WEBVTT 00:00:00.900 --> 00:00:05.879 Amen. Good. Why don't you stand up for a second, shake out the legs. You've been sitting for 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:12.640 a wee bit. Good. I'm not asking you to do anything in particular, but just to stand. 00:00:12.759 --> 00:00:17.699 You can dance if you want to, I don't really mind. And then when you feel like you've just 00:00:17.699 --> 00:00:20.940 got a bit of feeling back in your legs, why don't you have a wee seat and turn to 2 Peter 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:29.980 chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1. We're going to read from verses 3 through to 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:32.359 11 in a wee second. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:45.500 Well, we are looking for growth in every area of life, aren't we? Whether it's in the seeds 00:00:45.500 --> 00:00:51.539 we've planted in our gardens or children we brought home from the hospital, we want to 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:56.659 see growth. My son will be 2 in a couple of months time and we've got a measuring chart 00:00:56.659 --> 00:01:03.379 in his room and, you know, he's grown one centimetre in one month. That pleases me. If we're looking 00:01:03.379 --> 00:01:06.840 to take Graham's trends from earlier, he'll probably be about 12 feet tall by the time 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:14.400 he's 25. But we look for growth in every area of life. And not only do we look for growth, 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:21.219 we play our part in helping to achieve it. So we pour water on our plants and we provide food for 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:29.980 our kids and we have the joy of seeing the things even that we do produce results. And what I want 00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:38.700 to argue in this session is that the Christian life is no different. We are called as Christians 00:01:38.700 --> 00:01:50.540 to grow in Christlikeness. When God saves us, he targets Christlikeness in us. Romans chapter 8 tells 00:01:50.540 --> 00:01:58.439 us, for those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his son. And that's 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:06.379 not an immediate transformation. As 2 Corinthians 3 tells us that we who with unveiled faces all reflect 00:02:06.379 --> 00:02:15.060 the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which is bit 00:02:15.060 --> 00:02:21.120 by bit, which comes from the Lord. So it's his work as well. And who is the Lord? Well, it's his spirit 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:29.919 in us. That's a wonderful thing to see. It's vital for us to remember that. And in a sense, what we're 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:36.280 doing in this session and the next session is really boring down deeper into some of the things 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:43.580 we've been looking at in the first session. Unfortunately, I think that many of us can 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:51.080 feel a bit dejected when it comes to this thing called growing in Christlikeness. We can feel like 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:55.219 actually we don't, as we look back on our lives, we don't really feel like we've made an awful lot 00:02:55.219 --> 00:03:01.159 of progress. Or maybe when the same sins just keep hammering us again and again and again, and we feel 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:07.419 the same pangs of guilt and shame, it leaves us really feeling quite downhearted. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:13.979 Now, it's important to recognize that there are two things that are vital. 00:03:15.659 --> 00:03:22.699 And one of those things, for sure, two things that are vital to help us grow in Christlikeness, 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:25.219 one of the things we really don't need is an app. 00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:32.960 When it comes to productivity, there are literally thousands of apps that you can download that can 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:38.819 help you achieve the targets that you're setting for yourselves. Maybe you've got a Wanderlist or 00:03:38.819 --> 00:03:43.479 reminders on your phone or something like that that help you do what you ought to do. One that I find, 00:03:43.860 --> 00:03:48.419 even as I was thinking, what do we need to help us grow in Christlikeness as we set this target 00:03:48.419 --> 00:03:54.819 of supreme holiness? How do we press on? What do we need? Maybe we need an app like Carrot. 00:03:55.580 --> 00:04:01.560 Carrot is this app that's interactive with you, that when you set yourself a to-do list and an agenda 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:10.000 for your life, it addresses you in whiteness and with all joy. Greetings, lazy human. Hi, Carrot. I'm your 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:14.919 new taskmaster. In other words, I'm the thing that's going to help you do the things you ought to be doing 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:23.500 in your life. But if you find yourself letting slip on your to-do list, it turns an angry black and red 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:30.680 and it berates you. You know, and actually, if you log into this and use the full, the full 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:38.199 scope of Carrot as an app, it publicly shames you on Twitter. Liam Garvey did not get through 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:43.180 everything he did today. And then you can be berated by people you don't even know. 00:04:44.420 --> 00:04:48.800 Now, is that what church life is all about? You know, are we to be like a carrot app to each other? 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:54.560 You know, I don't see that you're grown in Christlikeness very much. Let me just stand up on a Sunday morning. 00:04:54.660 --> 00:05:00.879 Hello, my name is Graham Shanks. Nice to see you. Welcome. And I'm just here to tell you that such 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:06.319 and such a person has not been grown in Christlikeness. So I think we should all berate them and let's see if 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:13.000 they can do better next week. That's not the way it's going to work at all. No, the way that a healthy 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:20.920 local church fellowship works is not berating one another. It's loving one another and applying the 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:26.579 very things that God has given us to grow in Christlikeness. According to God's word, there are 00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:33.699 two things that we need. Two things that we need that help us grow in Christlikeness. One, we need 00:05:33.699 --> 00:05:38.079 the power of God and two, we need the people of God. And that's what we're going to see in this passage. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:42.180 So let's read together from 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. 