This is our Father's world....

It's spring!

So many lovely things are blooming and growing.... it's so easy to sing our praises to the Creator Who made it all, and Who saved us, too!

Join me this week as we praise Him!!

Friday slowdown

This song sums up a lot of what we discussed this week.....

Don't waste time! (Conclusion)

Yesterday, we posed this question: if we want to make a difference for God, how then shall we live?

Peter has some words of advice for us!

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4:7-11)

First, in verse seven, he tells us to pray. Peter had no clue how long he was going to live, although Jesus had indicated that he would face a difficult death. But Peter had hope, because Jesus also promised that He would return for His church. And if Peter thought the end was near over two thousand years ago..... how much closer it must be today!

My grandpa (you thought I was going to quote grandma again, didn't you?) was fond of repeating that there were only two things that were absolutely sure to happen to us in this life: death and taxes.  And some of us may certainly die and go to be with our Lord. Others may survive long enough to meet Jesus when He comes back in the clouds:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

How much time did we spend this past week, talking to our Lord, with Whom we will spend eternity? I'm guessing we should be much in conversation with Him, so He's not a stranger when we get to heaven? (Grin) Peter makes two conditions about our prayer -- to be clear-minded and to be self-controlled. There are some unbiblical ideas out in our world regarding prayer...."name it and claim it" is not Biblical! Instead, scripture tells us that when we are in love with our Lord and pray for the things that God wants for us, He is going to give us His mercy and His blessings!
So, if we don't want to waste our time, the first thing we need to do is pray. Prayer can make a difference in our world.

Next, Peter says to "love each other" deeply.  I guess if there was one thing that we could focus on that would improve the value of our lives, it would be loving -- God and other people. The word that Peter uses, "deeply," is translated sometimes fervently. It literally means to "extend." Like an athlete extending herself to reach a goal, we are to stretch ourselves, to fervently love others. We should not show love to manipulate -- it's the best way to show Christ to our world! And Peter tells us loving others will cover a multitude of sins -- you can overlook a lot when you love someone! Let's commit to love more and judge less.....

Thirdly, to spend our lives wisely, Peter tells us to share. In verse nine, he is specifically talking about hospitality. Offer hospitality without grumbling. Show love to others in practical ways. Invite others to spend time with us and encourage and cheer them.  Have you ever been a guest in someone's home, and they reminded you of how long it took to clean the place up so you could visit? Have you been reminded by a host or hostess of the price of the steaks they cooked for everyone? Oy vey. Peter is urging his readers to be cheerful hosts and hostesses, since the whole purpose of hospitality is to show love and offer a blessing to another person!

Fourth, to make the most of our time here on earth, Peter says we need to be actively serving. He sounds a lot like Paul, writing to the Corinthians in chapter 12 of his first letter! We are all one body, and our gifts and talents are not given to us for our own benefit, but for the common good.  We should seek to serve each other by using the gifts that God has blessed us with. When we do that, Peter says we will be giving God's grace to others.

As we close this week's study, let's ask ourselves some questions.... am I devoting time to prayer? How have I shown love to others? Am I a cheerful host to believers and unbelievers, alike? How have I used my God-given talents to serve others?
We may realize that we aren't doing the best we can at these things. And these are the areas that we can work at, in order to utilize well our time on earth.....to make certain that we don't waste our time here!
What will we do this week to pray more, or more effectively?
How will we intentionally show more love?
Is there a way that we can share cheerful hospitality this coming week?
How can we use our gifts to serve others, and to serve our Lord?

Excuse me. I need to get on my knees and ask the Lord to show me how I can do better......

Don't waste time!

I don't know about you, but I want my life to bear fruit for Him. I don't want to waste a minute of it! This week, we are focusing on this passage:

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives 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 are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, 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 human standards 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 alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Peter was talking here to believers who used to spend a lot of time with their besties, getting drunk, being rowdy, acting promiscuous, and much more. After they accepted God's gift of salvation in Christ, those friends were surprised when the believers didn't take part in the orgies and parties any more. And they were not just surprised; they became abusive.
They didn't understand, and what they could not understand they mocked and ridiculed. (Sound like today? Yup!) So Peter is encouraging the believers who would hear his letter to be mindful that time was precious.....they didn't need to waste it.

