2 Peter 1:6 Discipleship Ladder #4 (Patience)

2 Peter 1:6

Discipleship Ladder #4 (Patience)

³ By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. ⁴ Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

⁵ This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. ⁸ If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost. ¹¹ In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. [CEB]

ESV = “steadfastness”

Definition: “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” [dictionary.com]

Working definition: steadfast endurance.

I.             Where does patience come from?

                A.            Patience comes from pain and suffering.

James 1:2 – 4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, [3] for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. [4] And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” [ESV]

Romans 5:3 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.” [ESV]

                B.            Patience requires effort.

Luke 8:15 “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” [NIV]

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” [NIV]

                C.            Patience is a matter of life and death.

Luke 21:19 “By your endurance you will gain your lives.” [ESV]

                *Context: end times, hated because of Jesus, betrayed and persecuted.

II.            Why do we dislike patience?

                A.            It offends our theology.

                                1.            We want prosperity.

                                2.            We want comfort.

2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” [ESV]

                B.            It requires harder work.

                                1.            Vincent: “not merely enduring the inevitable… but the brave, heroic… not only bears but contends.”

                                2.            It’s not a passive endurance. 

                                3.            There is a steadfastness in purpose (follow Christ, win the lost).

                C.            It eliminates excuses.

                                1.            Not stupid insensibility.

                                                a.            Brains are not “checked at the door.”

                                                b.            This is a thoughtful counter to sin, persecution, and their          advocates.

                                2.            Not stubborn resolution.

                                                a.            Stubborn (unreasonably or perversely unyielding – merriam –                                                                 webster.com)

                                                b.            Sometimes we can be unreasonable without cause, truth, or facts.

III.           What does real patience look like?

                A.            Christ-life VS Self-life

                                1.            There will be an honest struggle to “die to the world.”

                                2.            Our eyes, lives, and purpose will be “fixed on Jesus.”

                                3.            Circumstances are just circumstances, neither good nor bad.

                                4.            Life will be free from bondage from ANYTHING and EVERTHING of this world.

                                5.            The will be absolutely NO wobble, weave, or wavering in our faith.

                B.            Early church:

                                1.            Under pressure they evangelized their world.

                                2.            Under pain they patiently prepared for the return of Jesus.

Finding our bearings in 2008

Hebrews 11:33 – 12:4

Finding our bearings in 2008

New Years can be time to take inventory and set direction or correction. Humans are the only creatures on earth capable of such inventory and desire for change. But which way is the correct direction?

People trapped under avalanches have about 15 minutes of air. In that time they must be able to dig themselves free of the snow. Digging the wrong way is certain death. Trouble is after being flipped upside down countless times, which way is up? In an interview with an avalanche survivor, they claimed to have figured it out by spitting. Even under tons of snow, gravity is the constant.

As believers and follows of Jesus, we need to know our constant. This a.m. I would like to suggest we are given four invitations that can help us get our bearings for 2008.

[Unless noted all scripture quoted is from the NLT.]

I. You are invited to join something bigger than yourself.

A. Notice the story line of faith:

1. [v 39] “none of them received all that God promised.”

2. [v 40] “”so they would not reach perfection without us.”

3. WE are part of their story, they are part of our story.

4. WE are invited to become the next name in the line of heroes of the faith.

B. How?

1. [v1] We are surrounded by a “huge” crowd of witness. [Think “home field advantage”]

2. [v1] We are told to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” [Two issues:]

a. The obvious one of sin, which is the willful violation of God’s law or refusal to obey God.

b. The more difficult one of “weight.” These are things that are not identified as sin but they slow us down spiritually. They take time, energy, and are distractions.

3. [v1] We are encouraged to “run with endurance the race God set before us.”

a. Endurance is NOT a sprint (for a short burst or time).

b. Endurance is not glitz and glamour; it’s slow, steady, and difficult progress because it’s one step at a time and not necessarily noticed. Trouble is enthusiasm runs off what can be seen or felt at the moment.

c. “Weariness” [v3] eventually becomes a mentality not a physical reality.

II. You are invited to “hold on when your life has had enough.” [From a Michelle Tumes song] How?

A. [v2] Keep your eyes on Jesus!

1. Peter in the storm, walked on water… why? How?

a. Because Jesus told him too…

b. Because Peter’s eyes were on Jesus. Everything else was irrelevant.

c. BUT Peter sank when he looked at the storm (took his eyes off Jesus).

2. Driving rule: “you drive with your eyes.” In other words what you are steering will eventually go the direction you are looking.

B. [v3] Keep your mind on Jesus.

1. Think/Consider what Jesus endured.

a. hostility

b. opposition

2. Hymn “When I survey the Wondrous Cross”… “did ere such love and sorry meet?”

a. Love for those Jesus died for

b. Sorrow of rejection by those He died for.

III. You are invited to give it your “all.”

A. [v4] “you have not YET given your lives.”

1. “Yet” reveals the possibilities.

2. “Yet” can also be a glorious promise.

B. “Gut check”

1. We say “shop till you drop” as a joke.

2. Reality: commitment in America is either a joke or passing fad.

C. How many are willing to:

1. …leave everything we hold “near and dear?”

2. …go a different direction than our dreams and desires?

3. …willing to give our lives (let alone time, abilities, and money)?

D. Jesus said:

1. [Matthew 10:38] “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.”

2. [Matthew 16:25] “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”

a. Problem is we have developed a “bell curve” culture that allows and encourages us to comfortable settle into being lukewarm in the middle.

b. We are more passionate about (fill in the blank) than about Jesus.

IV. We are invited to put our faith into action.

A. Place commitment to Christ and His church above all others.

B. Free yourself from alliances, habits, and sins that would compete for your highest loyalty and central allegiance.

C. Cultivate and maintain a life of daily devotion to Christ and inward holiness that will separate you from worldliness/carnality.

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