Everything You Need

My postings on here are few and far between.  I always intend to post more but I don't.  Some day that may change.  What I do try to post are my message notes.  This message was given yesterday at Faith Country Chapel.  Its not word for word what I said but, it's the major points.  If you have trouble following the thoughts, you can listen to the message at www.faithcountrychapel.org.  The audio of the messages is usually posted by mid-week.

If you want to have some back and forth on this passage and the points I made, feel free to comment or look me up on Twitter or Facebook.

Everything You Need

2 Peter 1:3-11

Faith Country Chapel

June 9 2013

Introduction

·         When you wake up in the morning do you ever wonder if you have what it takes for the day ahead?  That you have all you need for what you are going to face?

·         As a boy, my mom would always run through that list with me before heading out to the school bus.  Her last question was always "do you have your head?"  Her way of saying, "Use your brain today!"

·         Do you ever ask that question from a spiritual perspective--"Do I have what it takes to be a follower of Christ? Do I have all that I need to be "the light of the world" that Jesus said I was to be? Do I have what I need to have a vibrant, passionate, committed, resolute faith in Jesus Christ--the kind that really makes a difference?"

·         The quick answer is "yes."

·         2 Peter 1:3-11.  Let's read this portion of Peter's letter and then dig deeper into what he's saying to us.

I. Divine Power

God has given us all we need to become spiritually mature.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.   2 Peter 1:3

·         If you are sitting here this morning and you are feeling spiritually immature, you find the idea of living a godly life overwhelming, then you need to understand that God has given you everything you need to be a dynamic follower of Christ.

·         He has called you to be His child, His disciple, His follower, His servant and He has equipped you with all that you need--which is His divine power.

·         He has redeemed us from our sin that we might live in relationship with Him and that we might live a life that brings glory to Him.

·         In order to do that, He has infused us with His divine power that we might love Him as He loves us, that we might love others as He loves them, that we might reflect His divine characteristics, that we might represent His divine nature in an otherwise corrupt and evil world.

·         Divine Power to reflect the Divine Nature

Christ's divine power enables us to escape worldly corruption.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  2 Peter 1:4

·         In the world but, not of it.

·         We are ambassadors for Christ in an evil kingdom.

·         This place is not our home.

·         Though evilness presses in upon us, we can escape from its corrupting power in the divine power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

·         2 Timothy 1:7-12

·         The message to graduates and to all of us is "Yes, you have all that you need in Christ Jesus to live a godly life, an amazing life.  The real question is, do you want to?  It's not can you?  But will you?"

·         God has given us all we need to become spiritually mature.

II. Spiritual Maturity

Therefore, we need to live godly lives.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1: 5-7

·         This is what the divine power results in us.

·         Lists like this are found throughout Scripture.  Different words but same intent--Character of God; our character reflect, represent God's character.  Created in His image.

·         True Christian faith always leads further.

·         It produces something real and tangible in the life of the believer. James 2--faith without works is dead.

Growing in Christ-like character leads to a deeper

relationship with  Christ.  (Did you get this point? Simple yet profound. It's all about the relationship.  We'll come back to this thought later.)

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.   2 Peter 1:8

·         Knowledge here means more than facts about Christ rather an intimate relationship with Him

·         As I grow in my faith and exercise my faith, more of His character is developed in me and the closer I become to Him.

·         Example: stepping out in faith-trusting God.  Becky in Jamaica.  As she trusts Him, she experiences Him at work in her life (and in others) which increases her knowledge of God and draws her closer to Him.

·         We experience that in our own life as we live godly lives, live out our faith, we experience more of God which draws us closer to  Him.

Stunted growth results from a life living in the past.

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.  2 Peter 1:9

·         We forget that we have been cleansed of our sin, set free from the power of sin, are a new creation in Christ and as a result our growth is stunted.

·         Many of us "get saved" but fail to leave our past behind.  We go right back to our old ways of life.

·         Pastor Bryant Madren,  Old Richmond EMC--Leave the Goliaths in our life close by so we can pull them back in when we want to.

·         No matter how bad or sinful our life has been (whether it's our sin or the sins of others), we hold onto it or we let it hold onto us.

The Holy Spirit  and our efforts  are necessary for

holiness.

·         Holy Spirit

for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  Philippians 2:13

·         Our efforts

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24

·         Remember, it's not a matter of can we  but, will we?

·         Are you willing "to put off your old self"?

·         Use the means given to us-Bible Study, Prayer, Worship, Fellowship, Service, living out our faith daily--applying godly principles.

·         It's not easy but, it's not complicated.

·         Can't steer a parked car.

·         Doesn't have to be a straight path but our eye needs to be set upon God.  Paul , Philippians 3:14--press on towards the goal

III.  Sure Welcome

A growing faith gives testimony to our heart.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:35-40

·         The Great Commandment is the goal.  A godly life is testimony to the fact that loving the Lord and loving our neighbor" is the desire of our heart.

·         It is the evidence of what is in our heart.

·         God looks at the heart.

A growing faith gives confidence  in eternity.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 1:10-11

·         This is the controversy!

·         Eternal Security, Once Saved, Always Saved, John Calvin vs. Jacob Arminius and John Wesley.

·         Can one forfeit their salvation?  I believe, yes.

·         Remember Holy Spirit and Our Effort, essential to salvation and to continuing in our salvation.  Still have Free Will.

·         Not a theological scholar but, smart enough to know that this is a stupid argument to have.

·         Remember what it's about--a relationship with God; an intimate relationship with God.  That being the case, why argue about what is the minimum that one needs to enter into eternity with God?  This is not Safe Auto!

·         If my desire and my efforts with the divine power of The Holy Spirit are in pursuit of a relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and giving testimony in that by exhibiting Him in me, then I need not worry, as Peter tells us, that there is "a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" awaiting me!  I can rest in that assurance.

·         But, if that is not my desire and that is not where my effort is focused and I am not living in the power of The Holy Spirit then there is cause for concern.

·         Marriage example (good example to use because marriage represents the relationship of Christ, The Groom with His Bride, The Church--you and me.

·         Lori and I married 22 years.  I know that we are married and I have confidence in our love and the lasting value of our marriage not because of an event (our wedding), a ring or a legal certificate.  The confidence that I have is that for 22 years our desire and our efforts have been to love each other.  We've done better some days than others (I have had more better days than her but....)but that has always been our goal.

·         Here's the last point I want to make from this example.  I got married for the benefits of marriage--not the legal benefits, the relationship benefits--all of the relationship benefits.  I didn't get married for the ring and the certificate.  I got married for the relationship.

·         The same is true of our faith in God.  It's not about "punching our ticket to heaven."  It's about our relationship with Him that begins here and now and continues eternally in heaven at a far more amazing level!

·         If our sole focus is on heaven and not the relationship, I fear that we will miss out on both.

Review-Divine Power-Divine Nature (Spiritual Maturity)-Sure Welcome

"God's promises are like grapes in a winepress, for when you walk in them the juice begins to flow."--Charles Spurgeon

Is the juice flowing in your life?  Do you have what it takes to be a follower of Christ?  Yes.  Do you want to?

Closing Questions, Prayer, Silent Reflection & Closing Prayer.