Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 16 Quality Christians
Verses-
2 Pet 1:5-11
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8 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.
9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
(NIV)
Quality Christians
A man was driving on a country road when he notice a chicken running beside his car. He sped up and so did the chicken. As he went faster the chicken went faster until they both were going 80 MPH. Then the chicken makes a quick right in to a farm yard. The man went to the farmer to inquire about this amazing four legged chicken. "It’s a new bred I'm going to get rich selling drumsticks" How do they taste?" "I don't know. Haven't been able to catch one yet."
Many times we plan something and it doesn't work out the way we planed. We might be unaware of facts that are important to consider.
Last week we began devotions from 2nd Peter. He reminded the Gentile believers of privileges that were theirs as children of God. In addition to faith, and grace and peace they experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of God and the promises that are ours for all eternity. All of this comes from God because of his righteousness and active love. God has provided all we need for our salvation and sanctification. We are now destined to become partakers of the divine nature.
But maybe there is a factor that we have missed or overlooked in this process. We might wonder if God has made me a Rolls Royce how come I still feel like a pair of roller skates? There seems to be things missing in my life.
Like a benefactor who pays our way for college it is purchased, but it isn't doing us much good unless we study and prepare and be diligent in apply what that gift represents. I have seen so many defeated Christians because they are not using the qualities needed for further and deeper knowledge of God. There is something more than simply increasing our “intellectual" knowledge of Jesus Christ! Peter is talking about growing in a full and personal knowledge of Jesus Christ! This is what is described in the passage we want to study this week.
What makes a Quality Christian? Several characteristics identify maturity, but it is not stagnant. There are daily challenges that with time begin to allow the light of Jesus shine in us.
As you look at the list in the above passage what character traits do you sense needs work in your life at this time. Pray that you will grow in knowledge and power provided to look and act more like Jesus from within, not just on the outside.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 18 Growth
Verses- 2 Peter 1: 5-7 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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
A quality Christian is committed to Growth
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith certain qualities. For what very reason? The reason that is mentioned in vs. four, "He has given us very great and precious promises so we can participate in the divine nature and escape corruption in the world."
Because God has given to us Himself, His power, His Holy Spirit now don't just sit there. Get growing! And now in case you don't get it, Peter is saying the Christian life is going to take some effort. It will take diligence; it will take work on our part to keep growing. Where do we begin? With faith. After faith what's next?
He mentions 7 things to add to your very precious faith. I comment on some today and some tomorrow. The first character quality mentioned is goodness. KJV says virtue. NAS says moral excellence. In other words be work at being moral in a bold an courageous manner. Stand up for what is right. When people all around us say, "it really doesn't make any difference how you live", realize that is not what God's word teaches. It does make a difference how you live. There is a responsibility to live our lives different than non Christians live their lives.
In the day in which Peter is writing there was tremendous persecutions. Christians needed courage to do what is right even if we have to pay for it. To the Jewish people being a Christian was regarded as renegade, an apostate, unpatriotic, and profane. To the Greek people a Christian was regarded as a fool and fanatic. There are many in our culture who think its a good thing to go to church, but lets not go overboard in lifestyle. To live with goodness means living morally pure; it means not cheating on tests, it means not to lie to make sales, it means to be a person of integrity. It means to be moral and do what is good and right.
Secondly he mentions knowledge. This means practical knowledge, not just facts. Don't stop learning about Jesus and what is in his word. We grow as we get into this book and as the Holy Spirit causes us to mature in full knowledge of Christ. Phil 4:8 think on what is pure, lovely, good, gracious and the peace of God will rule inside.
This book is to be read more than by the preacher or SS teacher on Sunday mornings. Read it as part of daily practice and pray about that you read and how to apply it. God will use this spiritual diet to cause you to grow in your faith. Even if it is just a few verses to think about it will help you.
One person was having trouble comprehending what he read. His pastor advised him to pick a small book or few chapters and read them over again regularly for one month. The man took his advice. He couldn't believe all the things God wanted to show him. Some things he didn't pick up until the 10th reading, others later. Pray that the Holy Spirit would enlighten your mind, and practice what he shows you.
Thirdly, Add to your knowledge, self control. We live in the midst of passion and selfishness society. Lots of emphasis is placed on individual gratification and lustful pleasures. We all need a good dose of self control. It is so easy to let our emotions and desires control us instead of our minds and spirits controlling our desires. I am blogging in my copes computer tomorrow about my battle with self control in my eating habits. If you want to read that email me and I’ll send it on, unless you already get it.
