Pastor Chuck Bradley

 

Becoming a Fruitful Christian

 

Text: 2 Peter 1:1-11

 

2 Peter sets forth two important goals for the Christian.

1. That we be fruitful although stated in the negative in verse 8.

2. That we never fall in verse 10.

 

I am sure that we all hope that 2010 will be a fruitful year. Spiritually we would like to draw closer to the Lord and see our life bring forth spiritual fruit.

 

The question is, How do we get there?

 

 

1. The Foundation. 2 Peter 1:1,2. Everything to be strong must be built on the proper foundation. A blessed life, a fruitful life must have a good foundation. A tree to yield the maximum amount of fruit must have the right soul and nutrients. Our life is built upon grace and faith. Eph. 2:8,9

   1. Grace – God’s favor given to us although we don’t deserve it. 1Co 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

   2. Faith – Trust, confidence and reliance on God and His Word. According to 2 Thess. 2:13 faith is “belief of the truth:” Faith is “Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Assurance and conviction of the truth.

   3. So we have a strong belief that God has acted toward us to show favor and love to us and He does so in such a way to make our lives fruitful and blessed.

 

2. The Framework. 2 Peter 1:3-4.

   1. Divine Power. 2 Peter 1:3. God’s uses His power tools to work in our lives.

      1. In Eph. 1:18,19 Paul prays “that you may know (three things) 1. what is the hope to which he has called you, 2. what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and 3. what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ.” God is interested in working in our lives in a powerful manner.

      2. Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

      3. That power gives us all things that pertain to life an godliness, v.3. We are lacking the power, (the source for making changes and building a life). We don’t lack the resources. We just need to take the tools God has given us and use them.

 

1.  

   2. Dynamic Promises. 2 Peter 1:4 We can build a fruitful life knowing that gives us the power, but also because God has given us His promise. We have God Word. He promises us eternal life. He promises us forgiveness of sin. He promises us freedom from sins dominion. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He promises to deliver us from temptation.

      1. 2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

      2. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

      3. 1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

      4. How do I know that I can have a frutful life? How do I know that my life can be anything, but average? How do I know that I just won’t fall into sin again and fail? I have God’s promise that He will give me power and help. He will be with me. He won’t leave me. His promises are great and precious.

 

1.  

   3. Delivered Partaker. 2 Peter 1:4 God has made us partakers in His very nature. We have escaped or been delivered from our own corrupt nature and have been changed and given a new nature. Our corrupt nature was inclined toward sin our new nature is inclined toward godliness.

      1. Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

      2. 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

 

We beginning a new year. We are hoping for the best. Hoping to be better Christians, better parents, better spouses, better people. What will propel our spiritual life from average to amazing. From ho-hum to hallelujah. First, start out on the right foundation –Grace and Faith. Secondly, Build on the proper framework. God’s Power, God’s Promises, God’s New Nature He has given us.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 06:06 and is filed under Sunday's Message, Fruitfulness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.