Growth and Giving: the Example of Peter

Amen. If you would, turn in your Bibles once again to 2 Peter chapter 1, 2 Peter chapter 1. And I want to read for you, if I may, an introduction that will place our text in the context, I believe, and be helpful for us. The title of my message is Growth and Giving, the Example of Peter. Growth and Giving, the Example of Peter.

The triumphs and weaknesses of the Apostle Peter are chronicled in the Gospels and in Acts chapters 1 through 12. Early on in his ministry, Peter could be rather impulsive and rash when Jesus washed the disciples' feet to teach the need for cleansing from daily sins, Peter declared, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered and said to him, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Simon Peter then said to him, Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. When Jesus began to tell his disciples what was to happen to him as they went up to Jerusalem, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, far be it from you, Lord, this shall not happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter, get behind me, Satan, you are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. And then during the Last Supper, when Jesus foretold that all that would forsake him and flee, Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. And later on in the courtyard of the high priest, after the third time that Peter was accused of being Christ's disciples, he began to curse and swear, saying, I do not know the man.

Immediately, the rooster crowed. Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And so Peter went out and wept bitterly. And yet, beloved, with all these shortcomings, Peter was used mightily of the Lord.

John MacArthur states that he was the spokesperson for the 12 disciples, articulating their thoughts and questions as well as his own. And we can profit much from this chapter, this first chapter of 2 Peter. As we get into our outline in the text, please keep in mind that Peter knew that he was about to be martyred. He knew he was about to die for the cause of Christ. And the first consideration we want to look at today is Peter's mindset was exemplary. Peter's mindset was exemplary. And we find that in verse 1, the first part. Simon Peter, a bondservant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

He was a model. Notice it says Simon Peter, a bondservant. If you were to look in 1 Peter 1, 1, he referred to himself only as an apostle. And I believe the fact that he began 2 Peter with a bondservant followed by an apostle shows a sign of growth in the apostle Peter. He wrote 1 Peter around A.D. 64.

2 Peter was written between 67 and 68 A.D. So in that short span of three or four years, he's nearing the end of his life, yet he's still growing. Can that be said of you? The opposite of growing, we might say, is Cruz controlling.

And we have to ask ourselves this question. Am I growing? The death of Peter loomed large. Folks, the return of Christ looms large.

Are you growing? Philippians 2 7 tells us that Jesus was the supreme example of servanthood. He set aside his privileges as God the Son by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient unto death, even the death on the cross. And I want to read one verse out of Isaiah, and I want you to notice the head and the tail of this.

The head and the tail of it. Isaiah tells us of Jesus' humility and exaltation against the backdrop of his sacrifice. And you're familiar with this verse. Behold, my servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted.

And then all of a sudden the coin is flipped. As many as were astonished at you. His appearance was so marred beyond human semblance and is formed beyond that of the children of men. Isn't any wonder in Gethsemane that Jesus Christ sweat, as it were, great drops of blood when he could foresee what was about to happen to him? And these people who were astonished, as I've said before from this pulpit, were used to crucifixion.

That should sober us. That they would be astonished at what the Romans did to the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only was he a model, but secondly, he was a mouthpiece, an apostle of Jesus Christ. His apostleship was not just a position. It involved proclamation of the gospel. And today as disciples of Christ, we are to proclaim the gospel of him who has delivered us from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light to the redemption that is ours in Christ. And let me read something twice for you, just to let it sink in. The Son of God, fulfill the law of God to die for the people of God and exhaust the wrath of God as evidenced by his resurrection.

If that's become commonplace to you, be concerned. The Son of God, fulfill the law of God to die for the people of God and exhaust the wrath of God as evidenced by his resurrection. This message is going to feature five questions of application as we go through it.

Here's the first one. Do you strive to be exemplary as a model of Christianity and a mouthpiece of the gospel? Do you strive to be exemplary as a model of Christianity and as a mouthpiece of the gospel? And I think the important word is strive because all of us fail to do that.

But are we seeking to be a model of Christianity and a mouthpiece of the gospel? The second consideration that we want to look at, Peter's method was enriching. Peter's method was enriching.

That word enriching means to make richer by the addition or increase of some desirable quality, attribute or ingredient. And you see in the text that he's told us to add several desirable qualities. One of the things that Peter wants us to see is the need for us to have gratitude.

Gratitude is a needed quality. He reminded them first and foremost of the grace in their salvation. Look at verse 1b. He said to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. One meaning of the word obtain is to attain by divine will. And I like to use the acrostic grace, G-R-A-C-E, for not only salvation, but later in the message sanctification and finally in the message glorification.

