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Our Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee for Thy presence with us already in this gathering this morning. Lord, as we come now to Thy holy and precious Word, as we've been singing, O God, we pray that now by Thy Holy Spirit and power and grace, would break the bread of life to our souls. Bless thy word today to the saving of the lost in this gathering. Bless thy word, O God, we ask, to the building up and the strengthening, Lord, of thy people in their most holy faith. And Lord, bless and use thy word, O God, to the glorifying of thy great name. Empty me of self and of sin. Fill me, Lord, afresh with the Holy Ghost, with the power of God. Give help in the preaching, Lord, of thy word. Bless thy truth to every heart. Pour out thy Spirit upon this congregation. and have thy way in all our hearts and lives this day, we ask it all for Jesus' sake and glory. Amen. Our text of scripture today are the opening words of verse number four of 2 Peter chapter number one, where it says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. Now here in 2 Peter chapter one in particular in verses five to seven, You will see that the apostle Peter is speaking there to the Lord's people in this day about progression in their Christian life. Look at verse number five of the chapter. He says, and besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity, For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord. Jesus Christ. Now, before those words, you'll see also in the chapter how Peter mentions the means by which this spiritual growth could be accomplished in the life of these believers. If you look at verse 2 of the chapter, you'll see there how he prays that they might know more of God's grace and more of God's peace in their life. He says, grace and peace be multiplied unto you. through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. You look also at the next verse, verse number three, you'll see there how he speaks to them about the enablement of God's power in their life. He says, according as his divine power have given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." And then in verse 4, our text this morning, he speaks to them there about the certainty of the promises of God. He says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world. through lust. Now, back in that passage of Scripture that we read earlier, in the book of Romans, chapter number 4, in that chapter there, the apostle Paul tells us about Abraham believing and resting upon God's promise against all odds in his life. You see, God had promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age. Human nature lasts as such a thing, but with God, all things are possible. And in Romans chapter 4 verse 20 and verse 21, we read these tremendous words about Abraham and his faith in the promise of God. It says of Abraham, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And my justice, Abraham, the patriarch of old, depended upon God's promise. So Peter, as he writes here to God's people, to the born-again believer in 2 Peter chapter 1, was also wanting the born-again believers of his day to rely and to rest upon and to depend upon the promises of God to His people. And my justice, this was God's will for His people in the day of the apostle Peter. So it is still God's will for His saved, redeemed people today. The believer, the child of God, whoever he is, whoever she is, wherever they are to be found in this world and this life, they are to rest upon the promises, indeed the very precious promises of the Lord. In recent times, in our morning meeting, we've been looking at some of the precious things that are mentioned to us in the Scriptures. Well, today I want us to look at this great subject of the precious promises of God that are mentioned here in our text, verse 4 of 2 Peter chapter 1, where it says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. In the Bible, the word promise is mentioned over a hundred times in the Scriptures. Also, God continually says throughout the Bible, I will, implying His promises. My, there are many promises that are linked with His name, many that were spoken by the very lips of the Lord Jesus Christ while He was here on earth. There are many promises that you find recorded by the prophets and by the apostles. It is reckoned that there are over 30,000 promises of God in the Bible. Yes, it can be said that the Bible is a bundle of promises to God's people. Yes, the Bible, if you like, is like a casket of jewels. And in every jewel of that casket, you find a precious promise from the Lord to His people. And this morning, I want us just to look at some of the reasons why God's promises, why they are so precious as they are described and defined in our text this morning. First of all, I want you to note that the promises of the Bible are precious because of their origin. Our verse says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." Notice there the mention of that word, given. There you read of these precious promises being given, being bestowed to the believer. And the very fact here that they are given, it reminds us that they are given by God, that they are bestowed by the Lord. My God Himself is the originator of these precious promises that we find in the Bible. In verse 2 here of the chapter, Peter has been speaking about God. And then in verse number three, he says, according as his divine power have given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. And one of the things that God gives and bestows for life and godliness in the life of his people, in the life of his church, are these exceeding great and precious promises that are mentioned to us in verse four in our text for today. Yes, these promises that Peter speaks of, they are precious because it is God Himself who makes these promises. It is God Himself