WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 Good morning. 00:00:03.899 --> 00:00:08.140 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, 00:00:08.140 --> 00:00:11.040 and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.300 Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:19.160 We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats, 00:00:19.539 --> 00:00:22.679 but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:27.140 And as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced that there's no one so good, 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:30.940 they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad they can't have it, 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:35.120 which is why we come back to God and his word week after week. 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:39.120 You'll remember that we just started the book of 2 Peter, 00:00:39.620 --> 00:00:44.039 which I invite you to turn to either in your Bible or your worship guide or your phone. 00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:49.240 And you'll remember that the book of 2 Peter is a letter written by a man named Peter, 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:53.920 and he writes it to a church in the 60s AD somewhere in the Roman Empire, 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:55.840 and he writes it with one desire. 00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:58.960 Peter wants these people to grow. 00:01:00.080 --> 00:01:03.220 And his desire for their growth has two components. 00:01:03.360 --> 00:01:07.640 He wants them to grow in grace, and he wants them to grow in knowledge. 00:01:07.740 --> 00:01:10.320 That's how he both begins and ends the letter. 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:12.379 Remember, we saw last week at the very beginning, 00:01:12.780 --> 00:01:15.140 he wants them to grow in grace and peace through knowledge, 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:19.760 and then he ends the letter, the very last verse, chapter 3, verse 18. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:23.900 He commands them to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:26.880 And so last week, we looked at the question of knowledge. 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:27.859 What is it worth? 00:01:28.420 --> 00:01:29.340 What does it do? 00:01:29.540 --> 00:01:30.800 And we saw a few things. 00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:32.440 First of all, we know what it doesn't do. 00:01:32.900 --> 00:01:37.560 It doesn't earn us anything from God because we rest on the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:01:38.020 --> 00:01:44.000 But it does do something, which it's involved in God's growing us in grace and peace. 00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:47.040 And so knowledge leads to grace and peace. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:48.200 That's how we grow. 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:52.460 And if we're growing in knowledge, then we need to be growing in grace and peace. 00:01:53.020 --> 00:01:56.659 And so we're going to follow that up this morning, continuing, discussing knowledge, 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:03.100 looking at if knowledge is what we need to grow in grace, how does knowledge actually do that? 00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:07.200 How does knowledge motivate and empower our obedience? 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:10.219 How does it create that growth in our lives? 00:02:10.259 --> 00:02:11.560 You might be someone who's listening. 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:14.800 You think about the Bible, and often it feels dead to you. 00:02:16.659 --> 00:02:17.560 You read it. 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:19.640 It doesn't seem to bring life. 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:24.539 Maybe you're growing in knowledge, but you don't feel like you're growing in grace. 00:02:25.659 --> 00:02:30.900 Maybe you've given up on knowledge because it doesn't seem to make a difference. 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.500 Well, Peter's going to continue what he told us before. 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:41.840 He's going to help us understand how it is that knowledge leads to this growth. 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:43.259 We're going to get the beginning of an answer. 00:02:43.379 --> 00:02:48.400 In fact, much of the book of 2 Peter is going to be about how doctrine affects our day-to-day lives. 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:50.659 So we're going to look at some detailed doctrines. 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:54.479 We're going to look later at the doctrine of Scripture and inspiration, how we have the Bible. 00:02:55.340 --> 00:02:56.360 And it's going to be practical. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:57.500 How does that affect our lives? 00:02:57.539 --> 00:03:01.680 We're going to look at the doctrine of the end times, what's going to happen at the end of the world. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:03.319 And it's going to be practical. 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:05.280 It's going to affect our day-to-day lives. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:09.919 Because Peter is not going to tell us how many cans of tuna we should stockpile. 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:16.039 But instead, he's going to tell us how we live in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back. 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:22.280 And so with that question, how does knowledge motivate and empower our obedience? 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:27.439 We're going to turn now to 2 Peter 1, starting at verse 3. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:29.740 And remember, as we come to this, this is God's Word. 00:03:29.740 --> 00:03:35.540 And God tells us that his Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 00:03:35.980 --> 00:03:39.680 Which means that God has not left us to stumble alone in the dark. 00:03:40.040 --> 00:03:43.659 But instead, he's given us his Word to show us the way to go. 00:03:43.760 --> 00:03:46.120 And so that's why we read now, starting at verse 3. 00:03:46.120 --> 00:04:15.860 I invite you to pray with me. 00:04:15.860 --> 00:04:18.080 As we come to this portion of God's Word. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:23.780 Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for your Word that gives life. 