The Closer I Get to You!

Introduction

What element is lacking so that with all our skill and all our knowledge we still find ourselves in the dark valley of discord and enmity? What is it that inhibits us from going forward together to enjoy the fruits of human endeavor and to reap the harvest of human experience? Why is it that, for all our professed ideals, our hopes, and our skills, peace on earth is still a distant objective seen only dimly through the storms and turmoil’s of our present difficulties?”[1]

Do we really know God? Do we understand His purpose? Do we understand His divine nature, and his power? There are a number of times we hear this phrase that I want to get closer to God, I want to study my bible more, I need to get my life right with God. We want peace, we seek joy and happiness but no matter how many things you check off your bucket list, you will never find true joy, true peace, experience true grace and mercy unless you get to know God.

Background on the Book of Peter

Peter begins this text with acknowledging the fact that albeit we have ancestral examples in the faith it’s a different struggle when we can’t sit on the couch and get sage advice from our elders. It is difficult to defend the faith when the mentors of your support system are no longer available for in person conversation. Understand the dynamic of the church in this moment, that first generation of believers is dying and Peter is writing this letter as an encouragement to take up the mantel of progress that church may continue to expand!

The Power

God has the power to do several things. I am thankful for the fact that grace and peace are including in His ability accordingly to His righteousness. The obtaining of faith through the righteousness of God is the reason why grace and peace can be multiplied unto us.

· In this text “righteousness” means fairness and justice. The idea promotes the fact that God’s grace and peace is available for every human being walking this earth.

· This happens at the expense of being close to the Lord.

· The closeness happens at the expense of gaining knowledge of Him and His word.

o It is two-fold, we have grace and peace. We also have a true understanding of his divine nature.

o The beauty of God is the fact that his power transcends time! Peace in a turbulent now to be thankful looking back and sustained with joy because we know who holds tomorrow!

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 pertainto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue[2]

Knowledge

Knowledge and peace go hand in hand. The issue is often times what we know doesn’t always match our level of faith. It’s no good to know something but not know it well enough to apply it. Understand that God is resourceful and gives in abundance so that everything we need that pertains to life and godliness we have through knowledge of the God who has called us.

· It’s important to understand the manner in which we have been called by glory and virtue. God is due the glory and God does things with a quality of excellence attached to it. God is not going to call us to do or to be in anything raggedy! We end up in raggedy situations on our own.

· Knowledge is the key to faith, and faith is the access to grace and peace regardless of the situation. I rejoice because His present power has a future benefit!

· This is why God could inspire words like Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete ituntil the day of Jesus Christ[3]”

· As knowledge grows, grace and peace should grow as well. The knowledge of who God truly is helps us understand that there is no situation that is out of the reach of the grace and peace of God.

The imperative part is as much as we are called to do the things necessary for a Godly life, it is imperative that we understand the call to engage is so that we grow. God did not save us from sin and a dark place for us not to mature and become better!

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which areby Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.[4](Philippians 1:9-11)

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.[5]

See the tense of this text, God “CALLED”, it is a testament to His omnipresence. This is something that God has already done, the reason people are lost is because they have not responded yet. God knows we need Him, Jesus knows we need grace and mercy, the closer we grow to God the more we will understand that he has called us to be stewards of what He has called us to according to his divine nature.

Divine: What Does It Mean

God is divine, we understand based on Colossians 2:9 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.[6]

His nature is infallible, his power is immeasurable, His love is intentional! Through these promises, through faith, through obedience based on the righteousness of God we are partakers in his divine nature.

For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent[7]Acts 17:29

The source of strength that enables the believer to move in this direction is His divine power. These words describe the work of God’s Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. He provides the believer with gifts and the ability to use those gifts. God’s design is that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the believer is assisted in living a godly life.1

Not only does God have divine power but He has divine promises! Protect your faith at all cost, our faith is precious, sometimes it is the only thing we have, but the most powerful thing we have in most moments. God’s ability to come in the form of Jesus and His ability to die for us is something that we should hold sacred, there is nothing more excellent that can be done for mankind!

“He died that we might be forgiven, … This gives us PARDON for the past He died to make us good; … This gives us POWER for the present That we might go at last to Heaven, …This gives us PROSPECT for the future Saved by His precious blood.”

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay herein fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.[8]

There is power in his promises. We are never without help. But understand that this is warfare, and in battle Greek soldiers always went into battle in pairs. If we want to win the battle we have to pair up with Jesus, and the warriors would cover each other’s blindside. Your battle partner was called your paraclete and/or helpful.

· We are never alone; his presence is always there.

We do not have to worry because the power of God never changes and never goes away. It controls life and death. Move closer to God and further away from sinful culture. We never will be immune to sin but we can live a life that moves further away from sinful culture by spending time with God and his people. As a result of avoiding sin and its culture you conquer evil desires and evil people.

Our faith is precious because of how we gained faith. It is precious because how we gain salvation. Jesus devoted his life to his mission which in turn provides us with grace, mercy, and righteousness. If Jesus had not died on the cross our faith would be in vain.

14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.[9]

Faith is substantial! We assume to see it in action but to God our faith our prayers are according to Revelation 5:8 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.[10]

Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen! His power is so great that He sees our faith and provides us with clarity when we do not know what is around the proverbial corner of life. God has given you everything!

No matter what you are going through God has given you what you need to conquer it! No matter what you are dealing with God has given you everything you need to deal with it! No matter what you feel like this morning, God has the ability to conquer those feelings and help you find grace and peace in your situation!

You’ve received Your invitation

Turning your back on evil is the first step to resisting the enemy. It begins with a choice, the choice to serve Satan or the choice to serve as the Lord.

Baptism is the decision to adhere to the obedience of God but it doesn’t mean that you still don’t have choices to make. Sometimes we make this journey like it has to be finished in one day with one decision at one time. That’s not what God is saying it’s a continuous decision. Everyday I wake up I make a choice! Everyday my eyes open I decide who I am going to serve.

I like the message version of the latter verses in this text:

“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.”

You’ve been invited, you’ve gotten dressed up, now it’s time to show up! Will you show up for God, will you turn your back to corruption and evil! That’s the only decision God needs you to make today, just the decision to turn around. Now once you’ve turned around each step is another opportunity to keep going!

Choose this day who you will serve!

[1]Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 261). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. [2] The New King James Version. (1982). (2 Pe 1:2–3). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [3] The New King James Version. (1982). (Php 1:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [4] The New King James Version. (1982). (Php 1:9–11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [5] The New King James Version. (1982). (2 Pe 1:10–11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [6] The New King James Version. (1982). (Col 2:9–10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [7] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ac 17:28–30). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [8] The New King James Version. (1982). (1 Pe 1:17–21). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [9] The New King James Version. (1982). (1 Co 15:14). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [10] The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 5:8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.