00:05:43.539 --> 00:05:50.180 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him 00:05:50.180 --> 00:05:55.919 who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these, he has given us his very great 00:05:55.919 --> 00:06:04.879 and precious promises so that through them, you may participate in the divine nature and escape 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:11.300 the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this reason, make every effort to add to your 00:06:11.300 --> 00:06:17.819 faith goodness and to goodness knowledge and to knowledge self-control and to self-control 00:06:17.819 --> 00:06:25.079 perseverance and to perseverance godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:31.819 love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:38.319 and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:44.240 he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 00:06:44.939 --> 00:06:48.659 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:54.399 For if you do these things, you will never fall and you will receive a rich welcome 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:01.859 into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. This is God's words. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.639 So, number one, there are two main points. We need the power of God and we need the people of God. 00:07:08.060 --> 00:07:13.479 God's power. The first thing we see in this passage is that the power to grow in godliness, 00:07:14.359 --> 00:07:20.739 the power to become Christ-like, is a power that's provided by God. Look with me again at verse 3. 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:28.620 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. This is incredible. When it 00:07:28.620 --> 00:07:36.579 comes to growing in godliness, God is the ultimate energy provider. His power is ours in constant supply. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:43.439 There is no risk of shortage. You don't need to look around for any other resource. The Christian life 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:51.279 needs no dual fuel. We have everything we need from this one source. And think about how that power 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:58.899 is described in verse 3. This is divine power. Divine power. And what happens when divine power 00:07:58.899 --> 00:08:07.120 is in operation? Things change. Things change. In the beginning, there was no light. What changed when 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:14.019 God said, let there be light? There was light. Things changed. When the people of God were stuck by the 00:08:14.019 --> 00:08:21.019 Red Sea with a bloodthirsty army in pursuit, what changed? When God said to Moses, Moses, lift up your 00:08:21.019 --> 00:08:26.899 staff, stretch out your hand over the sea to divide it. Well, God's people crossed over on dry land. 00:08:27.620 --> 00:08:34.200 God's power is divine power and it works to bring about change that we could never, ever achieve 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:42.840 or see with our own strength. Now stop and think about the fact that this divine power is ours in 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:51.460 constant supply. Even in the whole area of change, of heart transformation for us, for you. 00:08:53.340 --> 00:09:01.680 The power to change what is affecting or even afflicting your marriage is divine power. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:09.639 And it's yours in constant supply. The power to subdue the anger that you feel when your kids are 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:18.299 disobedient is divine power and it never runs out. The power to control the tongue that gossips people 00:09:18.299 --> 00:09:22.819 into disrepute in a church family is divine power and it's yours by the bucket loads. 00:09:22.820 --> 00:09:31.320 And the power to overcome timidity and boldly share your faith with others is divine power. 00:09:32.280 --> 00:09:39.879 And it's yours on tap. That's what 2 Peter 1 tells us. His divine power has given us everything we need 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:51.960 for life. Godliness covers all. It's a joy, isn't it? How can we get to be plugged in to such a mighty power? 00:09:51.960 --> 00:10:00.280 How can we get to be plugged in to such divine power? Is it because you're awesome and God thinks that you deserve it? 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:08.600 No. We didn't make the mark. We didn't figure it out. Verse 3 tells us that the glory and the goodness belong to Jesus, 00:10:09.019 --> 00:10:19.180 not to us. It's because he is glorious. It's because he is good that he has called you by his love 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:26.159 and is changing you into the likeness of his son. Isn't that beautiful to see? Look at verse 3 again. 00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:32.719 This divine power is ours through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 00:10:32.719 --> 00:10:41.439 It comes to us because he is glorious. It comes to us because he is good. And that's why we've been called. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:50.640 Do you know him to be glorious and good for yourself? He is good. I'm not asking if we know 00:10:50.640 --> 00:10:58.220 that kind of just information about his glory or his goodness. That's not really the knowledge that 00:10:58.220 --> 00:11:03.340 gets you plugged into this source, as it were. I'm asking if you know him with your heart, 00:11:03.700 --> 00:11:08.040 with your mind, if you love him with your heart and long in your soul to be like him. 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:18.639 I can't assume that everybody here today is a Christian. So I would ask if you're here today and 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:23.039 you would say you don't know him. You've not trusted in Jesus' blood for the forgiveness of your sins 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:30.139 and for new life. Do you know that you have no power to change yourself whatsoever? In fact, 00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:38.000 you're in weakness. You have no power to change. Sin is something that is in you and it ruins you and 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:43.960 rules you. And there's no way of dealing decisively with personal guilt and shame that you experience 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:52.440 by your wrongdoing apart from Christ and his cross. We find no answer to the deepest longings of our 00:11:52.440 --> 00:12:00.659 hearts for something better than what this life is than Christ and the cross. There is no hope in 00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:08.719 death either except for Christ and the cross. So your heart might be beating this morning, but the 00:12:08.719 --> 00:12:14.740 Bible says you're not alive until you come to faith in Jesus Christ. And when you come to faith in Jesus 00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:21.839 Christ, that's how you come to be transformed by his glory, by his goodness into the likeness of his son 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:29.240 and live life as it was meant to be lived. This is what God's amazing provision is. He is so gracious. 00:12:29.420 --> 00:12:35.180 We don't deserve it. It is by grace that we are saved and it is by his grace that we are transformed. 