2nd Peter 1:5-14 Saved by God: Spiritual Growth is Vital

You know Mother's Day. I love Mother's Day. My wife is a mom for my mom is a mom of 4 as well and just the saints that you moms are for raising children in the hard work that goes into that deeply deeply appreciate it. I know Mother's Day can also be a mixed bag of feelings and emotions because some of us have relationships that are estranged for mom from Mom's some of us some lost mom's. I'm some of us desire to be moms and we have dealt with infertility and some of us in here are moms and we definitely want to celebrate that. So what I want to do this morning if you fall into one of those categories, I just want to pray for you today that the Lord would strengthen you would encourage you would excite your heart that the Lord would be working in and through you mom you are discipling these children. 1st Timothy we read about Eunice this mom that raise this man of God Timothy and just the amount of her husband. We don't really hear much about him. But this mom great deep influence, and I know mom's you have deep influence and do your kids live. So this time I just want to pray for you but to do that other thank you so much for your generosity towards us. Lord first and foremost. I want to lift up those in here who desire to be mothers, but for one reason or another are wrestling with infertility. We just asked today that you would open their room that you would work a miracle in their lives that you would touch them and that they would be healed of whatever is going on in that they would be able to become mothers and celebrate that join if there's those women in here that are Desiring not in wrestling through that they would be I just knowing that you are with them and encouraging them and that you are going through this with them and that you love them in the midst of whatever trial and struggle. They're dealing with the disappointment the pain and the sorrow that comes along with that God we ask that you would comfort Hearts today. Those that are currently Baron and we also ask in faith that you would open those rooms that they would become mothers that they could point back to visit day is you doing a work we pray for those who have estranged relationships or lost relationships with their moms. But today that there might be some sense of sorrow but there can be deep hope because the gospel talks about restoration and Reconciliation and restoring and that on the one hand if it's a relationship that's broken that you can work and bring forgiveness and bring hope into that relationship and that you can restore those relationships and unite those relationships. And so we ask and pray for the breaking down of hearts in those moments to be built up in love and forgiveness and kindness and that you'd be doing that work. We pray for comfort for the motherless today. We pray that they would see their hope in Jesus Christ and their love and Jesus Christ other BP. Coming around them to comfort to love and to care for and finally Lord. We lift up those who are mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmother's and moms of teens and moms have young ones and moms that are tired and moms that are exhausted cut give them strength. Give them rest. Give them. Peace. Give them hope I pray that you would give them passion to share Jesus with those kids constantly knowing that the word of God does not return void knowing that were called to train a child in the ways of the Lord in the hope that that scripture presents of them not soon departing from that Smith at Hopi instilled in the hearts of our mom's today. I thank you for these faithful mothers that love you that serve you that gives so much for the kingdom of God continue to use them and working them in the name of Jesus. We pray. Amen. Amen 1st through 5th graders. Give your mommy a hug. Tell her thank you and go ahead and head back with Dave and Susan is they are going to be sharing the gospel with you here at this morning everybody else turn to 2nd Peter you're able to

