sports team, boys and girls, you have a coach, and that coach is an aspect of authority in your life. And so there's a lot of different ways that we understand authority in our world. But what God's Word declares concerning Jesus Christ is that in being at the right hand of the Father, He is the one in ultimate absolute authority over everything and over everyone. There is no authority greater than Him. There is no authority equal to Him. He is the one in greatest authority. And because of that, He deserves our greatest trust. And as we'll see as we look at this passage in a little bit more detail, for Christians who are suffering difficult and painful things in this world, there is great comfort, and there is great hope, and there is great strength in knowing that Jesus Christ is the one who's ultimately in authority, and that every knee is ultimately going to bow to him, and that nothing happens in this world, nothing happens from any other person apart from His absolute authority. So that's really the focus and the heart of what we're gonna be looking at in this message. Jesus Christ has suffered. He is reigning in absolute authority and because of that, He deserves our absolute trust. And as you hear the sermon, children, for those of you that are gonna be in here as I continue to move through the sermon, that's really the focus of what we're looking at and what we see God saying through Peter in this particular passage. Well, having said that, we wanna go ahead and dismiss the children, those of you third grade and below, as you make your way over to the other building. For families that desire to have them remain in here, they're always more than welcome, but there is time that we have some adults who will be sharing God's word with them over there, so blessings to you all, men and women, boys and girls, as you go, and we trust that you'll have a fruitful time. Well, let me go ahead and read the rest of the passage. Actually, we'll just start at verse 18 again and read all the way through verse 22, but include that center section, even as I did last week. Let me read this again. The word of our living God, beginning in chapter three, verse 18. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Let me lead us in prayer again. Our great Father in heaven, you have told us that apart from you we can do nothing. And certainly that includes any sense of ability to rightly understand and apply your word, the ability to see the greatness of your glory and work in Christ and to live in faith and obedience to you. We need you to see, to help us to see and to value ever more fully the saving work that you've accomplished in Jesus and to regard ever more joyfully and soberly his exalted eternal victorious reign. And so we pray that you would grow and increase our faith and that through your word and by the power of the Holy Spirit you would accomplish this. And that you would be with the preacher and the hearers of your word alike, that you would teach us and search us and transform us and unite our hearts to fear your name. We pray that you would do this for your glory in Christ, in his name we pray, amen. Well as we moved into this passage last week and began to explore all that is here, felt the need to want to just zero in a little bit more on all that Peter is speaking of and it is admittedly one of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture, arguably the most difficult passage in the New Testament just because of a number of grammatical and lexical factors that play into understanding what Peter is saying, especially there in verses 19 through 21. so we're gonna come back to this again and as we do just to be reminded that Peter is writing to believers who are suffering who are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ by God's grace they have been born again by God's grace they have openly identified with Jesus Christ and now in a variety of ways as they are scattered throughout Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey, they are suffering unjustly because of their union with Jesus Christ. And so Peter is writing to encourage them in the grace of God in Christ and to strengthen their faith and to strengthen their resolve to continue to be faithful in the hope of Christ and living in light of that hope. And with what Peter has immediately said prior to verse 18 of chapter 3, he's been exhorting them in particular ways to not fear man, but to live in the hope of Christ. And in that living hope of Christ, to zealously do good, and to singularly fear Christ and trust Christ, and to humbly speak the truth, and to joyfully embrace suffering. And with what he says, that's in that whole section of verses 13 to 17, he concludes with this statement in verse 17, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. And as we observed last week, he's making a value statement that it is better to suffer in God's will than to know pleasure outside of God's will. It is better. Now that is a statement and that is a truth that is difficult for us to get our arms around. Even as it would have been difficult for those believers. They are suffering injustices. People in places of authority over them are abusing that authority. And that's why Peter gives many of the instructions that he does in chapter two regarding a variety of different arenas of authority relationships and how believers are to submit in those authority relationships even when that authority is abusive and when it is unjust. And this is an audacious statement really to say that it is better to suffer. in God's will and the implication being that it is much better than having pleasure outside of God's will. And so this is really the whole focus of what Peter is saying, and the focus of his exhortation is he's not denying the reality of suffering, and he's certainly not denying the pain and the grief and the difficulty and the hardship of suffering, but he is striving to raise believers' eyes above the