WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.540 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us. 00:00:06.600 --> 00:00:10.519 We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats, 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:14.339 but because we're following after Jesus as one community, 00:00:14.620 --> 00:00:20.019 and we've become convinced as we follow after Jesus that there's no one so good, 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.019 they don't need His grace, and no one so bad they can't have it. 00:00:24.019 --> 00:00:30.079 And so it's for that reason that we return week after week to see what God has to say to us in His Word, 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:32.539 because we believe that He has something to say to everyone. 00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:36.200 He has something to say to people who've been Christians their entire lives. 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:40.480 He has something to say to people who've been Christians for a very short amount of time, 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:44.000 and He has something to say to people who would not consider themselves Christians, 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:48.039 people who have doubts or questions or objections to Christianity. 00:00:48.620 --> 00:00:52.560 And so we're continuing altogether our study in the book of 2 Peter, 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:54.460 and in fact, we are finishing it today. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.480 This is our last Sunday in 2 Peter. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:00.780 Next week, we are going to begin a study in the book of Daniel. 00:01:01.400 --> 00:01:06.219 So I'll just say as a sidebar, if you want to prepare for that, read Daniel chapter 1. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:09.620 It's a fun story, and you'll be ahead for next week. 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:13.780 But you'll remember, and I'll tell you now for the last time, that 2 Peter is a letter. 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:21.099 It's a letter written by a man named Peter to a church in the 60s AD somewhere in the Roman Empire. 00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:24.939 And he writes this letter with one hope, one goal. 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:26.899 He wants these people to grow. 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.140 And he wants them to grow in two ways. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:34.019 He wants them to grow in grace, and he wants them to grow in knowledge. 00:01:34.119 --> 00:01:37.539 And I've been telling you we know this because he tells us at the very beginning, 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:42.879 chapter 1, verse 2, he says he wants grace and peace to be multiplied to them through knowledge. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.899 And he also tells them at the very end, which is where we are now. 00:01:47.759 --> 00:01:51.159 He gives them this command in the last verse that they would grow. 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:54.739 It's an imperative, the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:01:54.859 --> 00:01:59.000 Remember that we are at the end of the book, and Peter is giving us his final words. 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:02.120 Last week, he gave us a negative command. 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:03.799 Remember, don't be carried away. 00:02:04.539 --> 00:02:06.959 This week, he is giving us the positive. 00:02:07.099 --> 00:02:07.959 He wants us to grow. 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:16.539 And so we're going to take sort of a 40,000 feet look at what we've seen over the last many months now. 00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:17.560 We started this in the fall. 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:18.739 I think we started in September. 00:02:19.859 --> 00:02:22.319 We're going to look back over everything that we've done, 00:02:22.340 --> 00:02:27.099 and we're going to give a summary here of this final command, what it means for us to grow. 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.859 If you feel like this might be a little bit of repetition, some of it will be. 00:02:30.860 --> 00:02:34.920 And when it comes to the Bible, repetition is not a bug. 00:02:35.540 --> 00:02:36.420 It's a feature. 00:02:38.100 --> 00:02:41.760 Remember, earlier in the letter, in fact, it was in chapter 1. 00:02:41.820 --> 00:02:43.440 I think it was verses 12 through 15. 00:02:43.640 --> 00:02:47.400 Peter says, I want to stir you up by way of reminder. 00:02:48.700 --> 00:02:52.500 And then he mentions later in the letter as well the importance of reminding. 00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:56.140 And so it's with that that we come here looking at what it is, 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.240 what it means for us to hear God's word that we grow. 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:04.439 That we grow in grace and we grow in knowledge. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.300 And so I invite you to turn with me to 2 Peter 3, verse 18. 00:03:08.480 --> 00:03:10.280 You can turn in the back of your worship guide. 00:03:10.920 --> 00:03:13.340 Of course, you can open it up on your Bible or your phone. 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:16.400 No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's word. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:20.879 And God tells us that his word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 00:03:21.480 --> 00:03:25.260 In other words, he has not left us to stumble alone in the dark, 00:03:25.700 --> 00:03:29.680 but instead he's given us his word that we would know the way to go. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:34.100 And so it's for that reason that we read now, verse 18. 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:40.140 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:03:40.580 --> 00:03:44.360 To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:45.140 Amen. 00:03:45.139 --> 00:03:49.339 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:03:51.339 --> 00:03:55.599 Our Father in heaven, we thank you that you've given us this letter. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:02.359 And we thank you for everything that you have taught us over these months about knowledge and grace. 00:04:03.099 --> 00:04:04.919 You've taught us that you're the source of it. 00:04:05.699 --> 00:04:07.619 You've taught us what it means to grow in it. 00:04:07.620 --> 00:04:10.960 You've taught us the dangers of false teaching. 00:04:11.480 --> 00:04:15.680 And the encouragement that we take from the fact that you are coming again. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:20.480 We ask as we end this letter that you would send your spirit again to help us. 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:26.480 That we would be able to see and believe and understand and know everything that you've written in your word. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.439 We ask these things in Jesus' name. 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:29.399 Amen. 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:29.540 Amen. 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:29.620 Amen. 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:38.780 As all of us are aware, there's a lot of strange things that happened in 2020. 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:41.580 So much so that it's sort of become a joke. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:46.900 And of course now people are making jokes about 2021 and all the terrible things that have happened so far. 00:04:47.420 --> 00:04:55.400 There's one thing that's strange that happened in 2020 though that you might have missed in the midst of everything else going on. 00:04:55.399 --> 00:05:00.620 And it was this, in the fall, sales of chess boards went through the roof. 00:05:02.099 --> 00:05:10.120 eBay reported a 215% increase in the sales of chess boards and chess accessories. 00:05:11.139 --> 00:05:14.219 Chess sets in general went up by 125%. 00:05:14.219 --> 00:05:20.639 And one game company called Goliath Games reported that they had seen sales go up by 1,000%. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:25.379 Now if you're wondering why, you might think it's because everyone was stuck at home with the coronavirus. 00:05:26.339 --> 00:05:30.979 Problem is it didn't happen until the fall that this sales spike increased. 