Sermon Tone Analysis

Sermon Series: It’s True, I Promise

Sermon Title: The Nature of God

Scripture:

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

4 By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.”

Opening Hymn: 518 Standing on the Promises

Closing Hymn: 190 Jesus Loves Me

Big Idea: God's precious promises enable us to partake in God’s divine nature which ultimately fills us with love.

Preach your Announcements:

Several weeks ago by sister and brother in law, Ian and Alsa Lain, shared their plans to go to a create access country in North Africa.

They wrote us a letter after spending the weekend with us and I’d like to read it to you.

Many of you expressed your desire to join them in prayer, and even financial support.

On November 9th, during our all church business meeting, we’ll consider a suggestion that our board has recommended for our whole church to adopt Ian and Alsa as our missionary family.

Have you seen the tall cards in the pockets behind the tithe envelopes?

I just noticed them last night at the Jam and Bread vespers, and they answered a question that I’ve been curious about for some time—how can I join the Bonners Ferry church?

The first thing you do when you move is you get your address forwarded by the Post Office.

Then you get your stuff moved in.

Then you get your library account set up.

Then you change your phone service so you can get phone calls in these hills.

Then you register your cars, and change your license.

And then, you move your membership to your new church.

Some people feel like it’s a good idea to leave their membership in a church they haven’t participated in for many years.

Some do it because they want to support a small church, or continue to pay tithe to their former church, or because they think that they’ll move back some day.

Well, as a guy who has moved quite a lot, I believe my membership should be on the “books” of whatever church I attend regularly.

It’s the church where I can be involved in ministry and mission.

It’s the church that can empower me to reach my community.

And it’s the church where I invite my time and resources to further God’s kingdom.

What you do with your membership is up to you, but as for me and my house, we’ve asked for our membership to be moved to the Bonners Ferry Church.

Hopefully when it comes time for you to vote on whether to accept our transfer, you’ll say yes.

Introduction

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For her 7th birthday in June, 2014, Emily wanted to be a princess.

Most fathers would buy their daughter a tiara and a pretty dress and say, “you’re my princess,” but not Jeremiah Heaton.

Jeremiah promised Emily that he would make her a princess.

So, he traveled across the globe to an area known as the Bir Tawil, an 800 square mile uninhabited territory that lies between Egypt and Sudan and has remained unclaimed by either due to a border dispute.

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Jeremiah traveled to Bir Tawil, planted a flag he and his children designed, and claimed the land as a monarchy, making Emily a genuine princess.

While Emily’s story is a bit out of the ordinary, it illustrates a father’s determination to fulfill his promises.

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This is the first in a series of sermons I’m calling, “It’s true, I promise.”

In every age, since long before the flood and all the way until today, people have been saying that there isn’t really justice for evil and there’s no tangible reward for the righteous.

All this religion stuff is a social construct at best or a plot to control you at worst.

These doubts and dismissal of religion come down to a simple claim:

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God doesn’t keep his promises.

That’s a big claim, and a question we really need to answer if we’re going to be His followers.

Some suggest he doesn’t keep his promises because he doesn’t exist.

Others suggest that He just doesn’t care or isn’t involved.

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Peter knows a thing or two about promises, and as he writes his second letter to the Christians that have been scattered in Asia Minor, he wants to assure them that God keeps his promises.

For example, in chapter two he points out that the promise of the resurrection, and the reality of Jesus’ divinity is something he can personally attest to since he, himself, saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain with Moses and Elijah.

In chapter three, Peter is assuring the Christians that there really is justice for evil and a resurrection of life for the righteous.

It shouldn’t surprise you that a letter full of references to God’s promises would begin with a strong and somewhat surprising statement about God’s promises.

Let’s read about it in

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His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

(, ESV)

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If you’re a serious Bible student, you might have remembered that is the home of Peter’s ladder.

You might also remember the song, “Jacob’s Ladder.”

It’s loosely based on the vision Jacob had of the angels ascending and descending on a ladder between heaven and earth, and Peter’s description of Christian growth here in 1 Peter seems to some like a ladder that Christians must climb.

Some of the lyrics to the Jacob’s Ladder song go like this:

We are climbing Jacobs Ladder

We are climbing Jacobs Ladder

We are climbing Jacobs Ladder

Soldiers of the cross

Every rung goes higher, higher

Every rung goes higher, higher

Every rung goes higher, higher

Soldiers of the cross

If you’ve ever climbed a really tall ladder, you know that climbing a ladder can quickly drain you of energy.

It’s difficult work.

And that’s what many think about when they read Peter’s description of Christian growth.

They focus on the climbing.

But Peter seems to have a different focus.

He centers our focus, not on the advancement but on a gift from God.

He starts out verse three by saying, “His divine power has granted…”

This is an unqualified statement that isn’t dependent on any behavior or action on my part.

He “has given.”

Not only has He given this thing to me, but it’s by His POWER that He has given it.

The Greek word translated here as power is a word that has come into use in the English language as “dynamite.”

Dynamite is a dynamic, explosive, and powerful mechanism.

In using this word Peter is making sure we know that there will be a dynamic and powerful reaction when whatever it is God is granting us applied in our lives.

Next he says that what God’s divine power has granted is “all things that pertain to life and godliness…”

There is no suggestion in this verse that we have to contribute some of what is required for life and godliness.

God’s power has given “all things” for life and godliness.

And how does Peter suggest that God’s gift works?

How is life—eternal life—and godliness developed in a person?

“through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…”

When Peter talks about knowledge, this isn’t some mysterious information that will release your spirit from its mortal prison—that’s the philosophy of Gnosticism.

Peter is talking about something deeper, richer, and more alive than just knowing a bit of information.

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Jesus said it this way, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

(, ESV)

This is what Peter is talking about—knowing Jesus is everything we need for an eternal life in God’s glorious and excellent presence.

This knowledge is an experiential, intimate knowledge of Jesus.

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When we read the words, godliness, glory and excellence in 2 Peter, we are tempted to jump to performance anxiety.

We’re looking around and thinking, “do I measure up?”

Is my faith strong enough to make me godly and excellent?