circumstances of their suffering to look to the eternal riches that they have in Christ the eternal hope that they have in Christ, and to stand firm, and to embrace the truth that it is indeed better. Now then, as he moves into verse 18, what he's really doing is explaining why it is better. He's giving a reason for why it is better, and that's why, as you'll note at the beginning of verse 18, there's that conjunction for, which is introducing an explanation. He's saying, beloved, this is why it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, because of Christ. Because of Christ. And the point that he is making and the truth that he is revealing is that what Christ has done in suffering for us and now in reigning not only over us but over everything and everyone, he is the source of security. He is the source of hope. He is the source of comfort. And when by faith we lay hold of Christ all the more in the full scope of his exalted glory, we can indeed say, yes, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. It is better to know this pain and suffering, if God should so will it, than to know pleasure because it is bound up in Christ in the great sufficiency of his suffering and in the great glory and wonder of his exaltation. And so God through Peter is seeking to encourage believers lest they cave in to the temptations of fear that would come in so many different directions in light of the things that they're currently suffering and in light of the things that they might suffer in the future within God's will. And so this is Peter's whole purpose and this again is really the theme that focuses his entire letter. It's helping believers to see the greatness of God's grace and of his glory and of his purposes in Christ and to stand firm in that by faith and to not cave in to worldly temptations. To be reminded again back in chapter 2 verses 9 through 12 this theme is really set out in a very clear way, and again, this very much focuses the heart of everything that Peter addresses in the letter. And let me just read verses nine through 12 again of chapter two. You are a chosen race. He's talking to believers, to those who have been born again. You're a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. And notice that Peter is speaking with warfare mentality. Those passions of the flesh that wage war against the soul. And as we understand the focus of things that he addresses in the letter and the context of the situation that these believers that he's writing to are in, we can summarize the passions of the flesh as really being anything that would keep us from suffering in any capacity. The passions of the flesh are to preserve pleasure at all expense and to avoid suffering at all expense. And those passions, of course, can be expressed in myriads of different ways, but at the foundation is a desire, a pursuit, a lust to avoid suffering at all costs. And Peter is saying for the people of God, as difficult as it is, as painful as it is, we must mentally prepare our minds and prepare our hearts to not only endure suffering, but to joyfully embrace it, being convinced that it is better to suffer for doing good because of Christ and because of who he is. And so this is what he's addressing in verses 18 to 22 is explaining why it is better. And in these verses he really shares two results or two fruits of Christ's sufferings. And the first of those, we began to look at last week, that Christ has provided for sinners' greatest need. That's the first fruit of His sufferings, the first result, that He has provided for sinners' greatest need. And the second fruit, the second result, is that Christ is reigning victoriously over all. He's reigning victoriously over all. Now again, just to review for a few moments, what we looked at last week with this first result, this first fruit, that he has provided for sinners' greatest need. That's the point that Peter's driving home in verses 18 to 21. And the greatest need that sinners have is to be delivered from God's wrath. That is every human being's greatest need. Now, I don't know what needs you might be feeling, what needs you might describe that you have when you came into this room today. Maybe they were health-related needs, maybe some form of help that you need, be it financial or relational or situational or whatever it may be. But dear friend, God calls us to come back to the clear reality of what our ultimate greatest need is, namely deliverance from God's judgment because of our sin, and to be encouraged and strengthened and comforted in the great hope that in Jesus Christ, through his suffering, he has fully provided for that need. That's what Peter is after in verses 18 to 21. And we saw last week that the full scope of what God has provided in Christ through his sufferings can be identified through six different words. Six different words, I'll just mention these again. First of all, the word incarnation. That Christ came, the eternal son of God came in the flesh. read about that earlier in the gospel of Matthew that the eternal Son of God at a point in history took on human flesh and in that flesh he suffered and ultimately was killed on a cross and this is why Peter says what he does at the beginning of verse 18 for Christ also suffered once and for sins the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh." He's emphasizing the reality of Christ's humanity even as he was also fully God. But he's referring to the incarnation and the reality of Christ's humanity. The second word that we considered last week was condemnation. Condemnation. That Christ suffered four sins. He was put to death. And while it was evil, wicked, godless people who were the human instruments of His death, we understand from these statements in 1 Peter 3, as well as many other statements in Scripture, that it was God Himself who was ultimately pouring out condemnation on Jesus. condemnation that Jesus did not deserve but that he took upon himself as a