I talked to a young man who filed bankruptcy because spending got so out of hand. It wasn’t because of the losing a job or the economic downturn, it was a lack of self control. He and his wife kept up the habit of spending more than what they could take in. When they went shopping they had a hard time saying no to purchases they could not afford. Soon debt overwhelmed them and they couldn’t pay their creditors. Self control when it comes to finances is learning to say no to spending what you want if you do not have the money. Impulsive buying is a lack of self control. So are fits of anger, drunkenness, chemical abuse, sexual immorality, wagging tongues, poor habits are all related to lack of self control.
I am not sure any of us can score 100% on feeling we have completely arrived in character of goodness, knowledge, and self control. But are you allowing God to work on those traits in your life? Are you trying on your own? What steps are you taking to grow in these areas? We need the encouragement of one another on this journey.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 19 Change
Verses- 2 Peter 1: 5-7 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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
A quality Christian Persists in Change
As we looked at the first part of the qualities for a growing Christian yesterday, so we continue to look at these traits for change. Hopefully God continues to change us as we commit ourselves to His best.
Add to self control perseverance. Perseverance is also part of self control but has a different flavor to it. Wait for the Lord. In our society of instant gratification it is so hard to wait. I've got down making popcorn in 2 minutes in the microwave and believe it or not the commercials aren't quite long enough to run up pop it in and get down without missing some of the program.
If something doesn't work right instantly we get irritated, instead of keeping at it to get it right. Waiting and taking time to do something well is really hard in our time conscious society. I served on the Indian Ministries Committee of the Conference. Working on the reservation for years before you see fruit, converts, and churches established seems like such a long wasted time, but God bless the missionaries that can persevere realizing it take a long time in that culture to develop the soil for revival of the spirit. Their faithfulness with or without results is what keeps them focused on God's call in their life. There are lessons that some people only learn when they are in a period of their life God calls them to wait.
Persevering faith is giving God your best regardless of the circumstances. Don't give up; Isn't it interesting that those of us who have all eternity before us can't be a little more patient with the minutes and hours and days and years.
Add to perseverance Godliness - That is god like ness. It means having the same mind as Jesus Christ, to view things from a Divine perspective. It is to have a right view of God in our living and the right view of others in our relationship with mankind. Of one ancient saint it is written "He was so pious and devoutly religious that he would take no step apart from the will of heaven; so just and upright that he never did a trifling injury to any living soul; so self controlled, so temperate, that he never at any time chose the sweeter instead of the better, so sensible, so wise, and so prudent that in distinguishing the better from the worse he never erred"
Add to Godliness, brotherly love. Philadelphia is the Greek word for brotherly love, they same as the Pennsylvania city. The point Peter is making is compassion, togetherness and love is needed be demonstrated among believers. Kindness begins in the family and also in the family of God. That doesn't mean we can be unkind to those who are no believers, but in we have the spirit of God their should be more reasons to encourage one another instead of tearing one another down. I am always surprised when certain Christians and certain Christian groups forget who the enemy is. I don't agree with some of my Christian brothers and sisters in the faith. We don't always think alike. But some of the most bitter, unforgiving, and unkind words are expressed to people who claim to be Christians.
Lastly Peter mentions the deepest form of love. The Greek is agape' love. That is the self-giving, self-sacrificing love that just isn't in us to have unless it is given from above.
Jesus did not say all men will know you are my disciples if you grow big churches, if you pass just laws, if you restore decency to the family and environment; They will not know you are Christians if you clean up pornography and make TV and Computer use more wholesome, but rather they will know you are Christians by your love. That is the key people see.
Now these 8 qualities are important for us to keep with effort and diligence adding to our faith in growing measure. Get Growing.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 20 Effectiveness
Verses 2 Peter 1: 8 ,9 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.
9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
A quality Christian is committed to Effectiveness
The qualities Peter mentioned earlier will cause us to grow and not be ineffective. The opposite is effectiveness as a Christian. What does that mean? You will be producing spiritual fruit in Christian works and personal knowledge of the Lord. You will have a deeper personal knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ which is the spark that keeps us going and glowing.
Looking at it from the reverse- if you do not pursue these qualities then the result is spiritual short sightedness and blindness to eternal things and to God. Instead of "fixing our hope" on the spiritual and eternal certainties which God has promised and provided for us, we see only in the present. No wonder this generation has been called the "now generation." If you are near sighted then you do not have God's perspective.
Peter is saying an effective Christian knows where he is going spiritually and sees the way. The nearsighted Christian is looking only at what is happening day by day and fails to see and revealing the handiwork of God all around them. It is like going to the Grand Canyon missing the grandeur all around us because you are focused on the gum on your shoe. Many are so wrapped up in the immediate situation they do not see the workings of God.
Martha was worried about the meal; Mary wanted to be with Jesus. The Temple officials wanted profits from the money changers in church, and disciples wanted to see the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. The rich young rulers could only see his pocketbook. Jesus wanted him to see his very soul for all eternity.