who gives them. My, the origin of any promise is important. But my, whenever God makes a promise, He will always honor His Word. Yes, you and I, we may make a promise, but maybe through circumstances or through neglect, or even through forgetfulness, we may not keep our promise. We may not fulfill that word that we have given, but that is not so with God. God is one who is true to His word, who keeps His promise. Back in the Old Testament book of Numbers, chapter number 23 and the verse number 19, there you read some tremendous words about God. about his word and about the keeping of his promises. It says there, God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Half he said, and shall he not do it? Or half he spoken, and shall he not make it good? God is one who makes good every one of his promises. You see, whenever God makes a promise based on His sovereignty, based on His righteousness, His holiness, His justice, His mercy, that promise will come to pass. You remember the words of Christ in the Gospel of Luke when He said, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Indeed, someone has once said that God's promises are just as good as ready money any day. In other words, they are sure. You think of General Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, a man who was greatly blessed and used of God in his day and generation, a man who proved the promises of God in his life and in his ministry and service for God. When he was leaving, at this scene of time, he spoke to his son. And my, on three occasions, he said these words to his son. He said, the promises of God are sure. The promises of God are sure. The promises of God are sure. And dear believer, child of God, in our meeting this morning, that is a truth that God wants you and I to understand and to allow it to dwell in our hearts and in our soul, that the promises of God, every promise of God is sure to his people. because God is one who honors His Word. Yes, the promises of the Bible are precious because of their origin, but we can say further this morning that the promises of the Bible are precious because of their measure. You look again at the words that Peter uses here in our text, he says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. You'll notice there that Peter describes God's promises as great. And then look again, you'll see that he says they are more than great, because he uses the word exceeding. And that is why God's promises are so precious, because they are exceeding great, he says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. Now, you and I, we measure the size of man's promise by the benefit. that man's promise bestows or the benefit that man's promise offers. Well, you know, the benefits and the blessings that God bestows and offers through His promises, they are immense, to say the least. My, their measure is something that far surpasses anything that man can ever offer or man can ever hope to give or bestow. There really is no comparison between the promises of man and the promises of the Lord. My, you and I, we see something of the magnitude of God's promises whenever we consider some of those great promises that belong to our salvation. You see, in salvation, not only does God promise redemption, but He goes further. He promises you and I eternal redemption. His Word speaks of Christ and says, by His own blood, He obtained eternal redemption for us. In salvation, He not only promises us life, but God goes further than that. He promises us abundant life. Christ says, I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. In salvation, not only does He give us joy, but again, God goes further than that. He promises us fullness of joy. Remember what Christ said in John 15, verse 11. He says, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. He promises you and I, his people, fullness of joy. And this fullness of joy is something that the world cannot give. Indeed, this is why the hemrider could say there is sunshine in my soul today. And then in our salvation, not only does the Lord give us peace, but He promises more than that. He promises you and I who are sea of perfect peace. It says in Isaiah 26, verse 3, thou wilt keep them in perfect peace, whose mind has stayed on thee. Not only does He promise us perfect peace, but He promises us peace of God that passeth all understanding. Remember the words of Paul to the church at Philippi, he said, be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Then in our salvation, not only does he forgive our sins, but this is the wonder of it all. He forgets our sins. Listen to His Word in Jeremiah 31 verse 34, speaking of those whom He saves. He says, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Yes, you and I, we remember our sins. The devil remembers our sins, but the Lord says of His saved, redeemed people, He says, I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins will I remember no more. He forgets them. He blots them out. He cancels them out before His all-seeing eye. And then in salvation, not only does He promise us a home in heaven, but He promises that we shall be with Him in heaven. In glory, remember, Christ said to the disciples, he said, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. What a blessing to heaven, but my what a greater blessing to be with Christ and see him in all his glory and all his power and be with him in heaven forevermore. Then in salvation, not only does the Lord give us grace, But my, he promises to you and I grace that is sufficient for our every particular need. He says, my grace is sufficient for thee. Hamrider, thinking of that grace, says, his love has no limit, his grace has no measure. His power has no boundary known unto men, for out of his infinite riches and glory he giveth and he giveth and he giveth again. There's no limit. to the grace of God. It's a well that never runs dry. It's a