Participants In The Divine Nature

Hello. It is my privilege to be here, stepping in for Pastor Mike. He reached out to me yesterday and asked me to preach today because he is ill and part of his family are all, we want to be praying for The Maze. Lee's and I know that your other families in our church who are suffering with illness right now. So before you jump into the message, will you just pray with me for them and will let them to the Lord for healing and and just trust that that the Lord will care for them during their time in need, let's pray. Father, we do. We pray for the measly, we pray for all those in our church family who. Right? Now we're just seems like this is a very difficult time for many who are suffering with different things. Different things that are going on with her health and so where we going to lift them to you. And we want to leave them with you, trusting, that you are the one who can truly and fully care for them. And Lord we thank you that we can come before you and and always know that you will continue to be faithful to us in our time of need. Especially and we thank you and pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.

But for the last several months, we've been spending time in the book of Acts. Focusing on three main themes, Mission method and means right. The mission is that we are to be making disciples and teaching them to obey all that. The Lord commanded the mess. It is worked out as the church joints together in corporate prayer and proclaim. The gospel to a lost world in need of Christ. And the Holy Spirit is the means by which the church is empowered to carry out the mission. These are all things that we've been learning during our time in the book of Acts. And throughout her time, in Acts, we have recognized trustworthy Servants of the Lord joining God in his mission. They were LED and empowered by the Holy Spirit as they participated in the divine nature.

First we saw Peter addressing the crowd on the day of Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, he boldly proclaim the gospel, and some 3,000 people were saved that day. Peter participated in the divine nature and was used as God's instrument. To fulfill that mission and were challenged by his faith and response to persecution. He followed Christ example and showing Grace speaking, the truth and forgiving those who opposed him. Steven truly participated in the divine nature and remained, faithful to the mission right up until the time of his death.

And then last week, we looked at Philip who is often called Philip the evangelist And again, we saw Philip participating in the divine nature as he proclaimed. The good news of Jesus Christ and Samaria, despite facing great persecution against the church,

Why believe it will be helpful for us to spend some time today growing in her understanding of what it means to be participants in the divine nature. Knowing this will keep us from being passive, Spectators in our walk with the Lord, and in turn will better equip us to remain on Mission. Let's begin, our passage study with a brief background of Peter's, second letter. Peter wrote this letter to the early church, to call Christians to spiritual growth in order to combat heresy. Did he knew that it was crucial that? These Christians truly know Christ. And the effects of his finished work on the cross so that they would recognize counterfeit Gospels.

Peter's, audience, consisted of both Jew and Gentile believers who were being influenced by Faust teaching known as gnosticism. Now, the gnostics taught that everything of physical matter was evil and the spirit was good. They believe life exists in the spirit realm only making sin meaningless. Therefore, their lives were spent gratifying their sinful desires. Gnostics. Also claimed to possess a higher knowledge, not found in the Bible that was available only to a select few.

Those who believed this, they possess this hired knowledge. They felt we're puffed-up prideful and arrogant. They look down on others and thought highly of themselves. The gnostics view of knowledge will be important for us to keep in mind as we work through this passage together. See knowledge of Christ is actually a dominant scene found here. It's a computer. Why did Peter place so much emphasis on knowledge? Oh My Hope Is that as we study this passage together, we will better understand what this knowledge is why it's important and also be able to grow in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, please follow along, as I read 2nd, Peter beginning and verse 1.

Simon Peter a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, have received a faith as precious as ours Grace and peace. Be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus. Our lord, his divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life, through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these. He has given us his very great and precious promises. So that through them, you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness and to goodness knowledge and knowledge self-control, and the self-control perseverance and the perseverance godliness and the Gallina spiritual affection and mutual affection Love. For if you possess these qualities and increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind for getting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore my brothers and sisters, make every effort to conform or confirm, your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. And you will receive a rich welcome into the Eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The here and Peter's opening remarks. He introduces himself as a servant and Apostle of Christ. This right here, reveals Peter servitude as one, it was completely subject to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

While identifying also, he was identifying himself as an apostle of Christ and this insured credibility with his audience. Peter that makes his address to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, have received the faith as precious as ours. See, this letter was written to believers. And Peter wants us to know that our faith was made possible on the basis of the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus, Paid It All. And we too are Servants of the most high. Worshipping and giving thanks to him as beneficiaries of a precious faith.

