Pursue The Abundant Life of Growth
Notes
Transcript
Intro; As we come to the last message in the Abundant Life Study, let me refresh our memory of where we have been.
We have looked at the Abundant Life as being a Yielded Life, a Life of Service, a Separated Life, and a Spirit-Filled Life.
I also pointed out that all believers have eternal life, but not all believers are living the “Abundant Life!” To live the Abundant Life is to live in the fullness of Christ, and if we are not living the abundant life, we will quickly yield to the fleshly life around us. We are living beneath our privilege if we are believers and not enjoying the abundant life in Christ that He offers to each of his children!
So it is fitting to close this study on how we a believers need to “Pursue the Abundant Life of Growth”.
Text; 2 Pet. 3:18
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Prayer
Peter wrote this letter to believers to guard themselves against false teachers who are peddling damaging doctrines inside the church. He reminds them that the Christian life demands diligence in pursuing moral excellence in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Pursue Growth in Grace; 18a
1. Pursue Growth in Grace; 18a
But Grow- command to pursue, go after, chase, hunt down diligently
Grace- unmerited favor of God
Too often christians believe “God’s Grace” begins and ends in the act of salvation in Jesus Christ. We sing “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!” and that’s the end of it. But that is far from the truth about God’s grace.
At the beginning of this letter Peter explains that God’s grace goes beyond salvation and is the very resource that enables the believer live out the life of the gospel from salvation until we are called home in Jesus.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Scripture constantly calls for christians to grow in grace
1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If you are not growing in grace, becoming more and more holy, yielding yourselves up to the influence of the gospel, you are deceiving yourselves.
Charles Grandison Finney (American Evangelist)
2. Pursue the Knowledge of Christ; 18b
2. Pursue the Knowledge of Christ; 18b
Grace is the very resource that enables Christians to pursue/grow in the knowledge of Christ!
To keep from falling prey to false teaching and the spiritual schemes of Satan, we must grow in the knowledge of Jesus in His Word!
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Many christians are stuck in the baby stage because they are satisfied with just salvation and not service. Paul speaks about these carnal christians.
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
Some believers have moved forward into the child stage of christian growth. They are growing but still drinking spiritual milk.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Thankfully some have moved into the youth stage of Christian growth
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Hopefully we will all make it to spiritual adulthood in the knowledge of Christ
Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:11 (NKJV)
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NKJV)
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Ephesians 2:7 (NKJV)
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Only the christians who pursue growth in God’s grace demonstrate that their knowledge of Christ is fruitful!
3. Purposely Glorify Christ; 18c
3. Purposely Glorify Christ; 18c
Christ is to be the focus of our glory!
Glory- praise, deserving honor, “doxology”
Doxology- a form of words that offers praise to God, especially for his work in creation and redemption
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Close;
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Are you Pursing the Abundant Life of Growth in Christ?