Life is short; that's true! Scripture reminds us:

Show me, Lord, my life’s end    and the number of my days;
    let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth;    the span of my years is as nothing before you.Everyone is but a breath,    even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4-5)

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14)

There's a secular Christmas song that talks about how the Christmas vacation is wonderful for the kids, but the parents can hardly wait for school to start again....it's perception, right? When you are eight years old, summer vacation (or Christmas break) stretches before you like an unending length of time. But as we get older, the days seem to fly by. We need to make the most of our days....

Teach us to number our days,    that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

If we are wise, we will value each and every day.... we won't put aside the kind words, the time it takes to write a letter, or the impulse to phone an old friend. Don't forget life is short! Say "I love you" to those near you. Sit down and write that note to someone who needs encouragement. Pick up the phone and call that old friend....
Years ago, I cross-stitched a saying that has inspired me: it talked about leaving the dusting and sweeping for tomorrow, because babies grow up so quickly. Many times my eye would fall on that and I would stop what I was doing and go play with my littles! I don't think that any of us will know the end of our lives is near, and say, "Gee, I wish I had cleaned more." Or, "I wish I had gone to more meetings, spent more hours at my desk." But we sure as the world may regret not having spent more time with our kids, our spouses, and with our Lord!
Every morning that we can open our eyes and climb out of bed (slowly, perhaps painfully, but hey! We are still moving!) is a very special day. It's a gift from God!

Another thing that Peter tells us is that life is not only short, but it can be wasted. Not many people read the book of Ecclesiastes.... it's the record of King Solomon, who just happened to be one of the richest and (for a while, anyway) the wisest kings who ever lived. He spent a long time exploring all of the options open to him, trying to "be happy" and find meaning in life. He spent time and money on projects, vineyards, reservoirs, and more. He built up huge herds and flocks. He acquired treasures and even a harem. How did that work out for him?

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;    I refused my heart no pleasure.My heart took delight in all my labor,    and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done    and what I had toiled to achieve,everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;    nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)

Solomon does everything he can think of to find pleasure, and then realizes that it's all meaningless. It doesn't fulfill him. It didn't bring him a life of purpose. Something was missing.
Sometimes our lives are like that, too, and the days go by quickly, but we are not sure what we are trying to accomplish....

As we think about our lives today, perhaps we realize that they are passing far more quickly than we'd like, and that perhaps they are not really what we'd like them to be. Maybe we need to take inventory of how we spend our days.
We want to make a difference for God with our lives.....how then shall we live?
Tune in tomorrow....

Prayer requests

Did you start into your prayer time recently and then hit a snag?

Did you have to pause and think of someone's name? Or why they stopped you (or emailed you, or whatever) and asked that you pray with them?

Oh dear.

We don't have to be "old" to have a memory lapse. We are all hurried and hustled, and sometimes things slip away from us.

That's why I would encourage each of us to maintain a list of folks that have needs and requests. That way when we are praying, we can bear these people up to the Lord and ask for His comfort and blessings for them, or we can add our praise to theirs for answered prayer.

Nothing fancy. Just a list.

I've found that it's encouraging, too, to look back at a list from a while back, and see the ways that God has moved in peoples' lives!

If you have a prayer request today, won't you share with us, so that we may pray with you?

I Peter 4:1-11 Don't waste time -- we don't have much!

This week's focus passage is a lengthy one:

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives 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 are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, 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 human standards 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 alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4:1-11)

Time.
Out of time.
Not enough time.
Wasting time.
Time stood still.
All of these are expressions that have to do with one of our most precious commodities.
I think maybe my grandma studied I Peter a lot, since she often had something to say about not wasting time. (Grin)

How do we spend our time? We each have twenty-four hours in each day....some of us make better use of those hours than others! Some accomplish a lot. Some accomplish little. What makes the difference? I think it is that the accomplish-a-lot crowd does a bang up good job of setting priorities, then setting goals....
So what is really important to us?
Does this sound familiar?

"I'd really love to spend more time working for the Lord."

"I'd love to sing in the choir, but all those practices....."

"I need to spend more time with my kids...."