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.800 And we ask that you would use it to do that this morning. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:30.520 That you'd break up the hard soil of our hearts. 00:04:31.620 --> 00:04:33.980 And that you would challenge us by your Word. 00:04:34.220 --> 00:04:35.740 That you would encourage us with it. 00:04:36.080 --> 00:04:41.520 And you would cause us to look to Jesus Christ as our hope and our Savior. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.139 We ask these things in his name. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:43.979 Amen. 00:04:47.659 --> 00:04:53.279 When I was 9 years old, some of you know that in a previous life, I played violin and viola. 00:04:54.259 --> 00:04:56.500 And when I was 9 years old, I don't believe in reincarnation. 00:04:56.579 --> 00:04:59.180 When I say previous life, I just mean a long time ago. 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:07.420 When I was in a previous life, when I was 9 years old, I began taking violin lessons from a woman who lived close to us. 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:11.900 And this woman was married to a man who was also a musician. 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:12.720 That's how they met. 00:05:13.139 --> 00:05:15.000 He, however, did not teach lessons. 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.460 The reason he didn't teach lessons is because he didn't need to. 00:05:19.219 --> 00:05:26.299 And the reason he didn't need to is because he had one of the most coveted jobs in the music world, which is that he was in a military band. 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:31.680 Now, if you know anything about the music world, you know that those jobs are highly coveted. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:35.539 Because they're one of the few jobs as a musician where you have a full-time job. 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:36.819 You have benefits. 00:05:36.919 --> 00:05:39.159 You're not trying to piece together a lot of different gigs. 00:05:39.899 --> 00:05:40.939 Part-time in an orchestra. 00:05:41.099 --> 00:05:41.879 Part-time teaching. 00:05:42.139 --> 00:05:44.219 Relying on performances during Christmas. 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:46.219 And so this man had no need to teach. 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:49.360 And, of course, it also means you're at the very top of your game. 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:54.440 If you meet someone and they play for a military band, you know, oh, you are very good at what you do. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:01.400 So, for example, when I first met John Alpeter, I had not heard him play, but I knew he played for a military band. 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:04.180 I thought, oh, you must be very good at what you do. 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:05.600 I see you. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:06.320 I see you, John. 00:06:08.260 --> 00:06:15.480 And so this man, of course, the United States Marine Band, not only was he in a military band, he was in the Marine Band, which is known as the President's Own. 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:19.939 And so they're responsible for playing at presidential events and diplomatic events. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:21.480 So he had a picture. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:22.420 This was in the 90s. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:24.780 He had a picture in his house of him with Bill Clinton. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:30.900 And I'm sure now, at this point, he has a picture with President George Bush and President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:35.140 He actually sometimes would be at state events, and he would walk around and just play. 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:38.740 So he'd be, you know, feet, inches away from world leaders. 00:06:38.740 --> 00:06:41.560 All to say, he was very good. 00:06:41.660 --> 00:06:42.579 He had no need to teach. 00:06:43.280 --> 00:06:45.699 Now, I was taking lessons from his wife. 00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:53.220 And at one point, during a lesson, I complained about how I was not able to get the sound that I wanted, and I blamed it on the instrument. 00:06:54.280 --> 00:06:56.840 Just can't, you know, there's something about this instrument. 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.060 It's just, it's not doing what I want it to do. 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:02.740 And so, this one being very wise, called. 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:07.740 The man was home, so she called him and said, hey, you know, Matthew's complaining about this instrument. 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:08.879 Would you take a look at it? 00:07:11.019 --> 00:07:18.279 Now, this man normally played a $14,000 instrument, which was owned by the U.S. military. 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:20.559 So the military doesn't just own mobile gun units. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:22.859 They also own $14,000 violas. 00:07:24.259 --> 00:07:26.899 He takes this instrument and plays it. 00:07:27.979 --> 00:07:30.279 And, of course, it sounds amazing, right? 00:07:31.459 --> 00:07:34.339 There is nothing wrong with the instrument. 00:07:35.719 --> 00:07:37.919 And so, he hands the instrument back to me. 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:40.039 Says, the instrument's good. 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.500 The point is this. 00:07:43.580 --> 00:07:48.620 The power is in the player, not the instrument. 00:07:48.760 --> 00:07:57.480 Whether it is a student instrument or a $14,000 professional instrument, it is not the instrument that matters as much as the one who plays it. 00:07:58.259 --> 00:08:03.080 And the power is also not in the listener, but the player. 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:12.719 And so, if you are at a concert and you're moved by the music that's being played, you don't say to yourself, unless you're very deceived, wow, I am such a good listener. 00:08:14.500 --> 00:08:19.199 No, you are moved by the music because it is such a good musician. 00:08:19.699 --> 00:08:24.779 It is not the instrument that matters as much as the power that is behind it. 00:08:25.180 --> 00:08:27.839 And that is what Peter is telling us here. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:33.659 We are told in verse 3 that we are given God's divine power through knowledge. 00:08:33.779 --> 00:08:35.959 The through word here is an instrument word. 00:08:37.259 --> 00:08:41.259 God uses knowledge as an instrument of his power. 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:45.240 It is God, the player, that matters. 00:08:47.439 --> 00:08:56.379 It is not that knowledge has some kind of inherent power to it, but that God has chosen to use it as his instrument. 00:08:56.379 --> 00:09:04.179 That's why we're told in Jeremiah chapter 23 that God's word is like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces. 00:09:05.539 --> 00:09:13.899 Ephesians chapter 1 verses 19 and 20 tells us that the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the power at work in us. 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:16.659 We are not like Muslims. 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:20.960 We don't believe that there's something special about this book as a physical object. 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:25.960 If I sleep at night and the Bible is next to me, there's not some sort of osmosis that happens. 00:09:26.379 --> 00:09:31.919 No, the power is not in the instrument fundamentally, but in the one who is behind it. 00:09:32.259 --> 00:09:37.379 And so as we ask this question, how does knowledge motivate and empower our obedience? 00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:41.019 We see this first of all, that God uses knowledge. 00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:50.980 He uses his word as an instrument for his power to play a song of obedience in our lives. 00:09:50.980 --> 00:10:07.759 Knowledge matters because God is powerful. 00:10:09.980 --> 00:10:14.259 Knowledge matters because God has chosen to use it. 00:10:14.259 --> 00:10:17.700 And so it's divine power. 00:10:17.879 --> 00:10:22.340 It's the player that matters through knowledge. 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:24.659 Knowledge, the instrument. 00:10:26.860 --> 00:10:35.179 And so we come week after week, right, showing up here at church expecting God to be at work. 00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:40.019 The power is not ultimately in the preacher. 00:10:41.239 --> 00:10:45.620 The power is not ultimately in the words, though God uses them. 00:10:45.719 --> 00:10:50.179 They are instruments of God and his power in our lives. 00:10:50.939 --> 00:10:56.579 And in fact, Peter tells us exactly the song of obedience that's being sung. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.079 So we know there's a song, there's a divine power. 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:08.740 The instrument is knowledge, verse 3, verse 4, by which he has made us partakers of the divine nature. 00:11:09.379 --> 00:11:14.980 And then in verse 3, he's granted to us, again, this is giving language, sort of like we saw last week, 00:11:15.340 --> 00:11:19.259 granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. 00:11:19.400 --> 00:11:22.840 So he's given us these things to participate in the divine nature. 00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:25.740 Now, participate in the divine nature might sound a little strange. 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:29.820 Mount Sin, like maybe we're somehow becoming many gods. 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.279 That is not what Peter is talking about. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:38.480 Instead, he's talking about what we would call God's communicable attributes. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:43.340 In theology, we talk about God having two kinds of attributes, communicable and incommunicable. 00:11:43.700 --> 00:11:46.820 His communicable attributes are the ones he can share with us. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.779 The incommunicable attributes are the ones he can't. 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:52.299 If you didn't follow any of that, think about it in this way. 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:57.120 As we grow in sanctification, as we grow as Christians, we don't think, 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:01.279 man, as I follow God, I really want to grow in my omnipresence. 00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:06.359 I am going to be able to be at all places at all times. 00:12:07.339 --> 00:12:10.779 Despite what Harry Potter might tell you, horcruxes are not a real thing. 00:12:11.659 --> 00:12:15.279 You cannot have multiple places where you are present. 00:12:16.219 --> 00:12:17.959 God doesn't share those things with us. 00:12:18.079 --> 00:12:20.939 We do not participate in the divine nature in that way. 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:25.860 There are, however, characteristics of God that he does share with us. 00:12:26.280 --> 00:12:27.440 God is love. 00:12:28.680 --> 00:12:30.880 We grow in our love. 00:12:32.380 --> 00:12:33.500 God is holy. 00:12:33.980 --> 00:12:37.000 It's our goal to grow in our holiness. 00:12:38.340 --> 00:12:43.260 In fact, this is the sort of thing that we see listed in Galatians 5 as the fruit of the Spirit. 00:12:43.400 --> 00:12:45.100 What are the communicable attributes of God? 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.320 What do we have if we participate in the divine nature? 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.940 Well, we have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:57.760 That is what happens when we participate. 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.379 We're partakers of the divine nature. 00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:08.039 Peter, by the way, is going to give his own list, verses 5 through 8, that we'll look at next week. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:10.019 I'll just give you a teaser here. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:14.779 Virtue, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love. 00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:25.519 Those are the things that are in God's song of obedience that he plays in our lives by his power through knowledge. 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:30.439 We become partakers of the divine nature. 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:38.900 Hebrews chapter 4 tells us that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:46.180 piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:50.540 God's word is powerful in our lives. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.740 And so how does knowledge motivate and empower our obedience? 