00:05:31.779 --> 00:05:37.519 If you follow with pop culture, you know why this happened, which is that the show, Queen's Gambit, came out. 00:05:38.019 --> 00:05:40.240 And for a while, it was one of the top shows on Netflix. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:45.919 And it tells the story of Beth Harmon, who's this child prodigy playing chess, but she's also an orphan. 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:55.319 And so we follow both her success and also her addictions as she pursues this world championship in chess. 00:05:55.400 --> 00:05:58.700 She's a child prodigy and she goes all the way from being a novice. 00:05:59.200 --> 00:06:01.520 I won't ruin the end for you, but she starts out as a novice. 00:06:02.139 --> 00:06:04.100 And then she works her way through the championships. 00:06:05.220 --> 00:06:07.600 And so this is the reason, right, that everyone's buying these chess sets. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:09.639 They're excited about chess. 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:13.540 Now it is, of course, about the play and people love watching her play these games. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:14.120 It's exciting. 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:19.079 There's also, however, a sub-theme in the movie that you might have missed. 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:22.680 And that is the theme of Beth's books. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:24.980 Episode 1. 00:06:26.180 --> 00:06:29.319 Beth is being taught by Mr. Scheibel, the teacher, how to play chess. 00:06:29.420 --> 00:06:32.639 He gives her a book on chess strategy, which she then studies at night. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.660 Okay, episode 2. 00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:38.939 We see her steal a chess magazine. 00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:43.399 Because she needs, she wants as much knowledge about chess as she can get. 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:44.439 She goes to the library. 00:06:44.620 --> 00:06:46.500 This is after she's been adopted out of the orphanage. 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:49.399 She goes to the library and checks out books on chess. 00:06:50.919 --> 00:06:51.759 Episode 5. 00:06:51.859 --> 00:06:56.799 Her friend Harry Beltick shows up to her house to help her train to fight the Russians. 00:06:57.299 --> 00:06:58.359 What does he bring with him? 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:00.679 Big box of books. 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:05.400 And so they go through them together to figure out what she's read and what she hasn't. 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:07.439 Episode 7. 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:09.240 Her friend Jolene returns. 00:07:09.639 --> 00:07:11.860 Who she has not seen in years from the orphanage. 00:07:11.900 --> 00:07:12.980 What does she bring with her? 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:17.920 The chess book that she stole from Beth so many years ago. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.920 And so there's two things going on. 00:07:20.980 --> 00:07:23.920 If you've been with us in 2 Peter, you know exactly where I'm headed with this. 00:07:24.939 --> 00:07:27.780 She's growing in her skill, right, in playing chess. 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:35.060 It's wonderful to watch her play chess and defeat so many people who are more experienced than her, older than her. 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:37.319 And of course there's this male-female dynamic, right? 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.560 She's beating these male champions as this woman in the world of chess. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.879 And what is she doing as she's growing in this skill, this ability? 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:49.100 Well, she's also growing in knowledge. 00:07:50.019 --> 00:07:53.259 She takes her learning so seriously. 00:07:53.819 --> 00:07:55.420 She's studying these books. 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:57.120 She's replaying games. 00:07:57.180 --> 00:08:01.279 And the scene where Harry brings her the box of books, he keeps handing them to her, right? 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:03.879 And she just says, you know, I've read that one, I've read that one. 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:04.879 He finally hands her one. 00:08:04.939 --> 00:08:07.160 He says, okay, yeah, you've read this one, right? 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:09.040 She says, well, no, but I already have a copy of it. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.500 She is reading. 00:08:11.640 --> 00:08:14.400 She has to get her knowledge to support her skill. 00:08:14.520 --> 00:08:18.000 It's not one or the other, but they both go together. 00:08:18.620 --> 00:08:20.860 And that's what we've seen through this entire letter. 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:27.860 It's what we see in this last verse, that this growth is two things that are constantly working with and on one another. 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:31.160 Yes, her skill is great, and it's accompanied by knowledge. 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:33.200 These things feed off of each other. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:37.320 And if you're wondering why this is such a great emphasis for me and us in this series, 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:40.480 first of all, of course, it's because this is the theme of the book. 00:08:41.500 --> 00:08:43.280 We are here in God's word. 00:08:43.420 --> 00:08:46.300 This is what it's reinforcing for us over and over again. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:50.300 We've been going back and forth between grace and knowledge, grace and knowledge. 00:08:51.160 --> 00:08:56.240 The other reason that we're hammering this home is because it is a failure, not a failure, 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.920 but often an error of the church to fall into one or the other. 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:04.599 So in our types of churches, in Reformed churches, we often fall into people who value knowledge, 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:07.279 but we forget about growing in grace. 00:09:08.339 --> 00:09:11.379 And so this is a way that Satan likes to lull people to sleep. 00:09:11.659 --> 00:09:12.679 It's one of his strategies. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:17.299 He convinces people that they're growing spiritually because they know more than they knew before. 00:09:18.339 --> 00:09:21.819 And yet it's worth little if it doesn't lead to growth in grace. 00:09:22.699 --> 00:09:26.079 In many American evangelical churches, the opposite is true. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.700 People are passionate about growing in grace. 00:09:29.040 --> 00:09:30.740 They have very little knowledge, though. 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:37.480 And so they're tossed about by all kinds of ideas and philosophies that are actually antithetical to Christianity. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:41.639 They're taken in, as we talked about the last few weeks, by false teachers. 00:09:43.100 --> 00:09:47.300 And so this theme that we see for Beth here and in this letter is critical. 00:09:47.520 --> 00:09:52.400 We have to know both knowledge and grow in grace. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:56.879 This command, then, is what we're going to look at this morning, both in turn. 00:09:57.039 --> 00:10:02.360 We're going to look first at growth in knowledge, then at growth in grace. 00:10:02.459 --> 00:10:07.340 I know I'm reversing the order from the verse here, but I'm doing that because there's a logic to it. 00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:13.600 Remember in verse 2 of chapter 1, we have grace and peace multiplied to us through knowledge. 00:10:13.939 --> 00:10:18.039 Since knowledge is our instrument here, we're going to begin with this. 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:23.379 Remember that this lack of knowledge is what could be destructive to the people in this letter. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:31.219 We saw the theme introduced in growth in chapter 1, and then in chapter 2, we immediately headed into our struggle with the false teachers. 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:34.500 False teachers are teaching two things that are very destructive. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:38.740 One, they're denying the reality that Jesus is coming again. 