Maturing in Christ

Subject: Maturing in Christ

Verse: 2 Peter 1:4-8

Please stand for the reading of God’s word. Turn to 2 Peter chapter 1, we will be reading verses 4-8, that is 2 Peter 1:4-8

1. Falling Short of following Christ

1. We are living in an instant gratification culture.

2. Our walk with God is a slow cooker

3. Follow the recepie so we don’t hear Matthew 7:23, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

This is about Jesus being Lord

Let’s Read, say Amen if you are there: 2 Peter 1:4-8

2 Peter 1:4–8 NASB95

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Opening prayer:

2. We must have saving faith

1. Some thoughts that relate the attention-getter to the main idea of the message.

Must have saving faith John 5:24 “He who hears My word, and believe Him who sent Me, has eternal life.”

Romans 5:1 , “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Galatians 3:6, “Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Philippians 3:9 , “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”

2. Illustration of saving faith

3. Summary of Saving Fatih

This is unwavering belief in what God says

3. Adding moral excelence

1. Introduce your point and explain what the Bible text says regarding that point.

2. Use an illustration to further clarify it.

3. Provide an application-—“Here’s how this idea relates to our lives.”

4. From there we add Knowledge

1. Explanation

2. Illustration

3. Application

5. Much needed self control

1. Explanation

2. Illustration

3. Application

6. We can’t walk with God without Perserverance!

1. Explanation

2. Illustration

3. Application

7. We are to draw closer to God, and become more Christ like

1. Summarize what you’ve taught.

2. Present a call to action—what should your congregation do, now that they’ve learned these truths from God’s Word?

8. Pray