An effective Christian is one who desires to make a difference. But a defeated Christian looks at the circumstances the problems the others around them instead of God. A defeated Christian is one who lives under the weight of never being good enough, feeling like they are never loved, having the burden of not feeling forgiven for sins.
I was listening to a sermon by John Claypool who reminded his congregation that there is original sin, but there is also original love. It was the love of God that acted before the sin of man. It was the love of God that allowed you to be conceived and love of people that allowed your birth; it was the love of parents, and teachers, and friends that influenced your life. But in everyone's life there is also the bad, the evil, and the hardships. Where is your main focus? You do not have to ignore reality, but you don't have to live in the muck either. You have things that have been forgiven. An effective Christian put those things behind knowing Christ has dealt with sin on the cross. Maybe you didn't come from the best home, or were abused, or did have horrible arguments and name callings but as a believer He has also given you blessings that you are not seeing. Open your eyes to grace.
Claypool told the story of his son in a new restaurant and motel and spilled the plate of food on a brand new carpet. Everyone, workers and patrons alike looked at him. Many came to help clean it up so it wouldn't be the first stain on the carpet. He felt like crawling in a hole and dying. He said it was the worse day of his vacation.
He was in a better mood the next day. His dad asked him if he was able to put it behind him. Then he confessed, "I began to think of this trip and count the good things that happened that day. When I realized I enjoyed 30 things and had only one bad, I began to be grateful. That changed his whole attitude.
When we put into practice what God gives us we too change into a quality Christian and become more effective for Him and others.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 21 Certainty
Verses- 2 Peter 1: 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
A quality Christian is committed to Certainty
This passage has been debated by theologians for years. Let’s realize what it says in context. After making an important point about the certainty, or confidence of our faith related to the righteousness of Christ (vs. 1-4) you know Peter then is not contradicting himself. He is not saying that you will lose your salvation if you don't keep growing. He is not saying that if you practice these qualities you will get saved. But he is reminded them since they are called and elected by God live up to your calling. You have these tremendous benefits granted to you, now use them to honor Him. We do not work to be saved; we work because we have been saved. A living faith works.
Yes God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. His plan is not to save you in order for you to live a selfish and sinful life or to have you sit on your duff. We have fewer doubts about our relationship with God when we live in accordance with the principles of the faith.
Even though I was raised in a church my religious activity was like all the other religions until the day God convicted my spirit that I was lost and unholy. I asked God to save me and just to be sure I asked him to save me several times afterwards. But it wasn't until I stopped asking for salvation and continued to grow in my understanding and in obedience that my doubts lifted. I was saved by faith in the gift of God, but by trusting in the works of Jesus Christ. But my awareness of the riches that are mine came as I let Christ live in me in an growing manner. Now I have certainty.
I don't have to worry about going to hell. I do not have to worry about losing my salvation. The more I know about God and his word the more I understand my freedom in Christ and the more I understand the more I experience his closeness and the more I experience his closeness the less I want with sin. That is Christian maturity by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If one lives in sin, and there is no evidence of new spiritual birth then God said do not lie to yourself, you still walk in darkness. (1 John) For people who do not have certainty I dare say that have not trusted, or not obeyed. To be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey. Trust saved us and obedience is letting his power grow in us with certainty and confidence.
One preacher asked this question, "If being a Christian was illegal in your society would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you in court? If not, why not?" Give up your doubts, live in the confidence of your faith. Put one foot ahead of the other and apply these graces into your life.
Why do people want to be saved by the skin of their teeth? Peter is saying don't be that way. If God has saved you and gave you the power for effective living, if you have the resources of living for His glory then great is your reward. For the Christian who pursues holiness, there is an entrance in the presence of God we eagerly anticipate. It is an entrance abundantly supplied to us. This is the reward of diligently seeking to confirm our calling and election.
Have you been born again? If you have not been born again, then you do not have life in Jesus Christ, and thus you cannot expect to grow spiritually. Peter is writing to those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. I urge you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved from your sins.
Second, I must ask you who are Christians, are you really growing? That is a different question from asking how long you been a believer. For young people maturity often happens by waiting. We grow up. But for Christians, maturity does not grow automatically. Growth and maturity are not merely matters of time. They are matters of disciplined, diligent effort, of discipleship with yielding to the power of the Spirit. If you are not growing in Christian character, then you are becoming blind and forgetful and unfruitful.
Let these qualities be ours and increase so that we may be useful and fruitful, not blind or short sighted, forgetting our purification from former sins, but making certain of His calling and choosing, for as long as we practice these things we will never stumble, and in this way, our entrance into the eternal kingdom will be supplied to us.
Pastor Dale
