TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025

THE PATTERN OF THE CROSS AND CROWN

RBT Passage: Acts 1-3

MEMORY VERSE: “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.” 1 Peter 3:18, NIV

TEXT: 1 Peter 3:18-22

[18] 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.

INTRODUCTION: THE PARADOX OF DIVINE PLAN

The letter of 1 Peter is a powerful epistle written to believers who were enduring hardship, persecution, and suffering simply for living a righteous life in a wicked world. The Apostle Peter, a man who himself denied Christ yet was restored, speaks from a place of authority and experience. His core message to the suffering believer is simple: Do not be surprised by the fire, for suffering is not an accident; it is the divine pathway to glory.

Peter’s central theological justification for enduring suffering is found in the life of Jesus Christ Himself. Christ’s journey—from the cross to the crown—is not just an historical event, but a spiritual template for every saint. It is a universal pattern: exaltation follows humiliation; resurrection follows death; and the crown follows the cross.

As the theologian Peter Marshall wisely noted: “God will not permit any troubles to come upon us unless He has a specific plan by which a great blessing can come out of the difficulty.” The difficulty is the crucible, and the blessing is the refined gold of character and eternal glory.

Our passage highlights four consecutive stages in Christ’s ultimate victory—a victory that assures all Christians of triumph over life’s challenges and persecution.

I. THE SUBSTITIONARY SUFFERING: THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS

The foundation of the Christian faith, and the necessary precondition for Christ’s exaltation, is established in verse 18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

This single verse is a concentrated explosion of Gospel truth, defining the nature of Christ’s suffering.

A. The Unique Nature of Christ’s Sacrifice (Once for Sins)

Christ suffered once for sins. The word “once” (hapax in Greek) means “once and for all.” This sacrifice is unique, complete, and eternally sufficient. Unlike the continuous, repeated sacrifices under the Old Covenant, Christ’s sacrifice needed no repetition because it perfectly achieved its purpose: the full and final atonement for human sin.

This truth immediately frees the believer from the burden of trying to earn salvation or atone for their own past sins. The debt is paid, the covenant is sealed, and the work is finished.

B. The Substitutionary Atonement (The Righteous for the Unrighteous)

This is the very essence of substitutionary atonement. Jesus, who was absolutely “the righteous”—perfect, sinless, and morally flawless—willingly took the penalty due to “the unrighteous”—you and me, who were guilty and separated from God.

This exchange is the ultimate display of divine love and justice:

1: Justice is satisfied: The requirement that sin be punished was met in full on the cross.

2: Love is revealed: The punishment was taken by God’s own Son, on our behalf.

Apostle Peter had previously taught that it is better to suffer for doing God’s will than to engage in evil acts. Christ’s suffering provides the definitive illustration. He chose to suffer the ultimate pain, not for His own failings, but for the sake of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

C. The Ultimate Goal (To Bring You to God)

The ultimate purpose of this suffering was relational: “to bring you to God.” Sin had created an impassable gulf between humanity and its Creator. Christ’s death built the bridge, removing the sin barrier and re-establishing direct access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18).

The suffering of Christ was not an end in itself; it was the means to the sublime end of reconciliation and intimacy.

II. THE PROCLAMATION OF VICTORY: THE DESCENT AND TRIUMPH

After His physical death, a profound and sometimes mysterious event occurred: “He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—” (vv. 18b-19).

A. Made Alive in the Spirit

The phrase “made alive in the Spirit” does not mean that Christ’s spirit was dead, but that He was resurrected into a state of perfected, eternal, spiritual life and power, free from the constraints of the fleshly body of humiliation. His victory was total: He had conquered death.

B. The Proclamation to Imprisoned Spirits

The most debated passage in 1 Peter is the reference to Christ making a “proclamation to the imprisoned spirits.” While various interpretations exist, the central theme is consistent: Christ descended to declare His victory over the forces of evil.

1: The Audience: The passage specifies “those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah” (v. 20). These spirits are commonly understood to be fallen angels or demonic entities responsible for the extreme wickedness and rebellion prevalent before the Flood.

2: The Message: Christ did not descend to offer them a second chance at salvation (they are already condemned and imprisoned); He went to make a proclamation (kerusso), which is a declaration of triumph and judgment. It was a public, spiritual announcement that the promised Messiah had successfully completed His atoning work, conquered sin and death, and secured the keys to Hades and Death (Revelation 1:18).

[Image illustrating Christ’s victorious descent after the crucifixion, standing before chained or imprisoned demonic figures, declaring His triumph]

This event solidifies the scope of Christ’s victory. He died according to the flesh, triumphed in the spirit, and declared His victory over every spiritual entity that ever opposed God. This assures the believer that no power—whether angelic, demonic, or earthly—can ultimately prevail against the authority of Christ.