"I should set aside time for my prayer and Bible studies."

Have we heard peeps say those things?
Oh, wait, have we actually said those things ourselves?

Let's be honest here -- the things that really matter to us, the things that are priorities in our lives -- those are the things that we make time for.  Not that it would be a nice idea if we did. Not that it would be good long term if we did. But that it's important, and we are determined, and we make time for those things.
How did we spend our time this past week? This is a Monday, so think back along last week's timeline. What does that say about what's really important to us?

Ouch!
Are we imitating the world, and "living for the weekend"? Are we wasting time on things that are not important? Things that don't matter much in the light of eternity? Sure, there's nothing wrong with having fun, and relaxation and laughter are good for the soul. But are we living our lives for our own desires, or are we putting in a good bit of time working for the Lord?

In a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon in one of my kids' books, Calvin tells his imaginary friend that "God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I will never die."
Sometimes we all feel that way.
But we can change that.....we'll be working our way through some applications of these verses this week!

Application time....

We've covered a lot of ground this week! Some of it has been pretty difficult, and I hope that I have been able to make this passage clearer and more understandable...
Today, I'd like to make some practical applications to our lives. After all, just reading and nodding our heads is not going to make a difference, is it? Kinda like trying to pound in nails without a hammer, as my grandma would say. You don't accomplish much!

I think the first thing we need to think about is whether or not we've truly trusted in Christ as our sin bearer.... in order for us to do that, we need to view ourselves as God does: we are unrighteous, and unable to present ourselves to God. No matter how many nice things we do; no matter how many dollars we give to Christian causes. Our prideful hearts (we're only human, ya know!) will always be whispering to us that we should be able to earn our salvation based upon what WE do. But God's way is to strip us of everything in ourselves - to humble that human pride - so that we are depending on nothing but the blood of our Redeemer.
Have we attended church for years? Doesn't matter.
Have we given of our financial blessings? Doesn't matter.
Get this -- have we brought anyone else to a saving knowledge of Him? Doesn't matter, either, on this question of whether we are righteous, or whether He is our righteousness.
We MUST trust Jesus Christ as our way to salvation. We have no goodness inside ourselves that we can trust in. God's standard is absolute holiness, and the only One Who fits that description is our Savior and Friend, Jesus.   We must make sure that we let go of all our imagined human goodness and quash our pride: Christ, the righteous One, who died and rose again, is our sin bearer and our way to God.

Next, we need to think about if we have testified to our faith in Christ through baptism. Again, let me emphasize, I am not saying that baptism can save anyone. It's an important step of obedience to Christ, though. It's a way of publicly identifying with Him as a believer, and identifying with Him in His death and resurrection.

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God." (Luke 12:8)

It was important enough that Jesus mentioned it as a part of His "Great Commission," as we call it.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

It doesn't save us, but I don't think we should neglect it, if we have an opportunity to be baptized.

Lastly, we need to think about whether or not we are standing for Christ (alone, if need be) within our own sphere of influence. This is pretty simple -- even if we are the only one, or if we are with a small group of peeps who are following Christ -- we need to make certain that we are standing for Christ. Testifying to His blessings of mercy, grace, and daily fellowship.
The Bible is quite clear when it says that we can expect opposition and hostility if we take a stand for Jesus Christ. And boy, it's even more difficult when the opposition comes from those who say they are believers! When those who say they know our Lord are the ones that oppose us? It's hard!
But our Savior is our example; the other saints we mentioned yesterday are our inspiration. They all faced opposition, and Jesus had to die and rise again in order to be vindicated before the world.
You know what? Many of us live in countries that go by names like "democratic republic" or even "democracy" or "constitutional democracy." Laws in these countries can be initiated or changed by voting....sometimes a simple majority vote, or others with a "super" majority.

God's truth is different. It's never established by majority vote! Even if we are like Noah, building a ship in the middle of a parched land, and no one listens to our testimony.... we know that God listens, and that His cause will ultimately prevail!

Let's make a commitment to be like Noah, and like Daniel, and others....let's stand alone for God if need be.
He will vindicate us!

