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2011-05-22: Precious & Magnificent Moments – Liberating Promises

Sermon: Precious & Magnificent Moments – Liberating Promises
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: II Peter 1:1-4
Duration: 30:04
Size: 13.7 MB

Precious & Magnificent Moments
Liberating Promises
II Peter 1:1-4

I believe that if we saturate our minds and hearts with the glory and excellence of God in the Scriptures, there will one day come an explosion at Richmond Community Church:

I. Peter: Servant and Apostle

But Peter is not eager to flaunt this authority. “Apostle” comes second, not first.

What is most important in anyone’s life is their faith, and on that score Peter is on a level plane with the church.

Peter does have authority, but he bends over backward to meet them as a brother and serve them, rather than lord it over them.

II. Peter’s Greeting

He pictures grace and peace as something that comes to us from God.

If you want to enjoy God’s peace and be the aroma of his grace in the world, your knowledge of him has to grow.

A. The Goal – Life and Godliness

First, Peter is aiming at two things: eternal life and godliness; moral and spiritual transformation now, and hope for life in the age to come.

The hope of life and the way of godliness stand or fall together.

B. The Source – Divine Power

Second, the way of godliness and the hope of eternal life do not lie within our own power to produce or attain.

The Christian faith is not merely a set of doctrines to be accepted. It is a power to be experienced.

God’s grace is a free power that works in us for our good.

C. The Means – Knowledge of God

The knowledge that leads to life and godliness is said to be the knowledge of God’s precious and very great promises.

Very practically, I think this means we must day-by-day go to the Word of God and search for great promises.

III. Conclusion

We can sum up these first four verses of II Peter with four words: power, promises, practice, and prospect.

God’s divine power (v. 3) flows into our lives when we know (v. 2) and trust (v. 1) his precious and very great promises (v. 4). And this power flowing through these promises produces practice of godliness (v. 3) and the prospect of life eternal (v. 3).

Next Week
Confirm Your Election
II Peter 1:5-11

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2011-04-24: He Must Reign

Sermon: He Must Reign
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 24:46
Size: 11.3 MB

He Must Reign
I Corinthians 15:20-28

“Closed”

One of the most heart-wrenching words in human language is the word “closed.”

OPEN

I want us to ponder together four things about this reign, all of them under the heading of OPEN—the opposite of closed—OPEN.

Therefore, I urge you this morning to write in capital letters over every closed door in your life OPEN.

1. “O” – The OPENING of the Reign of Christ

The Resurrection Introduces Three New Elements

  1. He has taken humanity onto himself which he never had before
  2. As the God-man he has now been openly declared to be the Messiah, the Christ.
  3. His reign now is based on his finished work of redemption for the forgiveness of sins on the cross.

The OPENING of the reign of Christ was his resurrection from the dead.

2. “P” – the PRESENCE of the Reign of Christ

So when Paul says Jesus must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet, you know two things: he is reigning now, and he is reigning to win.

Christ is reigning now. Not just in the past. Not just in the future.

3. “E” – the EXTENT of the Reign of Christ

The encouragement in that is that when you set yourself to do battle with the enemies of your faith and your holiness, you will not fight alone.

4. “N” – The NECESSITY of the Reign of Christ

  1. That the Son uses his authority to redeem a people for himself, from every tribe and tongue and nation.
  2. That he defeat the enemies of God.
  3. That he draws all attention—all glory—back to the Father.

Write Christ’s Reign Over Every Closed Door

  • Opened at the resurrection.
  • Present in power here and now.
  • Extending over every enemy of his glory and of our joy.
  • And as Necessary as the all permeating deity of God.