substitute for those for whom he was dying but it was God's judgment over in chapter 2 in verse 24 Alluding to Isaiah chapter 53, Peter says this, he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. And in the Greek when he says by his wounds that's actually in the singular. By the wound you have been healed. And what's being made reference to there ultimately is the wound of God's judgment. It wasn't just the physical horror of what he suffered. It was all that his suffering encompassing his entire life culminating in the cross was reflecting as the expression of God's condemnation upon him for the sins of others. And this is what Peter is speaking of. He suffered four sins, but they weren't his own sins. And he was put to death. So we see incarnation, condemnation, A third word that we looked at last week was completion or satisfaction. Completion or satisfaction. That he suffered four sins once. And his offering of himself was once and for all. That's reiterated powerfully and repeatedly in the book of Hebrews. In chapter 7 verse 27 and in chapter 9 verse 12 and also verses 24 through 28 and also in chapter 10 verse 10 of Hebrews that Christ died once and for all. and all sufficient sacrifice. When Jesus said on the cross, it is finished, he was referring to the full scope of the work of redemption. And in stark contrast to the Old Testament sacrificial system in which animals had to be offered again and again and again and again. their blood continually being shed, the precious blood of the eternal Son of God, the Lamb of God was shed once and for all and His suffering, His sacrifice is now complete. And so we understand that sense of completion. And then a fourth word is substitution. Substitution. And again we'll be looking in a little bit more detail at this glorious truth. But the fact that he died vicariously. He died as a substitute bearing the penalty on behalf of those for whom he died. And this is found in this great statement in verse 18. The righteous for the unrighteous. Well, beloved, there is everything of the gospel, the heart of the gospel bound up in that statement. We will spend all eternity probing, considering, marveling, rejoicing, glorifying God because of the wonder of He being the righteous one who gave Himself for we who were unrighteous. It's the glorious truth of His substitutionary work, vicarious atonement, bearing the penalty of God as a substitute. The very heart and wonder of the gospel. And then the fourth word, or I'm sorry, the fifth word is reconciliation. Reconciliation. We see his incarnation, we see condemnation, we see completion, we see substitution, and then reconciliation. Christ did all this. Why? Verse 18, to bring us to God. and all that is bound up in that statement, implying clearly, indicating clearly that apart from Him, and apart from the absolute sufficiency of His work, we have no way to God. We are alienated from God because of our sin. God is not favorably disposed to us. God sits in judgment and condemnation against sinners because of their sin. And it is only when that sin is fully atoned for, and that being accomplished only through the blood of Christ, that God is now favorable to those who have trusted Christ, and He's satisfied with those who have trusted Christ because He's satisfied with Christ. And so, in Christ and through Christ, those who believe on Him are fully, completely reconciled to God. The way to God has been opened up. That's why when Christ died on the cross, the veil in the temple that represented the barrier between God and man, that veil was ripped open. indicating that the way is now open in Christ and through Christ alone. That's why Jesus said what he did in John 14 verse six. I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. It is in him and through him that sinful, unrighteous, worthy of condemnation people are forgiven and cleansed and delivered from condemnation for all eternity and reconciled to the father. That's why it's in him and through him beloved that we approach God with confidence as the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews chapter four. And so we see incarnation and condemnation and completion and substitution and reconciliation. And then the sixth word is proclamation. proclamation. And this is, in essence, where we left off last week, and this is what we find at the end of verse 18, leading in actually through verse 21, these statements regarding the proclaiming work of Christ. We could also call this vindication, proclamation, or vindication. And so here's what Peter says, he was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, as we said, there's a lot in this passage. And again, this is arguably the most difficult passage in the New Testament to understand. From the time that Peter first penned these words to the present, this passage has been subject to much debate and much that has been written. And the precise meaning of all that's revealed here, people have wrestled with and debated with myriads of suggestions at each point along the line of the passage of exactly what Peter is referring to. I shared last week that Martin Luther, the great reformer, himself said of this text, quote, a wonderful text this is and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means, end quote. Now if you know anything about Martin Luther, he was an often brash, aggressive, dogmatic, energetic teacher and preacher and was used mightily by God in the Reformation. And so for a man of his caliber to have that disposition towards this passage should give us much caution as we approach the passage and as we consider what Peter is saying here, and what God is ultimately driving home through these words. And so we must not have a sense of overconfidence in striving to understand, but at the same time this is God's Word, and we do want to strive in the power of His Spirit to understand what He said. And I would just encourage as we gaze into this a little bit more detail to