We can bear witness, too

That pile of stones in the photo is a "witness." Just like we are. We'll get into that in just a minute, so bear with me, OK? (Grin)

Our point today that I want to discuss is that we can bear witness through our suffering for Christ - and that we can count on God to justify, or vindicate us. To stand up for us and prove that He is our protector, and that the faith we show to others is a well-established one....

I think Peter is implying in the last of our focus passage that we can bear witness through baptism and through holy living. This is a new nuance to his message; we've discussed good behavior and thoughtful words before. Now he brings baptism into the picture.
Why?
Many of the believers who would read (or hear someone read) Peter's letter were suffering because they had borne witness to their faith in Christ through baptism. Because of this, it appears that some may have confessed Christ verbally, but were hesitant to be baptized because they had seen what happened to other believers. So, Peter is encouraging, even urging these Christians to make public confession of their faith through baptism.

He uses the flood and the deliverance of Noah and his family as a fairly loose analogy of what is portrayed in baptism -- just as Noah passed through flood waters into salvation from the judgment of God, so believers pass through baptism into salvation from His judgment.
BUT WAIT! you may be saying.....baptism doesn't save us!

You're exactly right, pardner! And Peter clarifies his words by saying it's not the act of baptism that saves, but what baptism signifies - the appeal to God for a good conscience.

and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. (I Peter 3:21a)

Now, the word "appeal" that Peter uses (the NIV uses the word pledge) can point to the moment of salvation, when we cry out to God because we realize the sin in our lives that needs cleansing. Or it can mean the pledge that is sometimes included in a baptismal ceremony, when we promise to live in a manner that pleases God.
Either way, though, baptism is a testimony - an unspoken picture of our faith in Christ's death as our Redeemer. Peter is urging his readers to be baptized, even if it means persecution, so that they can bear witness to all of Christ's saving grace.

Now let's switch gears for a moment, and look at another facet of Peter's reference to Noah. We can, as Noah did, bear witness through holy living.
Think about it.....the Bible indicates that it took many years (maybe about 120 years) to build the ark in obedience to God's words. Don't you know that his neighbors far and wide must have watched and ridiculed the old man building a huge ship in the middle of dry ground? Well, by his godly life, Noah preached righteousness to that entire generation.
But was there a long line of peeps waiting, ticket in hand, to board with him? Nope.
Only eight persons climbed on board - Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives. The rest of the world? Gone.
So, Peter's point is clear: his readers were a small minority. They wanted to please God, but they were surrounded by a godless culture. (Hey, does that sound like us today? Yup!)  Peter was reminding them to stand alone for God if they must. To not cave in and conform to the wicked world. And he was reminding them that like Noah, they could bear witness, and they would be delivered while the sinful world would perish.
God vindicated Noah, even though he and his family were vastly outnumbered. God vindicated Christ, even though it looked to everyone like He was defeated on the cross. And even if we were to give our lives as martyrs, the day is coming when we will be vindicated:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.  (Revelation 6:9)

Let me encourage all of us to search our Bibles for other examples of those who have given testimony to their faith in God, and have been vindicated. There are many!
Abraham.
Moses.
Daniel, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Samuel.

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. (I Samuel 7:12-13)

What an awesome way to memorialize the help and vindication of our Father God! Anyone who passed by that stone, or sometimes they'd raise a pile of stones, would remember God's help and provision.
Our take-away from these should be that God is sovereign - and Christ's resurrection and ascension confirms to us that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

We don't need to fear what the world can do to us!

He preached where? When?

Ready to dive into this passage? Here it is again to refresh our memories:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient 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 clear 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. (I Peter 3:18-22)

We've noted that Peter is talking about suffering for things that are unjust is one way to bear witness to our Father God. And he says here that Jesus Christ bore witness through His unjust suffering. The difficulties arise when people try to understand to whom Christ was to bear witness, and where, and what Christ proclaimed.
Let's dig in and see what we can find out.
Some people say that this passage means that after Christ died on the cross, He went down into Hades and preached to the people who paid no heed to Noah's warnings so long ago.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)

This interpretation says that during the interval between His death and His resurrection, He preached to them. Some even say that He gave a second offer of salvation to those who perished in the flood. Some say that He announced judgment to those who perished in the flood, and that He announced salvation to those who had trusted God.  The scholar and preacher of old, Calvin, belongs to this group of people; he espoused this interpretation.
 A second group of people take these verses to mean that Christ preached through Noah to Noah's contemporaries.
A third group thinks that Christ proclaimed His victory on the cross to fallen angels.

