10/10/2021 – Midtown Church – Online
Essentials: Getting to the Core of the Christian Life | A Sermon Series on the Book of 1st Peter
GROWING IS A LIFESTYLE: UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL MATURITY
10/10/2021 – Pastor Otis Amey
Main Text – 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)
The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.
AM I ESSENTIAL?
1.) Maturing Christians Pursue Knowledge
(2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV)
…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
We can access…God’s divine power THROUGH knowledge of Him
We can experience…God’s divine nature THROUGH knowledge of His promises
We can reap Corruption THROUGH lust (our carnal desires, greed, fame, etc.)
2.) Mature Christians Pursue God’s MORE!
(2 Peter 1:5-9 NLT)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
Goodness (Living to glorify God)
Knowledge (Responding to divine revelation)
Self-control (Resisting sinful desires)
Endurance (Not quitting until God releases you)
Godliness (Seeking to please God with your choices)
Brotherly Affection (Caring for the well-being of other members of God’s family)
Love (Compassionately & righteously seeking the well-being of others, including non-believers)
3.) Mature Christians Pursue God’s Kingdom Now!
(2 Peter 1:10-15 NLT)
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.
Matthew 16:27 (CSB):
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done.
Final Thought – Make the commitment to get BETTER with time. To mature spiritually.
Proverbs 23:26 (NLT)
O my son, give me your heart.
May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
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