00:10:38.819 --> 00:10:42.559 And we saw that that knowledge hurt these people's growth in grace. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.719 If they believed it, they would believe then that their actions didn't matter. 00:10:47.439 --> 00:10:50.479 These false teachers are promoting especially sexual immorality. 00:10:50.599 --> 00:10:54.079 They're also promoting things like greed and licentiousness. 00:10:54.859 --> 00:10:59.439 And so it's a lack of knowledge that leads these people to be led astray, to be taken away. 00:10:59.939 --> 00:11:05.419 We've talked about that danger over and over again, and so I want to focus now simply on how we grow. 00:11:05.419 --> 00:11:11.159 If we're looking back about all those problems, we see the importance and the necessity of growing in knowledge. 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:18.039 Remember I gave you the thought experiment last week of two types of growth, right? 00:11:18.959 --> 00:11:20.779 We can grow fat or we can grow strong. 00:11:20.939 --> 00:11:28.319 I told you if I decided that I wanted to gain 10 pounds of fat, I could do it relatively easily. 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:30.779 I have the strategy already figured out. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.079 I think I could accomplish it in a very short amount of time. 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:38.399 I want you to ask and think about the other side of that, though, this morning. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:45.199 What if I decided I wanted to grow not 10 pounds of fat, but I wanted to grow 10 pounds of muscle? 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.819 What would I need to do to grow? 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:53.419 Well, I'd have to have a lot of different strategies, right? 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:56.819 It is not easy to grow 10 pounds of muscle. 00:11:57.019 --> 00:11:59.159 And so one of my strategies would be this. 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:07.019 If I want to get strong, I would need to make sure day after day, week after week, month after month, I am eating right. 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:10.259 I'm eating a good diet. 00:12:10.319 --> 00:12:13.860 I need to make sure I have high protein, right, because that's the building block of muscle. 00:12:14.139 --> 00:12:16.059 Of course, I can't forget the vitamins and minerals. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:22.079 I need to make sure I'm getting enough high-quality vegetables and fruits and all these other things that I need to keep strong. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.740 Maybe I'm getting some kind of oil to help with my joints. 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:26.759 But there's a commitment. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:32.000 There's a strategy that's needed for my body to have everything that it needs to support this growth. 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:34.160 We're consistently eating a good diet. 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:41.160 If we want to grow as Christians, how much more is that true of us? 00:12:41.520 --> 00:12:46.840 We must have a strong, good, clear, consistent diet of knowledge. 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:55.040 We talked about last week, part of the way we're not being carried away is by looking at the signs, 00:12:55.139 --> 00:12:58.379 looking at the kind of church, the kind of teaching that we want to have. 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:03.040 The same is true, again, if we want to grow in a positive sense. 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:06.580 When the Apostle Paul leaves the Ephesian church in the book of Acts, 00:13:06.680 --> 00:13:12.320 he tells them that he taught them the entire counsel of God. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:15.600 He says, I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:21.540 It is they need all of the things that God gives us in the Bible to grow. 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:24.980 If you want to grow strong, right, you're not just eating protein. 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:29.680 You're also making sure you get the source of all the other elements that you need. 00:13:30.180 --> 00:13:32.060 The same is true for us as Christians. 00:13:32.280 --> 00:13:34.660 We need God's whole counsel. 00:13:35.920 --> 00:13:38.379 We don't just need pieces and parts of the Bible. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.820 We need everything coming together, brought in. 00:13:41.220 --> 00:13:45.660 Remember, we talked in chapter 1, verses 3 and 4, about the precious and very great promises. 00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:50.939 And I told you then, also speaking about strength, that if you lift big, you've got to eat big. 00:13:51.959 --> 00:13:54.899 And if you run far, you've got to eat right. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:59.139 The same is true again. 00:14:00.719 --> 00:14:05.120 And so there's been this special focus in this letter on two types of knowledge. 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:07.620 We've looked at knowledge about Jesus' second coming. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:11.039 We've looked especially about knowledge about sexual integrity. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:16.639 There are all sorts of other kinds of knowledge that we need, though, to stand strong in our time. 00:14:16.719 --> 00:14:21.360 In our culture right now, in America, in the American church, and in the world at large, 00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:25.360 there's, of course, many other topics that we need to know the whole counsel of God about. 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:27.659 We need to know about suffering. 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:33.740 There's all kinds of places in the church now where you're going to be taught that if you're a Christian, 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:35.139 you're not going to experience suffering. 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:36.319 You're going to be able to avoid it. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:42.000 And even if you're not being taught that, if you're not being taught how to prepare and stand up under suffering, 00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:45.519 you're not going to be strong, right, when the challenges come. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:51.039 We also need to know how to stand strong against tribalistic thinking. 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:59.279 It's true both in the world and in the church that we feel like we have to pick different teams to play for. 00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:05.600 And yet the Bible can help protect us from that sort of tribalism. 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:07.639 That's knowledge that we need to grow in. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:11.620 Knowledge also that we need to grow in is knowledge about marriage. 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:19.139 We live in a culture and also in the church where we're told that marriage is about us and our self-fulfillment. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.379 Well, imagine what happens when that's what we believe. 00:15:24.259 --> 00:15:27.320 Look at the marriages in the church in general and in our world. 00:15:28.539 --> 00:15:31.019 That's what happens when you believe it's about self-fulfillment. 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:36.360 It's not about something greater, a mission that God has for us to accomplish together. 00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:38.919 We need to know. 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:41.599 We need to have a theology of the body. 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:45.679 That's part of what we talked about, I believe it was in chapter 2. 00:15:46.699 --> 00:15:48.299 People are being deceived, right? 00:15:48.339 --> 00:15:52.839 They don't understand what God teaches us about how sacred our bodies are. 00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:55.839 It's not that Christians think too little. 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:59.439 It's not that the world thinks too much of the body. 00:15:59.539 --> 00:16:00.519 It's that it thinks too little. 00:16:01.479 --> 00:16:06.659 Our bodies are more beautiful and glorious than the world knows. 