What is the acrostic? When it comes to salvation, God's righteousness at Christ's expense. God gives us the only righteousness that he will accept, and he gives us that at Christ's expense. God's righteousness at Christ's expense.

Likewise, Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers in chapter 2, 13 and 14, but we're bound to give thanks to you always, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then the next thing that I'll have you look at in verse 1b, he says to those who have obtained like precious faith. Precious faith. You could ask the question, is your faith precious to you? But faith is precious because it's the uncommon gift of God granted by grace to the Holy Spirit when equal tends us to life. I said that this is the uncommon gift of God, folks. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be that find it. Narrow is the gate and crooked the way that leads to life eternal, and few there be that find it. If God has graced you with precious faith, it indeed should be precious to you.

It indeed should be precious to you. And then finally, in this second part of verse 1, he uses this phrase by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter is identifying Jesus as God. His song, His Robes Remind, eloquently reminds believers that God graciously put on Christ's account our sins, and he put Christ's righteousness to our account, and in so doing, these haunting words, God estranged from God. That particular hymn has some phrases in it that should really make us ponder. God the Son estranged from God the Father. We can't help but think of the cry of Jesus on the cross.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Spiritual apathy is evidence of ingratitude for salvation by grace alone through faith alone and Christ alone. Spiritual apathy. And you must ask yourself the question, am I guilty of cruise control Christianity?

Bob Jones Sr. made this comment. When gratitude dies on the altar of a man's heart, that man is well nigh hopeless. How can you recapture gratitude? Think more often of Jesus Christ. Take the time to think more often of Jesus Christ. Visualize in your mind what it was like for him to leave the splendors of heaven and come into the realm of sin and darkness.

Visualize in your mind all the steps that led up to Golgotha. And it will give you a deeper gratitude for grace. Not only did he remind them of their salvation, which should make us grateful, but he reminded them secondly of grace in their sanctification. We'll look at verses 2 through 4. And as with our salvation, grace enables our sanctification. Let me give you another cross take.

These are not in your notes. But when it comes to sanctification, God's resources and Christ's enabling. God's resources and Christ's enabling. Verse 2. Peter says, grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

And that Greek word for knowledge is epignosis. John MacArthur in his commentary states that this refers to a larger, more thorough and intimate knowledge. All the riches of truth necessary for salvation, sanctification and glorification are found in Jesus Christ who was revealed. The question we have to ask ourselves is this. Are we broadening our knowledge of God and of Christ?

That's an individual question, folks, that each of us must answer. Are we broadening our knowledge of God and of Jesus? Because if we aren't, we're doing nothing more than checking off a box by coming to church Sunday morning and perhaps Sunday night and maybe even Wednesday night. Paul points to Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. My final question under this, are we apathetic?

Are you apathetic toward this growth? Then notice verse 3. He says, as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. Christ's power grants the possession of life and its expression in godliness.

I want to say that again. Christ's power grants the possession of life and its expression in godliness. Do you act like you are spiritually alive? Do I act like I am spiritually alive?

And I want to insert here somewhat of a tangent, somewhat of a tangent. What does it mean to grow? Does it mean to just get more knowledge about God and Christ?

Is that what it means? You know, a kid can learn how to play soccer and have a tremendous amount of knowledge up here. Unless he gets off the bench and puts it into practice, he never improves.

He can be a couch potato and watch World Cup games all day, every day, seven days a week and not be able to kick a ball. So what am I saying? I think for me, growth is evidenced when I am acknowledging Christ in all my ways. And think about that. What does it mean to grow?

Is it just no stuff up here? Or are you really growing when you're exercising yourself into godliness and you are more and more acknowledging God in all your ways? Not just while you're here at Beacon, not just while you're in your home, when you're in the workplace, you young people, when you're at school. Are we acknowledging God in all our ways? Has he given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue? Christ's power, as I said, grants a possession of life and its expression in godliness. God's part, John 17, 17, Jesus is praying and he says to the Father, sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.

God is going to sanctify us as we get into the word and through his Holy Spirit he illuminates the word to us. What about parents? What about pastors? What about teachers?

What about our part? 2 Timothy 3, 14 and 15, But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. And from childhood you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Parents, pastors and teachers, knowing from whom you have learned them, do they see you as a person who is not only preaching, whatever category you come in, but practicing? Do they see you practicing what you preach? That's a sobering question. And what about our own part from teens, older children right up to the oldest of us?

What about our part? The implied subject in 2 Timothy 2, 15 is the pronoun you. And he says, you be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Be diligent.