well that never runs empty. O child of God this morning, see something here of the exceeding greatness of the promises of God. They're precious because God has given them. They're precious because they are exceeding. My, they surpass anything that man can ever give or man can ever offer. Also, we can say further this morning that The promises of the Bible, they're precious because of their sufficiency. Peter says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. In other words, God's promises are precious because they are sufficient and adequate for our every need, both for time and for eternity. Whatever our need as a Christian. Dear believer, God has a promise that is suited to your particular need. You turn back again to Philippians chapter 4 and look there at what Paul said to the Lord's people in verse number 19 of that chapter. He says in Philippians chapter 4 verse 19, he says, but my God shall supply, notice it, all your need. according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus. What a promise to meet all our needs, whatever those needs are, however varied those needs might be. Child of God, in the meeting house this morning, the Lord promises to supply your need, your temple needs, whenever you put them first in your life. You remember what Christ said to His disciples in Matthew 6? He said, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." You have the promise of His guidance when you're needing direction and counsel in your life when you acknowledge the Lord. It says in the book of Proverbs, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths. Do you need wisdom today regarding some particular matter? The Lord has wisdom for the asking. The Bible says in the book of James, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and of breadeth not. May you have the promise of His care, care in old age when the body is weak, and when the body is free, of turning your Bible back to the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter number 46 and verse number 4, look at this wonderful promise. It says, Even to your old age I am he, and even to whorehairs will I carry you. I have made and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you. What a promise. The body is weak, the body is frail. The Lord says to His people, I will bear, I will carry, I will strengthen you, I will help you. There's promises for our every need. My, there's the promise of eternal security in heaven whenever you trust Christ as your Savior. Christ says, I give unto them eternal life, they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And my, when we're in trouble, there's the promise of the Lord's help and the Lord's deliverance. In Psalm 50, in the verse number 15, the Lord says, "'And call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.'" I'm now speaking to one this morning, and you're in a day of trouble, a day of trial, a day of tribulation. The Lord says, "'Call unto Me, and I will answer thee and deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.'" And then you have the Lord's promise of His presence to be with us in life. And when even you and I come to end our days upon this earth and pass away from this scene of time, the Lord will not desert His people. The Lord will be with His people. He will be very near His people. Turn with me in your Bible back to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah chapter number 43. Look at this wonderful promise that the Lord gives to His people in verse number one and verse number two of the chapter. In the middle of that verse, he says, "'Fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. Through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When they walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.'" Verse 5, "'Fear not, for I am with thee.'" Dear people of God, we could go on this morning listing promise after promise, but time does not allow that. Child of God, understand this this morning, whatever your need is today, whatever your particular need is in this gathering here this morning, my God has a promise that is sufficient to your need, that is suitable to your need, that is adequate to meet you at the very point of your need, whatever that need is. But Himmler could say, every need is hand supplying. He is all and all to me. During the reign of Alexander the Great, he promised one of his fellow officers that they could ask the treasurer for whatever they wanted, and he asked for the equivalent of 10,000 pounds. The treasurer thought that this was too much, but Alexander allowed him to have what he needed. For such a large petition, he said, it honored his benevolence. It honored his charity, his kindness to that particular individual. And brethren and sisters in Christ, God is greater than Alexander the Great. He is greater than any earthly king or president or prime minister. The Bible says he owns the cattle upon a thousand hills, and my, there is no need in our lives, our personal lives, or in the work of God that is too great. for God to supply. There's no need too great for the Lord, whatever that need is. Child of God, you can depend upon the Lord, the Lord of glory, to meet your need, whatever that need is in your personal life, in your home life, your family life, in your work and in your service for God, whatever that is. In the book of Ezra chapter number 8 and the verse number 22, it says there, that the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him." The promise there is of God's hand of blessing upon those who seek Him, who bring their needs, their cares to Him in prayer. What did the hymn writer say? What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. My, they are adequate. They are beyond measure. They come from God, but we can say further this morning that the promises of the Bible, they're precious because of their clarity. Peter here speaks of them in our