not let the obscurity of verses 19 to 21 diminish the clarity of Peter's overall purpose in writing the letter. And not to diminish the clarity of what he says in verse 18 and of what he says in verse 22, that Christ has suffered and he is exalted and he is reigning over all. whatever else might be meant by what's going on and with what he says in verses 19 to 21, we dare not let that unclarity or lack of clarity diminish what is clear and the ultimate point of why Peter is writing. Now another commentator has summarized the exegetical questions that come out of this passage really boils down to these. Where did Christ go? When did he go to where he went? To whom did he speak? And what did he say? And I do want to try to hopefully at least answer those questions somewhat and provide what I believe to be the expressions or the meaning of the expressions that Peter is making here. But before we do that, just want to remind us again also that when Peter wrote these words through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Remember, his intention was not primarily to ignite a debate that would cover more than 2,000 years, nor to fill volumes and volumes and thousands and thousands of pages of books and articles and scholarly journals. His intention, remember, in all that he is writing is to encourage and to strengthen and to comfort and to embolden rank and file believers just like you and me in how to stand firm and to be faithful and to live godly lives in the midst of an evil and unjust and painful world. So let's not lose sight of that as we strive to understand. And God's interest in this passage is not primarily to excite and stimulate our intellects, but to transform our lives. And again, to prepare us and embolden us to willingly, joyfully embrace suffering in the will of God, if he should so will it. And because of this, as I try to move through verses 19 to 21, I'm not going to go into all of the details, and I'm not going to explain all of the possible options for the meaning of all of the various statements in this passage. I'm simply going to try to tell you what I think, at least at this point in my understanding, is the meaning of these things, but I'm not going to go into all the details of explaining the reasons for why I land where I do. Now in light of that, I do want to encourage you, if you're interested in more in-depth study and understanding of this passage, I have two options to present to you to encourage you. If you'd like to to really dive into this more. One, and don't do this right now, by the way, if you have a smartphone, don't do it right now, but one would be to go to a website called Precept Austin. It's just preceptaustin.org. And when you click onto that homepage, on the left side of the page, there's a menu, and click on the little title that says Commentaries by Verse. And that will take you to a page of commentaries that are available online. At the top of that page, there's a pull-down menu that you pull down. It has all the books in the Bible. You go to 1 Peter, you click that on, and you will find more commentaries, more sermons, most of them written from a solid, conservative, evangelical, Bible-believing perspective. You'll find more information there than you'll know what to do with. So if you're interested in diving more deeply into this, I'd encourage you to do that. If you're not familiar with that website, by the way, it is a great resource, a great website that gentleman has invested much time and energy in pulling together all these various resources on the Internet, preceptaustin.org. So that's one option that you could pursue if you're interested in knowing more the full meaning of this passage. The other option that I have for you is simply to live such a consecrated outspoken life for Jesus Christ that persecution against you will quickly intensify and maybe sooner than later you would even be killed for Jesus' sake. And then when you're dead and you go to heaven, you'll be glorified and you'll have total understanding of this passage. You can even speak to Peter about it and bring full clarity to what is going on here. say that a little bit tongue-in-cheek of course but again I say it to reinforce that that's what Peter's ultimately after that's what God is ultimately after for us to be emboldened all the more in the sufficiency of Christ's suffering in the glory of his exaltation and to be living by faith in light of that well having said that let's just move through the passage and Again I'm only going to do this in somewhat of an abbreviated fashion but hopefully strive to clarify just a little bit what's being meant with what Peter says. And this is all under the point of Christ's proclamation, his vindication in connection with the sufficiency of his sufferings. So we read first of all there at the end of verse 18 that he was put to death being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. Now the questions surface. What spirit is being referred to here? Is Peter referring to the inner spirit of Jesus or is he referring to the Holy Spirit? And is he speaking of Christ's resurrection or of his ongoing spiritual life maybe before his resurrection? Is he perhaps referring to some time between his death and his bodily resurrection? Well, I believe that he's referring to Christ's literal physical death, that's crystal clear from the text, but his subsequent resurrection through the Spirit's power, which encompassed his body, but was of a higher eternal spiritual quality, indicating that he was never again to be subject to human limitations or death. again you'll notice down in verse 21 at the end he speaks directly of the resurrection and the things that he said that precede this statement but through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and so it seems in the context he's he's referring to the resurrection In other words, what Jesus is saying is that, or what Peter is saying of Jesus, is that he no longer lives