Well, if you were with us last week, I had barely any voice and on Monday and Tuesday. I had really no voice counseling was a sheer joy that day. So I didn't have to talk as much as everybody else. Got to talk a little bit more on Monday. However, what they did was it set us back a week. So if you miss last week we talked about communion. I would highly recommend that you listen to what we talked about why we celebrate communion a weekly basis some things concerning communion. It was short meaning 25 minutes, which is short. So if you want to know for short hair, no, we're not short here. So we're going to go ahead and get into this this morning growing weed in your Christian walk and we're going to look at Colossians 2. I alluded to this verse last week and I want to actually highlight and read it to you here this morning that says therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord walk in him. Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. Just as you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving. What I want to do is I want to give us a little bit of a background in order to catch anybody out who has missed two weeks ago. We talked about how Christian growth is not something that we just drift into or should just assume that it's going to happen in our lives, but it's actually called the author of this letter and 2nd Peter has called us actually has invited us into it's something that Paul has invited us into and place this call upon our lives and what happens when is in the church would begin to ask the question how in the world do I grow in Jesus Christ? How do I grow because I see the command I see the call yet. There's been all kinds of ideas that are promoted and all kinds of systems that are presented in order to tell if this is how you grow and what tends to happen is growth becomes very mechanical or is we talked about it's like stacking bricks. You can make a pile of bricks grow by putting one on top of the other but it's not living. It's not a rude and it's not built up. so what we've done is as we said growing in Jesus isn't knowing Jesus Paul Road as you Festus Faith you've received Christ Jesus walk in him. Peter says to those who have obtained a faith. This is 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 1 equal of our standing by the righteousness of God our savior in Jesus Christ growing in Jesus. If you have become a follower of Jesus begins with actually knowing who Jesus is In Christianity has become a cliche statement and it's lost a little bit of its power but truly and Christianity. We understand that would God has desired his relationship with us. Not just Duty from us not obligation. Not a list of things that we have to do. She a lot of times people want this formula method. If I do this + this that means I'm going to grow in Jesus Christ. Get the gospel says it's far more fluid and there's things that were actually called to do to participate and take part in a we're going to look at this Summer's we talked about rhythms and spiritual disciplines. But often we turn those into ways to try to manipulate God and to get things from God that we want from him to grow in. Jesus is to know Jesus then check it out growing in your knowing Jesus growing in your knowing of Jesus or doing here this weekend. We're doing in relationships are community group in Friendship to or doing when we gather with one another day for each other. We're sharing the good news and remind me to other the good news of Jesus Christ for growing in our knowing not knowing is not simply just knowledge and facts about Jesus the growing in that knowing relationally with Jesus. Your kids are married. You have friendships, you know, the difference of knowing somebody and facts about them versus knowing them as a person and understanding them the personality and who they are a God has invited you into is a knowing of him. Not just this knowledge of how he is the Triune God that the Old Testament and New Testament talk about or he is the guy that died on the cross keys the god that came from a truly getting to know and understand who this God isn't having relationship and friendship with him is what he has called us into Being a Christian doesn't mean you stop something and started something stop bad habits started new habits. I started going to church. I started helping the poor is not starting and stopping actually knowing god. Now what has happened when you come to know this God verses 3 and 4 of 2nd Peter chapter 1 his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and Excellence. If you were here a couple of weeks ago, we talked about this passive and active Miss in the scripture who is passive in the scripture. We are passive. It's something that we have received the divine power of God. It is. Who is active And it goes on by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises. So that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire partakers of the divine nature. This is something that we're not going to get into today because it's deep. It's complex. It's both here and now and it's also future what's going on in this verse of what God has done in office. But in the death resurrection and Ascension of Jesus and our belief and trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit now dwells inside of any person who's called on the name of the Lord to be Savory ended of their sins. And he says you've escaped corruption through sinful desires. What crops Humanity? That's a big question today. That's when that culture is wrestling with that's one is being rustled through in universities in through politics and through all kinds of different conversations. That might even have it around your dinner. And what Peter is saying it says our sinful desires that corrupt us in the fall. That is Genesis 3 our heart shifted away from the worship of gods to the worship of self. We said my way not your way God and God said, all right, but this is what it's going to look like genesis 4 5 6 begin to see man weigh unfold and it's a disaster. There is pression there's murder there's people doing Wicked all of the time in the eyes of the Lord. You are called to be image bearers that image was shattered. And then the gospel God is restoring us. God is making us partakers in the divine nature even given new nature what this means is if you are Christian Is about bad men bad women becoming good man and good women. This is a lost or found the dead Are Made Alive. The heart has been restored and made new. We are partakers in this divine nature that what does this have to do with Christian cross his divine power has granted us all things that pertain to a life of godliness when emphasize this. Do you really want to live a Godly life? That's your heart's cry. I want to be virtuous. I want to be more I want wisdom. I want self-control. I want to stop the things that God hates. I want to love the things that God love I want my send us up. I want to pray I want to serve I want to learn. I want to grow who in here would say they want that. I think if I should say I desire that this will be fueled by your love for God that brought about a change of desires. Every year everybody has a list of things that they want to change in their lives happens right around January one and I'm not just talking about specific goals on to be healthier or look better but people are having this idea of how can I work on myself? How can I become nicer Kinder a more generous person and we end up doing is trying to do these things mechanical ways. We set up rules and regulations to try to become the very things that God is giving every person who was a follower of Jesus. Their hearts are being changed wants to see is the more clearly you see God the deeper. You understand the gospel. The more your heart is going to be in large set of flame and the last couple of the world going to have on you. true screw more you see God. The more you understand the gospel. The last this world Paul can have on you the less selfish. You're going to want to be the last self-consumed you're going to want to be because you see who got it because our heart shift from Judy to the lights. I no longer see Christianity as a set of rules. I have to follow but a God, but I'm walking after a savior that died for me and it would radically changes our heart. I mean all done something out of obligation.

