1. Title: Noah's Flood - An example of Baptism Text: 1 Peter 3:8-4:7 1 Peter 3:21-22 (NIV84) 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. By: Pastor Micah Adamson February 5, 2017
1 Peter 3:21-22 (NIV84)
Title

2. Introduction
This might be hardest passage in the whole Bible to understand.
All of the difficulties are related to what Peter thought of when Peter thought of Noah’s ark.
There are some questions we’re going to have to leave unanswered 1 Peter 3.
Let’s try not to lose Peter’s main train of thought through this chapter or through the book.

3. 1 Peter 5S Outline Faith/Theology: (1st Half) Introduction (1:1-2)
Salvation (1:3–12) We’re saved from God’s wrath.
Sanctification (1:13–2:3) We’re called to live differently.
Selection (2:4–12) We’re God’s chosen people.
Practice/Application: (2nd Half)
Submission (2:13–3:12) We’re called to submit as Jesus did.
Suffering (3:13–4:19) We’re called to suffer as Jesus did.
Conclusion (5:1-14)

4. 1 Peter Overview
Problem: Christians are facing temptations related to suffering for Jesus:
Persecution – Tempted to fear man: in either revenge or despair.
Prosperity – Tempted to go back: to the either the sin of Paganism or the legalism of Judaism.
Solution: The salvation from God that we have in Jesus is really is gloriously good and worth giving up everything for!

5. Why do bad things happen to good people?
Christianity doesn’t offer a water tight philosophical explanation for evil, just a historical answer in Jesus.
Death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you, and it’s not the last thing either!

6. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV84)
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Context: Peter just finished calling us to submit to kings, masters, and spouses.
Evil: Evil is defined as a synonym for an insult.
Blessing: We are called to bless in response to being cursed, so that God will bless us.
Inherit: We will inherit God’s blessing.
Conclusion: We should bless in response to being cursed since that’s what our Father in heaven wants us to do.

7. 1 Peter 3:10-12 (NIV84) 10 For, “Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” [Psalm 34:12-16]
Psalm 34 is one of Peter’s favorite Psalms.
Evil is primarily defined as the kind of evil you do with your mouth.
The definition blessing is having a good relationship with God now.

8. 1 Peter 3:13-14 (NIV84)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” [Isaiah 8:12]
The answer to Peter’s rhetorical question appears to be that “no one” will hurt us for doing good.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus lists bad things happening to us because of Him and concludes after each one that we are blessed (Matt. 5:1-12).
What most people fear: earthly suffering.
To avoid fearing the way that people can hurt us, we need to understand that Jesus is our true judge.

9. 1 Peter 3:15-17 (NIV84)
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Famous apologetics verse in context.
“Speaking maliciously” and “slander” are the forms of evil here.
Bad things happen to good people since it’s God’s will.
We are called to return good for evil and trust God to judge to make it right like He did for Jesus.

10. 1 Peter 3:18-22 (NIV84)
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

11. 1 Peter 4:1-7 (NIV84)
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. 7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray…

12. Questions we saved for later
What’s clear in this passage:
Peter is addressing the problem of why bad things happen to good people.
We should choose to suffer on earth like Jesus did, since Jesus died before He was raised and exalted, and we will be blessed after our death, like Jesus was.
To solution to the temptation is to remember that we died with Jesus and have been raised with Him to a new life that has better rewards.

13. How is the gospel preached to those who are now dead?
1 Peter 4:4-6 (NIV84)
4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
The gospel was preached to people who died after hearing the gospel.
Why does death happen to good people?
Everyone dies, but God is the judge who can make things right even after we die.
Everyone dies physically, but in Jesus we are alive spiritually both now and forever.

14. How/when did Jesus preach by the Spirit to spirits in prison who disobeyed before the flood?
1 Peter 3:18b-20a (NIV84)
18 …[Jesus] was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built….
Peter says that “the Spirit of Christ” spoke through all of the OT prophets (1 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 2:5). – St. Augustine
Jesus described His earthly ministry as proclaiming freedom for the prisoners/captives (Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:18, Acts 8:23, Romans 7:23, 2 Timothy 2:26). – R.C. Sproul
When Jesus died on the cross, He went to the same place where everyone goes when they die (Luke 16:19-31, 23:43, Acts 2:31 ESV). – Apostle’s Creed
When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He could have spoken to people and/or angels anywhere (Ephesians 4:8-10, Philippians 2:9-11).

15. Baptism/the flood saving people
1 Peter 3:21 (NIV84)
21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Peter says two things that I wouldn’t have said: the flood saved Noah and baptism saves us.
Through the flood, Noah died to the world and the world died to Noah.
We get a clear conscience when we ask God to take our sin away and acknowledge Jesus as LORD and our savior.

16. Conclusion
Peter focuses us over and over on Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, reign, and return to judge as the solution to our problems.
Baptism connected to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and new life.
The flood destroyed Noah’s old life and gave him a new one.
We’re coming to the Lord’s Table today to proclaim Jesus’ death until He returns.
You are invited to eat if you say, “My old life of sin is dead. It died on the cross with Jesus and needs to stay dead. I trust in Jesus to forgive my sin and give me new life. I want to live in the new life Jesus has given me by His death and resurrection.”