text. He says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. And Peter speaks here of such promises because they are clear in his word. They're plain for God's people to see and to comprehend. Now, speaking of the Word of God, the psalmist says, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The words of the Lord are pure words. Now, the Bible is full of promises for us who are saved, promises that are clear, promises that are easy to be understood. There are promises there in the Bible for us to claim in the place of prayer. Promises there for us to prove in our life, day by day, as the people of God. Promises for us to learn and to remember and to recall in our life, day by day. Now the promises of God are clear, they're plain. Mercy God has set them before us in His holy word. The Hamletter says there is a book whose promises I all my life may plead. They shine like stars above the night of my exceeding need. My, the psalmist was one who knew what it was to rest upon these promises that we find in the Word of God. You turn in your Bible back to Psalm 119, Psalm 119, and look with me please there at the verses 49 and the verse number 50. of the psalm. Verse 49 and verse number 50 of Psalm 119. And look at what the psalmist says here about the Word of God. He says, "'Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort and my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me.'" Where did the psalmist find hope? Where did he find comfort? In the word of the Lord, in the word of God's promise, he says, remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort, he says, and my affliction. Believer, in the meeting this morning, I tell you this, it's by you resting upon the pure promise of God's eternal word that you as a believer will find comfort in life, not only comfort, you'll also find hope in your time of need and in the service of the Lord. Tell me this morning, are you resting? Are you leaning upon the promises of God? My, when you read the Bible for yourself and God gives you a promise, do you take note of that promise in the Bible? Do you underline it? Do you seek to memorize it and turn it over in your heart and turn it over in your mind? Not only that, but bring it back to the Lord in prayer and plead it before Him at the throne of grace and prayer. Dear believer, when you do so, this is where you'll find hope. This is where you'll find comfort. This is where you'll find strength in your Christian life, in the times of trial, in the times of difficulty. This is where you'll find encouragement. your service for the Lord and in the work for the Master. One final thought just in connection with our text this morning, and it is simply this, our entitlement to these precious promises. Our verse says there in 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 4, it says, "...whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." Who is entitled to these precious promises? If you go on down, verse 4, you'll see who's entitled to them. It speaks of those who are partakers of the divine nature, Peter says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Those who are partakers of the divine nature, who are they? They are those who have a precious faith in Christ as their Savior, as their Lord, and as their Redeemer. We noted that last Lord's Day morning when we looked at verse 1 of this chapter. Look at what it says again there. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, to the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is entitled to these promises, but every believer, every child of God whose faith is in Christ as their Redeemer. The Bible speaks of Christ and says, for all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him are amen. In other words, these precious promises are for us when we know the Lord and we've trusted Him as our own and personal Savior. Maybe you're in a meeting this morning and you're not saved. Let me say this, that you can only enter into the enjoyment and the experience of these precious promises when you are saved. When you come in faith and in repentance unto the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him as your own and personal Savior. Peter says, "'Whereby are given unto us the host,' there refers to the child of God, the person who has repented of their sin before God, who has put their faith and trust in Christ and has sacrificed upon the cross for their salvation." We end our meeting today on saved. You're out of Christ. You have no hope. You're without God. You're lost. You're on your way to a lost eternity. You have no entitlement, as it were, to the promises of God. I tell you today upon the authority of God's Word in Christ, you can have hope, hope for time, hope for eternity. You can have a right to these exceeding great and precious promises. Praise God, Christ says, him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. If you come as a sinner unto Christ, he will not cast you out, he'll bring you into the family, into the fold of God, forgive your sins, set you in the road to heaven and the road to glory. And he will give you personally a title deed to all the promises of God that are in Christ, that are yea and amen in Christ, that we find in the Bible. The psalmist says, oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Oh, you come today and trust Christ as your Savior. Have your sins dealt with, put away by the blood of the cross. And then day by day, know what it is to lean upon the promises of God's holy word until the Lord Jesus Christ comes. until He calls you home to glory. We're going to close our meeting this morning just in a word of prayer.
God's Precious Promises
Series The Precious Things In The Bib
Sermon ID | 47192048552017 |
Duration | 31:47 |
Date | |
Category | Sunday Service |
Bible Text | 2 Peter 1:4 |
Language | English |
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