in the natural physical sphere of existence, but in the spiritual sphere. Now again, it encompasses his body. His body literally, physically rose from the dead. And it was in bodily form that he ascended up into heaven. Acts chapter one tells us the disciples were witnesses to that. But speaking of this matter of being put to death but made alive in the spirit, I believe is speaking of the spiritual framework in which he now fully exists, no longer bound by mere human physical limitations. And he goes on to say then in verse 19, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison. And so with that statement at the beginning of verse 19, in which he went, the question is, where did he go? Is this referring to him possibly going to hell, as some suggest, or somewhere else? And of course the question, when did he go? Is this referring to some time between his death and his resurrection, or after his resurrection? Well obviously because I believe that that statement at the end of verse 18 is referring to his resurrection it seems then likely that wherever he went he went there after his resurrection. I believe it's encompassing that time after his resurrection. And what's being expressed here is that in his risen glorified body I believe what's being expressed is that Jesus went to this prison and he made proclamation. Now that leads to the next question. He proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah. So the questions, who are these spirits that are being referred to? And what prison is this speaking of and where is this prison? And also the question of what did Jesus proclaim? Was he proclaiming the gospel, or was he proclaiming his victory? And then what's the significance of these references to Noah, to the ark, and to those who were brought safely through the water? Well again, Volumes and volumes and volumes and volumes have been written regarding just what the answers to those questions are. This is just where I land at this point. I believe that the spirits that are being referred to here are fallen angels. In other words demons who rebelled in incomprehensibly wicked ways prior to the time of the flood. And most likely, these probably refer to those who are mentioned in Genesis chapter six, verses one and two in the statements that we find immediately preceding God's dealings with Noah and with the flood of judgment that would follow. We read in Genesis 6 verses 1 and 2, when man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive and they took as their wives any they chose. Many scholars, many commentators believe that that reference to the sons of God in contrast to the daughters of men is speaking of demonic spirits. Demonic spirits that presumably possessed human beings who then had relations with women and thus produced all the more evil children. And so I believe the spirits that are being referred to here are those fallen angels. that were active in the days leading up to God's judgment through the flood and his dealings with Noah. And these demonic spirits carried out this wicked rebellion in an effort to further corrupt and pollute humanity so that there would be no place for the promised conquering seed of the woman as God had promised in Genesis 3 verse 15. And so these demonic spirits have extended the activity of their wickedness and in view of their wicked rebellion were put in prison by God awaiting final judgment and these evil spirits themselves though God destroyed all of humanity through the flood saved Noah and his family those eight people these wicked spirits themselves were not judged finally but that awaits yet a final judgment that is coming at the consummation of the ages. Now, most likely these are the same ones that Peter is referring to in 2 Peter chapter 2, if you'd look over there. In 2 Peter chapter 2, in verses 4 and 5, believe this is referring to these same ones. He says, therefore, if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment. If he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness with seven others when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly. He's clearly making reference there to those who have been consigned to a place where there is yet a future final judgment awaiting. And again, I believe he's referring to these same evil spirits. And then if you flip over just a few more pages, right before the book of Revelation to the book of Jude, I believe Jude also makes reference to this. And in Jude chapter, I'm sorry, in Jude verse six, And he says, and the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day. And again, I believe he's referring to these same evil spirits that have been put in this prison, put in this place, awaiting a yet final judgment. Well, then the question, of course, becomes what is this prison? Well, again, where I land at this point, very open to ongoing instruction and consideration, but where I see and understand is that this prison is probably synonymous with the bottomless pit or the abyss that is referenced in Revelation 9, verses 1 and 2, along with verse 11, along with chapter 11, verse 7, and also chapter 17, verse 8. In those passages in Revelation, it's referred to, the Greek word is the abyss. And we have it translated in some of our English translations as the bottomless pit. And this seems to be the same place that some demons during Jesus' ministry feared going when Jesus was about to cast them out of a man that they had possessed and they requested that they not be sent to the abyss, that they not be sent to this bottomless pit. That's in Luke 8 verse 31. It's a place of severe torment and isolation where these evil spirits await final punishment in the lake of fire. And that final punishment is spoken of in Revelation chapter 20. And so within all of this, it seems that the context back to 1 Peter 3 is clearly suggesting that following his resurrection, Jesus proclaimed to these spirits in this abyss, in this bottomless pit where they are, he