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:40.360 Don't believe me? Look at verse four. Not only is there power to grow in godliness, 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:47.400 but the promise of godliness is actually something that is guaranteed by God. 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:55.100 Through these, that is his own glory and goodness, he has given us his very great and precious promises 00:12:55.100 --> 00:13:03.399 so that through them you may participate in the divine nature. Now what does that mean? What does 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:08.899 it mean to participate in the divine nature? It's not that we become part of God. That would be a bit 00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:16.199 weird. It's that we become like God. In other words, it's sharing in the very character of God. That's 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:20.180 what we've been promised. And stop and think about that for a second. That's a glorious thing. 00:13:20.700 --> 00:13:23.960 How many times have you read that passage and actually you've never just stopped 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:30.460 sentence after sentence to just pour over what's just been said? It's utterly profound. 00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:36.660 When you think about what a promise is, even you've made promises, I'm sure. It could be something 00:13:36.660 --> 00:13:42.660 small as promising a parent that you'll tidy your room. It could be something as significant as the 00:13:42.659 --> 00:13:49.759 vows you make on a wedding day. But when someone promises you something, they give you their word 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:54.819 for the future, don't they? That's what a promise is. They don't give you the reality when they make 00:13:54.819 --> 00:14:00.939 the promise there and then, but they assure you that one day you will have it. And the power of a 00:14:00.939 --> 00:14:08.079 promise is that it makes you look forward to that day when you will actually receive it. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:15.060 So you walk through life with a sense of anticipation and in a sense of trust that 00:14:15.060 --> 00:14:18.280 in the one who made the promise, that actually they're going to come good in the promise. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:21.480 They're not going to wimp out on it. They're actually going to give it to you. 00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:30.680 Now, Peter reminds us in this passage that God has made plenty of promises to us that hold out the 00:14:30.680 --> 00:14:35.379 prospect of godliness. As I've mentioned from a couple of verses earlier, that we will one day 00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:42.759 be like the Lord Jesus in holiness. And that until that day when we see him face to face and are like 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:48.899 him as he is, we are growing with ever increasing glory into his likeness. Now, let me ask you, do you 00:14:48.899 --> 00:14:58.919 have that reality right now? Are you a perfect reflection of the radiant sun of heaven? Why don't you ask the 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:07.159 person next to you or your spouse? No, but you will have it one day. That promise, the promise that God 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:13.579 has offered to you is that one day you will, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus, he will take you 00:15:13.579 --> 00:15:21.259 there by his goodness and grace to be like him as he is. And the good news for us is that God always 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:28.939 keeps his promises. So the promise guarantees what is to come, but the way to glory is fraught with 00:15:28.939 --> 00:15:35.039 struggles against sin and temptation, isn't it? And Peter reminds us in verse four that we are those 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:41.080 who have escaped the corruption of the world caused by evil desires. Now, here's where Peter, 00:15:41.319 --> 00:15:49.379 here's where Peter discloses the real problem, isn't it? It's our sinful nature. It's our sinful nature. 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:54.740 I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but the fact that in Galatians in particular, 00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:59.179 we are told that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He lives in us to help shape us into the 00:15:59.179 --> 00:16:03.700 likeness of Jesus, but we also have this fight that's going on in our hearts against the sinful 00:16:03.700 --> 00:16:08.559 nature. Now, the sinful nature is depicted in the Bible. If you were going to caricature it, you might 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:14.360 you might show that this is, I didn't, did I do that? I didn't do that. That's magic. I just raised my 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:19.019 hands and it does that. A little bit too quickly. Thanks. The sinful nature, 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:26.079 works in us in such a way that we are tempted towards sin. We make choices where we deliberately 00:16:26.079 --> 00:16:32.779 defy God's word and his authority and rebel against his word to choose what we want to do. 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:37.480 We reject his kingdom. We do what we want to do for the benefit of our little kingdom. And the Bible 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:43.919 calls that plain and simple sin. And the thing that we're taught to do in books like 2 Corinthians 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:48.299 and Galatians and other parts of the Bible, which talks about this thing called mortification, 00:16:48.539 --> 00:16:54.860 put that thing to death, like kill it, don't entertain it. So what we, what we're called to do 00:16:54.860 --> 00:17:00.500 is this sinful flesh. I don't know. Imagine it is like some big ugly wrestler or something like that. 00:17:00.719 --> 00:17:05.720 What we're called to do is we're called to put that thing to death. And one of the ways that we do it 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:12.200 is we starve that sinful flesh so that it reduces in terms of its might and its power. It shrinks. 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:19.339 It's never completely gone, though its power is diminished through the cross. Never completely 00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:24.380 gone until that day when we see Christ face to face. But we are to work in this life by saying 00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:29.600 no to ungodliness, to put this thing to death and cause it to shrink. Here's the thing that we do, 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:40.980 though. Very often. We don't fight it. We don't starve that flesh. No, we feed it. We give in to temptation. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:50.759 We entertain selfishness in our hearts or materialism in our lives. Whatever kind of ism you want to talk 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:57.259 about, whatever is your particular struggle, we come to this kind of self-centered conclusion that, yeah, 00:17:57.259 --> 00:18:03.859 this is okay. I can justify this in my life. You know, I've made such progress in other areas of my 00:18:03.859 --> 00:18:07.960 life. You know, I can just keep a hold of this one. Oh, it's my besetting sin is what we call it. 00:18:09.299 --> 00:18:09.960 No, it's just sin. 00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:18.319 And what we do is when we continue to commit that sin, your flesh that you're supposed to starve and 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:27.079 shrink grows. We do not put it to death. We feed it. And when that grows, our commitment to growing 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:31.799 in Christ's likeness and walking by the Spirit, as Paul puts it in Galatians, shrinks. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:40.460 That's the fight that's called sanctification. And what we need to do is turn away from this 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:47.859 flesh. That's to mortify it. Kill it. And to vivify. Mortification and vivification. I'm getting 00:18:47.859 --> 00:18:54.919 very intellectual here and theological. Mortification. Kill the flesh. Vivification. Turn to war as 00:18:54.920 --> 00:19:02.140 more glorious. That's what we're called to do. That's what Peter's calling us to do. Escape the 00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:08.640 corruption of this world. In other words, you have been delivered from this, the chains to this 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:14.920 flesh. Those chains are broken. Its presence remains, but its dominion over you is broken through the cross. 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:25.340 But in the meantime, what ought we to do? We ought to turn away from that and leg it away from the sinful 00:19:25.340 --> 00:19:33.440 nature. A while ago, I watched an amazing video report of life inside an Austrian prisoner of war camp in the 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:39.880 war. And the story of this daring escape from it. And there was a story of a French lieutenant who told how they had 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:46.600 smuggled a camera into the camp by hiding it in a sausage of all things. There's all sorts of things in 00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:52.060 sausage, but I didn't think there's a real camera in it. But what they did was, amazingly, these guys were not 00:19:52.060 --> 00:19:57.180 just planning, right, we're going to break out of this place. They said, we're going to be so brash, we're going 00:19:57.180 --> 00:20:03.420 to film it. We're going to film it so the whole world can see that this power has no power over us. 00:20:03.560 --> 00:20:09.540 We're going to escape it. And so they filmed it. They filmed them digging the hole. They kept the diary of what 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:20.160 when they dug through outside the camp, popped their heads up and bolted. 132 guys escaped. And it's all 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:26.720 caught on a grainy but a wonderful film. They'd broken free. It was amazing to see. Now tell me, what do you 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:33.240 think they did when they popped their heads up outside the perimeter fence? Did they just think, well, let's 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:38.900 break out a fire and cook the rest of these sausages, shall we? No, of course not. They absolutely 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:47.700 bolted as far as they could away from this captor as best they could, taking every possible 00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:55.660 measure to avoid being recaptured by the very thing that they've escaped from. Here's what 00:20:55.660 --> 00:21:02.060 we do in the Christian life. We escape this captivity. Jesus Christ, by his blood, breaks the 00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:08.139 chains and we make a camp and cook some sausages close by. We do not leg it like we're supposed to. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:14.700 And what Peter is telling us here is that the divine power that's being given to you, as 2 Corinthians 3 00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:21.419 remind us, is the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, who helps you. You're not doing this on your own 00:21:21.419 --> 00:21:29.720 strength. He lives in you to help you put this thing to death and to turn your heart and your affections 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:37.400 towards Jesus. And that's the great power of it. That's what happens in Romeo and Juliet. You know Romeo and Juliet, 00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:43.680 I'm sure. You know, what do you find? That's how Romeo turns away from Rosalind. Now, some of you are thinking, 00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:49.620 who's Rosalind? I thought it was Romeo and Juliet, not Rosalind and Juliet. Well, at the start of Romeo and Juliet, 00:21:50.120 --> 00:21:57.220 Romeo's there and what's he doing? He's pining for Rosalind. He's like, oh, Rosalind. She just broke up with me. 00:21:57.220 --> 00:22:03.200 You know, I'm so broken hearted. He was Scottish. I don't know how. I don't know how I'm going to 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:07.380 cop without Rosalind. And his friends come along. I'm paraphrasing this. I don't speak Shakespearean. 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:13.019 I'm paraphrasing. He says, his friends come along and say, right, okay, you're pining this a little bit 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:18.220 too much for this old flame. We're going to take you out and so on. And so they take him to a party. 00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:24.700 And who does he see there? Juliet. Juliet. And what does he do? It's a little bit creepy, 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:30.500 but in the play, later on that night, he climbs over the wall of her compound and sneaks into her 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:36.400 garden, you know, and looks up at the window and says, but soft, what light from yonder window breaks? 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:43.680 You know, and he just erupts into this new expression of his love. And automatically, 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:47.059 you're just like, Rosalind who? 00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:52.299 And that's what it's like when you're converted to Christ. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:59.480 You're like, oh, this money that I'm building up. I love this money. Oh, I'm going to make tons of it. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:04.659 I'm going to have a bath in it every night. I'm just going to enjoy this money. I'm going to buy all 00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:07.859 the things that I want to buy. I don't care if my kids have to walk around in Crocs all day. 00:23:08.059 --> 00:23:10.779 I'm going to buy everything. I'm going to have a Jaguar. 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:13.919 If I'm going to get an Aston Martin, you know, whatever it is. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:19.039 Actually, I'm just going to enjoy sex. I'm going to go make love to as many people as I can. 00:23:19.100 --> 00:23:21.360 I don't care about marriage or anything like that. Whatever. 