00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:58.680 Well, first of all, it does that because God places his power behind it. 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:01.919 God chooses to use it. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:06.460 It's not, however, just God's power, but his promises. 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:09.379 That's what we see in verse 4. 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:13.320 He's granted to us his precious and very great promises. 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:18.019 Now, you all know last week we had Labor Day. 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:21.580 Of course, when there's Labor Day, there are lots of amazing sales. 00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:28.400 Some of the best sales going on that I know about were at REI, and they had some sales that they typically don't even have. 00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:32.300 They had 25% off very nice backpacking packs. 00:14:33.540 --> 00:14:37.680 And I happen to have a couple very short backpacking trips coming up, and I'm in the market, 00:14:37.900 --> 00:14:42.740 and I've been talking to one of my friends who I'm going with who knows a lot about these things, and he's been advising me. 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:45.060 So I went ahead and I bought a pack. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:49.840 It was painful, but I knew it's not going to be 25% off for a long, long time. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.740 Now, I have a trip coming up in a couple weeks, just for a couple nights. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:59.680 And next Friday, the guys that I'm going with, we're going to get our packs and our gear together, 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:02.920 and we're going to pack them just to make sure we have everything, 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:09.840 and to make sure everything fits, because it's been a long time since any of us have been backpacking. 00:15:10.660 --> 00:15:13.860 So if there's something we're missing, we're going to have another couple weeks to go out and buy it. 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.519 If the packs are too small, we'll know that. We need to readjust. 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:20.259 We are the ones packing our bags, right? 00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:23.840 We have to make sure we have everything we need. 00:15:25.860 --> 00:15:30.919 This passage is telling us that God has already packed our bags. 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:36.100 God has already given us everything we need. 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:37.299 We see that in verse 3. 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:43.199 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:47.379 God has given us what we need to live lives of godliness. 00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:51.020 He's given us what we need to become partakers of the divine nature. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:54.180 He has granted them, right? 00:15:54.259 --> 00:15:57.900 I had to pay a lot for a backpack. 00:15:59.580 --> 00:16:03.640 We pay nothing for what God has given us. 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:08.159 I have a limited amount of space. 00:16:09.199 --> 00:16:11.179 It's 48 liters, by the way. 00:16:12.199 --> 00:16:13.699 I cannot pack everything. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.980 I cannot be prepared for every situation. 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:23.080 God has prepared us for every situation. 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:29.900 God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:34.320 God has packed our bags for this life. 00:16:34.420 --> 00:16:35.520 I have limited space. 00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:40.220 God has given us 66 books to prepare us for every situation. 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:42.660 God always prepares us. 00:16:42.780 --> 00:16:44.960 He gives us what we need for what he commands. 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:48.420 God never sends us out without backing us up. 00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:49.419 God has given us what we need for our lives of God. 00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:50.419 God has given us what we need for our lives of God. 00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:53.259 And he has done that through knowledge. 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:56.879 And so we can reach into the bag that he's given us. 00:16:57.500 --> 00:17:00.519 And there's all sorts of things we're going to draw out, right? 00:17:02.179 --> 00:17:04.460 One of them is his promises. 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:13.700 Peter is going to tell us all sorts of things in knowledge that we need to make it through life. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:20.019 He starts out by telling us about God's precious and very great promises. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:26.420 When I was living over on Whistler Hollow a couple years ago, before I moved, I lived with a couple. 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:30.380 And the man, his father was a firefighter. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:32.600 And so he understood the danger of wildfires. 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:34.279 He was a firefighter on the western slopes. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:37.900 And so at one point while I was living with him, they put together a go bag, 00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:43.140 which is a bag where you have what you need if you have to leave your house in, say, 10 minutes. 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:44.080 Someone knocks on your door. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.280 They say, a wildfire is coming. 00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:47.520 That's the bag you grab that has your essentials. 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:52.340 And they had a plan they put together for their pets as well. 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:55.040 They knew which car they were taking, how they were going to operate it all. 00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:59.020 They even bought these canisters of water that they had in their garage in case something happened. 