See what I mean? My grandma would say this is harder than putting socks on a cat. This is a difficult passage! (Grin)
Now let's try to figure out who Christ bore witness.....and try not to initiate any arguments, is my hope! There are those who contend that the word "spirits" in verse nineteen, means that these were the demons who influenced the terrible wickedness on earth in Noah's day. They believe that the word refers to non-human beings. Now, this could be -- it could be that the demons of that day were put into hell with the humans who perished, to await the final judgment of God.
I differ with that interpretation, since the very next verse refers to human-type peeps:

to those who were disobedient 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, (I Peter 3:20)

I don't think that this is one of those questions that is all that important in the grand scheme of things.....it could very well be that Christ bore witness of His triumph over Satan to both humans and demons. However, I personally believe that those "fallen angels" are immortal, just as Satan is, and that they won't be confined until this happens:

The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Revelation 12:9)

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

To me, these verses say that the demons and Satan will meet the same fate.... so I don't think there were any demons confined there when Christ went into Hades. I believe that these were the people toward whom God was "long-suffering" as He waited to see if they would turn from their wickedness. They didn't, and so they died in the flood while Noah and his family survived in the ark.
What about if it really means that Noah was preaching to his contemporaries? That Christ preached through Noah? This one seems very simple to me: the verse says "He went." I may be too simplistic in my faith, but I believe this means just what it says -- that Christ went to the nether world and preached there.

OK, but what did He say? Did He really give the peeps there a second opportunity? A second chance? I don't think so. Let me explain why I think that way... My commentaries tell me that the verb Peter used meant "to proclaim," or "to announce." Peter uses another verb when he speaks of proclaiming the gospel. Totally different word.
And the idea that anyone will get a second chance at salvation after they die is really foreign to the scriptures.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:22-26)

So, did He announce a second chance to those confined in Hades? I don't think so. I believe that Jesus proclaimed His triumph. He went to proclaim that the faith of Noah was victorious. After the flood, there was no one else but his family (for a while) for Noah to proclaim his faith and his victory to. So he didn't receive his vindication until Christ personally announced it. He announced judgment for some, and salvation for those who had trusted God when they were living.

Next question.....when did Christ bear witness?  Personally, I think (after studying several commentaries) the verses in Ephesians that refer to this (Ephesians 4:8-9) make it pretty clear that He descended into hell before His resurrection and ascension. The words there "lower parts of the earth" also mean "the grave" in the Greek.

So, all of this is Peter's way of explaining that our Savior bore witness through His unjust suffering. He also wants us to know that Christ was vindicated through His resurrection and ascension.
By the way, did we ever look at this three dollar word we keep using? I don't think we did....what does vindication really mean? Well, it's probably easiest to use synonyms -- to vindicate means to confirm, to justify, to substantiate, to prove.
Now let's read that again, and substitute...."he also wants us to know that Christ's claims were substantiated, confirmed, justified, proved by His resurrection and ascension."   As grandma would say, that's clearer now.

Here is why: He was raised from the dead and now is at the right hand of God, with all the spiritual powers subject to Him. Hebrews tells us "we do not yet see all things subjected to Him" (in Hebrews 2:8) but we know that the victory was won. It's just a matter of time before the outcome will be revealed! The angels said:

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

Yup. I know. We've all had to deal with unbelievers who mock us and say, "Hey, if that is really true, how come He hasn't come back yet?"  But you know what? The answer is the same as the answer was in the days of Noah. There he was, struggling with huge timbers, using tar to seal places, laying out the plans and getting his three sons to help.....and the unbelievers mocked and scoffed at him. The flood was delayed for many years, because of the patience of God. He doesn't wish for any to perish.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (II Peter 3:8-9)

Just like the flood was delayed (but it happened), so will the second coming of our Savior be delayed for a time by the patience and mercy of God. But He won't wait forever!
It could happen today!
Tomorrow we'll make some practical applications of what we've learned from this passage....