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:10.179 And so we treat them with greater care and respect and integrity. 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:13.559 These are all areas of knowledge that are under attack. 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:17.799 Things that we need to know about the entire counsel of God. 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:20.240 And so what do we do if we want to grow? 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:24.059 We're consistently eating a good diet. 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:28.919 We're consistently making sure what we're receiving and putting into our minds, 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:31.720 the knowledge that we're growing in, is whole and complete. 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:34.800 And so I'm going to give you a few practical suggestions. 00:16:35.019 --> 00:16:38.060 How can we have a strong spiritual diet? 00:16:38.580 --> 00:16:41.899 First, as I mentioned last week, we come to church. 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:46.639 Now you might say, of course you're going to say that you're a pastor. 00:16:48.660 --> 00:16:51.580 Well, I don't believe you should come to church because I'm a pastor. 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:53.500 I'm a pastor because I believe you should come to church. 00:16:54.700 --> 00:16:59.000 Even more than that, this is, as I mentioned last week, the logic of strength. 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:01.440 Strength. Repetition is what equals strength. 00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:05.440 You don't get strong going to the gym once a month. 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:10.759 You get strong week after week, consistency after consistency. 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:13.019 It is not because we're legalists. 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:16.819 It's because we're people who know what we need. 00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:20.400 We are more feeble and frail than we realize. 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:23.759 We need, every week as I tell you, when I give the benediction, 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.799 this is a word that's true in a world filled with words that are not true. 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:31.940 How are you going to stand in a world filled with words that are not true 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:34.740 if you're not regularly hearing words that are true? 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:40.180 If we're going to grow, we have to show up. 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:41.980 And so that's simple. 00:17:42.099 --> 00:17:42.799 Come to church. 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.200 Hear the word preached. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:46.980 Hear it when it's exciting. 00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:49.039 Hear it when it's something you've heard before. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:55.279 Second, when you are picking a church, choose a church with a good diet. 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:58.359 Now, you might think I've already picked a church. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.279 Some of you are going to move. 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:05.000 Some of you are going to grow up and leave your parents' house, 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:06.759 and you're going to go to college, 00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:09.960 and you're going to have the choice of which church you go to. 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:13.960 Choose a church that has a good diet. 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:20.340 Some of you are going to still be at this church in five years. 00:18:21.100 --> 00:18:22.900 Remember our thought experiment from last week. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.420 Hold this church accountable to having a good diet. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.420 There's a reason, as I mentioned last week, 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:34.700 that we preach through books of the Bible verse by verse. 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:38.660 Who knows which of us will be here in five years? 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.860 I don't know who wants to think about it. 00:18:40.859 --> 00:18:42.899 Let's just say 2026. 00:18:43.899 --> 00:18:47.199 In 2022, three of you move away to other parts of the country. 00:18:47.879 --> 00:18:50.719 In 2024, I'm in a freak car accident. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:51.919 I'm not here anymore. 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:55.619 And it turns out there's only 30% of us here. 00:18:57.959 --> 00:18:59.219 Remember right now, 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:05.139 hold this church true and faithful to a good diet from God's word. 00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:10.980 Stay with a church that gives you a good diet. 00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:14.020 Pick a church that has a good diet. 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:18.759 If you're at a church and magically hard passages are just skipped, 00:19:19.820 --> 00:19:21.180 you should be asking some questions. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.100 There's nothing wrong with topical preaching. 00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:25.620 It's great. 00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.520 We might do a topical series at some point, 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:33.920 and we want our overall diet to be one of preaching through entire books of the Bible. 00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:36.680 If that's not true, ask some questions. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:39.359 Pick a church with a better diet. 00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:44.160 Second, if we want to grow in knowledge, 00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:46.319 read the Bible on your own. 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:49.960 It doesn't have to be something intense. 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:53.119 You don't have to read three chapters every day. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:53.619 You can. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.579 You're more than welcome to. 00:19:55.939 --> 00:19:56.659 Pick something. 00:19:58.639 --> 00:19:59.279 Stick with it. 00:20:00.059 --> 00:20:01.599 When you skip a day, you miss a day, 00:20:01.659 --> 00:20:02.419 don't beat yourself up. 00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:03.219 Pick it back up. 00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:06.459 If you need some suggestions, some encouragement, 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.379 we can talk later. 00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:13.399 Now, sometimes Christians can turn this into a legalism. 00:20:13.479 --> 00:20:14.619 They can feel beat up by it. 00:20:14.679 --> 00:20:15.939 They feel like, well, I'm not doing enough. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.439 I could always be doing more. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:20.179 I could always be reading more or studying more. 00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:22.840 What's the most? 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:23.759 When have I done enough? 00:20:24.120 --> 00:20:27.080 Sometimes people can get caught up into this sort of legalism 00:20:27.080 --> 00:20:29.160 about growing in knowledge, about studying the Bible. 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:32.400 And this is where I think food's an incredibly helpful metaphor. 00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:37.480 You know you need to eat food to live. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.320 You also need to live. 00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:42.220 You can't spend your whole day eating. 00:20:43.820 --> 00:20:44.580 That's not healthy. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:47.480 At some point, you actually need to exercise. 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.920 We're going to talk about that later, growth in faith or growth in grace, 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:51.039 not just growth in knowledge. 