Okay, we got Liars in here. How many gods in something out of obligation? I've done plenty of things out of obligation. In fact around this time of the year in about 10 years. I'm going to have a lot of obligations. I have a lot of nephews and nieces that means I'm going to have a lot of graduations to go to going to graduation when it's not your own or probably your child is one of the most miserable experience a human being can face on the planet. I'm not even kidding. My graduation was horrible. Our stupor intended had just met the president of the United States. I am not kidding talked for an hour and a half at graduation about his experience meeting the president. It was terrible and boring for what 4 seconds of walking across a stage obligation and the whole time you're sitting there going to my here. I should have just given him twenty bucks and just said congrats kid. You made it out of the light in Genesis 29:20. We got a story about a man named Jacob and there is this gal who he had eyes for his uncle Levens daughter's a whole nother story. We can get into all that later. He wants the bottom line laid and said you got to work for my daughter. Is it going to marry her in Genesis? 29:20? It says so Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for. Leaving was not a good dude. You would not have been easy to work for. But you see because of the love and Jacobs heart for Rachel. It was easy. You have any man wants to come and date one of my daughters. I got a lot of fencing I'm going to have them put up. Even if I don't need it. Here's the reason why we're going to see if it's a Duty or Delights. Is he enjoying? I mean honestly really reveal something in the heart. And here's the point a lot of us are sitting before God maybe even today this Sunday morning going to have to be here. Have to be here. It's Mother's Day. I'd rather be getting ready for game day. I'd rather be out enjoying the mountains. I'd rather be out at the lake, but I should be here and if Christianity is Duty you do not understand the gospel. You do not get the good news of Jesus Christ. And if you're a follower of Jesus in this feels like Duty, what you've done is you turn this into an obligation and too busy work busyness is a kind of growth but it's like stacking bricks pile gets bigger. It's not a lie. If it's not healthy far too many Christians are stacking bricks doing the Lord's work. What's the Lord's work? Let me listen good things didn't go for Fellowship Bible study and pray. And these are a means to an end, but they're not the end in themselves because these things ought to set our hearts aflame for Jesus Christ so I can calm and be gathering worship courage when it turns into obligation and needs to be a repentance in our hearts because we missed Jesus. We play something. There's nothing worse than missing. But Jesus is doing cuz he's do it out of Duty. Are you feeling beat up in your walk? Are you feeling bummed out and let down you've missed Jesus? Talking with a friend this last week grew up in church this friend did for about 40 something years and never once really had a passion to share the gospel, but they've had this newfound faith in Jesus, but I really believe is a coming to Jesus understanding Jesus the gospels and put in their heart and now they won't shut up about Jesus what chain? They were part of religion and Duty and evangelism was a list of things that I had to do to please God. That's what it was. And now it's I love this God. I know this God who can I tell others about this God and here's what happens and here's my fear. There's some of us in here who really don't know the gospel. But even talk rules may even talk religion and even taught ways of doing life. Or are those of you who know the gospel that is Peter's going to warn about or forgetting the gospel and we can often find ourselves in one of those two places where we truly don't know who Jesus is and we don't know the gospel and I'm here to tell you the good news of Jesus to day that God Save The God transform with this. What are some of us in hero become bored in our Christianity because yeah, we're saved but we forgot the gospel and it's turned into duty rather than the light. So what is Peter saying here about growth? Skip Down 2 verse 5 for this very reason what reason make every effort to stop format your faith with virtue to Virtue with knowledge knowledge with self-control self-control with steadfastness in fastness with David Enos godliness with brotherly affection brotherly affection with love these qualities are yours and are increasing they keep you from being ineffective unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ for what reasons your heart has been changed 2nd Peter chapter one because God has done this work in you because you now live in Christ live for Christ. These are positions that we From being a follower of Jesus not positions we try to get to in obtain. Knowing who we are in Christ understanding the gospel.

