WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.799 Please stand with me for the reading of the word. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:37.200 From 2 Peter, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us as precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:58.479 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and with virtue knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:08.640 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.799 The grass withers the flower face. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:22.959 But the word of our God will send forever. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:28.959 The word of our god of our currentness. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:27.199 He had this quote that I was found was really kind of clever. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:32.080 He said, People often say motivation doesn't last. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:35.199 Well, neither neither does bathing. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.919 That's why we recommend it daily. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.360 I thought that was pretty clever. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:53.120 I found out this year uh that you know the second Friday of January is, I guess, the official quitter's day of New Year's resolutions. 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:55.520 I I don't know that personally. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:56.639 I've not quit. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:58.560 Uh I was told that. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.080 But uh, you know, you think about that, and you have all this motivation, right? 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:18.240 It's the new it's the end of the year, and you're like, okay, that was that year was a wash, so let's look forward and you have this new motivation, and you get into it, and kind of like Zig says, uh, motivation doesn't necessarily last. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:21.840 Uh you have to continue to work at it daily. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:27.360 So my question to you all is what motivates you? 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:29.280 Right? 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:36.240 If we think about a motivation as a reason, a desire, or a willingness to do something, what motivates you? 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:39.599 Is it external? 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:40.960 Right? 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:42.159 Money? 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:43.280 Right? 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:44.879 Is it intrinsic? 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:45.919 Right? 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:46.719 Internal? 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:48.719 Is it for pleasure? 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:52.560 Maybe it's a fear? 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:54.560 Right? 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:58.000 Maybe it's uh a social thing. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:09.439 What Peter is doing this morning is offering up reasons and ways to strengthen our motivation to Christ. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:11.199 Right? 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:13.520 Our callings are unique. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:25.439 The calling for Claude this morning, right, was I was thinking through what to preach on that uh specifically talks to Claude, but also talks to all of us. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:26.240 Right? 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:27.600 But callings are unique. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:34.959 And in this sense, Claude has been called specifically to Kaaba Park to care and love for the members here at Kaaba Park. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:43.120 But motivations and the grand scheme are the same. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:51.839 Our motivation is to live for Christ, it's to experience Christ. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.439 It is Christ. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:05:07.680 And so this morning I want to spend us a little time of seeing what that motivation is, right, through Christ's divine power, through his promises, and through fruitfulness. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:08.639 Right? 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:11.199 So Peter starts us off in verse three. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:26.000 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:37.279 Now, we had a big tree in our yard a few years ago, and we cut it down, and we had a natural area kind of where that tree was, and we wanted to put sod down, so we need to get the tree out. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.120 Now I was a little cheap. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:45.040 Figured, well, hey, we'll just kind of dig around this tree and we'll get it out, and I won't have to pay for someone to remove it. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:51.199 Well, this tree at the base is about after we cut it, it was about 40 inches in diameter. 00:05:51.360 --> 00:06:00.480 Okay, so we get an excavator and we start digging out around this root ball that is about the size now of a Tesla. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:11.279 And the hole that we dug was about what you would expect for a 50,000-pound meteorite to have crashed into the earth. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:19.199 Okay, so we dug out a huge hole, and all that is left is this ginormous root. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:24.079 And so I was like, okay, well, this thing should just come right out. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:33.120 So, you know, when you see in those truck commercials, they're pulling stuff out of the mud, it might be like an all-terrain thing. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:36.480 Well, this is not one of those commercials, this is what they don't show you. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:42.079 You've never seen a commercial with a truck trying to pull a tree out of the ground because it doesn't work. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:51.279 So we had my GMC Sierra hooked up to it, and then we had my dad's 2500 RAM hooked up to it. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.959 All right, and we're like, let's pull it out. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:56.879 And doesn't happen. 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:58.800 Keep trying, keep trying. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.600 That tree did not even vibrate. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:12.959 There was not a millimeter of movement for two trucks pulling it as hard as they can. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:17.279 And again, it's not like it was buried, it was out, it was dug out. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.879 And I learned a lesson that day in physics, right? 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:26.240 To move an object, you need to apply a gr a force greater than the opposing forces. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:35.360 The opposing forces of that were about a 50,000-pound tree root was greater than what those two trucks could pull. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.600 It wouldn't move. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:42.000 And no matter how much of our effort would move it. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:52.560 Maybe you feel like right now you have circumstances in life that seem unmovable. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:55.279 You can't overcome them. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:59.279 You have tried and tried and tried. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.680 And they don't move, they won't budge. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.839 And if it left right there, that'd be pretty hopeless. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:20.639 But what Peter is motivating motivating us today is that in our callings, it's not on our own effort. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:24.480 It's on the power that's been granted to us. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:30.800 We have a greater power than the forces that are at war with you. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:31.680 Right? 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:36.480 The God who created and spoke into existence all things. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:42.240 The God who brought the flood, right? 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:48.720 The God who told the hurricane in the middle of the water to stop, and it stopped. 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:57.360 And a God who has the power to bring the dead back to life. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:09.919 And what's amazing about that power is that what he says is it is realized through the knowledge of him. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:13.679 Now, look, knowledge doesn't save you. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.600 We talked about that last week. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:29.440 But how remarkable is it that you know of the exceeding power of all life circumstances because of what God's word says. 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:43.200 His word testifies to God is capable of granting all of his promises in Christ and to fulfill them. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:54.480 Right, Ezekiel 37 might give us the greatest example, the knowledge of what the divine power that has been granted to us. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:58.559 Remember Ezekiel, he's staying there in this valley, it's just full of bones. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:05.840 And God tells him, I want you to speak my word over them. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:11.279 And so he starts speaking to them what God tells him to speak, and then they start coming together. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:12.960 They start growing together. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:18.240 And then all of a sudden, you had a valley of bones, is now an army of people. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:27.679 His power to take sinners dead and make them into saints. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.279 His power to grant you all things. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:45.759 All things, not the important things, not most of the things, but all things for life and godliness. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.080 He's given that to you. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:57.440 He's empowered your calling in that. 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:11.279 And so, how motivated are you knowing that it's God's power in Christ through the Holy Spirit in you, having you to live for Him? 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:37.279 He goes in and tells us we should be motivated, right, by the gratitude and the value of God's precious and great promises in verse 4, by which he has granted to us his, okay, his precious, that's important, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.759 What's your most prized possession? 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:45.919 Kids, what's your most cherished possession? 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:54.720 It's probably not, for all of us in this room, the most expensive thing. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.399 It's probably not the thing that you spent the most money on. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:07.200 A few weeks ago, our kids were watching the classic Richie Rich from '94, the Macaulay-Culkin version. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.480 Uh if you need a refresher on it, right? 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.159 They're a very wealthy family. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:19.200 Uh, one of the executives uh for their company wants to steal uh their money from them. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:28.960 So uh Richie's family has a basically a monument of them, a big uh mountain. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.120 And inside that mountain is the vault. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:32.799 And so the executive finds out about that. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.559 It's like, I can't believe you have a whole mountain. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.080 It's like the Mount Rushmore, right? 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:41.679 It's like I can't believe you have a whole mountain that has to hold all of your money and your jewels. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:49.440 Uh and so he he goes in there, he makes them walk in there, and all it is is fairly air heirlooms, right? 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.320 And he gets upset and he's like, there's just junk in here. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:57.360 And they were like, well, that it's not junk to us. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:01.919 It's our most valuable possessions because it has the most meaning. 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:12.320 Like, so when you're asking yourself about what is something that's precious to you, that is valuable, it's how much meaning is behind it? 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:19.200 Precious sometimes in the Greek can mean costly. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:28.399 Now you ask yourself, if these are his precious promises, how can someone, or God, who owns all things, right? 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.559 How can he give precious promises? 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:38.639 If you have all things, whatever you give to someone isn't that costly, right? 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.840 Because they have all things. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:45.759 But what did he do? 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:53.360 The one thing that was costly, he gave himself. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.320 What could an all-powerful God give? 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:02.559 That's costly, and give you his son. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.320 That's why it's precious. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.200 Think about this. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:19.279 Every time, and I've said this before, every time Jesus in Scripture tells someone that their sins are forgiven, right? 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:20.720 And since that's a promise. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:22.879 I promise your sins are forgiven. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.639 We hear that, it's like, that's great. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:37.200 What Jesus is saying, though, is I promise to give my life for the fulfillment of what I've just told you. 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:37.759 Right? 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:40.799 He's talking in real time to people, your sins are forgiven. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:45.440 When he knows in the future, very shortly, it's gonna cost him his life. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:52.639 Think about the preciousness of when you feel forgiven. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.559 The weight that's behind that. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:03.919 Right, and the motivation of gratitude that comes from me, like you gave up your life. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.720 And all the promises, right? 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:22.240 We could sit here all day with a whiteboard and write down all the promises the scripture talks about, and how all of them are precious because they are fulfilled by Christ's death and his resurrection. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:27.840 The promise to never leave you, to forsake you, to justify you, to glorify you. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:33.440 All of them are precious because it cost him his life for you to have them. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:39.919 I read not too long ago, Kevin Dibley's quote: God isn't calling you to make great promises to him. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:43.919 He's calling you to trust his great promises to you. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:48.559 That's really important. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:52.000 Because we all fight that. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:55.759 How can I make promises to you, Lord? 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.879 What can I do to promise you something? 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.279 He's like, that's that's not what I've called you to. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:05.519 I haven't called you to make promises to me. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:09.840 I've called you to trust in my promises to you. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:19.919 And here he goes on to say, I promise to make you for you to become partakers of the divine nature. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:27.919 I've promised you to give you my spirit that now dwells in you. 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:40.080 I've promised to give you the righteousness of my divine nature, my glory, my joy. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:45.039 Right in John 15, he's like, that my joy will be in you. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:58.720 He has shared with you his divine nature, and that's really important because then he says, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:09.759 What happens, kids, yeah, when you leave toys outside? 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:14.160 Or if you leave a tool outside, what happens? 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:21.519 It gets dirty, it might start to break down or break or corrode. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:27.039 When you leave things out in the world, corruption happens. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:38.559 But here's this promise because of the divine nature that's been given to us, the world no longer destroys us. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:44.880 We're no longer corrupted by the sinful desires. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:50.160 Here's the thing: Jesus was tempted in every way as we were, right? 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:54.319 But his temptations came externally. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.839 Our temptations come externally, but also from an internal. 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:12.240 See, Jesus was never tempted internally inside him because his joy in the Father was far superior than any temptation of pleasure that the world could offer. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:18.240 So it just was never a fair fight in Satan or the world to offer him, right? 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.839 It was the kingdoms. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.680 Hey, I'll give you everything. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.519 That still did not compare to him. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:28.240 That was not as valuable to him as his relationship in love with the Father. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:48.799 And what he's saying is I've promised you now, that you too can have an experience in a relationship and know me, going back to that knowledge, that you find God the Father, that you find Christ more beautiful, more pleasure than the other than the things of the world. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:19:02.240 And how we've been able to escape the corruption of the lies that the world keeps telling you that you need this, this is what you need for happiness, this is what you need for value, this is what you need for people's approval. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.960 We get to say that's not true. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:14.880 I have approval, I have prep, I have value, I have purpose. 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:17.119 And it's all been found in Christ. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.960 All right, now that's important. 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:27.039 Those promises are important because when you read this next section, now it starts to seem like we're getting into works-based. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:27.839 Right? 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.240 For this very reason, make every effort. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.680 That's a it starts getting scary when you read that word, right? 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:41.039 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue. 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:53.359 Now look, he's not saying this is for this very reason, now make every effort as in its faith plus works, is for salvation. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.599 That's not what he's saying. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:16.720 He's saying for this reason, for these reasons we just talked about, for all of these promises, for all the excitement and gratitude that you now feel from hearing these promises, for this very reason, supplement your faith as in a sense of a diligence to abide in Christ, to grow in his likeness. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:29.039 If what brings you the most pleasure is Christ, then you will naturally abide in him, because it is the motivation that you have for pleasure and joy and satisfaction. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.279 And so that's what he's saying. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:37.839 For this reason, for these motivations, supplement your faith in a sense of diligence of abiding in Christ. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.119 I've read this quote before by Paul Tripp. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:50.160 There's a direct connection between what kind of awe has captured your heart and the amount of ministry that occupies your life. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.799 That's what he's getting into here now. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:54.559 The awe. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:02.640 Can you look at yourself in the mirror and say, do I have awe in Christ? 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:11.519 Am I motivated by Christ so that serving him, living for him, occupies my life? 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.240 So we'll quickly kind of go through some of these. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.319 That virtue, right? 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:19.519 It's kind of that same word as excellence that he had up there in verse 3. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.680 And in one sense, it means just worthy of public recognition. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:31.680 So that's why this starts to get a little scary, because you're like, okay, so for every effort, you want me to live a life worthy of public recognition? 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:37.839 That seems more me-based, not Christ-based. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:42.079 Well, if you kind of start looking at that, all right, well, what would be worthy of public recognition? 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:45.519 What was Christ's life worthy of public recognition? 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:46.640 It was service. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:47.680 Right? 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.880 He came to serve, not be served. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:51.839 Right? 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:59.759 Romans 12 1 says, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:04.799 Holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:08.160 Now, Hebrews goes on to break that down more. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:12.799 That means it's praising God with your lips. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:17.039 And then it goes on to say it's doing good to others. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:23.119 And then it goes on to say it's sharing with others. 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:26.880 What do you have to share? 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.599 What have you experienced in Christ that's worth you praising people for? 