Be diligent. That is our part. Now notice verse 4 under the second Roman numeral. He says, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We've received the Holy Spirit and we're being progressively conformed to the image of Christ that's going to be consummated in our glorification. And here's the last acrostic for grace.

This has to do with glorification. God's riches at Christ's exaltation. There's a day coming when the king will return. And when the king returns, he says he will have his reward with him.

Beloved, there's coming a day when we will grow no longer like we know in this life. We will be glorified. My second application question to you is do you enrich other believers by making much of God's grace and salvation and sanctification? Do you enrich other believers by making much of God's grace and salvation and sanctification? I'll not mention names, but there are people in this church that do that for me. There are people who are no longer in this church because they're worshiping around the throne of God who did that for me.

What did they do for you? Enrich the gift of grace. I saw it in their lives, lives of gratitude, lives of acknowledging God, lives of trying to show forth the light of Christ. The third thing that we look at, and this is standing on an overlook on the parkway, just looking at all the trees beneath us, because every one of these could be a message in and of themselves. As a matter of fact, when I've taught it to the teens, we do break it down. Today, we're just going to look at the seven virtues and just ask the question, where do I need work?

And probably if you're like me, it's going to be all of them. Peter's message was edifying. Romans number three, Peter's message was edifying. Verses five through seven, he says, but for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue to virtue, knowledge to knowledge, self-control, perseverance to perseverance, godliness, the godliness, brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness, love. The words for this very reason refers to the power and the promises that he mentioned earlier.

We have no excuse. He has given us power. He has given us promises. And through that power and because of those promises, we can grow.

The question is, do we want to? Well, the next few words answer that question. Notice what he says, giving all diligence. That in the Greek means make every effort. It's similar to Paul using the imagery of a runner pressing toward the prize. The author of Hebrews 6, 11 and 12 writes, we desire each of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end so that you may not be sluggish by imitators of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Key words in Hebrews 6, earnestness, sluggishness. Folks, faith is not static. Saving faith is not static. We grow in our faith. And then he says this, add to your faith. God-given faith in the person and work of Christ is the foundation.

And Paul reminded the Corinthians, no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid and that foundation is Jesus Christ. The virtues are not meant to be added one after another. In other words, you don't work on virtue, the first one, refers to moral energy.

You don't work on that and then all of a sudden one day you feel like, well, I got that one down, I'll go to the next. These virtues are to be understood like the blending of different instruments in an orchestra. You're working on all of them and all of them are contributing to the same goal, demonstrating Christ in us, the hope of glory.

That's the goal. You're working on these virtues so that the end result is more and more you are becoming a symphony of praise as you live these things out before the world. And again, this part of the message could be a series.

We're just going to give an overview, a rundown. Look at virtue. What does that refer to? Moral energy, the evident self in excellence and manly courage. Moral energy.

How would that be seen in everyday life? The moral energy encouraged to witness to the loss. The moral energy that evidences itself in witnessing to the loss.

The second one is knowledge. That refers to the fruit of diligent study and the pursuit of truth learned and lived for God's approval. The fruit of diligent study. How would you describe your study of the word of God? If your study of the word of God is primarily coming to this church where the word of God is central, where the word of God is faithfully and carefully exposited, that is a good thing, but it's not the only thing. That doesn't get you out of the responsibility to get into the word and study to show yourself approved unto Him. Number three, self-control, refers to the control of lust, that war against the soul by bringing every thought into obedience to Christ.

Why? Thoughts control actions. Victory begins in our thought life. I've said many, many times to our young people, if you win the battle between your ears, you're not going to have to win as many battles with your hands, if you know what I'm saying.

That's the battle front that we fight most of our battles in. Number four, perseverance. That's patience, steadfastness, tenacity to secure victory during the testing of our faith. It's spiritual staying power and steadfastness of hope. Perseverance.

One way that we can say it is it's just keeping on one day after another, one test after another. Number five, godliness. Godliness. That's the manifestation of reverence, loyalty, and obedience to the Scriptures. Godliness is the manifestation, the showing forth, the demonstration of reverence, loyalty, and obedience to the Scriptures. I have said this before when I've had occasion to preach, but a practical definition of the fear of the Lord for me is the fear of the Lord is a reverent frame of mind whereby the child of God guards and guides his thoughts, words, and deeds by the word of God for the glory of God.

And if you want the maple sugar version, the fear of God is a reverent frame of mind. Now the way of saying that, in all our ways, we are reverently acknowledging him. Six is brotherly kindness, and that simply means resulting in esteeming other believers and seeking their good.