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:27.160 Whatever your sinful thing was, Jesus breaks the chains of that. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:30.420 The worst thing you can do is stand around and pine for it. 00:23:30.560 --> 00:23:35.140 Oh, materialism, materialism. Oh, sexual. Oh, that nonsense. 00:23:35.560 --> 00:23:39.860 No. Jesus is the Juliet. 00:23:39.859 --> 00:23:53.559 What a God we have who has poured out his love to turn from the something that we think is beautiful. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.699 It's ugly. 00:23:56.479 --> 00:23:59.159 True beauty is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:05.000 And what the Holy Spirit does by this divine power is to turn our affections away from the stuff 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:09.579 that will only lead you to hell and turn you to the Son who will take you to heaven. 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:12.119 Love him. 00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:15.000 Put these things to death. 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:18.519 Turn your affections away from them and to the Lord God. 00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.240 Love him. 00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:20.720 Love him. 00:24:21.539 --> 00:24:23.460 That's what Peter's encouraging us to do. 00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:29.660 We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us grow in this godliness. 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:31.460 And that's what makes it possible. 00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:36.960 He's the one who's at work in us to change us more into the likeness of Jesus. 00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:38.519 But here's the deal. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:44.460 He does not do that with you except in biblical community. 00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:47.960 It's a long layup to say it, but I'm happy to say it. 00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:49.640 If we could put the next slide up, please. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.660 I don't think this thing's working. 00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:51.140 That's all right. 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:54.180 We need the people of God to grow. 00:24:54.180 --> 00:25:03.660 And the thing that's easy to miss in this whole passage is the pursuit of godliness requires dedicated effort from a community of God's people. 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:08.920 There are no such things as lone rangers when it comes to the Christian life. 00:25:09.560 --> 00:25:13.660 In verse 5, Peter says, okay, since we have this divine power, the Holy Spirit living in us, 00:25:13.660 --> 00:25:15.340 make every effort. 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:18.460 So God supplies the power, you apply yourself. 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:21.820 God supplies the power, you don't get to do nothing. 00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:27.519 God supplies the power that provides the energy for you to do the things that he's calling you to do. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:29.160 That's how gracious he is. 00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:34.779 Make every effort, Peter says, to add to your faith, to grow. 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.820 Plus, plus, plus, plus, grow. 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:43.000 And in verse 10, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:45.619 Now, listen, this is what we miss. 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:53.960 This, if you look at verses 4 and verse 5 and verse 8, this is instruction to the church family. 00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:56.079 You have the word you, for example. 00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:56.939 It's really yous. 00:25:57.439 --> 00:25:58.480 Peter is Scottish. 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:01.379 You know, this is really in the plural. 00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:03.099 This is all said to a community. 00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:07.719 He is addressing the saints in the churches. 00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:15.359 And as he says in verse 10, therefore, my brothers or brothers and sisters. 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:17.139 He's talking to a collective group. 00:26:17.199 --> 00:26:18.379 He's not writing to an individual. 00:26:19.139 --> 00:26:20.599 And we forget this. 00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:26.599 We forget the community aspect of this growth in Christlikeness. 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:34.279 And the necessity of each other helping each other change into the likeness of Jesus. 00:26:34.459 --> 00:26:34.939 Are you with me? 00:26:35.639 --> 00:26:36.500 Nod if you're with me. 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:37.379 You're looking a bit sleepy. 00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:38.099 Good. 00:26:38.199 --> 00:26:38.399 Okay. 00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:43.619 Now, this is, so Peter is addressing the brothers and sisters. 00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:44.799 We do this in community. 00:26:45.159 --> 00:26:48.439 As Paul Tripp said famously, change is a community project. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.259 Too true. 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:55.359 Now, verses 5 and 10 contain the same Greek word that really encapsulates Peter's instructions to this church family. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:57.319 And it's translated. 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:01.000 Translated, it means forward or advance. 00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:02.459 Make progress. 00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:06.899 Now, that tells us even that the Christian life is no airport walkway. 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:08.599 You know those airport walkways? 00:27:09.199 --> 00:27:12.139 You know, where you just kind of, that's it. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:12.799 You're on. 00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:14.559 And it just kind of takes you to your gate. 00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:15.839 That's a marvelous thing. 00:27:15.879 --> 00:27:17.959 I always have the temptation to walk backwards on these things. 00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:20.379 But that shows a mark of my immaturity. 00:27:21.479 --> 00:27:25.139 But the Christian life is not an airport walkway like that. 00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.300 It's more like Tough Mudder. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:28.960 You know, it's more like a marathon. 00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:30.759 You've got to put one foot in front of the other. 