II Peter 1:5-11

The sound of Grace

“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”

2Pet. 1:5a But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith...

Pray

Into

√ The sound of music

Ex. My kids - all blessed with Cindy's musical ability

Fun to watch them grow in their gifting…

Middle school - a sound only a parent could love J

Junior high - hey, these kids can sing!

High school - a beautiful sound!

One of the most difficult things to learn is to sing together a group of people.

To blend a group of voices so that they harmonize with one other to produce a clear and beautiful sound.

Takes a more than just a good voice, must have a good ear, to know when to sing, when not to sing, and at just the right pitch, and volume.

If just one person is off, a bit flat, too loud, or too soft, or sings at the wrong time…it just isn’t very appealing.

Ap. The sound of Grace

Our lives are like a chorus, it takes more than just words to make a beautiful sound!

Our attitude and behavior must harmonize with our spoken words.

We need to know what to say, when to say it, and when not to!

In short, when our life is in harmony with God, then the sound of His Grace is easy to discern.

Conversely, well – if our life doesn’t harmonize with the Lord’s character, then the sound of His Grace is lost in the “noise” of our hypocrisy.

Ex. My first & only golf game

√ So what’s this have to do with Peter’s letter?

Note that little word "add" in vs. 5

2Pet. 1:5a But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith...

It's the Greek word from which we get our English…

"Chorus, choreograph, & choreography"

In ancient Greece the state established the local choir…

…however, it was the responsibility of the chorus director to raise the support, train the chorus members, and to make a beautiful sound.

Peter borrows this word from classical Greek to show us what God’s Grace “sounds” like in the life of a believer.

Ap. Each of our lives is a symphony - tells a story - communicates something to the world of God's Grace.

We recognize that His Grace is a gift, however, as I mentioned in our last study, Peter's theme in this second letter deals with the responsibilities of God's Grace!

As with those ancient Greek choirs, so with God's Grace we each have a responsibility to build upon what we’ve been given by God.

In verses 5-7 Peter shares with us seven virtues that we are to bring to God’s choir that our lives might “sing forth” the beauty of His Grace.

To play the music of God's of Grace (vs. 5-7)

2Pet. 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

2Pet. 1:6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

2Pet. 1:7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

√ The “notes” of God’s Grace

Interesting! Peter lists 7 virtues that God wants to work into us so that our lives harmonize with His Grace.

Interesting because there are 7 notes on the musical scale!

And you thought Peter was just a fisherman! J

The point is that just as every note is necessary to make music, so all 7 of these virtues are necessary to harmonize our life with the Grace of God.

Ap. Please understand that we supply our life to the Master Conductor – He does the work of bringing our lives into harmony with His Grace by working these virtues into our life.

√ Built on faith

Notice that Peter says…

“add to your faith” vs. 5

Faith – faith in Jesus - is what makes the Christian different than the people in the world!

Without faith, these virtues would be of no eternal value!

Now that we’re saved, Peter calls us to cooperate with the work of God’s Spirit in our lives to “add” these Godly characteristics to our life.

1) Virtue; or “goodness” – literally means “moral excellency”. The Christian is to add to his/her faith a high moral standard.

Ex. Honesty – there is no place for lying in the life of a

Christian as it simply does not reflect the nature of Jesus

– lying sounds a “flat” note in the life of a Christian!

2) Knowledge; not the knowledge gained by intellectual pursuits, but rather, the spiritual knowledge which comes through the Holy Spirit as He brings God’s Word to light.

Ex. The Christian is called to grow in his/her knowledge of

Jesus, not just the facts, but to know Him more intimately!

3) Self-control; the follower of Christ must have their flesh under control! Peter’s instruction here reminds us that we have to choose whether or not to live under the control of our flesh, or the Spirit.

We often think this relates only to sexual sin, however, the

Christian is called to exercise self-control in many areas of

his/her life.

Ex. In our eating, in our conversation (learning what to say,

and when not to say anything!), in our shopping! We

need to learn to say “enough”!

4) Perseverance; or “endurance” – Christians need to be

able to persevere under great adversity lest their faith fail.

Ex. God’s work doesn’t get done overnight! Christians in

our day live their faith with a “microwave” mentality, if God

doesn’t do something in 30 seconds then I’m out of here!

