Ministering Not to Themselves, But to Us - Cont.

Ministering Not To Themselves, But To Us (1:10-12) - Cont.

In our prior portion of this lesson we left off the statement "And it was the Holy Spirit who inspired the apostles to reveal the gospel, referencing 1 Pe 1:12 “To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.”

Let's now consider the implications of this truth. Through His ministry of inspiration and revelation in the lives of the prophets and apostles, we have been served by the Holy Spirit. Because of His work, we have today the completed revelation of God's Word in our hands! This is in addition to the "sanctifying work" of the Holy Spirit to which Peter referred in 1 Pe 1:2 “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” Do we appreciate the service that the Holy Spirit has rendered for us throughout the ages? Is this not an indication of the great value God must place upon His people?

But there is even another group of distinguished individuals who served their lives in our behalf... We have been served by "the Apostles"! This we can glean from verse 12 "...those who preached the gospel to you". This is a likely reference to the apostles of Jesus Christ who were commissioned to preach the gospel, as recorded in Mk 16:15-16“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.” they carried out this "Great Commission", they considered themselves but servants for those to whom they preached. As Paul said, they were but "seed-throwers"and "water-boys"- 1 Co 3:5-7“What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” were serving as servants of Christ - 1 Co 3:21-4:1“Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.”; 2 Co 4:5“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

Therefore, we have been served by men, such as Peter, James, John, and Paul. Men who gave their lives for our sake, to convince the world that our faith in their testimony is not unfounded, but that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead! - 2 Co 11:24-29 “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?”

When we take the time to think about those who spent their lives ministering to us, we can't help but conclude that Christians hold a very high place in God's scheme of redemption as it has unfolded throughout the ages! But before we conclude this lesson, let me point out another noble group that has served those who are God's "elect". We have been served by "angels". Verse 12 tells us that angels had a keen interest in things prophesied by the prophets and in things proclaimed by the apostles through the gospel.

Why such a keen interest? They too were involved in the process of foretelling and revealing the salvation in Christ! For example, Gabriel's appearances to Daniel - see Dan 8, 9. Gabriel's appearances to Zacharias and Mary - see Lk 1:11-19, 26-38. But like the prophets, angels were also in the dark concerning the details of the coming salvation. And so, the angels were serving not themselves but us! - He 1:13-14 “But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?”

Our Father in heaven must hold His "elect" (the church) in high regard to have them served by such a distinguished company! To be so privileged should motivate us to praise God for His grace and to devote our lives in grateful service to Him and His people. But the grace God bestowed toward us reached its peak when addition to all these (prophets, the Holy Spirit, apostles, angels) He sent His only Son to serve us as well!
"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." - Mt 20:28
Shall we not respond with grateful service through faithful obedience to His Will?