00:17:59.019 --> 00:18:13.259 No matter what happens to the Christian, if our house is on fire, what we leave with is God's precious and very great promises. 00:18:13.259 --> 00:18:20.640 No matter what situation is going on, when we reach into the bag that God has given us for this life, 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:24.079 we look for his precious and very great promises. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:29.180 That is the way and one of the only ways that we are prepared for whatever life gives us. 00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:38.560 When we are facing an election season and a country filled with turmoil and perhaps we're tempted to give up hope, 00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:47.000 we look to God's precious and his very great promise in this book in 2 Peter 3, verse 13, 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:51.599 that we look forward to new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:59.339 We look to God's precious and very great promise in Psalm 46 that he is our refuge and our strength, 00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:01.220 a very present help in trouble. 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:09.380 Therefore, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, we will not fear. 00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:16.279 When we become Christians and our family does not understand our decision 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:19.660 and we feel alienated and isolated from them, 00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:25.180 we remember God's precious and very great promise in Psalm 27, verse 10, 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:31.119 though my father and my mother have forsaken me, the Lord will take me in. 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.720 When we face persecution because of our faith in Jesus Christ 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:39.579 and we wonder whether it's worth holding on and being faithful, 00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:45.180 we remember God's precious and his very great promise in Matthew chapter 5, 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:49.240 that though men speak all manner of evil against you on my account, 00:19:49.320 --> 00:19:52.920 you are blessed for great is your reward in heaven. 00:19:54.759 --> 00:20:00.560 When you are at the doctor's office and you knew you were going to talk to the doctor, 00:20:00.560 --> 00:20:03.400 but you forgot you had to talk to the nurse beforehand, 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:07.620 and she comes in and asks you, why are you here to see the doctor? 00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:10.099 And normally you would speak without hesitation, 00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:14.259 but this time you find a lump in your throat because you don't want to say, 00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:17.939 I'm here because of depression. 00:20:20.199 --> 00:20:22.379 I'm here because of a miscarriage. 00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:31.200 We remember and take hold of God's precious and his very great promise in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 9, 00:20:31.280 --> 00:20:35.440 that what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, 00:20:35.520 --> 00:20:37.780 what God has prepared for those who love him. 00:20:37.780 --> 00:20:42.920 We take hold of God's precious and his very great promise in Psalm 34, verse 18, 00:20:43.020 --> 00:20:47.960 that God is near to the brokenhearted and he saves the crushed in spirit. 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:53.940 When we are struggling with sin and we're not sure if we're going to make it, 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:56.360 if we are going to survive to the end, 00:20:56.579 --> 00:21:02.079 we remember God's precious and his very great promise in Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, 00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:10.420 for I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:17.519 When we face all sorts of situations in our lives and we don't know what to do, 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:23.680 we remember God's precious and his very great promise in James chapter 1, verse 5, 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:26.500 that he gives wisdom to those who ask. 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:33.119 We remember his promise in Psalm 25 that he gives wisdom to the humble. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:42.519 God has packed our bags with his precious and very great promises. 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:48.579 And so again, we see that knowledge and grace are intimately connected. 00:21:50.119 --> 00:21:53.519 We must know God's promises. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:22:01.180 That is the knowledge that leads to grace and peace. 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:08.279 And of course, an even greater promise than all of those is in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 20, 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:15.740 where we're told that all the promises of God find their yes and amen in Jesus Christ. 00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:21.720 It's not the promise that matters as much as the one who makes it. 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:26.180 And so why can we trust and believe all of the promises that I've just listed for you? 00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:29.720 It's because Jesus is the one who underwrites them. 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:40.539 It's not the paper that State Farm or USAA or GEICO sends you that matters. 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:44.720 It is the company that stands behind it. 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:53.220 Jesus is the one who stands behind all of God's precious and very great promises. 00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:57.240 He is the one who has paid for them and earned them on our behalf. 00:22:57.339 --> 00:23:01.819 And he did it when he lived as a man without sin on this earth, 00:23:01.940 --> 00:23:06.259 living the perfect life that we should have lived and then dying the death that we deserved. 