Sermon Tone Analysis

!! Text: 2 Pet 1:3-8

 

Introduction:  We struggle daily to serve our Lord because we do not realize the true power that He has given us—His divine power.

He has given us everything we need for this life, in Christ, but we must learn how to share in His divine nature in our daily walk.

When we do we will develop many Christian virtues, so that we will have a fruitful walk with the Lord.

1.

*His Divine Power*:  not our power, but His power.

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us (Rom 8:11).

A.

His Divine Power

1)     “divine” this is God’s power, not something we can work up naturally

2)     Power--“/dunamis/”--God’s miracle working power, the power that makes God who He is, there is no lack to this power, it gets the job done.

B.    Given unto us

1)     Given—“/doreomai/”--a free gift, not something we can earn, not something we deserve.

Our Father has given us many gifts because He loves us, and they are all good.

(James 1:17)

a.

The gift of righteousness.

(Rom 5:17)

b.

The gift of grace for salvation.

(Eph 2:8)

c.

The gift of the Holy Spirit.

(Act 2:38)

d.     Spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:1-11)

e.      Ministry and motivational gifts (Eph 4:8-11; Rom 12:6-8)

C.   All things we need for life & godliness.

ALL, everything—nothing is lacking when God gives it.

(The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (lack) Psalm 23:1)

1)     Life--“/zoe/”—the God kind of life.

The highest & best which Christ is, the very life of God.

A rich, full, abundant life because it comes from the Father.

Jesus came to give us life, an abundant life.

(Jn 10:10)

2)  Godliness—“/eusebia/”—true devotion and doing what pleases God.

Practical religion of worship and praise, not just theory or theology.

A life lived in the awe and reverence of our wonderful Lord.

There is nothing more worshipful than to do what pleases God.

He desires our obedience more than anything else.

(1 Sam 15:22)

D.   Through the knowledge of Him

1)     Knowledge—“/epignosis/”—precise, exact clear knowledge.

Experiential knowledge, not just head knowledge.

An intimate relationship with Him that affects our daily life.

God does not want us to be confused as to how to live for Him.

He has revealed His will and ways through His Word, and He has given us His Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us in His ways (Jn16:13).

Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit about Christ we receive the faith we need to live for God.

E.

Who called us to glory & virtue

1)     Called—“/kaleo/”—invited, summoned, and called by the Good Shepherd.

God is the one who extended His divine invitation to us to come to Him.

He is the one who initiated it.

We could not come to Him without His divine summons because of our sin; but thank God He loved us enough to pay the price for our sin, so we could answer His call.

2)     Glory—“/doxa/”—honor, renown, splendor, brightness, excellence, inner glory outwardly manifested.

Like a mirror, we are reflectors of the glory of God.

God has honored us by placing His glory in our life.

Therefore, we should shine with the brightness of His glory so that others can see Christ.

a.      “The present invisible glory of the believer through his union with Christ by the Spirit is greater than the visible glory recorded in the OT (2 Cor.3:7-11)” Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, p.480d

b.

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, his faced shined from the glory of God.  (Ex 34:29-35)

c.

In the OT, the glory “/kabod/” of God was hidden--seen only by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies—one time a year—on the Day of Atonement.

d.

We are the depositories of God’s glory on the earth today—it is not hidden unless we hide it—we are the Holy of Holies where His glory dwells everyday for all men to see.

(1 Cor 3:16; 6:19)

3)  Virtue—“/arete/”—excellency, being pleasing to God, force or energy of the Holy Spirit accompanying the preaching of the gospel.

Not only are we to display God’s glory, but also His excellency of character.

Our lives are to be pleasing to God in all that we do.

When we walk in His divine power, our preaching of the gospel will be with excellency and the Holy Spirit will give it the force necessary to change lives.

His Word will not return void, but will accomplish all that God desires for it to do (Isa 55:11)

F.    Through which we have been given exceeding great & precious promises

1)     Precious—“/timios/”—costly, valuable, dear, prized, worthy.

God’s power gives us promises that are very valuable because of their high cost—the blood of Jesus Christ.

2)     Promises—/epagglema/”—declarations, proclamations, assurances.

These promises are another gift from God.

He gives us His assurance of salvation.

He declares to all that we belong to Him—we are His sons~/daughters (children).

(Rom 8:14-16)

 

Ø     Bridge:  God has not only given us His Divine Power, but He has also given us a commandment to be Holy as He is Holy (1 Pet 1:15-16).

We cannot fulfill this command without His Divine Nature in us!  Praise God He has given us ALL things that pertain to life and godliness, even the ability to be holy as He is holy through His Divine Nature in us.

2.

*His Divine Nature*:  not our human nature, but His nature.

His nature gives us the ability to grow in holiness.

A.   He has made us to be Partakers of this nature

1)     Be—/ginesthe/”—made from nothing, exist, place, change of state.

We are made to be new creations (2 Cor 5:18), a brand new being that did not exist before, when we accept Christ as our Savior.

The old is gone, God has placed us into a new order of life.

He has recreated us by His Divine Power so He can fill us with His Divine Nature.

2)     Partakers—/koinonos/”—joint participator, sharer, partner.

We become a sharer of the very nature of God.

We are in common with Him in His nature.

The old nature is gone, replaced by His very nature.

We are now in a partnership to see His kingdom built on this earth.

He can use us to do this valuable work, because He has given us everything we need through sharing His Divine Nature with us.

3)     Nature—“/phusis/”—essence, attributes, divine qualities, distinctive native peculiarities.

His Holy Spirit places not just His glory and virtue, but His very life force in us.

This makes us as much like Him as we can be—His children.

Children have the attributes of their father and mother given to them at conception.

We also are given God’s attributes at the new birth and then we grow in them day by day in our walk with Him.

B.    Through it we have escaped the corruption of the world that is through lust.

1)     Corruption—“/phthora/”--destruction, seduction to evil, ruining, moral decay.

Thank God that His Divine Nature gives us the ability to escape the destruction of this world.