Because you're able to save your father Jesus. This is what he's done for me. I have this opportunity and ability to say I love him because he has loved me and I desperately want to please him and be like him. Here's the good news. It's freeze you to aim for this Highmark because you're not afraid of failing. Cool in here two years failure. I know I do. I see your failure as a husband and as a father as a friend probably because I'm many different levels. I've experienced that. How about a follower of Jesus? Sometimes you think I don't even know if I should try to swing the bat because I'm probably going to strike out the gospel says there is no striking out. If you're in Christ Jesus, you don't need to fear a me because he loves us and cares for us to look shoot for this grow in these things. Jesus has already paid for it. So go after it. What does this look like Peter appears to give some sort of list of how we grow in Christ. This list is not one that once you accomplish this step you moved to this step than this stuff. So I don't have to be filled of Brotherly Love and tell me a moral person. So really I'm off the hook on brotherly love. All right, so I can be a jerk cool. I'll be a jerk because I haven't obtained. Circle all of these are piece of that pie together and we're kind of growing in them all at once but Peter does something incredibly interesting in here. He begins with faith and he ends with love East bookends faith in God. Listen to me the Deep conviction of my faith and God will always produce love for God and love for God always produced love for others.

Faith in God produces love for God faith in God is not just some kind of I know he exists. I know he's real he's out there and I trust in him but faith in God me I love him and when you love somebody you believe this is truth. You want to get underneath that truth? You follow after that. Truth is a love for this God that love for this Garden produces love for other people. Jesus said you'll know my disciples by your works. No, he did not say that. He said they'll know you are my disciples by your love one for another. Your faith in God you're saying I trust you and it's not just this idea that I'm trusting you with my salvation. I'm glad you're trusting of your salvation. But you surrender to God means we're surrendering. Our whole self are hoping for. Not just this compartment of our life. Our religiosity part of our life is to this. Over here, but the rest of me is to work is to play is too fun is tumeric. No to surrender to come under God's and everything else falls under that. Carson I'm going to change every aspect of you and how you live as you walk with me there for faith in God or trusting in God. We're taking him out as word means you're going to love other Douglas knew he was part of the NIV Bible team to put that transmission together all service and commentaries for them said there's beautiful balance and what Peter rights having said that is the faith, which is God's gift that puts us right with him. Now, he writes that the personal and private a sent to Jesus his lordship. If it is authentic must work itself out in public and practical ways. Let me just layman term that faith is going to be foundational changes you build you up. Yes, but faith is also going to be functional. Tri blade out in life going to be played out and how you're growing every single person in his building their life on something we talked about this a few weeks ago will get you moving in the morning. Look at you going is it to get up cuz panel just got to plow through this day to make some more money to keep this world spinning around so I can get what I need out of this lifetime. We all have these goals in these things that were Amy for goals and desires. Those are wonderful when they're rightly ordered under God, but often me flip flop we put these things above God we serve them and maybe even acknowledge. A little bit on the side God as our foundation changes everything but it becomes our Pursuit even means how we look at the chest is very different because I may succeed or fail but I still rest in the sure Foundation. That is Jesus Christ because my success and failure is not what defines me it is my God who has defined Faith in Christ is our foundation means we live for the king. When you stand at the false gods and what they promised and provide is temporary.