You seek to help the sister and brother in Christ in need. And finally, the last one, love. Love is an intentional, sacrificial, unconditional giving disposition of mind growing at a sincere and fervent devotion to God.

And I have this quote from a commentary I'll read slowly. This living principle of all duty, love, this living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which the apostle Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 13. You remember, we could have all these things going for us, but if we're not loving and people don't know that we're loving through what we do, we're just making noise.

We're just making noise. Love unlocks a lot of locks. Love unlocks a lot of locks. The third application question for you today, do you edify other believers by evidencing growth in the seven virtues listed? We said earlier we're not going to get it perfectly in this life, but could it be said of you, do you edify other believers?

Do you build them up by evidencing growth in the seven virtues listed? Number four in your outline, Peter's motive was focused on the eternal. Peter's motive was focused on the eternal, verses 8 through 11. Verse 8, protection against spiritual ignorance, look what he says. For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, if you are adding these things to your life, you will not be spiritually ignorant. Verse 9, protection against complacency over the big picture of eternal life.

Protection against complacency over the big picture of eternal life. Look what he says in verse 9. For he who lacks these virtues is shortsighted even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

I've written in my notes, wow. He has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. How many of you have ever rejoiced in the text that says he will cast our sins as far as the east is from the west? How many of you have ever rejoiced in the text that says I will remember them no more?

How many of you have rejoiced in the text that says he will not remember the sins of our youth? Protection against complacency over the big picture of eternal life. Verse 10, protection against lack of assurance. Protection against lack of assurance. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent.

You Christians, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. For you to do these things, you will never stumble. MacArthur states that as the Christian pursues these qualities and sees that his life is useful and fruitful, he will not stumble into doubt or despair, discouragement, fear or questioning. He will have the joy of a settled assurance that he's saved.

How could that be? Because we choose to add these things to our lives. We have a desire to diligently add to our lives these seven virtues. You do what you enjoy. You do what you consider valuable.

The fourth application question. Well, verse 11. I missed that. Protection against coasting into joy unspeakable and full of glory. Protection against coasting into joy unspeakable and full of glory. It sounds like a contradiction. He says, for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The word supplied to you is the same Greek word used in verse five that's rendered add. As we add these virtues to our faith, God supplies us. And listen to this, if you would, not with bare entrance, but with a sweeping through the gates with a rich welcome to the joy of your Lord.

Is that what you want? It ought to excite us as we anticipate entering the presence of God. And I want to quote one of the favorite phrases of a song that St. Fanny Crosby wrote every time I think of this. I think of this often at funerals. When my spirit clothed the mortal wings its flight to realms of day. This my song to endless ages. Jesus led me all the way.

But think about that. When my spirit clothed the mortal wings its flight to realms of day. Beloved, do you want an abundance entrance into heaven? Do you desire an abundant entrance into heaven? I guarantee you, if we obey the scriptures to add to our faith, he has promised an abundant entrance. That was the fourth application question. Do you anticipate an abundant entrance into heaven?

Are you content to coast to the finish line? And then the last thing that we will consider today, Peter's memory would have an impact that was enduring. Peter's memory would have an impact that is enduring. I'm reminded of Hebrews 11 4 where it speaks of Abel.

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts, and notice this, through it, his obedient sacrifice, through it, he being dead still speaks. Can you think of a couple of people that come to mind who are still speaking to you through their memory?

Surely every one of us can. I'm not going to start listing the people. But if I list some people, there's something about those people that encourages me spiritually. What will be said of you? What will be said of me when God takes us from this life? We being dead will speak. What will we be saying?

What will we be saying? I want you to first notice under this that he was a mentor. The word mentor means a trusted counselor or guide. He says, for this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things though you know and are established in the present truth. And I want to give you insights to education in two ways. Education is sequential.

What does that mean? It introduces new things. Kids don't go to school in first grade and start to learn to read or kindergarten and just stay at that level. Education is sequential.

It introduces new material. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 1, therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection or maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God. The question is, is your education in the scripture sequential?

Are you growing? Am I growing in our knowledge of the word? But secondly, and just as important, not only is education sequential, it introduces new material, but education is spiral. So you've got education going forward, but as it's going forward, it's also doing this.

What do I mean by that? It reinforces more fully what is already taught. It reinforces more fully what is already taught.

And I don't care what profession you're in. This is true. You're going to learn the basics. You're going to learn more than the basics. But as you're learning more of the basics, you're still developing more and more comfort and knowledge of the things that preceded it. It's just a fact of schooling. Education is sequential.

