Happy New Year, and welcome to this year's first edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am happy to be able to post this sermon, and I thank the Lord for this opportunity. I hope all of you are having a good new year so far.
Last week, we analyzed some of the qualities and characteristics that Peter said were to be part of the life of the believer. Some of these qualities include goodness, self-control, godliness and love. We went over the fact that those who believe in the Lord Jesus are to act and behave in a certain way. Anyone can claim to be a Christian. However, as James teaches us, faith without works is dead. We have to demonstrate our faith by our works even though we are not made righteous in the sight of God by our works.
Today, I want us to continue with our study by seeing what Peter has to say to us in verses 8-11 of chapter 1. He begins in verse 8 by stating, "For if you posses these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Peter is telling us that when we have love, mutual affection, and the other qualities that he mentions working in our lives, we are growing in our relationship with the Lord Jesus. We are becoming more like Jesus, and when we become more like Jesus, we can make a greater impact on this world. If we are not growing in our knowledge of the Lord and what He expects from us, we will not produce the good fruit that the Lord expects of us.
Peter continues in verse 9, "But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." To me, that is a powerful statement. What Peter is saying is that if we don't grow in the faith and develop the qualities that the Lord desires of us, we are acting as if the death of Jesus on the cross doesn't matter to us. In other words, we are no longer recognizing the great things that the Lord Jesus has done for us.
In verse 10, Peter writes about making one's calling and election sure. This isn't the only place in the Bible that mentions something along this line. For instance, Paul tells us that we are to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. One way that we are to do this, is to see if the qualities that Peter has told us about are part of our lives and growing in our lives. Another way that we can examine ourselves and make sure of our calling and election is to see if we are striving to live according to what Jesus has taught us in passages like the Sermon on the Mount. We can also look and see if what we do in life resembles more the work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. Peter tells us that if our lives exhibit the qualities that he has spoken of, we will not stumble. We will receive a a welcome in the eternal kingdom of Jesus.
I believe that this should prompt each of us to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord Jesus. If we are looking to Jesus as our example in this life, we will not go astray. We need to focus on Him and what He did in this world. We need to study the teachings of Jesus, and then implement those teachings. Above all, we need to be filled with love as Jesus taught us. He taught us to love one another. He taught us that to love God with all that we have and to love our neighbor as ourselves was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
If we follow the Lord Jesus, we never need to worry about whether or not Heaven is our home. We will never stumble and fall away from the faith if we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
I have not had a great start to the new year, unfortunately. I have something very important that I would ask everyone to pray about. A company that I work for did not pay us this week as they were supposed to. I am unsure if I will get paid, and this would be a big blow to my finances. Please pray that the pay does come through and everything is resolved. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
There is something much more important that needs our prayers. Australia is being devastated by terrible fires. A person that I follow on Twitter is quite near the fire area, and she may have to evacuate to the beach. Please pray that these fires might be brought under control, and pray for the brave men and women who are battling these fires. Pray for the safety of those in Australia.
We urgently need to pray of peace. Please pray for peace with the situation between the US and Iran. Pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Cambodia and Togo. Pray that many will hear the message of Jesus.
I heard recently that the situation with the measles outbreak in Samoa was improving. I thank the Lord for this answer to prayer. Please continue to pray for those suffering with the Ebola virus in Congo.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. I will post a dog book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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