00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:54.579 There's a point where you've eaten enough for the day. 00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:57.620 There's a point where we've studied enough, right, 00:20:57.660 --> 00:20:58.940 and we go out and live our lives. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.980 So we don't need to be caught up into some kind of legalism, 00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:04.120 always beating ourselves up that we've never done enough. 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:07.779 Just ask yourself, am I feeding on God's word? 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:12.180 What can I do to do that on a regular, consistent basis? 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:16.600 Finally, gather with other believers. 00:21:18.320 --> 00:21:20.039 This is a group project that we have. 00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:23.060 Growing in knowledge is not something we do alone. 00:21:24.620 --> 00:21:26.820 You could go off on this, but if you've watched Queen's Gambit, 00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:29.900 you know that Beth's greatest success comes 00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:32.140 when she's working with other chess players. 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:38.000 But as the series goes on, she's collaborating more and more. 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:40.539 She needs other people with her. 00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:43.059 She needs other people helping her. 00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:46.740 Studying and growing in knowledge, it's not a solo sport. 00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:51.519 Again, we don't have to become legalistic about this. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.519 Find a way that you can connect with other Christians 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.559 somewhere outside of church, 00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:58.960 and you're studying the word together. 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:03.059 That's how we grow. 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:05.420 That's how we grow in knowledge. 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:06.399 We have a good diet. 00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:08.319 We have a consistent diet. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:12.139 And there is a point at which we've eaten enough, right? 00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:14.099 We know as humans we need to eat every day. 00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:16.059 There's only so much we can eat every day. 00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:19.679 Same is true with God's word, okay? 00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:22.579 Consistently, little by little, right? 00:22:22.659 --> 00:22:25.500 If you're someone who's tried to lose weight or gain strength, 00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:26.519 you know it doesn't happen overnight. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:30.000 I can get fat overnight if I want to. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:32.000 I can't get strong overnight. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.599 But I show up, right, week after week after week. 00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:40.599 As we've mentioned before, though, 00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:43.339 growth in knowledge is not enough. 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:45.140 In fact, if you remember from chapter 2, 00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:46.799 verses 20 and 21, 00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:49.579 growth in knowledge can actually be dangerous. 00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:52.140 It is dangerous to know something 00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:53.200 that we're not going to act on 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.559 because we're culpable for it. 00:22:55.099 --> 00:22:57.460 We are responsible for what we know. 00:22:57.940 --> 00:22:58.799 Okay, I spent a whole sermon, 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:00.380 verses 20 and 21 on that. 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:03.900 And you know there's a kind of person, right? 00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:05.740 There's the type of person 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:08.620 who laments and complains 00:23:08.620 --> 00:23:11.560 about the lack of biblical literacy 00:23:11.560 --> 00:23:12.880 in our culture and in the church. 00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:14.680 They might say something like this. 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.740 You know, most people can't even tell you 00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:19.280 which gospel the Sermon on the Mount is in. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:23.100 And as that person complains 00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:23.900 about no one knowing 00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:25.440 where the Sermon on the Mount is in, 00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:28.180 their life is filled with the kind of anger 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:30.480 that Jesus warns about in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:35.080 Okay, there's a danger to just having knowledge. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.779 There's a pride that can come with it. 00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:38.720 There's another type of person, right? 00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.660 This is the type of person 00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:42.279 who is diligent and proud. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:43.360 They are proud of the fact 00:23:43.360 --> 00:23:44.460 that they read their Bible 00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:45.880 and they pray every day. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.039 And they can't understand 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.779 why no one else is as disciplined as they are. 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:53.320 It's not that hard, right? 00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:54.439 Just get on the train with me. 00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.919 And all that prayer and reading 00:23:57.919 --> 00:23:59.519 somehow never leads them 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.619 to love their family and their community more. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.399 Christianity for them 00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:08.039 is all about this activity. 00:24:08.179 --> 00:24:08.879 It's about ritual. 00:24:11.439 --> 00:24:13.019 And so there's a danger to knowledge. 00:24:13.179 --> 00:24:14.519 Knowledge by itself 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:19.299 can be a way of covering up other things. 00:24:19.419 --> 00:24:21.639 And so there's a tremendous wisdom here 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:23.240 to the way Peter puts this book together, 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.880 that he has knowledge and grace together. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:27.440 It's not one or the other, 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:29.100 but both and. 00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:30.720 And so remember, 00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:31.560 I asked you this question, 00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:32.300 what would you do 00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:34.680 if you wanted to gain 10 pounds of muscle? 00:24:35.800 --> 00:24:36.420 Well, yeah, 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.780 you definitely need to be eating right. 00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:40.640 That's not the end of the story though, right? 00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:42.040 What's gonna happen if you just eat right? 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.360 Not a lot. 00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:49.400 If you wanna gain 10 pounds of muscle, 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.220 if you wanna grow, 00:24:50.320 --> 00:24:51.320 as Peter commands us here, 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:53.159 if we wanna grow in knowledge and in grace, 00:24:53.500 --> 00:24:54.779 you are also working out. 00:24:55.099 --> 00:24:57.099 You're also going to the gym, right? 