I was coming home from San Antonio Tuesday night and called my brother to see if he would like to meet me for coffee. He said no, he was on his way to the capital. He asked “when else in my lifetime will I get to see someone either accept or concede the Presidency of the United States?” So I met him and we joined thousands on Congress and 11th St. as we waited in the rain for the results to come in.
About 2:15 as the South Austin Gospel Choir (32 tie died hippies) was singing the crowd went wild as the giant screen flashed the news Florida had gone to Bush and he was the 43rd President of the United States. The crowd got ready for the speeches. Gore was to concede and Bush accept. A young lady came and sang “America the Beautiful” and busses started arriving from the Governor’s Mansion. Then word came that Gore had renigged. Then Daily made his speech. And we stood around wondering what was happening.
As we waited I thought about how it felt to be told the election was yours, only to be told it might not be. And I thought of the words of Peter in 2 Pet 1:3-11
(2 Pet 1:3-11 NIV) His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. {4} Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. {5} For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; {6} and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; {7} and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. {8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. {10} Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, {11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
WHERE WE SHOULD BE (3 – 7)
A. We Have Everything We Need For Life and Godliness
1. We know Jesus
(Heb 8:11 KJV) And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Foundation of our faith is a knowledge of who He is and what He has done to save us
2. We have been called by his own glory and goodness
3. We have great and precious promises
we may participate in the divine nature
we escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires
(2 Pet 2:20-22 NIV) If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. {21} It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. {22} Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
B. We Need to Build on What We Have
Like a pyramid
Faith
Goodness
Knowledge
self-control
perseverance
godliness
brotherly kindness
love.
2. Need to have these in abundance
II. WHERE WE COULD BE (v. 8 – 9)
A. Near Sighted and Blind
myopic – with an astigmatism, near sighted
blind - enveloped in smoke (figuratively - to inflate with self-conceit:--high-minded, be lifted up with pride, be proud.) “blowing smoke”
B. Ineffective and Unfruitful
inactive, lazy, useless
barren, fruitless
(Mat 7:17-20 NIV) Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. {18} A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. {19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. {20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
III. WHAT WE CAN DO (v. 10 – 11)
Make An Effort – there is something you can do about it
B. Make Sure – go back to the basics and be sure they are in place
C. What We Are Working to Secure
1. Calling -- vocation
(Eph 4:3-7 NIV) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. {4} There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- {5} one Lord, one faith, one baptism; {6} one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
(Eph 4:1 KJV) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
are you doing the job you were called to do?
2. Election
(Mat 22:2-14 NIV) "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. {3} He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. {4} "Then he sent some more servants and said, ’Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ {5} "But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. {6} The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. {7} The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. {8} "Then he said to his servants, ’The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. {9} Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ {10} So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. {11} "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. {12} ’Friend,’ he asked, ’how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. {13} "Then the king told the attendants, ’Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ {14} "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
the call (invitation) goes out
few are willing to answer the call
indifference (v. 5)
rebellion (v. 6)
or self-righteousness (v. 12)
I am all right the way I am – I don’t need to “put on” anything else
We need to “put on Christ”
(1 Th 1:2-5 NIV) We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. {3} We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. {4} For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, {5} because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
How about you? Have you heard the calling of God on your life? Have you answered the call? If you have then you have put on Christ and you life will be effective and productive in bringing others to Christ and helping them to grow up and mature in Christ Jesus.
