This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages on the book of 2 Peter. This sermon discusses verses 8-11 of the first chapter in which the Apostle Peter stresses that the lives of the readers should be thriving and growing if they take advantage of the privileges God has provided to them.
Written Excerpts:
2 Peter 1:8-11 (NKJV) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Introduction:
How
would you describe your life?
Are
you barely getting through each day, feeling like you’ve been stretched to the
limits? Do you feel like each day is a chore? Or,
do you feel like your life is full of excitement and blessings? Is your life a
series of mornings filled with anticipation for what the day will bring?
As
you think of these questions, you might decide rather quickly that it really is
a combination of both extremes and everything in between.
How
about if I ask you to only apply the questions to your life of faith and your
relationship with Christ? I
suppose that most of us, if we would answer honestly, would also admit that we
have great days and then we have other days that are not so great spiritually.
In
the Scripture lesson we plan to explore today I think we will find that God’s
desires for us to thrive and flourish in our journey of faith. I
don’t think it’s really God’s plan for us spiritually to barely drag ourselves
through each day and feel depressed and defeated the majority of the time. I
think the Word of God presents a picture of hope and victory and joy for the
child of God that is living obediently by His grace.
The
two passages that were read earlier were chosen because they each present the
message of flourishing and thriving.
The
first one (2 Cor. 9) speaks of abounding and flourishing in our financial
support of God’s work. The second passage (Eph. 3) is talking about abounding
in the love and knowledge God.
Key
phrase in Eph. “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask
or think…”
Jesus
stated in John 10:10 that He has come so that we might have life and have it
more abundantly.
As
we continue our study in the book of 2 Peter, we find the same theme emphasized
in the passage we want to consider today.
As
we examine the passage before us today, we want to talk about the abundant life
that God has for us now and the abundant entrance into eternal life.
I.
Abundant life now. (8-10)
v. 8 “If these things be in you and abound”
“These things” – the list of qualities described in vv. 5-7.
“be in you” – a present participle meaning "in your possession" (denotes continuous action)
“abound” – another present participle that means, "increasing." (continuous action) Commentator named, Lenski says, "They don’t develop in a day! "
“make you” – a verb in present tense also denoting continuous action.
“Not
barren or unfruitful” – not idle or dead (i.e. productive) and not
unfruitful (i.e. without evidence of life)
The
word for “barren” is the same word James used in 2:20, “faith without works is
dead.” Becoming
barren and unfruitful resembles the parable of the sower and the seed that fell
among thorns which choked out the wheat and caused it to die.
We might be able to restate this verse it could sound like this, If these qualities are currently,
actively in your possession and continually increasing in measure, they will
continually result in you being alive, productive and fruitful in the knowledge
of Jesus.
This
level of knowledge is a direct rebuke to those false teachers who claimed to
have superior knowledge, but were not teaching the truth.
v. 9 “he who lacks these things”
“these things” – same list referred to in v. 8, and also referred to
in v. 10.
How
important is it for us to pursue the qualities in verses 5-7 to continually grow
in spiritual maturity? Well,
if we lack them…
“Blind
and cannot see afar off” – i.e. blind and near-sighted.
One
view is: (Tyndale) Some say it means, Blind
to heavenly realities and only able to see earthly realities.
Or,
“cannot see…” One writer says it means to "willfully blink/shut the eyes." (Tyndale)
The
blindness is spiritual because the result is spiritual amnesia.
“have forgotten…” – (Lenski) lit. “received forgetfulness” i.e. allowed someone to give him amnesia.
In
other words, gave in to the convincing arguments of others to the extent that
he has forgotten his deliverance from sin. “It doesn’t matter how you live…”
To
say that a person has forgotten he has been cleansed from his sins probably means
that he has returned to his former sinful behavior. But
this is not the condition God desires or is pleased with. Look back again to v.
8 – God wants us to be productive and fruitful in our daily spiritual walk by
showing our obedience to His Word. He
wants us to thrive in our Christian walk of faith. He wants us to be victorious
over sin.
v. 10
“diligent” – repeated emphasis on intentional effort; a sense of
urgency; not lazy, but with laser focus.
It
is amazing the kinds of things that people diligently study and memorize, but
they claim it isn’t possible to memorize scripture or study the Bible. I’ve
known people that can give the stats for an unbelievable number of athletes or
sports teams, but they can’t memorize the Ten Commandments, John 3:16 or other
passages of Scripture. For
other people, it’s not sports that has their mind full of stats, figures and
information. It is some other subject that has captured their interest and avid
attention.
Be
“diligent” to do what?
“Make calling and election sure” – lit. “keep making sure for yourself your calling
and election.” That is, confirm it and secure it.
God
does the calling and the electing, but in His infinite foreknowledge, He elects
those who willfully choose to respond/ obey. It is not a decree made in
eternity past that is irresistible, but a calling and choosing of those who willfully
respond by choosing to repent, believe, and obey.
“If you do these things” – lit. “keep on practicing.” It is referring back
again to the list of virtues and graces listed in vv. 5-7.
“never fall” – “stumble;” The structure and tense of verb stresses
a possible permanent fall.
Again,
here is verse 10, the emphasis is on diligence and intentional effort to keep living
an abundant life that God desires for each one of us.
II. Abundant
life forever. (11)
Peter
continues to explain that abundant life now is not the only thing God plans for
us. He wants us to have an abundant life in the next life as well.
“Abundant entrance into everlasting
kingdom” (KJV, entrance shall be
ministered to you abundantly)
The
entrance is not speaking about the doorway or gate, but the act of entering. i.e.
when you make the entrance it will not be just barely dragging across the
“finish line,” but it will be an abundant entrance because of the grace God has
provided.
“ministered” – supplied (NKJV). It is the same word that was used
in verse 5, “add” to your faith. We told you before that the background of the
word comes from those rich benefactors who would pay all the expenses to supply
the needs of Greek drama teams.
Peter
seems to be indicating that God’s grace will provide everything needed for us
to abundantly/richly enter the kingdom, rather than just barely dragging in.
Conclusion:
I
have been trying to describe for you from the words of Peter that God has made
every provision necessary for us to live an abundant life in this world and to
experience an abundant entrance into the eternal life in the kingdom of our
Lord Jesus Christ. But,
even though He has made all the provisions, He leaves the choice to us whether
we will exert the intentional effort and due diligence to confirm our calling
by responding with obedience and learning.
All
of the qualities we’ve already talked about in verses 5-7 are necessary for the
mature development of our spiritual life of faith. God
will provide the grace, but we must provide the person and the willful choice
to pursue His knowledge.
No comments:
Post a Comment