We have Christ in us and we are clothed in his righteousness, his divine nature indwells, believers. And we have the opportunity to participate in the divine nature. So, how do we experience this divine nature? Computer goes on to tell us here in verse 2. Grace and peace. Be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our lord. This is more than a mere greeting. Peter's, revealing a profound spiritual reality in this verse Grace and peace are abundantly available through the knowledge of Jesus. Our lord. Does this mean that everyone who knows about? Jesus Christ, will experience Grace and peace abundantly in their lives? Know. I know there are many people in this world who have a working knowledge of the person and work of Jesus Christ. But have no Grace and peace because they do not believe he is who he says he is.

And you want to know something that is more sad than that. There are many Believers in the Lord Jesus who struggle to experience God's abundant grace and peace.

And I'm one of them. There are times when I struggle to experience God's grace and peace. Is there are so many things that are competing for my time and attention or so many things that the enemy is using to distract me. And pull me away from God's promises.

How can this be a Grace and peace are abundantly available for our knowledge of Jesus? Our lord.

To answer that question. I believe we must first understand what this knowledge is the Peters referring to Here In this passage. So knowledge. It's the Epic enosis here in the Greek. As used in 2nd Peter verses 23 and 8 has the sense of having a full knowledge through an intimate and personal relationship. And this knowledge is acquired through interpersonal, experience time, spent together at the deepest level with Jesus.

Peter's usage of this knowledge in vs238 is always in reference to Jesus.

and the Apostle Paul spoke of this knowledge during the first prayer to the Ephesians I keep asking that the god of our Lord, Jesus Christ, The Glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation so that you may know him better.

Grace, and peace is hours in abundance through. This knowledge of our Lord Jesus. when we have this kind of knowledge of and fellowship with Jesus, as our personal Lord and Savior, we have all that there is to have

As you experience, the Lord presents his grace and peace a pound. Because he himself is our peace.

Peter also uses the word knowledge in the sense of an intellectual Pursuit later in our passage in this shorter form, kenosis is found in Verses 5 and 6 of our Passage So in response to the false teaching of gnosticism, Peter wanted his audience to recognize that full knowledge was available to everyone, not just the select few who thought they had this amazing ability but no full knowledge was available to everyone who had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He wanted them to know the difference between knowing about someone intellectually, And knowing someone intimately through personal experience.

And this intellectual knowledge is not bad, right? It's cognitive in fact, it's necessary and if it wasn't Peter, would not have mentioned it twice here in this passage. Peter is saying, however, that it is necessary that we move beyond the intellectually knowing about Christ and pursue an intimate love relationship with him.

So that we may know him more fully and live in the grace and peace. That is abundantly hours.

We have it. If you're a Believer, you have it, it's there.

Now that we understand the importance of these two forms of knowledge. The question arises, how do we grow in such knowledge? Let's keep reading in verse 3. His divine power has given us everything, we need for a Godly life, through our knowledge of him who called us by his own, glory and goodness. His divine power, working through the spirit of God, the word of God, and the people of God, gives us everything we need for a Godly life through our intimate, personal relationship that knowledge. Jesus, our war.

Therefore, we keep on growing in our knowledge of Christ, as we continually engage with the divine power, he has given us, which is his Spirit, his word and his people. We experience God in real and personal ways through an intimate relationship with him. As the Holy Spirit Works in us and through us. Massaging the truth of God's word into our hearts.

Computer goes on in first for, he says through these, he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them, you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. So we are told that it is through Christ, glory and goodness. That we have been given his very great and precious promises. We are the Lord's. What? I'm sorry. What are the Lord's precious promises to us? How long do you have? well, you're just a few I will send you the Holy Spirit, I will never leave you or forsake. You. I will be with you always to the very end of the age. I will give you rest. I will keep you. I will love you and I will come again. And see you again.

