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Love

Teaching Text: 2 Peter 1:3-11

FHis divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Themes

Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:

Built Up in love
Equipped to Live the Promises of God

Formation

Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
– Ephesians 4: 11–16
The Kingdom of God is most accurately represented when all the saints are equipped and participating in the mission of God to love show his love to our world.
The word EQUIP was used to refer to…
- THE SETTING OF A BROKEN BONE - things are are broken in our lives being healed.
- THE TEACHING OF A SOLDIER TO FIGHT - to be made ready of for struggle of life and the way of love in Christ by the Spirit
- THE SUPPLY OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR ALONG JOURNEY - that we would have what is need for the long journey of life
- THE RESTORATION OF SOMETHING TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION - maybe its been worn out, beaten down, damaged, and it gets restored to like new…
TODAY - 2 Peter 1:3-11
And SO this passage is an old and seasoned saint taking our hand and walking us through how it works…
- Don’t forget you have everything you need
- Don’t forget where to find it: in union with Christ and in the promises
- And Don’t Forget that it’s through the promises of God we grow in such a profound way that we become participants in divine nature.
- We actually have a share God’s life.
- We actually have a share in what is true about God’s character growing up in us.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
2 Peter 1:3–4
In a world that plays up scarcity, can we really believe that we have what we need?
- What areas of life do you feel like you are experiencing scarcity? Not enough?
God is not lacking - remember in Psalm 23 when David is giving us this classic picture of walking with God through life.
- “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.”
The promises of God are doorways for us to participate in God's very nature
The first temptation and every one thereafter:
- Maybe God is keeping something Good from you.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
– John 10 :10
Now if we’re making our way through our lives without drawing on the power of these promises to get us participating in the God’s nature, in God’s way and character in the world, then we are leaving this tremendous resource of abundant life untouched and unused.
How?
MAKE EVERY EFFORT
- How does this line up with God’s free gift of grace?
We come in on Christ’s accomplishment.
But Peter says MAKE EVERY EFFORT to add to your faith and then he gives this list.
I love what Dallas Willard says..
- God is not opposed to effort, He is opposed to earning
  – Dallas Willard

AFTER YOU BELIEVE…
- Virtue is what happens when someone has made a thousand small choices requiring effort and concentration to do something which is good and right, but which doesn't come naturally. And then, on the thousand and first time, when it really matters, they find that they do what's required automatically. Virtue is what happens when wise and courageous choices become second nature.
  – NT Wright

Its not ramping up our willpower, its turning our will over and over again to God with the help of the Holy Spirit so that we grow in the life of God.

At the end of this journey of maturity that Peter highlights is LOVE.
- That we share in the active, anti-selfish, sacrificial, enduring, world changing love of God.
- There is a GOOD NEIGHBORS FAIR TODAY. Each both is a way to practice love…
- GOD HAS NOT LEFT US WITHOUT WHAT WE NEED.