The last word speaking or saved as God's possession to the praise and glory of God and here's what I want to church to hear this morning. You're not saved. If you are say that word saves something means you were running from God rebellious towards God the human heart has this place of disposition where it says, I don't need you God and all the sudden you have this moment. Where you go? Oh my goodness. I need God. I just can't I can't even move out of this place. I can't go forward because he is pressing on my heart. I have to respond to this gospel. I need God in my life. I said you have saved but you're not just saved you can have this cute private neat little Christian Life that get spruced up a little bit and get some areas cleaned out a little bit. So you look good. You are safe some she look good. She is glorious. You're Not Safe till you can feel a little better about yourself on the inside and look a little bit better on the outside You're saved the praise of his glory absolutely begins to transform you. What is the significance of this growth in Christ? Then is not just for you, but for others around you or the purpose of growth is not merely individuality, but it's Community. Here's the point I want to make You look around this room real quick. You're not the only one here. You look around this room real quick. You don't possess all the best gifts here. You're not the most important person here. And guess what? Neither am I we need each other and as we're saber brought together as a body and we have winds together. We have losses together. We need one another Because I'm a sports fan you get Sports analogies. I'm sorry, if you want me to find another hobby tell me about it. So I might I might use it someday every year around July we get what we call the NBA draft in the draft is when you take an individual and you pick them to be a part of your team drafted cool for a player individual. It means first of all there just signing a pretty big contract if I Taken 3 high but they're not just dropped as an individual to continue to be an individual on that team their drafted into put on the Jersey of that team that individual takes wins and losses with that team that individual if he grows in his skills, or she grows in her skills. Guess what the team gets better. It's not just for them. It's for the team that is what God is doing as he's assembled his church. He's brought us together. It's not just about you. Yes, individually say transformed and change and place into the Father's hands praise God but brought into the body of Christ and we grow together and we need one another just like on a team Shaq and run point guard. He never did. He couldn't do it. He needed a Kobe to be his shooting guard cuz he can't play all those roles.

Talked about in Acts that next two and three thousand were added unto the church. They were there and entered into Fellowship discipleship praying together Gathering Together caring for one another in Ephesians and 1st Corinthians were talking about the body of Christ needing one another Now you are saved you growing and Brotherly Love. Who is that for? Who is that for? The more you grow in space. The more you grow in virtue as Peter writes here the more you grow a knowledge and self-control and steadfastness and godliness. brotherly affection and love not just so you can have your stuff together. So you can be some sort of delete Christian right now such a thing. What's it for a look and see how I am growing? It's for others and you know what? I love about Peter's list. Brotherly Love is tangible touchable decibel. I can't always tell if I'm growing in faith. I can't always tell if I'm growing in kindness or self-control, Peter is getting at is if you're growing you're going to see this come out in Brotherly Love. Do you want to know your growing if you want to know your growing as a Christian if your married ask your spouse don't tell your real quick trust me, if you want to know your growing as a Christian ask your community ask your boss. Not you see me going as a Christian. I may not go over well. But you can ask him. Have you seen changes in my life? I asked a friend. They're going to tell you if your growing. growth one tail brotherly love