It is through promises like these that Jesus has enabled us to participate in his divine nature. The question we must ask ourselves is this. Am I participated in the divine nature or am I participating in the corruption of the world caused by evil desires?

the Apostle Paul addresses this matter in Colossians 3 beginning in verse 1, Paul says, since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated, at the right hand of God, set your mind on things above, not on Earthly things for you died, and your life, is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears? Then you also will appear with him and Glory put to death, therefore whatever belongs to your Earthly nature, sexual immorality and Purity, lust, evil desires and greed which is idolatry because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life he wants lived, but now you must also read your cells of all such things. As these anger, rage malice slander and filthy language from your lips do not lie to each other. Since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. Christ followers are being renewed in the knowledge of Jesus Through personal relational fellowship with Jesus. And we are being remade into His Image as a result of this knowledge. The question that we must ask ourselves is a my joining the Lord in his work, to renew my mind and change my heart, so that I may be made more like the Lord Jesus. Am I joining him in that work?

Another question might be, how is my fellowship with the Lord? Am I choosing to spend time with him in prayer in the scriptures in fellowship with other believers? You know, in a Biblical community

Do I come into the presence of God and his people with a humble Spirit, a spirit that is teachable. Desiring to grow. How are we doing?

I'm Moving On In this passage, Peter says 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 the perseverance godliness and to Godliness Mutual affection and to Mutual affection Love.

For if you possess these qualities and increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As I mentioned before the knowledge referred to here in verses 5 and 6. Achieved through and achieved through an intellectual Pursuit. Whereas the knowledge, Peter chose to use in verse 8, directly relates to an intimate personal relationship with Jesus that produces experiential knowledge.

The traits that we are to add to our faith. Our goodness knowledge self-control perseverance, godliness, affection, and love. Now noticed this Noticed the book ends our faith and love.

Faith and love. See this list includes the ingredients needed for face to express itself out in love.

There is a very real expectation that our knowledge of Christ be lived out, functionally by loving God. And loving others.

Again, ask yourself a my possessing these qualities and increasing measure, you know, take a look back over the past, decade, trying to track it from. Yesterday would be discouraged. Take ten years. If you've been saved that long and look over that pain your period of time. And really take a, take a pulse on that. See where you're at. Are you growing in these things? Am I effectively growing in knowing the Lord? Jesus Christ. Deeply.

And does My Life review evidence of Faith expressing itself out through love.

See, this is how we participate in the divine nature. These attributes equip us to live out the mission.

Here goes on to say in verse 9 but whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Believers who do not possess said qualities are spiritually blind to what God has done to give them a new life in Christ. They've forgotten who they are in Christ and display, no evidence of Faith expressing itself. Through love James puts it this way. He said anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says. Is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

We are Saints. We are holy and righteous. We are set apart for God's kingdom purposes. That's who we are.

Therefore my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things you will never stumble. And you will receive a rich welcome into the Eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We know that God is the one who calls and Alec's. So the Believers calling an election or eternally secure, So why the command confirm our calling and election?

God wants us to have Assurance of our salvation. And the best way to do that is to know Jesus, intimately, in such a way that your faith expresses itself out in love.

Believers who diligently grow in their knowledge of love for and obedience to the Lord. Jesus Christ have a very bright future to look forward to They will receive a rich welcome into the Lord's Eternal Kingdom.

Unlike some as Paul explains in 1st Corinthians. He says, by the grace, God has given me. I laid a foundation, as a wise Builder and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Has anyone built on this Foundation? Using gold, silver costly Stones would hair straw, their work will be shown for what it is because the day will bring it to light, it will be revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the Builder will receive reward. If it is burned up, the Builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved, even though as one escaping through the flames,

But those of us who continue to add to our faith. Goodness knowledge, self-control perseverance godliness, Mutual affection and love Do beautifully participate in the divine nature, keeping the mission in front of us. The words. Well done, good. And faithful servant await us.

Jesus is divine power, divine nature and divine presence has given us everything that we need for life and godliness. He did it all.

Jesus made this all possible.

This passage causes us to reflect, doesn't it?