00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:10.740 And so everyone that has faith in him, everyone that has faith in Jesus Christ, 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:16.180 having repented of their sins, turning away and realizing that he is their only hope, 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:20.339 they can call on God's precious and very great promises. 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:22.839 That's what we see in verses 3 and 4. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.240 He has called us to his own glory and excellence. 00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:30.920 Why do we have access to these things? 00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:35.059 Not because we are great, but because God is great. 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:45.379 And he shows us his glory and his excellence because he gives us salvation. 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:51.879 And it's his glory and his excellence that allow him to give us salvation. 00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:56.839 It's his perfection that allowed him to die on our behalf. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:01.519 It's his perfection that meant he could pay the penalty for our sins. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:07.079 And so it's his glory and his excellence that enables him to pay the debt for our sin. 00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:16.099 Remember I told you, even at 25% off, backpacking bags are not cheap. 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.259 God has purchased our bag for us. 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:23.859 Everything in it he has given to us. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:25.339 It is free. 00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:29.399 Not to Jesus, but it's free for us. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:35.019 And so we have God's promises. 00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:36.519 We have them in our go bag. 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:40.279 Those are the phone numbers that we're memorizing. 00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:42.399 Remember I talked about that last week. 00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:49.599 Not as abstract knowledge, but as knowledge that we need for the journey ahead of us. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:58.679 Brothers and sisters, if we want to grow, if we want knowledge to motivate and empower our obedience, we must know the promises of God. 00:24:58.680 --> 00:25:08.740 We know them, not as abstract knowledge, but as things that we stand on no matter what happens in our lives. 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:15.740 Some of you know that I'm sort of a casual runner. 00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:23.460 And I have to say casual because in the running community, if you run less than 15 miles a week on average, no one has any time for you. 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:29.880 But there was a period in my life when I ran a few half marathons. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.000 I haven't done that in a long time. 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:39.840 But if you're aware of what it takes to run a half marathon, especially of a marathon, you know that nutrition matters a lot. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:43.740 In fact, if you don't eat right, you're not going to make it. 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:48.720 And there's been a lot of damage done to athletes who don't have the right nutrition. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:54.940 There's been a lot of research that's come out the last few years, especially female athletes who were told the lie that they shouldn't eat any fat. 00:25:56.140 --> 00:25:58.500 Of course, that leads to all sorts of injuries and problems. 00:25:59.360 --> 00:26:03.620 Your body desperately needs fat if you're going to go the distance, if you're going to work out at that level. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:07.380 Of course, you know the same thing is true if you're lifting weights. 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:10.640 If you lift big, you got to what? 00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:12.940 You got to eat big. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:17.100 If you don't, you will injure yourself. 00:26:17.340 --> 00:26:21.680 At worst, you will not grow at the very least. 00:26:21.820 --> 00:26:23.960 That's the best thing that could happen to you. 00:26:24.019 --> 00:26:27.799 So if you go out and you run 20 miles and you get back, are you going to drink regular milk? 00:26:29.100 --> 00:26:30.700 No, you're going to drink chocolate milk. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.200 Let's go. 00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:40.500 If you're lifting, are you going to try to make sure you have a carb-free diet? 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:43.880 If you're smart, you won't. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:49.819 If you are going to run far, you got to eat right. 00:26:50.859 --> 00:26:55.480 And if you are going to lift big, you better eat big. 00:26:57.180 --> 00:27:02.880 How is it that God's knowledge empowers and enables our obedience? 00:27:03.099 --> 00:27:07.579 He does it through his power and he does it through his promises. 00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:18.740 If we have any hope of going the distance, if we want to live big, if we want to participate in the divine nature, 00:27:19.179 --> 00:27:27.139 we will also have to eat big, feasting on all of God's promises that he's given to his people. 00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:31.980 That is how God gives us his power and his promises. 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:36.700 If we want to lift big, we better eat big. 00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:38.759 Please pray with me. 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:45.180 Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the power of your word. 00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:54.839 We ask that you would drive it deep into our lives, that we would know and understand and rest on your promises more and more. 00:27:54.900 --> 00:28:00.920 And we thank you most of all for your promise in Jesus Christ, that everything finds its yes and amen in him. 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:05.759 And so we ask these things not in our power, but in the name of Jesus. 00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:06.440 Amen.