Don’t quit!

5) Godliness; or “piety” – speaks of man’s obligation of reverence toward God.

Ex. Of all people the Christian should have an awesome

reverence for God in light of the revelation of what Jesus

has done for us.

Don’t ever think of Jesus like “any” other person – He must always be held in a special place on respect in our heart and attitude.

6) Brotherly kindness; the first 5 virtues deal with the inner person and our relationship with God. These last 2 deal with how we are to relate to our fellow man.

Brotherly kindness is that Greek word “philadelphian” – and speaks of a fervent practical (love) caring for others.

Ex. Taking a meal to someone who’s sick; fixing a car for a

single mom, doing a Christmas dinner for kids at a

shelter.

7) Love; different that brotherly kindness, this is that Greek word “agape” – the highest form of love.

Ex. Loving those who don’t love you – as Jesus

demonstrated when He died for us. I think this is the kind

of love we see demonstrated by the many Christian

missionaries who have been murdered of late in the

Middle East.

√ The sound of Grace

I find it interesting that this chorus of God’s Grace begins with faith in Christ…

…and ends with love!

That is, the life of a Christian is built on the foundation of faith – to which he/she supplies these 7 notes of God’s Grace to their life.

Ap. What does your life “sound” like?

Does it harmonize with God’s Grace?

Does it reflect the passion of the Master Choir Director?

Or, does it have a “flat”, or “off key” note?

You have a responsibility to place the song of God’s Grace.

To stay in tune with His Song of Grace (vs. 8-9)

2Pet. 1:8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Pet. 1:9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

√ Sound a clear note

The Christian whose life is marked by growth in God’s Grace will be effective and productive in God’s Kingdom!

Ap. When God’s Grace is “heard” in our lives, people want to have it for their own!

Ex. Most of us were won to Christ by what we saw and heard in someone’s life!

Ap. Christians have a responsibility to recognize that they have duty to stay in tune with God’s Grace.

Note that Peter says that the person who chooses not to add these virtues to their life is…

“shortsighted – even unto blindness”

Why? Because he tells us that the person who is not growing in Grace is the person who has forgotton…

…from what he/she has been saved.

Each of us who are saved by the blood of Jesus has a responsibility to use the life that God has granted us to bring Him glory.

We do that by daily bringing our lives to Him that He might work the nature and character of Christ into our lives.

To continue to live in our old sinful, selfish, way is tragic because it is of no value to anyone – most especially ourselves!

Ex. The saddest person is the Christian who is still trying to live in the world.

They have too much of Christ to find any real pleasure in the old life, they have too much of the old life to find joy in their new life in Christ!

So, chose to live for Jesus – let Him tune the character of your life to be like His…it’s a beautiful sound!

To keep singing the song of His Grace (vs. 10-11)

2Pet. 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

2Pet. 1:11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

√ Keep singing that song!

Peter closes his thoughts by calling Christians to keep on singing that song!

Note that he calls us to….

“be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;”

What!? That sounds an awful lot like Peter’s telling us that we have to work our way into heaven!!

Not! Understand that no one has the authority to assure God of his salvation…

…rather, the opposite is true!

What Peter is telling us is that if we will work with the Lord to manifest these 7 virtues in our life – we’ll gain confidence in our standing before the Lord!

Ap. Ever wonder if you’re really saved!?

You can know you’re saved by looking at the work of the Holy Spirit in your life!

Ex. The changes in your life – the growth in God’s Grace are the evidence of God’s presence in your life.

If God is working in your life – if He lives within you – then you know that you are saved!

√ That’s Peter’s point – when we bring our life to Him and take our responsibility to grow in His Grace seriously…

…then we gain a personal confidence of our salvation.

Can you think of anything that brings a great joy, a greater sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in life…

…than to know you are saved?

Ap. What happens when you sin?

The devil comes along and brings heavy condemnation to your mind, your heart is griped by guilt, you begin to doubt your salvation!

Why do that to yourself?

So, keep singing the song of God’s Grace – practice the notes of His Character in your life and you will gain the assurance of your salvation!

Close

√ The responsibility of God’s Grace

To sing the song of His Grace

To stay in tune with His Grace

To keep on singing the song of His Grace

Ap. Draw the unbeliever to Christ and grant you a confidence in your standing with God.