III. THE SYMBOL OF THE WATER: BAPTISM AND THE CLEAR CONSCIENCE

Peter then links Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection back to the present reality of the believer’s experience, using the event of Noah’s Ark as a type.

A. Salvation Through Water (Noah’s Type)

“…only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also…” (vv. 20b-21a).

In Noah’s time, the water served two purposes: it judged the wicked and it preserved the righteous. The Ark was lifted through the judgment and into safety. The water did not save them; the Ark (a type of Christ) saved them through the water.

B. The Reality of Baptism (The Clear Conscience)

Peter clarifies the salvific element of baptism: it is “not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.”

1: External vs. Internal: Baptism is not a magical ritual or a means of physical cleansing (not the removal of dirt). The external act is meaningless without the internal reality.

2: The Pledge: It is the public pledge (eperotema—a seeking or response) of a clear conscience—a visible declaration that the believer has responded to God’s grace and now stands forgiven and justified before Him.

The water of baptism is a witness to the internal miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is His resurrection—His triumph over death—that secures our salvation and grants us the legal and spiritual standing of a clear conscience. The suffering and death of Christ, culminating in His resurrection, validate our internal commitment and promise us newness of life.

IV. THE EXALTATION: ALL POWERS IN SUBMISSION

The glorious conclusion to Christ’s journey of humiliation is His magnificent exaltation, which defines the believer’s ultimate hope and security: “who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him” (v. 22).

A. Seated at the Right Hand of God

The ultimate position of honor and authority in the universe is “at God’s right hand.” This signifies Christ’s completed work and His enthronement as the reigning Sovereign, the Head of the Church, and the final Judge.

His suffering is over. His mission is complete. He now rules from the highest seat of power. This is the pattern of the cross and the crown in its final, glorious form.

B. The Universal Submission

The exaltation means that angels, authorities, and powers are in submission to Him forever and ever.

This includes:

Angels: The hosts of heaven, confirming His divine nature.
Authorities and Powers: Every spiritual, demonic, political, and earthly force. Every principality and power that operates in the unseen realm has been judged and subdued by the authority of the Risen Christ (Colossians 2:15).

Insight: Christ is exalted in the life of believers who suffer for doing God’s will and are persecuted for the gospel’s sake. Because Christ’s victory is absolute and universal, the believer who identifies with Him in suffering is assured that no trial, no persecution, and no authority can snatch them from His hand. Our suffering is temporary; His reign is eternal.

V. THE CHRISTIAN’S MANDATE: SUFFERING WITH JOY

Christ’s exaltation through suffering becomes the example of faith and lifestyle for the Christian. We are called to pattern our lives after the One who endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).

A. The Purpose of Christian Suffering

Why do Christians sometimes experience suffering even while doing God’s will? It is never for punishment (Christ already took that), but always for purification, maturity, and glory.

1: Purification: Suffering is God’s refining fire, burning away the dross of self-reliance, pride, and worldliness. It forces us to depend entirely on the Holy Spirit.

2: Witness: When we endure persecution or hardship with grace, patience, and joy, our lives become the most potent testimony to the power of the Gospel. It shows a watching world that our hope is rooted in an eternal reality that suffering cannot diminish.

3: Future Glory: Peter promises that the trials we face are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory that they produce (2 Corinthians 4:17). The deeper the fellowship we have with Christ’s suffering, the greater our capacity for sharing His glory.

B. The Call to Patience and Rejoicing

Therefore, Christians who are suffering for doing God’s will are encouraged to be patient and to rejoice in the Lord as they fulfil God’s purpose for their lives.

Patience: We are to wait faithfully, knowing that our vindication and reward are secured by the One seated at the right hand of God. Patience is the evidence that we trust God’s specific plan to bring a great blessing out of the difficulty.

Rejoicing: We rejoice because we know that our suffering identifies us with the righteous Christ. We are not suffering aimlessly; we are partaking in the grand pattern that leads directly to eternal victory. We endure until the song of victory is sung at last.

CONCLUSION: EXALTATION THROUGH YOUR LIFE AND SITUATION

Christ’s suffering was followed by the most radical exaltation imaginable—a throne next to the Father with all cosmic powers kneeling before Him. This victory assures us that nothing you endure for the sake of the Gospel is in vain. Every tear shed, every injustice suffered, and every persecution borne for righteousness is being recorded, and it is actively contributing to the formation of your eternal glory.

Your present suffering is temporary; your future exaltation with Him is guaranteed. Let this profound truth fill your heart with courage today. Do not shrink back from doing God’s will, even when the path is difficult.

Let your prayer be, not for the removal of the challenge, but for the revelation of His glory through it. May your life and every situation you face become a platform for displaying the victorious, exalted name of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: O Lord my God, may Your name be exalted and glorified daily through my life and situations. Grant me the grace to endure suffering with the patience and joy that comes from knowing I am following the pattern of Christ, the Victor, in Jesus’ Name.