Also, you're growing any other use your gifts possession of the things that have been given to you not just to spend on yourself. How can we live this way? The whole world mentality is get get get get get so you can have and build and then died in that that is really the dream Americans. The gospel says this is us. The only way you're going to have the money you're going to have is not the only friends are going to have there is a future so you can use these things differently for the kingdom of God. Is she the fruit that we as Believers produce is going to benefit others. Let me break this down in this example. Let's say you're somebody was given to anger and God is teaching you to grow in patients used to be a person who just blew up all the time. If you had this high list of expectations when you got off work and you thought home should be this way or you thought work should be this way and when it wasn't you work it you were a volcano ready to explode at any Moment you thinking I need to be changed if your kids were terrified to see you when you walk through that door your spouse was too terrified to talk to your dog coward. Begins to grow you who benefits as you become a more patient Kinder softer human being there's an aspect in which you will because all your relationships and I'll tell you who benefits your kids. Spouse co-workers you're growing in faith growing in love towards others. So the world around you can flourish. Christian stop being so selfish I want to grow you need to grow cuz it's not about you. And God is calling us and telling us how to grow if you have a Bible you can flip over to Romans. I'm going to cruise through this real quickly Romans 12. Talro inverse 3 4 by Grace the grace given to me. I say that every one among you not to think of himself more highly than you ought to think but to think was sober judgment each according to the measure of faith. God has assigned Frozen one body with many members in the members do not all have the same function. So we though many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Let us use them if prophecy in proportion to our faith is service and are serving the one who teaches and is teaching the one who exhorts in a patient when you contribute in generosity the one who leaves was deal. The one who does acts of Mercy with choke cheerfulness. Let love be genuine aboard what is evil hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection outdo one another in showing honor that is incredible. Pause as you've been given these gifts to serve one another and here's what should be the results of that your love ought to grow. Listen. If you've been given this gift to lead you're not just to be a leader of South of you to be a leader of others can be a dearth of leadership within the church because there are leaders for out and their organizations in their company's 10 killing it killing it. But here's the problem you love serve and follow Jesus bring that same mentality into the church help us help us make disciples and be fruitful help us through the thing because I can tell you something. I'm doing my best. Do my best but when I read that list, I know which one sticks out for me. I know where I fit into this puzzle is your given to generosity you weren't called just to be generous to yourself and your family be generous and do it with his deal and a passion towards others that you were giving a gift of exhortation of teaching. You don't have to simply be on the sidelines find you to get involved and you will grow as a result of this cuz you're going to see other people grow. This is what your called into you are not called in here to sit in a chair on Sunday that is boring mundane Christianity if that's it there people who do a bigger and better than us. I promise you that it's probably laser lights and fog machines. Medieval helicopter Sunday when I get helicopters going to drop Easter eggs is going to be sick right now. You can make that happen with an airplane. All right.

Here's the deal. your bored in here

you're not in game. Not a show that we watch that I put on every week and every once in awhile get a little passionate and rail off on something. Ra sing some songs or calling you into a life of fellowship with God and with one another. You're bored individualize Christianity just like we do with the rest of our lives. My work is about me. My life is about me and my family's about me. We're just promoting this from hate to burst your bubble, but it's not. Growth is never just for the individual and some of you spent all your knowledge on yourself and all your mercy on yourself and all your kindness on yourself. You're burned out and tired when you come to Christianity, it feels like an obligation and a duty she made Christianity about you that you need Christianity in intellectual assent. I will know the smartest. Good luck. I got a million other guys. I'm smarter than all of us. Personal preference of church and style and how we do things about me or give you two some kind of Mastery to be conquered and guess what? That's your Christianity. Of course, it's failed you. You're missing it. I would invite you to turn and see Jesus to enjoy the body of Christ to serve one another to laugh together to embrace. The mess of each other's lives to invite one another into that mess and to help each other to disciple and get disciple. Listen. I'm calling us to inconvenience ourselves. That's like a four-letter word slice o don't make the inconvenience myself for you know, that is what the gospel is calling us to to lean into the community the same you are called as a follower of Jesus as an individual that you are not called to be alone in this. This is what we're building up for. This is what God is doing in US.

We stop there. Imma be a liar to 2nd Peter to take a 6 weeks to get through Note 4. This is what I want to stomp on cuz next week when I talk about how do we practically do this Britton? You can save my slides Organics pound on this, but I need this in US you are not call. Do this alone? And we need one another?

I think you

thank you that we're not alone in here. Give it your love has changed transformed and given us the foundation to build upon the God help us to know link arms in this church help us to laugh together to cry together to cheer for each other's successes to help each other with one another's weaknesses help us to actually inconvenience ourselves for one another in order that you're gospel. Maybe a known that your name would be made crates that we are saved to the praise of your glory god working us and change and transform us. Put Your Hearts to get off the sidelines to engage and what you're doing there a new Fresh radical way. Thank you for your love and your generosity. Thank you that we can step out and if we fail we've already been forgiven and loved and cared for that we can rest in the gospel. coming for us in Jesus name in heaven

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