00:24:57.139 --> 00:24:59.240 You're also lifting if you wanna gain, 00:24:59.319 --> 00:24:59.939 if you wanna grow, 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:01.119 if you wanna become strong. 00:25:01.439 --> 00:25:03.539 It's not just that it's the right diet, 00:25:03.619 --> 00:25:05.379 but the right exercise, right? 00:25:05.439 --> 00:25:06.259 It is amazing. 00:25:06.399 --> 00:25:09.139 It's incredible how holy you can be 00:25:09.139 --> 00:25:11.480 when you're reading the Bible alone by yourself. 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:16.759 It's amazing how little you can sin 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:17.619 when you're sitting 00:25:17.619 --> 00:25:19.279 and there's no one else around 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:20.839 and you're just studying the word. 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:22.460 So holy, 00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:23.779 so sanctified. 00:25:25.399 --> 00:25:26.879 Play it out in the real world. 00:25:28.899 --> 00:25:31.759 I have a friend who explains the church 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:33.899 and what we do is sort of like a heart 00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:36.440 that deals with the blood 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:38.839 and the heart pulls all the blood in, right? 00:25:39.419 --> 00:25:40.439 And then it sends it out. 00:25:41.199 --> 00:25:44.199 We get pulled in together in worship on Sunday 00:25:44.199 --> 00:25:46.579 and then we're sent out into the world. 00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:48.539 The blood has a job to do. 00:25:49.639 --> 00:25:52.579 It's going out to take care of the rest of the body. 00:25:52.939 --> 00:25:53.980 I mean, imagine for a second, 00:25:54.059 --> 00:25:54.819 like the lungs, right? 00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:56.779 The lungs are supposed to give oxygen to your blood 00:25:56.779 --> 00:25:59.159 so that the oxygen can go to all the other cells. 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:01.019 But what if your blood just decided 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:02.259 to like hang out in the lungs? 00:26:03.959 --> 00:26:05.220 We just like it in the lungs. 00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:06.059 There's so much oxygen. 00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:07.039 It's just so good here. 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:08.099 There's so much rich oxygen. 00:26:09.659 --> 00:26:11.019 What's going to happen to the rest of the body? 00:26:13.139 --> 00:26:13.879 It's going to die. 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:17.500 That's the relationship between knowledge and grace. 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:18.659 We come in, 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:20.700 we get the oxygen and the knowledge we need, 00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:22.240 then we go out into the world. 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:24.579 That's part of how we know, by the way, 00:26:24.659 --> 00:26:27.440 you know you can only eat so much per day, 00:26:27.539 --> 00:26:29.420 partially because you have all these other things to do, right? 00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:31.119 We can only take in so much knowledge 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:33.019 because we have to live out the Christian life. 00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:34.000 There's an irony, right? 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:34.619 If you're reading, 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:38.399 you're studying Ephesians 5 so much about marriage 00:26:38.399 --> 00:26:40.959 that you don't have a chance to talk to your spouse. 00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:43.139 Right? 00:26:43.239 --> 00:26:44.839 Knowledge and grace, they go together. 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:47.859 And so we have, 00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:49.939 the Bible tells us what this grace looks like. 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:51.219 We're told the fruits of the Spirit 00:26:51.219 --> 00:26:52.519 in Galatians chapter 5. 00:26:52.619 --> 00:26:54.599 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:57.239 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 00:26:59.299 --> 00:27:00.379 Okay, so question for you. 00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:02.960 Where exactly do you figure out whether you have love or not? 00:27:06.580 --> 00:27:08.020 As you work with other people. 00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:11.900 How do you figure out whether you have patience or not? 00:27:15.040 --> 00:27:16.420 As you're pursuing things, 00:27:16.760 --> 00:27:18.940 as you're obeying God with other people, 00:27:19.080 --> 00:27:20.000 ministering to other people. 00:27:20.080 --> 00:27:23.040 Okay, how do you know whether you have kindness or goodness? 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:26.500 Do you test that out alone by yourself at your kitchen table? 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:30.960 No, your kindness and your goodness is worked out, right? 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:32.000 In the real world. 00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:34.900 And so there's a reason that I tell you 00:27:34.900 --> 00:27:36.039 when we begin the sermon 00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:39.779 that we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:27:40.420 --> 00:27:42.200 Because that's how you follow Jesus. 00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:45.279 That's how you put your faith to work. 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:46.160 That's how you grow, 00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.980 not just in knowledge, but in grace. 00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:51.900 You're actually growing in the fruits of the Spirit 00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:53.920 as you pursue everything that God has for us 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.019 in His Word, on mission, with other people. 00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:57.639 People sometimes who you don't like. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:01.299 And then you can learn about patience, 00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:04.180 joy, love, kindness, goodness, self-control. 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:07.480 You're in these situations, right? 00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:09.119 The person growing strong is in the gym. 00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:11.480 We as Christians are in all the situations 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:12.519 that God's placed us in. 00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:16.079 We grow in strength when we have to ask the question, 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:19.619 what do I do when my daughter comes to me 00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.900 and tells me she's transgender? 00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:24.440 How do I balance truth and love in that situation? 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:29.240 How do I discern and separate my political beliefs 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:30.880 from what Jesus actually teaches? 00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:34.759 How do I avoid getting sucked into tribalism? 00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:36.259 I have a team. 00:28:36.360 --> 00:28:37.900 Whatever that team says is right. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:39.940 Whatever the other team says is always wrong. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.059 That's a place to grow in grace. 00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:48.639 How do I maintain hope despite the craziness 00:28:48.639 --> 00:28:50.539 that's going on in our world? 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:55.339 How do I have that joy, right, 00:28:55.379 --> 00:28:56.679 that the fruit of the Spirit talks about? 00:28:57.619 --> 00:28:58.599 How do I go to work? 00:28:58.659 --> 00:29:00.839 How do I live out God's mission with other people? 