Standing on the Promises

Standing On The Promises

2 Peter 1:1-11

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:4

Before we come to our Scripture reading for today, let us come to the throne of grace in prayer. “God of all grace and truth, help us to experience a deeper knowledge of Your great love for us. Help us come into a greater knowledge of Your great grace and peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen”

2 Peter 1:1-11

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: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 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.[i]

Grace and peace be yours in abundance!

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: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Peter writes this letter around 67 A.D. to warn the early Christians about false teachers and to encourage them to grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus. Do you want to grow in your faith and knowledge of Jesus?

It is interesting that Simon Peter uses both of his names when opening this letter. He uses the name his father gave him and he uses the name that Jesus gave him. Peter was known as “Simon son of John” when Jesus found him casting nets on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. After Peter confessed Christ as the Messiah, Jesus gave Simon, son of John, a new name. Jesus called him Peter, Cephas, the rock. Jesus then declared that He will build His church through Peter. We all know the rest of the story, how Peter denied knowing Jesus--not once but three times--during Jesus’ trial before Pilate. After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus found Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee once again. After a hearty catch of fish and an early morning breakfast, Jesus redeems His friend, Peter. Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Each time Peter says, “Jesus, you know I love you.” Jesus then restored Peter, the rock, and used Peter to build His church. Peter now calls himself a slave (doulos) of Jesus Christ. To be a slave in those days meant that the slave was the property of the master and was at the disposal and service of the master.

So What? An early “so what” that we can take home from these first few verses is that no matter how far we have gone, despite what you have done, God’s grace goes farther than our sin and redeems us from our past. A second “so what” is that grace and peace can, and will, abound to us when know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Peter is a great example for us of God’s redeeming love: A man who denied Christ three times in one night is restored into friendship and Christ begins to builds the Church upon this ROCK of a man.

Fast forward to 2019: We are living in dangerous and confusing times. The world has gone haywire. Are you looking for grace and peace in your life? Then this series is for you!

Divine Power Through Knowledge of Jesus!

How often have we had doubts and fears? How often have we felt like we could not possibly accomplish anything of importance?

Our good friend Peter tells us --- His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness 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 and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Notice what Peter is trying to teach the early church: We have been given divine power! We have been given everything we need in order to live our life with godliness. How do we get this divine life and godliness? We get it through knowledge of Christ; through Christ’s glory and goodness. I don’t know about you but that is GOOD NEWS for me.

The word Paul uses for knowledge is (epignōsis) and is translated “to increase in knowledge or have the full knowledge”. In the New Testament, knowledge is characteristically considered personal knowledge. In 2 Timothy 1:12 Paul does not say, “I know what I have believed,” he says, “I know whom I have believed.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

Do you know whom you have believed? Peter teaches us that if we know Jesus, we will have grace and peace. If we know Jesus, we will have everything we need for life and godliness. Not because of anything of our own that we possess but because of Christ’s glory and goodness.

God has grasped us with His love through Jesus and this knowledge is what will give us everything we need to live a life of godliness. We will be filled with grace and peace. I find great comfort knowing that Christ’s glory and goodness is what gives me a godly life!

STANDING ON THE PROMISES

Dr. Judson labored diligently for six years in Burma before he baptized one convert. At the end of three years, he was asked what evidence he had of ultimate success. He replied, “As much as there is a God who will fulfill all His promises.” Dr. Judson knew his success did not rest in himself. His success rested in God. The result? “A hundred churches and thousands of converts answered his faith.[ii]

An elderly Christian was in much distress as he lay dying. “Oh, Pastor,” he said, “for years I have relied upon the promises of God, but now in the hour of death I can’t remember a single one to comfort me.” Knowing that Satan was disturbing him, the preacher said, “My brother, do you think that GOD will forget any of His promises?” A smile came over the face of the dying believer as he exclaimed joyfully. “No, no! He won’t! Praise the Lord, now I can fall asleep in Jesus and trust Him to remember them all and bring me safely to Heaven.” Peace flooded his soul, and a short time later he was ushered by the angels into the light of God’s eternal day.[iii]

Walter Baxendale, a very good friend to D.L. Moody, shared a story one about the promises of God. “Turning over a volume of valuable autographs, I came across the bold, manly signature of my old friend of many years, Dwight L. Moody. Underneath was his favorite text, which he calls up in an emergency. The text was Isaiah 50:7–“For the Lord God will help me. Therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint; and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”[iv] Moody stood on the promises of God. He knew his help was not in himself but in God.

In Bunyan’s great allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle. Eventually he is captured by Giant Despair and kept in a dungeon. He is advised to kill himself. The Giant said there was no use trying to keep on with his journey. For the time, it seemed as if Despair had really conquered Christian. But then, Hope, Christian’s companion, reminds him of previous victories. So it came about that on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and they continued in prayer until almost morning. Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half-amazed, broke out in passionate speech, “What a fool am I thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well be at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.” Then said Hopeful, “That’s good news. Good Brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.” And the prison gates flew open.[v] Christian stood on the promises of God.

So What? I want to show you just a few of the promises of God that we can stand on:

The author and composer, Russell Kelso Carter, was an unusually talented and versatile person. At various times in his 79-year lifetime he was an athlete, an active Methodist minister, a sheep rancher, a professor and publisher of various textbooks, and in his later years a practicing physician in Baltimore. In addition to “Standing on the Promises,” Carter wrote a number of other hymn texts and tunes as well as assisting in compiling the 1891 hymnal Hymns for the Christian Life for the Christian Missionary Alliance denomination. Mr. Carter’s fruitful life reflects the truth of this hymn—that only as we stand on God’s promises are we enabled to live with purpose for God’s glory.

Standing on the promises of Christ my King, thru eternal ages let His praises ring; glory in the highest I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord, overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword, standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me; standing in the liberty where Christ makes free, standing on the promises of God,

Standing on the promises I cannot fall, list’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call, resting in my Savior as my all in all, standing on the promises of God.

Chorus: Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior. Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.[vi]

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Proverbs 1:33

But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Romans 10:9

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 4:19

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

2 Peter 1:4

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

Over eight years ago, The Seed Christian Fellowship was formed by a ragtag group of 15. We had all been to church for years. We all knew Christ. We had all experienced how churches get lost “in their rule books.” We wanted a church that followed Jesus and the Word of God alone. As we sat down together, we prayed and talked about the mission statement of The Seed. It was like a wrestling match! (Which made me really happy!) Every time we have and Annual Meeting it’s a good thing for us to revisit our mission statement. KNOW GOD’S LOVE. GROW IN CHRIST’S GRACE. GO IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. SOW SEEDS OF FAITH IN YOUR WORLD.

That’s our prayer. Let’s pray:

God Almighty, ruler of the universe, we pray together. May we know Your love in our hearts and in our lives. Help us to grow daily in Your great grace. Help us go into our homes and work places with the power found in You and help us to sow Your seeds of faith in our homes and in our world.

The Seed Christian Fellowship

Rancho Cucamonga, California 91701

www.theseedchristianfellowship.com

February 10, 2019

Pastor Dave Peters

[i] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (2 Pe 1). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[ii] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 508). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

[iii] Ibid

[iv] Ibid

[v] Ibid

[vi] [vi] Osbeck, K. W. (1996). Amazing grace: 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions (p. 85). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.