Title: The Inconvenience of Doing Right
Text: (2 Peter 1:3-8 NCV)
Introduction: Read some statements from “Plugged In.”
**Some Stats that will shock you(or maybe not)
‒ American Medical Association – In one year, the average child spends 900 hours in school and nearly 1500 hours in front of a television.
‒ The percentage of “new drinkers” in the 18-25 year old range has grown from 168 per 1000 in 1989 to 243 per 1000.
‒ Of the 81% of teens who play video games, over ½ have played extremely violent ones. 33% of those kids say that their parents know only “a little” about the games and 57% say their parents have not imposed any household rules concerning the games.
‒ A study conducted at Indiana University found that during 50 (ONLY 50) World Wrestling Federation Raw Is War shows broadcast last year on the USA network, wrestlers did the following:
‒ Grabbed or pointed to their crotches 1658 times.
‒ Participants were struck by objects 609 times.
‒ Sexually charged slogans were spoken 434 times.
‒ 157 obscene gestures
‒ 47 references to satanic activity.
‒ HOW TIME FLIES! 38 years elapsed between when radio was introduced and when it fisrt attracted 50 million users. Only 13 years passed before TV accomplished the same feat. The Internet? A mere 4 years!
Read the quotes from the magazine.
It’s no wonder then that we live in a world that:
‒ Teaches there are no absolutes.
‒ Says, “Whatever I say is the right thing for me.”
‒ Has no shame.
‒ Condones every type of smut that can be imagined and some that we would not ever think of.
1. Tonight’s lesson has only one real point. I will begin the point with a very serious question.
A. When are we going to decide to make God’s work more important than the pleasures of sin and the business of life?
READ TEXT 2 Peter 1:5
2. “Add To Your Faith...”
A. What is faith?
1. It is the certainty of knowing something that is not there.
B. The question however in our attempt to understand why we do what we do is, “How do you know I have faith? How do I know that _______________ has faith?
1. He does right.
2. He talks about his faith.
3. His actions prove that he believes.
C. This passage is a passage about GROWING UP in these good virtues.
1. What is the basis for our Christian Growth? The basis lies in the fact that we believe in Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus Christ "Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him.” (2 Peter 1:3)
1. Our faith lies not in the promises, but the one who made those promises.
2. Our faith causes us to live the way we do.
3. “To your faith add virtue...” (Goodness)
A. Virtue is really at the heart of this lesson. Virtue is goodness. The statistics that I read at the beginning are due to non-virtuous living.
1. Why are we choosing in so many ways the wrong path?
2. What will it take to wake some of us up to the fact that we need God?
3. When will we learn to “hunger and thirst after righteousness”?
1. That means a craving. Like a diver that tries to reach the surface for air.
2. Do you crave God like that?
4. Back to Our original question: When are we going to decide to make God’s work more important than the pleasures of sin and the business of life?
A. Hear’s what the scripture says.
1. We must begin to feel again. Ephesians 4:17-19 (NCV) "In the Lord’s name, I tell you this. Do not continue living like those who do not believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing. {18} They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives. {19} They have lost all feeling of shame, and they use their lives for doing evil. They continually want to do all kinds of evil.”
1. Feeling causes us to hate the wrong thing.
1. Do you realize how many of us do wrong when we know it’s wrong.
2. Feeling causes us to be honest with ourselves and others.
1. How many times have you done something wrong only to make excuses for having done it?
3. The lack of feeling causes us to not care any more.
1. Like one man said this morning in Bible Class. “I know that’s the right thing, but whose gonna do that?
2. We must relearn what it means to love God with ALL our heart. (Mark 12:33 NCV) "One must love God with all his heart, all his mind, and all his strength. And one must love his neighbor as he loves himself. These commands are more important than all the animals and sacrifices we offer to God.""
1. ALL MEANS ALL (SAY THAT WITH ME!!)
2. How much does God want of our time? ALL
3. How much does God want of our money? ALL
4. How much does God what of our heart? ALL
3. We must learn to say no to satan. Acts 5:3 (NCV) "Peter said, "Ananias, why did you let Satan rule your thoughts to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep for yourself part of the money you received for the land?"
1. Satan must not be allowed any longer into you mind.
2. Difficult yes, but with God’s help we can!!James 4:7 (NCV) "So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you."
3. We must not choose to allow the devil into our lives. The Bible says, Ephesians 4:27 (NCV) "Do not give the devil a way to defeat you."
Conclusion: The real question here is, “Are we adding to our faith anything?”
‒ The book of Hebrews is a book about Christian growth. I want to read one verse in closing.
‒ Hebrews 6:4-8 (NCV) "Some people cannot be brought back again to a changed life. They were once in God’s light, and enjoyed heaven’s gift, and shared in the Holy Spirit. {5} They found out how good God’s word is, and they received the powers of his new world. {6} But they fell away from Christ. It is impossible to bring them back to a changed life again, because they are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are shaming him in front of others. {7} Some people are like land that gets plenty of rain. The land produces a good crop for those who work it, and it receives God’s blessings. {8} Other people are like land that grows thorns and weeds and is worthless. It is in danger of being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire."
‒ I ask you tonight, How is the world affecting your life?
‒ Are you swayed by its influence?
‒ Or do you dictate what you see, hear, and experience?