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:03.839 These are all opportunities for me 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.220 to not just grow in knowledge, 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.539 not just be eating the good food, 00:29:06.879 --> 00:29:08.480 but to be growing in grace, 00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.679 to be putting it to work, 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:11.820 to be working out our faith. 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:14.720 And so there's another question, too, 00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:17.820 as we talk about growing not just in knowledge, 00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:18.660 but in grace, 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.759 growing in the fruits of the Spirit. 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:22.360 There's a place, 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:23.480 we've talked about this a little bit 00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.039 in 2 Peter, 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.100 of self-examination. 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.019 You ask yourself, 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:27.060 this is part of the process, 00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:28.140 am I growing? 00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:32.100 And, just like gaining muscle, 00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:33.240 probably not helpful, right, 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.740 to look at the scale one day 00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:35.720 and then the next. 00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:38.940 Am I growing this last year, 00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:41.640 these last two years? 00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:45.079 Is God working more love, joy, peace, 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:46.079 patience, kindness, goodness, 00:29:46.299 --> 00:29:47.059 faithfulness, gentleness, 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.220 self-control into my life? 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:51.519 We're working out. 00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:53.339 We're examining ourselves. 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.120 We're asking. 00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:56.460 And then we're going back 00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:57.579 with those other people 00:29:57.579 --> 00:29:59.519 that we're following Jesus together with, right? 00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:02.360 And we're continuing to grow together. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:05.220 Growing in grace. 00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:07.400 We're growing in knowledge. 00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:14.299 The trajectory of the story 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:16.200 in Queen's Gambit 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:18.440 is that Beth is aiming 00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:21.360 for when she's finally going to face the Russians. 00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:24.839 And she has to face the greatest 00:30:24.839 --> 00:30:25.740 of all the Russians, 00:30:25.940 --> 00:30:26.240 Borgov, 00:30:26.360 --> 00:30:28.420 and that's what the series is aiming towards 00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:29.039 at the very end, 00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:30.360 her face-off with this man. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.920 And as this tension is building, 00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:34.100 she's moving her way 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:35.039 through competitions 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.039 in the United States 00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:36.719 with her eyes 00:30:36.719 --> 00:30:38.119 on international opportunities. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:40.539 When she first faces off 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:41.199 against the Russians, 00:30:41.199 --> 00:30:43.219 we have this one scene 00:30:43.219 --> 00:30:44.480 where we get to listen in 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.959 on them talking about Beth. 00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:48.959 And they're working together. 00:30:49.079 --> 00:30:49.759 They're trying to figure out 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:51.159 how to defeat her, 00:30:51.679 --> 00:30:52.799 how they're going to play against her. 00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:54.240 And one of them says to the other, 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:56.700 she's not like the other players. 00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:58.140 She's actually like us 00:30:58.140 --> 00:31:01.420 because she can't lose. 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:05.059 We as Russians are not allowed to lose. 00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:07.960 She, unlike all the other American players, 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:09.680 is also not allowed to lose 00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:13.019 because she's an orphan. 00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:16.319 In other words, 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:18.220 Beth, as we see through the entire series, 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:20.119 carries this incredible weight 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:21.980 from the fact 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.460 that her father has abandoned her 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:24.359 and her mother has died. 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:28.019 She carries this incredible weight 00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:30.940 from her experiences 00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:31.960 with the troubled family 00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.720 that adopts her. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:36.319 And so as she's growing in knowledge, 00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:38.079 as she's growing in skill, 00:31:38.700 --> 00:31:41.299 it's motivated not by a positive, 00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:42.200 but by a negative. 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:47.139 She carries this heavy burden. 00:31:47.619 --> 00:31:48.960 Her animating power here 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:50.480 is her fear and her insecurity, 00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:52.759 her woundedness, her abandonment. 00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.279 Brothers and sisters, 00:31:56.519 --> 00:31:59.139 when we pursue knowledge and grace, 00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:01.279 we do not do it from a negative. 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:02.619 We do it from a positive. 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:06.720 We are not doing it out of fear and insecurity, 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:08.379 woundedness and an abandonment. 00:32:08.379 --> 00:32:12.740 Instead, Jesus tells us this in John chapter 14. 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:17.579 I will not leave you as orphans. 00:32:20.059 --> 00:32:22.539 I will come to you. 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:26.079 Beth has to do it all by herself. 00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:28.759 We do not. 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:34.440 We grow in grace and knowledge 00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:36.139 because we are not orphans. 00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:38.360 Jesus is the one at work in our lives. 00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:40.340 Remember, we saw this in chapter one. 00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:43.100 We were told, verse one, 00:32:43.259 --> 00:32:45.340 faith comes through Christ's righteousness, 00:32:45.540 --> 00:32:46.020 not ours. 00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:47.660 It's not something that we earn. 00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:50.540 Verse three, why is knowledge so important? 00:32:51.300 --> 00:32:52.340 Chapter one, verse three, 00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:54.980 because that's where divine power is. 00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:58.020 It's not that knowledge by itself is powerful, 00:32:58.019 --> 00:33:00.519 but that God works through it. 