00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:32.820 You've got to put some effort in and press forwards. 00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:38.759 You know, we can't expect to float without effort to our departure gates. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.100 And some might say, oh, well, heaven is assured. 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:45.960 You've just told me about the promise that's already been made earlier on in verses 3 to 4. 00:27:46.040 --> 00:27:46.740 Well, that's true. 00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:55.980 But friend, the evidence of your calling and election is found in the heart that you have for Jesus and the progress you make in your faith. 00:27:57.120 --> 00:27:58.859 I think we forget that sometimes. 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:01.200 It's not just signed and sealed. 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:01.519 I'm in. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:06.940 There is a certain fruit that the Spirit produces in us. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:09.000 And let's not forget that. 00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:13.259 Don Carson says people don't drift towards Christ-likeness. 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:16.079 People don't gravitate towards godliness. 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:18.940 Actually, they drift the other way. 00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:22.660 Towards ungodliness. 00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:29.120 If they do not make every effort to add to their faith. 00:28:30.060 --> 00:28:35.880 So let's not think that we can be lazy bones and lax in our faith and no sweet assurance. 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:45.240 Well, with the power and the promises of God, we are to make every effort to add to our faith. 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:46.860 Faith is where it begins, of course. 00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:49.120 Faith is a means by which we are justified. 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:50.980 So our salvation is signed and sealed. 00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:53.160 But we grow in faith more and more. 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:56.400 And to grow in faith more and more is to take God at his word. 00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:59.860 It's to take what he has promised in a certain situation and apply it. 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:01.279 And I don't know about you. 00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:06.880 But even just doing that is the very thing that helps me to sever the root of the temptation that is there. 00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:09.539 Even in relation to something like anger. 00:29:09.799 --> 00:29:11.200 I can be an angry man at times. 00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:17.500 And the thing that helps me to sever the root of that is in those moments where, you know, the blood starts to boil. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:20.339 You know, and it can be something so ridiculous. 00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:23.039 It can be like, you know, my kid's putting their shoes on. 00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:23.399 Hurry up. 00:29:23.659 --> 00:29:25.679 Why do I have to tell you five times to put your shoes on? 00:29:25.819 --> 00:29:26.359 Put your shoes on. 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:27.480 No, the other foot. 00:29:27.959 --> 00:29:32.779 You know, such silly things that are just a mark of my ungodliness. 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:41.700 But even in a moment like that, when I feel anger rise, I can say what James 1.19 says. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:48.980 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry. 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:52.460 But man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 00:29:53.140 --> 00:29:55.880 And actually in my heart, I love the righteous life that God desires. 00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.120 Jesus is my righteousness. 00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:59.720 But I want, I'm growing Christ's likeness towards that. 00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:00.759 I love that. 00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:01.620 I hate this. 00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:04.059 Lord, help me. 00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.519 I'm going to take you at your word. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:07.079 You've given me a way to stand up under this. 00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.440 Sever the root of this sin. 00:30:08.860 --> 00:30:09.599 Help me kill it. 00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:11.819 This does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:20.339 Now, take whatever sinful struggle you experience on a day-to-day basis or a brand new one that just pops up into your life and take God at his word. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:22.399 Add to your faith. 00:30:23.139 --> 00:30:24.619 Grow in your faith. 00:30:25.419 --> 00:30:27.059 And add to that faith goodness. 00:30:28.179 --> 00:30:29.939 This is some of the fruit in this, isn't it? 00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:33.379 This is the kind of fruit that we see in those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.319 Goodness. 00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:37.079 We do good to others and seek their happiness more than oars. 00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.059 Oars? 00:30:38.159 --> 00:30:39.019 Where did that come from? 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:40.399 More than oars. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:40.640 Oars. 00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:43.860 More than oars is what I meant to say. 00:30:44.080 --> 00:30:45.680 And that's just what Jesus did for us. 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:47.640 He sought our goods first. 00:30:48.540 --> 00:30:50.620 Or we add to our goodness knowledge. 00:30:50.860 --> 00:30:53.280 So we make every effort to read our Bibles. 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:56.320 To be like Christ, we must know what he is like. 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:59.600 And as 2 Peter 3, 18. 00:30:59.700 --> 00:31:01.620 The key to unlocking this whole book says, 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:04.460 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:31:05.360 --> 00:31:06.519 That's what we're called to do. 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.280 Grow in self-control. 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:12.160 May we make more effort to be strong in the face of temptation. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:13.519 Perseverance. 00:31:13.899 --> 00:31:18.420 Pressing on through times in the present in light of the promise of better times ahead. 00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:20.019 Or godliness. 