PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE

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TEXT – 2 PETER 1:1-4

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Imagine a dad standing outside with his son, watching the things the boy does and a neighbor approaching the two of you with a smile and says, “You know that boy shares your nature about as much as any young man I’ve ever seen with his dad.”
  2. What would be your first thought? If you went inside later and told your wife what the neighbor had said, what do you think her first thought would be?
  3. When I’m back in Alabama, especially in the last few years, it is quite common for someone to say, “You are a whole lot like your dad.” I often wonder exactly what they mean by that. I love and admire the things that my dad did when he was alive. But I’ve never thought of myself as being much like him, which makes me wonder how often children feel that way when someone says to them they are just like their dad.
  4. While I have no doubt the people who say I’m a lot like my dad, mean it as a compliment, I want to share with you today a far greater compliment for all of us than that. I really believe that it is one of the greatest compliments ever offered to anyone.

DISCUSSION:

  1. FOR THOSE WITH THE SAME KIND OF FAITH.
  2. Peter notes that he is writing to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours.
  3. I don’t really know who the “our” includes since it seems to have only been Peter who was writing.
  4. In his first letter he notes that Silvanus had done the actual writing down of what Peter had to say. But in this letter he doesn’t mention anyone else. So it may just be a figure of speech but only referring to Peter’s faith.
  5. It is interesting that he will challenge them at the end of the letter to take care that they don’t fall from their own steadfastness, but to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  6. He said that they received this kind of faith by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  7. His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.
  8. This is a declaration of God’s amazing grace. He has all power, wisdom and knowledge.
  9. It would always require such power to grant EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS.
  10. Have you ever purchased a piece of furniture that you had to put together? I hate getting that kind of thing. It always seems to me that when I get it together I either don’t have some part that I needed or have some parts left over.
  11. God has given us everything we need to live right and be what God wants us to be.
  12. He grants us all of this through the knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and excellence.
  13. This knowledge comes to us through the Scriptures that Peter said were not a matter of anyone private interpretation.
  14. Instead holy men of God spoke as the Holy Spirit moved them. 2 Peter 1:20-21
  15. BY THESE HE GRANTS US PRECIOUS AND MAGNIFICENT PROMISES.
  16. What does he mean by “These”?
  17. The Scriptures through which we get the knowledge of the Lord’s will?
  18. More likely, “The glory and excellence” of the Lord.
  19. There has never been a time when God hasn’t made precious and magnificent promises to his people.
  20. Promised Noah He would never again destroy the world by water but as long as time lasted seedtime and harvest, summer and winter would happen.
  21. Promised Abraham that through his seed or descendants all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
  22. Promised David that the messiah would be one of his descendants and he would reign on David’s throne forever.
  23. Jesus promised us that he would be with us all days. Matthew 28:20
  24. He promised to send His Holy Spirit to no longer just be among us but in us where he would lead and guide us in our life for Him.
  25. He promised to constantly forgive our sins as we walk in the light of God. I John 1:7
  26. There is certainly no lack of promises in the Bible. What He promised we could be certain he will fulfill. Often promises God made to his people wouldn’t be fulfilled for hundreds of years, but they always were fulfilled. Illustration of God telling Abraham his descendants would be in Egypt for 430 years and would return to the land that he had promised them.
  27. BY THESE WE PARTAKE IN HIS DIVINE NATURE.
  28. This is the most amazing part of this magnificent Scripture. I am moved when someone says I share my dad’s nature. But I’m far more moved at the thought God allows us to participate in his nature.
  29. Jesus came into the world looking so much like the Father that he could say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:6-9
  30. He declared one of his main purposes as being to show us the Father. John 1:14-18
  31. As Jesus reflected God the Father in the world, our challenge is to live in a way that reflects the nature of Christ and the Father to those around us.
  32. The notion of being “Godly” is that we are taking on the marks or characteristics of God.
  33. Being Christian involves both the idea of being Christ like or being a follower of Christ. I Peter 4:14-16
  34. I suspect the specific application that Peter has in mind is the graces he describes in verses 5-7.
  35. CONCLUSION:
  36. How amazing is the grace of our Lord toward us! He welcomes us into his family as children of the Father and younger brother of Jesus.
  37. He not only serves as our benefactor, but he pulls us in and shares with us his very nature as well as opening the storehouse of glory in heaven.
  38. Grace makes the way for us to not just have blessings but to be among his chosen and beloved.