GROW UP!
Is there a connection between reading the Bible and
our outlook on life? Reading the Bible improves our outlook on life. Tyndale
House Publishers found evidence that reading the Bible promotes a positive
outlook. According to a study they commissioned with the Barna Research Group: Eighty-two
percent of regular Bible readers described themselves as "at peace"
compared to 58 percent of those who said they never read the Bible.
Seventy-eight percent of regular Bible readers said
they felt "happy" all or most of the time, compared to 67 percent of
non-readers. Sixty-eight percent of regular Bible readers said they were
"full of joy," compared to 44 percent who said they never read the
Bible. When there are so many advantages in just reading the Bible, why don't
many Christians read the Bible?[1]
When we can binge-watch T.V. for hours and hours, can
we not read three to four chapters of the Bible in a day? Another staggering piece
of information is that 40 Percent of Evangelicals Rarely or Never Go to Church.[2] Do you know why? It may
sound blunt but as one of my pastor friends said, "they are lazy."
I trust we don't find such people at Hope Church.
Last Sunday, we resolved to live well in 2023, which
involved a renewed vision of God being our home, having a fresh outlook on the
mighty power of God, and praying to God to teach us wisdom to number our days
by redeeming our time. That would put us on the correct path.
Living well involves living a godly life, which means
living a life pleasing to God. As we advance, we will look at fundamental
Christian disciplines that contribute to us living well. We will begin where
every born-again child of God must start. May this children's song, "Read
your Bible and Pray every day if you want to grow," challenge us to grow
up spiritually.
We know that song was not referring to physical but
spiritual growth. In our passage, Peter urges his congregation to Grow Up
and gives them several tools to help them grow spiritually. Before we go
forward, what do we mean by growing up spiritually? It means changing from
spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.
I.
Growing in our Faith leads us to spiritual maturity.
First, Peter
was written just before the Roman emperor Nero began his persecution of
Christians. After intensified persecution, the second letter was written three
years later (between A.D. 66 and 68). It focuses on the church's internal
problems, especially the false teachers causing people to doubt their Faith and
turn away from following Christ.
In this letter, Peter combats the heresies of the
false teachers and reaffirms Christian truths and the authority of Scripture.
He shares principles of growing in Faith and points people to the return of
Christ. Many believers want an abundance of God's special favor and peace but
are unwilling to make an effort to get to Know Jesus through prayer and Bible study.
What does it take to grow in our Faith and live a
godly life? We don't have in us the power to lead a godly life. So Peter points
them to the divine power which enables the believer to be truly godly. When we
give our lives to Christ, the same Holy Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead
comes to live in us and empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God.
In verses 5-9, Peter unfolds seven steps to grow in
our Faith. Faith must be more than believing in certain facts. It must result
in action, growth in Christian character, and the practice of moral discipline;
otherwise, it will die. Faith without good deeds is dead.
A life of Faith leads to learning to know God better,
self-control, patient endurance, godliness, and loving others. These actions do
not come automatically, and they require hard work. That's Peter said to make
every effort. To grow in Faith, we must exercise our Faith.
All these actions are not optional but must be a
continual part of the Christian life. We do not finish one and start the next,
but we work on them all together as God enables us.
II.
Growing in our Knowledge of Christ helps combat false teachers and their
teachings.
Let me establish this indisputable fact in a world
where there is so much doubt about whether Christ is God or whether he ever
lived or was just a mythological figure. Peter, whose life was radically
changed when He encountered Jesus, has this to say about who Jesus is.
Vs.16-18, "For we were
not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he
received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory
of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy
mountain."
Peter referred to the Transfiguration when Jesus'
divine identity was revealed to him and two other disciples, James and John. (Matthew
17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). Why did Peter affirm that He and two other
disciples saw Jesus with their own eyes? Because mockers ridiculed the claims
of Jesus' promised second coming during the first century. Our growth in the
knowledge of Christ to combat false teachers comes by paying attention to
Scripture.
III.
Knowing Jesus By Knowing the Scripture.
Vs.
19-21, "Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the
message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they
wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day
dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must
realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own
understanding or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the
Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God."
This section is a strong statement
on the inspiration of Scripture. Peter affirms that the O.T. prophets wrote
God's messages. He puts himself and other apostles in the same category because
they also proclaim God's truth. He encouraged the believers to Vs.19, "pay
close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in
a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your
hearts." What does this mean?
It has present and future
implications—first, for the current times. We need the light of God's word to
navigate our lives in this world without stumbling and falling. King David
recognized God's word as a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path. As we
hold on to the scriptures, they brighten our path to help us to do the right
thing and avoid the wrong.
In Psalm 27, King David
acknowledged, "The Lord is my light." What does light do? It expels
the darkness, and it gives life. That's what precisely the Word of God does to
a believer. It keeps us from sinning and leads us to the only one with the
words of eternal life.
The future implication of "Until the Day dawns,
and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." Christ is the Morning
Star and will shine in full glory when He returns. Until then, we have the
Spirit-breathed Scriptures to guide us. What is the role of Scripture in the
life of a believer? II Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in
our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." For
this very reason, we must pay close attention to Scripture.
We encourage all believers at Hope Church to read the
Bible daily. Reading the Bible is not an academic exercise but an encounter
with Jesus. C.S Lewis notes, "It is Christ himself, not the Bible, who is
the true word of God. The Bible read in the right spirit and with the guidance
of good teachers will bring us to him." Read God's word and Grow Up
spiritually.
[1]
The Southeast Outlook (11-22-01); researchers interviewed 1,004 adults chosen
to reflect the U.S.'s regional and ethnic makeup, https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/february/13530.html
[2] https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/40-percent-of-evangelicals-rarely-or-never-go-to-church-study.html