proclaimed his permanent victory and authority. and it seems clear that he wasn't in any way going to preach the gospel to them. The term that is used here is one of heralding and of proclaiming. There's a different term for preaching that's usually connected with preaching the gospel, but here it's referring to a proclamation of his victory, a declaration, if you will, of his victory. And this would be consistent with truths we know from other passages in scripture. One such passage is in Colossians chapter two and verse 15, where Paul speaks of this triumphant reality of Christ, saying in verse 15 of chapter two in Colossians, he disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. And so this seems to be what's in view with what Peter is saying, that following his resurrection, Jesus went and proclaimed to these evil spirits his absolute victory. That despite their evil intentions to thwart God's plan and to hinder the unfolding of what God had purposed to bring about redemption through Christ, in reality, he has now been victorious, even through the sufferings that God ordained. And so he's declaring his victory over them. And then we find these statements at the end of verse 20 and carrying on through verse 21 back in 1 Peter 3. When they, actually I'll just start with verse 20. When they, because they formally did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And now with what Peter says here, the questions surface. Is he referring to water baptism, or perhaps to spiritual baptism? And what is it exactly that that corresponds to, and how does it correspond? Well what we find is that Peter with all that he's said he's now shifting his thoughts from those upon whom judgment fell namely these evil spirits and all of those humans that were living at the time of Noah. He's shifting his attention from those upon whom judgment fell to those who are the recipients of salvation. So now he's bringing things to points of application for his readers. And he states that there is a type or a correspondence between the salvation from judgment that Noah and his family experienced through the ark and the salvation from judgment that believers experience through faith in Jesus Christ and the baptism that testifies of that faith. Now again, this is a debatable point, but I believe that Peter is referring to water baptism when he speaks of baptism in verse 21. And in view of his clarifying statement with what he says that it saves not as a removal of dirt from the body, I believe that statement would seem to indicate that water baptism doesn't actually remove dirt from the body, and that might be understood even in a spiritual sense as sin from the body, but that it does express, as Peter says, an appeal or a pledge to God for a good conscience. An appeal that is made in view of the saving work of Jesus through his death and resurrection. Saving work that the believers now receive. So in other words what he's affirming is that in the same way that Noah and his family those eight individuals who responded to the promises and to the warnings and to the invitation of God they got into the ark and as a result of that when the judgment of God came the very waters that brought judgment upon all of humanity at that time were the very waters through which Noah and his family were saved. because of their presence in the ark and their presence being there because of faith. And Peter is saying that that corresponds to the salvation that believers now have in Christ and that salvation being testified to or being publicly declared through baptism. And so it's important to clarify that he is in no way stating that baptism is the means of salvation. but rather that baptism is the expression of that salvation, the public testimony of that salvation. And this would be consistent with that commandment that Jesus gave in Matthew chapter 28 after he had risen from the dead and as he's about to ascend to heaven when he told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations to baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. and to teach them everything that he had commanded. The right place of baptism in Christian experience is a step of obedience, an expression of obedience following saving faith, a step of obedience that publicly testifies of that saving faith and union with Christ. That's the point of what Jesus says in Matthew 28. It also, I believe, is how Peter understood this in Acts chapter 2, and if you were with us during the equipping hour this morning, we looked at this passage. Acts chapter 2, when following the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter stands up, preaches Christ, preaches the gospel. Many people are convicted at his preaching. They cry out to Peter and the other apostles, what do we do in light of our guilt, in light of our condemnation? How are we delivered from that is the heart of what they're saying. And Peter responds in verse 38 by telling them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is not was not the means of salvation but it was the first expression of obedience in publicly identifying with Christ following genuine saving faith. And again, I believe that's the heart of what Peter is clarifying. It saves us, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ. Trusting what's presumed in all of that, trusting the absolute sufficiency of Christ's work and Christ's work alone. But now in baptism and through baptism expressing an appeal to God, a pledge if you will of a desire now to live for Christ and to live by faith in Christ and to be identified with him. Now it's interesting in the text here again in chapter three that Peter specifically mentions the eight that were saved from the flood. Among other things highlighting that God's people are always a minority in a wicked, godless, perverse world. And this is part again of what he's emphasizing. That precious few, precious few, heeded the preaching that was taking place through Noah