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:35.440 That's motivating you to do good for people? 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:40.640 And what you've experienced for him that you're able to share with others. 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:44.240 That's virtue. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:46.000 Knowledge. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:52.559 John Piper said, ignorance of God, ignorance of God's word leads to ungodliness. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:15.759 For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:21.359 Here's the thing with you having an ignorance about what God's word says. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.160 You'll try to add to it. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:32.079 If you don't know it, if you don't know what Christ has done for you, now you're going to try to add to it. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:36.319 They were ignorant of the righteousness of God. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.839 And so what did they do? 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:43.359 They tried very hard to supplement that righteousness, to fill in the gaps. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:46.240 That gets real dangerous. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.720 It leads you to trying to do the things that Jesus has already done. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.960 So he's absolutely encouraging you to be like, you should be motivated. 00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:09.359 Because it's through that knowledge that you understood the divine power that has granted you all things, that you don't have to go out and keep trying to earn it and work harder and be better, which is what this list starts to look like. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:17.759 One way you know you're growing in knowledge is what are you thinking about when you have a moment? 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.079 What's occupying your thoughts? 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:29.839 Because what knowledge of what Christ has done for you, it would start to occupy your thoughts of prayers of praise. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:31.440 Right? 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.519 That was really convicting for me. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:45.839 Are my thoughts, when I have the private time and the moments, is it occupied with prayers of praise or is it occupied with things that I want? 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:53.519 A vacation, a new toy, new putter. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:00.640 And that's what made it convicting. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:09.599 Because I was realizing I'm not really pursuing with all due diligence my knowledge in the Lord because most of the time I'm occupied with things that I want. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:12.559 It's not praise and prayer and adoration. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:17.119 And that's missing out. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:22.480 He goes on with self-control, right? 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:24.319 Consider that moderation. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:27.759 But what's kind of the key behind moderation? 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:32.400 One is having clear priorities of the right desire. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:34.960 That's moderation. 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:39.279 It's what is the utmost of importance. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.440 It's not things that are good, right? 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:42.400 There's lots of things that are good. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:44.319 There's lots of things you can do that are good. 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:46.720 But what is best? 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.279 What is utmost? 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:54.640 I heard Tim Keller also say one time that self-control has nothing to do with the self. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:56.319 Right? 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.400 We try this in these New Year's resolutions. 00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.759 It becomes about the self. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:04.160 And then on the second Tuesday or the second Friday of the month, apparently, people quit doing this. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:08.559 Self-control is about serving other people. 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:13.839 If you want self-control, stop thinking about yourself. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.279 Think of other people. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:18.240 Think of how you can serve other people. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.000 What did Christ do? 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:23.519 He came to serve, not be served. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:27.279 Steadfastness. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.960 Forging an unshakable faith strengthened through the dependence on Christ. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:43.759 And the hard part about that one is forging that strength happens through trials. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:49.599 Which we spend a lot of time and energy and effort on avoiding. 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:50.720 And rightfully so. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:53.839 I'm not saying you intentionally cause trials on yourself. 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:57.759 But steadfastness, right? 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.400 An unshakable faith that's strengthened. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:02.079 I mean, think about faith, right? 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.920 Faith is like a muscle. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:07.200 Resistance to it strengthens it. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:08.480 Right? 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:10.720 Trials strengthen it. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:17.200 Difficult circumstances where you have to trust the Lord of unknowns strengthens it. 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:20.720 And that's what steadfastness is. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:25.279 He's saying, trust in me. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:28.720 I want to put you in positions where you have to trust me. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.559 Godliness. 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:33.519 Right? 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:37.920 Godliness, in a sense, is good worship. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:41.279 I think that might be the literal good worship, is it? 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:44.960 Again, we're like, we know these things. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:45.920 I know John. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:48.640 Woody's listening here, like, I'm trying to do those. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:50.799 Those were my New Year's resolutions. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.240 And I can't do them. 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:58.720 So why does he keep telling me to be like godly? 00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.839 I know I need to be godly. 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:00.319 That's the problem. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:01.119 I can't be godly. 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:02.960 Isn't that the whole point of the gospel? 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:06.880 But it's not being afraid of being told that. 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.640 It's being excited about it. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:09.200 Right? 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:12.400 It's being motivated by it because it's what brings you joy and pleasure. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.880 You're not doing it to earn that salvation. 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:16.160 Right? 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:19.119 You're not doing that to become godly. 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:24.000 You're doing that because it's a reflection that you are godly, because you're in Christ. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:29.599 He's just helping you realize the reality of who you are and what he's done for you. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:35.039 Because when you miss these things, then you're not going to have any motivation or gratitude in what he's done for you. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:39.839 Brotherly affection, treating others like family members. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:42.000 Right? 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:43.519 Being hospitable. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:45.759 Being intentional. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:47.839 Sharing resources. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:53.839 We're good about doing that with the people we like, right? 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:57.200 But what about brotherly affection? 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:57.759 Right? 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.920 We don't always like, we don't get a choice, our family members. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:01.440 Sometimes we don't only like them. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:04.880 But you're bonded with them. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:13.599 And there are still those moments where I can be hospitable to you, I can share with you, I can support you. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:16.240 Because guess what? 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:20.240 We're not all very lovable people at times. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:27.039 And Christ loved us, and he shared with us, and he was intentional with us. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:31.200 So Peter's asking us to do the same. 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.400 Love. 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.839 Choosing others. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.519 Love is a choice. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:44.640 Love is serving people with a joyful heart that comes with a choice. 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:47.279 How do you know you love something, you choose it? 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:50.400 That's love. 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:56.160 God chose us. 00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:00.400 Because God is love. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:08.079 I mean, when you just sit on that, why did he choose you? 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:10.240 You don't even choose you. 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:13.920 He chose you. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:18.400 And it wasn't just choosing you for a pickup basketball game. 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:22.400 The choice required him to go to the cross and die. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:35.039 The choice was I'm going, I'm the only person walking this earth that knows how bad God's wrath is. 00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:37.599 And he chose to walk into that. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.440 We know it's bad. 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:46.799 But he really understood God's wrath and he went to it anyways. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:48.799 Joyfully, I might add. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:54.640 Because he chose you out of an act of love. 00:30:57.839 --> 00:31:03.119 Peter's saying, these qualities that have been mentioned are yours, right? 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:03.759 Verse 8. 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:12.799 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:17.599 How encouraging is it knowing that your labor is not in vain? 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.079 Right? 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:22.240 1 Corinthians 15, 58. 00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:32.400 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:35.119 What is fruitfulness? 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:36.799 What is that? 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:40.880 It's eternal significance. 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:50.480 Bearing fruit is acts of eternal significance. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:32:07.680 In John 15, 16, he says, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, that in your fruit you should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give to you. 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:15.119 Now, what's important about that, and important when you start thinking about bearing fruit, and like, look, man, if you're putting this all on me again, I'm falling short. 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:20.000 In John 15, 16, he says, You do not choose me, but I chose you. 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:24.160 How that said is, I'm taking responsibility for you. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:28.319 I'm taking responsibility for your life. 00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:31.519 And you know that because you went to the cross for it. 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:38.400 So he's not set us up and asked us to do things, to labor in vain or to be ineffective. 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:39.759 Rather, the opposite. 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:41.200 He's saying, I chose you. 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:45.680 And now if you go back up from 1516 to verse 5, I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:51.119 Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is that bears much fruit. 00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:54.240 For apart from me you can do nothing. 00:32:55.440 --> 00:33:05.119 How encouraging, how motivating to know that because you abide in Christ, in him in you, that you bear much fruit. 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:13.119 That what you do has eternal significance and impact. 00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:26.720 He didn't pay our debt with his life and give us his spirit for us to be ineffective and to not have significance. 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:37.599 And Peter is telling us, he's telling Claude, he's telling us today not to grow weary of doing good. 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:39.039 Right? 00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:42.880 Because in due season we will reap if we do not give up. 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:52.480 Let's pray. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:34:02.160 Father, again, thank you that we can have a service of installation. 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:08.880 And that it's not just really for one individual. 00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:18.800 All of us have been called to abide in you and to live for you and to serve you and to bear fruit for you. 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:32.719 And we thank you that just like Claude's ministry to Kaaba Park is not based on his own efforts, it's based on you. 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:42.480 That we are all called, whether it's to be a lawyer or a stay-at-home mom or in business or in the medical field. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:49.599 We're all called to specific, unique areas and places. 00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:54.639 But our motivation is the same. 00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:56.719 It's an awe. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:03.280 It's a genuine pleasure in the beauty of the knowledge of you. 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:06.159 And it's in your name we pray. 00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:07.039 Amen.