Causes us to reflect in and maybe take a pulse on our spiritual life. it begs questions, like Am I in a committed relationship with Christ? The lord. How does knowing Jesus functionally, make a difference in my life. Do I know an experience the Lord's divine power regularly? Am I participated in the divine nature? Do I experience Jesus divine present, in ways? That abundantly fill my heart and mind with Grace and peace?

It's my time and attention spent being on Mission.

Will you join him in the mission to seek and save the Lost?

Will you join him in the mission to make disciples and raise them up to be committed Christ followers?

Will you join him in the mission? To change your heart and renew your mind into the likeness of his son Jesus? Do an intimate and experiential relationship? Will you join him and allow extraordinary things to happen through an ordinary person? Just like we saw in the apostles lives in Acts, Will you join him? Let's pray.

Father. I do, before you now. Father on behalf of all of us. I know a message like this can be dangerous to try to teach on because the last thing I want is for us to leave here today, feeling like we have to do all these things. We just have to somehow be better Christians. And that is not at all. The message today, the message today, Lord, I pray we all lie with his that. You did it all you made the way for all this to even be possible. and that, as A beloved. Son and daughter of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit who into Wells us. and therefore, as we continue to be filled with the spirit, As we yield to the spirit as we as we follow. You. That. We again, are able to participate in the divine nature. Not, because we're doing all the right things in and of herself, but Lord, because you have given your divine power and we have it and it we are choosing to use it and live out of that. So father, I pray help each one of us to really to meet with you this week that we would seek you really try to to feel out where we are in our relationship with you.

And Lord. We we do ask that you would continue to draw us, closer to yourself. Help us to to walk in ways that bring you praise honor and Glory. That we would be a people who continue to be on Mission.

Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you that you've given us again everything that we need for life and godliness. To our knowledge of you. And I pray that you would continue to allow this body to build one. Another up in love. So that we can continue to be an encouragement to one another, and that we can reach out and be used by you.

Used as your instruments. To help bring people into a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that they too would have a relationship with you. once again, father, we thank you so much for Just giving this all to us, help us to really, really think on these things that our hearts would be full of praise.

And that there's no possible way that we can ever do enough or be enough. To be good enough. Nothing. But that's why we needed a savior. That's why Jesus did what he did. And that's who he is. And therefore, that's who we are. We are clothed in his righteousness.

Father, help us. We need you, and I ask all this in Jesus name, amen.

Let's stand and we will sing as we prepare for communion.

Salvation belongs to our God.

Reason Glory, Wednesday.

Andre, the redeemed shall be strong.

Glory wisdom and Fang.

You are.

You can be seated, please.

At this time, we're going to prepare for communion what I would like you to do. Is once you receive the elements, just spend some time with the Lord, really seek him. If there's something that you need to get right with the Lord with Now's the Time to do it. If there's unconfessed sin, Now's the Time to do it confess that to him. And most of all come before him with a thankful heart, heart of Praise remembering, all that he has done for you. At this time, we're going to pass out the elements.

I know some of you only gotten the elements, just maybe a minute ago. Let's just take one more minute and meet with the Lord. and, Make this a time of great. Thanks to him, a remembrance of him. Let's do this together.

Jesus. There are no words that can fully Express. The banks that we have for you.

There's not a single one of us who can fully comprehend. The depths of what you've gone through in order to bring us to yourself in order to pay the price for our sins.

And word. Now, we want to remember you.

You want to remember you and very personal Waze.

We want this to be a time that each one of us is meeting with you. And you're in that deep relationship. That we talked about earlier.

So Lord, I pray. Good. Now, you would be magnified that you would be remembered in ways that that honor you

We are a people who will always always remember.

Great admiration and appreciation.

For you. Oh Lord.

And the Lord Jesus on the night. He was betrayed. He took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it. And said, this is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

in the same way after supper, he took the cup saying This cup is the New Covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me.

Father, we know we know that whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, That we proclaim the Lord's death.

And we greatly anticipate his coming again.

Thank you for that hope. Thank you for your promises. Thank you for all that you had to do to fulfill. Many of those promises. And there's still some to come. We thank you so much again where we pour out our hearts unto you. In love. I love you. For you. We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.