“CRUISE CONTROL OR SELF-CONTROL” 2 Peter 1:1-11
INTRO – Hilton Wall’s new company car is a Dodge Charger. Got the big engine. Lot of power under the hood. Susan warned him to be careful or he would get a ticket. Told her, “It’s got cruise control, but I just hope I have self-control.”
I began chewing on that statement, thinking about how that applied to the Christian life. Cruise control on a car is nice to have. Some people don’t like to use it, but I can’t stand to drive on highway w/out it now that I’m used to it. Most cars have it as standard equipment now. Saves gas mileage by holding car at a steady speed. Can keep you from inadvertently speeding and getting a ticket. Can keep you from getting so tired while driving.
But can also be dangerous at times. Should not use it when it is raining or when roads are wet. Can cause tires to spin when you hit a puddle of water standing in the road. Most MS highways have plenty of water standing in the road during a rain! Can cause you to lose control and crash. Story of a lady in TX whose car began hydroplaning, then literally shot through the air and wrecked. Trooper estimated that she was going 10-15 mph faster through the air than the speed set on her cruise control.
So many people live with their spiritual lives just set on cruise control. Don’t give much thought to what they need to be doing or how they need to be living to please the Lord. Just cruising along the highway of life, waving at God every now and then just to keep their conscience from hurting them too badly, but not considering Him in any significant way in any area of their lives. Not “bad” people as we might define bad. Not murderers, rapists, child molesters, drunkards, drug abusers, or any of the other things that we might consider the “big” sins. They don’t do those things. Outward appearance is that they are a good, moral person. Good citizen. Pay their bills. Treat people fairly. Might even have a good attendance record at church. They’ve been saved, been baptized, got their name on the church roll, and their spiritual life is on cruise control. They’ve pushed all the right buttons and are safely cruising along in their spiritual life and don’t want anything or anyone to mess it up.
Can I tell you something? That’s not all there is to the Xn life. G doesn’t expect or want us to live a safe, predictable, cruise control life. Jesus’ life was far from safe and anything but predictable. The lives that the disciples lived after Jesus was gone were not safe and predictable. The believers in the early church were definitely not on cruise control. Paul wasn’t just cruising through life, resting on his accomplishments. Didn’t come to a resting place in his life where he thought, “Well, I’ve done enough for the Lord. Think I’m going to take a break for a while.” No, he lived with reckless abandon right up to the end of his dangerous life, a life that was constantly lived for the glory of His Savior. He had fought a good fight. He had finished his race. He had kept the faith.
Simon Peter, who wrote the verses that we are considering today, didn’t live a cruise control life. This is the same Simon Peter who jumped out of the boat so he would walk on the water with Jesus. This is the same Simon Peter who pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the servant named Malchus when Jesus was being arrested. This is the same Simon Peter who was present when the HS came at Pentecost, who spoke to the crowds that had gathered when all the believers began speaking in other languages. Preached to them and over 3000 were saved. This is the same Simon Peter who was constantly put in jail b/c he just would shut his mouth, but kept talking about Jesus every chance he got. This is the same Simon Peter who stood up before the religious leaders who questioned the healing of a lame man in Acts 3-4. Acts 4:18-20: “Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
How can we live in such a way so that we won’t engage our spiritual cruise control? How can we experience the fullness of the Xn life like G intended for us to experience?
I. REALIZE THE POWER THAT IS OURS – v. 3-4
The Xn life begins w/ saving faith. We are saved the moment that we trust Jesus alone for our salvation. We begin a personal love relationship w/ Jesus Christ.
At the moment that we are saved, we are given the power that we need to live the Xn life. And G’s power is complete. His power gives us “everything we need for life and godliness” – everything we need to live the Xn life. When you are born into the family of G, you are born complete. Nothing is left out. Nothing has to be added. Col. 2:10 – “you are complete through your union with Christ.” “Just as a normal baby is born w/ all the ‘equipment’ he needs for life & only needs to grow, so the Xn has all that is needed & only needs to grow. G never has to call back any of His ‘models’ b/c something is lacking or faulty.” (Wiersbe)
We need to realize the power that we have to live this thing called the Xn life. If G has called us into this life w/ Him, He is going to equip us w/ the power we need to live this life for Him.
II. UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS – v. 5-9
Where there is life, there must be growth. The act of being saved, being born again, is not the end; it’s the beginning. It’s the beginning of a life lived for G, a life of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is not automatic. We can’t just push the spiritual cruise control button and expect to grow as a X-follower. We must apply ourselves, using all the means that G has given to us to mature in our walk w/ Him. Wincil’s flowers – G provided the seed, the soil, the sunshine, the rain; Wincil had to provide the cultivation, the time, the effort necessary to bring about these beautiful flowers.
Same is true in our spiritual lives – G saves us. It is all about Him. We can’t do anything to save ourselves. And when He saves us, He gives us everything we need to live for Him. But He expects us to be involved w/ Him in growing in our rel. w/ Him. Expects us to “make every effort” as we grow in Him.
Peter gives us 7 characteristics of a life that is being lived for the Lord; a life that is NOT set on cruise control. Don’t need to see these as stages of development. Not once you get one, you move on to the other one and forget about the others. Word “add” means “to supply generously.” In other words, we develop one quality as we exercise another quality. These qualities grow out of life and out of a vital rel. w/ X. They don’t grow out of a life that is set on cruise control!
“goodness” – lit. “excellence” – Means to fulfill one’s purpose. A X-follower is supposed to glorify G b/c he has G’s nature w/in; so when he does this, he shows “excellence” and “goodness” b/c he is fulfilling his purpose.
“knowledge” – full knowledge, knowledge that is growing, practical knowledge. Refers to the ability to handle life successfully. This knowledge comes as we obey G. Don’t get this knowledge when your life is set on cruise control.
“self-control” – discipline, self-restraint. Choosing not to do things that would hinder your walk w/ X and your witness w/ others. “Well, I just can’t help myself.” If you say that, you must be on cruise control, b/c the true X-follower can help himself or herself by living a disciplined, obedient life.
“perseverance” – the ability to endure when circumstances are difficult. It means hanging on when you want to give up.
“godliness” – simply means “God-likeness.” Very practical characteristic that comes from simply making the kinds of decisions that are right and noble. Not necessarily easy to do, but simple to do. You do what is right b/c it is right and b/c it is the will of G. Living life on cruise control is not a godly thing to do.
“brotherly kindness” – Philadelphia – M-fuge this summer – If we love Jesus, we must also love our brothers and sisters in X. We don’t just pretend that we love each other; we show it constantly and consistently. 1 John 3:18 – “Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.”
“love” – sacrificial agape love that causes us to love others in spite of differences. It’s the kind of love that G shows toward lost sinners, and He requires us to have this kind of love as well.
III. LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCLAMATION – v. 10-11
Growing – serving – ministering – witnessing – worshipping –
NLT - And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
NKJV - …an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Describes welcome given to the Olympic winners when the arrived home. Those X-followers who continue gorwing and adding to their faith will hear the proclamation of the Lord Jesus, “’Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Those living on cruise control won’t hear these words.
So are YOU living your life on cruise control or living by the self-control that comes when we realize the power that is ours, understand the process of growing in Christ, and look forward to His proclamation?
