Sermon Tone Analysis

In this V. *Peter* is *telling* us to *Grow in Grace*.

In order for us *to talk about growing in Grace* we should *ask* *ourselves* again, “*/What is it/*?" *Some* have *said* that *it’s* *God’s riches at Christ expense*, *others* have said that it’s *God’s unmerited favor*, *Bobbie Jean said that it’s the H.S*.

      *I.

*Look at */ZEC 12:10/*

                  *A. **Who* is the *Spirit of Grace*?

                              *1.

*It’s no one other than the *HS*.

*2.

*We have *another V* that is *similar* to (*/ZEC.

12:10/*) and that is */HEB 10:29/*.

*a.

**Again* it *refers* *to* the *Spirit of Grace*.

*B. **Grace is God’s unmerited favor*, it’s *also* *God’s riches at Christ expense*; We have God’s grace because of what Jesus did on that cross, & it’s *also God’s H.S*., but it’s even *more than that*.

*1.

**Grace** *it’s the *very heart attitude of God* *which moves Him toward people*.

*a.

**Because of God’s Grace*, *He is willing* to be *involved in your life and mine*.

*2.

**Grace is also the power active within the heart of the believer that works in him and empowers him to do God’s will*.

*a.

**Giving* *him* the *strength and the ability* to *do* what *God wants* us to do.

*b.

**Strong’s* concordance says that the word “*/Grace/*” means “*/The divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life/*.”

It *also* means, “*/benefit, favor, and gift/*.”

*3.

**Grace does have to do with God’s H.S*., *God’s ability*, *and* God’s *power*.

*a.

*That’s why the Lord said to Paul, “*/My GRACE is sufficient for thee/*.”

*i.

*Let’s just take a look at that, */2CO 12:7-10/*

                                                      *ii.

*In (*/V.

9/*), The Lord said, “*/My grace is sufficient (or enough) for thee/*.”

*iii.

**When we allow* the *Grace* of God *to work* in our lives, the *power of Christ rests upon us*.

*a.

**/ACTS 1:8/*

                                                                  *b.

**We can have that same power* in our lives.

*c.

*Back in (*/2CO 12:10/*) Paul said, “*/Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong/*.”

*i.

**When* *we allow ourselves to grow in Grace* *we are saying*, */“I can’t do it, but the H.S. in me can/*.”

*ii.

*(*/PHI 4:13/*) Says, “*/I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me/*.”

(KJV)

                                          *d.

**We should* all *want* to *grow* in God’s *grace*.

*C. *Now, *how* are we going to *grow in Grace*?

                              *1.

*Well, *1st* of all you have to *receive* the *knowledge of the Lord*.

*a.

*In our opening V (*/2PE 3:18/*) it says, “*/But grow in grace, and {in} the knowledge of our Lord/*.”

*i.

**/Eph 2:8/*

                                                      *ii.

*How did you get saved?

*a.

1st* you *heard about the Lord* (you *received knowledge* about Him) *that produced faith* *so* that you *could receive God’s goodness* *or* you could say you received God’s *grace to be saved*.

*c.

**/2PE 2:19‑20/*

                                                      *i.

*The part that I wanted you to see is the */1st part of V 20/*, “*/For if after they have escaped the pollution’s of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ/*.”

*ii.

**Doesn’t* a *person really escape the pollution’s* (*/NIV/* says */corruption/*) of the world *through* *GOD’S GOODNESS* *or* you could say that they escape the pollution’s (corruption) of the world *through GOD’S GRACE*.

*iii.

*But *how* did that *Grace come*?

*Through the knowledge* *of the Lord* and Savior Jesus Christ *and by coming to the throne of Grace*.

*a.

*(*/Hebrews 4:16/*) Says, “*/Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need/*.”

*2.

**What do you do to grow in God’s favor*, in His *blessings*, in His *Grace*?

                                          *a.

*Begin to *study and meditate* on God’s *Word*.

*b.

**Spend time with Him*, in *fellowship* and in *prayer*.

*II.

*Now there are also some *hindrances to growing in Grace*.

*A. **/GAL 5:7/*

                  *B. *Look at */GAL 5:4/*

                              *1.

*Notice that phrase, “*/Fallen from grace/*.”

                                          *a.

*To *fall from Grace* *is to allow God’s Grace* to *become* *null and void*.

*b.

*It *also means* to *trust in something* else *other than God’s ability*.

*2.

*The */Phillips translation/* words this same */V/* this way, “*/You put yourself outside the range of Grace/*.”

*III.

*It’s *sad to say but*, *not all Christians* are actually *growing in Grace*.

*A. **Many have gone backwards* or *regressed* in their growth in Grace and in the Lord.

*B. *There are *some hindrances* that *I’m going to share* with you that *might help* *you get* back *in the race* an*d* continue to *grow in Grace*.

*1.

*The *1st* *hindrance* is *LIGHTNESS*.

*a.

**In this age* that were in *everything seems to be so light*.

*No body takes things seriously*.

(Catching venereal diseases, wars, drugs.)

*i.

**People just don’t take them seriously any more*.

*They make light of them*.

*We’re living in an age of lightness*.

*b.

**It seems that same spirit of lightness has crept into the church and into t lives of individual Christians*.

*i.

**Everyone likes light reading material*, even *Christian material is getting light*.

*ii.

**Lets get into the meat of God’s Word*, *lets get into the deep things of God*.

*iii.

*Lets find *things that will feed our spirit*.