00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:25.720 Making every effort to be a truer reflection of Jesus, even in the mundane things of everyday life. 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:27.119 Brotherly kindness. 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:33.459 By doing more to make our membership of a local church family much more meaningful than it presently is. 00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.960 And love. 00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:44.500 Well, the supreme characteristic that marks the Lord Jesus' existence becomes the definitive characteristic that marks ours. 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:46.039 Love. 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:48.759 Now, verse 8 says, 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:52.240 If you possess all these qualities in increasing measure. 00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:53.539 In other words, growing in them. 00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.640 See the increase again? 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:58.019 They will keep you from being. 00:31:58.099 --> 00:31:59.700 Now, here's the hazard warning lights. 00:32:00.579 --> 00:32:02.480 Here's the little red triangle on the roads. 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:03.379 Okay? 00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:04.259 This is the warning. 00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:05.680 If you don't do these things. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:09.480 If you possess these qualities in increasing measure. 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:16.500 They will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:18.120 There it is, brothers and sisters. 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:20.960 It is possible for you to profess faith in Jesus Christ. 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:24.200 But be ineffective and unproductive as a Christian. 00:32:25.580 --> 00:32:27.019 That is scary. 00:32:31.820 --> 00:32:32.799 Think about that. 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:36.839 What are you doing with the talents God has given you? 00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:41.480 It is possible to be ineffective and unproductive. 00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:45.480 If you do not take hold of this power that God has given you. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:49.519 And apply yourself in endeavouring to grow. 00:32:50.700 --> 00:32:55.159 If you don't make the most of the Holy Spirit and His divine power in you. 00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:57.399 And the holy people of God, His church. 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:00.059 A community in which you can grow. 00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.740 Verse 9 says, 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:05.680 There are two things that might be hindering you in that. 00:33:05.839 --> 00:33:06.960 Two things can cause that. 00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:08.119 One, spiritual blindness. 00:33:09.819 --> 00:33:13.019 Whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind. 00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:15.019 So you're not seeing clearly. 00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:16.220 Or you're not seeing at all. 00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:19.859 Either you're not beholding the glory and goodness of Christ as you once did. 00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:22.000 Or your eyes are looking to something else altogether. 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:25.480 Or your problem might be spiritual amnesia. 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:28.919 You have, verse 9, forgotten that you've been cleansed from past sins. 00:33:29.819 --> 00:33:31.119 You've forgotten the grace of God. 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:33.239 You've forgotten the cross. 00:33:34.159 --> 00:33:37.199 You've let the zeal you had at your baptism fritter away. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:41.140 And Peter says the main reason for that will be forgetting the gospel. 00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:43.920 Forgetting that you've been cleansed from past sins. 00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:46.920 And because you've forgotten, you'll just go back to them. 00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:49.120 And as Peter will say in chapter 2, 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:52.500 You're like a dog that returns to its vomit. 00:33:52.500 --> 00:33:56.240 It's a stark image. 00:33:56.339 --> 00:33:57.339 It's a stark image, isn't it? 00:33:58.980 --> 00:34:00.200 Well, what happens though? 00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:02.660 Having had those warnings. 00:34:02.819 --> 00:34:05.420 What happens when we give ourselves to this? 00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:13.619 As people in community and unite our hearts and love in this endeavor to apply ourselves to grow in Christlikeness. 00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:21.440 Well, it says that you can go forward not carrying guilt and shame because the gospel gets rid of that. 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:23.980 There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:34:24.659 --> 00:34:34.839 The guilt and shame and conviction that we feel is used by God to bring us to a point of confession and repentance on an ongoing basis. 00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:39.360 But we're not called to live in that guilt and shame. 00:34:40.220 --> 00:34:41.760 And I think sometimes we do that. 00:34:42.600 --> 00:34:45.539 I find myself, you know, I can be driving along the road. 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:49.240 And let's just say someone cuts in on me. 00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:52.539 And I can hoop my horn and say, Oh, you idiot. 00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:55.539 This is not a habit of mine. 00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:56.860 I'm giving you an example, okay? 00:34:57.180 --> 00:34:58.680 But I could say that just to be sure. 00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:00.360 Just watch out when we're driving home, okay? 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:05.599 I can say in that moment, I can feel conviction, okay? 00:35:05.700 --> 00:35:08.039 I've just acted in a way that is not Christlike. 00:35:08.140 --> 00:35:10.300 I've expressed anger and I've vented it. 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:15.920 Maybe in a way that the person even saw it, you know, quickly getting out of the car and scraping the fish off the back of it. 00:35:18.120 --> 00:35:24.400 But I can say in those moments, under conviction, I'm so sorry, Lord. 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:26.260 That is not the way you've called me to act. 00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:27.079 Please forgive me. 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:32.000 Now, what does God's word say to us about that? 