during the 120 years that he's building the ark. There ended up only being eight that were saved. And he's wanting to encourage believers to be reminded that we are always in the minority. And that's why he refers to believers a few times in the letter as strangers and aliens. But he's wanting them to understand the importance of identifying with Christ. And it could be that many of these believers had genuine saving faith in Christ but perhaps they had not gone as public with that faith as they needed to by way of baptism. We don't know for sure but it's possible that Peter brings up this matter of baptism if indeed he's referring to water baptism which I believe he is because perhaps some of these people were afraid of being baptized because of the repercussions of what that would mean by way of persecution. And so this is a practical aspect of the exhortation to lay hold of Christ and the sufficiency of all he's done and to be willing to suffer with him if God should so will it. Now that is a rapid woefully inadequate movement through those passages but I believe that's the heart of what he's referring to in all of those things and again all of that is under the point of the fact that Christ in his sufferings, through his sufferings, has fully provided for our greatest need, if we're trusting him, if we are trusting him, and if the evidence of that trust is being expressed through our obedience, and particularly in that first step of obedience related to baptism. Well, so now having spoken of the fact that Christ has provided for sinners' greatest need, he drives everything home with the point of what he says, the end of verse 21 into verse 22, he has risen from the dead through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, verse 22, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Christ experienced a bodily death. His body physically died. And he likewise experienced a miraculous bodily resurrection. Never to be subject to death again. And in that resurrection he has gone into heaven, is at the right hand of God, And so there's no ambiguity about the scope of his power, the scope of his authority, the scope of his reign with all angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. And so Peter is emphasizing again the living, active exaltation and reign of Christ. He is alive, he is the one in ultimate, absolute authority. Now why would suffering believers need to understand this? Because when suffering believers are experiencing that suffering through people in human places of authority, it is such a comfort. It is such a faith-strengthening, faith-motivating reality to know and to understand that whatever may be happening at the human level, Jesus Christ is ultimately in authority. And whatever is happening is only happening according to His sovereign will and for His sovereign purpose and His victory is absolutely secure. if you belong to Him through faith in Christ, whatever hardship, whatever persecution, whatever difficulties there may be, they are not expressions of God's judgment upon you. They...they don't mean that God has somehow turned His back and everything is just flying out of control like a balloon that's letting air out. It's just going everywhere chaotically. No, it's the reality that God is in absolute control and Christ is ruling and reigning over all and there is not one single thing that is happening in the life of a believer at any moment that is not according to God's sovereign will and his purposes ultimately. And this is what Peter is expressing. This is what God through Peter wants his children to know. So that in the midst of suffering, we would not cave in to the fears that we can so easily be tempted with. And in the anticipation of suffering, in the consideration of what obedience to his will at any given time might mean by way of suffering, that we wouldn't cower. That we wouldn't shrink back. but that by His grace and in the strength and in the confidence of the sufficiency of His sufferings, in the authority of His exaltation, that we would persevere and that we would be faithful, even if it means suffering, even if it means death in this life. One commentator has said, our willingness to suffer for the sake of Christ is grounded in the wonder of Christ's willingness to suffer death for our sake. Persecuted and suffering Christians need to remember both the humiliation and the exaltation of Christ. He goes on to say, Christ's patient suffering will show them meekness when they are interrogated. His glorious triumph will give them courage to face their accusers, and undergirding both meekness and the boldness of the Christian is the saving work of Christ. Beloved, it is Christ, it is Christ, it is Christ. And so as we draw this to a close this morning, the question might be, what effect should this have on us? What effect should believers and even non-Christians consider in light of these truths? Well I want to offer three questions we should ask ourselves in light of these truths and I'm indebted to Pastor Steve Cole who ministers in New Mexico for his thoughts on these questions and identifying these questions. Here's question number one. Have I truly trusted Christ as my sin bearer? Have I truly trusted Christ as my sin bearer? Another way of asking that question is have you been born again? Have you been born from above? Have you returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls? Have you repented from sin and put your faith in Christ, Christ alone, the only one who is righteous, acknowledging your unrighteousness and need of that righteousness that is only found in him? Dear friend, if you're not trusting Christ, you are under the wrath of God, and you will surely pay the price of His wrath and judgment and condemnation for all eternity. His judgment in that sense will never be satisfied. You will suffer it for all eternity. but he invites you, he calls you, he commands you to flee to Christ and to consider are you trusting