It's spiral. And Peter acknowledges that they know and they're established in the present truth. Listen to what he says in 2 Peter 3, 17 and 18. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. And then he says it again, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for now and ever. Amen. He's saying, since you know this beforehand, and at the end of verse 18, he's saying, but grow.

You know it, but grow. It's spiritual cockiness to think that we know all we need to know. And I don't think any of us would even pretend to do that. Verses 13 through 15, he was a martyr. And I'm going to share something with you I did not know, and I trust many of you did not know, that's pretty shocking. He was a martyr. He said in verses 13 through 15, yes, I think it's right as long as I'm in this tent or this body to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent or my body just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Verse 15, moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. The commentator states that Christ told Peter of his death 30 years earlier. And the commentators that I read said that Peter would know exactly what Christ was referring to when he described Peter's death, crucifixion. How would you like to live knowing that at the end of your life you are going to be crucified? I mean, as I meditate on this, I contemplate that, Jesus said, this is going to happen, and here's how you're going to exit this life. And for over three decades Peter knew that.

Now, what I did not know, church tradition, church history records that Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero and requested to be crucified upside down because he was not worthy to be crucified like his Lord. I'd heard that. This is what I hadn't heard.

John MacArthur, Herbert Lochner, I mention those names because these people study what they're going to write ahead of time. Obviously. Listen to this.

MacArthur, Lochner write that church tradition also states that Peter had to watch as his wife was crucified, but encouraged her with the words, remember the Lord. We can take that as true as much as we can take any other history. It's history. Okay?

If indeed it is accurate, that's mind boggling to me. I can't even think about that. I can't even think about that very long. Do you have the mentality, folks, that you daily take up your cross, whatever that might look like for the sake of the gospel and the glory of God? God may call some of us to be martyrs.

I don't know. He may call some of us to be martyrs. He certainly calls some missionaries to be martyrs.

He's called some Christians in several foreign countries to be martyrs now. But the question is, do you have the mentality that you will daily take up your cross, whatever that might look like for the sake of the gospel? And then finally, verses 16 through 21.

And believe me, everyone I studied, this could be a series of messages. We're going to make one salient point in verses 16 through 21. He was a magnifier of the written word. He was a magnifier of the written word. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory.

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mount. And so we had the prophetic word confirmed. What you do well to heed is a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first that no prophecy of scripture is in any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man. But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In verses 16 through 18, Peter describes this remarkable experience that he and James and John had on the mount of Transfiguration. He uses words, if you notice, like eyewitnesses of his majesty, the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Inspirational words. Verse 19, we have the prophetic word confirmed. One commentator, more than one, states that the Greek word order is crucial. The Greek word order in this is crucial.

Why? Because it says we have more sure the prophetic word. What do they mean by that? We have more sure the prophetic word. This supports the interpretation that Peter was ranking scripture over experience. And beloved, I cannot help but ask this question. Could there be any greater experience in seeing the kingdom's splendor of Jesus Christ and hearing the voice of God?

Could there be any experience greater than that? And yet he's saying in spite of that, eyewitness of what we saw and heard, the written scripture is more sure. We have exactly what God wants us to have. And then finally, verses 20 and 21, Peter basically lays all that he has taught them on the foundation of the inspiration of scripture. You can read that knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. And like Peter, Paul tied growth and grace to knowing the inspired word of God. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Why? That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Here's the question I leave with you by way of a couple. What place does this treasure have in your life?

Does it get the leftovers of your busy day? What place does this treasure have in your life? By way of closing application, I want to repeat the five questions that we asked throughout the message. Number one, do you strive to be exemplary as a model of Christianity and a mouthpiece of the gospel? Do you strive to be exemplary as a model of Christianity and a mouthpiece of the gospel? Question two, do you enrich other believers by making much of God's grace in salvation and sanctification? Question three, do you edify or build up other believers by evidencing personal growth in the seven virtues in your own life? Question number four, do you anticipate an abundant entrance into heaven? Are you content to coast to the finish line? And then finally, are you engaged in learning, loving, and living the inspired, infallible, all-sufficient word of God, and then leaving it in your history? You will be remembered for something.

Where will the will of God, the word of God, play into that memory? Beacon Baptist Church, where the sufficiency of the word is declared. In God's inspired and errant word, we have all that we need for life and godliness. Here is the maple sugar question as we close. Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of God and of Jesus as evidenced by abundant grace and peace in your life? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of God as evidenced by abundant grace and peace in your life?