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:34.460 When we've confessed our sin, what is God? 00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:39.739 He is faithful and just to do what? 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:44.980 Forgive us our sins and cleanse us and purify us from all. 00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:47.719 All unrighteousness. 00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:51.159 And what does it say when we confess our sins to him like that? 00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:51.920 Hebrews. 00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:58.159 There are sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:35:59.760 Now, God doesn't forget them. 00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:00.619 God is omniscient. 00:36:00.720 --> 00:36:01.420 He knows everything. 00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:03.700 But he chooses not to bring them back. 00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:09.960 Now, in that moment when I offer a word of prayer asking for forgiveness of sins, 00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:13.920 I know according to God's word as I take him at it that I'm forgiven. 00:36:14.420 --> 00:36:15.559 It's not held against me. 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:17.099 I'm walking in grace. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.260 I'm a happy chappy. 00:36:18.260 --> 00:36:22.700 But a mile down the road, imagine I start to feel guilt and shame again. 00:36:23.720 --> 00:36:25.780 Is there any place for that guilt or shame? 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:31.840 What am I doing if I allow that guilt and shame to just bubble to the surface again 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:33.760 and then start to crush my spirit? 00:36:34.540 --> 00:36:37.100 I'll be ineffective and unproductive in my Christian life. 00:36:37.700 --> 00:36:43.660 And I will, more importantly, I will not have applied the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in my heart. 00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:49.059 I'll say, no, your blood, Jesus, is not quite as efficient as you're making out to be. 00:36:49.339 --> 00:36:53.059 I need to just punish myself for this a little bit more by carrying this guilt and shame. 00:36:53.879 --> 00:36:56.159 What an abomination to the cross of Christ. 00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:59.779 Brothers and sisters, we are not called to carry our guilt and shame. 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:01.879 We're called to confess our sins. 00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:03.440 Take God at his word. 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:07.239 And press forward, as Peter says, in expectancy. 00:37:08.019 --> 00:37:09.259 Forward in expectancy. 00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:15.480 And when we do that, what can we achieve as we take this divine power that God has given us by his grace, 00:37:15.600 --> 00:37:19.720 by allowing us to be indwelt by his Holy Spirit, 00:37:20.380 --> 00:37:22.420 and placing us in a people of God together, 00:37:22.520 --> 00:37:25.840 where together we can make every effort to add and increase. 00:37:26.520 --> 00:37:31.180 We can go forward expecting to finish the race and enjoy a rich welcome. 00:37:32.020 --> 00:37:32.920 You see that in the text. 00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:35.180 If you do these things, two things will be true. 00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:36.300 You'll never fall. 00:37:36.580 --> 00:37:38.200 Now, that's not saying you'll never sin. 00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:40.639 It's saying that you will never apostatize. 00:37:40.819 --> 00:37:42.319 Never fall away completely. 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:44.579 Now, remember who's writing this letter. 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:45.279 It's Peter. 00:37:46.059 --> 00:37:47.859 Peter could say, I fell. 00:37:48.099 --> 00:37:50.359 I denied Jesus three times, but he restored me. 00:37:50.619 --> 00:37:52.879 I fell, but I'm going to finish well. 00:37:53.179 --> 00:37:54.099 And we can too. 00:37:55.719 --> 00:37:59.139 And what happens at the end for those who know God's amazing provision 00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:04.379 and are together, our commitment together to active participation in one another's lives, 00:38:04.619 --> 00:38:06.139 we can expect a rich welcome. 00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:12.339 You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:16.640 I have a little boy who's just younger than two. 00:38:18.160 --> 00:38:22.400 And one of the highlights of my day without fail is when I open up that door. 00:38:22.460 --> 00:38:23.820 We've got an alarm system, so it beeps. 00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:25.760 It's mainly to make sure that the children aren't escaping. 00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:35.980 And as soon as the door opens and I walk in, the first little body that runs out there is my soon-to-be two-year-old son. 00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:37.900 Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy. 00:38:38.100 --> 00:38:39.740 It's just the richest welcome. 00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:42.000 And it just makes me want to cry every time it happens. 00:38:42.060 --> 00:38:43.080 It's just beautiful. 00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:45.700 Here's this little thing who's so delighted to see me. 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:48.160 And then the other two come out and my wife comes out. 00:38:48.380 --> 00:38:49.460 It's so lovely. 00:38:49.460 --> 00:38:52.679 Actually, I'm going to go home now. 00:38:52.760 --> 00:38:53.340 I'm just going to. 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:55.460 It's just beautiful to see. 00:38:55.559 --> 00:39:01.539 That for me is a rich welcome, but nothing compared to the rich welcome that we will receive 00:39:01.539 --> 00:39:06.340 when we cross that finish line as we close our eyes in death and open them in glory. 00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:09.360 Well done, good and faithful servants. 00:39:10.440 --> 00:39:11.760 Come and share my joy. 00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:14.860 That's the rich welcome you can expect. 00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:15.880 Now, what does it require? 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:21.900 Remember, his divine power has given you everything you need. 00:39:22.180 --> 00:39:23.600 Don't be crushed by sin. 00:39:24.320 --> 00:39:26.680 Don't feed it and let it crush you. 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:30.120 Kill it and help one another do it. 00:39:30.940 --> 00:39:31.800 Help each other. 00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:33.760 Add to your faith. 00:39:34.540 --> 00:39:35.400 Goodness, knowledge, self-control. 00:39:35.620 --> 00:39:36.160 All the rest. 00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:36.980 Increase. 00:39:37.700 --> 00:39:41.080 Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, becoming like him. 00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:42.960 As he is. 00:39:43.960 --> 00:39:44.280 Amen.