in him alone as your sin bearer. Don't trust church attendance. Don't trust Bible reading. Don't trust memorization. Don't trust good works, hard work. Don't trust service and sacrifice. Don't trust other friends and family you know that know Christ. Don't trust emotional, spiritual experiences. Are you trusting Christ? As the song expresses, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Dear friend, is that where your hope is this morning? Christ and in Christ alone? Have you trusted him as your sin bearer? A second question by way of application, have I testified to my faith in Jesus Christ through baptism? Have I testified to my faith in Jesus Christ through baptism? Again, many of the believers that Peter was writing to perhaps were avoiding this public testimony of faith in Christ through baptism because of fear, because of the fear of the repercussions. And sadly, the same is often true today. What we see over and over again in the New Testament, the book of Acts particularly, is that baptism followed closely after a person's profession of faith in Christ. As soon as there was a regard for a clear understanding of the gospel, a clear confession of faith in Christ, baptism followed soon after. And if you're here as a believer in Christ, but have never been baptized, the Lord wants you to go public. The Lord wants you to come out of the closet, as it were, and openly identify yourself with Jesus Christ. Again, baptism is not the basis or the means of your salvation, but it's an important step of obedience, publicly testifying that that salvation has occurred. Openly identifying with Christ and his people. And then a third question within all of this, am I confidently, openly standing alone for Jesus Christ in the daily details of my life? And this is where the rubber meets the road for all of us. in the daily details of our lives, whatever all of the relationships and circumstances and arenas of our lives are, is the most important factor in all of that every day, how I'm bearing testimony of Christ. that I'm striving to live righteously in obedience to His commandments, that by the power of His Spirit, I'm speaking openly of Him, about Him, for Him. Am I proclaiming Him? And am I willing to do so in the power of His Spirit? Whether it's in the context of family, workplace, classroom, sports team, neighborhood, you name it. Am I living out my identity as a follower of Christ and boldly, graciously, confidently, compassionately proclaiming him to others? You see, this is what Peter is really after. If you look in chapter four, verse one, here's how it fleshes out. In light of all he's just said, Dear friend, are you armed with that purpose, mentally prepared follow Christ. I was struck, and I'll close with this, struck by a news story just a little over a week ago about an Air Force senior master sergeant named Philip Monk who is facing the prospect of being kicked out of the Air Force because of his identity with Christ. Here's the story, 19-year Air Force veteran, he was relieved of his duties because he disagreed with his openly gay commander over gay marriage, and he's now facing a formal investigation. This man, Sergeant Monk, found himself at odds with his Lackland Air Force Base commander after he objected to her plans to severely punish an instructor who had expressed religious objections to homosexuality. And during the conversation, his commander ordered him to share his personal views on homosexuality. And Sergeant Monk said, quote, I was relieved of my position because I don't agree with my commander's position on gay marriage. We've been told that if you publicly say that homosexuality is wrong, you're in violation of Air Force policy. And so Sergeant Monk, because he was relieved of his duties, he filed a religious discrimination complaint and then Following that, in an apparent act of retaliation, he was read his Miranda rights by Air Force officials and accused of making false statements. And now he faces the prospect of a court-martial because of the way this entire situation has escalated. When he was asked what helped him to take a stand for his Christian convictions, Monk said that he was mindful of the example he was setting for his three teenage sons. He said, every night after dinner, we read the Bible together. I tell the boys that we've got a lot of stuff going on in this world and we need people to stand up. My boys know what I'm going through. They're looking at me wanting to know how I'm going to handle this. Now I don't know all the details of his faith and of his convictions but clearly he's in this situation because of a regard for the truth of God's Word and because of Jesus Christ. And dear friend we never know when any of us through circumstances that God may ordain may be found in a similar place for paying a price because of identifying with Christ. But if we're convinced that his sufferings have been sufficient to deliver us from God's wrath and that in his exaltation he reigns over all, dear friends, that is the confidence of pressing on and bearing testimony of him day by day, moment by moment. Let's pray together. Our Father, we have, as always, considered much, and we trust and know that this is your word that is living and active. And as you use your word to penetrate to the depth of our hearts, may you be accomplishing the work that you intend, even for each of us today, this moment in the hearing of your word. Lord, may you seal in our lives what you intend, perhaps for some who have never come to saving faith in Christ, that today would be the day of salvation when they would turn from their sin and flee to Christ in faith. And for others, perhaps new steps of obedience and willingness to move beyond fears and temptations of fears to faithfulness in you and the confidence and assurance of your finished work and of your exalted reign. Oh God, help us all and use these truths for your glory and your purposes in our life. In Jesus' name, amen.