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:06.240 Beth has to do it all herself. 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:07.180 We do not. 00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:09.839 Beth is an orphan. 00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.539 We are not. 00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:16.039 Jesus tells us also, John chapter 15. 00:33:16.159 --> 00:33:17.440 We've looked at this before as well. 00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.379 I am the vine. 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:21.460 You are the branches. 00:33:21.619 --> 00:33:23.200 Whoever abides in me, I in him. 00:33:23.319 --> 00:33:24.759 He it is that bears much fruit. 00:33:24.839 --> 00:33:27.039 For apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:30.680 Remember, Beth's animating power is fear and insecurity. 00:33:30.879 --> 00:33:33.839 Our animating power is God at work in us, 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.000 giving us new life. 00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:38.740 And so we grow not by ourselves. 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.759 We're pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps. 00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:43.880 We grow because he's the one at work. 00:33:44.099 --> 00:33:46.640 He has determined not to leave us as orphans, 00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.500 but he's coming again. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:48.920 He is the vine. 00:33:49.799 --> 00:33:53.039 He is the one giving us life and strength and growth. 00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:56.680 And so that's where we see what this book 00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:58.359 and this verse ends with. 00:33:58.460 --> 00:33:59.839 It tells us, to him be the glory, 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:01.519 both now and to the day of eternity. 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:06.720 Beth is fighting that she could finally have some glory. 00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:10.699 An orphan who's been abandoned multiple times. 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:16.639 We Christians fight not for our glory, but for God's. 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:22.679 We know through the entire season 00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:27.219 that there is a day that Beth is looking forward to. 00:34:28.179 --> 00:34:30.659 And it's the day when she's gonna face Borgoth 00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:33.019 and find out if she has enough, 00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:36.599 if she has what it takes to defeat this man. 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:40.279 And she doesn't know, right? 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.879 Christians, we also look forward to a day. 00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:50.399 It's the day that we've talked about 00:34:50.399 --> 00:34:52.139 all throughout chapter three. 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:55.599 We look forward to the day when Jesus is coming back. 00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:59.119 Beth doesn't know the outcome. 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:01.199 We do. 00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:05.619 When she plays her final game, 00:35:06.279 --> 00:35:08.839 the outcome is unknown. 00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:10.859 She has to win it. 00:35:11.839 --> 00:35:13.659 Our outcome is known. 00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:15.279 It has already been won. 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.440 How is it 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:28.200 that we grow in grace and in knowledge? 00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:32.200 We grow in grace and in knowledge 00:35:32.200 --> 00:35:34.139 as we feed on God's word. 00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:37.599 We grow in grace and knowledge 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:40.260 as we follow God's command and his mission 00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:41.880 with other Christians, 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:43.659 other believers together. 00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:47.639 we do it because Jesus has come 00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:50.079 and he is coming. 00:35:51.299 --> 00:35:55.159 And we do it because he has already defeated sin 00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:57.159 once and for all. 00:35:58.119 --> 00:35:59.399 And so we can, 00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.239 verse 18, 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:02.039 grow in the grace and knowledge 00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:03.899 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:07.079 To him be the glory both now 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:08.779 and to the day of eternity. 00:36:09.339 --> 00:36:09.559 Amen. 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:09.699 Amen. 00:36:09.699 --> 00:36:11.539 Let's pray. 00:36:14.359 --> 00:36:15.379 Our Father in heaven, 00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:16.799 we thank you 00:36:16.799 --> 00:36:18.519 that you 00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:20.699 want us to grow 00:36:20.699 --> 00:36:22.539 and you want it so much 00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.199 that you're the one 00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:24.239 who brings it to work 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:24.939 in our lives. 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.059 We thank you that you 00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:27.899 have not left us as orphans, 00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:29.919 but you are coming back. 00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.719 We ask that you'd give us 00:36:31.719 --> 00:36:32.299 the hope 00:36:32.299 --> 00:36:34.079 that comes from looking forward 00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:34.739 to that day 00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:35.399 and it would be 00:36:35.399 --> 00:36:37.159 not a negative motivation, 00:36:37.159 --> 00:36:38.480 but a positive motivation 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.920 that we would look with joy 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:41.379 towards your return 00:36:41.379 --> 00:36:44.179 and it would propel us 00:36:44.179 --> 00:36:45.000 towards growth 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:45.699 now 00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:46.879 together. 00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:48.219 We thank you 00:36:48.219 --> 00:36:49.119 that Jesus is the one 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:50.159 who works it in our lives, 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:50.879 that he's divine. 00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:52.079 And so we ask these things 00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:52.739 in his name. 00:36:53.259 --> 00:36:53.500 Amen. 00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:53.659 Amen. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:54.500 Amen. 00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:55.000 Amen. 00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.500 Amen. 00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:55.599 Amen. 00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:55.659 Amen. 00:36:55.659 --> 00:36:55.679 Amen. 00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:55.739 Amen. 00:36:55.739 --> 00:36:55.779 Amen. 00:36:55.779 --> 00:36:55.799 Amen. 00:36:55.799 --> 00:36:55.920 Amen. 00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:56.279 Amen. 00:36:56.279 --> 00:36:56.379 Amen. 00:36:56.379 --> 00:36:57.739 Amen. 00:36:57.739 --> 00:36:57.779 Amen. 00:36:57.779 --> 00:36:57.819 Amen. 00:36:57.819 --> 00:36:57.839 Amen. 00:36:57.839 --> 00:36:57.920 Amen. 00:36:57.920 --> 00:36:58.319 Amen. 00:36:58.319 --> 00:36:58.420 Amen. 00:36:58.420 --> 00:36:58.519 Amen. 00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:58.659 Amen. 00:36:58.659 --> 00:36:59.659 Amen. 00:36:59.659 --> 00:36:59.719 Amen. 00:36:59.719 --> 00:36:59.739 Amen.